Manawatu Herald. FRIDAY, JULY 23, 1880. RAIWAY RETURNS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 95, 23 July 1880, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. FRIDAY, JULY 23, 1880. RAIWAY RETURNS.

The returns for the four weeks ending May 29 are published, and show a profit of £ 25,000, the receipts being £67,740, and the expenditure £42,740. The receipts on the Fox ton-Wanganui line remain about the same as previous month, being £2,524, a decrease of £514 as compared with the corresponding period of last year. It is noticeable that the number of persons who travelled upon the line in May was 10,496, whereas the number of who travelled in the same month of last year was 10,365. Yet the smaller number of passengers last year returned to the revenue £1,429, as compared with £1,253 received from the larger number this year. The following are the returns referring to the Foxton-Wan-ganui line : — Passengers, — No. No. U f Class ... ... 2.273 2,184 2nd Class ... ... 8,223 8,181 Total . . . . 10,496 10,365 Goods, — Tons. Ton> . Wool ... ... 9 6 Timber .. ... 1,056 1,309 Grain .. ... 346 227 Merchandise... ... 49) 2,126 Minerals ... .. 487 17 Firewood .. ... 1,040 1,272 Total... .., 3,428 4,959 Live Stock, — No. No. Parcels, dogs, &c ... 1,100 Horses an 1 Cattle . . 18 26 Sheep, Pigs, &c. . . 155 162 1,273 188 Receipts, — Passengers, parcels, &c. „, £1,253 £1,429 Goods, live stock, rents, &o 1 ,27 1 1 ,609 Total : .. .. £2,524 £3.038 The total length of line open for traffic is 1,181 miles, of which 869 miles are in the North Island, and 812 in the South. The only line in the North Island which has caused a loss to the country upon working is that at Kaipara, the percentage of receipts to date since the beginning of the financial year on that being 102-06. The whole of the other North Island lines pay wo- king expenses, and leave a good margin of profit. The Foxton-Wanganui line shows a per centage of expenditure to receipts of 75*30. Turning to the South Island lines, we find both the Westport and Picton lines are worked at a great loss to the country, the receipts for the month on the former being only £182, whilst the expenditure reached £296. The Picton linp is not quite so bad. Upon that the receipts were £324, and the expenditure £411. The branch lines in the South Island are in many cases leeches on the Colony, as out of thirteen branch lines, no less than six are worked at an actual loss to the country, without considering at all interest on construction. This is a deplorable state of things, in the present condition of colonial finance, but is the legitimate outcome of the logrolling and swindling which was carried on in the Legislature during the scramble for loan money. Verily, this country has sown the wind, and is now reaping the whirlwihd.

thing bale or ignoble in having been engaged for a time in a sacred calling, let him show where it is. If there ia any disgrace in having oeen rudely treated \y a man who was under the influence of liquor (and who has since ropeutedhr expressed his regret}, let him show it If thero is any dishonor in using the luw father than making a blackguard of one's self by fighting, let him prove it. Yet these are the three hcrde-t things this literary * * * can say about us. To imitate him and refer to his past career would be to unveil a pioture chary forbids ua from Uooovering. Still, we warn him not to presume any farther upon our charily, which has its limits. We have dealt with him simply as a journalist, and that picture is black enough. If he goads ms into an artiole dealing with him personally, he will hang his harp on a willow tree, for a few months at least, and will be glad to stay at home u-ttil the nine day*' wonder we will create ha* subsided. A word to the wise is sufficient. As to the writer of this article being young, his hair has certainly not been turned prematurely white ; and con* sidering that by sobriety, respectability, and industry we have gained a commercial position superior to what he has achieved after a long career, we are thankful to be able to hope for the enjoyment of our declining years (if we ever have any) not by attacking persons who have used the opportunities we have neglected, nor by allowing an intellect soured by jealou»y and remorse to vent its puerility in cowardly and base attacks upon all who refuse to do homage to us. Cemetery Ttxtsteeb. — A meeting of the trustees of tbe Foxton Cemetery was held at the Athenaeum on Wednesday last. Present — Ruv. J Duncan (Chairman). Messre Robinson, Cook, and Nye. The following resolutions were passed : — " That having ascertained the amount of damage done by cattle breaking into the Cemetery Reserve to amount to Us 6d, Mr Cook be authorised to muko this claim against Mr Purcell, his cattle having been found trespassing in the Cemetery Reserve on Sat'irday last." " That Mr Golej be authorised to put up two wires No. 6, all round the Cemetery fence, one on top of posts, and one between the, top and second rails, to clean out drain where filled up, and plant gorae where it h S failed to take root.'' Customs. — The Customs returns just published show a marked falling off at the port of Wanganui. For the quarter ended 30th June, 1879, the receipts were £7068, but for the quarter just closed the receipts were only £5078. This is an