The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 1885. THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1954, 1 April 1885, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 1885. THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS.

THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS. —•—« Sir Julius Vooel addressed a public meeting at Dunedin on Monday evening, and as his speech contains a lengthy reference to the local government proposals of the Government, it must be considered the most important speech he has made since the prorogation of Parliament. When we heard that Sir Julius Vooel and Mr Stout were both working at the same measure, wo felt dubious as to its utility, because in former days their t views on local government were well known to differ very considerably, Sir Julius Vogel has, however, given fair promise of rendering his part of the work in a satisfactory manner. To show that the task was one that was surrounded with a great many difficulties, he quoted statistics, from which it appeared that while one Road Board received only £7 a year in rates, another had a revenue from the same sourceof £3640. One County hadanincomo of only £l5B, and another had £BOOO. Eleven Boroughs, he states, collect less than £IOO each, while one reaches £18,07 G. Sir Julius apparently mixes Boroughs with Town Boards, but that is really not a matter of importance, He very wisely holds that it would be undesirable to revive the old provincial institutions with their cumbrous machinery, but he does not think it advisable to abolish the Counties and fall back on the Road Districts, because the Counties might object to being abolished. We pass over this point, merely remarking that the provinces also objected to being abolished, but that they failed to save themselves. The Road Boards are to have independent powers, not yet defined, given to them; they will have left to them the expenditure of sub-divided revenue, and be so constituted as to'have more powers as units of the counties than as separate bodies, These powers also remain to be defined at a future period, Special districts, which will probably correspond with the old provincial districts, are to be constituted for the purpose of managing hospitals and charitable aid, and they are to have separate revenues set aside for them, the Government also undertaking to supplement donations. With regard to finance, Sir Julius Vooel said they proposed to place local bodies in an independent position by giving them a subsidy on the rates collectedontheirassessments. Thesystem, he remarded,' had been found to work well in Victoria and Canada, and lie thought it might be tried here. Jt certainly seems strange that he should have forgotten that such subsidies were formerly given by the Provincial Councils, and subsequently by the General Government. But possibly he has been misreported, He proposed to adopt a sliding scale, giving tho largest subsidy to the smaller boroughs, and to apply the gime to the counties. Some counties had their roads, &c, made, and did not require so much assistance as the newer counties. He proposed to give these subsidies dependent on three conditions—first, that they should be liable to meet ioan charges; second, that they should be expended on new works, on renewal of bridges, or in widening of roads, not on maintenance merely; and third, that they should be expended within the subdivision in proportion to the rates raised therein. He proposed to give the local bodies extra borrowing facilities, and to make the voting for loans work on a more rational principle than at present, by requiring a majority of threefifths of the total number of votes polled, No one will say that this proposal is not a sensible one, for the existing rule, under which all persons whodo notvote, including those who are dead, are counted as having voted in the negative, is an absurdity that should never have passed Parliament, On the whole, Sir Julius Vooel has

suggested a good deal that i 3 practical, but he is still hampered with a great deal of useless machinery, and ho will probably find iri/Eho long run that a reduction in the number of local bodies would be considerably cheaper aa well as conduce mora efficient working. There is one more point which should not pass without nofcico, namely the proposed definition of -main fcriink ajid district railways.. The ■latter he thinks should in future be constructed by local bodies, they paying half the cost and the Government thp other half, The main roads should bo constructed so that they would act as feeders to the railways. Wo doubt the advisabloness of the local bodies having anything to do with railway, .construction while the Public Works Department has alargeand efficient staff of engineers and other employes, and it must, moreover, bo taken for granted that if a county, assistant in the construction of a line it would also want to have a voice in its management. Among minor matters Sir Julius proposes to abolish the gold duty, allowing the counties that would suffer to levy a royalty in place thereof, whatever that may mean, and to extend the usefulness of the police,

Monday next, being a holiday there will be no sitting of.the R.M. Court. The Masterton String Band has kindly volunteered an overture at the lecture by Mr Capper, "Beware of the Dog," to be delivered in the Theatre Royal to-morrow evening.

