NAPIER.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 107, 22 November 1873, Page 2

NAPIER.

[from our own correspondent.] November 15. There has been little stirring during the past week, and to make up for want of news, the two daily papers have had their columns filled with a wordy warfare between the editors, on the merits of the Press Telegraph Agency. As you have not yet been brought within telegraphic communication with the outer world, a discussion on the subject is of no importance to your community.

On Tuesday night the Harmonic Society gave a concert, but as usual, whenever our musical amateurs give a performance, the weather was as unpropitious as it possibly could be. There was a very good attendance, however, and the concert was highly creditable to those engaged in the performance. The old familiar faces and voices, that have for many years been foremost at these sort of entertainments again charmed the audience, and had it not been for the tower of strength the society possesses in its oldest members, the vocal portion of the performance would not have been very successful. The instrumental portion of the programme was gone through admirably, and when I say that this was bo, notwithstanding the fact of some of our best instrumentalists having left the province, it speaks highly for the musical talent still to be found in our midst. The concert is to be repeated on Thursday. Changes amongst our legal fraternity have taken place since my last. Mr. Cowan shortly takes his departure for Dunedin, and a Mr. Cornford, from Auckland, is about to commence practise here. Mr. Cornford has but lately been admitted to the bar, having gained his experience in the offices 1 hear, of Messrs. Whitaker and Russell. It is said that Mr. Cornford is here as partner with Mr. John Sheehan, and if this is so, doubtless the maori business will make the choice of Napier as the spot in which to start in life a lucky one.

Amongst the passengers by the Star of the South, which steamer arrived from the North on Friday morning, was Mr. Weston, the gentleman who has been appointed District Judge. Up to the present time Mr. Weston has not been Gazetted, and so it is not known whether he is also to fill the post of Resident Magistrate. I do not know how the Government can well get out of giving him both appointments for the £7OO were voted on that understanding. If Mr. Weston is to be District Judge only, his duties will not be severe, for, as the Telegraph lately pointed out, during the past six months there have been no cases brought before the Resident Magistrate that would have been referred from his Court to the District Court, had one been in existence. If, however, Mr. Sealy retains his appointment of Resident Magistrate, it is probable that the Civil Jurisdiction of his Court will be lowered again to cases involving no higher sum in dispute than £2O. This would of course provide work for a District Judge. I notice in our local papers, that an attempt is being made to induce the electors of the province to petition the Governor praying that the Superintendents Election Act be brought into operation. This Act provides that the Superintendent shall be elected by the people in the place of by the Council, and the object of bringing the measure into force is to obtain a dissolution of the Council before the new Education Act comes into operation. As you are aware, the new Act was passed on account of the opposition manifested to the Uniform Household Education Rate of £l, but the new law, which comes in force next July, is as strongly objected to by Napier householders as was the old one. The fact is the town is to be taxed for the support of country schools, while the wealthy runholder, the owner of thousands of acres of freehold will pay no more than the small shopkeepers. Another highly objectionable feature in the new Act is that it imposes a tax on bachelors in receipt of salaries of £7O with board and lodging. This tax will have to be paid by shepherds and others, while married servants living at the homestead of sheepfarmer, and

receiving higher wages, will be free. Marriage is usually deemed a luxury, and it is nothing but fair that luxuries should be taxed. I do not think the requirements of this province necessitate the establishment at the present time of the free system of Education, but it is only just if a revenue is required for the support of schools, that it should be mainly raised by the taxing of the landed proprietors. A stop has been put to the construction of the telegraph between Napier and Wairoa, in consequence of Paroa Rerepo refusing to allow the poles to be drawn across his land on the left bank of the Mohaka river. Ido not suppose his fit of obstructiveness will last very long, but if it should, the best place to put Mr. Paora will be in a lunatic asylum. This man is a very important chief by birth, but he has no influence except when, as in the present case, his actions are likely to extort money or presents from the Government. He is regarded as a harmless lunatic by Europeans and Maoris, but he has got it into his head that his proper course is to follow the dictates of Jlennre Matua. It is thought by those well acquainted with Paora, that a present of blue coat and brass buttons, a flag, or a military cap, would effectually remove the difficulty he has raised to the erection of the telegraph line. Paora is a Native Assessor. Can we be surprised if intelligent Maoris view with contempt an office to which idiots are appointed by Government to serve political purposes ?