FRIENDS OF THE BLIND

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 376, 12 June 1889, Page 6

FRIENDS OF THE BLIND

At a meeting of the Committee held on Tuesday, June 4, the report of Mr J. W. Tighe, the teacher of the blind, was readMr Tighe has been engaged since the Blh of April last in helping the blind in variou 8 ways, as will appear from his report, which is here published for the information of. the public :—": — " I report that during the past 47 days (from April Bth to May 25th) I have paid 125 visits to the blind for the purpose of imparting instruction, or in other ways attending to their wants. I have written, or caused to be written, 16 letters of instruction, embossed 50 sheets of music (the same to be distributed next month), with 50 copies of the Lord's Prayer, and other reading for beginners. Among the pupils there are no iv ten good readers, and I am pleased to report that according to their 1 words they derive great pleasure from being able to read. Four can now make halters and do other kind? of plaiting ; four are netting ; two making daisy mats ; one bone-polishing; while the remainder are progressing: favourably. A stock of rope, twine, canvas, beads, and other material used in teaching is required. Two coils of rope are now needed to start two pupils halter-making. I have visited in all thirty persons, and have namesand addresses of others. "I went to the Thames on May 14 by the s.s. Rotomahana, and returned on the 18th the s.s. Enterprise. The owners of both "vessels very kindly granted me a free pass. I found 5 blind persons at the Thames, and while there I gave them instruction. I hope to visit them again next month." The foregoing is Mr Tighe's account of hid work among the blind for a period of about 6 weeks. He adds to his report the two following items of information.' First, that the Secretary of the Seamen's Union had kindly promised to " place collecting cards on board the ships in port, in the hope of getting a little towards the work ;" and. secondly, Mr Tighe, who is himself blind,, gratefully acknowledges the kindness of.' Dr. A. C. Purchas, in the following words,, " Through the skill and attention of DrPurchas, jun., I am now benefiting by a course of treatment he is giving to my eyes, which has relieved me of pain and many an unpleasant feeling." The Committee desires to acknowledge with thanks that the Northern S.S. Company has granted Mr Tighe a free pass by their vessels when he visits the townships in the North; that the Union S.S. Company will give him a return tickeb for a passage to the Bluff, and extend the time for twelve months, for the sum of £9 ; bhai the owners of the s.s. Rotomahana and Enterprise have granted him a free pass by their vessels ; and that the Devonporb Ferry Company has given him a free pass for 12* months.

Young Wife (looking through cottage)— Well, about; the location, sir ? Landlord— Perfectly healthy, madam. I'll guarantee that. Young Wife— Oh, that will never do. George— that is, my husband— is an doctor, you know. A man may be a bad egg, but he's allright till he's " broke." When a stock fails to pay a dividend the 5 holder loses his interest. "I hope I gave you satisfaction," as the' pistol ball said to the wounded duellist. What the wind said to the captain of the Calliope as he steamed his ship out of the' Samoan harbour, "Yerin a hurry, Kaneme boy! *

