The Oamaru Mail. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1880.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 10 December 1880, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1880.

The Government —or, rather, Mr. Allison D. Smith, the Locomotive Superintendent —and the Municipal Council of Oamaru are at variance regarding the rates at which the railway department is to particiDate in the advantages of the water supply. Mr. Smith's ideas on the subject mav be gathered from the following letter:—

Locomotive Department, Addington, 30th Nov., 18S0. E. W. Roxby, Esq., Town Clerk, Oamaru: Sir,—l am directed by the General Manager for railways to enquire if the Corporation will auree to make an arrangement with the Government whereby the supply of water for locomotive use can be obtained from the city mains at the advertised rate for motive power. (Clause 12 of Bye-law XXM.) We do not propose to erect a waterengine, but we think it reasonable that that rate should apply to the water used on locomotives, the sen-ice being similar. The rate for town supply, viz., Is 3d per 1000 gallons, is, of course, out of the question ; but should you desire to fix a meter and charge for the actual quantity used at the rate which has been fixed for motive power we will be satisfied. I shall be glad of the favor of an early reply.—l am, &c,, Allison' D. Smith, Loco. Superintendent. The Council declines to accept Mr. Smith's suggestion. The railway department requires the water for various purposes. Even if it were to he devoted exclusively to locomotive purposes, the Council has a right to expect something more than five farthings per 1000 gallons, which is the amount offered by Mr. Smith. That gentleman seems to hold strange views of the position of the Council in regard to this matter. The water supply has cost the ratepayers of Oamaru L 130,000, and it is the Council's duty to so administer affairs in connection with that supply as to place them in a position to meet interest and cost of maintenance. The supply is the property of the ratepayers, and the domestic arrangements that the Council li.made on behalf of the ratepayers do not concern Mr. Smith, or those for whom he professes to be acting. The charges for water for motive power were fixed with a view to competing with coal, and thus realising a much-needed addition to the revenue. Mr. Smith insists upon the Council charging the department under the head of motive power. Why, he does not, and, we think, cannot explain. The water supplied to the department would not, by Mr. Smith's own confession, be used in place of coal. If he will exercise his ingenuity, so as to consume water instead of coal for motive power on the railways of the district, then, we think we may safely say, the Council will gladly come to terms with him. There would then be an extraordinary in addition to an ordinary consumption, and it would be to the Council's interest to deal as liberally with the department as it doe 3 with the ratepayers. Mr. Smith does not say so in his letter to the Council, becauße, we suppose, he does not care to have the circumstance placed" on record, but he has, in conversation with the Mayor, displayed his capacity for surmounting a difficulty by threatening to bring into nse a two-horse water engine, and to run the water that passed through it into tanks for locomotive and other purposes. Mr. Smith was probably ignorant at the time that he conceived this plan of overcoming the difficulty, of the existence of a by-law that prohibits such a utilisation of waste water. He will find that it will be politic to abandon such an idea, as well as the other CounciT"to~accept any terms in his consummate wisdom, suggest; Mr. Smith, in his anxiety to earn his salary, seems, so far, to have set aside all reasoning in dealiug with this matter. At sent the department conveys from the Waitaki the water necessary for canning on its operations, arid we have little doubt that the co3t of the supply thus obtained is infinitely greater than it would be under the arrangement proposed by the Council, namely, by meter, at Is 3d per 1000 gallons. We have other proofs that Mr. Smith's notions are the result of immature consideration of the question. In Auckland the department is charged, by meter, Is Cd per 1000 gallons, in Wellington Is, in Dunedin Is, and in Port Chalmers Is Cd. In Bradford, England, where, in order to encourage industries, it ha 3 been found necessary to supply water at the lowest possible rates, wool scourers and manufacturers pay as much as 3d per 1000 gallons. We might add that even the railway department sells Waitaki water to the shipping of this port at ICs per tank, and 53 per small cask. If the coat of hanlago is so great that they are compelled to make such charges, we think that they would show their wisdom by agreeing to pay the price down in the Council's by-laws. Probably Mr. Smith may think that he ha 3 something to gain by treating the Council as though they should be subordinated to the will of a railway official, and their by-laws as though they were dirt, but, if he doe 3, we think that he will discover his mistake. We recommend the Council to treat for the future with one of "Tr. Smith's superiors. They will have a favorable opportunity of doing so, as the Minister for Public Works will be in Oamaru shortly.

