The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 1883. COUNTY WEST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1355, 17 April 1883, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 1883. COUNTY WEST.

The records of the meeting of County West on Saturday lost tend to confirm tho opinion we expressed after the previous gathering. The County is in a bad way; its interests are being sacrificed to a political struggle. Never were its meetings more animatetl and interesting, but never did they produce poorer results. Formerly the Chairman of the County was allowed a certain amount of latitude in all that he said or did. He was credited with a desire to promote the . welfare of the district, and he was supposed to understand better than other Councillors the many intricacies connected with the Government Departments and the Government votes. In practice Ihis answered well both in the time when Mr Pharazyn presided over the County, and in the last Council under Mr Booth, but in theory it waß not, possibly, perfect. Now, however, all is changed, everything is perfect in theory and worse than imperfect in practice, The Chairman's every word and motion is carefully watched with a view to trip him up. Mr Bunny, like a" demon bowler," is always as it were on Mr Booth's "bails," and Mr Booth has to be continually "on guard," Everybody knows what this means. Mr Bunny is trying to get back the soat in Parliament which he lost, and just at present the battle ground is the County Chamber. We would not mind a good upstanding parliamentary fight when the time comes, but we don't like to soo tho County smashed up in a preliminary skirmish, We propose to refer briefly to the leading questions which were dealt with on Saturday last, First, taking the motion tabled for removing the County offices to Greytown, we. must express our surprise that Mr Phillips brought it forward without some assurance of support. It was simply an injury to Greytown to parade it in a " pity the sorrows of a poor old town" style before the public, when there was not the slightest chance of doing it any good, Before tabling the motion Mr Phillips ought to have ascertained the views of the representatives of the Featherston Riding. The most important question dealt with was that of tolls. We consider the debate on this bubject ought to have' been preceded by a formal motion in favor of a County rate. The Council is divided on the rating question. If a rate were carried the tolls no doubt would be abolished. The fact that they are retained is an indication that the County rate will be shelved. Without a rate the position of the County will be one of impecuniosityand insignificance, Some Councillors have talked a long time about facing a rate; it would be better perhaps if they were to face it at once, and in the event of it being rejected by the opposition, throwing upon Mr Bunny, as its leader, the further responsibility of conducting the affairs of 'the County. Another question to which we referred in a recent article was that of the registration of brands. We were very much disappointed in the discussion on this subject, What did Mr Phillips, the introducer of it, tell us? First we had his solemn assurance that branding was a burning question, and secondly, his sole and lamentable argument, " I have lost my ear mark I" The pathos of the latter might touch'the heart, but it hardly convinced the judgment, Mr Phillips almost reminded us of a favorite pastoral which slightly adapted would read, " Shepherds, tell us have you soen our Coleman pass this" way," because without his ear mark he is dangerous I. Though the Branding Act was condemned on all sides, yet not a single speaker pointed out a single particular in which it was defective, The only complaint' yet made public is an objection on the part of some settlers to travel to Masterton to register, and this might bo met readily by ; the registrar attending—say, on some stated day in each township for the purpose of receiving registrations. : The decision' of the Council against ■ dividing the Wairarapa into two branding, districts was sensible and satisfactory. Perhaps, however, the best piece of work done in connection

with the late meeting,was the carrying of Mr Matthews' resolution for solving the Lake Ferry difficulty, -It is intolerable that the Lower "Valley settlers should have been subjected to loss and annoyance for a long series of years through the obstinacy of a few eel-fishing natives, and we sincerely, trust that the outcome of the present proposal will be to teach the Maoris that they are not the paramount power in the land. ;

Mr Wardell lt.M gits at Grevtown today. o'; The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Loyal Masterton Lodge, 1.0.0. F., takes placo this evoning. Members of the Masterton Mnsonic Lodge E.O, are reminded that a lodge of instruction will be hold this evening. Mesßrs Lowes and lorns will offer at 1 p.m. to morrow in their Masterton Yards the finest lot of Ootswold, Lincoln, Enmney Marsh and Gross bred sheep which have yet' passed through their hand). 0m two thousand five hundred sheep will' be yarded in addition to entries of. cattle, horses, and agricultural implements.. ■. Mr Mackay baker of Kuripuci will supply the bread contract on the railway section through Mr J. E, Martin, Tho next English and European mail via San Francisco closes at Masterton on Saturday next. A Correspondant calls our attention . to the way horse dung is allowed to colleot on the side of bridges in the neighbourhood, --Nothing, he says, destroys more rapidly the flooring of these structures, : The Church 'favide of the, Friendly Sooities nf Grey town, which wis to have taken place on 'Sunday morning, fell through on acoount of the very bad weather which prevailed./ We understand that a Urge number of Oddfellows and Foresters from the neighbouring towns had intended 'being present, The Parade will be held on some future day of which due notice will be given., A General meeting and practico, if time permits, of the Oreytown Philharmonic Society will be .held on Thursday evening the 19th inst. at 8 p.m. Mr Wilson has kindly consented to resume the oonduoiorahip of the above Society On Saturday last about one hundred settlers mot at Hawera to consider the question of starting a Butter aud Cheese Factory. A committee was appointed toseoure further information, t'n tho same evening at Normnnby a meeting was hold to consider the advisability of starting hop culture. A number of settlers resolved to go into the venture and agreed to secure the services of a practical man to give things a start. Mr E. Pearce advertises cocksfoot grass seed for sale. Mr A. Elkins of Masterton has just imported from Ohristohurch several purebred fowls, including the Duckswing game and Dorkings. He has also obtained two new species of piseoiis—the Nun and the Owl.