be a great deal of it. I have been round at the various centres addiessing- the electors, and this is my last meeting. It was very difficult now to get any money from the Government for anything. The sums placed on the Estimates now were so different to what they used 10 bo. The amount available for gold fields was quite inadequate to the requirements, lief en ing to the last estimates, Mr Kelly said, £35,000 had been voted for roads etc. On goldfields, but liabilities had already been incurred to the extent of £13.564, so that only £21,436 was really available for expenditure at the time. Ido not know if the goldfields hero got any of that sum, or how it was spent. Another sum of £11,900 was voted by Parliament for roads and bridges for local bodies, on the principle of £1 for £1 subsidy. Ido not know if the local bodies here have availed of that vote or not. If not they ought to get some of this nione}', The Minister of Public YVoiks, when these sums are pkcfd on the Estimates, doos not state what it is for and how it will be expended; and some of it is oftentimes not expended and is voted over again. Thepiesent Government contend they will meet the House with a surplus ; but many members contend theie is no surplus at all. but only the keeping back of the expendituie of money that has been voted by the House for various purposes. Annually we \ote about £4,000,000 on the Estimates, about half of which goes to keep the Civil servants and Government going . At the last general election I stated from this platform that £400,000 conM hive been saved from expenditure ; and I still say savings could be made that would quite equal the amount realised by the levying of the Property Tax ; and that is what some members in the House wish to do. When Atkinson was in Auckland I tried my best to induce him to come to Te Aroha, but he could not then do so owing to want of time, but piomised to do so on the occasion of his next visit to Auckland. I have heard from a souice I believe to be pretty accurate, that it is the intention of the Premier to reduce the Property Tax by one third this year, the same next, and <3o away with it altogether after the third year. If siizh a measure is brought in I think it ought to be accepted. Revenue of course is required and must be obtained, but this can bo done by other means, and from other sources, nnd I think the Propeitv Tax will have to be dropped altogether." The £77,000 the Premier states has been saved appears to be no saving at all, because of the increased taxation . It was necessary to reduce the expenditure of the country, but I think it was not necevaiy to so increase taxation as has been done. Asa matter of fact the Premier was a long way out in his Estimates. Fie estimated Customs would realise £1,515,000 ; the amount actually i e:\lised was only £1,459,608; Stamps estimate £614,700, realised £600,370 : Pionpitv T.ix, estimate £375,000, realised £372,000 ; Land Rpvpnne, estimate £119,000. realised £107,000; Railway*, estimate £1,040,000, lealixed £1,001,134 ; leaving a total deficiency on the foregoing items alonn of £127,277. Altogf thpr the Piemier is slmrt -of his Estimates £177,207, so how hp has a surplus, as is stated, it is impobsible for me to say. Taxation, without a doul>^, had become ver\'. excessive. Civ-toms duties had been raided, and I think rightly on artioh-s produced in the country ; and I supported the Protectionist party in the House. A great deal had hp^n said lately about reductions and appointments in the Civil Service ; and there was no doubt appointments h, id been made by Government that should not have been made, and with re c pect to reductions the heads of departments had not been interfered with in any material way, and it ■was the more poorly paid Civil Servants who had been made to suffer. With lespect to the appointment of the Railway Commissioners, the Government have done just what the country did not want done : and there would probably be a very angry debate over it when the House met. At this stage of his address Mr Kelly said : I have made a veiy long address at Tauianga, which has been printed and will be submitted to very many of 370 u,3 7 ou, and I do not therefore consider it neeessaiy to go very fully into matters here to night. I wish however to touch on some local matters, With respect to the land tenure of residents at Te Aroha, I told those who spoke to me about it that it was useless for me to move in the matter of. getting a better temne unless the owners of the land were themselves willing. I saw Mr Lipsey about it, and he told me he was agreeable to the granting of leases in per<petuit3' at the present! en tal. If the owners are willing I do not think Government ehould throw anj' obstacle in the way of such leases being granted, and I will do my utmost to g-et it for you if the matter, is laid before me in such a w.iy that I can submit it to the Government. With respect to the construction of railways; originally there was an arrangement made by which all lands for five miles on each side of the railways under construction should pay a rate towards the coat of constructing each line. This was, how. ever, done away with through the influence of the large landowners. There is a feeling, however, amongst members of the House, that original owners of land benefitted by the construction of railways, • should still pay a railway rate. With respect to Education, I am still of opinion it would be dangerous to interfere with the present system. I would not vote for altering it in any way. If a reduced expenditure for Education was necessary, I should go in for raising the , school age from five years to six, which I believe would result in effecting a saving of about £25,000, but I do not see thit there is room for a reduction in the Education vote, in any way whatever. Last session £900 was placed on the Estimates for constructing Thompson's Track, and I got the amount increased to a vote of £1200 ; but I believe the track now being made is only a 4ft. track, which will be no use unless widened. I shall do my utmost to get sufficient money voted to have a coach road made, bo that coarhes can run between Tauranga and Te Aroha. Only £1,001 was votod for Tlieimal Springs la->t year, a portion of which had already been expended, so that there was really only £900 available; and this money went in paying salaries and finishing up t/ater works at Rotorua. At Ilotoiuathe Government kept a doctor, bath keeper, a gardener, and a Government agent, and nothing was now being expended there in the way of actual improvements; I