enormous drop, and we are afraid that if the sister port progresses at this rate, Wanganui will in a few quarters become one of those Customs ports which its evening paper thinks should be " shut up. " Signs ov Improvement. — The returns of Customs revenue for the Colony are a commercial barometer, indicating in the plainest possible manner whether our trade as a Colony is progressing or otherwise. It is therefore satisfactory to find that for last quarter the Customs returns show a satisfactory increase over the corresponding period of last year. In fact, out of the 29 Customs ports in the Colony there are only eight at which there was a decrease, as compared with the correspondiug period referred tn. The eight referred to are— Poverty Bay, Want?anui, Picton, Havelock, Kuikoura, Timaru, O imuru, and Invercargill. At all the other porlN there is a satisfactory increase, amounting in the aggregate to £54.577. This is cheering news, as it indicates the renirn of trade, aud '.he dawn of better days. Expoht »p G?>i.d. The total value of the gold entered for export ntnn from New Zealand from April 1, 165?, to Jane 30, 18&0, is £36,759 <>94. Kktuenchmbst. — We notice the sura of £IHO, which has been annually voted to the Ndtivo Medical Officer at otuki, is struck o> t of the Estimates this y< ar. Explanation. — In another column Mr Gower apologises for the error that occurred regarding his nomination in- the Awahou Riding. Earthquake. — A r.-'lher severe shock of earthquake occured on Wednesday morning, about 8.13. The direction wan from north *o south. A slight vibration preceded the more severe shook. Christy Entertainment. — The Foxton Chiistys will give their entertainment at Otaki tonight. Every preparation has been mude, and we are satisfied that the residents of that township will have no lvason to complain of the bill of fare provided. Mr Cobbe, a well known pianist, will act as accompanist for the Uhristys on the occasion. We anticipate a bumper houte will greet the performers. R.M. Cotjbt.— The R.M. Court at Foxton was occupied from ten to one o'clock on Wednesday, investigating the charge made oy Catherine £mith against .Frederick Perreau, of larceny. A full report of tht< evidence adduced m support of the charge is published in another column. It will be necn Perreau was committed to s+and his trial at the District Court, Palmerstou. Meeting of Ciieditous. — We learn from the Wanganui Herald that a meeting of creditors in the estate of R'»we and Sons, 4awmM proprietors, of Sandon, was held at the Court House, Wanganui, on Monday last, Mr Henry Williamson in the chair. The statement of accounts filed Hhewed liabilities amounting to £4,416. The chief items consisted of Bank of Australasia (secured) £1948 : • Mrs Bracey, Greatford, (secured) £537 ; D. R- Lowers, £597 ; Geo aunder, £458 ; Anderson and Jansen, £50 ; 'lhos. Verry,£so ; Henry Hammond, £56 ; Thos. Praser, £49 ; and other smaller amounts. The assets amounted to £6539, consisting of book debts, £200; fixed ma ohinery and plant at Carnarvon sawmills, including brewery plant, £1040; aection 132, Carnarvon, containing 1 00 acres, with mill-sheda, 5 dwelling houses, granary, &c, £1620; sections "-232 and 236 Carnarvon, containing 203 acres, £12 IS ; two sections \ acre each in Sandon township with dwelling house and outbuildings, £350 ; |-acre >eotion in SaT.don, and dwelling house, £ ■ 50; house and \ acre, Saudon, £l'-iO ; loose plaut and tools, £00 ; hoises, bullocks, cows, £308; furniture, £100 : stocK in trade, £82 ; bills receivable, £1261 A letter was handed to the Chairman, which, after some discussion was read to the meeting. Resolved that i this meeting stand adjourned for the 29th, and to be held at Bullp,at the Court House, at 1 1 a.m. Thb Pkopertt Tax. — The following extract from the Evening Post will answer a number of enquiries that have been made as to the property tux assessment papers : — v Constant enquiries reach us from anxious property-owners as to what they arc to do obout the Property Tax forms which have been issued, and are required to be Rent in by the 2nd proximo, no new forms exempting personal effects, &c, having yet been distributed. We may point out that no force can be fciven to the Colonial Treasurer's proposal to exempt personal effects until it bball have been adopted by Parliament. But this has not been done, indeed there is every probability that it will meet with a good deal of opposition before it is finally agreed to. All this time; however, the 2nd August is rapidly approaching, and it is quite clear that the new forma cannot be issued and the old

