The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1881.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 869, 9 September 1881, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1881.

The Under-Secretary for Defence furnishes, in the shape of <m annual report, a very meagre return for the past year's record of the Volunteer force. During this period 17 adult companies have collapsed and 9 cadet corps have passed away. There are now 1321 adults and 966 cadets less than there were a year ago, and if the force goes on decreasing at a similar rate for another year or two all New Zealand will not be able to make up a guard of honor for his Excellency on State occasions. Nevertheless, Ooionel Reader assures us that the interest in drill and rifle practice continues unabated, and if this be the case how is it that the force is collapsing with such startling rapidity? That there is a screw loose somewhere we may assume from the concluding portion of his report, which runs as follows" I strongly recommend a revision of the Volunteer Regulations, and that the work be entrusted to a Board of Vplunteer officers, of experience in the force, who would be best able to suggest what alterations are required to promote the interest and well-being of the movement." Are we to understand that after an experience of some 20 years in Volunteering, after the Regulations have been patched and amended a dozen times, they are still unreliable and untrustworthy 1 The cause, perhaps, of the inferiority of our Volun--1 teor force as compared with that of other countries is not ho much in the Regulations as in the way the Governvernment administers the department. Sometimes the force has been, patted on the back and pampered, and'another time it has been starved and abused, We have known the Volunteers to receive scrip, liberal prize money, capitation allowance, and ammunition one year, and the next reduced to a state of insolvency by the withdrawal of the bulk of their subsidies. The fault lies with the Government. It is the duty of the Ministry to see that the Volunteer force, as long as it is maintained, is well drilled and properly equipped. The department should

be conducted in a business-like manner, mid 'Piii'liiiment should not blow liofc and cold upon it nlttTuately, Last year tliL'i(j was no official inspection, and the piwiom year itw annual tour of the inspector was hardly characterised by cfliciency. Apparently his instructions were to apply a< little butter to each corps. There was a. very significant blindness to faults in the official report", and perhaps on the whole it was as well during the past 'yeur to abandon the practice df a sliam inspection. It is not by altering regulations 'that Volunteering will be /made efficient, It is notorious that die Government have never put any pressure 011 the force to carry out the Existing regulations, and it is the open md admitted breaches of them, practised all round, which prevent our Volunteer corps from taking up the iosition which they ought to assume, ■bedience and discipline are the. first irinciples of any military organisation, md if they are not insisted upon, all he regulations in the world won't make 1 Volunteer corps efficient. We do not blame the permanent officers atached to the force. They no doubt know fhe mind of the Government, md carry out the wishes of their superiors. The real remedy would be for Parliament to vote a special grant for a series of years to maintain the force, and to insist as a quid pro quo that actual efficiency should be sub-, stituted for the nominal efficiency which is now accepted bv the authorities.

A discussion has taken place in the Huuso ro the celebrated Hanratty case. There was an obvious difference between the verdict of tliejury and the decision "f the Resident Magistrate, but ns far as we can judge the latter being an officer of *reat experience, is as likely to have taken a right view of tho case as the former. The jury may have had a moral conviction of neglect on Dr Hanratty's part, but tho direct evidence brought into the R.M. Court was by no means conclusive to support the charge, If tho Minister of Justice is made to reviow the decisions of the Resident Magistrates of the colony, he will have quite enough on his hands. Wo do not any that he should not under any circumstances be called upon to intervine, but we do not consider in the present instance there was a fair reason for interference

Tiirc result of the Masterton Municipal election as a whole is not unsatisfactory, New blood has been introduced into the Council in the person of Mr I'. E, Price, and the old members who had some claim for past services have been reelected, There was an opposition, though not a strong one, to Mr Gapper, which prevented him taking the place he might have fairly claimed at the head of the poll. _ Probably the experience of this, election will assist him in guaging the conditions on which a public man, however able and industrious he may be, retains a full measure of the confidence oi the public. The olection has been exceptionally free from personal animosity, and should leave little, if any, sore feeling behind it.

Dr Beard notifies that he has returned to Masterton and may be consulted at his house in Queeu-st, I}e ha? left Grey.town and will again reside i)) Masterton,

Mr J, Brown otters for sale a freehold corner Bliup ii: Queen st, Masterton, The St.n Francisco Mail closes for the first post to-morrow morning in the different townships of the Wairarapa. We understand that the sitting of the County East Council is postponed from to-morrow to the 17th, inst. • Mr W, H. Manning is announced to give a frepthought lecture (one of Colonel IngersolPb) in the Town Hall on Sunday evening next.

