THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1879.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3428, 24 November 1879, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1879.

One of tho most important propositions in the Financial Statement is that propos ing the immediate abolition of subsidies to local bodies. There are a few local organisations whom the adoption of such a measure would not very seriously affect— we refer to richly-endowed Boroughs and Counties, chiefly to be found in the favored South. But the proposal, if carried into effect, will, to use a nautical phrase, set on tbeir beam ends the great majority — especially those exceptionally situated. Iv our own district the results will certainly be most disastrous, unless the Government provide some means of raising revenue as a quid pro quo for the disconlincd Government aid. Taking the local bodies of the district geuerally, we can point out a few of the unexccptionally unfavorable circumstances under which they have to discharge the functions. In the first place the most of the land in the district is leasehold and in consequence the rales arc proportionately very small. Then again, a very large area of the land is still in the hands of the native proprietors and consequently not liable to taxation for its own improvement—a very unfair provision, wo must admit. The existence of the goldfield necessitates a heavy expenditure to keep the roads in a fit state to bear the goldfields traffic, while the direct benefit to tho local bodies from the mines does "not do more than cover the cost of mainteaauce of roads for the traffic incidental to gold mining. The maintenance of charitable institutions has fallen heavily on local governments —especially on the Borough — and as we will find in a minute the revenue is entirely inadequate to cover the expenditure. The local bodies are entirely dependent for their revenue from rates, which, as has already been pointed out, are proportionately small—Government subsidies, publicans' licenses, and, a few minor sources, endowments there nro none worth speaking, and certainly none that will prove remunerative for ycavs to come. And this is ab mt the state of the Thames bodies —what it will be should the financial proposals of the Government be carried out in tlu'ir cnlin-ty—well we can all guess. Suffice to say that if this is the carrying into effect of the celebrated scheme of local self-government, far, far, better had we remained in our antiquated state of provincialism.

The shootists of the Thames Nural Brigade compufed at the range on Safurday for the .Darling Cup, and a handsome picture presented for competition by second class shots only. The winner of the Cup was Bandsman Hirst, who made 51, and will hold the Cup for thr< c months. P.O. Thomas and Seaman Armstrong also made 51 each, and P.O. Frearson 48, Lieut. Gavin 48, Lieut. Gordon 48, and P.O. Mitchell 47. The picture was won by Seaman J. Gordon, with 47 ; Seaman J. Wilson second with 46.

The Sunday dinners of a good many citizens were interrupted by the loud dunging of the Grahamstown fire-bell at little before 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon. The streets were speedily filled, and in a very short time the Graljamstown Fire Brigade were at Mr Conroy's house, the flaming chimney of which had caused tho alarm. The danger was speedily averted.

It is computed that fully 3,000 logs were brought to the booms o£ tho Tairua Saw Mill Co. by tho fresh on Saturday.

A sad accident occurred in the bush of iho Tnirna Sawmill Company at Tairua on Friday afternoon last. It appears that a man named William Small, whilst in pursuit of his avocation, got a lpg rolled on him, breaking his leg below the kuoc He was at once removed to Mr Cleaver's Hotel, rciuly to be sent on to Auckland by a boat leaving there last evening. Our readers will perhaps remember an accident which occurred in this bush about 1-2 months' ago by which a man named Patrick Cos tello lost his life, singular to relate this accident has occurred in the same gully, and almost with the same log—at an}' rate the log that caused the present accident was one that has just been moved into the t!xact position occupied by the one that killed poor Co»lello.

The three-masted schooner Fairlie hns arrived here from JS'e.Tcastlo, N.S.W., direct whh a large cargo of coals for the Thames Gas Company.

A Thames gentleman ha* received an encouraging account of llu' prospects of the Wairnrnpa goldfield from ono of the prospectors, The writer talks of purchasing osic of Ihe disused Tliamcs batteries for erection on the new field.

We regret to learn that Mr Laurie, the energetic and courteous manager of the Domestc Water Supply, met with a. painful accident on the Uourlce street wharf today. Mr Liurie was superintending the shifting of somo water pipes, when one of the sections slipped and fell, breaking his leg. He was at once conveyed to the Hospital*.

Missions to the Jews arc not very paying speculations. The report of thy Free Church of Scotland Mission shows that the expense of converting (ive Jews in a year was £5621, or £1124 a head, while an anxious enquirer of the ancient faith cost the Established Church £5300. If, therefore, the new bishop of Jerusalem has gone forth with the idea of zealous proselytising, he is likely to be grievously disappointed.

At the KM. Court this morning a case of wife desertion was adjourned till Friday in consequence of the non-receipt of the notice of the service of the summons. An application by Mr Wilson for a license for an hotel at Tairua was also adjourned to the same date.

The London Times states :—" The Australian and New Zealand colonies arc, in the matter of prison discipline, as in some others, decidedly ahead of the mother country."

Commenting on the rise and progress of the turf in Australia, the Age brings Io mind the first race meeting in Victoria, viz., that on Batman's Hill in 1839, when the wholo population -of the Colony, numbering 500, turned out to see the Squatters' Purse and the Town Plate won by Mountain Maid; and asks "We wonder if any identity can remember Lang riding Bessy Bedlam to win with the saddle turned under her b. lly, but with his feet in the stirrup, pud the saddle still on the horse, as demanded by the stewards; or if there wore more than half a dozen men on the grand stand on the last Cup day who can recal the fair form of Mrs Gubb, the original owner of Petrel, the stauuehest horse that ever ran over a Melbourne course. Mrs Gubb weighed fourteen stone, and she discovered the merits of her two-year-old hack by racing her bus* band for a bottle of rum."

It is stated that Mr Archibald Forbes, the well known special coirespondent of the Daily News, who is at present in Sydney, will visit New Zealand in the course of a few weeks. Says the Waikato Times of the 20lh inst.:—We regivt to state that Mr T. Bell, when returning home on Tuesday evening, was heavily thrown from his horse, and srriously injured. It is supposed that the animal shied at an object on the side of the road. Owing to the unfortunate occurrence, Mr Bell will be unable to attend to his public duties for some little time. The Tuapcka Times, sperking of the visit to that locality of Mr J. C. Brown, Mr JKeeves, Major Harris and Mr Wilkinson, proprietor of the Advertiser, says :—" On their arrival in Lawrence, alter partaking of refreshments, they visited the Blue Spur and Wetherstones, bestowing special attention on the Blue Spur tailings, on which Mr Wilkinson, we understand, had been commissioned to report for the guidance and information of a number of influential mining capitalists in Auckland, Hkely to invest largely io the Tailing 3 Company now ia course of registration.

Oddfellows (say an exchange) will take some interest in a curious law-suit recently tried iii England. One of the members of a Brighton lodge, summoned to attend a meeting, arrive 1 when the business was over, and, losing his temper, used language more forcible than polite. For this offence, under the rules, he was fined and expelled. He brought an action for reinstatement and damages in the County Court on tbo' ground that the meeting having been dissolved, the fine and expulsion wero ultra vires. His Honour held the contention to bo-a good one ; obsf rving that the lodge being over, he could have kicked all the brethren round without being affected by the lodge rules for disorderly conduct. He directed U>e society to reinstate plaintiff, and advised the latter to name damages, which was done. An Oddfellow, it appears, nerer knows his full privileges till he attempts their exercise.