The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1889. Road Board Elections Muddle.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3201, 10 May 1889, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1889. Road Board Elections Muddle.

It appears, that the.whole of the Road Board elections in the Wairarapa, and probably most of them throughout the colony, are likely to be declared illegal, because they were taken under a roll whioh is not based upon the last triennial property tax valuation. Muddles of the same sort have occurred before this, and they will occur again and again every three years while the Boards of Reviewers sit splate in the year as they are doing now, and while the elections have to take place during the first week of May. Clause 41 of the Eoad Boards Act, 1882, which is supposed to provide the means for malting the rolls, reads as follows:—

"Alißt of all the ratepayers of tho district as above defined may be compiled from the valuation roll every year during tho mouth of April in each year, and the same signed by the Chairman and Clerk shall bo the ratepayers' roll lot the disiriot and the entry of any person's name on such roll shall be conclusive evidence of tho right of such person to voto at any election in the district or subdivision of which suoh roll deolares him to be a ratepayer: Provided that if such a ratepayers' roll be not made out in any district then the entry of any person's name on tho valuation roll as an occupier of any properly in the district shall' bo conclusive evidence of tho right person to vote at any election in the district or subdivision of whioh suoh roll deolares him to bo an oooupier."

It appears that the Property Tax Commissioner was appealed to for advice by the Wade (Auckland) Eoad Board, and that he sent the following telegraphic reply:— '< Batepaycrs' roll must bo compiled from new asscßßment, It will be neosssary to extend time by Order In Council for delivery of new roll to looal bodies, as they cannot be supplied until after sitting of Beviewerß. You should apply to Colonial Seoretnry for extension of time for doing anything that has to be delayed in consequence of nondelivery of rolls," It does not matter much from what source this extraordinary piece'of advice emanated. It was probably given under instructions from the Colonial Secretary's Office. What we want to knoff is how it couldj'be given in the face of Clause 41, which distinctly provides that ft list of ratepayers may be made out annually in the month of April, and that, if no supb foil is made out, then the entry of any person's name on the roll Bliall give. bim a right to vote. Up to the time of. writing, there is no valuation roll compiled from the last triennial valuation, for the simple reason that the list of valuations had not been reviewed. As tlp'p pjjth.6 a legal roll of some sort, it is not a) all unreaspnablo to assumo that the old one should remain in force until the new one had been prepared. Supposing a Road Board had prepared a roll in April, as prpvided in the first part of of Clause 41, would that bp illegal ? The Property Tax Commissioner seems to think that it would, A common.sense' interpretation of the Act seems to point in the opposito direction. Then we have the advice given to the Wade Road Board to apply to the Colonial Secretary for au extension of time. Can the Government, by an Order in Council, or in any other manner, over-ride an Act .of Parliamept ? If it can, we are afraid the. Statutes.of the Colony are of very little account, and thaf iver wbi.chTs extremely .dangerpuei -to the Constitute;." 'Wfl' have ixcflllent

authority for saying that the Government has no suoh power. Bo far as the elections areconcerned, it would, of oourse, he better if, they could be held under the new rolls, OB any new ratepayer 'who had : ; been" : piit on would have the right to vote; but if the Property Tax Department does not complete the'roll iu'tirae, the fault certainly rests with the Department, and not with the Eoad Boards, It is soinowhat singular, that suoh .an unsatisfactory state of affairs was not noticed by the Government three years ago, when exactly .similar difficulties occurred",

The Woodvillo Examiner says the Eketahuna Licensing Committee intend olosing two of the hotels under their jurisdiction,

A scene occurred at the Eohuca (Victoria) Police Court a few '.days ago. Mr Pennefather (formerly private secretary to Sir W. Jervois) a barrister, was engaged in some important cases, and had a misunderstanding with'the Bench, resulting in Mr Wyatt, P.M., committing him to imprisonment for one hour for contempt. Mr Pennefather refused to apologise, and declared that. Mr Wyatt, through defective heating, had misunderstood him, an opinion endorsed by the crowd in Court, who expressed sympathy for the barrister.

