The Dunstan Times. CLYDE, FRIDAY, SEPT. 7, 1883.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1114, 7 September 1883, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

CLYDE, FRIDAY, SEPT. 7, 1883.

Bencuth the rule of men entirely just • The pen is'mißhticr than the sword.

We seize upon the present as most opportune *o Bay a few words upon the subject of Local Taxation, not in the spirit of criticism iu any shape, but with a view, perhaps, of enlightening the local taxpayers upon one er two points on which they may not have been previously informed. The reason for considering the present as opportune is the delivery of County notices of rates duo for the present year, i.e., ending on the 31st March, 1884. First, we would remi- d our readers that from the inauguration of the County system, until the beginning of the present year, all rates made by Coun'y Councils were made and levied under the provisions of the “ Rating Act, 137(5,” and the modnx* optrandi was briefly as follows, viz. :—The County Valuer assessed the annual value of rateable property, which was fixed at what the property was worth from year to year, and notices of such values wore sent to the owners oroccn piers, giving them an opportunity of objecting thereto, and fixing date for hearing such objections to the valuations, which valuations, when finallysettled, were entered upon tho rate book, and the Council, under the provisions of tho said Act, struck such rate in the pound (generally Is in the £ for Vincent Comity) as was required to cany out necessary works. Thus a property with an annual value of £SO, would bo rated at £2 10s ; and so on in proportion. Now, all this is changed, as doubtless many ratepayers will iiave observed by the notices they have received The change was brought about by tho repealing of the “ Hating Act” of 187G, and the bringing into operation the provisions of the *• Rating Act, 1882.” Under this 4ct Ioe;d bodies may either make their own valn.ill • ov

Under this provision the Vincent County Council decided (and wo think they were wise in so doing) to accept the Government valuation. For in doing this it first relieved the local ratepayer of the costs incidental to such valuation ; and secondly, it pracoically constituted him his own valuer. This may not be readily understood ; therefore, it is necessary to speak more clearly. We, in effect, say that the County authorities, by their acceptance of the Government valuations, practically made the ratepayer his own valuer; as in this way. Under the provisions of the Property Assessment Act every owner of real and personal property furnished to the Government a return of such property, giving full particulars and value that is, its value to sell for cash. The Government assessors also made a similar return, but invariably agreed with the proprietors as to value ; and moreover, every owner had the right of objecting to the assessment, and which, if not made, was in effect a tacit acceptance of the assessment., Every property holder in the County having thus either made his own value, or having accepted the' Government Assessor’s value, is practically his own assessor. Some, probably' ipany, ratepayers may be confused at the difference in the valuation of their properties this year as compared with last year, and be tempted to find fault, thinking that as their property was valued at so much last year, it should be the same this j and at the same time forget that the rate is only |d in the pound, instead of one shilling. Gases like the following have come to our knowledge, viz.:—-A ratepayer whose property last year was valued at £SO, paid £2 10a rates. This year his rates amount to 12s 6d - only, being | in the pound on £2OO, and yet ho it dissatisfied, and thinks the rate should be only 3s 2d, or | in the £ on £so— last year’s valuation. • It is with the view of clearing some of these like errors—tliat are largely unavoidable in bringing new laws into operation, that we have thus briefly touched upon the subject. We have by no means exhausted it, and may deal further with the subject at a future date. In another column will be found the report of the Commissioners on the Dunedin Gaol Inquiry, By request wo beg to draw attention to the advertisement in another column, under