The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 1883.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4451, 11 April 1883, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 1883.

A MEETING of the Thames Railway Com* tnittee was held this afternoon when Mr Graham reported to those present the battledore and ehutMecoek treatment submitted to by the deputation cent by the Company to interview Ministers in Wellington. It appeared that upon arrival at' Wellington they I found that Mr Wbitaker bad left for Auckland, and they therefore made an appointment to meet Ministers after the holidays. They had gone into matters very carefully, and went fully prepared to interview Messrs Bolleston and Johnston, the Ministers for Lands! and Public Works respectively. One undersecretary bad informed them that his Minister did not consider the matter within bis depirtmenfc, and another said that it certainly did not belong to his—consequently they met both Ministers. Mr Bolleston said that no lands were available, but the deputation ponied out that several small pieces were open, and a lot of land under timber leases could be given them, and the Ministers,stated that these were not Crown lands, in fact Mr Bolleston did not Seem to be aware that any lands were available, and did not offer the least encouragement to the Com; any ; he al«o suggested that not enough money had been subscribed. The deputation pointed out that it had not been sought to obtan money, but they were prepared to commence operations, as soon as a satisfactory contract was signed by the Government. Land' at Te Aroha was pointed out, but the Minister for Lands said that it would be required by the Government, who were constructing a line in that direction, and in reply he was informed that the Thames Valley Co. were ent:tied to a share of the land, as their Hoe would benefit it. Then Ministers fell back by saying that nothing could be done in the absence of the Att rney General. The deputation stated that the company was prepared to spend £15000 within two years, which would be as much in proportion as that proposed to be spent by the Botorua Company. Tne Ministers then to far committed thems-lves as to say that what was done by Mr Whitaker would be ratified by them. They saw the Attorney-General in Auckland, who said they h d no funds or lands, and so thty could not make a railway He was told that all the Company asked tot was to be placed in the same position as tbe Botorua Company, and he replied this would be done; he would see the Native Minister, and hare the land put through as quickly as possible. He' could nut promise anything, that was a Cabinet question, but they would be placed in the same position as other railway companies. The meeting had not cjncluded when our report closed.

The fact of not receiving mails from Auckland for four days is a serious inconvenience to the public. L»st evening upon the arrival of the Enterprise the Post Office authorities sent their,usual servant down for the mails, but .they were not landed in the boat as were , the pass ngers, and the steamer very considerately took them on to Shortland. They were not received by the Post Office official until 9 o'olock p.m., too late to let the | pnblic have them. The Postmaster, however, very thoughtfully got his staff to work at 7 .tliis,morning, and before 8 o'clock every letter was sorted so as to enable correspondence to be answered by this morn* itfg?a steamer, the bag for which did not close ujri) haK.past nine. '

Th* s.s. Deep*'oh «ai hauled up to-day on the reclamation, in.front of Price's shop. She is to be lengthened, and otherwise altered so a» to lessen her draught, and increase her

The Board of Reviewers Bat to-day in the Police Court, to he.ar objections to assessments under th« Property Tax. The Board consisted of Messrs Tonks (Chairman), Moat, and Proude. Tne valuer, Mr Hollis, appeared in support of the valuations made. la the majority of cases there were no appearances of tbe objector*, and the valuations were sustained. Great complaints were made of the want of publicity given to the meeting. Several objections were lodged by Mr B« Graham, and in cases where the reductions were assented to by the Assessor, the Court allowed them. In one or two instances where objections had been sent in, and no commun* cation had been received from tbe Government, the objecrors appeared, and were given to understand that their objections had been allowed. Two oases of this kind were adjourned to Auckland to be heard at the Court on the 26th inst., in case the objectors received notice in the meantime that their objection* were disallowed. Mr Renshaw successfully ob* jected to be enrolled as owner of several properties he had no interest in, and for one in Pollen street tbe valuation was reduced from £280 to £200. Dr. Kilgonr, whose name had been called on in bis absence, appeared, and stated that he was not aware of the sitting uatil that morning, owing to sufficient notice not having been given ol tbe meeting. He asked that the Bench would hear his objections, but they declined;' they would not reopen a closed case; the valuation had been sustained. Mr A. Fleming succeeded in having his valuation reduced from £420 to £300. Mr J. Patterson's property in Owen (street was reduced to £300; and Mr James Finlay's in Brown street to £270.

Upon enquiry we learn that there is lit tie probability of the negotiations which were pending with the Union Co. for a steam tervice to the Thames, coming to any practical result at present.

The officials of the various public bodies in the district who have been thrown into com* munioation with the Public Works Office, will leatn with pleasure that the vacant position of Under Secretary to that department wi'l most probably be filled by Mr C. T. Benzoni the present Assistant Secretary. Mr Benzoni has always been courteous and obliging in his relations with the local bodies.

Some loss and inconvenience have been caueed by the bole and corner manner in vrhieu tne Assessment Court has been held. Sufficient notice was not given, and conse* quently » number of objectors who would have been present were precluded from supporting their objections. Two objectors drew the attention of the Board of Reviewers to this, and that august bodj replied that it was not its fault that the newspapers had failed to publish a paragraph calling attention to tbe meeting. It" did not run newspapers." Judging of the use the department, to which they are attached, has made of the local journals, it is perhaps as well they do not " run newspapers." It is perfectly absurd that such an important matter to the public as a triennial sitting of the Court in question, should not be widely made known by being advertised among the people interested.

Mb Cook, manager of the. New ' Zealand Clothing Co. here, is to be removed to Gisboroe, where he opens a branch establishment for his present employers; he takes his departure from the Thames to-morrow morning, and leaves many friends behind him, who will be glad to learn that his removal means advancement. Mr Jack succeeds him. Befobe proceeding to hear objections in the Assessment Court to day, the Chairman stated that the proceedings were not aecessarily public ; if any person wished objections heard in private, such could be done. At a public meeting, conveyed by the Mayor of Auckland, it was resolved to give a citizen's ball to his Excellency and Lady Jervois. ■ A FEMAtK named Kate MoManus was arrested yesterday in tbe Auckland streets dressed in male attire. Th« bridle track from Puriri to Tairua is, we are informed, in a very bad state, and unless the County Council do something to it before long, it will become quite impassable. The Auckland Harbour Board a* its monthly meeting yesterday considered the pro* posal of Mr Firth for a grant of land on lease on the harbour reclamation for the prop sed meat freezing works. The following resolution was carried:—"That the Board views with favour the proposition made by Mr Fi:th, and is prepared to grant the same upon receiving such details of the company's scheme as will enable the Board to determine a concession to be granted which will not interfere with the pnblio interests."