THE LOCAL BODIES FINANCE AND POWERS ACT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2126, 22 October 1885, Page 2

THE LOCAL BODIES FINANCE AND POWERS ACT.

• a. There sepms to'he» good deal of mi - understanding as to the shape in which the Local Bodies Finance and Powers

Act was finally passed, the general impression being that the Government is to subsidise local bodies to the extent of five shillings in the pound. This opinion was plainly expressed by one of the members of the Wairarapa East. County Council at the last meeting of that body, and nobody corrected it. Briefly put, the temporary scheme that has been adopted is as follows In respect of rates collectable and collected for the year ending 31st March, 1886, the sums following shall be paid: To each Borough Council or Town Board, when the general rates actually collected do not exceed £7BO, 10s for every pound; when rates exceed tliatamonnt,ssinthepound, Thesubsidy is not, however, to be less than £375, nor more than £9OO, To each Council of a county where there are no road districts, where the general rates do not exceed'£looo, pound for pound; when they exceed that amount, 10s for every poundbut the - subsidy is not to be less than £IOOO, nor more than £SOOO. In the case of counties in which there are Road Districts, the two bodies are to divide the subsidy in proportion to their rates. It will be observed that this is exactly half the amount stated in the schedule, Of course, the reduction is a very material one, but the local bodies will no doubt be of opinion that half a loaf is better than no bread. The amount which the Borough of Masterton will receive is £3/5.

Tenders are invited for additions to Oxford House.

The meeting of the Castle Point Road Board lapsed on Saturday last for want of a quorum, and was adjourned until Saturday the 24th inst. Mr Cox's store which was burned down at Martinborough yesterday, was insured in the New Zealand Office for £550, but whether the policy was on the building or stock, or on both, we have been unable to ascertain,

Special services will be held in tho Presbyterian Church, Masterton, every evening during the first week in November. The Revs. D. Fulton will be assisted by various other ministers, including the Rev. J. K. Elliott, D, Rogers, J. N. Buttle, and Cecil,

At a meeting of tho Masterton and Tradesmen's Cricket Clubs last night, it was resolved to accept the terms for leasing the Park Oval proposed by the Park Trustees, and it was resolved to appoint Messrs W. G. Beard, F. G. Moore and J. Muir to bo Trustees.

A woman named Minnie Wordsworth was brough up before Mr Stratford U.M., this morning, charged with the larceny of a piece of print valued at £1 from tho shop of Mr Graham, The case was remanded till 10 a.m. tomorrow, to allow the accused to obtain theassistanceof counsel, bail being allowed, herself in £'2o. and ta find one surety for £lO, The judges in tho Home Industry Branch at tho Industrial Exhibition are not in favor of the divided skirt. One of these articles, which are advocated by " Madame Elise," and made by her, was highly commended, but the judges took care to say that it was the execution, not the style, which they commended.

Mr Thomas Hooker announces in another column that lie has become the lessee of the Club Hotel at Castlepoint. The hotel is a large, new, and commodious building, and contains excellent accommodation for private parties who may desire to spend a holiday at the sea side, Mr Hooker is a well-known host in the district, and under his management the hotel should prove everything that could be desired by his patrons. One hundred thousand trout ova, the largest shipment ever attempted to the North Island, has been received by tho Wellington and Wairarapa Acclimatization Society, as a present from the Lake Acclimatization Society, Otago, and placed in the hatching boxes in Chapel-street. The ova came up under the care of Mr Mackin, who brought it from Queenstown to Kingstown in three days, The ova is in splendid condition.

A wanton piece of cruelty to a horse has come undor our notice. A hack, belonging to a lady residing in Masterton, and which has been running in Mr Parsons' paddock for some time, was found at. some distance away from the paddock with a gash about eight inches long, and penetrating to the bone, on the near hindquarter. The poor brute was evidently driven up in a corner and there struck with an an axe or some other sharp instrument. Tlio top wire of the fence was found broken, and there was a large quantity of blood in the corner. One of the most refreshing sights of Masterton just now is Mr L, Jones' shop window, which is fixed up with an assortment of all the choice fruits of tropical climes, tastefully arranged in rows upon rows. Pine apples, oranges, mandarins, lemons, limes, apples and bananas, whilst bottles of prumes, boxes of new figs and dates, preserved ginger, preserved bananas and tinned fresh fruit of all descriptions fill up the back ground, the whole making an imposing show. The upper parts of the windows have all been re-written in a very efficient manner, Mr G, Ward being the artist. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Masterton School Committee was held last evening. Present—Messrs Boddington (Chairman), Lowes, Girdwond, Woodroofe, and Payton, The minutes of the preceding meeting having been read and confirmed, the Treasurer reported a credit balanco of £25 19s 9d, Correspondence was read from the Wesleyan Church Trustees, asking for a quarter's rent, and declining to contribute half the cost of a pump for the use of the building; also, from the Board, enclosing for the consideration of the Committee, the petition recently forwarded to the Board in favor of dividing the Masterton School District, The Chairman and Mr Girdwood were authorised to attend to the question of a water supply for the side school. A long and desultory discussion (reported in another column) then took place on the separation petition and the objectionable signatures contained in it. The Headmaster reported the number on the roll for the past month to be 520, and the average attendance to have been 408, Miss Keeling reported the number on the roll of the side school to be 95, average attendance 75. The Headmaster drew attention to the unsatisfactory reception given by the caterer at the Exhibition to the Masterton School children. The Chairman denounced in strong terms the conduct of the caterer. Both Mr Beetham, Mr Dorset and himself had given him repeated and ample notice of the number of children who required refreshments. In one instance within his own knowledge a child's money was taken by the caterer and nothing given to her in return for it. Mr Girdwood reported that he had expended £l4 19s Gd in accordance with instructions, in gravelling the two playgrounds. Mr Hogc was appointed visiting member for the ensuing month. The meeting then adjourned. Venetian Blind and Revolving. Shutter Manufactory. All Blinds guaranteed of the very besi. description. Price list on application to R. W, Hemi (late Henn & Hansen.) Poneke Steam Venetian Blind and Revolving Shutter Factory, Wel- , inpton.—Advt.

At a meeting of the Committee appoin- ! ted by the Borough Cuuncil to make : arrangements for the protection of the ; town from fire, held yesterday afternoon, it was resolved to recommend tho Council to buy a steam fire engine, Mr Brown, Town Olerk, was instructed to interview the Fire Brigade, and ask them to continue for another fortnight, At a meeting in the evening Mr Brown attended, and the majority agreed to the request. Subsequently Mr Brown saw Mr James Macara who offered toadvance the money for a steam fire engine at a reasonable rate of interest, and the Committee will probably recommend the Council to accept the offer. In tho Exhibition there is one special exhibit, which is greatly admired, namely, the wool mats and portmanteaus made by Mr Field, of Dunedin, The whole of the exhibit has been purchased by Mr Thorburn, the clothier, of Willis-street. Parties wishing to purchase any of the above can now seleo them, to bo delivered on the Ist of November.—Advt.