New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4877, 8 November 1876, Page 2

New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8.

The valuation of the city is now before the City Council, and in a short time the rate will be struck. This is apparently a very simple matter for Councillors to decide upon, yet their action in the matter may bo seriously prejudicial to” the interests of the city. It is generally understood that an effort will be made to strike a rate of sixpence in the pound—just half that of the previous year. Before accepting such a proposition, it is to be hoped Councillors will well weigh the matter, and having done so, allow no hankering after cheap popularity to ’ influence thendecision. We desire to premise any remarks we may make on the subject with a decided opinion that there is nothing special in the circumstances of citizens that a lower rate should'be struck for the erlauingyear than that of the current or any previous year. There is quite as much to be done for the public health and for the public comfort. ‘ We have before pointed out that a considerable outlay must •be made for the removal of the deleterious matter of the city before the general scheme of drainage can be carried out. It will be a year or so before the latter can be even got well under way, and unless some salutary works are undertaken in the meantime, the health of , citizens will suffer. Already through deficient drainage, and we might safely say through no other cause, a disease fearfully destructive to children has made its appearance in the city, and has wrought destruction in several households :thrpugh circumstances favoring its propagation. Thepresentsummeris fraught with danger to the rising generation ; and how are precautions to be taken if the Corporation has not sufficient funds at its disposal. For years past there has "not been enough revenue to keep the streets properly in repair, and to meet the meerest requirements necessitated by the growth of the city. Councillors themselves were frequently complaining of inadequate funds: Now I,' 1 ,' it is td'preveht this excuse—valid, no doubt, as it was rn the past —that we are opposed to such a low rate as sixpence being struck. The health of the city is of far more importance than the immediate saving effected by any difference of rate. It must be reraembered'ttoo that almost eyery/penny of the rates raised, will be spent in the city, and in one way or other will find- its way - back- to the -original payer. Anyone who takes an impartial review of the recent actions of the City Council cannot fairly ' assume that its members have not endeavored to carry out honestly the duties entrusted to them; ’ Although a few mistakes have been made,-the affairs of the city have been administered in a praiseworthy manner. I Consequently, it. is only right to suppose; that any sums entrusted to the Council will be judiciously spent, the ratepayers getting it fair equivalent in-the shape of necessary 'works. ' I '

.. Thera is another view of the question which sb ouldnotbe overlooked in the fixing of the rate. I Let a low rate be once levied, and it will be found a very difficult matter to strike a higher one in the face of the strong' opposition that is likely to' be evinced.; By-and-bye, and the sooner the occasion come the- better, the City Council wiirbe, called iipoh to levy a special rate to pay the interest and provide a sinking fund: on the money to be raised for the drainage:'of: the city. What then if it be also'found necessary to increase thi this may bo at.a time When the people! fire, less' able 'to bear the burden of taxation than at present. Not that wo have any fear for the future; but in ail countries, notably commercial ones) there are times of depression, and Wei-