A ghostly story has reached us from " ahiatua" or the Home of the Spirit which if true, shews that the Mioria rightly named the placo. It is told with gusto by spiritualists, and with an earnestness that demonstrates their belief in it, We recorded the Sequel in our Saturday's issue, viz,, the finding of a human skull and bones in a Rata tree, so will tell the story as communicated. For some lime the workmen on Gird wood's contract, encamped tn thePahiaiua Bush were constantly disturbed nt night, by strnuae noi3es near the Camp, which sounded as though some one was busy chopping at a tree, During these nocturnal manifestations it was impossible to get sleep in the Camp, and the searches that were made to discover tho cause were fruitless. Consequently from 10 o'clock at night until 2 o'clock in the morning, the Spirit rapper (>l' Ghanper) had a very unappreciative an I unwilling audience. To obtain the rest lhal is requisite to hard workers, tho Camp had to be struck and removed to a more (or less) favored locality. As tho line of road to bo made, Ihj in the direction from whence the noise issued, one of the men eventually solved the problom, to tho satisfaction of right minded spiritualists by finding the bones alluded to. There can be no in their minds that tho restless spirit of the bones was hovering over the spot and by the ÜBual signs, it endeavored to apprise the invaders at the sacred. resting place of the fact that those remains were there. Had there been a spirit medium in in the Camp, a mystory would have been cleared up, that must now be numbered among the numerous unfathomable enigimas. The barque Kilmenny has arrived in Wellington. Tenders are invited for leasing the Featherston railway station refreshment rooms for a period of two years. Mr George Beethan M.H.R. arrived in Maßterton from Napier to-day, Mr F. H. Wood announces his sale of Mr Yennell's sheep, cuttle and farming implements for Thursday April 26 and his Carterton Monthly stook sale for May the third, Kutlarz & Vorno, illusionists and exposers of spirit mysteries, open in the Theatre Royal Masterton on Saturday evening next. We have aeeri notices of their seances extracted from American papers of a highly complemantary character, Anthony Mills a well-dressed man of a business-like and presentable appearance was charged at the KM. Court, Masterton this morning before His Worship the Mayor with obtaining 13 16a from, a Maori woman under false pretences, Sergeant McArdle asked for a remand till Thursday to obtain the attendance of an indispensable witness. Mr Skipper, who appeared for the acoused submitted that the Court must be satisfied that there was the fouudation of a case before granting the remand. Sergeant McArdle (lien produced the evidence of the arresting o»ns'able, Detective Benjamin, and two letters written by Mr Simpson of the New Zealand Insurance Company, Mr Skipper objeoted to tho latter as the identity of them was not proved. The Court decided:to grant the remand, and at the request ol Mr Skipper allowed the acoused bail, himself in £SO and two securities of £25 each. ; After a very long dry and warm stretch of rammer weather, it is but reasonable to expeot a somewhat severe winter. The "oldest inhabitant" prognosticates it, and the unusual severity of tho last winter in in the Old Country leaves no doubt but that our turn will come next. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Don't forget your blankets. Wo can supply you well, as we hold one of the largest stocks in Wellington, imported direct from the manufacturers We cannot only give laige variety, but excellent value, no : one better, if so well. Whatever make yon want [and we keep all the best) we can give you iirstrclass value in English, German; Roslyn, and Kaiapoi manufacture, and in . sizes to suit the cot of the infant, the swag of tho bashman, the single bed of the bachelor, the double,one of the benodiot, and some that might almost be large enough for the Great Bed of Ware. We have also a very largf range of ; priQOS,.varying according to size; and quality, from 7sM to 60.'' per pair,' Customers will find a great advantage in purchasing from an extensive, well-aeleoted, aud dire:tly imported stQck ol blankets. - Biioli 'ns they wilt see at James Smith's To Aro House Wellington. —Advt,