The Government haa again changed front. A few days ago they decided to reduce the wage 3 of the hands employed in the con» struction of railways to 4s per day for married, and 3s per day for single men, Now we are informed that they will not retain them at any price after harvest commences. It will take a vast amount of hope to buoy lip the spirits of the men now engaged on the " unemployed" sections, under the circumstances. In fact, the whole mass of the laborers of the Colony -trill feel uncomfortable at the prospect of fauch a multitude being sent adrift upon the Colony. The burthen of onr prayer should now be that we may be bleased with a plentiful harvest. A bad harvest and a redundant labor market would have the effect of aggravating the distress which is now prevailing amongst the working classes of the Colony. The rate of wages is governed by supply and demand, and we may therefore expect that those who require labor will, in the plethoric condition of the labor market, be able to dictate their own terms. The Government cannot surely be aware of the true state of the Colony. We think we cannot be charged with exaggeration when we assert that thousands of men have been living a hand-to-mouth existence for more than a year past in the hope that something : would turn up during harvest time. Now | that they are on the eve of the period that they confidently hoped would be signalised by their deliverance from tjie thraldom of almost absolute want, the Government, by an unexpected act, obscure the last glean} of hope. We admit that the position of the country is serious, and that economy is demanded in every department of the public service. But this step will not effect economy. The Government circulated a rumor, in order to justify their announced reduction of the wages of these men to 4s And 3s fper diem, that they preferred to work for the Government at these low rates to accepting work from private employers at higher rates. We do not believe a word of it. If the men engaged on the unemployed sections of the railways saw an opportunity pf increasing their pay by changing their

masters they would do it. We have already had evidence of that fact. "We contend, therefore, that these men should have been discharged a few at a time, on the system, that the Premier and the Colonial Treasurer said would be adopted by the Government, in order that the Government might not be chargeable with the transgression of depreciating the value of labor and causing, a consequent reduction in the working ' man's wages. Panic, spasmodic legislation has been the most prominent feature in the career of the Hall Ministry. They simultaneously' taxed colonists to a degree for which there is no parallel, and ceased subsidies to local bodies. They then, whilst in possession of, over a .million of money, which had been set aside for the purchase of native land, but only a a infinitesimal portion of which they intend to use for that pnrpose, suddenly resolve to entirely arrest public works, and throw on the already over-burdened taxpayers • thousands of working men the bulk of whom their political prototypes were chiefly instrumental in bringing to the Colony. Mr. Hall should know that nothing short of a miracle could bringabouttheabsorption of such agreat army of unemployed. The ordinary industries of the Colony, it is true, are exhibiting signs of renewed life, and others are springing into existence. But the pursuance of the policy of the Government would not tend to give a fillip to or increase those industries substantially. The plentifulness and cheapness of labor might cause a temporary revival in established industries, and create others. But these advantages would be of a mushroom kind. When the labor market recovered its equilibrium, which we all hope it will do under' wise administration, wages would rise, and it would be discovered that the time had not yet arrived in the history of the Colony when the industries chat had been forced into existence by sheer necessity could survive the competition, of those older, countries, where they have been established during a course of centuries, and where manufacturers have the advantages of labor, of a peculiar kind, and suitable for no other occupations.' The policy of the Hall Government would be more appropriate for a population numbering millions rather than thousands, and we cannot help, as we write, the risings of a wish tha't they should be seized with an irresistible desire to emulate the example of other colonial politicians, and transfer their favors to the Old Country.

