THE The Drey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 1872.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1079, 12 January 1872, Page 2

THE The Drey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 1872.

It is quite refreshing in the present day to meet with a man so thoroughly endowed with the Mark Tapleyian spirit of looking at all disagreeable matters through a pair of rose-tinted spectacles, and seeing improvement in everything, as 'our County Chairman. After so prolonged a silence he has spoken, arid his speech must be described as of the gushing kind. To raid some portions of that delivered at the opening of the County Council on the 10th January, 1872, and and that delivered .on the 12th July, 1871, it would be a difficult matter indeed to say if they had not been cut out of the old one and inoerted into the new. Instead of the improvement promised six months since, we find that the County has been retrograding— the man at the wheel was too sauguine, and in spite of all hia calculations he finds that he has gone on a wrong tack, and instead of arriving at the end of his journey in good ti(ne, he discovers that he is terribly out in -his reckoning. It was easy no doubt for Mr Lahman to point out the errors in his predecessor's estimates and calculations, but now we find that he is in the same mess himself. One of the main points that told in Mr liahman's favor when : he was .' elected County Chairman was that he was a far-seeing man, a good financier, and fully acquainted with the fluctuating nature of the County of Westland's revenue. In his estimate for the half-year ending 30th June, 1871, the deficiency amounted to £1465 17s Id ; but )then there was. an. increase on miner's rights, tolls and land revenue, reducing the deficiency to £1136 16s 4d. It would. have naturally been supposed, after this lesson, that our hopeful Chairman would have acted with more oaution ; but no, he was hopeful still, and in concludiug his speech on the 12th July last, he, says: — "'I must again congratulate the Council upon the approved aspect of the County's affairs, and 1 am confident that it will only require judicious and economical management to secure for us a prosperous future." And what has been the result. Simply that the County was in a worse condition on December 31, , 1871, than It was on June 30, of the same year ; for instead of the deficiency being lew, it is more— namely, L 2476, or an increase of So much for the economical and judicious management that was to secure us a prosperous future, and, according to Mr LahraanV own showing, the County commences with a debt of £4424 14s. The position of the County being— assets, £10,225 ; liabilities, £14,667 14s ; and in the| face of tins he goes on to say, in almost identical language as that used six months since— "It will only reqpire_ ; the -judicial exercise of economy ; to. enable us. to meet all liabilities. "In the face ?t these mistakes, is it safe to trust to 1 the Chaifmau's financing, although we have his assurance that the position of the County is sound, and that its prospects are a fit subject for corigratulation 1 We now come to Ms own account of the part he took relative to annexation. He tells us that he considered it his duty to go to Wellington "to prevent the stoppage of the public works undertaken by the .General Government to obtain for the County a fair share of the suni voted by the General Assembly for waterworks on the Gold Fields, and to prevent the dismemberment of the County at the instigation of the member for the Grey Valley." Then he tells the County Council! how, when he got there, he found he was a lion— he was netted by the Governor, caressed by the Ministry, and cajoled by everybody. , He went to bed a very common-place person indeed, only to wake lip and find himself famous ; and then mark the superlative vanity of the man, as he looked round on the Council and said, "It was I Henry I Hermann Lahman, member for Grey- ! mouth, Chairman of the County Council