the hand of the C otnmissioner of Crown Lands, Intimating that sections in Tarras Block and in Tuapeka West are open for application. Mr Fache draws attention to the advertisement of the sale by auction of household furniture, etc , at Alexandra, on Saturday evening next, on account of Mr Murdoch McDonald. The Rev. David Borrie has, by the recommendation of his medical advisers, beon obliged to decline settling in the Lauder District, as the duties of so wide a charge would bo to much for his strength. The newly passed depasturing regulations for the Clyde and Cromwell commonages, wo are informed, have been confirmed ; and by the time fthis intimation appears they will have been gazette!. It will bo well for all those parties who arc using the comraonago to make themselves acquainted with the new regulations. Mr Fache directs attention to the advertisement In another column of the sale of fat cattlo, to ho held In the Clyde Pound Yards, on Wednesday, the 19th. Inst. The cattlo are really prime, no better for a very long time past having beon in the market. Lambing has now commenced in the district. We have received a letter from Mrs M. Squires, of Arrowtown, detailing a (supposed or real) grievance against the trustees of her lata husband’s estate ; but as the question Is purely of a private character wo must decline to publish it. The better course for Mrs Squires to adopt would be to employ a solicitor. The hulk of the members wilt be away from Wellington this week. Mr Fache reports having sold a small mob of fat cattlo, mediums and fair quality, at Mr Mee’s farm, near the White Horse Hole!, on Monday last, realising fairly re« munerative prices. The small and medium heifers and steers realising from L 4 to L 5 ss, the larger and better realising L 6 10s, Ho advertises a very prime lot of 20, at the Clyde Pound yards, for Wednesday the HHh lust. Wo have roc jived the first number of the Illustrated New Zealand Mews from Mr R. T. Wheeler, publisher, Dunedin. It is a great Improvement on its predecessor—the liluslratt’d Herald—* nd if but that it keeps up to anything approaching its present per motion, wo may speak for it a largo circulation. The illustrations are chiefly devoted to New Zealand scenes, while it also has two full-sized supplement sheets, one being a bird’s eye view of Dunedid ; the other being a moat excellent colored lithograph of a fully equipped digger on horseback—- “ The Prospector.” We regret to learn that in consequence of the injury to his eye, Mr Fyke has been i-ompolled to obtain leave of absonco -from his Parliamentary duties for the remainder of the session. Telephonic communication is now opened with Pembroke, also with Bannockburn. What the Tinkers residents arc about that they do not raise their voices in iavor of a similar concession being made in their favor is to us a mystery. Gorord Ltvßßs. Bilious conditions, constipation, piles, dyspepsia, headaches enrol by •< Wells’ May Apple Fills ” fid ! 1 " ■ druggists. Mosts, Moss moral Agents for Aus-

A Dublin despatch of July 15th says Ith.ab Sweeney, charged with the murder of Moutmorris, has been liberated from custody. L’ho police have no duo to tho real murder. The Messrs Redmend, In a report on their mission In Australia state that Archbishop Vaughan, of Sydney, and Archbishop Gould, of Melbourne, wore hostile to them. The Bishops of Maitland and Goulburn were, however, favourable to their movement. They also mention that they were compelled to retire from New South Wales. The Cabinet sympathised with them, and several Catholic members of Parliament who were at first hostile to them subsequently welcomed the mission. The Tapanui Courier states that chickenpox in a virulent form has been very prevalent of late at Kelso, and most of the children In the neighbourhood have suffered severely from It. Tho disease is said to have been imported with a family from Adelaide. The Christchurch Press says that a man named John England Heaver drove up to the police depot, on a recent evening and after cooly informing the cabman that ho could not pay his fare, gave himself up to Sergeant Mason for obtaining board and lodging at Collin’s Hotel to tho value of £34 19s by false pretences. Heaver had represented to the proprietor of the hotel that he was shortly