PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1880. "SKINNING."

Patea Mail, 14 September 1880, Page 2

PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1880. "SKINNING."

The subsidy to local bodies for the current year is less than one-third the previous amount. The Government will pay one-half the usual proportion for nine months, being equal to 44 months for tho year. From that they make a farther deduction by taking the 20 per cent, land revenue previously allowed to Counties. The effect in this County will be bad. The 20 per cent, of land revenue yielded to the County last year £1,169, and in the previous year £3,359. The Government will take all that, or

whatever sum the 20 per cent, might yield to us for County purposes. Tho sale of the Plains would yield only a small revenue to the County in any case, for out of the 20 per cent, there would be a special deduction of 15 per cent, towards the Opunaki railway. The remaining 5 per cent, would yield about £927 to the County upon say 15,000 acres at an average of £5 an acre. The Government will take that and leave us nothing. The Chairman of the County Council estimates that the probable amount of land to be sold in this County

during the year is 250,000. Suppose 100.000 acres were sold, in addition to 15.000 on the Plains : and assessing the average at £4 an acre, the County would get £BO,OOO for its 20 per cent, share of the 100,000 acres. It would be safer to take the estimate at 50,000 acres, and the County revenue from that land at £40,000. Now observe the operation of Major Atkinson’s financing. Hero we have a prospect of getting £40,000 as a County fund for opening main roads and easing the rates, both being exceptionally needed in this County. In the very year that this money is due, Major Atkinson steps in with his new financial scheme, and says he is going to rearrange the subsidies in such a way that the West Coast district will be put in a

very favorable position, and be enabled to open up its attractions to settlers. His plan was not easy to understand, for we see it has misled some persons who thought they comprehended it, and were rather fascinated with the bright side of it. But the plan is found to be this. Major Atkinson sees that Patea County, the districtheso ably represents, is about to get a haul of £40,000 in one year as land and he pounces on the whole lot. Then he adds insult to injury by telling us he will put this County in an exceptional position by taxing the unsold and the native lands, .and handing the money to the County Council. We have so large an area unsold, and so large an area given to natives as rewards for nothing, that a tax on these lands might be expected to put Patea County in a better position than its neighbors. But the whole result and boon and favor which we arc to get from taxing these lands is about

£350 for the yoar ! Major Atkinson, our able Member, robs us of probably £50,000 in one year, and at least £IOO,OOO to follow within two or three years—say £150,000 within five years certain—and he comforts us with a concession of £350 a year. Tims we lose the subsidy, or most of it, like other local bodies; and we got £350 as a tax on unsold and native lands, like other Counties. But what we lose specially is the land revenue, just when it was becoming important to us. This County has had no large revenue from sales hitherto, whereas other Counties have, and they are now in a good position. Now this special robbery of £150,000,

without even a bad sixpence as special compensation, is the last good thing that our local Member has done for us. Is it any marvel that the Mail, as the organ of Patea County, should have to complain, as a public duty, that Major Atkinson does not take that care of his constituents’ interests which an average member might be expected to do. Is there an reason, or cause, or accident, to explain why Major Atkinson’s 'efforts to benefit this district should be so disastrous to his friends ? We are anxious to support Major Atkinson, but not blindly. It would be blind support, both dishonest and misleading, to tell the public that Major Atkinson has not robbed his district with a short-sighted

rapacity that must disgust any candid observer. ■ A NEW PERIL.

An ass is causing trouble in this district. Copy-books tell ns the ass is a patient beast; and it is written that a certain rider smote ids ass because it wouldn’t go. An ass that won’t go must be a donkey. There has been a

donkey on the Whenuakura-road, and it won’t go. That donkey must be an ass. That ■wouldn’t matter much, but there is a mysterious repellent influence about a donkey which affects even horses that are not asses, A horse will not pass a donkey on the road. Strange, that; but ask anyone who has been associated with donkeys, and it he says this isn’t true, he must be related to the family. That donkey on the Whenuakura road has much to answer for. There have been all sorts oi frights. Horses have bolted or have turned tail, or have shivered as if a ghost stood gibbering, or have plunged and shied, at sight of that donkey. The strange thing is that the riders don’t object to associate with a donkey, but the horses do. Their sagacity is great, we know ; and they evidently know a donkey when they see him. We are told that settlers who want to bring their families to town

in vehicles arc afraid to venture along that road ; and this is particularly distressing an Sunday, when they cannot come to church with that regularity which is so general in this district. Only the other day a settler was coming townwards with his buggy, absorbed in calculating profits in advance, when his horse caught sight of that derelict donkey grazing on the road. Pound went horse and trap at a bolt, and it was a struggle to pull up and pacify the horse. Nor could it be induced to pass that donkey. The settler had to drive the uncanny beast down a bye-road, and then his horse jogged along comfortably. Mr Bryce or some other great potentate might be coming along that road, and if he met the donkey unawares, the contretemps might be disastrous.