The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1883.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1013, 4 August 1883, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1883.

Sydney Taiwhanga has been granted a prohibition order to prevent Auckland hotelkeepers from supplying his wife, Sarah Anno Taiwhanga with liquor. At a meeting of the Committee of the Napier Agricultural and Pastoral Society yesterday, it was decided to raise LIOO for the exhaustive trials of sheep dips, also for experiments as to the best remed> for lungworm in hoggetts. Another case of fever was reported yesterday afternoon from the quarantine station at Wellington, the person attacked being a young woman named Wilkins, a passenger for Wellington. This will delay the other passengers being admitted to pratique for a few days.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, has received the following telegram from its London Office, dated 2nd August, 1883; —“Frozen meat, per British Queen —The final average of the consignment of frozen meat per British Queen to this Company’s care is 6fd per lb.” In order to give those people in Ashburton who are suffering from the diamond fever an opportunity of visiting the alleged field where the precious stones are to be found, Mr P. Husband has decided to start a coach from here 10 Alford Forest on Monday, should sufficient inducement offer.

At the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce yesterday, the following resolutions were carried 1, “ That in view of the proposed increase of taxation, this Chamber is of opinion that it is undesirable to increase the honorarium to members of Parliament.” 2. ‘'That in the opinion of this Chamber it is not desfrable at the present time to increase the rate of the Propery Tax, but should it be found necessary, this Chamber is of opinion that the revenue should be raised by reducing the exemption to, say, L 100.” The resolutions will be forwarded to the Colonial Treasurer and district members. Of the deferred-payment settlers in Southland no fewer than 395 are in arrears with their rents, their aggregate indebtedness being L 5,451. The Land Board has notified defaulters that arrears must be paid in one month, failing which the land is to be forfeited. The largeness of the arrears is attributed to the fact that settlers cannot find remunerative markets for their oats. The Board also resolved that the residence clause of the Land Act shall for the future, be more strictly enforced in the case of deferredpayment selectors, it having become known that several cases of dummyism have occurred. At the meeting of the Wakanui Road Board to-day, it was decided that notice be given to the Clerk that his services would not be required after three months from the present time. Mr Walsh, who proposed this, said that he did so because he had heard many complaints from ratepayers to the effect that the salaries paid to the Board’s officers were too high, considering that they had to depend for funds entirely upon the rates levied in the district. All the members expressed a high opinion as to Mr Fooks’s ability, and said that the action they had taken was entirely due to the present financial condition of the Board. Mr Fooks said that he had contemplated making an offer to the Board with a view to a reduction of his salary, so as to place them on the same footing "as the Longbeach Board, the official duties of which body had been entrusted to the firm of Messrs Feoks and Son. From what was said at the meeting it appears that the notice was simply given to clear the way for a fresh arrangement to be made with the present Clerk, it being the unanimous opinion that the Board would suffer if they lost the services of such a zealous and trustworthy officer as Mr Fooks has proved himself to be. The usual monthly meeting of the above Commutes was held on Wednesday last, the members present being Messrs J. Kilgour (chairman), T. Walsh, T. Paterson, and J. Brown. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Mr H. Beckett wrote tendering his resignation as a* member of the Committee.—A petition was received, signed by fourteen householders, asking the Board to reconsider their decision in Mr Angus’s case, and allow him to remain in his present position for three months longer, in order that he might have another chance of presenting himself for examination. On the motion of Mr Brown, seconded by Mr Walsh, it was resolved—“ That at a meeting of the Committee, held on the Ist August, it was unanimously j resolved that this petition bo endorsed by the Chairman, on behalf of the Committee, and at once forwarded to the Board of Education.”—Mr Brown proposed, and Mr Walsh seconded “ That Peter Stewart be appointed a member of the Committee in place of H. Beckett, resigned.”—After transacting some other routine business the Committee adjourned, A social tea meeting was held last evening in the Primitive Methodist Church to°say “ Good-bye ” to Mr Puddicombe, who with his wife and family are about to remove to Nelson. The catering was in the hands of Mr Taylor, and provision had been made for a large company. After the tea had been discussed, the forms restored to their normal position, and the audience re-seated, Mr J. Orr, who acted as Chairman, came forward and in a neat speech said he was exceedingly gratified at the very large attendance, and this principally for the reason that it indicated a very large amount of sympathy with Mr Puddicombe and his family, and he wished that gentleman great success in the future. The Rev. J. Nixon and others having spoken in the same strain, Mr Puddicombe replied at some length. He was glad to hear Mr Orr bear testimony to his uprightness as a business man, and also to hear from his pastor and others their kindly words. He thanked them all—ho would never forget his Ashburton friends. During the evening several hymns from Sankey’s book were sung, while Mrs Craighead gave a solo in excellent style, and Mr Craighead was successful in the song he contributed. The meeting closed with the Benediction.