The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1881.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 782, 1 June 1881, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1881.

The Legislature, with commendable foresight and wisdom, has provided for the auditing of the accounts of local bodies throughout the colony by an independent staff of auditors, This in theory secures a thoroughly satisfactory audit, and it is no small regret to find that in practice it results in an absurdly unsatisfactory one. In the first place tno annual periods at which most local bodies present their balance sheets fall due on the same dates, and a Government auditor, after, perhaps, weeks or months of repose, is called upon to examine and correct some fifty or'sixty balance sheets simultaneously. An impossible task is set for him, which he dare not attempt to achieve. He therefore sets himself an alter•native possible one. He takes the local bodies one after another as fast as be can get at them, and certifies to their accounts. The local bodies find that they have to postpone the adoption of their accounts one, two, or six months, as the case may be, waiting for the certificate of the Government auditor, and their financial machinery is thrown out of gear by these vexatious delays. The object for which the audit is made—viz. the information of such ratepayers as may take an interest in any particular body —is lost by procrastination. As for the unfortunate auditor himself, he is a being to be pitied, He is always a day behind the fair, and never signs a balance sheet without breaking the law which is supposed to have compelled him to put his name to it months before. And what is the character of the audit IThose who are qualified to speak on the subject say it is merely an application of red tape to local accounts. Beams can easily be passed through tho auditorial oye, but moats are stuck up there and adjusted, The thing is such an .utter failure that it is to be hoped that the. Gavernmenfc will endeavor to substitute somo other method of audit, which will retain the advantage of independent official investigation, but will, at the same time combine a little local knowledge and sufficient leisure for the due performance- of the work to be accomplished. Tho only solution we can see of the difficulty would bo the appointment of a local expert, say for each County district, and permitting such a County auditor to charge a moderate fee for each audit which he might make. This suggestion should commend itself to the Premier, because it would enable him to save the present useless Government expenditure on auditing, and would lead to intelligent aud punctual advantage which is altogether- foreign to the present system. Auditing, before the Government took the matter-in hand, was usually regarded as a farce, Since the Govesnmenfc started in the business it has been looked upon as an " extravaganza." The Government, however, having admitted its responsibility in tho matter of audit, must necessarily go on. with the undertaking until a system which is fairly efficient be established.

Tho Greytown calico ball is fixed for June 30th, The Greytown Masonic Lodge holds a banquet on the 24th inst., St John's Day. We would direct the attention of the Railway Department to tho fact that the Lincoln Road has been cleared of furze fences except at one spot, namoly, the corner of the railway station land, where there is an abrupt turn of the road. This particular corner is rendered dangerous to foot passengers, as the furze in question prevents a sight of vehicles or horsemen that may be coming along, We feel sure that the matter has only to be mentioned to the Department to be at once remedied.

The Chairman of the Awhea Rabbit District has placed the following communication (which is of general interest) at our disposal ;—Goloninl Secretary's Office, Wellington, April 41b, 1881. Sir—l have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the sth inst,,and, in reply, a.m. directed by the Colonial Secretary to inform you,that the Government agree with you in thinking that the nett amount received from fines under the " Rabbit Nuisance Act, 1880," should be paid to the Rabbit Boards; but they are advised that nothing can be .done in the matter without fresh legislation. I have, &c, G. S. Cooler, rrTo C. Pharazyn, Esq., chairman Awhea Rabbit Trust,

Twenty-two members of tho Masterton Football Club attended practice yesterday afternoon, in Mr Drummond's-paddock. Sides were picked by Messrs McKenzio and O'Connor, and about the fastest game played on the ground ensued. The teams were very evenly matched, no score being obtained on either sidofor about an hour. Just before time was called MeKenzie got a run in, and his side won by a try to love The following team will represent Masterton against the Wellington Athletic Club, at Greytown, on Saturday next : Back: W, WardeU;. half-backs: W. McKenzie and P. O'Connor; quarterbacks :. S, Cater and F, Smith) forwards: W.Harvey, J. Bannister, H. Bannister, A, Smith, G. Harvey, C, Morrison, P. Cowan, A. E, Bunny, W. Perry, and W, Andrews. '-'• Emergencies: B. Perry, B. Hounslow, andT. James. The above team will play all-comers on Thursday,,when we hope to see wry "member oftheOlijbJupu pqt* - r -.v.,.