lington cannot hope to escape this more than any other city. The above common, truth was pointed out'by the Mayor a few weeks ago. The British taxpayer will bear heavy taxation, but it must be put on gently, or the antipathy of _ the public will be too strong to tolerate it. This is a well-known fact in English history, , for the greatest of our revolutions was mainly brought about by unpopular ‘taxation, and the income tax—perhaps the most equitable of all imposts —has more than once placed an English in a shaky position. It is desirable that the City Council should work in harmony with the wishes of the people, and that its members should feel they had the confidence of citizens. • This, combined with a fair amount of intelligence, is the chief element in the successful working of representative institutions, whether parliamentary or municipal. Without the confidence of the body elective, the elected become in a measure paralyited and indifferent. Striking a rate of sixpence in the pound would no doubt find favor with some, but we are satisfied it would not meet with the approval of the thinking portion of the community. Wellington for a considerable period of the year is the residence of a large number of the most influential men in the colony, and it is not desirable that they should carry away unfavorable impressions of the place. Last session complaints were often made by our visitors of the sanitary and other drawbacks of the place, which, though in many' cases exaggerations; contained an amount of .truth. Wellington has a splendid natural position, and might lie made one of the most attractive towns iu the Southern Hemisphere, yet we are sorry to say much has to be done to make it even sightly to the eye and pleasant to the nose. The only reserve we have for recreation purposes is a disgrace to the city. The Corporation expenditure on it has been almost nil, yet we are told the Council has in its possession several hundred pounds which should properly be devoted to the improvement of the Basin Reserve. So pressing were the needs of the Corporation- elsewhere that it could not afford to put the money to its legitimate use. ; And in the face of all this it is proposed -to lower the rates, for the reason we are told that the Government subsidy of four thousand pound odd will make the total revenue of the Corporation 1 more next year by £2OOO than that of the current year. We have seldom heard of a more lame reason. The revenue of the past has been greatly inadequate, and the extra £2OOO for the coming year will not place the Corporation in a better financial position, the wants of the city growing fully to that extent in the meantime. _ It is a common as well as a true saying, that providence helps those who help themselves, and the legislation of last session is wisely framed on this basis. - It provides a subsidy oat of the public purse for every pound raised as a local general rate. This is certainly a strong inducement for, bearing,. at any rate, a moderate amount of taxation, especially as in the case of Wellington, where the money can be put to such good use. We earnestly advise the members of the City Council to pause before they commit themselves to any shortsighted action.

The Government does not apparently lose any time in setting the machinery to work by which the needful changes in our' institutions are to be effected.' The’ following circular has been addressed by the Under-Secretary to the Chairmen of Road Boards throughout the colony. . Colonial Secretary’s Office, : , Wellington, November 6,1876. j Sir. —l am .directed by the Colonial Secretary to forward to you the 'following-Acts which have been passed in the session, of Parliament recently cogeluded:—The Rating Act. the Regulation of Local Elections Act. the Public Works Act, and the Financial Arrangements Act; and 1 am, at the same time, to call your attention to their more important provisions as affecting Road Boards and the inhabitants of the road districts. AS TO THE RATING ACT, 1. You will perceive that by the 35th section it will not now be competent for a Road Board to make any rate for any period, beyond the Slat of March next, except under the present Act; although rates made before the passing of 'the Act for any period ending before or after that day, may be recovered under the old law. .2. In order to make any rate after the 31st March, it will be necessary for the Board to put in force the machinery of the new Act. the main object of which is to establish a uniform system for the valuation of rateable property throughout New Zealand, and a uniform system for making and recovering rates. The first step is to appoint valuers to make up the valuation list of the district; and as this list must be ready by the 15th of January, no time should be lost in making the appointments. lam specially to call your attention to the provision contained in the 12fch section, that a notice of the valuation of each property must be given to the ratepayer in the manner described in the 2nd section in reference to the serving of notices. ;

