The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 1889. The Borough Overdraft.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3113, 26 January 1889, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 1889. The Borough Overdraft.

Qm.ol the troubles of the Masterton Borough Council in the overdraft,The city fathers have got accustomed to it, but every now ond again its iron hand is felt, and some lame attempt is made to moderate the burden, Just at the present time a proposal has been brought forward to reducetherate of interest below.the nine per cent now paid lor accommodation. Possibly nine percent is a fair enough charge for temporary bank accommodation, and would not press heavily on the municipal resources lor occasional assistance, but unfortunately tho municipal overdraft is kept up at its full limit year after year, and nine per cent means an annual payment on the present margin of about ii2o. .Even if the rate could, be brought down to seven per cent, and this would be a low charge for an overdrawn account, the charge for interest would still be about a hundred pounds. .All that the Borough Council can expect to save is some ten or twenty pounds a year, assuming that its credit is good enough to obtain exceptionally favorable terras for accommodation. A chronio overdraft ia, however, a misfortune for a looal body, The aim and object of such an advance is to give the borrower temporary assistance by affording • a little elasticity in finance.. But when the bow is always bent, ever at full stretch, this elasticity entirely disappears, and in the case oftbe Borough Council the local body is always hard up with its nose to the grindstone, and in case of emergency is in an oxtremely-weak position. Proposals have been made to wipe out the overdraft by Igaji, hut it is not easy'to convert a floating. liability of this kind into a ■permanent.debt. The Municipal Act does not contemplate overdrafts being provided for out of loan, and it is not easy to escape the difficulty by this means, If overdrafts could be converted into loans readily, it is probable that.the existing Municipal liability of fourteen hundred pounds would be at once provided for, and that in twelve months timo a second overdraft of an equal amount would be accumulated,,and be again ready to be consolidated. There is no new way topay old debtsj and the best and: most stralghtfor; ward, course, is to ; pay. theiri out of income. - The Masterton Park Trustees set an opeje'nt example in this r&peoVJive years ago they found tliemselves : saddled .with:an qld : cjebt of £4OO /fotwhioh no provision had been made,• They decided, tojee. the difficulty, arid took, up eight in-, vestment;;shares ''k:, the rMaflterton ■, .Building' Society 'for whioh they pay a : sunj' pf.:#3|er; mOutl),

About the yoail'B9B'thes?shares will mature and "be of the value of £4OO, and the Paik will be free from debt. Of coinse it is a long'straggle to wipe out a* liability of this land, bub Ms ten times bettei to extinguish it than to finance it along for an unlimited term of yeais,. The Borough Council could wipe out then piesent overdiaft m about ten yeais by a monthly payment of 11. Jt would bo well if a sum of £Bl pel almoin weie applied out of iates to pay off the oveulraft No doubt soonei or later the Boiough must bonow foi watei, for diainage', I and lossibly for construction of I loads All these nio legitimate 1 objects foi which loans may be laised, but bouowing* to cover an overdiaft ia altogether megular and unbusinesslike. Local bodies leain veiy leadily how to get into debt, but another e\peuence is necessaiy befoie they can command public lespect and, confidence, they must find out bow to get out of certain debts which,thoy incur, arid' an overdraft is one which ought to have a first claihi on their unpledged income, ■;.'■ ... ':'"■■

v A first-class half-bred Alderney cow in full milk is advertised for salo. Particulars can be obtained at this office.' Mr.H. Phillips, of the Occidental Hotel,has seta creditable example to his fellow townsmen. On learning at tho recent fire in Cricket-street, that the Mastorton Volunteer Fire Brigade were short of hose, he immediately sent an order', to Wellington for a sixty-feet length of hose, and presented it free of cost to the Brigade. .'• A 'Connecticut school teacher, who was. recently forbidden by tho sohool authorities "to punish children by putting sticks an inch or two long between their jaws and tying thoir hands behind them, is said since then to have punished the unruly by sealing their months with court plaster, occasionally seasoned with red pepper.