To-morrow evening a winter evening' entertainment will beheld at the Institute Greytnwu. '• :. .'. . The Te Ore Ore case still diags.itß alow length along, in the Native Land Court at Maslerton, and it will probably last the week-out, ■

" The poll for the election of two auditors for the Borough of Masterton takos place to-day. The candidates are - Messrs J. G. jßrowii, S. W. Dalrymple, \V". M. Easthope, J, lorns, and W. Sellar.

At a meeting of the Oddfellows -Lodue at.Masierton, last evening, it was decided to hold the anniversary on the 14th inst,, but the eelebratiou is to take the form of a lunch instead of a concert and ball.

At n sitting of the Bankruptcy Court held yesterday, orders of discharge were granted to Walter Morison, and an individual once known in this district, viz., Philip Murtagh. Complaints are still being made in Greytown about the petty robberies committed there,' Fowlhouses seem to be the favorite haunts of the robbers. At one

place at the south of Greytown a very valuablo'fowlwas taken the and at another place the heads of the fowls were left behind, the. pilferers evidently being satisfied with the bodies. It is surely time that a constable was placed

' in Ureytown, for since the removal of the one resident there, the people have been pnt'to endless annoyances and loss that ; the presence of a constable would have checked.

A meeting was hold on Monday evening last at tho Foresters Arms Hotel, Greytown, to take into consideration the. advsiableness of holding a calico dress ball, Mr 'D. P. Loasby occupied, the chair. There were present, Messrs Jones, Fuller, Cameron, A. Hirschberg, Maguire, and Freeman. It was resolved to hold a ball on the 30th June, and that Mossrs Avery, Freeman, and A, Hirschberg be a sub committee to enquire about tho hall and cateriii", to report thereon at a full cummitteo meeting to bo held on Friday evening next at 8 o'clobk. Mr D. P, Loasby was elected secretary and treasurer. The usual vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the business of the evening. Our rcaden, writes the Post, will doubtless remember Mr Thomas Gardiner, the enterprising American journalist who purchased the moribund Evening Argus, and converted it into the since-defunct Evening Chronicle: who admitted into partnership certain Wblliugtun journalists and printers and then suddenly departed on his return to America, leaving his partners sorrowing for his loss, and still more at having to pay numorous little bills which ho forgot to settle before he left, Mr Gardiner, accordiug to our San Francisco mail news, is now about to start a new journal in Arizona, at a place bearing the lugubrious and sepulchral name of " Tombstone." The new paper is to be called " tho Union." Mr Gardiner should take into partnership another old Wellington resident now in America, Mr George North, and then the "Union" would be a worthy one indeed. A meeting of the Masterton Institute Committee was held yesterday afternoon. Present—Messrs Feist (chairman), Boddington, Sellar, McOardlo, Vile, and Payton, The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The treasurer reported receipts since last meeting £l4lßs 9d, expenditure £2 19s 2d, overdraft £35415s 6d. Correspondence was read from D. Walton applying for use of upper room for Gospel services, .It was resolved that I ho following charges be made for the use of the upper and lower meeting rooms for all gatherings :-Lmyer room, 5s per inontin-,', or £2 2i per annum ; upper room, 10s per meeting. The following acccounts were passed for payment :-Lynn & Blair, £G 17s ; L. Holmes, Os.; E. Feist, £5 14s. It was decided to reduce the number of the quorum from five members to four. Small improvements were ordered in the shape of a table for the upper room, and a bell to connect tho public rooms with the custodians apartment, The custodian was instructed also to keep up a good fire on cold days in the reading room.