The annual general meeting of the Masterton Football Club will be held at the Empire Hotel at eight p.m. on Saturday next,

The time table of the New Zealand Shipping Company's line of Royal Mail steamers appears in another column. The next steamer, the Ruapehu, at present at Port Chalmers, leaves Wellington for London on the 12th inst. A man named James Grilths was arrested by Constable Oullinane yesterday afternoon on a charge of larceny committed in Wellington, to which place he was remanded in tho EesidentMagistrate's Court by his Worship tho Mayor, He was sent down by the early train to-day. The local drapers' shops are fast assuming what might be described as their winter appearance. Mr C. Smith has just replaced his summer goods by a supply that is likely to prove more appropriate to the ensuing season, and notifies the fact in another column. The members of the Poneke Football Club at Wellington are apparently convinced that they will attain a greater degreo of proficiency on the grass, or in the mud, as the case maybe, by indulging in athletic exercises in the evening, and with this object in view they have just opened a fine gymnasium under the management of an experienced instructor.

Judging by land that is occasionally offered for sale the much vaunted inland districts of Otago are not at all what they are usually represented to be. We have before us a circular containing descriptions of several stations which the New Zealand Agricultural Company proposes to sell by public auction, and amongst these we find of 6000 acres one about 3600 have been broken up, and are under cultivation, the balance being in native grass. The present carrying capaoity is given by the vendors as 3000 sheep, but tlm, they remark, may be largely increased by bringing the remaining 1400 acres under cultivation, It will bo observed that the land is arable, and carries less than one sheep for every cultivated acre, There are other stations described as heavy agricultural land, which do not appear to carry more stock, A runholder in the Wairarapa who could not carry at least three sheep to the acre on cultivated land would, undoubtedly, be anxious to find a purchaser for his property.

The second performance of the HarfcMillis Troupe drew a very good downstairs house at the Theatre Royal last night. There was an almost entire change of programme, the opening piece boing the very amusing comedy of ''A Wife's Stratagem," in which Miss Kate Russell, Miss Louise Hart, and Mr Millis took part. The first-named lady essayed several characters, and sang several ballads, and, as usual, earned her audiencel along with her throughout, being severs times encored, Miss Hart also sane several songs, The jealous husband found an excellent pourtrayer in Mr F. W, Millis, and his outbursts under the influence of the green-eyed monster created roars of laughter. He afterwards appeared in a character song, and kept up the fun as "Constable Moriarty," A number of local hits were apparently quite to the taste of the audience. Miss Kate Russell was deservedly applauded for a song aud dance, and, together with Miss Louise.Hart, for a capital duet, In conclusion, Mr Millis brought out his friends, Here, also, a great deal of merriment was created with local hits and allusions, some of whlPh were well thought out. His ventriloquism is simply marvellous, the power of his voice being sustained in the fullest degree, no matter how he disguises it, At the close he announced to the audience, through one of his dummies, that, as the company would have a night to spare, an extra performance would be given to-night, when another entire change of programme will be made, and when Messrs Foley & Berkley, the lessees of the Theatre, will also assist,

A meeting was held at Malborough House recently, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales presiding, with reference to the preparations for the Indian and Colonial Exhibition which is to be held in London in 1886. His Royal Highness, in the course of his address, stated that this Exhibition was essentially of a national and imperial character, differing entirely from its predecessors, in which trade rivalry and profit had been the paramount features, and that he trusted to the strength and union of the Empire to ensure its success. The Indian and Colonial Governments had guaranteed the sum of £51,000, and £76,000 has been promised by English firms. Instead of the system hitherto pursued of giving awards, commemoratory medals would be presented to each exhibitor. The Prince further stated that facilities would be afforded to visitors from India and the Colonies for visiting the chief industrial centres of Great Britain. His Royal Highness expressed his intention to take the same active part in the work of the Commision as lie had done in the case of the Paris Exhibition, and concluded with the hope that the Exhibition would convey to India and the Colonies the assurance that, while England was deeply moved by their patriotic support during present trials, she still retained the wish to assist in the development of their material interests. Sir Philip Cuncliffe Owen has been entrusted with the executive details of the Exhibition,

Don t die in the house.—'' Rough on Rats/ clears out rats, mice, beetles, roaches, bed-bugs flies, ants, insects, moles, jack-rabbits, gophers 7Jd—N.Z. Drug Company

