CUSTOMS RETURNS FOR MAY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2310, 2 June 1886, Page 2

CUSTOMS RETURNS FOR MAY.

The following are the amounts collected at the various centres Auckland L 22055 IBs Id, Wellington L 19716 9a 4d, Christchurch and Lyttleton L 13153 5s Bd, Dunedin L 25.788 7s 7d, Total for Colony L 99,527 9s Ud. Corresponding month last year, Auckland L 24,282 os, Wellington L 20,474 Us Id, Christchurch and Lyttleton L 13.609 17s 10d, Dunedin L 29,730 8s lCd. Total for colony L 107.843 4s lOd. Beer Duty for MayAuokland, L 992 Is 2d, Wellington L 377 6a 3d, Christchurch LBlf> Is 2d, Dunedin L 844 16s 9d, Total for colony £4069 2s lid, Corresponding month last year,. Auckland L 947 IB 3d, Wellington L 391 16s 6d, Christchurth £BB9 9d, Dunlin £Bftl 17? od.' T9W fen the tdora t £4,l# ft Id, Mfft & im toft.

MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL, The regular fortnightly meeting of the Council was held last night. Present :~ Tlie Mayor, Crs Cullen, Muir, Hessey, Gapper, Chamberlain, Perry, • • The minutes of the last special and the ordinary meetiug wero read, and con* firmed. COHRE3PONi>ENCE. From the Masterton Hospital Trustees asking for £25 grant in aid. From J. King, explaining delay in sending plans. From C, E. Bremner, County Engineer, re Waipoufy river. _ From the United Fire Insurance Associations, making over their fire engine to -the Council. i From Messrs Burt, advising delivery of part plant, and enclosing invoice £152118s ' From Treasury, advising payment of £1 2s fines. From the Masterton Road Board Office advising the calling of tenders for clearing drain, Manaia, _ From fleaton and Miller, re discharge of gas plant. / From J, E. Hayes aud W. J. Hunt re waterworks, WATER-WORKS. The Mayor said the offer was safe as far as the persons oflering were concerned. He thought the offer might be .laid aside to fte-next census; possibly water works would be required by that time, that was only his own opinion. He would like, to hear what the others had . to say. It would mtan going in for a drainage scheme which would cost £IO.OOO. He would like an expression of opinion from Councillors. He said it was a safe , and speculative offer, provided they did not ask them to guarantee six per cent. The, Mayor moved and Cr Perry seconded, That the Council acknowledge the letter, and state that they were not prepared to entertain the offer at present. —Carried. CARTAGE OF OAS PLANT. Re the letter from Messrs Heaton and Miller, it was resolved to refer the same to the Gas Committe with power to act. DRAINS. The Clerk of the Masterton Road Board wrote stating that they were cleaning the drain on Lower Manaia, and offering to include 75 chains on behalf of the Council in the contract, The offer was aocepted, THE FIRST BILL. The Mayor reported that the Gas Committee had paid the bill of Burt Bros, £lslllßs 4d. ESTIMATES FOB INSTITUTE. Mr King wrote stating he could not attend to the preparation of plans before as he had to be away on urgent private business, and he would not be able to get plans ready before the end of the present week. The Mayor moved that the Clerk write to Mr King statin? that if ho could not .prepare the specifications before the end of the week the Council would have to employ someone else.—Carried, MASTERTON HOSPITAL. The Secretary to the Hospital Trustees applied for a grant of £25, and stated that by doing so the Council would avoid an assessment. The request was agreed to, -o THE WORKS COMMITTEE, The following report was read: - The Bchediilo contained m the report was held over until the next meeting for the consideration of the Council. The remainder of the report was adopted. DEPUTATIONS. A deputation consisting of ' Messr 8 Vaugham, and Truscotfc waited on th e Council asking that the Westbrook Roa<* might be made passable for traffic by erecting a oulvert and stumping the line, about 14 chains. Cr Gapper movod that the .deputation be asked to give in a prico for stumping the road before the next meeting, Cr Hessey seconded the motion, The motion was carried, the question of making the road to be dismissed at the next meeting. THE OLD MRI BRIGADE. MrElkins waited on the Council in respect of the Volunteer Fire Brigade to see if any terms could bo come to with the Council, The Brigade had an engine but no appliances, and as a proporty-owner he would like to see the best arrangement come to that could be for extinguishing fires. The Mayor said that the Council had nothing official before them to say that the engine was to be handed over to the Volunteers. He knew privately that Mr Elkins had orders to hand the engine over to the Volunteers. Mr Elkins left to bring the written instructions from Mr Peaice. The Mayor said the question for the Council to consider was. in the faoeof the fact that the engine had been taken out of the control or the Council and handed ov#r to the Volunteer Brigade, whether they were prepared to help the Volunteer Brigade, whether they were prepared to help the Voluntoer Brigade by giving them the neoessary gear. In faot they were asked to undo what they had done at a former meeting in appointing a Municipal Brigade, If such a course was intended, they should do it in a dignifiod manner by notice of motion. Mr Elkins handed in Mr Penrce's authority to him to deal with the engine', He said there was no doubt the Volunteers had done good service, and all he asked was that the Counoil grant thorn the necessary appliances, The Mayor said personally he should like to seo some conciliation made so that the two-brigades should amalgamate and a really good brigade be formed. Cr Cu(len asked for information what would happen if a fire took plaoe that night; there was likely to be a collision if both brigades turned out, The Mayor said that was what t,he Council was about to decide. They would act in the best interests of tho town to prevent a hitch. Mr Elkins asked on behalf of the volunteers that the Council would allow, the volunteers the use of the big ongine and appliances. Or Hessey asked whether the couplings would fit both engines. Cr Muir said the couplings would not do for both engines, but there was ample for each, Cr Gapper rose to move a resolution. He said when Captain Muir left tho Brigade became disorgsnised. The men did not pay proper respects to Captain Keester, and tho last Brigado was worso than its predecessor, and great complaints were made. Cr Muir was strongly requested to tako the Captaincy again, but refused. The Council then resolved to disband the volunteers and constitute a paid Brigade Tho Captaincy of this Or. Muir was offered and refused to accept, The Council then appointed Captain Barker. The Town Clerk was instructed to write and acquaint the Volunteer Brigade of the action of the Council, and invite them to join the Municipal Brigade and receive payment at the rate agreed upon. Instead of this they threw pown the gauntlet, and several of them had retained their accoutrements. He hold a list of those fireman and the property they kept, Certain of the Councillors, who were jn the minority, had shown a vary bad grace, aud when they found thsraeelves o#oUd, on* or Wo of then, in a ipieptitjelM aanitr, bie4 te

