Untitled

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1064, 17 September 1879, Page 2

i nt. sui-ject of tiie ''..ui.iiu .-'.t.-r'.*.oi-...-i> once tu*,re being oi-'-ugut p!'< .unieiuij before the publi-. it wii' r -uieiiibere.i tiiat a lifle more t!n:i ;i ye.'.:' ag >. w:ie:i Mes r.'s. Sttmpur anit S.ev.-.ird were c tiaf.M Cor the May.r.d-y. n ran very htgii itp-.n tiiis .-t:i•]•-•. • At» tt.-.ptc.-sioii It-.'l then s->tn.;ji-»w .r aor- .ut taa' rati'p'.Veta' motley v-a- ie." o.nt.' expeiiih-ii as *.vio«iy as it might ie-. and that t:ie V.ork WRj. fa-.tliy in several re-pe -s. '| his km the e")' raised by tin- par, i-ans « »t Suuipier, f'»r they were of opinion ilia? what they believed tu be mismauageliien: r.ttd waste having occurred during Mr. Steward's term of otiiee. he was responsible for it. There were many cireumscanees in c >nnejti >:t with the undertaking that created di-s.-atisfac. ion among t lie ratej'..ivers. 1 tiey argued iaat. as tiie total cost v..t< (>:••; •i»!: ,r y set d<»v.ti

at about Li" '. s':.e m.inagemclit of tho scheme shijttld have been suen m to keep the outlay within the bounds of that iitltn. 1 "uev weie surt>ri-ed and annoyed when they Were informed that the Council had spent and hypothecated nearly that amount, and intend'-d to borrow a further sum of about LIO,OOO, out of which a sum of LoOOO would be available for other purposes, to enable them to complete the work. Mr. Src-.vnrd's explanation, however, was satisfactory to a sullicient number of ratetKivers to secure his return to the Mayoral chair, it being felt, no doubt, by some that, as he hat! had .s-» much to do wi:h financing in c iting ■:::>: i ui;:i tin; scueui.-. and .ts there wa.-i yc" :•••:!! • important !ni:;nciUg to o-: ,Lo:ie. in: .-;i :'cl :..::;.t:.i .n ollice for another - n. tu-' eiid .u »iticit. it v.as leliev. -i. Mi ti'ou'nic would t.e past, even if the V.:Uvi* vas I;o ; turned on." I Jut not only is the v:a<-r not turned • •it. but the ratepayers to •:■ ioM that the work v.iil cost i.lil.b'O". Titis L perfect child's play so far as the management of the scheme is concerned, whilst it i> unfortunately something mors to the ratepayers. Wi;.. is responsible f r c?.«' rulc'iuutii or i.n.sivpresentations that hav.- been made I It ii the duty of th- Council to hold tiie racaret':;; invest.-.;a,. a ,:i reterence to 'hts matter. What •guaranr have char the work will ; •' yet c- sr Li'i.iJ..':) or beyond th- ! ;st estimate. None whatever, for v/ns i: not solemnly ao citei;, backed up by figures whic'ii i'.ad such an appearance of trut'nfuiness that the most sceptically inclined were misled, that the total cost would be L 02.000 when it was found that L'i-'hOOO would not

be sufficient ? Tito affair is a most serious one for the ratepayers. The L 40,000 is not yet secured, and the Council is in such a state of penury tl;?.t they are unable to keep the works goin'j. On top of this comes the startling intelligence that yet another LIO.OOO will bo required, with a possibility that this amount will have to be supplemented by a still further sum. What arc the works to cost ? We should really like to know, and how are we to get the information ! It d"t-3 not do in such matters to be consent with a statement that the works will cost between Ll»5,000 and L''2o,ooo. It was necessary, in the i.;t pluef. when the Council were decidln'i as to whether they should adopt the .-.theme proposed or not, to know what i- would cost within a few thousands, and it was thought that engineering skill would cnabie the information to be given them. Those that thought so, however, it now appears, were mistaken. 3Jut let us now ascertain what amount is required, within a few thousands. To have to go into the money market evenfew months for loans of L' 20,000 or so in connection with this work, with the probability of not succeeding, would be to say the least, harassing, lleally, after all. it is becoming a question for serious coiisideraiion as to whether ue should not be satisfied with the present loss, and abandon the work. For, if it is to cost much more, the taxation will be so hcavy that ir will prove a burthen too serious to bear, whilst it will prejudicially alfect the values of town properties.