3. The valuation list being in the hands of the Board on the 15th January, Js to remain on view till the 15th of February ; and public notice of the place where it may be seen must be given once in each week during the month. 4 It will be the dntyof the Judge of the Assessment Court, who will shortly be appointed, to give proper notice of the time and place whpn and where the Court will sit to hear objections to the valuations; and it is open to the Board, by section 14, to object to any valuation, or, by section 18, to object to the whole valuation list; but in the first case a copy of the objection must be served on the person affected thereby, and In the second cose the objection must be published. 5. Von will perceive that by the 58th section, if the Board fails to have a valuation list prepared, it becomes the-duty of the Assessment Court to supply the deficiency. 0. The provisions of the Act In respect to the making and recovery of rates call for no special remark, . - IN RESPECT . TO THE JIHOULATION OIT LOO AX ELEO- , . ; TIONB ACT. . ; You will observe that this Act is to come into force, in respect to Boad Board elections, only by the proclamation 'of the Governor, upon the request of at least two-thirds of the members of . the Boad Board, , and after the ratepayers,' assembled in public meeting, have signified their approval of such step. It is, therefore, for the ratepayers themselves to consider whether they wish voting by ballot to be introduced in the Boad Board elections in their district. . , THE PUBLIC WORKS ACT. . ! The fifth part of this Act. which consolidates the law as regards roads,'and the seventh part, which provides for drainage, are the parts which principally affect the powers.and duties of Boad Boards. By the 81st section all roads, which includes bridges, are in the first instance in charge of the Boad Board, bnt the connty or the Government may take under its charge any road, and relieve the Boad Board from the cost of maintenance; and in respect of connty roads and Government roads, the duties of the Bead Board cease. J ‘ ‘ i It is believed that this part of the Act vests >n the Boad Boards full power to construct and maintain the highways, and, whore they think fit, to establish tolls. In respect to drainage, the seventh part of the Act places public drains primarily in charge of the counties, with a view to establishing a system of arterial drainage, throughout the country; but the county may place any particular drains under the control of the' Boad Board ; and the Boad Board may make and maintain-any. drains in - connection with the general'system of drainage, obtaining, the consent of the County Connell. ■, I You will find full powers for Stopping useless roads in the Fifth Part; but the powers for obtaining land for the purpose of making nawroads over private property are given .by the second part of the Act, The Board having fulfilled the several conditions required by the clauses 21, 22, 23, 24, and 26, the Governor Is empowered’ to ’take , the land required absolutelybnt as he is not'Compelled to do so unless he thinks fit, an.appeal virtually is secured to the Governor in Connell, by any one who may consider himself wronged by the actionpf the Board. The land being taken, the Board becomes liable for any compensation which may bo awarded by the Compensation Court constituted by Part 111. of this Act.'’ The 05th section' provides fer exchanges of land being made where a road is required to be altered; but but where no such exchange is needed, and whoro the Board desires to obtain.land only,if it can be acquired ata,reasonable price,' it.ls open to the'Board td agree with tho owner far the price'which he will Claim, and which ho,willfileln the Supreme Court under the 88th section, and to which, if no answer is made,under the 89th,section; he jHU become‘entitled. It is considered that this process, avoiding the necessity for all deeds or other legal proceedings,’will bo found simple and efficacious, and will supply the moanshltherto provided, by the legislation of the Provincial Council in each ease for enabling the road boards to extehd and complete the road System of thd cdniltry.'' ‘ j The.landtakon for the now road becomes absolutely csted in the Grown,under the, section; and the 26th section provides for the. necessary registration of the change In the' ownership of the soil without throwing any further trouble on the Boad Board.

But the Road Board must understand that where any such land Is subject to.various interests, such as mortgage or; other, it will be liable for all compensation which may be, awarded Tin the Compensation Court by' persons possessing such interests, unless a previous ’arrangement has been made,' so that their sfeveral claims may be filed without disputes . The 20th section provides for the disposal of land taken and not wanted; and the 94th section applies the same provisions to any old roads stopped. the financial a rranoemfnts act. I am to call your special attention to the 32nd section of this Act, by which the Road Board is debarred from receiving any subsidy under the Act, unless the returns specified therein are sent to the Colonial Treasurer at or before the proper time. The sum actually received In cash by way of general rates during each year ending on the 31st March is the sum on which the subsidy payable during the year commencing on the Ist’of July thereafter is to be calculated and paid. It will therefore be most convenient that the financial year of all local bodies should end on the 31st March. 'The Board will then know exactly tho sum which It will be entitled to receive from the Government during the following year; and the Colonial Treasurer will know, from the returns to be famished before the Ist of May. the exact sums for which he will have to' make prov-slon during the ensuing financial year. . The return you are required to furnish on the Slst of next January will be one of the general rates actually received by the Board during the year ending on the 31st March, 1876, and will be tho basis of determining the subsidy, for the six months ending on the 30th June, 1877. “ I believe I have noticed all the principal points to which it Is necessary to call your attention ; and I am to express the hope of the Government that tho several Acts now transmitted will enable tiie Road Boards to fulfil tho duties intrusted to them with increased facility.—l am, &c., G. 3. Cooker. The business of Road Boards being to deal with local works, the Public Works Act will be found to be not the least important of the four Acta forwarded with the circular.

