The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 1881

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 744, 16 April 1881, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 1881

Mr Coleman Phillips has recently displayed an earnest desire, with which we sympathise, to make the Counties of New Zealand permanently efficient, At present they are more or less, tho victims of impecuniosity, and are as weak as the Wellington Province was when its coffers were empty a dozen years ago. Mr Coleman Phillips has carefully thought out and matured a plan by which tho reproach of poverty may be removed. The details of his proposal are not as yet before ns, but the salient points of it are sufficiently known, As we understand it, he pro-

poses—lst, the amalgamation of Counties ; 2nd, a Comity rate; and 3rd, a Government subsidy on that rate, It has been generally admitted that Counties are too numerous in New Zealand, and in this district wo have frequently urged the desirability of uniting Counties East and West, As far as this point goes, Mr- Coleman Phillips lias our best wishes. He is quite justified in assuming that Government subsidies will be available for Counties, and on this head he can reckon with almost absolute certainty. The veal difficulty which he will have to meet is with the County rate, which is a fundamental feature in his scheme; The question of a County rate may bo regarded cither from a colonial or from a local point of view. Mr Coleman Phillips may succeed in inducing the assembly to affirm it, and yet fail to get the Wuirnrapa to endorse it. What we presume, however, to bo his object is to get the Wairnrapa West Comity to accept it, in the first instance, and assist him in getting other counties to follow suit in the second, As yet we have'not heard Mr Phillips 1 arguments in favor ot it, and should be sorry to preiudico his case by under esti-

County rate is essential' to us, '.fe aye of tlio opinion Uiat t)ie vfttepaycvs of the Wttirarapa, and tlicir representa-, tives in the Highway Hoards,; and' Comity Councils will refuse to'ficcopt it, The fooling throughout the district

against a multiplication of rates is very strong, and we regard a .County, rate at the present time to be impolitic. Settlors are now paying a Property Tax to the Government, a roacl rate to the Highway Boards, a rabbit rate to Babbit Trust, and a sheep rate to the Colonial Secretary. They are asked by Mr Coleman Phillips to add to this list a County rate. Mr Becthani suggests to them Atkinson's local public works rate. The Government purpose asking them for a, hospital-cum-eharitablc aid rate, for physicing poor people, and relieving sick ones—and in the background there is the (log and cat rate, Now-a-days there is but one cure for all political diseases, viz., a rate, and if we still go on adding rate to rate, half the adult population of the colony, will become engaged in the collecting business. There must be a line drawn somewhere, and we believe that the bulk of the settlers in this district are prepared to make a stand, now, and be content with the rates tliey have, As Mr McGregor pointed out on Tuesday last, two separate rates for one object viz,, the maintenance of roads, are absurd as far as the Wairarapais concerned. Wo believe Mr Phillips' proposal for a County rate is doomed. We would gladly see him leading the Comity out of its difficulties and troubles by the expedient he proposes, If the patient would swallow the dose his cure would be certain. Our conviction however, that the patient won t even put the County rate draught to his lips, it is so strong that we feel that other alternatives must be sought. To our mind Mr Phurazyn's suggestion of a loan, and Mr McGregor's idea of substantial Government grants, indicate the directions S'iiiob k;o '„o ue taken tp..nnt-Widr(U'apa Comity West on its legs, If County East would only amalgamate with it, there might be a favorable opportunity of improving the financial position of both of them. The sponge of the Colonial Treasurer lias been absorbing money lately, and may shortly he expected to be squeezed.

Owing to the holiday we havebeßU compelled to hold over advertisements, Correspondence, Ac., tor ouv next issuo, and (o condense reports in our present one. It is not generally known in this neighborhood that the banks are closed today, and will not be open again till Tuesday.

Tenders are invited for the stock-in-trade of the Empire Store; also for the equity of redemption of the premises and allotmout on which they aro built. The collector for tho Kuripuni Public Hall fund requests us to inform subscribers that all subscriptions should be paid within one month, orsooner if possible.

