THE TOWN BOARD AND THE LESSEES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 50, 13 January 1862, Page 2

THE TOWN BOARD AND THE LESSEES.

The timidity of the Town Board, in regard of accepting responsibility has almost passed into a proverb. Whether it is a road to be made or repaired, a nuisance to be abated, or whatever else may be required demanding any outlay or exertion, the standing reply of the Board is said to be that they have no authority. So great, indeed, appears to be the dread entertained by the Board of doing anything in excess of their powers that it is by many people supposed that they entertain a monomania on the subject. But, if tbe Board is not sadly maligned, this madness, if madness it be, is not without its method, and the worshipful Board cau, like Hamlet, '■ tell a hawk from a handsaw," under suitable conditions. So long as the question is alone the outlay of money, the morbid fear of doing anything ultra vires continues unabated, but let there b? a chance of receiving instead of paying out. and ifc is said that the Board dismisses its idle fears, and pockets all it can lay hands on. Certainly, if our information is correct, the Board is, in regatd to the local municipal estate, exhibiting a most valiant disregard of those scruples which are popularly supposed to hamper their action on all occasions. The case, as we understand it, is as follows: The Local Municipal Estate, as 4s pretty generally known, has been let in allotments of various sizes—according a.* the lands belonged to the town, suburban, or rural class—for terms not exceeding twenty-one years. They were let by public competition to the highest, bidders, and the holders took them with tl/j: understanding that the}' were to have regular leases for the terms for wbich they rented their several lots. But the lessees, on taking their allotments, severally signed an agreement, by which, among other things, hey bound themselves not to transfer their leases without the consent of the lessor. The leases, we should mention, have not yet been i sued, although three years have elapsed since the lands were taken up. Lately some of the holders have desired to transfer their interests to others, but the Town Board has, we are given to understand, interfered, and de inai.ded a heavy bonus in each instance as the price of its consent to tbe arrangement. [ii this it appears to us that the cautions Board has altogether stepped beyond its powers, and has attempted to usurp those of His Honor the Superintendent.

By the " Local Municipal Estate Ordinance" of 1857, the estate was vested in the Superintendent for the time being and his successors, " upon trust for purposes of public utility in the town of Duneilin;" the Superintendent alone has the power to lease, or otherwise to deal with the lands; and, although, by the sixth clause, the rents are to be " from time to time paid and accounted for to the Treasurer ofthe said Board," yet the Board was not, is not, and never can be the lessor, and any money tbat the Board may take as the price of its "consent, will be as fairly earned as was the guinea, which, according to the old "Joe Miller," a countryman took from a cockney sportsman for permission to shoot both barrels among a lot of poultry which belonged to somebody else.

It i< not our present intention to comment' upon the injustice, impolicy, and bad faith of. such a demand, supposing the Town Board to be the lessor. No argument is necessary to prove that there js something very dishonourable in taking advantage of a clause, that is simply meant to guard against the transfer of the lease to an improper tenant, to extort money. Tbe fitness of the transferee and the purposes to which lib intended to devote the leased ground, should be the only considerations in deciding on the application to transfer. AA re m jrety desire to point out that the .consent of the B-jard is altogether unnecessary, and that whoever pays money for it, will be simply giving something for nothing.

A correspondent, who signs himself " Improvement," and whose letter appears elsewhere, informs us that tliere is at AVaihola, a kind of freestone, eminently suitable for street flagging. He promises to forward us samples of the stone, and when they arrive we shall be happy to show them to any persons who may take an interest in the subject/ It will be an excellent thing for the town if a good supply of durable flagstones is to be conveniently and cheaply obtained.

The post office grievance is not confined to Dunedin, We hear of bitter complaints from Gabriel's Gully, where it appears there is only one clerk to attend to everything, and only one delivery window. We are informed that great inconvenience is experienced by the public in eon- . sequence, men having to wait idling about for whole days* to take their turn of being attended to by the solitary clerk. It is high time that some better provision Were made for the public convenience in this department ofthe post ofiice.

A magnificent ball was given by George Lloyd. Es p. J. l\, of Whitehbrook, Green Island, on the evening of Thursday last. The room was most tastefully decorated with evergreens, and a temporary "awning was erected, outside, from beneath which the ,uuesti were entertained by a spleiidi 1 display of fireworks upon the lawn, and afterwards with a magnificent supper. -

A disgraceful scene occurred in High-street on Saturday. A young woman was lying on the ground in so filthy a state of intoxication that the assistnne of the police bad to be called in. She was ultimately conveyed to the lock-up em a stretcher.