The Taratahi-Oartei'ton Highway Board mot to-day, and held an extended meeting, which did not terminate till past 5 .o'clock. A full report will appear in our next jssue. Tne Greytown FootljaJJere hold their usual practice yesterday afternoon, About 18 rolled up, sides being picked by T. S. Ronaldson and 0. Beard. About an hours good hard play was indulged in, Ronaldson's side winning by a goal to a try. On Thursday afternoon the final practice, before the match with the Athletic Club, will bo heli} at 8:8(j, after which the Greytown team will be pickod for the match. Tho following second fifteen of the Mastertou Football Club will play alkomers in Mr Drumnioud's paddock on Saturday next, when all are invited to take part in the game:—F. Bagge, H. McPhee, L. Suendsen, A. Thompson P. Smith, W. A. D'Arcy, J, Perry, M. Meredith, T. James, J. G. Campell, A, Welch, T. Eoydhouse, J. Williams, R. Harvey, and J. Beer, The hall will be kicked off at 3,30 sharp, A meeting of the creditors in the estate of James Beard, of Greytown. plumber, a debtor, was held at the office of the Trustee, yesterday, pursuant to notice to consider the debtor's application for a discharge. Present—Mr F. H. Wood (trustee), iu the chair, Messrs J. Baillie, J. Fuller, and T. Walker. The debtor, and Mr W. G. Beard, who appeared on his behalf, were also present. After 6ome discussion, it was unanimously resolved, on the motion of Mr Baillie, seconded by Mr Fuller, that the reoommendation applied for be granted.

A meeting of the Board of Trustees of tho Carterton Babbit District took place at the Institute. Carterton, on Tuesday last. Present—Messrs'Boys (Chairman), Nix. Braithwaite. Welch, and Eeynolds. The minutes of the previousrneetingwere read and confirmed. The correspondence was read,' -re rabbit destroying proposed by Dr Watts; from Castlepoint Board, enclosing resolutions, with which the Board agree to co.oporote, and suggesting as an addition to the second resolution that a clause be added to the present fencing Act, empowering any landowner to erect rabbit proof foncing on the boundary to a height of at least three feet six inches. Dr Watts' and Mr Beclcet's accounts were passed for payment, and an allowance of 13 on account for petty cash. Notices to take the necessary steps to exterminate rabbits were signed by the' Trustees, and the Inspector reported that the action taken in the district generally had been productive of satisfacfactory results. The balance to the credit of the Board at the bank was reported to bo £lO 6s M. The seoretaiy was authorised to incur the necessary expense for procuring a minute book, ratepayers' book, and taeasurer's account book, and a box in which the same could be deposited. The balance • sheet of the Board for the past year, for submission to the Audit Department, was drily tabled, PBSD(I, and signed. An amount of £1 3s 3d pn account of rates collected was handed by the Inspector tp fee,treasurer. The- Chairman..having reported that;it was probable a conference of members of the County Counoilsi Highway, Local' and: Borough- Boards would shortlyibe, held, the meeting fidjourneJ,:;;^ : ;;g::; lK : ;h:

The petroleum exports of the' United States during the month of January was 413,200. For the same month last year £9Bo,6oo.■■•;■:■:: r ,: A aohool of a dozen whales have/been Been by ,th"e"- brigantine Helena, about eight miles'from' Oamaru harbor. They are supposed to be sperm whales. Seriou3.disturbanceß have risen among the • Ohinese-'emplßye"d""bT"flie"Sbifio Railroad Company, is the construction of branch lines. In Nebraskaoyer 2000 Chinese are riuciner of a dangerous character, Another attempt will be made to revive the World's Fair scheme at New York, by associating wealthy _men with the enterprise.

