North Otago Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 1895.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8167, 26 April 1895, Page 2

North Otago Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 1895.

Tub estimated deficit of the colony for tho past year Is L 228.000, but Mr Seddon says the gross surplus is L 430.031. Tho Bum of L 228.000 is only an estimate, booaußO tho Government illegally wi'hho^d from publication the annual balancefchoef. Tho Ggures for nine months of tho year have been gazetted, but thoao for tho year aro withheld, without doubt for the purpose of preventing Ministerial recklessness being exposed. Ministers, however, have failed in this, for enough | is known of tho figures to disprovo the Premier's statement that thu gross surplus is L 430.000 or that it is anything at a>l. Lot us give an instance of how surpluses aro manufactured. Lns yoar tho Government tookapproprhtions formoro money than there was any reasonablo possibility of coming into tho Treasury. Those appropriations could not, of course, bo expended, because wha> the Government never had they could not dispose of. But no' withstanding tho fact that the money was never in existence as a Government asset, it will appear in the surplus as available for expenditure. This is a fraud on tho pub ie, but the public seem to liko it, for the reason, perhaps, that it is more pleasant to hug tho boliof that wo aro solvent than that tho Bmkruptcy Court is likely to claim us as a vie im. If the Government have an honost surplus, why are tho public accounts not published? Their publica* tion — if iho Premier's figures are reliable — would strengthen tho position of (he Ministry. But conscience makes cowards of even tho Ministry, and tho withholding of tho public accounts shows tho weakness of their position, and gives forco to tho declaration of compotent mon that tho colony is in a bad way. We wondor that the Primier has tho effrontery to state that (ho Government surplus is L 430,031, with tho full knowledgo that he is disseminating a statement oasy of disproof. Mr Ward, on tho occasion of the banquet tendered to him at Dunedln, said the gross surplus would bo L 350.000, but the Premier haa gob LBO.OOO ahead of his colleague in recklessness of statement. Both, no doubt, expect the colony to believe them, but colonists will be soft indeed if they believo either the one statement or tho othor.

The Aldorshot enquiry has ended satisfactorily— for the owner of the horse. Judging by tho report of the meeting tho evidence would seem to have been altogether in favor of tho owner of the horse, and tho verdict was therefore a judicial one t the woight of evidence vra» in favor of tho defondant, and he was acquitted. Thcro is a peculiarity about the case, however, which exhibits a weak sido in human nature, Hero we have a man who i« known to bo anything but a fool, owning and racing a horse that 1)9 knows to bo a " rogue," and practically wasting his substanco in trying to get the horse to turn over a new leaf, and run honestly. We presume that nearly every racing man is a betting man, and tho ■inns that must have been lost in the effort to get Alderahot to come in first must have been only equalled by the mountain of disappointment experienced at his so often coming in last. To own a horse- like this would smash a financial institution with a capital greater than the gross surplus of tho present Government What eai thly void in the economy of raoing does Aldorshot fill ? Does his owner keep him for the purpose of ascertaining how long it takes for a roguo of a horse to make a bankrupt of his owner ? We presumo not. Mr Stead says Aldorshot was an honest horse while ho had him. His morals havo therefore been corrupted in Dunedin, and he is ovidontly going from bad to worso, and if he is not disposed of to soino honest fish hawker or marine storo doaler he will wreck a career that opened auspiciously under Mr Stead's caro, but that now scorns tgbe gravitating to further disqualification. Mr M'Kewon should dispose of the horse, for every jockey club may no|, view tho roguishness of the horse by the weight of ovidence brought forward to prove outbreaks of this undesirable quality. We do not aay that there wm anything suspicious about the running of the horse, Wo did not tee tho race, and consequently must be guided by the evidence given, but it strikes us a« peculiar that an owner should keep and race a horse after he discovers that ho is an arrant rogue. Tho Waiareka school enquiry begins at 9 o'clock to-morrow morniug in the schoolhouse. Tho Hon. Mr Cadman will be in Oamaru in a few days, in connection with various public matters. A social and claueo in aid of the Pukeuri Librcvry fund takes place tonight in the ■choolhouse, commencing at 8.30. Wo are informed that 16 marriage cer* tifictvtos havo been issued in Oamaru this month. There U evidently a boom in tho marriage market. The annual meeting of the Acclimatisation Sooiety is postponed till Monday first at 3 p.m. This has been rendered necessary owing to the County Council's monthly mooting taking place to-day. Mr Bruce Chrlatio reports bavin? sold by auction yesterday tho equity of section 22, block 20, Usk street, to Mr R. Blair, as agent for Mrs Parkor, for LBB, subject to a mortgage of L2OO. Tho annual moeting of tho Licensing Committee for tho Oamaru district takes place on Saturday, June Ist. Applications must bo sent in to tho Clerk of the Committeo not less than 21 daya before that date. Very little stock went from this district to Burnsido for sale on Wodnosdoy. The following local sales were effect oar Tho Farmers A gonoy Company, Limited, sold on account of Mr T. Joyce (Hampden) 32 halfbreds, at 4s lOd ; 35 fat lambs, at from 3s lOd to 6s. At the Magistrate's Court yestorday, beforo Mr James Craig, J.P., Thomas Lees, alias Henry Jackson, pleaded guilty to being drunk on tho main road at Nojapara, Accused was convicted and fined ss, with the option of 48 hours' imprisonment, with 2« fid costs. A rosident of InVercargill informs the Southland Tinea that in coming down the coast a few days ago by steamer ho saw between Oamaru and Timaru a largo number of whales disporting themselves about two miles to seaward. Ho «aw fiva blowing at ono timo. Our Hakatoramoa correspondent writes : A very serious accidont happened on Saturday last to a sou of Mr Thomas Crone, of Walmate, Tho lad, whilo attempting to jump up on the •bafts of a loaded dray, which he was driving from Waimato to Hakater»moa, fell, the whe«l passing over his right arm and log, crushing the arm and bruising the leg badly. The sufforer waa taken to Kurow, where he is attended by Dr St«ven«. It turns out (says the Post) that our late distinguished visitor, Mr Moroton Frewen, who so disinterestedly ondoavorad to convert us all to Bi-mota'um, was the cmist&iy of ft New York silver syndicate— at least so say the Sydnay Morning Herald and I the Argus. H« baa in Australia been endeavorino; to buy for his principals tho Central Broken Hill silver wine, but tho shareholder! would not sell. Dunedin was not tho first or only placo where the Hon. Mr M'Kenzio boasted of tho special knowledge of Ministers regarding the oondltlon of the Bank of New Zealand prior to the orbit of June, 1894. In the Houw In Auguit last he said, in reply to a n»«nb»r oo tU othtr »ldf i •• W« knjw a