undermine the action of the Council by securing the engine and trying to obtain the shcid. When tho Council took ovor the liabilities of the old Brigade, and paid their • debts, they took over their assets, and the use of the big engine was part of. the assets. Whether the engine wm a gift or a loan to the old Brigade it was a part of their assets arid as, such was handed over to the control of the Council and the Council were entitled to it. When the Volunteer Brigade found that tho Council had organised a paid brigade they turned round and did not want to disband andgained possession of the engine m a surreptitious manner. Such an action on the part of an individual would have beon termed rascality, but on the part of a public body it was termed expediency. He handed in the list he referred to, which was read. He said that if there had been any desire to join the new brigade and ro-orgauise they should have first handed in the property of the Council and then have come forward, He would move that until the accoutrements are handed in to the Council no application of the old Volunteer Fire Brigade be acceeded to, With regard to the new brigade the men were getting on well with their drill and in a fair way to bocome proficient. With regard to the application of the old brigade, ho contended that the Council had no power to accede to their request. It was not for the Council to say whether they would give away the hose. It was for Captain Barker and his'men to say whether they could part with it, He would stata that nothing could overide the wishes of the present brigade unless they were disbanded. The Council could not accede to the request. The new men had accepted office knowing that they had only certain applianoe3 and uutilihoy said that they oould not do the work they oould not be interfered with. Cr Cullen seoonded the motion. He believed they had as efficient a Brigade now as ever the old Brigade was.