Owing to scarcity andjigh tatej..asked, by sailors, merchant vessels leaving San Francisco for European ports are shipping Doolie seamen.

The American rifle team will not' visit England this year, nor will "the English visit America, :~s .

A new sect has sprung into existence .iri-Oalifornia, which believesin the'literal construction of Bible language. It is leading to trouble;' ; *' '

President Garfield's inaugural appeared in the London papers the day after its delivery. This circumstance is primarily due to the oceanic cables, but it also shows that European interests in American affairs is increasing, and has already attained proportions,. The glory of the Paris carnival has de" parted, According to late accounts, the late anti-Lenten demonstrations in' the French capital were the dullest ever known, and the contiual decline of a once generally popular festival seems to. make the extinction of the carnival a contingency of the near future. The long-mooted question as to whether the elder sister of King Alfonso should be allowed to retain the title of Princess of the Austrias, or whether it should be transferred to his infant daughter has been decided in favor of the little Mercedes. A decree to that effect has been promulgated. Labouchere, of the London Truth, made 15000 out of his paper last year, and had to pay £6OOO to defend his lawsuits.

Placards, congratulating the Nihilists on the assassination of the Czar, were posted in Paris on March 17. No arrests were made.

During the six years between 1870 and 1877 there were 63,442 persons exiled to Siberia by the Government of the late Czar.

The average yield of Indian corn throughout the United States is 20.2. bushels, whereas it should be upwards of 40 bushels to the acre. Poor cultivation is the cause of far less than half a crop. This is not only a loss of time but aigreat loss of mouey to the country. Blackmount Forest, the most extensive forest in Scotland, including over 80,000 acres, is in the market to bo let for the coming season. It is to be let for £4OOO for the-coming season. Lord Middelton's forest of Applecroos in West Rossshire is also to let; it extends over 60,000 acres, the rent being about L3SOQ.

Mr John Parnell, a brother of the Irish agitator, has an immense peach orchard in Alabama which has yoilded £14,000 worth of peaches. Mr Parnell came to America about ten year a»o, and buying an old cotton farm gradually transformed it into this orchard,

It is remarkable that Captain Markham, who collected hot less than fifty-seven species of Artie plants in Nova Zembla in 1879, including thirty-seven phuncrograms, did not hit upm one variety of gentian, although Continental Russia near by has not less than six species. Nibe, Qannes, and Mentone aro jealous of the gaining privileges possessed by Monaco. A meeting to protust against the gambling at Monte Carlo has been held in Nice, at which were present representatives frem Cannes and Mentone. Some of the speakers, in their indignation, claimed that there was reason for French intervention.

A San Francisco man has sued a street railroad company there for £SOOO for the death of his son. The company pleaded that tho boy was stealing a ride when he met with the accident, and that tho plaintiff at the time accepted £lO, and gave the company a written agreement exempting it from all liability caused by the death. The head of a troop of Bohemian glassblowers lately exhibited in Washington, U.S., a dress made of flint glass that had required 100,000 miles of spun glass thread to weave its materials, It was of the texture of fine silk, and took nearly six month,? to complete. New Orleans has grand opera every winter, not for only a week er two, but for a season of three to five months. The singers are not of the first rank, though the general average is good, and the performances are satisfactory. The support of the enterprise comes almost entirely from the French residents.

A young white loafer eloped with and married a negro girl at Danville, Va. A row was raised over the match, as is usual in such cases; but there was this novelty about it, in that the man who raised the row was the bride's father. He sensibly objected to a worthless white husband for his worthy black daughter. .

