CABLE NEWS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2793, 10 January 1888, Page 2

CABLE NEWS.

London, January 6. The press speak in high terms of the report of the New South Wales Drink Commission, but laments. the disclosures made by it. ■••■ January?. A. smallpox' epidemic is reported the north of England, the chief centre being: Sheffield. . Her Majesty the Queen will shortly make a visit to Florence and San Rsmo..

The Queen-has sanctioned tho Committee's suggestion to devote" the Women's Jubilee Offering to educate and maintain nurses for the poor in their own homes,

Hundreds of English Catholics are, en route'to attend a special audience to be given, by the Pope- on the 10th inst.

January 8. H.M. torpedo-cruiser Lizard, which joins the Australian station, has tailed for Sydney, The return* of imports and exports for the year, show the value of imports to be £362,000,000, and exports £221,400,000. Congo despatches to December 10, are silent as to the movements of Mr H.M.Stanley, and much uneasiness, prevails in consequence. WATER SUPPLY MEETING, THEATRE ROYAL, . .About three hundred people last even? ing were present in the Theatre Royal in response to an invitation from Mr A. \V. Renall, to consider his water supply proposal, and other matters affecting the burgesses.

Mr Thomas Mackay was voted to the chair, on the motion of the convener of the meeting. Mr Renall, who was received with applause, commenced by saying that in dealing with the subject, he would endeavor to avoid personalities, He was not present at the meeting at which the motion to. purchase the Fire Engine was rejected by the burgesseß, but which Engine was nevertheless procured, against the wish of the people, He had observed the meagre water supply available, and obtained permission to introduce a service as far as Villa Street,' where he made the first hose box.. This stood the test of the Steam Fife Engine; .he could send down.enough water to supply all the engines in the place, and drown theßorough Council into the bargain, (a laugh.) He consulted Captain Barker, and at the time the Villa Street limit of the Borough Council passed out of his mind, and he proceeded as far as the Post Office, tbinkitig.'that as he was doing things at his own expense, he was benefitting the town. It would not stop at the corner. The service, up to this point; was an adequate one, but as the Council had told him not to go further, he had, like a good citizen, obeyed them. A Committee of the Couucil was appointed, and lie took them to the Waipoua river. He couldhave drowned the lot but he didn't. He carefully explained everything to them, as also did Mr Drumraond the Surveyor, but he doubted whether they understood the thing after all, Since then he received a dooument which resembled a pill without its gilding. (A laugh). This manuscript required him to provide fluming whloh would use 81,680 of totara at a cost of ten shillings' per hundred, making with extras, a total of £276 10s'8d, Removing the pitching and putting in hose boxes would cost another £l5O. He would, take one side of the street and let the Council take the other and stake £SO to be given to the successful competitor. Then, too, the timber would be green from the saw (Mr Hessey: So much the better 1) Green timber could not be used in fluming. He would plaoe £lO in the hand of the Chairman, and if, at the end of a fortnight tho green timber would hold a bucket of water Mr Hessey oould have the' oash. (Mr Hessey: I could do it, I would keep it full of water!) He thought he could do the work his own way for '% pounds, and all he wanted was support to keep the Council out, Failure, had never been connected with the name of. Alfred Renall (Laughter). , Was it fair of the Council to request aplanapdspeoifition? He knew some; of-the Council remarkably well. They would fool away anybody's money, but would take dovilish sound care of their own. (Laughter.) He djd hot see why because the Borough ..Counoil were insignifioant in the eyes of the people be should be so; therefore he bad brought the water down to the Post Office, He had fluming ready now for the Post Offioe corner, and if the meeting supported him he would put it in, (Applause.) Let the Council resign aud throw themselves on the people. The Counoil had brought Mr .Lowes forward as their nominee, and the result had shown that the people had no-confidence in them. If any of the Council were now present, he would.invite them onto the platform, The difficulty in bringing the water along would in the main be caused by the bad grade of' Queenstreet. , Had. he: been- there "when QueewNtwas jajd. out, fee would

have poked his- ; noße iri, vond things would 'have been very different. If fluming were put under Perry street, the water would run to Denison House. John Lang—no doubt•; he had forgotten himself—tbanM; him for what he had done. At IP.