ones cancelled by that time. It is therefore, we understand, tho intention of the Government to postpone further the date for Bending in the rettlfijs, eitonding the time to the gist August.' * .FtJftTkEU ARKEBT9.— Nine more Maoris have been arrested at Waimate Plains, for obstructing the road works. They wcro headed by a turbulent fellow named Te Whetu, who is supposed to have been the murderer of Bray } at Tatanaki. fiome years ago. It appears 1? e Whetu and his fol lowers persisted in erecting a fence aoross the road, and though it was removed ssverul times by the Constabulary, the natives at once re-erected it. This kind of thin# went on for several days, when at last Pakeha patience was exhausted, and on Monday last the party were seized. Te Whetu was first arrested. On being taken be was very much surprised, and struggled violently. The others, seeing their leader "collared," surrendered quietly. They were taken on to New Plymouth on Tuesday. Great excitement prevailed at Parihaka when it became known Te Whetu and his party had been, arrested. State of Trade. — The Wellington Monthly Price Current remarks that the market is well supplied with large sums for investment on security of real estate, but the extreme caution of the lenders or the paucity of very first-class securities, hinders business. Ra*ea r>nge from 8 to 10 ! per Cent, acceding to amount and churacter of security. The Banks have also a .good supplj" of money for discount of good commercial paper. Trade, though depressed, is believed to be Bound, and engagements are fairly well met. Civil Sebvice Commission Repobt. — Referring to the debate in the House on Monday, the N.Z. Times says : — " There is evidently a feeling in tho miaiis of the Civil I Service Commissioners — and we must say we cannot help sharing: it—that the Minis* I ter of Public Works is antagonistic to the conclusions arrive i at in their report, and inclined as far an possible to resist the adoption of their recommendations. There is nothing to be gniued by being mealymouthed in a matter of large public importance line this, and we may as well say at once that the supposition is that Mr Oliver shrinks from facing the political influence which the principal officials of his department possess. If that supposition is correct then Sir Oliver is very unfortunately situated, and it is a great pity that he" ever consented to the appoincment of the Commission at all. If it is not correct then his course is plain enough, and he need not have the least hesitation in following it boldly. He should institute without any delay the investigations which may appear to be necessary to test the value of the evidence on which the Commissioners based their report, and the Government should then state explicitly to tho House how far they intend go act upon the report. One thing is quite certain. The question of the reorganisation of the Kail way Department cannot be left any longer in the extremely unsatisfactory position in which it now stand?, aud it is incumbent upon the Government to place it in a proper position at the earliest possible date." Coal Miners as Local Preachers. — Civis, in the Ottigo Witness, moralises thusly: — What is a "local preacher P" I thought I knew, but after reading the latest batch of Parliamentary papers I find that my ideas on tho subject are all abroad. I supposed that a '' local preacher" was merely a Methodist or Baptist who had " a gift" and exercised it gratis. Like the Apostles, he earned his bread by some kind of honest toil during the weok and gave the Sunday preaohing in for nothing. The Hon. Thos. Dick, for example, was, and probably is still, a very diligent " loral preacher." He doesn't look happy on it, but that's no matter : a man's theology may be djspeptie. but that doesn't prove him a bad man, and I should say there was certainly presumption in the case of a " local preacher '* that he was a very good nan. But if one is to believe the testimony of Mr A. J. Burns, manager of the Westport Coal Mining Co., a " local preaohor" is bound not only to be a bad man, but so bad a man that even the moral tone of of a coalpit would be lowered by his working in it. Lubfc year the Government selected in the North of England, and brought to the colony, 50 colliers, moved thereto by the urgent representations of Mr Burns that he wanted that class of labourers for the Westpoit colliery. But before their arrival Mr Burns had "read in a Newcastle paper that the party included " seven or eight ' local preachers.' " He at once wrote to the Government that he was " much amazed at these men being selected to be sent here," that he would not be able to " tolerate their conduct very long," — that his Company, in short, hadn't ordered "local preachers," and wouldn't h ye them. To this position Mr Burns stuck w^th such persistency that the miners on their arrival were kept for mouths in the barracks at Nelson, pending the efforts of the Government to convince him and his directors in Dunedin that though a man was a local preacher he yet might be fit to work in a coal mine. "As manager of the colliery," wrote Mr B. in reply, " I have got to have coal dug from the bowels of the earth, and deposited in the holds of ships in Westport, and this cannot be done by local preaching but by practical coal miners.' Finally the Government got tho fifty men distributed through other collieries, aud had the satisfaction of hearing from the employers who took them that they were "just th« class required." The transaction with the implacable Burrs has resolved itself into a claim lodged by the Government for £239, cost of rashiona supplied to tho Evangelical miners whilst detainod in tho barracks. This sum the Dunedin Pireotors will pretty certainly have the pleasure of paying for the theological antipathies ol their manager. Probably the loss of the i money will not irritate Mr Burns so much as the knowledge that local preachers all over the country are uniting to pray for him, and that there is a general disposition amongst them to ragard his name as pro phetic.