The induction of the Rev Ohas, Murray, M.A., Presbyterian Church Minister, will tako place on Wednesday next, the 80th inst,, at half past one at Carterton, after which ceremony a tea meeting will he held, The Revs Ogg, Paterson, Shirer, Elliotte, Thompson, Fulton and Murray will be present, and tuko part in the service. Visitors from every township in the HVairarapa aro expected in numbers,

Among those who deserve special credit at tho fire which occurred oti Mr Perry's promises yestorday wore Captain iMuir of tho Volunteer brigade, and Lieutenant Pickering who was m charge of tho Jubilee team, To A, Bailhe, a compositor in this office, belongs the orcdit of gotting up steam in (ho Jubilee in the best timo on record. He invaded tho butcher's premises which were ondangerod, and requisitioned a supply of fat which livened up the Jubilee boiler wonderfully. Or Fitton seconded his efforts by a further raid on tho same larder, the result being an absoluto gain of five minutes in tho delivery from tho hose,

Messrs J. Graham & Co. of- the Emporium, Queen streetMastorton, who have made for themsolves a good name as suppliersof first class goods at reasonable prices, have a new announcement in our columns. The head of the firm has had an experience extending over a period of twenty-five years as a tea. blender and tester, and should be in a position to supply teas of'the finest blends at a minimum cost, The firm in our issue to-day quote a few lines, and as a speciality reference is made to a lino of pure Fiji tea, A few general lines in groceries are also quoted as a criterion of their prices throughout. Notice is also {riven of a larce shipment of Dolf and China ware ex "Helen Denny" just to hand, and when thoy mention that whito and gold china cups and saucers can bo bought at (is (id per dozen it will be seen at once that it will pay to break up all tho old China and lay in a uew stock,

We would call the attention of our readers to an advertisement which appears on our front page, alßo to an inset issued herewith, in which Mr F. D. Woodroofo,of the Corner Houso, Cuba-street, .Wellington, announces that to-day, Saturday, he opens up in Queen-street, Mastorton, next to tho Club Hotel, with a large stock of drapery and clothing, selected from the stocks of . Graves and Flemniinp; and J. Thorburn, As their stocks were bought at i lis Jd and 10s (id respectively in the £, and as the full reduction is to be givan To customers, this should prove a great inducement/to obtain goods at one half their.. ordinary value. The sale is announced to commence to-day. Country customers and Bottlers are notified that freight is paid on parcels and patterns sent on application. The Underwriters and Shipping agents have issued a circular to the various Flax Mill owners and .those connected with tho industry directing their attention to tho urgency of using groat precaution to guard againßt the article being sent down for shipment unless in a thoroughly dry state, Numerous inst- ' ances havejrecently occurred of packages having boen received in a damp and wot condition ; and some bales, upon being opened up, have been discovered to be boated to an alarming extent, thus engendering spontaneous combustion, and the shipment of which would have been attended with considerable peril to to the lives, cargo, and vessels carrying the article. The owners of flax millsare therefore ■ earnestly requested to pay particular care to the packing of the flax, in order that none may be shipped unless thoroughly dry and safe, and also to see that while tho bales are in transit they aro carefully protected from rain and damp of all kinds, The Paris correspondent of tho Daily News writes:—Tl has been well-known that General and Madtmie Boulanger were not on the happiest terms. When ho was wounded by M. f loquet, it was not she, but the wife of. an intimato friend, who nursed him with his daugh-. ters. The probability of a divorce, was .then spoken of, Notwithstanding .her intensely-Catholic feeling, Madame Boulangerhas taken tho first step towards regaining her liberty and freeing the General from a tio which had become galling to both.' 'Jlliis tool; placo last Wednesday, when her husband appeared at her summons before M. Anbepin, ajud»o in Chambers of the Civil Tribunal of the Seine, That Magistrate was bound to adviso them to be reconciled, but no good in this instance, came of his good advice -There is to be another meeting in December, in the Chambers of M.Aubcpin, whocaused General Boulanger to be brought in on Wednesday by the Judge's door, and so while there was a chance of reconciliation shelter both him and his wife from publio curiosity, It is Baid that a widow lady' one of the richest women in France,' who has long been,ambitious of playing a leading part in political world, is not indisposed tq place her millions at the general's service should he makph'er anofer'ofinnviago, :,■'"; A New York Judge has granted an absolute divorce to Mrs Alice J, Shaw, the famous whistling prima donna, from her husband. .Mr. arid Mrs Shaw,were married ifi 1673,. The young bride's maiden ■name 1 was Horton. Her husband took her to a handsome home at Detroit,, He was a widower with four little boys, and had a prosperous business. Two daughters were born to them in Detroit,-' Shaw failed: in busiuess a few years later, and two more daughters were born.: After an ineffec-' tual struggle 'to maintaiu them all by dressmaking, the wife gave it up arid returned/to her father. Her'children and her husband's went too,' and so did he for a timer 'He set: out three years ago to make a' living for himaelf, and rieverroturned. The divorce is granted on statutory- grounds. .'A,report,was : recently. published'::).'that. : Jfe-Shaw intended ' to. mjriy'^-'V'.'OaWorniai', millionaire'? when-I.she■.; secured;./: her • I diyorije. .v Tbe-.nepessity for taking.care : of four : 'ohildreii,;;aiygirjjij: stimulate!}'. I'Mrs/Shaw'.to-rae'deyelopmerit 'of her natural 'gift.ol, wbistlirig;into an artistic | a'ccom'plistenfeS : ;':;';V'''",',- : C:l