The first piano in Durango, Col,, had a hard time getting there. It was transported 200 miles across the mountains in a waggon, drawn by mules. At one point it was tumbled down a precipice, smashing the box, but not injuring the instrument, which required tuning, however, at the end of the journey. The spectacle of a paralysed man crawling on his knees into the District Court, to answer a summons charging him with allowing his donkey to wander at large, was. witnessed recently in Melbourne,

Mr Oorby, at a meeting of the Manchester Scientific and Mechanical Society, condemned the screw-jack as a relic of barbarism, and predicted that before long it would be superseded by the hydraulic jack. It is stated that whenever a well is sunk in London, either 100 feet from the surface, or much deeper down in the greensand, alkaline water is sure to be reached, having the oharacter of the spa waters of Carlsbad. 5

The orange crop in Florida promises to be the smallest one ever known there. A large number of groves are killed there. Trees which are thought to be 60 or 70 years old were utterly ruined. There was ice four inches thick on the creeks. In the goqd qlij days of Masterton, when storekeepers were scarce and lnoney was plentiful, large profits and exorbitant prices were obtained, ,but now'times are different, money, is scarce, and storekeepers are plentiful, Schroder, Hooper & Co., Hall of Oommeroe, have taken this into consideration, and have cut the prices' and profits down to such; an extent that they completely baffle all competition. Their stock is very large, and beautifully assorted in every department, with all the, latest fashions for winter wear. Orders from the country are.executed with',despatch; and as carefully Us if selected, in. person. Purchasers of drapery and cloth-; ingv# dp wglj to inspect; their stook. Their advertisement wiilbe found on the] j front page of this ; paperi : aud deserves con- j ;sideratibn.T^Dyi. ': V. : 'l+

M, Oaselberg & Co,, invite tenders for re-papering theßaihray Hotel, Masterton.

The local subscriptions for the sufferers by the Tararua disaster wilt be; found in another column, ' . N .l:r -A meeting of the pommUtee of : the Masterton Football Olub will be held at the Empire Hotel at 7 o'clock this even* ing. ■-■ . ■

A meeting of the committee of the late I Bazaar in' connection with St Matthew's •OJiurch-wjJ^ room on Saturday, the 4th June, at 3 p. in , to arrange for the disposal of articles left on hand.

We hear that Mr Har.rij.oji has resigned the secrgtaryship'of the Masterton FootClub. '.'-He- has-rendered much pood leivice iuJhaLoapaoity T and-we trust to learn that he will re-consider his determination ■ '■■■■"

;- We publish, ,at the reijuest 'of Mr" Reuall, the foliowing.extraot from a letter written by Mr C. R. darter from Wellington on the; 17th THay,) 1880, and bearing, upon the question of town acres now in dispute :—"l:vhavecjustr-consulted'.Sir William Fox and another lawyer about town acres - and their advise I intended waruing any perapnj from interfering with them. My intention was to let them and open an account with the bank, keeping a striot acoount of all money received and expended till we did something with them for the benefit of Masterton. Before I have had time to consult Mr .Jackson and yourself,'and without informing me, I find thj Masterton Trustees have announced their intention to fence and let them. Now they have no more right, to dp ; this than: any stranger, and I trust you will be kind enough to expfam to me why this illegal and sudden action o'n their part has been taken.. I.am quito. willing Masterton should receive these acres, but the stops to obtain them shouid fair and honorable. I feel bound to take notice of this matter lest I may be charged, as Trustee, of neglecting my duty, and ijoiiniving at ecery wrong being done," Mr Carter visited Mr Renall, we are informed, shortly after the receipt of. this letter,, and upon Mr Renall's pledge to restrain any further action, should any be taken during his absence, ha left the matter in his hands.

Tito magnificent ice mountain in Niagara river, below the falls, was the scene of an exciting accident and a narrow escape from drowning lately. It need scarcely be said that the mountain was formed by the spray of the falls and such accumulation of snow as has fallen upon it, An English tourist, stopping at the Niagara Honse, while seeing what was to ha seen from the summit of this mountain, slipped and went suddenly down in the direction of the merciless river. In his frantic endeavours to save himself as ha went down, he had the nails .literally torn from his fingers, and he only stopped in his terrible career when he got within, a few feet of the river. His escape was a narrow one.