coming into the possession of £?000, and tendered in payment of his month s account a valueless cheques for *he amount due. The Ist Battalion of the Welsh Regiment (41st Foot), now stationed in Natal, has been ordered to proceed forthwith to Zululand in view of tho disturbed state of affairs in that country. The Comte de Chambord, whose death was previously reported and then contradicted, died on the 23rd in Paris. The Comte de Chambord was the senior representative of the Bourbon family in Franco, being a grandson of Charles X. Sydney news states that the Chinese coffins recently received by the steamer Hoihow from New Zealand were placed aboard the hulk Faraway, at the quarantine ground. The objectionable nature of the cargo is strongly commented upon. Tho health authorities refused to allow tho vessel to take bodies to Newcastle. The Melbourne Telegraph has changed hands, and is now owned by a wealthy syndicate, the euphonious title now given to a number of men who have pretty heavy axes to grind. A return presented to Parliament shows tho number of persons drowned in tho rivers of this Colony during tho past year was seventy, making 2,058 who have thus lost their lives from 1840 to date. The squabbles of our Dunedin M.H.R.’s are stated to have become intensely disagreeable to the majority of members in tiro House, and we should Imagine they do not give any greater pleasure to the constituents. Tho Wellington correspondent of the Oamaru Mail reports the latest of these squabbles. Bracken (he says) in asking tho Government “if they do nob deem it desirable to afford tho same facilities to Southern members to bring their wives to Wellington during tho session as are afforded to Northern members,” his reason for asking tho iquostion, Mr Bracken stated that Mr Green had said that ho (Mr Bracken) had tried to evade paying tho passage of his wife to Wellington, ami considering this was a reflection On his personal character ho deemed it necessary to bring tho matter under the norice of tho House. Charges and countercharges between Messrs Bracken and Green occupied considerable time, but at last tho matter dropped. A handsome silver cup, standing llin. high, in a beautiful oak case, has been forwarded by tho Queen, through Sir H. Ponsonby, to Sir Alfred Balliston at Gos • port. The cup bears the inscription “Presented by Queen Victoria to Staff. Captain Sir Alfred Ballistonj In remembrance of his services during 34 years in the Royal yachts. 1883.” On tho other side are engraved the Royal monogram and tho Crown Star. Captain Sir Alfred Balliston will retire from service next month. Tho Athenaeum states that on the 13 hj of May tho Rev. Moses Nathan Nathan died unexpectedly at Bath, at the ago of 7fi. Ho was one of tho first and oldest Jewish preachers in England. Ho was the first to preach in favour of a non-Jewish charity, an example readily follower! by * community which makes no distinction of religion in the relief of the distress. As a teacher of Hebrew he was the first master of Prof. Marks. Ho spent many years as a minister of the English congregations in Jamaica and New Orleans, whore he received tho diploma of Doctor, and was much esteemed for his true charity by men of all persuasions. Ho wrote little, hut was au ardent student of Hebrew learning, being one of the few in this country devoted to tho study of the Cabbala, and he had spent much time in investigating tho antiquity Talmudic relations of tho Greater and Lesser Zobar. He had also made some researches into tho alleged influence of the Cabbalistic schools in forming tho legions and practices of the English Freemasons in the beginning of tho last century. His leetimes on this subject are supposed to have remained unfinished at his death. Two hoys-Bydder, aged 15 years, and Hughes, thirteen—were out seagull shooting at Auckland, when tho former’s gun went off accidentally. The ball, which was a marble, struck Hughes on the neck, travelling down his back, and lodging in tho lower part. Tho wound has been probed without discovering tho ball, but tho boy seems to bear up well Byilder is tho boy j who swam ashore from tho boat out of which Professor Walker was drowned. It has been resolved that the remains of the iatu Archbishop Vaughan shall bo I burio.l ia Sydney.