Messrs Lowes and Jems' add to their Stock Sale'for Wednesday" noxt,' 60 heavy fat owes, IW goo'd lambs, 150 wethers, 100 stoie owes, " 'The bankruptcy is announced of Henry Hodjjms, of Carterton, hotelkeuper. The first meetiug is convened for Thursday, January 31st, at the Old Court Room, Mwterton, The promoton of the Carterton sports and Mr Downard the gonoral Sociotaty, areto be congratulated upon the results financially of their recent effort* to raise funds for St Maik's Church, Tlib gioßs proceeds of the Grand Fete on Anmversaiy Day amounted to £77 made upas follows . Gates, £B4; Concert, £l6, Stalls, £25; Subscriptions, £3. Entrance fees tor the various events aro not included in the above amount.

iJorue.years ago,:-Trinity.College, London, was established to promotp and, popularize;/son& Annual examinations are conducted by theOollege,. open; not only tostudehts of the College, but outsiders as well, upon the'•payment;of asinall fee.; The examinations comprise a senior and junior division, each containing a Pass and Honors section. The range of subjects extend from the rudiments and history of rausio to : harmony .and counterpoint, Last year these examinations were for the first'time. conducted in Wellington,, His Excellency' the Governor awarding tho prizes and passcards to the successful candidates, and he strongly reoonimended students of music to compete for these standard' tests of knowledge. As Mr Keisehberg is now preparing a number of his pupils, he is willing to form classes for the different divisions, to which others will be admitted. Candidates can enter for any section without consideration of age, and we would Btrongly advise not only parents of children; to avail themsolves of this opportunity, but amateur adults, to take, advantage of Mr JMsenberg's classes to perfect themselves, ' . Isn't Mr W. L.Rees on a slightly wrong track with his company at home? asks the H, B, Herald, If he wanted to got up a nico combination, to bo well supported by that section of the public which loses its money by buying shares, why didn't he Btay in New Zealand and float a copper mining company ? Copper is steadily rising, and thee is D'Urville bland, nearly a solid mass of the metal, and the Great Barrier,' which is almost tho samo, so thero is plenty of scope, It is true that wealthy companies havo gone to disastrous smash over attempts to work both sources at a profit, and that hundreds of thousands of pounds have been thus thrown away, but what of that? Mr Rees is shrewd, and an insinuating speaker, and it would bo an easy task for him to show that in spite of previous disasters ''better management" would result in big profits, Depend upon it, Mr Rees 6hould have stayed at. home and tried a copper speculation, With Archer dead, Wood refused a riding license, and Goorge Barret "standing down" for nearly half the season, no jockey has won anything like tho number of races whioh Archer and Wood used to secure Beason after Beason, and P. Barret who had the good fortune to steer Ayrshire in the Derby, is at tho head of tho list, having ridden 108 winners or three more than Watts, whose weight prevents him taking part in many rades, His average is a better one, therefore, than that of F, Barret, who has been in the saddle about 550 times, but his elder brother George,-when'his license was restored to him, mado rapid headway as ho has won ninety-five races out of about 430 mounts, Next comes young Robinson, now first jockey to Captain Modioli's stable,' whose 6eventy-fivo victories include the Oaks, the St.Leger the Lancashire Plate, all of whioh ho won on Seabreeze, and one is glad to find Tom Cannon still in a good place, his tifty.fivo victories including a very cleverly aohievod one upon Orbit ill the' Eclipso afcSandown, Mr O.Pharazyn, writing to a southern contemporary upon the question of sinking for artesian water at Featherston, remarks: " I have ascertained, on the best authority, that the chances are largely in favor of success in pinking on the west side of the Ruanihhunga Eiver and best of all on. the Peatherston Plains, A very plentiful Bupply haß been obtained at the Lower Hutt in this way, and tho men now sinking wells there will no doubt bo ready to come to Featherston if sufficient inducement is , offered. _ I would suggest that all landowners interested should subscribo to, a fund for this purpose, in proportion to' the rating values of their properties, and that if water is found, the "owner'of the property benefitted shall pay the wholo cost of sinking the-well. I hopo the matter will not be allowed to drop, and that a meeting will be called at an early date by the Ohairmau of tho Local Board to elect a-Committee."