Our remarks in reference to the.oyster question appear to have had some effect, for an enterprising individual has already announced his intention to open a depot for the purpose of making the gooel people of Dunedin more familiar with this ancient article of luxury.

The quarterly meeting of the Building and Land Society will be held this evening in the Oddfellows' Hall, for the purpose of electing a secretary and disposing ofthe cash in hand.

AA re understand that on Saturday night, about 11 o'clock, the floor of Messrs. Cleve and Co.'s store in Manse-street gave way with a crash, in consequence of the great weight upon it, and sank about two feet, when it resteel upor. the top of the goods which were stored in the cellars beneath. Carts were immediately obtaineel, and the upper floor was relieved of its burden by the goods being removed to Mr. Jones.

The Colonist, in an article entitled " AA r est Taieri School," which we presume, though not acknowledged, is extracted from Punch, has some of the funniest things we remember to have read for some time. After eulogising the progress of the children under Mr. Robert S. Gardiner, " who, as a teacher, few hi the same capacity will surpass," it goes on to pay him the somewhat doubtful compliment—" To enumerate the different branches of education in which they [the children] excel would be difficult, considering they have only had Mr. Gardiner for three years as a teacher, —[Query : Does the difficulty of enumerating the branches of education lie in their large or small number ?] —and. many of the children could then do little more than make out the alphabet ; they are now so far in arithmetic as Square Root." " Our author then continues with a sentence very suggestive of inquiries : " Their mental capacity in this part of learning was truly surprising, multiplying with rapidity eight figures by nine, and giving correct answers in reading and writing." Is it the mental capacity that has multiplied into that curious compound eight .figures by nine ? or who or what has multiplied ? and is it truly surprising for those who " are so far in arithmetic as Square Root to be able to multiply eight figures by nine ?" As the last part of the sentence refers to reading, possibly the allusion to "as far in arithmetic as Square Root" means that they are reading that interesting book " The Tutor," and have arrived at the page on Square Root. This is something on the same principle as the man who, having stabbed another, said he had only inserted the knife as far as " warranted," alluding to the word engraved on the blade. The author does not mention grammar, indeed he seems to have a stoical disregard for it, as here is one instance amongst others : " The examination oyer, each of the children was presented with books according to their merits as scholars." The last paragraph, which is headed "P.S." is a perfect gem of ambiguity: "The school is the only thing this district has to thank the Government for in lending their assistance ; in all other matters they have tried to retard its progress. The day is not far distant when the Government will find that the AVest Taieri is"— [Here the author's feelings completely overcome him, and he concludes with an hysterical outburst which we leave to the learned amongst our readers to decipher, candidly confessing our own inability]—" eh-cr than a piece of waste paper pasted onmopr a ment."

AYe are informed that a gentleman from Balliarnt, who held a good reputation there as a mining surveyor, started a few clays since from Dunedin for the purpose of prospecting some part of the province. It is to be hoped that his efforts will be crowned with success.

We are glad to perceive that a good coat of metal is being put upon the piece of newly formed road at the end ofthe jetty, which has fcr some time past been converted into a perfect quagmire by every shower of rain.

The Lord Bishop of Christchurch preached two sermons, yesterday, at the Episcopal Church. The sermons were on behalf of the Melanesian Mission. In the morning; his Lordship preached from the text Acts vni., 4th verse ; and in the evening from Luke, 'Chap, xvi., verse 9. The church was very full on both occasions, and the collections amounted to .£4O 10s.

A meeting of the members of the Jockey Club and'others interested in the forthcoming races, is to be held in the Provincial Hotel, this evening, for the transaction of some important business. There is one advantage connected with the increase) of Licensed Houses, in the town which we think must have becii entirely lost sight of by the party who so long and consistently opposed the granting of any more licenses. We feel sure that if one of those gentlemen will take the trouble to walk through a few ofthe streets ofthe towtn on a wet and dark night, no matter how strong his predilections for the beverage, "which cheers but not inebriates," may he, will rejoice when he comes to a public-house, because he will theu be able to see where he is going to by the light wliich licensees are compelled to keep burning over their doors. The great increase in the number of lights, owing to the wine and beer licenses which have been granted under the new Ordinance, must, we think of itself, have satisfied the most tender conscience that the teetotal party acted wisely in not opposing its passing. W rho would not wish to see a. Licensed House in the middle of the cutting ?