Tenders are invited by the MastertOrY. Highway Board for the formation of) eighteen chains of the Mangakuta road. The Masterton Fire Brigade soiree takes place on .Wednesday, 15th instant, and not on the Bth as stated yesterday. A Keuter's message came to hand just as wo Were going to press, announcing that 8000 French troops were to be despatched to Tonq'uin. Messrs H. Peterson and .Co., y of the Excelsior Boot Depot have' newbusiness announcement in our advertising columns to which they desire us to draw, attention, /' '.. A young man was drowned recently in Prince's Bay. Since then, at short intervals, three bodies have been buried by lus relative, who have identified each as that of their missing friends, , Mr John Moore invites tenders for felling two fifty aero sections of bush in the Mangahao Block. Specifications may be seen at the office of Mr J. Vile. Tenders are to be left with Mr Naylor, Pahiatua_ Mr S. Capper, the celebrated temperance lecturer, who is to lecture to-morrow evening, is expected to arrive from Woodville per special coach this evening. Miss Kate Marsden, of Auckland, has been appointed matron of the Wellington Hospital avice Mrs Kissling resigned. Captain Edwin telegraphs at noon today:—"Bad weather, same as wired yesterday and there is every indication of a heavy gale." Signor Otto Hug, the well-known Swiss medical clairvoyant, arrived in Masterton to-day,- and notifies that he may be consulted at the Club-Hotel. Referring to building operations at Carterton, our correspondent writes that Mr W. Catfc, tobacconist &c, is having a large addition made to his business place, and that Mr W. Clark's drapery establishment is to be considerably enlarged, the present building being quite inadequate to the requirements of the business, A special meeting of members of the Masterton-Puketoi Special Settlement Association, will be held at the school house, Pahiatua, at 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday next, The chief business is the election of officers.

The customs duty collected at the port of Wellington during the month of March amounted to £25,298 19s 6d, being an increase upon the corresponding month of last year of £4,^1319s 6d, The amount for the March quarter was £64,850 9s Id, being an increase over the corresponding period of £4OO. While the atmosphere is laden with rumors of wars, there is some satisfaction to be gleaned from the fact that the Franco-Chinese difficulty is not unlikely to collapse. As will be seen in our cable news, the French Chamber of Deputies has refused a grant of two hundred million francs, and that in consequence the Ministry has resigned. The sale yards of Messrs Lowes and lorns presented an exceedingly busy appearance this morning. Mob after mobofsheepcamedown,andfoundquarters in the roomy pens without delay, so that everything was ready to begin the sale at the advertised time. There was a very large attendance of the public, A report of the sale will appear to-morrow. On Friday next (Good Friday) the Salvation Army are to" have a picnic in Mr Woodroofe's paddock, Masterton. On Friday night there will be a grand march, and a Corinthian meeting will be held afterwards in the barracks. On Easter Monday a " tea fight" will be held. As the charge for admission is only lsfid, and full arrangements having been made, a large numcer of visitors is expected. Mr Bryce, M.H,R.,is now in Auckland to give evidence before the Commission which was appointed to take evidence in the libel case Bryce v. Rusden. Mr F. D. Fenton(late Chief Judge Native Land Court) and the Hon. J. A, Tole were appointed: Commissiohefs to act on behalf of Mr Rusden, and Mr''Bryce has appointed Mr James Russeland>Mr A, E, Whitaker. ..:.;;' .;

Mr Sutton has called at our office and desired us to explain to our readers that whatever may be our source of information contained in the two paragraphs referring to him which we published yesterday.he had nothing to do with them, and also that he hasalwaysbeen extremely careful with his ferrets, none of which have ever escaped from their boxes. We may add that the information did not reach us through Mr Sutton. At the meeting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of William Murray, telegraphist, reports the Evening Press, one of the creditors stated that ho understood the present bonkruptcy was a kind of a test case, and if the bankrupt got through, some three or four telegraphists would follow jn Murray's footsteps. Several of his associates in the department had been in the habit of backing one another's bills and getting them cashed from money lenders, and they are only waiting to see how their friend Murray gets on before film? themselves.

Among the insect pests that from time to time spring up, attack, and perhaps entirely destroy certain herbs or trees, and then die out, is one in this district which has, we believe, hitherto escaped notice, A resident on the East Coast informs us that large areas of black birch forest between the Wainuioru and tlje coast have died out, nothing remaining but the decaying trunks and limbs, He asserts that the cause is to be found in an insect, large numbers of which bore into the trees, It is certainly matter for surprise that of all trees in the district the black birch should have been selected, as the bark of this tree contains a very large percentage of tannin. The destruction of the forest referred to will be no loss to the district, as tho landjs inaccessible for sawmilling purposes,

The great question of public interest besides which all others sink insignificance is—will war ever be proclaimed between England and Russia, and if so, what likolyhood is there of Russian cruisers making a descent on New Zealand ? Wo are greatly of opinion such events are not at all improbable, especially as looting the Masterton Coacli Factory would be one of the main inducements for such a courae ; of action, To prevent puch an undesirable ' event qpcurring the proprietors are determined to get rid of their stock of carriages, lamps, fittings, &c„ at such prices as will ensure nothing being left.—Advt.