Pynamitards are at work in the .Wai* poua and Waingawa riyeit An explosion was heard on Sunday night at the back of Mr Macaw's farm, and two men were Been by a farm hand on tho opposito bank of tho Waipoua making tracks across the paddocks. They apponrcd to bo wet to tho waist and carried a sugar bag which was suspected to be filled with trout, Several small trout and bullheads were observed floating dead upon the water leaving but little doubt that proachors had been at work with dynamite.

%-remarkable story of extravagant expenditure has been developed (writes tho Now York correspondent of tho London Daily Telegraph) in the great will contest a»ninst the Stewart estate of the Scottish-American merchant prince. The case is directed against the will of his widow.. Mr Stewart left property valued at about £5,000,000; it was shown in Court that Mrs Stewart scattered his estate-during the short space of ten or twelve years, and actually died in debt, It is noted, however, that in the trial of the'case nearly everyone oonneoted with her aniaseedlargofor. tunes through her carelessness and extravagauco. During the ton months which succeeded her husband's deathshe disbursed nearly two millions of dollars, her.incamo for that period being,over 080,000 dols. Nearly every year her accounts showed a large: deficit. The expenditure charged against her was always in excess of her income. She gave away great sums to her relatives. In one year she distributed in this way nearly half a million of dollars. It appears from the management of the ostato that many of these large sums charged agaiust Mrs Stewart were not properly debited, and should lm'vo been borne by certaihsectious of tho property itself. The will is contested on the ground that Messrs Stewart was hot of sound mind.

Peter and Margaret M'Neo, members of the Salvation, Army were; charged at the Newtown Court (says the. Sydney Daily Telegraph) with assaulting James M'Mee, six years old.' The female priaoucris the child's stepmother, and on being arrested said that she was willing to suffer with Jesus, apcl that she b,umed the hoy tq get at. bis l(ttie eonscjencelfep.au.Bohq: had stolon 83 6d belonging to the SalTa{iori Army. Dr Strong stated that he bad examined the boy, and found on his forehead marks of burns which 'could have been caused .by a hot fork, and his back was a' mass of bruises. , Adolpfi Booker (9) desposed to seeingtlie male-prisoner -beating his son with.a-strap.'; ■... Afterwards jwitnees saw the boy with his 'Hands and. legs tied, and Mrs M'Ne'e said that .she; had put the four marks ori : his forehead, "One for lying, one for stealiug, ond for smokintf, ahcl one for b wearing. •? - Emily Becker Btated that Mrs M'Nee : ,told.'her that she' had: "branded the boy as God branded Cain, and hac| done it witliahot fork iri order to shame him.'' 'Witness also said that the female defendant .was generally kind to the boy, and kept him cleanandtidy. ' ; toi thedefence, Peter M'Nee stated that he'bad .beaW the boy.'vbufc'.iiii't' severely,' for' J stealing money,that'lus%'ife.Buffered from, "fits, audsometimeswas notz-idiher right niind.andtbat'hewai^ nor wVof ariy assault., M'NeeVayorred that the fburriin'f',' was accidental,' Mr Clarkei; S: the oharge; againstandVwnteh«(l..the,ftrMsp^raMi:; M

?v; ; Meflsrs lbwMis'lo'rris' iadd-^vtheir B{ip)fc^;f^ • ijTlio (jrbverhiiieriii are glvilagf" [at: bbiiuis o£i 20a f fetoat'Valid flOa •fot eiaeh' Wiijiol landed alive mTiti^tf^heffi;

Otago'' v. Canterbury, was '.commenced' 'yestordaftandwhensUiiiipapredrawn for theday Cante'rbury'liadninewickets down for'the'fino- soore6f:3B4riin6.':':"'^ l Hospital acknowledges I tho>re«oipt. ; pf Coekburn;flood and-':Walker,' 'Client donaldStation/'.■,', * : "''\,;.:.,;,;.:■• ::