On the 22hd of January a stock tender on the shore of Henry Lake, near Fire Hole, lion., saw an arm reaching out of a hugo snow-drift on tho other shore of the lake and waving a handkerchief. The stockman went to the rescue and found a young tt]ail-qarrier fast in the snow and ■nearly exhausted, He had started from Fire Hole three days before, The snow was in no place less than three feet deep and often there was drifts ten feet high, He was obliged to abandon his horse on the first day. Then for two days and nights he fought his way through the snow. Part of the time it was storming and always intensely cold, He lost his way. He hadn't a m.outhfi)l of fqqqY He said; " I ate snow so lqng that J was unable to eat food when. I was rescued because my throat was too raw to permit swallowing. I knew that my feet were frozen, but I was afraid to take off my boots, lest I couldn't get them on again. I shall only loose two toes and a few fjqgorq.' 1

The Hon John Hall speaking on the Hospital and Charitable Aid Bills said : Among tho Bills whiclnyere not passed last session, and which will be re-intro-duced this session, is one for the maintenance and management of Hospitals and Charitable Aid. Ihis is a most important and most pressing question, even more pressing nor than itjyaslast year, for now the Government is paying the whole charge of hospitals and charitable aid, while the actual management is in the hands of locally elected bodies, This is particularly the case in this provincial district, though in some other parts of the colony local associatians pay part of the cost, as votuntary contributions are, raised in somo other districts. "Sou will remember last year I told your that the local governing bodies should pay half the cost of maintaining these iustitijtiqns, and that tho Qovernn)cnt should provide the other half; and that the looal bodies should elect the Board which Bhould manage tbe expenditure on these objects. Substantially, that will beihcnature of the Bill which will bo introduced into Parliament this year. We shall thus have the local body responsible, which is not the case at the present time—some body responsible for the management and maintenance of the Hospitals and to provide for Charitable Aid. It is also proposed to give recognition to those valuntary bodies which are found in some parts of the colony, by giving them assistance, and that as the Government will provide some part of the expense it shall appoint some representative on the Board of suevoluntary bodies, : ; ■ : The people of Wellington, advertises the ex J.P. in the New Zealand Times, appears to be all asleep;'all but those jolly fellows with their Manawatu-Foxton Railway. Expect £400,000 from the people of England; give them an order on the moon for the interest. Then go to hear those two excellent creatures, Messrs Stock and Harvey, re "miserable sinners;" serve them right. Then that High Commissioner of • the Western Pacific, too. High fiddlestick I Make him high Commissioner of the Poles. Look after the interests of the poor iittle bears. Must mind tjjey don't bite him! Want waking tip,' Let us see, Whose turn is it? About, time the ojergy got a rubbing down; getting rusty!"' Turns over some copies of theQhurch v Qhronicle. " Weak; very weak. Want agood editor Much better engage one of the wicked. .Give him a good salary. Write them something worth reading." ■ A correspondent writes to "Nature:"— " My friend, the Rev H, J. Maraton/ second master of the school for blind sons of gentlemeu'at Worcester, has communicated tome some very singular instances of the power of localising sound possessed by blind boys, One of the games in which bis pupils most delight is that of ■ bowk A bell is rung over the nine pins just as the player is ready to throw the bowl, when, totally blind-as he is, he delivers it with considerable accuracy of aim, Mr Marston vouches for the fact that it is no unoommon feat for a boy to strike down a single pin at a distance of 30ffc three times in 'sucoWsibn.Vlt is significant that this. Rama".,cannot,'., be,, played by the blind boys in.win'dy weather.' And yet,the allowance;for : . windage ;on a heavy bowl can bo no vary, large quantity.! The boys also played football with great" zeal and considerable skill. 1 V Bells are. rung at the goals throughbut-the- gamei ■and-the ball: Jwo-little these guides the boys tofollo|: the ball,!ahd;tbdirect ittoihe