of Westland that did it." Nothing is said about Messrs White, Tribe, and Harrison, for he goes on to say, {f So far the result , of t!: at 'visit has been satisfactory, as.J; succeeded in inducing the Ministers to bring in a Bill enabling Jthjfiri to expend the' whole of the Middle "Bland Railway Fund in one year. . . . ' With regard to Westland's participation in the vote ef the General Assembly for water supply on the Gold -Fields"i°*was' less*'successful i ,(can.it be possible)." Then comes an un!kind cut, the unkindest cut of all, " The threatened dismemberment of the County received but little (if any) encouragement from the Government^ ; and like many other impracticable motions, died a natural death;" Mr Lahman does admit now that he went to Wellington, to oppose the dismemberment, and yet he says the motion was impracticable. What in all reason was the use of putting the County to the expense of a trip to Wellington to oppose an impracticable mbtibh which was bound to die a natural, death?. But there is. the rather awkward circumstance that Mr Lahman did not consider the'motion was impracticable before he was County Chairman,. and here is another illustration of the old axiom ''circumstances alter cases," for Mr Lahman was in favor of "dismemberment," as he calls it now, and signed the petition in its favor. The County Chairman then goes on in the Bame egotistical style: — •' When at Wellington / availed myself of the opportunity to enquire into matters materially affecting the finances of the country, and J have reason to think the information received may be of great benefit to the County yet." "I used my best endeavors," &c. } to convince the Treasurer of the loss to the County by the alteration in the financial scheme, but Mr Yogel was obstinate, he would not be persuaded. Mr White had rendered him some assistance, and so had the member for the Grey Valley, in trying to open up the question of the Canterbury debt, but they were only subordinates to our great County Chairman ! He tells us that tenders had been called by the County Government for various works, ; that the General Government had undertaken others, and announces that the General Government had intimated something about constructing a railway from Greymoiith to Hokitika and Ross. He once more hints that too much, money i 3 paid to hospitals, and then comes the benediction in the shape of the congratulation on the prospects of the Colony, but as this is only a copy of the same,, delivered six months since, it is likely to meet with a like result, and the County at its next sitting will, after all these tine words, just find itself deeper in debt. Such is the County Chairman's speech, a mass of egotism and incongruities from beginning to end, but could anything else be expected. from a. man who has failed, not only 'as a County Chairman, but also as a representative of the district.

TheCharles Edward, with the WesfCoast portion of the San Francisco, mail on board, arrived at Westport yesterday morning, and would leave again last night ; but it is probable she would pass on to Hokitika during the night, so that the mail- is likely to arrive by coach to-day. We perceive that Mr Wylde has been appointed land broker, surveyor, and valuator, under the Land Transfer Act ; and is prepared to transact all business brought under the operation of the Act. Mr Short informs us Captain Baldwin is mistaken in supposing he referred to him when he stated no had succeeded in obtaining 250 applications for the Mutual during his stay in Nelson, -while he was informed only about 30 persons were examined for the Government, although the Government lecturer there had lectured in various places prior to him. His remarks had reference to the Government Sub-Commissioner for Nelson, and not to Captain Baldwin. The Annual General Meeting of the shareholdcs in the Murray Creek Cement Company (limited), was held last night at Gilmer's Hotel, M. Kennedy, Esq , in the chairi The Manager laid before the meeting the report and balauce-shect, which was unanimously adopted. Some business of a routine character was dispatched, and after a. vote of thanks £o the Chairman the. meeting broke up: A public meeting, was held at the Greenstone, on Monday evening last, to consider the present position of the township, the site of which is being "gradually swamped bjr tailings from, the Duke of Edinburgh Terr-ice.- , Mr Clune was in the chair, and Mr Dungan, M.C.C. for the District, attended. ; After various speakers had addressed the meeting,. a committee of twelve was appointed to take action in the matter. A report, of the proceedings will appear in our next. Between three and four o'clock yesterday afternoon, the protective works in the neighborhood of Johnston street, as we prognosticated some time since, suddenly gave way, and for about two chains they are in a very shaky condition, and should a fresh come down, there is nothing to prevent the whole of the works from about the middle of Richmond Quay being carried out to sea. Measures were immediately taken by the Town Surveyor, the Mayor, and several members of the Borough Council, to secure the works temporarily. The following is the statement of Land Revenue received for the County of Westland, during the year, ending December 1 31, 1871 :-J.muary, L 256 16s Sd; February, 1/2.51 Is 41; March, L7G7 16s ; April, L 431 .9s ; May, Lo7 18s ; June, L 270 ss ; July, L 332 Us; August, L 359 4s; September, LloS lUs; October, Lll7 6sSd; November, L 973 14s 8d ; December, L 637 5s 4d. Total L 4514 0s Bd. , ' At the Resident Magistrate's Court, yesterday, before J. Greenwood, Esq., J.P.,. and 11. C. Reid, Esq., J.P., Ellen Grey was fined 5s for being drunk. James Dunn, for a similar offence, was lined 10s, or in default, 24 hours' imprisonment. He was also sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment as an habitual drunkard.; Rose Davidson was i brought up charged with lunacy. Drs Morioe and Smith stated that she was fit to bo at large, and she \va3 accordingly discharged., De Costa, v Emma Thatcher: claim for L 5 7a, for goods' supplied. L 3 had : been paid into Court Judgment was given by "default for the balance. — Skoglund and Purcell v Sarah Cleveland : Fraud summons, Defendant offered to pay 10s per month. Payment ordered at 10s per .week. — Ryan Brothers y Wihsch : Claim for LI 18s 6d, for bread supplied. Judgment by default. The gross amount expended on salaries by the Colonial Government is L 72.210. There are but three salaried officers receiving: LIOOO and upwards— the Engineer-in-Chief ' of Public Works, the Attorney-General, and | the Agent-General in England. Two receive ; from LIOOO to L9OO, eight L9OO to LBOO, twelve LBOO to L7OO, eighteen L7OO to L6OO, thin y-seven L6OO to LSOO, and fifty-one LSOU to L4OO. This gives an average for the 131 officials, -whose pay is over L4OO of L 551 ach. About one-third of the gross amount >f the salaries thuß enumerated, 123,000 is