';.Travellerstlifdughthe bush)district report'; there is a wonderful supply (of feed' everywhere;', tho beautiful green pasture beirijj in marked contrast tothff parched plains around-•Jfasterton';'and ; tlio'Eaßt;Opast:vv:^S;/;;;;;;^:'.; v ;i; :, We leam' that' a:grea^quantity vof graiu is being from the Wairarapa. : ;; Messrs ;Losves and lorhs have forwarded by [train ■ this week their first sacks of- oats, principally' the;'grey"Banish variety, for feodpurpbsesKs^;; Messrs flouhslow and; Hoar,'both' well and favorably '• this district, are aboutr : tb;. : commence business inifastortbn as; 'cabinetmakers and: upholSerera.:: They: fiave 'abbured. commodiousi promises, heat the 1 Ocbideh-, tal Hotel* and publish"'a -preliminary' nbtice in our issue to-day., y;., ;'; : \,

The midday train was about half an hour late again to-day. /At tho present time great quantities of stock, principally sheep,; ara being sent down from Wairarapato Wellington arid that is an element of disturbance in the time table;

Cattlo'sale yards 'will shortly .-'bo erected at Martinboro'. Ihe first term of 1889 of tho Welling.' ton College and Wellington Girl's High School,.begins on Friday, February 1; "■ A very successful stage rehearsal of the opera "Patience" was held last evening, the soloists and chorus being almost perfect in their respective, parts, The opera will be placed, before the public on the 6th and 7th February, and the cast will appear in this journal hi & few days, The new Wesleyan Church at Eketahuna will be formally opened on Monday next, January 28th by the Rev W, Rowse of Mnsterton, the Minister in charge of the district, Several visitors from the surrounding townships are expected to be present. Seeing the fine raiment that is - conspicuous in mauy churchos, and the evidently small contributions when the plates or baskets are passed, ono is not surprised that a London preacher exclaimed, " Whon I look at the congregation I say, Where are the poor ? When I count the offertory in the vestry I say, Where are the iich?

The annual congregational tea meet: ing in connection with the Masterton Presbyterian Church is announced to tako place in the Temperance Hall on Thursday, January 31st. A public meeting will bo held in the Church at 7.30 on tho same ovonine, when the annual report will be read and addresses gtanbythelievaJ. Pater6on,o, S. Oge, Shiver, Chas. Murray, and J. K. Elliott,

Sheep in small lots have been missed from various farms in this district. A man ivas travelling from Masterton the other day'in a northerly direction with a small mob of aheep when he. was Btuok up by a couple of farmers who discovered a few of their Bheop amongst his lot. After some strong language expended on the drover and having recovered their property they let the man dopart ou his way.

Tho Wellington correspondent of the Auckland Herald says he has reason to believe that it is the intention of the Hon Mr. Fisher to introduce a bill.to amend the present Education Act. Mr. Fishor claims that he does not propose in any way to irterfere with the main principles of the existing system, but rather to enlarge the scope of the Act so as to include technical education, to provide for tho improved administration of the system to consolidate certain sections of the existing Aot, so as to meet the necessity of further retrenchment, ' During the pjat month our showrosm wis daily attended by large- numbers of ladies intenton inspecting and purchasing tlio attractive items in,tho millinery and mantle departments at Te Aro House Wellington, • .- ■

In millinery we wore fortunate in being able to exaotly suit the taste of oar patrons, and for style, fashion, and the harmonious blending we are as yet unrivalled in the city. Wo have still the same ability and means at our command, and during the present month shall show some special Hoveltios in ladies' trimmed hats, at Te Aro House, Wellington, Our mantle and costume department has also heon the scene'of great aotivity. We have sold an amazing number of ladies' jaokets and mantles of the most fasbionablo description, and our costumes have been the auhjeets of much admiration at Te Aro Honse, Wellington, We have a very choice lot of ladies' costumes, in all descriptions of fabrics, and in a great variety of fashionable styles, comprising prints, zephyrs, sateen broche, Swiss ombriodered, veilings, Pongee and Liberty silks, ranging from 5s Od to six guineas, at To Aro Houss, Wellington. • Wo cordially invite any visitors ftom the country who may be staying for a while in the city to visit our shoowroom when every attention and civility rcillbo shown, without attempting to press purchases, at Te Aro House, Wellington.-ADVT,