icotch Churoh he would again have to

flume, and then would lead, the straight on.' : He had given.theCpun-' cil every indemnity. The idea of .their fluming. Ugh I , (Laughter,) He was accused; of leaving lumps on the side of the road. He had written to

the Council* but they.did not, reply- 1 - they were too high bred,- he.'waß'only 1 a mongrel.- '(Laughter.). Itwodldyiot break his heart if the Council did hot

replytohim. Heonlywished had broken his head on those heaps! 1 ; (Laughter.) If the meeting supported him he would gb on with the work;': He had a resolution to. propose .which would do the Gouneil'B: heart good,: viz:- ■..'■' V:. v'

.;' That the feting, the explanation and details: of water supply to the; Btre~ets-:;o£;theW Borough, as detailed by;the vMayoW;' I '' - pledges itself to give hinieveyy support for the carrying ful issue; and : further requltfl'the '• Borough Council to leave; the'matter ■ :

in his hands." "■- - /t^ If the' resolution. were';- carried .qjm[ Council had his bond and he would ao

the work. Why should ; four hundred; pound)i befipeuii'topandertp the; idiocy of the Council, 'when he ; could '• do the worki. 'excepting' hose' boxes, for '£so. The' thing, wis ;plahi

euough, In two day's he. could 'have;

water' down toDenison; House.; He was going to do np:diMnage;-:■':

The Chairman theivi'ead the reso ;

lution, which: was Seconded by Mr Mutrie, who said that bbjector's ought

to have a; chance of speaking.

The Chairman invited discussion., Mr Renall: There's one thing I have forgotten. I don't knowwhethei Mr Gapper/s here, it will do his health good if he is. Mr Gapper, said I could not put in a hose box at Dr Hoskitig'a. I'll bet £SO to £lo.that I can.".Men

can talk in the' Borough Council; but . v here they are as dumb as mice.. Mr Parsons ascended'the platform ■■s£ and denied that the Council had offered ;if factious opposition to Mr Renall, or to . anyone else who wished to hajMfc. water supply. The fall from the RW way to the Post Office was fifteen feet, and from the Railway to the Mill Creek only three feet. The grade of the iatter created difficulties, and the Council, only required an ordinary business arrangement and a proper statement .of which was going to be done. Mr Renall had already done.. damage at Mr Cowie's store. It,was not necessary to put down burning all the way, but some substantial water wag was required, Mr Renall had the estimates of the Council in his possession. (Mr Renall: No I haven't, the Counoil sent me a ..copy but I returned them). The estimate was .' between twoand three hundredpounds. (Mr Renall; It would be £BSO or■ £4OO. There IB not a hole big enough to drown a child at Cowie's corner),. A voice: Yes there is.

Mr Renall: .Perhaps. it is deep ~ enough io. drown, you, if you ike ■.■ placed on your back,. ' -m /: p After some further byplay,- -Mr':, k Renall said all they had .to do was to if get tlie Governor to abolish the wards .-.s; and then the Councillors ■would all ,-' have to go 'out. He was being most ''.' infamously treated. : '"-' .'..

Thechairman: Does any gentleman desire to address the meeting? There being no response, the chair, man p«t the motion, asking.only ratepayers to vote. Mr Renall claimed that all should vote. ■

A voice: Who is going to'pay the bet of £SO; the ratepayers?. Mr Renall: I have paid every sixpence of the cost, so far; and intend continuing to do so. If the inhabitants afterwards like to pay me interest on my outlay, why I will accept it, I have received several complaints about the creek through the town, which, owing to the water taken .for the gas? works, stinks like a fish, and has a cream two inches thick.

Mr B. P, Perry, who here stood up among the audience, asked wheredfck Renall was obtaining his water from,

Mr Renall: It comes from the Waipoiia, and through my land at ' & I Akura. jfc Mr Perry:, Then do you; give. 8/ '•' guarantee never to divert this' stream • or obstruct it? • ut ; < : '