■ Or Heron thought it would be a mistake to give away th# hose. There worn occasions when all the hose was wanted. It was a pity they had lost the engine. They would have to take steps to get another. He oould only see trouble in havihg two Brigades,, He oould not' endorse Cr Muir's action, who .vould not be captain under arty cirourastanoes when urged by the Counoil, Now lie had accepted office under the Volunteers. Or Muir said he opposed tne action of the Council throughout. He did not agree in the dismissal of the men without notice, Many of them had served years in the Brigade, and were as good firemen as it was possible to obtain in New Zealand. Mauy of the men held good positions, and were looked up to. Some two or three perhaps were not so goou. In a body of men that was to be expected. One or two might be chargod with having taken too much liquor. But they should not condemn tho whole for the sake of one or two. The whole' difficulty arose through the manner of their dismissal. The Captain was found fault with; but why should all bo made to suffer for the sake of one man ? The Counoil should have asked him to resign. Ho had said nothing to the men, but three or four days after tho ■ Council's action he was asked in the event of tho Volunteers gettiugan engine would he take command. He, after consideration, consented. It meant hard work to him, but before he would see such a lino body of men disbanded, he would put up with that hardship. Many of them had been from three'to five years in the service, and they were untitled to a medal, and others to certificates, and they felt it hard to be sat upon by tho Council through no fault of their own. They thought probably they wuro choosing the best men as officers at the time, and if the outside public took more interest in thorn they would have better men to choose from. Ho was not bound because he was a member of the Council to go with them when he disagreed with their action. He thought tho Council had' treated the brigade in a very harsh manner, but he did not wish to have any ill-feeling with them. Ho could differ in a friendly way. Ho would move as an amendment, " That on the Council being notified by Mr Pearce to hand the engine over to the volunteers, tho Council hand over at tho same time five hundred feet of hose." As to the two brigades fighting, he could only say that as far as he was concerned it should not be started on tho side of tho volunteers. He would endeavor to work harmoniously with the Municipal Brigade, Their ill-feeling was against the Council, The hose would only cost ono shilling per foot.

Or Hessev said he could not agrae with the remarks of the last speaker. It seemed to him the whole fault lay with OrMuir. If he had gone with the old Volunteer Brigade as captain, when urged to do so by the Council, the Council would never have attempted to form a new brigade. But instead ;of doing so when the now brigade was formed, Cr Muir got his baek up and said, " I'll have my way and form an opposition brigade. Cr Perry leaonded the amendment. Cr Oullen said Or Mulr stated the reason of his action was the hanh treatment of the Brigade. He (Or Muir) sat at the table without attempting to take the part of the old Brigade, but as soon as a new one was formed 1)» sided with them.

Cr Gapper said the captain of tke late Brigade was so disgusted with his own conduct that he handed into the Clerk his resignation. But before it oould be acted upon, the Brigade turned round and re-appointed him. Hb thought by that action the Council would see that the Brigade endorsed and approved of the action of their captain. Again, the Council asked the old Brigade to assist Captain' Barker in forming a new Brigade. He oould not see where the remarks of Cr Muir fitted in.

The Mayor said he had not intended saying anything, having already done the initiatory misohief, Councillors who had been members for gome length of time would be aware of the continuous trouble they had had with the Firn Brigade When tho old Brigade took it into its head to disband last October, he. by request, went down and fairly coaxed them to remain members, He thought it would be better, as the expenses had an alarming tendenoy to Increase, that tho Council should, instead of having complaints, face tho difficulty and have a Municipal Briitade and paw the men. The men would know how much they were going to got, and the Council how much they wen,to pay. Tho Council endorsed his views, but he never-, contemplated am opposition Brisrade./ He thought the complainants would/have been but too glad to have shuffled out of their dificult duties, and by such mean# got rid of them. But when the Council asked th'em to resign, they found out they did not want to. Ho thought Councillors would admit that h* had never treated any Councillor in a harsh manner. He never would acouse a .'Councillor of doing a thing from a dishonest motive. Still he could not follow Or Muir, who, because ho could not carry his point in the Council, had, he said, a right m a ratepayer to go outside and work against the Council. There was'such a thinj? as loya'ty to the body one belonged to. He (the speaker) had often been in a minority, but he always bowod to the decision of the majority, went the constitional way to work by bringing the matter forward again, and if he was right they would in' tinie come rotod to lrav&rt <:Tlte tM Vohateer.