Messrs Hazlewood and Arthur, tent and sftilmakers, have removed their business to the more convenient premises next to Messrs Barber, butchers, whoro they have a large assortment of the various articles in their line.

Messrs J. lorns & Co., hold a market and general sale at their Masterton auction rooms to-morrow, and Msssrs F. H. Wood & Co., conduct a general un- ; reserved gale the same afternoon at Greytown,

Tho Carterton Rillo Volunteers will parade for inspeolioii and exorcise at 7,00 p.m. on the 12th inst, A woman coming up by the train on Wednesday got three of her fingers smashed by the door which she had hold of being slammed to.

The public in this district are likely to bo well off tor entertainments during tho next few weeks, Levoi's Mammoth Gift Company, D'Orlctt's Tourist Company, and the Liliputian Pinafore Troupe have all arranged to visit us.

We call attention to the Wellington Wool and Produce Stores advertisement in another column. Fortnightly sales will bo held during the season. The company's new and extensive brick stores will be open for the reception of produce on the l'Jth instant.

A meeting of St Mark's Vestry, Carterton, took place on Tuesday evening, when Messrs Snodgrass, Kaye, and Price were appointed a cub-committee to arrange for a residence for tho forthcoming incumbent until the parsonage is erected,

, On Wednesday evening a meeting of the Carterton School Committee took place, when tho bank balance was repoited at £25 12s sd, and arrangements mado for the purchase of a bell for tho turret on the new school building. The schoolmaster's return for tho past quarter showed 281 on the books, with an average attendance of 257. 0 A meeting of tho Taueru School Commitice was held at Thompson's Hotel on Monday last, at 3 p.m. Present—H. H. Beetham (in the chair), and Messrs Vallate, Livingston, and Thompson. A letter read from the Wellington Board, stating that they were unable at present to definitely state to what extent thoy would be ablo to assist tho Building Fund but that the Committee might rely upon all the help it will be in their power to render. As the shearing season is new rapidly approaching, and Messrs Beeham Brot. will require their woolshed, arrangements were made to convert an old house recently vacated into a temporary school till the a new one is erected. We have been informed that Messr» Rapp and Hare of the Emporium Queen' Street have 300 bushels of white seed potato oats grown in the Wairarapa and acknowledged to be the best sample in the market. As there is a great- demand for first chs seed oats we would recommend farmers who intend to grow milHno oats and sustain the high market price for this produce to secure .some of this seed without delay,—

Any of our readerj who are requiring good and serviceable olothing, could not possibly do better than purchase from hardener & Son, Criterion Store, Carterton, who are renowned for their moderate charges,—[Advt.]

The MbStfitton Debating Society diacusß to-ni»ht "Is a protective policy expedient for Nctt Zealand." Mr Hogg fur; Mr Park against.

Mr Parker's latter is unavoidably crowded out of our present issue, but will appear to-morrow.

Mr Lloyd Jouos announces that ho lias taken the "little fruit shop" opposite the Council Chambers, and intends to keep a choice supply of fruit.

, *• NVard has. removed his seed DUSIUO3S (pending the completion of his new, ; premises,) to the back of Mr J. Williams'.

W. Norman, butcher, Greylown, gives notice that all-outstanding debts must be settled by 30th inst.

The Masterton Fire Brigade held a special'meeting-last'evening, ; Dr Farquharson/ljas decided to take up ms residence fcirr■■tninlly in (mle: ton,. and will, ■ we/believe,. commence practice there on Monday next. •A meeting pf.gentlomen interested in a pigeon sUobtiiig sweepstake are requested to-, meet,at .the, Club Hotel on Monday next; st 8 p,m, . \ , . ••.> '

- Kurupuni settlers are signing a memorial in favor of dividing the Borough into wards.' They propose four wards for the town, and three councillors for each ward,-.

Messrs Beard and • Gray, solicitors, notify that.all claims gainst the estate of the i late David Dalgity, of Taratahi, nui6t be rendered to Mr Henry Knight, Lower Hutt, before the 20th'inst.

At the next general meeting of the Featheratoii Debating Society Mr J. Lambert will present a paper on the "Antiquity of Man."

The business of the R. M, Court was again of a very limited character yesterday, Four caßos wcro withdrawn and one settl#d out of Court, only four judgments being given,,' 'Business was concluded before 4 o'clock, and his Worship expressed his,-satisfaction at the improved state of affairs.