We remind members of the congregation of St Matthew's Church that tho offertory to-morrow is a special gift to the incumbent. Once a year in all thechurches iii the Diocese, this opportunity recurs. Sunday telegraph hours, viz., 10.a.m. to 10.30a.m.,5 p.m. till 5.30 p.m., will bo observed at the local Post and Telegraph offices on Easter Monday.

We call attention to an advertisement of Jeycs purifier, disinfectant, and Sheep dip. Messrs Zohrab Newman & Co,, of Wellington, are the sole agents for New Zealand.

On Thursday last 27 members of the Maatertun Kiilo Volunteers, including several bandsmen, marched to the railway station and left by the afternoon train, en route for Nelson. Lieutenant Wyllic was in command «f the party. Persons having claims against the estato of James Beard, of ftreytown, plumber, arc requested to send them in to Mr F. H. Wood, liio creditor's Trustee. Persons indebted to the estato are requested to pay the amount of their accounts to Mr A. L, Webster, wiio is authorised to receive ihe same

At the lale meet of Education Board, in reply to an application for n teacher's residence at Opaki, tho Board resetted they could not accede to the request. It was resolved to rent a room at Kaitoke as a temporary sciioolhouse, and Mr Gullivor'sappointmeiitasleaeher was approved. The resignation of Miss Conboy from tho charge of tho Ivaiwaiwai School was accepted.

Tli9 remains of the late Mr A. D. Cowan were interred in the Masterton cemetery on Thursday afternoon. According to bis wish expressed before his death, ho was interred with Masonic honors, no other service being read over bis grave. Tho brethren of tho Thistle Lodge, 647, S.C., of which the deceased brother was tho 1.P.M., assembled at the Masonic Hall of tho Masterton Lodge, 1430, 8.C., where tho effin was lying, and after the ceremonies inside tho Lodge room had been performed, a procession was formed, consisting of about sixty of the fraternity, who marched in full regalia to the grave, where the beautiful Masonic service was rendered in a most impressive manner by Bro the Rev W. E. Paige, P.D.G. chaplain (Canterbury), The coffin was borne to the grave by Bro T. E. Price, W.M, Thistle Lod«e, Bro J. M. Girdlestone, W.M. Masterton Lodge, Bro R, Y, Smith, W.M. St John's Lodge, Feathorston, and Bro A. Bish, I,P.M. Masterton Lodge. At the conclusion of the service a funeral hymn was sung by tho brethren, after which the procession re-formed and marched back to tho lodge room,.

A meeting of the recently gazetted Trustees of the Carterton Cemetery took place at the White Hart Hotel on Thursday evening, all the members being present. Mr Booth was elected Chairman, and Mr Anderson Secretary and Treasurer. The balance at the Bank was reported at £7 3s Gd, and JIG was subscribed m the room towards fencing and improvements; during the evening. The meeting was a lengthy one, extending over three hours, and the following resolutions were carried That a request be sent to the Taratabi-Cartei'ton Highway Board to provide an entrance road into the Cemeteij, That a letter be drawn up by the Chairman and printed on postal cards, and sent round to' the inhabitants of the Taratahi, Carterton, and Gladstone districts, requesting donations towards the cemctory fencing and improvement. That the offer of Mr Anderson to lay off and prepare apian of Cemetery be accepted, and that the wages of his chainman be paid out of the • Cemetery funds. Messrs Booth, Bowles, M'brother, Anderson, and Baivstow were appointed a Committee to draw up rules and regulations for the cemetery management' and a scale of fees, That all cheques be signed by the Treasurer, and one other of the Trustees. The Committee meet at Mr Bootli'shouse at 2 p.m. on Monday, arid tho Board, at 7 p.m. ou tlie following Monday.: An account for advertising, £ll7s 6d, brought

The Greytown Oddfellows play their Feathevston brethren at cricket' On Monday next, The Greytown Private Band have consented to render their able ■assistance towards the day's enjoyment,

The Commissioners' report on the Wellington Asylum Inquiry has bepn published. It condemns Whitelaw and censures Dr Skae. If it went a step further and reflected'on the Government which appointed Dr Sitae aa Inspector, it would be perfect,

