WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3109, 15 June 1881, Page 2

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1881.

A case of both interest to country ratepayers and of importance to County Councils has occurred in the Hutt County, and was recently decided in the Court of Appeal, Wellington. The particulars of the case are given in the report of the New Zealand Times of a special meeting of the Hutt County Council held the other day for the purpose of considering the position in whioh the Council was placed by the decision of the Court of Appeal in the action of Hendry and others versus the Hutt County Council. The position of the County and other local bodies within it is thus briefly given:—The Council gave notice that it would take over all the district roads, which had hitherto been attended to by highway and local boards, and also that it was the intention of the Council to levy a rate of Is in the £. The newly-formed Kilbirnie Highway Board resisted the abrogation of its powers, and also proceeded to levy a rate, a course in which it was followed by the Kaiwarra Local Board. After passing through various stages, the disputed points came before the Court of Appeal, when it was decided that the taking over of the roads in a lump waa not within the meaning of the Counties Act. As the 68th section of the Rating Act provides that ratepayers' rolls shall be prepared by the local body which has charge of the roads, it followed that the rate imposed by the Council was illegal. A further difficulty presented itself, in the fact that, the time having passed for the local bodies to make a rate, they— with the exception of the two already mentioned—having taken it for granted that the course pursued by the Council was legal, no rate could be imposed at all during the current year, unless the Government would extend the time by proclamation. After considering these points at the meeting, a resolution was passed that a deputation of the whole Council wait upon the Government to ascertain the position of the Council with regard to rating and other matters. The members of the Council present subsequently waited upon the Hon. J. Hall, Premier, and explained the position in which the Council and other bodies had been placed. Mr Hall promised that the subject would be carefully considered by Ministers without delay, with a view to, if possible, extending the time withm which the local bodies may prepare rolls. The chairman pointed out that local bodies may purposely neglect to prepare rolls, and that in euch cases no rate could j be levied at all. He suggested that the

difficulty might be met by inserting a clause in the Counties Act which would empower councils to make rolls in such case?. Mr Hall said he would consider the suggestion.

On the subject of the business of the session, the Wellington Post believes that it is the intention of the Government to proceed at once with either the Licensing or Charitable Aid Bill, and if the House i? willing to agree to this course, to pass each bill successively through all its stages before entering on any fresh matter. Similarly we understand, an effort will be made to pass other needful measures of a domestic character before taking up questions likely to be made the subject ot party warfare or very hot controvery, such as finance, public works, or readjustment of Parliamentary representation. These can be more conveniently dealt with when the quieter and lesa exciting, but equally important and wholly necessary, matters such as those indicated have been disposed of, while these latter stand but a slender chance of obtaining due attention after the House of Representatives has exhausted its power of work and application by a couple of months hard fighting over vexed questions of party or policy. This, then, we have reason to anticipate will be the programme followed by the Government during the present session:—To push on the Licensing, Charitable Aid, and other bills of a cognate character with all practicable expedition, so that Parliament may subsequently be free to devote its energies to the discussion of finance, representation, and euch questions without danger of neglecting the others. With this view, the delivery of the Financial Statement is unlikely, we hear, to take place earlier than the middle of July. It is understood, however, that while this is the plan on which Ministers desire to conduct the business of the session they will be prepared to meet the views of the House, should it be generally desired to make an early start in the Representation Bill, which is tolerably certain to prove a tedious and troublesome matter to deal with at all eatisfactorily.

