Page 4 Advertisements Column 1

Patea Mail, 24 July 1882, Page 4

There are said to be one hundred million rabbits in the colony at the present time. The other day the Hero took 20,000 ounces of gold from Greymouth and Hokitika. The corporation of Dunedin are to be sued by Mr Massey, ex town clerk in that city. He claims £320 due to him as town clerk at Dunedin. The corporation solicitors are instructed to defend the action. Casting oil on troubled waters has been discussed in the Legislative Council on a proposal to compel coasting vessels and steamers to carry oil for the purpose. Mr Oliver opposed the motion on the plea that more time should be allowed for experiments. Mr McLean, chairman of the Union Company, promised that his company will make the necessary provision for carrying oil, without compulsion. He said the oil will prevent waves from breaking, but cannot prevent rollers in a rough sea. School Committee Election Bill is an important proposal by Mr Stewart to effect these objects: (1) changing the date of annual election from the fourth Monday in January to a date in December, so that the election may not fall when farmers are busy in harvest-time ; (2) to alter the mode of electing School Committees, by allowing some days between time for sending in written nominations and date of election ; (8) to prevent cumulative voting, so that no householder may give more than one vote for any candidate. The bill has passed second reading without opposition. The Bonnawixo Bill which the Otago Harbor Board is carrying through Parliament proposed to give power for borrowing £300,000 ; being £200,000 for the channel up to Dunedin' and reclaiming land there, and £IOO,OOO for dredging the bar and building a scouring wall. The Harbor Board’s present income is about £29,000 a year, and its ordinary expenditure is about the same sum. The Board expects to increase its revenue (some years hence) to £46,000 a year, from rentals of reclaimed land and other sections to be re-leased at higher rents. That will be an increase of £17,000 a year; but other authorities give much higher estimates. Taking the increase at £20,000 a year, it would more than cover the interest on the proposed loan of £300,000. However, in the debate on second reading, Major Atkinson suggested that the borrowing power should be limited to £200,000, and that the Board could apply for more if it could then show that this sum had been wcdl and wisely spent. Mr Fish (in charge of the bill) accepted this offer, and the Government consented to the second reading. Boa-/, of the biblc had his .Ruth, but modern bores arc ruthless. A little girl once took a letter from her mother to an old lady friend. Many thanks, my child," she said; you may tell your mother that you arc a good child and are a faithful little messenger.” " Thank yon. ma’am; and I shall tell her, too, that I didn't ask you for 10 cents, because mamma told me not to.”