expended in Wellington. "In round numbers Auckland comes in for L 12.70 0; Hawke's 8a.y, ; L2300; Otago, L 10.000; L2SUO is expended in, the Home country; the AgentGeneral is receiving L 150 0; his secretary L4OO, and the shipping .officer, whoever ho may be, &600. U■> "^0 , It will' be remembered .that a short time ago a select committee of the House of Representatives was appointed to consider banking matters. . They have reported, -recommending ;tho adoption by Parliament of the following resolutions :— J. That foreign companies carrying on the business of banking in the Colony should be required to_set. aside a deßnedportibh of their capitalfbr use in the Colony, and to come under regulations found necessary in the case o2 local banks. 2. That it is expedient, in order to ensure the growth of capital within the Colony, as well as the local development of trade and commerce by the proper use of the deposits belonging to the people, encouragement should be given; towards the establishment of local banks,, to bo called; '} national banks," throughout the Colony ; and with that view a general act, founded on the principles of tho American National Banking Act, 1804, in so far as practicable, authorising the organisation of such banks, should be passed, specially including- provisions, of which the following are the principal— minimum capital of such banks,. L 25 ,000, to be regulated by the population of the distriot ; one third of the capital to be deposited in Colonial Btock with the Colonial Treasurer ; the company to receive circulation notes, registered and countersigned by a Government officer, equal in amount to 90 per centi- of the bonds deposited, such notes to be circulated as money ; and a legal tender, except for interest on the public debt and' redemption of national currency ; the rate of interest and discount to be regulated; each bank to have in hand gold to the amount of at least 15 per cent, of its notes in circulation and deposits; onetenth of the half-yearly profits to be carried to a reserve fund until the same shall amount to 20 per cent of the capital. : 3. In order to diminish the necessity of keeping large amounts of gold at different places, a central Clearing-house Association, be established; whereby balances may be adjusted and settled throughout the Polony, and that all bankers be members of the association. An In vercargUl... paper writes:— "From every quarter in the neighborhood, where the situation is' at all exposed, we' have received intelligence of the disastrous effects of the late gale upon gardens and crops generally. The withering and blighting effect of the wind has left its mark on vegetation, turning the luxuriant growth of Friday night into a blackened, scorched-looking, shrivel-led-up stump, and entirely blasting the expectations of many who indulged in the hope of having this season an abundant crop of fruit and vegetables. The. Timant Herald calls attention to a recent sale of 793 sacks of Timaru wheat in the SLondon market. 2918 bushels in all were sold, realising in the gross, including sale of sacks, at Gd each, L 1037 19s 6d, or a fraction under 7s ljd per bushes. The exi lenses in the total amounted to L 265 3s Bd, caving L772 15s lOd as net proceeds, or a fraction o/er 5s 3£d per bushel.