WAIROA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3608, 3 February 1883, Page 3

WAIROA.

[from our own correspondent.] February 1, 1883. A man named Dyke was charged at the R.M. Court last week with furious riding in tho street. He had galloped up and down the Marine Parade, standing in the stirrups, and when ordered by the police to desist he refused, saying there was no Act to stop him, and he knew it, as ho had lived with a lawyer ever so long*. This did not save him from being given accommodation in Her Majesty's Hotel for three days. The recently gazetted alterations in the boundaries of licensing districts will have the effect of adding four hotels to the number under tho control of the Clyde Licensing Committee, namely, the two hotels at Mohaka, one at Tarawera, and one on the Taupo road, Upper Mohaka (formerly in the Puketapu district). Apropos of this subject I may mention that great misapprehension seems to exist between the publicans and tho advocates of early closing. Every now and again the Governor abolishes the native licensing district, and constitutes a new one (with merely altered boundaries). The publicans read the first notice, but not the second one, and hence at different times they have flaunted a telegram, a Gazette, or a newspaper extract before the temperance advocates, asserting that the native assesor has been wiped out of existence. Such a thing as this has now recurred, but I need hardly say that the recent alterations have not done away with the assessor, but extended the district over which he has control. At the Mohaka School Committee election the following gentlemen were elected nan. con. :—Alessrs J. Sim, Strachan, Bee, Becker, Cribb, AVhite, and Hawkins. Mr Strachan was elected eh airman and secretary. Capt. Preece, R.M., took occasion last week to inform plaintiffs applying for orders on judgment summonses that the Act under which they applied was not an " Imprisonment for Debt Act, "but an " Imprisonment for Debt (Abolition) Act." In several cases brought before His AVorship the plaintiff's failed to prove, not oidy that the judgment debtors (Maoris) had sufficient over and above what was needed for their maintenance, but that they had receiA'cd anything wherewith to satisfy the judgment. The magistrate, in the cases in question, adjourned them in order that proof might be brought, but intimated that in future he would dismiss them, with costs against the applicants. Though, strictly speaking, this is a sound decision in law, it cannot but bo considered hard on the storekeepers, avlio have given natives unlimited credit, and Avhen sued they swear that they have no property, generally crediting its possession to '' their uncle, their aunts, and their cousins." European debtors will generally give up their property, besides it is easier to prove Avhat means they have had of satisfyiug the clause. In the case of Maoris the decision—though legal—will be A-ery hard on the storckceping trade.

The AVairoa Harbor Board balance-sheet has been published. The receipts show a sum of £200, and the expenditure £80 -Is 2d, leaving a credit balance of £110 15s lOd. Mr McAllister, the provincial district auditor, appended the following memorandum to the account: —" The amount of £50 expended as engineer's fees, kc, for a report upon proposed harbor works at the heads is disallowed. Moneys received from the Government can be legally expended only upon the specific works for which they were issued. ' In this instance the funds arc to be applied to removing snags. Legislative authority to construct works at the heads is requisite to enable any moneys to be expended upon such works from the harbor fund account. The sum to which exception is taken requires to be prepaid to the harbor board account at the bank." (It is imdcrstood that this has been done.) This requires some explanation. To pay Mr Stewart for his report the members of the Board signed a promissory note for £00 on passing a resolution that the amount be made a first charge on the Board's revenue (when they got a revenue.) The note was deposited with the Board's bankers ou the understanding that it would be discounted whenever the snagging contractor required an advance ; the Board intended to operate on the ordinary account, and so save the discount. The Harbor Board, however, has acted quite straightforwardly in the matter, and has paid the amount back into the Harbor Board account.