The fortnightly meeting of the Municipal Council will be held to-morrow evening. The Oamant portion of the Suez mail was received last evening, and at once sorted and placed in the privntc boxes. The regular delivery of letters took place this morning. Holder:; of lists in connection with the Duutroon sheep-dog trial are requested to forward them to the Secretary (Mr. E. C. Smith) not later than Saturday next. The New Zealand Herald says: —"The rumor all over the South, is that when Parliament meets Mr. Montgomery will move that ' The House has no confidence in the Covcrmnent as at present constituted. That is a motion of censure having abundant pi (.cedent; and any division of members would have to be made with reference to it. Such a motion would he open to the objections that it was interposed to prevent or hind'.-r the passage of those Electoral Reform Ihlis wiiic'n the country has accoptfd, and that it commenced a mere struggle for oihee at a time when the country is in want above . all Ihir.gs of efficient legislation. That is tin: J'.'.'ui, however, which the attack upon , the C.ivriT.ment is likely to take, the object : li- oiir to si-cure a Liberal' Ministry without ; >ir < .cor.'e tlroy. How Auckland interests I a:-.; to lc; dealt with we do not know, but no [ itr.ii'-.t our representatives will take coml.t act;, n. and at least make a struggle i t . pr.-v.-nt this j>art of the Colony from being i i _'iio:vd. '■ A me-iing r:f th«' ('"i'-inil of the Xo"th

iis K'tl.! Association took place last ;41 ill. President i vi. e-:uv-ident, iu the chair), A. Headland. T. W. llrebner. A. Clarke. -I. M'Combe, ■ a:"! ii. L. Rule ilion, sec.) A letter having t, i.:i i*e:ei rro-n Mr. -lames King, resigning ies position as member of Council, it was ve-i that Mr. M 'Corkindaie be ap-!"•■!!.ti.-'.i to the vacancy. The lion, secretary v.::.-- is!<:riieted write to Captain Morton, ■i--|;l;i-j iiim. (»n be!,-!' of the artillery, to _r.int the use o: the rifle every third S-.f.-.i-'lav I:: the moatli during the season, it having been jii.intcd out that at the ■•.an.: .! ral Meeting of members, the mover of the tor ineioisiug i lle .-.e. c: h <1 failed to comply rvll:i t::i rub--, the motion then carried was e : •.|i:.;..tly iiiegai. 'i'iic sub.v.'rip'.'-ui. iie ;■ fore, remains as hitherto—five shillings : r ann'.'.M. 51 was resolved that t>rizes be to ipe live hi:.'h::st n-.'-.rrer-ate i.oo.'eij in the monthly competition U.uing tie.: enssung .-■ason. For the iirst match, which takes ;il e..: on Saturday—morning at (!, aiter- • ;ooii at B—it was resoived that the ranges !, • -J',o if;;J y.'.r.is : seven >', i /s at e.ieh. (nhi.-r ! ::>in's-: o: a routine i.arure having ;i t-:::is:'.ctc.l, 11meetincr tfrmmatcil a v.'e <>f i:::tnks to ... chairman. We desired to reriumi ne-inbers and i-it■•li'lit: j m- rnb- r.: tiiat enti ic:s and annual -ei !■>::> i'or tile coming season will be i-.-c. Ived l>y the hoi;, .secretary K-.i!.-, not iaier than S. p.m. on Friday next, 1; <;e<:e;:sary. in order to qualify for tile a-.'L'i'- uate pri/.es to be given at the end of tiie year, that members should compete in every match. Tiie Kev. -James Culler, in his interesting and ','o.—iping communications in the New /.-aland Wesleyan, as its Loudon correspondent. say.-: :—"I preached at Sutton, and held Cure, se: vices at tin- Children 1 lonic, i;:>:u<-rotd. Mr. Tierry gave you an account of this excellent institution some time a-ro. Mr. Stephenson is doing a great work. About hoys and girls, with the stall' of o:iie-rs and a few visitors, made up the congregation. In tiie afternoon I gave them a little talk about New Zealand, at their own request. Mr. Stephenson is about sending a batch of the older boys from the lioltou Branch to New Zealaud. They have been used to funning, and I doubt not will soon be engaged by some of our Methodist farmers in the Colony. On Sunday I was at Karnet, where I was entertained by T. Watcrhouse, ICsq., at Wilton Hall. I found, in the course of conversation, that Mrs. Watcrhouse remembers very well our friend Mrs. Kernick, of the Thames. It is always pleasant to call up reminiscences of our New /••aland friends, ami still more to see any of them. A short ..time ago we were most a'"r. e.".!>iv surpvised bv a call from our old file,ids Mr. and Mrs. A. Weston, late of Kr.l.ti-.oi. In a few days afterwards, with oiiier friends, we were favored with the company of Miss Ikiore to tea. She was at ( iuistcir.trcli with her brother, then manager o: tin- National Bank there. Coming in iv.j-.A llarnet on Monday morning, in a floral of r.-ki, I attended our Ministers' monthly meeting at City Road, afterwards, with Mr. Butters, dined at the 'lmperial' with Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Watcrhouse, of Honolulu."