Not a few residents of this district will regret to learn of the death of Mr. Andrew Duncan, seedsman, of Christchurch, of which place he was one of the earliest settlers. Mr. Duncan has occupied several public positions in a manner that proved him to be possessed of more than ordinary honesty and straightforwardness. He was a good citizen and colonist, and his loss will be keenly felt by the community in which he resided for so many years, and in whose affairs he played such a prominent part, but more especially by those who knew him best. It is singular that Christchurch has within the last few days lost by death two of its early settlers, both of whom followed the same avocation—Mr. Greenaway, who was killed by a tram-car, and Mr. Duncan. Mr, Bezett, the lessee of the baths, has resolved to close the doors of his establishment from Monday morning till Wednesday morning in order that the cistern may be thoroughly cleaned out and the water renewed. We are glad to be able to announce that the "shower" .in connection with the baths is now finished. A match will be played to-morrow bebnion the . chosen elevens : Oamaru'— Messrs. Cooke, Creagh, Coates, Fen wick, Finch, A. O. Hardy, Moore, Rice, Snmpter, Walls, and Will; emergencies Newton, A. E. Hardy, and Warren. Union Messrs. Gray, Hartley, Hewat, J. Hook,- W. Hook, Maddern, Marshall, Ridsdale, Slater, Sinclair, J. Steel; emergencies—W. Hendry, T. Maw, and J. Harris. Captain Edwin telegraphs :—Bad weather is approaching from any direction between west and south and south-east. Mails for Australia, via' Sydney, also for India and China, via Torres Straits, will close at Wellington at 11.20 to.niorrow, per Wakatipu. The attendance at the flower show last night was about as large as the hall would permit. It was quite a difficult matter to obtain a fair view of the exhibits. The interest displayed in the exhibition was quite as great as the attendance, and well it might be, for there are specialities on exhibi tiou that arc seldom to be witnessed at any similar exhibition in the Colony, thanks to the untiring zeal and enthusiasm in floriculture of our iocal professionals and amateurs. We again remind our readers that the exhibition will be open to night, during which time the Rifles' Band has kindly volunteered to gratuitously perform a number of their selections.

George Gleeson was charged at the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning with having, at the racecourse yesterday, unlawfully and wilfully, by a certain false pretence, to wit, a counterfeit sovereign, obtained of and from one James Reid the sum of 18s sterling. Apcused was remanded till Monday. This was the only case appearing on the police sheet. The Borough Council held a special meeting last evening for the purpose of confirming the resolution making the water rate. There were present—Councillors Headland (in the chair), Eluir, de Lautour, Hassell, M'Combe, Procter, Smith, and Sutton. A resolution was unanimously passed making the charges for supply of water and fixing the dates of payment on the 10th instant and the 10th June next. It is notified that the Rev, J, Canierpn will preach at Ngapara on Sunday next, at 7.30 p.m. A match will be played to-morrow afternoon, on the old Cricket Ground; between members of the Excelsior Cricket Club under and over twenty-one years of age. We would direct the attention of our readers to the fact that the share-list of the Caswell Sound Marble, Portland Cement, and Mining Company (Limited) will close on the loth inst. We are glad to learn that the promoters have met with very subsubstantial encouragement throughout the Colony, and it is to be hoped that the Company will be successfully floated. There never has been a period when the devielopment of such an industry as that to which the promoters of tlje Caswell Sound Company are turning their attention was more necessary than now, and it behoves those who have capital that they can afford tq devoto to such a purpose, after having assured themselves of the genuineness of the undertaking, to render zyll the assistance in their power. The prospectus on the scheme in a particularly hopeful manner, but not too much so if all we hear be true. If the marble and materials for- manufacturing cement are available on the property indicated, the success of the venture may be viewed as assured, provided that capital is forthcoming to unearth and utilise these materials.

A young clergyman having agreed to. supply the pulpit of aji elder brother absent from home, escorted to char oh the daughter of the pastor, and after seeing her safely in her father's pew, ascended to the pulpit, unconscious that this natural attention to the young lady was sufficient to. excite lively imaginations and inquiries in the audience. Upon reading the hymn to be sung, the young clergyman was surprised to perceive evident efforts in. the congregation to suppress laughter. daughter of his friend possessed the mellifluous name of Grace, and all unsuspicious of that fact, he had chosen the hymn beginning with the words, "Amazing Grace," and proceeding with 'Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear, Aijd Grace my fears relieved; How precious did tfrat Grace appear, The'hour I first believed I , Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come ; 'Tis Grace has brought me safe thus far, And Grace wjll lead me home.' '

We are informed that Mr. Heywood has added a number of exhibits,' in the shape of pot plants and a choice collection of cut flowers, to the. show, "merely, of course, for exhibition; arid not for-competition.