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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1202, 15 November 1882, Page 2

An amusingly serious debate took place last night at the Harbor Board meeting where there were five members actually arguing that as they were now a Harbor Board that it would be right and proper for them to repudiate what they, themselves, had done in the matter of an arrangement with Messrs. Common, Shelton, & Co., as the Borough Council. It appears that the Borough Council have entered into an arrangement to pay the before-mentioned firm £B5O for their premises on the foreshore, and to let the property for 21 years at a ten per cent, rental say £B5 per annum. These very men who made the arrangement, and had the matter reduced to writing, so that the Borough Council is iotou? to purchase, actually wish to round on themselves, and, as a Harbor Board, refuse to purchase from the Borough Council. The interest that either of the above public bodies have in the land occupied may be defined in this way, that the foreshore from high to low water mark is the propetry of the Harbor Board, and will very likely take in some 20feet of Common, Shelton & Co.’s store. The Council are the holders of the remainder of the land up to Read’s Quay roadway, which is fixed at 66 feet wide ; but previous to the birth of the Harbor Board, the property was under the control of th® Council. Perhaps no great harm may be done by the Harbor Board refusing to purchase from the Council, as that body at present need not acquire lands outside of those granted to it, and our remarks although suggestive of repudiation, may prove at the next meeting of the Borough Council to have been rather caused by the fear that such was intended. We can hardly think that Messrs. Townley, Clayton, Lewis, Whinray, and Tucker, who were the ob-

jeutorH, could rightly have understood the position. They cannot, in good conscience, repudiate in one board an arrangement they have entered into on another. It seems an anomolous state of affairs, and slightly reminds us of the old quarrel between the belly and the members.

Parnell and Bdylan have just opened 20 cases new and choice goods, ex City of Bombay and Jessie Readman, direct from the best English and Coni inental Manufacturers. A visit to their establishment will be money saved to all those in quest, of goods of the latest fashion. Their new advertisement will appear to-morrow,— (Advt.) An unfortunate man, troubled with whiskey on the brain, had to part to the Government the sum of five shillings this morning. Some people think it is a pleasure to get drUnk but the morning’s headache takes away a portion of the bliss. New potatoes are advertised, for sale, at 2d per pound in Taiwan ga, This gives Poverty Bay a big start. When Byron wrote “ The Assyrian came down like a wolf on the fold ” he may have had some faint prescience of the Melbourne Cup, 1882, At any rate the Assyrian did come down in the latter case very unexpectedly, and the backers of the favorites, as were the widows of Asshur, are loud in their wail. However, the bookmakers came out right, and the holders of Assyrian in big sweeps have made a haul, A special meeting of the Borough Council was held last evening in the Council Chamber, after the termination of the Harbor Board Meeting. The subject to be considered at the meeting was the New Rating Act, passed at the last meeting of the General Assembly. It was determined that the consideration of this matter be deferred for the present, and that the Act in question should be discussed at a future meeting.

There is a large demand for “ The Fatted Calf,” now on sale by Mr Jennings, and copies are going off fast. The second deposit on the match arranged between our fastest local sprinter and a late arrival in the Bay was put up last night. This raee will be a most attractive one, as, notwithstanding the Gaming and Lotteries Act, a lot of money will change hands.

At Makaraka on the 27th inst, Mr E. O’Hare and the gentlemen who assisted him at the lute concert (together with the services of Mr James R. Scott) purpose giving a performance. On the occasion all the choicest morceaux will be repeated. The concert and programme we shall revert to on a future occasion, bnt we feel assured that our count)y friends have a treat in store for them. Mr 11. A. Downe, trustee in tbe matter of the estate of Mr S. C. Caulton. has convened a meeting for Munday next, at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, of the creditors who have proved.

To-day Mr T. J. Dickson, the genial host of the Argyll Hotel, opened his dining room and invited a few of his friends to partake of luncheon. The room in question is cf the most spacious character and the “ spread ” was sufficient to please the greatest epicure, not only in Poverty Bay but, in the Colony. The table was most neatly set out, and the flowers made it look quite cheerful. Mr Dickson’s guests having done proper justice to the excellent spread, were regaled with a bumper of Champagne, The health of the host and hostess having been duly responded to, the company separated apparently very well pleased with their first lunch at the new Argyll, and expressed a hope that it would not be their last. We wish Mr Dickson every success in his new house, and trust that his efforts to please the public in the past will be remembered, and that all his old friends will rally round him in his now home.