Zdafund than thd hetiorabta tnafntw* Atkt Ms colleagues think." This was no doubt true yot Mr M'Kenzie now tries to make out that Ministers know no more than the general public did about the Bank.~Post. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, have received the following cablegram from their London office, dnted April 23 : Wheat.— There is an improved feeling. Spot quotations have advanced 6d per 4061bs since last reporN (Last quotations were 24a and 25s per 49GU) for averago and lon^berried respectively). Tho following is the labor officer* report to the Labor Journal concerning the state of trade in Oamaru : Building and engineering trades— Not so busy as last month. Boot and clothing trades — Quieter than last month ; a good many in the trade out of employment. Retail trades — Fairly busy. Unskilled labor — All tho unemployed arc now in town, and aro unable to find work. Tho North Otago Golf Club is to be congratulated upon securing splendid links on the Awamoa Estate. Tho links are situated just behind the stealing. The paddock ia pretty bare, and the greens are in firat-cla»s order. There was a largs number of playcni on tho grounds yesterday afternoon, and several visitois watched tho play with interest. The medal day is next Thursday, when a Urge attendance is expected. His Worship the Mayor has received tho following reply to tho resolutions passed by a public meeting of unemployed and sent by him to the Minister : " In reference to the need for work for some of the men in Oamaru, I am directed to say that as soon as we get some of tho projected work from tho Survoy and Public Works Dapartments wo will willingly take a few men from Oamaru, but just at present there is roally nowhere they can be put — I am, etc., J. M ackay, chief clerk, Department of Labor.' Tho annual meeting in connection with the Waiareka T'ublio Library was held on April 17th, when only a small number was present. Mr G, Adamson w*s in the choir. Tho roport as read was adopted. Th« following were then elected tho committee for tho year : Messrs W. Bradley, J. Chalmers, J. Willott, R. Willett, junr., H, Feoly, W. Forroiter, and G. Adamson. The committee mot after tho public meeting closed, and Mr G. Adamson was appointed chairman, Mr R. Willett treasurer and secretary, and Mr J. Chalmers librarian for tho ensuing year. It was decided to have a concert and danco in the hall on the 17th of May, to raiso funds to purchase a few now books.

A point where two ends meet. — The centre of a ring or circle wh«ro it is joined. Thcro is also a given point, where the North and South onds of Oamaru mcct — one spot which acts as tho centre of attraction to tho many visitors from tho surrounding districts Wo refer to tho Polytechnic, whoro BnowN and Gibdakd, tho ReadyMoney Drapers, are Hill to tho front with Al value. Some special plum lines now being offered. Call early. Jambs Gemmell invites inspection of his Winter consignment (ex Aorangi) of Scottish and English suitings, coatings, and trousorings, including some real Harris Tweeds, A choice selsction of exclusive novelties ; also Oamaru and other Colonial goods of tho best quality. This Establish mont has long been noted for the first-class character of its productions. Suits from 7Cs upwards. Waterproof overcoats to order and ready made at lowest current rates. — James Gemmell, Thames Street, Oamaru