It is, even wifh the so-called amendments which have been forced into it, a very complete Act, the drafting of which must have required great labor and care, seeing that it contains all the heedful provisions, and appears to be a consolidation of no less than forty-two Ordinances and Acts of the Colonial Legislature, and some sixty-five provincial Acts and Ordinances, all relating in one or other form to public works. . There yjas no question which, in some of the'provinces at least, gave more trouble or called for more frequent action on the part of Provincial Councils than that of opening up new roads and closing useless', road lines. All 1 this, as may bo seen, is provided for, and power is given to the Road Boards themselves to take the necessary action, and by a simple process to do all that is required, an appeal to the Qovernor-in-C6'uncil being' left to those who may find or think themselves wronged or injured by the action of the Compensation Court or the Road Board. We understand that the work of dividing the counties constituted by the Counties Act is ' being proceeded with vigorously, and that it is probable that before the close: of the year all the-elec-tions for County Councils may take place, and that the new year may see 'in operation the system of local self-government provided by the Legislature to succeed the provincial form of,government. It is gratifying to note the fulfilment of a prophecy made by Mr. Reader Wood in his original character as a supporter of.the abolition resolutions of 1874, and to be able to chronicle the fact that the great day abolition took effect, the day after the last day of the first session of the sixth Parliament of New Zealand, has passed, and that “nothing has happened 1” Sir George Grey has retired to Kawau, under cover of a theatrical demonstration of a mild character, and Mr. Macandrkw is seeking to retire from an absurd and ridiculous position under cover of a convention of all the talents. Beyond this; as Mr. Reader- Wood assured us, “ nothing has happened.”

We have over and over again pointed out the advantages that result from parties insuring their lives, and stated that it becomes almost a duty which no man or woman should neglect. The particulars of a case which has just coma under our notice demonstrates the truth of our remarks in the* most convincing manner. At the weekly meeting of the direo tors of the New Zealand branch of the Australian Mutual Provident Society held yesterday, the death of a Mri Charles Findlay, lately resident in the province of Otago, was reported to the Board. That gentleman insured his life for the sum of £IOOO on the 6th May; 1875, and had consequently only paid a trifling sum in premiums; notice of his death was received in Wellington on the 2nd Novem her, the claim was passed yesterday, and the £IOOO will be'remitted to Otago by the first mail, and the amount paid over to the parties entitled to receive it under the terms of the will. 1 The life was taken as a first-class one, and as will be seen by the following extract from a letter from the agent for the society at Dunedin, there was every reason to suppose that the deceased would have lived to a good old age:— “ I enclose letter intimating death of Mr. Charles Findlay. It appears he was superintending the men at a threshing machine on his farm, and being short-handed during a part of the day, he took his place, pitching sheaves off the stack for an hour or two, got heated, and when he returned to the superintendence went about without his coat, got chilled, took cold, and was carried off with congestion of the lungs. He was ene of those who would be thought am exceptionally good life."

Numerous inquiries were made at the office of this paper last night as to winners of the Melbourne Cup, and judging from the anxiety of some of the querists something more than a mere kindly interest in the sport of ’horse racing was at stake. One gentleman asked our reporter which horse had won, and on receiving the oft-repeated answer “ Briseis,” dropped his lower jaw and asked in a most plaintive manner, ‘‘Now, is it straight ?” He appeared to leave the little sanctum devoted to the quilldriving of the establishment a sad man, and we felt sorry, for him. i The acceptances for the Birthday Cup, to come off at the sports on Thursday, closed last night at the New Zealander Hotel. Notwithstanding the' correspondence which has taken place as to'the names of the haudicappers not being published, the result shows that everyone interested is perfectly satisfied, for in every case'those who have entered have accepted. There is every prospect of the sports proving a genuine success. ' V A meeting of the committee’of the Wellington Benevolent Institution was held yesterday afternoon/ ‘ Present—JV ;0. Crawford, Bsq. (chairman), ' Bishop Hadfield,' Rev. Father McGuinoss, Rev. O. S. Ogg, Rev. W. H. West, Rev. A. Reid, Messrs. L. Levy, J. Gr. Holds worth,, and the Secretary. Several cases were considered. The Treasurer reported the funds so low that be was unable to reimburse members of the committee moneys they had paid in relieving cases of distress. The committeo find great difficulty in carrying on their work for want of funds. Cases which need assistance are increasing in number, and it is to be feared will increase,; but the wherewithal to render such assistance ' does not increase in; prbpbrtionr’ But for a liberal donation of £SO a short time ago the committee would have been compelled to withold help from many deserving 'people. ; The state of the funds'now is such that unless! the public : Of Wellington come forward with subscriptions, the assistance rendered by. the institution must be in; most'cases very scant and inadequate. In the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday a case affecting the theatrical profession was on the civil list. It was Nichol-on v. Bates and 'Howard, a claim of £33, damages for wrongful dismissal, Mr. Allan appearing for the defendants. Plaintiff did not appear in support of the claim he had set up, and the case was therefore struck out. s Barlow’s Circus again attracted a large audience last night. " To-night and to-morrow will be the( last two performances id Wellington,; and 'thOso who wish td pass a pleasant evening should avail themselves of the opportunity before it is too late.

