LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 14 May 1907, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

To-day's poll closes at six o'clock, not seven as is erroneously relieved in some quarters.

The shops of New Plymouth will be closed from 12 o'clock 10-daf. The Wellington-Naples dcsirifeli of the .Mir of April arrived in London on the alternoon of 12th inst.

' I .ivtni:»ki i.\ovmcial Conference of tlii> tanners- mi.,11 „„ PIIS ;„ V( .„, i'l.vmoiilh on Wednesday, and tli» sittings will extend o\er lu'o da vs.

Oiviim to (In. coniimious j-.)ii"li wea"'■'••II"I fiiHivuliy at the bar, the Ran«','l was compelled (o miss Monday's trio "' Ouohugna. The popular boat leaves Ouchunga for .Yew I'lymomh toilay. The usual (rip north will be made on Wednesday evening, as advertised. The usual fortnighilv meeliin.' i>( lb|.".val Kgmonl Lodge, 1.0.0. F., was held hod evening, I'/;. 11. ||. Ford presidioin the absence of >(.<!. A. Chives. Owing • :i >"'.' liohtieal ine<"tiiigs, there v-is ', small atlendauce of ineiiihers. One can. '"''laic was proposed for membership and tin' lodge adjourn -d at S o'clock. -U (lie N.M. Court on Mondiv „„„■„. ing -Mr W. (I. liiddeil gave judgment'ii the case of K. fl. Tresk v. Ilobcrls an. Stokes in which plain!!,!' claimed r_j. ...<... be rue,'of wages. It wn-; allege, I'.v the plamlill that he had been en...,".., al <:i l."s per week, but a:;i-,e,| l„ drav on.v U Ills per week. This m-ren-v incut was denied. The Magistral,'. T,|' ter a very careful review of the ovid-ita came to (he conclusion that no such con

''■ i- «„s i„ evidence, ..uKI gave J,,,],,. '"'■'<t lev delcndauts will, ( .„sts. ' Air ■ovolt appeared lor plaintili and ;,fv '•rev lor defendants. A large detachment of Tnglewood school children landed at the Eliot street stiit.mii on Monday morning, and proeecded to the. Technical School for advanced instruction, returning home bv he 12.50 p.m. train. By lunching i„ the train on the home journey thi'.v were iiKiim ready tor school when they rcach'■d Ingiewood, and thus obtained their leclimcil education with Imt little loss 1,1 """'• 'l'liesc visits are to he undertaken regularly throughout the vear for certain subjects. The Scenery Preservation Society lias >»»«• had erected hvo notice hoards, one u( the railvay station and one oa the cs- '''•'";; « -Mr J ■ W. Hall's premises next he Jluatoki stream, directing visitors to the various beauty spots ami points of "'teres m and around Km Plymouth. Ihe d, lierent places an, S mupcd ~s ,„,. ;;i« within ualking distance, available bv huses. or accessible only by B , K , tilll ron . |eyamc A further supply „f t] l; , I ><>ards, perhaps „„ a i ; „.„ el . soall> shou]( , "" "'"■ l' to advertise the scenic beauties "I the district.

I lio next Counties' Conference will he ! licld m the Wellington Town Hall, commenemg on Tuesday, July Cth, for the P'H'pose of considering the Local Cmmn- »"•'»(■ MI, ]!IO(j, and other matters of importance in connection wi , h j oc<l , r() . vernnient. Hcmits must read, (he 50.,:ic ary of the Counties' Association hv Sth .June next. The iicst agenda paper, now- issued, contains 77 remits, from IS county councils and one road hoard, a»d the subjects dealt with include •- Auctioneers' Act, the Counties Act, Valliiitinn hospitals and charitable institutions impounding, Land Act, Licensing ■ HI, local bodies' finance, local government voting reform, native lands, noxious weeds, Public Works Act, rating i-oad bounds, timber and flix royalties, <';'•■ 'I o date Ilawera has nine remits, i'viinom three, Stratford five, Taranaki six, and Clifton four.

A eirrular letter received from the Clifiim viimty Council asks the Taranald ""My Council to support the following resolutions dealing with the cost of vah° ::,"""•... '!? lirst sets out iiii'l this Council is unanimously of opinion that the present system of valuing properties throughout the colony by Hi.' \ ablation Department is unreasonably costly and presses unduly upon the already heavily-burdened taxpayers.'' Ami the second, "the various local'authorities having a thorough knowledge of I he respective values of properties under iieir control could with confidence make »U valuations for less than half the 'lmgvs now imposed by the Valuation Department." All the local bodies in I lie colony are being asked to lend their ■support (o these resolutions.

On..Monday afternoon Mr J. Brown chairman of the Taranaki County Council, and Mr J. W. Foreman, chairman of Ihe CI i! ton County Council, secured an interview will, the Hon. Minister for Native A/fairs, and discussed with him the <inesii.ii of recovery of rates levied on "alive I iiids. The deputation pointed out on.- more that the Maoris were in iiiaiiv (■.;>.-; farming their lands and conveying milk to dairy factores, using the ! '"<iil-< <■< the same extent as the HiiroMean settlers, but paid no rata. Local bodies were loth ( 0 go to the expense of Court proceedings, for there was a clause in lb.' Xative Land Bating Act, l»Ui. which stipulated that no judgment secured aguin.--! n Maori for payment of rates eoiil. be acted upon without the consent "I the -\ative Minister. The natives it was 1,-liovod, sheltered behind this <;l."i«e. and declined to pay. The depulii I 'on asl-al Mr Carroll to state defin"t''l.>' "h» could alio,,- (l,i s (o continue or whether he would give consent to the <«'"1 body proceeding to the fullest ex."iit agamst. the property in order to si'.iiie payment of the rates due. The ■d mister |,,h] (lie deputation to "(ire awiij.' That was what he wanted. If lli".v In. to take a Maori to Court, and judgment were obtained, he would see Hal. he rates were paid, even if he had (» take I lie land and ~,;,- the rates him-