My Note Book.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4305, 18 October 1882, Page 2

My Note Book.

(By-a Cbitical Ghabacter.) Communities as a rule are influenced in their moral standing by two main or primary teachers. Without entering into particulars of the other or , secondary causes arising from the influence of the press, society, or example, it may be stated we are all governed more or less by love or fear. The pulpit should be the great exponent of the first, and the bench of the latter; and in proportion to the fidelity of the one, and the justice of the other in administration, will we adraoce or retrograde—not only iv morals, but in probity and independence. At present I wish to draw attention to the Bench as presided over by H. Kenrick, Esq.,R.M. The law should be the schoolmaster to correct our faults and point us the right way, and when this is departed from the eril influence grows without effort, and the most baneful effect is) produced on a community .in a few ; years. I notice this because a case happened on Friday last where a creditor sued debtor for an amount long outstanding which was admitted, and judgmententered for the plaintiff. But the JR.. M. completely ignoring all legal practice and the very reason for which his court is. held, at once sets about so instructing the defendant that unless he is an honest uprigut man he will never pay the amount, in short the 11. M.. gives judgment according to law afad at once advises the debtor how he can escape the payment. I cannot believe this to be the intention of the R.M., nevertheless a gentleman holding Imposition should have at least some knowledge of the result of his gratitious adfice and the clear tendency of such<a course wijl' be that neither butcher nor baker will continue giving credit, a-id in a mining community like ours the closing of the books of all the tradespeople on the Thames would be little short of starvation to some and perhaps mo°t deserving honest men. When a debtor who i& unwilling to part with money for the goods he has consumed, tells the Bench that he has a wife and family to keep, generally nD order is made. The R.M. either does not or will not see that that is just what he does uot do, for all this time some other unfortunate tradesman is supplying them with necessaries. Toe present method of administering the law between debtor and creditor is fast" becoming a school (or low cunning and unprincipled trickery, and if persevered in must in a few years debase the whok community. I hope the R.M. will consider the result of ■his method of administration' before it be too late.

Mr Ehrenfried offers St. George's Hall to the Borough 'Council., ( Tbisf gentleman likes dealing with public bodies. la the early days of Municipal law this same gentleman found a customer in the above body for the old Council Chambers. Now they are offered a building for £750, "dirt cheap," as the auctioneer would say, notwithstanding that some jealous folk insinuate that this same building was in the market for a considerably less sum-re'ren as little as £500 having been mentioned —for a long time back. The Borough ought to at least relieve the benevolent gentleman of that elephant. It is high time the public took notice of these well—excellent bargains, as they will have to pay the piper. „. The new Waiotahi viaduct, that is to be, appears to be a complete "botch" from beginning to end. The engineering levels seem at fault, or perhaps it is the ground thai has not accommodated itself to the plans, for a difficulty appears at the junction of the old creek and the new work. The large water-«race mains are an awkward thing to run against, but by the expenditure of a few hundred pounds more the difficulty will be got over here. What shall we say for the streets that are tv be blocked by two or three pairs of trestles ? Unless the local body see to it in time there-gwill be heavy damages to pay somebody. Before the evil be effected I would suggest the removal of some of the trestles and making large spans. Nobody but a novice in such work could ever have permitted such plans to pass unchallenged.