Mr. Joseph Ames has obtained an extension of the license of the Provincial Hotel, Upper Hutt, for the Prince of Wales' birthday. The Manawatu Timet calls summonsing a man to pay a debt 1 “ one of those • polite reminders which are among the ordinary courtesies of business.” We have been given to understand that the annual meeting of the Wellington Rifle Association will in all probability be held during the present week, when arrangements will be made for a rifle match, and other business transacted. Tenders are invited by the Corporation for the laying down of a;totara flaming in the Fipitea stream, between Davis-street and the Railway Station. Plans and specifications can be seen at the office of the City Surveyor, and Friday is the last day for tendering. A man named Andres Anderson was arrested on Monday at Nelson, he having stolen a dog belonging to Mr. Guilford, of Kalwarra. A warrant was sent there for his arrest on-the 4th inat., it having been ascertained that he had taken his departure from Wellington. As a first instalment (says the Wairarapa News) of the benefit likely to accrue to the district by the completion of the Taueru Bridge we are informed on good authority that the price per ton for conveyance of wool to Wellington is exactly 20s. less than it was last year—the charge being £5 10s. as against £6 10s.. The next rifle competition for the Kaiwarra Volunteer Company's clock, a prize which has to bo won twice in succession or three times at intervals by one member before he can claim it permanently, will take place on the Prince of Wales’ Birthday. These matches are very interesting. • There have already been a number of contests for this clock, which was purchased out of the funds of the company. An extensive sale of surplus militia stores was held at the Armed Constabulary office yesterday by Mr. George Thomas. There was a very good’ attendance, the sale commencing at about 12 o’clock. A large quantity of second-hand saddles were sold, realising on the average 30s. each. A considerable -amount of saddlery and clothing was sold, and, generally speaking, satisfactory prices were realised.

A really good ventriloquist never fails to obtain fair support from the public, and Mr. Powell, who makes his first appearance before a Wellington audience at the Boulcott-street Hall on Thursday next (the Prince of Wales’ Birthday), will, no doubt, attract a large number of pleasure-seekers to his entertainment, in which he will be assisted by several other artists. Mr. Powell has been acknowledged to be at least equal to either Davis or Voae in his particular line. “ Our Boys,” as played by the Lingards, assisted by members of the Bates-Howard company, has proved an undoubted success. Again last evening the theatre was crowded in every part, and the acting of Miss Lingard charmed all present*; and with respect to the representations generally, it is seldom that we have seen every part so thoroughly well played. “ Our Boys” will be repeated again this evening, when a full house may be confidently expected. , Tramways in Philadelphia are certainly the great institution of that city, and any one who visited the Exhibition was astounded at the sight of the sea of people which constantly kept rolling along in a careless, easy, comfortable way on board the nearly noiseless tramway oars, ever watchful over the honesty of the conductor by dropping the fare into a glass box. From an official paper published recently by the Auditor-General, we have obtained most interesting information as to the receipts and expenses of the tramways in that city, viz., total receipts for the year, £990,786 penses, £751,776. We therefore are not astonished to hear that the large profits realised have tempted some of the leading capitalists to strive to monopolise all the tramway lines of Philadelphia It seems to us that when tramways pay so handsomely in America they should yield even larger profits in Wellington, where all the newest improvements gained by experience are to be introduced, especially the traction by steam, which of itself, should form a large source of profit, said to be fully £3OO a year on each oar. The following telegrams, under the heading “United States,” are those which we were prevented from publishing yesterday morning in our summary of news via San Francisco, in consequence of. the interruption of telegraphic communication between Wellington and Auckland :—“ General Crook attacked a Sioux camp, consisting of thirty lodges, on the 12th ultimo, and killed every Indian in it, their number being estimated at between two and three hundred.—ln a rifle match at Washington between the International teams, the Irish scored 486 out of a possible 600 ; Scotch, 296 out of a possible 375 ; Australian, 117 out of a possible 150 ; and American, 383 out of a possible 585. Rae won the rifle presented by the Scotch citizens, and Shade the medal for. the Australian team.” .