Mr Renall: In reply I'll say that, no man has any property in water, nor. has he any right to alter its course. (Hear! hear!) Where waters go dry like storm water, the question is different. .Look attl)eUnderhili ; Road ; case at Feaiherston, arid: Soh'ultz's '.'- claim against the Wellington Corpora-"; tion. [Mr Renall' gave a' detailed explanation in each instance of the circumstances.] He was almost born over a mill wheel, and couldn't' sleep . without the music.of.tho water,'. The ■■■•' Council had no right to turu storm- -' -.water 'on to people's places as they were doing, and the persons affected 6houldobjept. . He did V& ■ 'fchnik'the Cou'noil were, keeping wifcipthe lawiith regardvto ..the river 'in Miss Jeans' case., He thought,. how. ever, lie could guarantee that as long j as he liyed'the- stream' would never be stopped*, ' ;' • Mr Perry; Will you absolutely secure the water to. the Borough?. ■$ You have not replied to this. .■•'• ■ ■ ■' -Mr Renall ■; I have told you J will.' Mr P«rry: We also want- the water' whenyou.are dead.. Mr Renall: If wjll be a difn% ■ matter to deal with my estate wheal am'dead, if I cannot manage things while lam alive,. There's an old adage: "Never look a gift horse in the mouth." However, ;■ as long I am here, the stream will be willingly--continued. Mr Perry: .1 have known Mr Renall forty years.. [Mr Renall: You have, Mr Perry.] And whet) there/V; a difference between him and tA Council, I think we : «hould .try anoT reconcile the two parties, (hear! hear!) If they stand in opposition, and Mr does as he pays he will, and Renall- -■ carrjejouthjsideas, there •may be' a. '■ debt incurred, which would fallupon us

fully consider the question. I think water is'a necessity; but I regret I cannot agree with Mr Eenall's action this time. We have elected the Council, and we have the right to Ms their views and ours regawrcl, and should not allow Mr Benall to do just what he likes. I thoroujbly faVor the water supply scheuio, but I hopo what is done will be arranged in a proper and businessliko manner. Mr Benall: With the indemnity I give, no expense could fall upon the ratepayers. Even if it did it would be' better to so spend money than fool it away 'in Californian pumps and that sort of thing. Mr T. Chamberlain: Does Mr Benall intend to ask the Council to spend money in protecting his mill dam m the Waipoua. Mr Benall: Yes, certainly, if a flood occurs, When, some time ago, the Council cut off the water from my mill, I did not ask for compensation, fought Bannister's laud and so Required another water way. Of courso I.ougUt to have worked amicably with the Council, but I have buried the hatchet until I am tired. At the last Council meeting they treated me,shamefully, although I was supported by a requisition of 70 ratepayajjpf Queen-street. Mr Gapper therTOaid that the Council would ignore the Queen-street requisition, I told'him the time would come when the people would ignore him. _Mr T. Chamberlain: The Council simply asked for a plan and specifica-. tion of what you propose to do. Mr.Benall: The specification lies in the pitching in the street. I have shown them that; what on earth more do'they want, . The Chairman, upon ascertaining that ho other persons desired to speak, now put the motion to the meeting, asking those in favor of it to respond by uplifted hands. A considerable number of hands were held up, and after estimating their number, the Chairman declared the motion carried, a result whicli was received with

cheers, cat-calls and yells. At this stage a portion of the audience left \ the Hall, apparently not interested in ' $& Trust Lands question which Mr Renall then introduced, Mr Eonall: I have to bring under noticap fact that the Bill dealing with Trust Lands has been framed without submission to the public, although I asked for a public meeting to he couvened. I think there is much in the Bill which would be objected to, and I certainly think no interested person should sit on the Trust, Why, they simply in some cases, let land to each other, and this Bill is got up for mutual self-advantage. I will move a resolution on the subject, and you can signify your wishes as regards it. Mr Benall then moved the following resolution, being seconded by Mr Prangnell ;- That a deputation be appointed to wait upon the Town Lands Trustees at their next meeting, for the purpose of obtaining a reply to the petition presented to the Chairman some time since, asking them to convene a pub-' lie meeting to consider in detail the Bill before Parliament, with a view to its adoption in such shape as the L. inhabiWs of Masterton should apwove, motion was declared by the Chairman to be earned, Mr Renall (in reply to a question by Mr Perry): The Chairman of the Trust will bo in the chair, and have charge of the Bill. I will, however, move that Messrs W H Beetham, Blinkhorno, B. P. Perry, Hogg, and Renall be a.'deputation to wait on the Trust, with the request for a public meeting to be called. The Chairman hurriedly put the motion as the audience were leaving, and declared it carried.