The press in Wellington has been calling attention to the absurdity of having no cheap fares on our railway lines at holiday season. The blame rests with the Parliament which has .made our system like the laws of- the Medes and Persians—we hope next session to see this policy reversed and that discretional power given to local manager which we'have so frequently advocated. The inspector reports the works of > the first assistant master in the Masterton Public School as deplorably weak. We have on a former occasion calledfattention to the fact that in addition to the salary paid to this teacher by the Board, the Masterton Town Lands. Trust gives him a bonus of £3O a year and the Committee pays his house rent out of the funds at their disposal. This is an, extraordinaiy state of tilings which should be remedied as soon as possible. We protested against it ourselves on public grounds long ago. A Sydney telegram of the 12th inst,, says, a grand naval review of tho Australian squadron, under the command of Commodore Wilson, took place in Port Jackson to-day. The forces engaged included ten warships, carrying fifty guns, and 1500 men, inclusive of 300 men of the New South Wales Naval Brigade, The review was followed by a sham light, in which H. M.S. Wolverene, Emerald, Miranda, and Cormorant mado a combined attack upon a point to the south of Farm Covo known as Lady Macquarreie'a chair, which was defended by a force of 400 men and eleven pieces of artillery and eleven Gatlingguns, under the protection of earthworks which had been thrown up, and supported by her Majesty's ship Alert and schooners Alacrity, Conflict, Reynard, and Sandfly. Large crowds assembled to witness the manoeuvres, The demonstration was a complete success, and passed off with great eclat.

The anniversary tea meeting of the Masterton Wesley an church, passed off very successfully yesterday afternoon, and the meeting in the evening drew a very large gathering, Mr B. P. Perry presided over the latter. He expressed an opinion that the past two or three quarters had been financially the most encouraging within his recollection. Mr James Gordon reported that the receipts for the past year had been £47 5s 3d, and the expenditure £49165. (These figures we understand are outside the circuit receipts, which have amounted to some £250). The present debt on the church amounts to J232 5s lOd. Several addresses followed. Tho Rev J. McKee took for the subject of his speech " happiness," and was well received. The Rev Mr Thomas took " The Cross" as his text, and the Rev Dr Powell gave an eloquent description of the ro-building of the walls of Jerusalem in tho days of Nehemiah. The Rev Mr Dukes advocated unison between different churches, and reported the increase of 150 hearers in the circuit, and a larger number of commuuicants and Sunday school children. Mrßaumbergaveashort and amusing address. Votes of thanks to tho chairman, and to the ladies who had provided the tea tablfs, and to the choir, concluded a very successful moet-

The first train from Wellington to Masterton yesterday, consisted of nine carriages, all of which were full of passengers. It was supposed to leave the station at 8 a.in,, and reach Masterton at n quarter to 12, but the crush was so great that the one man who was supplying the tickets could not satisfy all demands till nearly a quarter past eight, at which time the train started, having an engine behind as well as in front. Tho passengers included a large number of sportsmen, some of whom carried tents and blankets, evidently intending to spend their holidays in true sportsmanlike' style. There were also quite a small army of dogs on board. The passengers were distributed all along the route from the Hutt to Masterton, several getting out at each station, about 150 coming on to this town, which was reached at about a quarter to I—throe quarters of an hour late. The greatest care was taken for the safety of the passengers, the pace from the Upper Hutt and over the hill being slow and sure. Mr Martin and his assistants at Kaitoke had a very brisk ten minutes on tho arrival of the train thore; his first class tea and other refreshments finding great favor. Had the fares been excursion ones thore would probably havo been more travellers on Good Friday than at the opening of the line to Masterton,

We hear from reliable authority that it is tho intention of Messrs Schroder, Hooper & 00. to make their first grand display of Autumn and Winter Millinery, Drapery, and Clothing at tho Hall of Commerce, on Saturday, March 19th, consisting of 71 packages and bales. As the bulk of their magniflcient-stock has been imported direct from the manufacturers, tho public can rely upon obtaining all the latest fashions and designs of the season at extremely low prices. We would advise all purchasers and lovers of fashion to make an early call at the Hall of Commerce and inspect their stock, Their advertisement will be found on the front page of thiß paper.—[Advil.