Brigade ignored the wishes of the Council» ;; mid neglected to hand ovsr ilia property. , The question they had to consider was whether th<iy would give effect to Cr ; £ Muir's motion and hand over 600 feet of hose. He might point out that as a matter of expediency and to prevent & clashing he would favor granting th# n request, but as Cr. Gapper had pointed j' i out laving appointed a Captain it wa» j r but courtesy to him to ask first if ha could spare it. Todd it without, they might as woll disband the Brigade at onca ■ and ignore their officer. They ought • therefore to ask hinv The amendment was put and lost. The motion was put arid carried on a division by oto 2, Crs Perry and Muir voting, against it. TENDERS. Nino tenders wero rf jived for the curtate of the Gas plant, {JjTluweat, that of F. H. Dillon, being accepted, on eon- ; dition of his surety being accepted. ; s . BENEVOLENT SobIETY. The Maypr said the Council, having paid the 'Benevolent Society £25, wqr# entitled to appoint a Trustee to the Society, Or Gappcr was appointed to fill the N office of Trustee on behalf of the Counc^tf EXTRA POLICE. ' The Mayor enid ai a recent meeting attention, was called to the fact of the town being a policeman short. He found it was absolutely necessary to have four. 1 police constables if'ffiey wanted the town protected at night. On the 19th of April. .■: ■ ; a letter was received from the Minister of Justice, promising the full strength would be restored. He would move that ■■■ Mr Beotham be requested to bring the matter before the Department again, aa the oonstable promited had npt yet been sent, Cr Gapper seconded the motion.— ~.. Carried. Moioua. The Mayor said tliat some time line# it wa> decided that a morgue was necessary. The County Counoll had been oommunloated with, aud plans of» Building had been prepared. The roto would have to be revived again. Th» Mastertou Road Board had been applied to, and said they had evening another case had been brought into the town from the Couuty, and to giv# time to consider the matter, he would give notice of motion'that th'e Counoil take steps to have a morgue erected. THE EXUNB XtUR The clerk asked for instructions from the Council how to act in the efent of the big engine being demanded before the noxt mooting,' Some discussion took place on the subject, ■ LV; • •' The Mayor moved, and Cr Cullen seconded, That Cr Gapper be appointed Fire Inspector.—Carried, Crs Muir and Gapper wero appointed a committee with power to give up the engine and couplings on behalf of the Council. The Council tlion adjourned. J 0 STI< E HAS HAD HER DUE. A Washington despatch says:—Nearly eighteen years ago one of the moat eipert couuterfoiters in jtjio country was found -J zuilfcy, He was a a young man, and Jj time considered among the best engravers *9 in the country, He was convicted on two counts and sentenced to soventeen years ; on each ono, His wife had recently mar-, l'icd him, and Bonijj time after he went ta ; prison a little girl'was born, With th» I child the mother went to live in a quiet ! town near the penitentiary where th# father was cpnfined. As she grew into girlhood*and womanhood the girl was taught that her fathor had gone to sea years before, and being given up for lost, she never knew that within a fow miles ; he wag imprisoned and that her mother visited him every month, Tho seventeen long years elapsed and the man is in middle life. He belived that tho two sentences wero running together, and was planning for his release, But when the time had expired, ho was told that lie had the Bocond torm to serve. Imagine his distress and that of his wife! Sho went to work to try and have him pardoned, and the answer was that ho was too expert a man to have his liberty, for the. principle is established, " once a counterfeiter, always a counterfeiter." Finally the result of her efforts was told to him. At first he was desperate. But one day, suddenly as he wai working in the prison, ho drew both wrists across a knife, and both hand* ; hung for ever helpless at his "They cannot refuse me; now," He is still in' prison, but before long will probably be dismissed. Justice would seem to have had her dues. '