Mr F. Sutton, M.H.R., proceeded to Wellington overland this morning. Another speoial jury was drawn to-day for the case'of Eeea and others v. Barker, to be heard on Wednesday, the 23rd instant. At the Kesident Magistrate's Court this morning, W. Gainey was charged with drunkenness, and fined 5s and or 48 hours imprisonment with hard labor. We would call the attention of the Inspector of Nuisances, or the Eoad Overseer, to the disgraceful state of the footpath in front of the district school. The whole of the drainage from the lavatories, &c, is allowed to run on the footpath, causing a greasy slippery mesa that is discreditable to a town having any sort of management. On Sunday last, the 12th instant, the shepherd at Clifton station, Kidnappers, found lyiner dead on the beach an albatross, with a piece of zinc tied with wire round the neck, and the following scratched on it:—" Remington. 4/5/81. Lat. 44 S., long. 100 E." The bird appeared to have been dead several days ; it measured six feet eight inches from tip of one wing to the other. The town clock has been erected now some years, but the public have but little satisfaction in looking at it as a time keeper. For some days past it has struck the hours in jerks, often falling short of the number to be recorded. The only excuse we can offer for such erratic conduct is that the person whose duty it is to see to the regulation of the dock having had his salary, probably, dooked ten per cent., takes proportionately less interest in all that is of public concern. Mr Saunders, engineer to the Harbor Board, has received instructions to draw plan and estimates for widening the quay from the Custom House wharf to the cattle wharf. The proposed plan is to utilise the piles on hand, and to drive them iD a line from wharf to wharf; then, when the steam dredge arrives, to dredge out the " Iron Pot," and to reclaim the space enclosed by the piles. Avast improvement will thus be effected, and about half an acre of land will be added to the Board's reserves. At the ordinary meeting of the School Committee held last evening the bueiness wae of an unimportant character. On. the recommendation of the Education Board ifc was resolved that the mid-winter holidays at the schools should commence on the 30th instant, terminating on the 18th of July. It was also agreed to have a stone channelling constructed in the play ground at a cost of £10. Other items of no public interest were considered, and the committee, after passing the accounts for the month, adjourned. The new offices for the Union Steam Shipping Company at the port will supply when finished a much felt want. The building is to be 40 feet by 33 feet, two storeys high, having a very handsome exterior. On the ground floor there are to be three offices, a waiting room, and a luggage room. The upper storey is arranged for the residence of the local agent. The lower frame work of the building is already erected, and the contractor expects the offices will be finished for occupation in about twelve weeka from the present time. How mysterious fires may originate has been discovered in the course of effecting some alterations and improvements at the Crown Hotel, Spit. On the old ceiling being removed there were found between the ceil-lining and the floor of the upper rooms an immense quantity of wax vestas carried there by rats. The building is an old one, and the accumulation of matches was, probably, the work of years. Most of the vestas had been nibbled, but the bulk of them had the tops complete, and would light freely. It is evidently not safe to keep matches except in tin boxes, and the above discovery should be a warning to householders. A native woman was pitched from her horse in town yesterday afternoon in a moEt comical manner. Dressed in motley garments, with a white blanket on her shoulders, she was sitting on her horse at Newton's corner, when an express cart came along from Hastings-street. The horse in the cart being turned into Tennysonstreet naturally shied at the woman's blanket, and ran the wheel of the vehicle against the hind quarters of the Maori animal. The concussion threw the woman to the ground, and as she hung on to the reins she was dragged across the road. Finding that she was not hurt she picked herself up, and heartily slanged the driver of the cart. •' The Hunchback " was produced at the Theatre Royal last night, and drew a moderate house. The Master Walter of Mr Cathcart was an excellent performance, and merited all the applause bestowed upon it The Julia of Miss Beaudet was an undoubted success. The different phases of feeling through which the impulsive heroine passes wore admirably rendered. Mr Hall as Sir Thomas Clifford acted and looked his part. Miss Raymond made a charming and piquant Helen, and her interviews with Cousin Modus were thoroughly enjoyable. The afterpiece was a little drama by Herr Bandmann, in whicn he and Miss Beaudet sustained the principal characters. The plot is exceedingly slight, but an interest is given to it by the excellent acting of all the performers. Herr Bandmann sustained a character very different to any in which we have previously seen him. Miss Beaudet, as the wilful village maidea, was dre&sed and acted excellently. To-night" The Duke's Motto" will be produced, and should attract a large house.

The plans for the new school building at Kaikora have been prepared by Mr W. Dugleby, architect to the Education Board. The building is in its general design similar to the other country echool-houses, but ia free from any unnecessary decoration, in. order to lessen the cost as much as possible. The insurance on the premises destroyed by fire was £400, and the cost of the newschool building will be, it is thought* rather more tban £500;

Herr Bandniann and bis Company at the Theatre Eoyal to-nighfc in "The Duke's Motto " at 8. Mr T. K. Newton will sell to-morrow in Craven-street household furniture, &c, and several allotments, at 11 a.m. Messrs Kennedy and Gillman will sell to» morrow, at their store, household furniture, flour &c, at 2 p.m, Messrs Bly the and Co. have to-day special bargains in ladies' boots. Mr J. S. Blair notifies having taken the Taradale bakery, and asks for a share of public patronage. Messrs Grilberd and Anderson, nurserymen, have appointed Mr W. Prebble their town agent. It is notified that the Public Trustee has been appointed administrator in the estate of John Daly, of Meaiiee. Messrs H. Monteitb. and Co. will sell the Exchange Hotel, Havelock, on the 23rd instant. A number of new advertisements will be found in our " "Wanted " column.