moved in tho i louse to get £500 for the Springs hero, and went to the Minister of Lands about it, but the reply I got was that Government had handed over the management to the Domain Board, and wero not going to spend any more money on it. I find, however, thpro is a promise to {>ivt3 £500 to these springs when the increase of: tourists w.irnnt it, and I will try and get it for you this session . Mr Kelly said he would not detain his j audienco longer, but was now ready to answei any Questions. Questions were then put and roplied to by Mr Kelly, as follows : Mr C. A. Cornen : What amount was spent on the Thermal Springs at Rotorua in 1887, and what at Te Aroha ? Answer : £2000 at Rotorua in 1887. Comes : We are to understand then that you got nothing for Te Aroha. Ans : I have said so. I tried and failed. Mr R. Mackie ; What bacame of the Fair Rent Bill ? Answer : It was passed by the Lower House, and thrown out by the Upper House Mackie : Would it not be great retrenchment, and would not the country be better off if the Upper House was done awa} r with ? Ans : I think so. Mr N. Cleaiy : Do you not think the railway ought to nm fiom Te Aroha to Thames ? Ans .• I have spoken to Mitchelson about it, and also to the Commissioners, and the intention is, if the line is a^onc on wilh at all, to commence work at this end ? Comes : What amount have 3*oll got j for this district, out of the £35,000 you state was voted for goldfields roads and works ?- Ans : I got none of it. No application was ever made to me to secure any money for goldfiolds, until I came through here now, when I was asked on my way here to have a track niadofiom Mr Shaw's farm to Waiorongomai. Comes • A Member I think is generally supposed to go in and secure some of the plunder going, for the district he represents ; you represent both a goldfield and an agricultmal district. I think if we have a member he should go in and get some of the money that's going. You represent the newest goldfield on this Peninsula ? Ans. : You rau«t specify what you want the money for. Ihe Government told me they had given a lot to assist the Waiorongomai goldfield. Comes ; Tf you have allowed the South Island to <et the lion's share, you have neglected ihe district you repiesent? Ans. : I told you when I commenced speaking that £13,000, out of the money voted for goldfields, had already been expended when vot°d on the Estimates, leaving only £21,000 for expendituie. If on application isniP.de for money it will go to the Minister of Public Works — or of Goldfields — and will be considered. Comes ; Surely the distiictyou represent is entitled to something ? Ans, : That's not the way the money is voted at all All applications have to be "submitted to the Minister of Public Works Department. Comes : Can you state how much of that £35.000 was got for the Noitli Island ? Ans. : I could not, may be none of it so far as I can tell. Comes : I don't see why we should not be able to obtain return tickets to Auckland, as wpII as those at Auckland can to Te Aroha ? Ans. : I have already brought this matter under the notice of the Minister of Public Works, as I think it is a great injustice. Comes: We happen heie atTe Aroha with respect to our mines to belong to the tail end of Ohinemuri ; and although some L 250 of goldfields revenue has been paid in. we have got LlO expended in return Must not. an}' revenue derived from a Riding in a County be expended in that Rid* ing? Ans. : Yes, I think so, Comes : A number of us have been trying to find out exactly what revenue has been derived from the mines in the various parts of the Riding, and would be glad if you would assist us in themattn ? Ans. : I will look into it and see what can be. done, Comes : Would you be in favour of abolishing the Property Tax light away ? It seems very bard that people who bring in money for the purpose of expeiimenting and erecting new processes for treating our ores shonld be taxed on all they do, I believe the Company at Waioiongomai have aheady paid L5OO as Property Tax. Would you do all you can to have mining machinery and such like exempted ? Ans. : If the question comes on this Session I will vote against the Property Tax. Mr Charles Gallagher : Are you in favour of Home Rule ? Ans. : Well, I'm not ashamed to say I am. Comes : Are you in favour of supporting tl.e Atkinson Ministry, or are you a supporter of Ballance ? Ans. : I contested the election in the interest of the Stont-Ballance Government, and I am still a follower of theirs. Come&: WouM you be in favour of Government giving a bonus of say £10,000, £20,000, or £30,0000, to the first people who introduce machinery that will s.ive from 10 to 50 per cent of gold .'more than can be saved by the ordinary process ? Ans. : Yes, I think Government ought to give a bonus to any persons who do as you say. No more questions being put, Mr Geo. C Deveiill moved a vote of thanks and confidence to Mr Kelly, seconded by Mr Nicholas Cleary. On being put by the Chairman, twelve bands were held up in favour of the resolution. The Chairman declared the resolution carried unanimously. A vote of thankstothe Chairman brought the proceedings to a close. Mr Kellj. left for Auckland by train on Monday morning.