The entertainment in aid of tho funds of the Cricket .Club to be given at the Institute, Grey town, on Monday evening next, promises to be as successful as the V\ inter Evening Entertainments, A capital programme has been prepared, and the performers are all well up in their respective lines, A capital evening's amusement may be relied on,

The Mammoth gift show announpos an Entertainment for Saturday and Monday evening in the Town H.ili Masterton, livtho .pr.'igmmuie the VVigird of the East, a master ;bf the Legerdemain art, is a leadhi" feature. Miss Amy Swanbrough a claire-voyantdeciphers sentences written by the audience and concealed in their pockets, and Mr Manning, a clever ventriloqiest, gives specimens of his skill and undertakes the impersonation of many celebrated characters. Mr Levoi entertains with comic songs, and a liberal gift distribution winds up the evening.

At tiie'meeting held at Tauherenikau •on Saturday last to organise a ploughing matcl], S, Yennell was appointed chairman, and W, Q. Williams trea: suier. to the oommittee. Mr Wilkinson was elected secretary, Messrs Slmw, Spearink, and Cundy were asked to select a suitable, site for the ploughing match. The names of Messrs McSlmne, Cboham, Cameron,, Fenwiclc, and W. Sutherland were added to tile committee. Tho Secretary reported that offers of land for the match bad been received froui Mr W. Mitchell and the Trustees of the lato R, Barton. ■ The meeting was well attended, and some : liberal subscriptions were proiijiscd,'

Our Grey town correspondent'tyritei Your local in ,-Tuoaday's issue, re the Greytown footballers, hasoaused a ieeling ill football circles here, that is better imagined than describod; some of the team were for sending a challenge off at once, to play 12 Grey town against 15 Masterton, but as the club lud resolved to play no more this soiison, it was decided to let the matter drep, The team are Tory.sanguine "they could score against the above odds, and Bay they have not bepu put on their mettle yet by their opponents this swson, 4nd the opinions expressed are that, the team (which has proved itself' second to none in the Province), has' been seriously wronged, f t »r thoy never refused to play a match against any Club, even if thoy wereshorthaiided. On "Wednesday last the Hon Sir W. Pox asked the Minister of Justice, whether he had received :the report of the Coroner's inquest held at Featherston in July last on the. body of a child shown by evidence to havo been scalded to death, and in which case, after a verdict amounting to manslaughter against the medical man employed at the birth of the child, a charge of manslaughter was further brought before the Resident 'Magistrate for the district," Mr; Wardell. who sum, marily dismissed the case; and whether the Government will direct criminal pro ceediugs to be token in conformity with the verdict of the Coroner's jury ?—The Hon Mr Diclc replied that certain reports had reached the Government. An enquiry had been held before Mr Wardell R.M,, who did not consider there was sufficient evidence to commit the man. However, he would make inquires, am? then if there was found to be good reason for instituting a new trial, it should be held,-Mr Bunny wished to nitike an exDonation, but was ruled out of order. He then moved the adjournment of the House, and said R.-'was/only fair that an explanation should be made. The facts are as. follows:—The child after birth was believed to-be dead, Dr Hanratty was called in and iordered - the child a warm bath, and it was found the child lived, and- did not die till a week later. There was. subsequently found to be a blister on one of its legs, which was not attenoed to. t Mortification set in and death was the result, A Coroner's inquest was held by Dr Spratt, a rival medical man, Dr Hanratty was hrouglit before the Resident. Magistrate, and the care was dismissed.'—Sir W. Fox said that according to the evidence it was shown that the chi'd died from being scalded. He would ask Mr Bunny if the medical man who attended tho' child shortly before was not in the Lunatic Asylum suffering from "delirium tremens" f-Mr Bunny said that Dr Hanratty was not in the Lunatic Asylunj, but was quietly being taken care of for a short time suffering from something flat the lion member for Rangitikei was not likely to have. Mr Bunny then withdrew his motion to adjourn the House, •

1 am a strong advocator ,i Woollen Mill near Wellington, arid [Will give it my hearty support. Until it iai ■an established fact, however, I must oall ] your atention to my ftuapoi Tweed Suits' at 1655, fiSs, and 75s which in time must; drive out all English Slops. ■ I have also every requisite in Gentlemen's Wearing Apparel, Umbrellas, Portmanteaux, Travelling Bags, &a, Al»x. Sample, Willis-street, Wellington.- .[Advt.] On July 3, 500 houses were destroyed by fire at Minsk, Russia.

An American paper s&ys:-A fisherman has found rt placp in Lake Erie where be sounded with a line two miles long and could find no bottom.

On July 1, the flooring of the large (Humbert in the barracks on the Boulevard la Toumainberg, Paris, .fell,.precipitating 100 Boldieri into a room beneath. Twenty were injured and eight killed.