A frightful niur.lc-' - was committed (says t!,c » at Cnlpanlin Station, ab..ut'2o nides ironi \\ ilcaiii.ia on the Ist inst. i.hc local paj>er states that two men named .iatu-i-s Cochrane and V, iliium CUainbers were iliivct-d to cat sonic iircwood, and iclt tiie home station for that purpose. Cochrane wisiied to go to a certain scrub for the wood, but Chambers objected, on the score of distance. Xhev quarrelled and had angiy words. About five o'clock in the evening Chambers came up to Mr. E. J. Webb, who was in charge of the shearing shed at Culpaulin, and in a very excited state said, "I give

myself up to you. I have knocked a man down. ITe called me a clog, and told me to bail up. holding up an axe at the same time. I watched my opportunity, and I struck liim with my axe." Mr. ebb accompanied Chambers into the bush, and found Cochrane, who _dieu about three minutes afterwards without speaking. He had received a large wound on tiie back of the head, about Sin. long, from which the brain protruded, and a second cut near the ear of a smaller nature, apparently caused by the back part of the axe. The murder was committed about a quarter of a mile from the homestead. There was no evidence elicited at the inquest to show that the prisoner had received any intoxicating liquor on the day of the murder. The jury found a verdict of wilful murder, and the prisoner was committed for trial at the next I'euiliquiti assizes. Xcws has reached the v Glasgow Mail of a great tenant demonstration which took place six miles outside the town of Mayo. There were about 0000 persons present. It was resolved that the tenant farmers of Mayo and its surrounding districts, in common with their leilow-countiymen, protest against the exorbitant rents imposed upon them by avaricious landlords, and they further request and demand that the Government. for t!;c sake of liberty and peace, take the lauds into their own hands, and eradicate all intermediate owners between the tenant and the State. The meeting pledged itself to support the agitation until they obtained an abatement of the present exorbitant rents in proportion to the great depression of trade and the reduecd prices of agricultural produce. The Rev. J. Duller, writing out by the last mail on the subject of emigration, says : —" The other day Lord Derby, in a speech at an agricultural meeting, strongly advised emigration. A very general desire is expressed towards New Zealand. The office of the Agent-General is deluged with applications. Unfortunately the Xew Zealand Government have stopped free passages, except in the case of domestic servants. The Cornish Relief Committee resolved to apply a portion of the funds thej' had collected for the unemployed in ihe way of emigration. A great number of the applicants preferred Xew Zealand, but as the Agent-General could ofler them but an infinitesimal amount of aid, they reluctantly decided to send the men and their families to Canada because of the dillerence of cost. Thus Xew Zealand has lost the benefit of a large nutnber of valuable laborers to the gain of Canada. I cannot but think that in this case a liberal amount of assistance would have been a profitable investment of the public money, for the Cornish working men are, as a rule, strong, sober, and saving." The popular orator. Mr. H. Ward Boecher, lias espoused the cause of " Moderation." At a recent meeting for the encouragement of moderation amongst business men, he is reported to have spoken as folfolkws :—There is," he said, "a vast dillerence of opinion among honest men on the question of temperance, but none whatever on that of intemperance. When men come to consider the method of remedying tiie evil they vary widely. As for myself, I was brought U"> in total abstinence, ami stili adhere to the doctrine, it is only ill my latest years that I ha", e ceparled at all from its strict requiry.iejus. it was left to me to attain my sixtieth year b°foro learning the taste of lager-bee! - , ;;ud then it was taken not to work on but to s.' - . -p on. With all the cerebral excitement Ihaveexperienced, Ihavc never found it necessary to employ one drop or stimulant to increase my working power. If your society were to teach young men to drink moderately, T would have nothing to do with it : but as I tnuicnrtsmtl that it is your aim to rescue established drinkers from excess, and bring them to moderation, I am with you heartily. (Great applause.) I have long since gi\en up the idea that it is possible to brim; the whole community to accept total abstinence views, and have relinquished the belief that all the causes of intemperance can be removed. All kinds of temperance workers must join hand.-. in the cause if the greatest good is to be achieved." It will bo remembered tha 1 ; in August, 1577, the rail of a vessel, with the name •' Antofogasta " upon it, was picked up near Cape Farewell. It was feared at the time that the ship had been lost, with all hands oil board. However, such was fortunately not the ease. liy the last mail (according to the Wuipawa Ma;ii. Mr. John Harding, of Mount Vernon, received a letter from his son, who is now at * ntafogasta. I«.e saw the captain of the vessel, who explained that ihi rail war, lost in Latitude -12.'20 ,S., longitude 137.50 30., in October, 1575, during his first voyage to 3'higland. The board was found llioO miles from the spot where it was lost. To have reached ,Cape Farewell it must have gone south to have cleared Tasmania, and then floated north again. This is important to mariners as showing the set of the currents in this quarter of the L f iobe.—Lybtelton Times.