From what the News can ascertain, shearing has now become pretty general among the stations on the Bast Coast. Ica station, Whareama, the property of Mr. J. O. Andrew, M.H.R., is all but completed ; upwards of 13,000 having been shorn. Brancepeth commenced two weeks ago, and is just now in full swing, turning out 20 and 25 bales per day. They will shear in all upward of 30,000. The stations bordering the coast are known to be in operation, in fact well advanced, although detailed particulars of their progress have not reached us. The class of sheep is chiefly merinos with a fair proportion of cross-breds. Hands are tolerably plentiful, the rate paid per 100 being 20s. It is estimated between ten and twelve thousand bales will be sent away by sea from Castlepoint, in addition to smaller quantities, shipped at the different boat harbors convenient to the stations on the coast. The remainder of the clip will be sent forward by dray.' An unfortunate accident happened to Dr. Diver’s trap yesterday afternoon. It-was proceeding down Bouloott-street, Dr. Diver and his groom beingj the occupants, when one of the wheels suddenly came off, and Dr. Diver was thrown out. The man maintained his hold of the reins as the horse took fright, and bolted down the road ; but he was thrown out also on the other wheels becoming detached; The trap afterwards came into collision with a cab in Wiliis-street, and the horse was stopped opposite Howe’s, bootmaker, shop. The vehicle presented a moat dilapidated appearance. It was completely smashed ; oue'shaft remained, and the wheels wore scattered, while the body of it was very "much knocked about. Dr. Diver'was unhurt, and the driver sustained only a severe bruising. The remains of the trap were carried away in an express, the horse having been taken to its stable beforehand. The Melbourne correspondent of the Otago Daily Times, speaking of the proceedings of the Submarine Telegraph Company, says It is bad enough that the line should be so often interrupted ; but when, in addition, it is found impossible to get information as to the condition of the line, and to ascertain when it la stopped and when it is open, and the company is always ready to take fees for transmitting messages when it knows quite well that they cannot be sent, people are getting rather’tired of its insecurity, its uncertainty, and the incivility of its officials. At present, with nominal telegraphic communication with Bngland, we are as badly off as though we hod none. There is no chance of matters being on a satisfactory footing till we have an alternative line, and it is at present very doubtful when this will hie. Writing of the inmates of: the invalid depot at Launceston, the Weekly Examiner says : “The delusions which they e itertain are most remarkable and it is strange how such incongruous ideas should taka such a powerful hold upon them. In the last case, that of James Fatten, an old man of 65, who was brought up, at the Police-office recently, it appears that as far as past events, are concerned his memory is a blank ; but- though he arrived in this colony a free man, he is possessed at times with the belief he is in gaol for some crime, the nature of which he does

not know—that he has been an absconder for eighteen year, and wishes now to give himself up—that he is a bushranger, end has been recently bushranging in the ; toiwh ; and other similar delusions. Patten’ tried ’to crawl out of the.depot more than once''to’give himself up to the Superintendent of Police, and when interfered with at these times would become very violent. The Bench ordered his removal to the Hospital for the Insane at New Norfolk.”