An iuspection parade of the Mastorton ; Volunteers took place last (Thursday) evening. There were present about thirty-live rank and file, Lieutenant Thompson in command, tho Kov W. B, Paige, chaplain to the corps, also being present., Major Bunny attonded ' and lnformed'the Volunteers that under the no i? regulations all offloers, having attained thc'ir sixtieth year w'ero required to retire from the servioo, and he being considerably over that age, appeared Before them for the last, lime in his official capacity, not so much to inspect thorn as to bid them farewell. Ho thanked both officers and men for the respect and attention always extended to him by them during tho whole period he had been their commander. Though never likely to appear before them again officially, ho might tell them he would always bo a Volunteer, and if at any time he could.be of service to the corps, they would always find him ready to do his utmost in the promotion of their intorests. His remarks were received with great applause. Lieutenant Thompson replying on behalf of the Company, said that during tho whole time Major Bunny had commanded the district the business, moro especially with regard to railway passes for Volunteers travelling on the railways, either to Kifle matches, reviews or encampments, had been always conducted with great despatch. He thanked Major Bunny for his many services to the corps during the time he had held command of the district, and called on the Volunteers present for throe cheers, which was heartily responded to. Major Bunny again thanked tho'corps for the kind expression of feeling, and withdrew. Sergeant-Major Bezar then put the Company through a'-' number"' of roviow exorcises whioh were very oieditaby executed.

The followinf unique piece of composition was placed before the Hospital Board yesterday, to tho tuißtees of the masterton Hospital Gentlemen may it please your Honours to revoke tho deaißiori Whioh your honours arived at a few Months agow to retain to 17b duo to me for firewood I think it is an action uuworthy of your several position as buusiness men snd Devines to bave recorse to such an elegal act it is admitted by all respectable Gentlemen who havo hard of it as a piece of hieh' handed busiuess alltogethor unworthy, of gentlemen of_ your attianments. I told Mr Sellar different times that I was Greatly I thankful for the benefits which my sone received in the institution But that I was unablo to pay anny thing, towards it at present But when I was' able I would give sumthing towards it But ho said that you Gentlemen knew better and then Come to the elegal Conclusion to retain tho price of tho firewood I think Ihave givenyour honour sufficient' spao to repent of your mean action, and Now I hopo when youra honours meot in Uouticil you will at once roverse your former desiaion and gine orders for tho firewood to bo paid for and there by free your honourable names from a disgrasful piece of Business.

A writer; in the .New Zealand Herald mentions the caso of a child, whose parents make it a point to give their children as ranch information about JNew Zealand as possible, who was instructed at school the other day to write thing about New Zealand birds, The littlo girl started with the moa, telling that it was oxtinct, and that it stood as hisdiasaman, and so on, Tho teacher said there never wbb such a bird, and punished the pupil for giving reins to her imagination by "keeping her in," Lieutenant Colonel J, G. Butts has been appointed to the command of the Wairarapa District, vice Major Bunny, who retire's.

Mr C, E. Danniell is the successful tenderer for the erection of a residence for Messrs Williams and Beotham, at Annedale. , '

. Nominationslor the NorthjWairarapa Hack Eace Meeting close on Saturday 11th inst on arrival of the late train from Wellington. J, J, Ingram, a tobacconist who recently found it convenient to throw his shop and its contents into the hands of his trusting friends who lent him money, is to be prosecuted, A funny reason for the reduction of an assessment was advanced before the Board of Eevinwers at Wellington. A widow stated that since the erection of St. Patriok's College, the chimneys of a house near it which sho owned had smoked and she had difficulty in finding tonants, The Commissioner thought the claim was ft very good one, and tlie amount was reduced by £B6. Before the rising of tho Board of Eeviewors thiß morning the Chairman MrW, H, Bentham complimented Mr T, Mackay the valuer for the Masterton and Upper Taneru Road Board Districts, upon the Bmall number of objections raised to his valuation, Mr Mackay had about 1500 properties to value, only 23 objections were sent in and only Bof these were sustained, so that the compliment was well deserved.

