AND UMiijewiiti §ltw AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 353, 23 March 1889, Page 2

AND UMiijewiiti §ltw AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE.

' This above all — to thins own self bo true, And it must follow as the night the day Thou canst not then be false to any man.' SIIAKESPKARK.

SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 1889.

It is very unsatisfactory to find that the TeAvoha Town Board have neglected so important a matter as tho preparation of the Annual Valuation List, as required by the Rating Act, 187(5, which very clearly sets out the dnty of (he Bonn! with respect thereto, and distinctly states ' the list must be completed not later than January 15th in each year, and al-=o that I the Board shall publicly notify once in each week following (till Febiuaiy 15ih), where the said List may bo inspected, etc. As reporie lin our last issue when the Assessment Cjurt was opened at Te A roll a on Tuesday last by Mr H. W. Northcroft, R.M., Assessment Court Judge for the Te Aroha Town District, neither the Clerk nor any member of the Board were piesent to represent the local governing body ; ami Mr Northcroft, having adjourned the sitting for two liouis. despatched a messenger tohunt up Mr C. Ahier, the Town Clerk. At the adjourned sitting Mr Ahier informed His Worship that no Valuation List hail been prepared. The result of this neglect is that the whole matter is now taken out of the hands of the Board by the Judge of the Assessment Court, who has appointed a valuer, and will carry out the fuither provisions of the Act, which it was the duty of the Board io have attended to. Without a Valuation List there can be no Electoral Roll. Every member of the \ resent Board were resident in Te Aroha when the Valuation Listwas prepared last year in accordance with the Rating Act. In marked contrast to the neglect shown iv this matter, by both the Town Board and their Clerk, we notice that since the appointment of the latter, that very sliingent steps have been taken for the recovery of all outstanding rates. Now we do not for a moment say that legal step* are not sometimes necessaiy to enforce the payment of rates. But tlieie is Mich a thing as canning matters too far, and exhibiting an undue eagerness to enfotcc legal proceedings. Recently a num'ier of summonses were issued against local residents for arrears ofiates, «ud at the Te Ardha Court held on aih hist, the Clerk to the Town Board appealed and gave evidence, and obtained judgment for several small amounts. A meeting of the Town Board* Was held on the 13ih inst., ju£t eight days afterwards, at which the Clerk is reporie I to have nsked for further instructions with respect to those against whom judgment had been obtained, etc,, and to have received the necessery authority to issue judgment summons. (In a contemporary it is reported authority was given at this meeting for the issue of distress warrants). The amounts for which judgment has been obtained is under 15s in each case (with costs of course added). We sincerely trust no suchhnrsh measures as the issue of judgment summonses or of dish ess warrant?, will be sanctioned, much less authorised, by our local governing body, against any of our fellow townsmen, who may not be in a position just at the moment to pay the amount they o've ; at any rate not without first allowing them a little moie time to do so, Dm ing all the 3 ears we were governed by l'iako County Council, so far as we remember, such a tning as a judgment summons was never issued by them agninst any one in this district, certainly not a distress warrant The Town Cleik ha\ing proved himself such an efficient rate collector, can surely give no satisfactoiy excuse for neglecting to fee that so very iinpoitunt a matter as the preparation of the Annual Valuation List was attended to at the proper time. True < he matter of collecting the rales cairies with it a five per cent commission, i whilst the other does not ; but a man should not volunteet to undo take the duties of so lesponsible a position as that of Town Clerk, unles? he intends to carry them out thoroughly in all its departments.

A meeting of the Te Aroha Racing Club, fakes place to night vt 8 o'clock,' at the Club Hotel. Tlio last issuo of Typo will be found a most interesting number, abounding with useful information. Amongst the anivala in Auckland from the South per as. Rotomahnna on Tuesday last, Were Mr it rid Mrs Ferguson, Tt in currently reported that Mr IT. IT. Adams purposes shortly embarking in llio flax industiy. Wo notice the Rev Father Kpoj>li ia having a couple of extra rooms added to his dwelling house, *he work being carried out by Mr Michael Byrne. Special attention is directed to the large nnd important sale at Ohaupo, on tht> 29 insr., by MrJ. McNichol Wo are requested to announce that a Rand of Hope meeting will bo held at Waiorongomai on next Tuesday evening. A good programme has been prepared for the occasion, admission is free, and all are invited to attend. Mr Jas. Lavery, whose tender was recently accepted by Piako County Council for the construction of a traffic bridge across the Waihou river, at Murphy's Landing, is busily engaged in making the necessary preparations, and will make a start on the work at an 'early date. We learn thai Mr John Wood (defendant in the case recently heard in the local Court, in which he was charged with 1 injuring one Fred Hyde, etc.), hearing that Hyde was without means, nnd not 1 sufficiently recovered to go to work, very promptly and considerately made arrangements Avitli Mr Ilotchin. to board and lodge Hyde at his (Wood's) expense, for some little time to come, ro that he should have that complete rest, desirable for his restoration. By advertisement it will be seen the time, for accepting tenders for driving 1 n, tail race tunnel for the Waihi G. M. Co. (adveitiscd in our last issue to close on Thursday, 21st inst.^ has been extendod to 0 p.m., Monday next, 25th inst. Since starting in business as coachbuilder at IV Aroha, we are pleased to know Mr J. A. Cochrane has been kept busily employed ; and has given gener.il satisfaction with respect to the quality of Ihe woik turned out of his factoiy. Amonsr-t other vehicles recently built by Mr Cochrane we observed adonble buirn v, to the order of Key Jas. Marshall. Tin's vehicle 'v.is all that could be desired, being exceedingly stronir, symmetrical, very i liijlit in diaught, and thoroughly well finished. In fact in ever}' respect it was a credit to the builder. From further enquii ios we have made we learn that (ho fire, by which Messrs Graves and Baskiville's s'aiiiihter-house at Waiorongomai was burnt down on Tuesday (as reported in our last issue), is supposed to Irive originated from sparks from the flue of the boilfr, and not from the boiling over of the f.it. The slaughter-home was erected by Mr J C. Firth, and was most complete in all its details for the purpose required. The fire had obtained too great n hold on the building when first observed to permit of any effort being made to extinguish it. The heat emitted was intense, even at fully a chain distant, which is not to bo wondered at seeing that about half a ton of tallow was on fire. We regret to state Messrs Giavcs and Baskiville will be very heavy losers, having had no insurance whatever on either the building or any of its contents, Mr W. J. Elliott, Home Missionary, Paeroo, will preach his farewell sermon at Waiorongomai, in the morning, Waitoa Hall, afternoon, and at the Wesleyan Church, Te Aroha, in the evening ; he being about to sever his connection with the Upper Thames Circuit. Since coming amongst us some two years ago, Mr Elliott has won the esteem and respect of a very large circle of friends in the districts in which he has been ministering, lie is an earnest preacher, took a deep interest in all temperance woik, his departure will be very generally regretted, and he takes with him to his now sphere of liWour, oeneial and lin.it ty good wishes We direct attention to Mr h) 1 wards 1 new advertisement. During the present week Mr bMw.inh has received and opened up se\er.il very la»*ge c msi^n mentis of new Qoods. for the autumn and winter trade in all d parhnent-' ; including main novelties; all of which are now being oil" 'red, a-> u-unl, at most reasonable prices. Intendina pim-lnseix will do well io pay an e.nly vUit of inspection, and hoc for thon^elves the choice a«soi tinunt on 1 excellent value now being offered by Mr Edwards in hinew anc commodious promises.