An amusing incident has occurred at the Soutliamton Borough Police Court, when one of the magistrates called attention to a dog that had taken its seat upon the bench, and requested tho superintendent to have it removed before the business of the court commenced. Tho superintendent replied that, as tho dog belonged to one of the magistrates, ho did not think he had anything to do with it. It turned out, that tho dog was th» property of tho chairman, who was not heat pleased that it should bo interfered with, and directed that the business ho proceeded with, when Übe objecs tor left the court in high dudgeon, saying that he would not sit there with a dog occupying a seat on tho bench as a magistrate.—Live Slock Journal. Tho gigantic statue of Germania to be placed at Niederwald, near the Rhine, will contain 45 tons of metal. Tho Wade of tho sword alone weighs one ton. On the tip of one of the fingers of the left hand of the figure is the Imperial crown of Germany, and the body is clad in chain armour, A figure of tho Moselle is to stand opposite another representing the Rhine at the font of the statue, and each of these figures will bo 80ft. bigh. DiflVenb portions of this bronze Colossus and its attendant groups are boing cast in foundries at Berlin, Dresden, Nuremberg, and other places. Some fpeople are always rubbing their bands, says a Homo paper, with misohiev. ons glee at the ease with which Mr Glad* stone is “ drawn” as tho slang phrase goes, t.e., is persuaded to answer any accusation or remonstrance made to him. He is oertalnlv not a badger in this respect. But there other eminent personages who abate weakness. Because somebody asserted that the debate upon the Deceased Wife’s Sister’s Bill, in the Lords, was cut short because it was time for the Prince of Wales to go to bis dinner, the Bishop of Winchester has actually written to say that their lordships did not rise so early “ from that unworthy motive.” If he had left matters there the thing would have been ludicrous enough ; but he goes on to any that the debate was shortened for the sake of Peers with weak stomachs, who could not postpone their usual dinner time, Purely, oven the Peers might have sacrificed something for tho sake of defending fall that according to the Bishop) is time honoured and valuable ! At the recent opening of an extension of the rialway line from Wanganui to Patea a gentleman, in proposing the toast “The Visitors,"’ is reported to have begged the visitors to excuse the ruggedness of manners ■of the Bites people, because they had no roads, had been existing there for the past woven years without communication outside and consequently had sunk into a saraibars bin state and -were un? bio to entertain visitors when they came. They had not got a large town to show. London had its large monuments, Boston its great organ, hut Patea had its great future. They rould got the measurements of the monuments in London, or the organ in Boston, ' but who cmihl measure the future of Patea 7 Tie thought that with capital and ■enersjy Patea would yet. he a great place. Its river did not make much show just then ; but it was very improved when the tido was in. Anyhow, if Patea did not become as large as some other places he would not grieve. He would rather see a number of prosperous towns of moderate size, such as there were in this Colony, than large sized towns like those in tho OH Country, where thoi e was every description of poverty. The Paris correspondent of the Melbourne Argun says :—“ Miss Booth, though young, and, it is said, not at all ugly, does not allow of marriage. Marriage is a vanity, and her mission is to thunder out against vanities of every kind. She baa taken refuge in France, with tho bulk of her army, after her misadventure in Switzerland, and is now giving in Paris public lectures of a somewhat theatrical style, in which the Protestants are no belter treated than tho Catholics, and in which she professes a course of transcendental morality. She lives with her sister. ‘ the Colonel’ not far from the heights of Belleville, on the third story of a house. Tho private soldiers of tho army, the Salvationists— those, at least, who have sufficient fnrtn.io of their own—live as they please ; the others dwell together, and are supported by voluntary gifts and collections. Miss Boothia, indeed, ono of tho attractions of the moment, and for a time had thrust Louise 'chel into the shade. There is trouble inside the walls of the Auckland Supreme Court. It appears (says tho Herald) that tho librarian and the registrar have serious difficulties as to their respective rights and privileges. The librarian locks up part of the Society’s rooms against the registrar, and tho regia* trar closes the coal cellar against the librarian “to find out.” The registrar then expresses the opinion that the librarian has “ too big for his boots.” The consequence is that the registrar cannot obtain access to many places where it is necessary for him to discharge his duties, and meanwhile there are no coals for the library. This is an odd affair. Here are two civil servants equally uncivil to each other, though the coolness is all on ono side. The registrar, who fitly enough, as he keeps the registers, has charge of the coals, is the worst of tho two, for ho adds insult to injury by his unmistakeablo allusions to the other’s chilblains, which must ho largely due to his unreasonable and unseasonable behaviour. Sufferers from Wind on the Stomach, Indigestion, Costiveness, Giddiness, Sick Headaeke. Heartburn, Disturbed Sleep, Pulpitationofthe Heart. Colic, Ague.Bilious, ness, Liver Complaints, Skin Eruptionaic„ should lose no time in availing themselves of that most excellent medicine—- “ Paok Woodcock’s Wind Pills,” which for HO years has held the first place in the world as an effectual antidote to the above ami all complaints arising from a disordered stale of the stomach, bowels, or liver. Tonic, invigorating and purifying, the form the best remedy extant. Sold by all Medicine Vendor inboxes at la IJd, 2s 9d, ar,d 4a 8d eaeh. Proprietor, Page D. Woodnock, Lincoln, England.- [Advt.]