We are requested to remind our ; readers of Messrs Lowes and lorns sale of Messrs Williams and Barker's busihosb which takes place on the premises tomorrow. ' The catalogue will embrace freehold Queen-street, freehold Dixon and Cricket-streets; engine, machinery, plant,"stock-in-trade, timber* doors, , saßhts, flass, ironmongery, tools, vehicles, horse, harness, mid a whole host of sundries whioh to a business man wishing to embark in a paying concern the sale offers special advantages. The manner in which the Fisk Jubilee Singers were run through tho colonies came out in a Supreme Court oase in Melbourne, when Edward Price, the advance agent, sued Frederick J. Loudin for a share of the profits of tho colonial tour, which, clear of everything amounted to • .£BOOO. It appeared from the evidence that the show was run altogether by Loudin, who paid by far the smallest salaries ever received by a travelling company in Australia. If the true nature of the speculation had been known it jb doubtful whether the profits would have amounted to more than £BOO. We may add that judgment was given for defendant. The usual fortnightly stock sale was hold at Taratahl .yesterday, and 'MrF. H, Wood reports as follows:—" Considerably more atook.than thatadyertised was yarded, as is frequently the' case. The average quality of the sheep was particularly uqod, for although no very heavy weights were represented, there were at the same time no calls.. Wethers wore in greatest number, and the prices showed, a|slight.improvement op the previous sales. Lambs fetched 4s lOd to 6s (id; store wethers 7s lOd to 8s; fat wethers 8s 8d to 9s Id {breeding em Ca to 7s 10s; fat owos 8a; store ewes 3s 6d to 6s. Very few cattle wereyafded, and they sold at low rates. Horses sold from 16 to £8 5s j and spring traps real : Modified arid ill " v .

Whiielhc ohuroh bolls 'tee • tinging onarecentSunaay.moraingin Sydney, a' orovrd of seyeial huiidted' larrikins mode a set at two polioßrnen, oiie of whom had arirostccl a; young Bdatnp, knpoked them down, and lllused them in the most.brutal maimer.!.The affair lasted over two hours.-The rintfeadeii were arrested next day, and tbongh quite a host of. their, oonfreros came forward and swore that they" were not present, the Magistrate took a different view, and sentenced them to imprisonment for terms varying irom three to nine months,. ■ '*•■■•'.

(Herald) are pleased to learn that the police ooastable at Dauevirke has received a reward from the Acclimatisation Society for securing a conviotion against a settler in that neighborhood for shooting native pigeons before the commencement of the season. We Bhould like to hear of more of these "pot-huuting".shootistß being compelled toappoar in the Resident Magistrate's Court, for these are the men who would exterminate anything in the shape of feathers or fur, seeing thut they have no regard to seasons, but destroy anything they come across at any time of the year. It will be a sorry day for New Zealand when the native pigeon is extinct, and this ia by no means an improbability, considering the wholesale slaughter of them that goes on more or less all the year round.

r Deaf.—A Person cured of Deafness and noises in the head of 80 years; standing by a Simple Remedy, will send a description of ItFBEE to any person who applies to Nicholson, 175 WilliamBtreet, Melbourne. Not content with having erected one ot Largest, most Convenient and Magnificent Family Drapery Warehouses to be found this side of the Equator, and which attracts as it should largo concourses of Customers,', he seeks still further to influence the public by sending his representatives through tho various country districts, to make known to the residents the manifest advantages of dealing with Te Aro House, Wellington, All parcels will be sent, carriage paid, to any station on ' the Government and Uanawatu Kailway Company's Lines that may be nearest to the customer's residence, and thus country purchasers will be placed on the sanio footing as Uiobo resident in the City, and enjoy all tho advantages connected with' dealing directly with the Impoiter, James Smith, Te Aro Houbo WeUinßton.-Anvr. • A representative is now in this district and will call upon all and sundry with patterns of Seasonable Dress and other Fabrics, Household Drapery,' Tweeds, Coating, Au He will take orders of Dressmaking, Tailoring, and everything connected with the drapery, trade, and the Proprietor trusts that every courtesy will be extended to him with large numbers of orders to bs executed at Te Aro House, Wellington,