The Wairarapa Daily SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1889. Government Auditing.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3231, 15 June 1889, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1889. Government Auditing.

There is a feeling amongst mai up-country accountants that tl

Government audit system is a little unfair to them. The Government exercise a monopoly of what might bo considered the cream of an accountant's business, viz., the audit of the accounts of local bodies. Heavy audit fees, which it is contended ought to be retained iu a district and spent where they aro paid, go every year to Wellington. Again, it is urged that the cost of the Government audit is far in excess of the expense of a local audit, and, on this ground alone, is very unsatisfactory. On the score of convenience the looal audit would of course have a preference, as tlio auditor would he available when wanted, instead of wlien it suited liis convenience to attend. Itis evident, too, that a resident auditor would possess a local knowledge which would enable him to check evasions of the law which an official from the big building at Wellington would be unlikely to discover. For example, say a sum ot- money is oxpendedjn forming and making a certain road in Mnsterton when tlio Act provides that such thoroughfare must be metalled, as well as formed and mado, before it can be taken over as a public road. How is an outside auditor to pick up points of this kind or to discriminate between roads which aro the property of the municipality aud those which aro not legally vested in it ? On the other hand, the employment of local auditors in tlio smaller centres of population is open, to gravo objection. Perhaps in a small township there may-be but two professional accountants, say A and B, and local auditing would mean that A should check B's accounts, and that B should peform the same kind office for A, In a colony like New Zealand, a good deal of auditing of this nature is inevitable, and the Assembly acted wisely on the whole when it decided that it' should undertake the auditing of the accounts of local bodies with its own audit staff. As tlio colony increases in population, the undue cost aud other objections attendant on a Government audit might be obviated by the licensing of competent district auditors. Thera is no doubt a good deal of extravagance in the Government system, -For example, it is possible for several Government auditors to be in Masterton simultaneously ; one at work, perhaps, on the books of local' bodies, another putting the railway accounts through, and' a third esconced at the Post Office, Were a civil eervice auditor.

sent,into the- Wairarapa as a resided And all the auditing of the district assigned to him, the work would be despatched more expeditiously and economically than under tlie present

system, blill the' existing arrangements, expensive though they be, give fairly good results, and before they can be prudently altered the private accountants of the colony will havo to make out. a better case than they have so far been able to present.

The amount received by the Wellington City Council during tho past financial year for publican's licenses .was £2,540. The rates under tho Charitable Aid account amounted to £4,550 in addition to £743 outstanding. No. less than twonty estates of deceased persons were placed. id the hands of the Public Trustee during the month of May. The Government say lliey have not the slightest intention of interfering with Government House at Auckland. It will bo maintained for the use ol the Governor or the Admiral just as usual, At the Magistrate's Court, Wellington yosterday, Clark and Montagu, auctioneers, in whose room the LangSmith light took place, was fined £5 and coßts. It was shown the building was not .licensed, and defendants were fined,

A petition from ratepayers in Ekotabuna has been drawn up for presentation to tho Post-master General proving that the mid-day mail may close at 1.45 p.m. instead of 1.16 p.m. As it is now residents m that township havo no chance of replying to their letters on tho same day they arrive, thore being but an hour Detweon the arrival of the up mail and departure of tho down, ' The Alfrpdton Licensing Bench, met on Thursday, the day to which the meeting had been adjourned from last week pending a reply from ihe County Council as to payment of members. Before the conclusion of thoir business they voted thcmsolvcs bait a puinea each in payment of their loss of a drty'a work and in addition to one member's travelling expencos.

The Masterton Good Templars open their popular winter free concerts at tho Tempcranco Hall on Monday evening noxt. _ An oxdlent programme has been provided and a thoroughly enjoyablo ovening may be expected. A substantial Tea will precede the concert to which admission maybe had by ticket obtainable from any member of the Lodge on payment of one shilling.

Tlio following tenders liavo been accepted for supply of iron casting for the Railway Depurttnent:—MeasLa T. andS. Morriii and Co., Auckland, up to 1001b '.la fid, over 1001b 10s 10(i; A, and T. iurt, Dunedin, up to 1001b lla-od, over 001b 10s, For liown irunbark the tenor of J ameß Fox was accepted at 18s 10|d 'Cr 100 ft, delivered at the principal lorts, and Is 8d per lineal feet for piles, Hugo's Buffalo Minstrels gavo a aiwell entertainment to a large and ppreciative audience at the Masterton theatre llojal last night, The proramnie which was an entirely new ono as faithfully carried out, and the tur ■■ fast and ' -iod '

was fust and furious, a good tonic to drive dull caro away, Tho grout attractiou was Mr Dan Tracey, the " American King of Olug-danoers and Irish Comeiinn," who niadii his first appearanoo on a Now Zealand stage Jaßtmglit Ho met with a grand reception which he well deserved.

Messrs Wilkius and Field, a wellknown firm of ironmongers ato about, to open a branch business iu Wellington. For that purpose the firm liova secured the promises known as The Arcade whore extensive improvements at mi estimated cost of £2OOO are being made. ¥llOll completed these will be the best appointed and largest premises for the display and sale of ironmonpery in the Southern Hemisphere. A counter will run right round the entire buildin? on the ground floor and the upper floor, which is appoached by a wide handsome staircase, will contain elaborate showrooms bosides office's, waiting rooms, &o. The latter are speoially provided for convenience of country visitors. Whon our representative visited the promises ho found Mr Field personally supervising the improvements that are qoing on. The contractors. Messrs Gray & Seymour have a large stuff cf men engaged oh the work and are making rapid progress therewith. It is oxpccted the promises will bo ready by the end of the current month, when a full description will be given in our columns, In the rear of the Arcade extensive promises have been leased by Meiers wilkius and Field as storo rooms,

Thero are twenty cotton factories now in operation in Japan, with a total of 83,080 spindlos. There are also twonty factories in process of establishment or extension, with an estimated capacity of 180,080 spindles,

Sackcloth from pino leaves is the latest incident of industrial experiments in tlio Southern States of America. A process has been discovered whereby pine leaves may be prepared and spun in exactly the same way as jute.'

The Paris Profect of Police has issued an edict prohibiting the use of lead-foil us wrapping for fruits, swoctmeats, chocolate, eheeso, sausages, and all food stuffs, The leaves employed must be composed of pure tin.

The Amoerof Bokhara is about to' send his son to Eussia to bn educated, Tlio Stato Bank of Russia will open a branch in Bokhara,

Authority has been "ranted to a syndicate of tradesmen at Torquay to prospect for one month for gold in tlio rocks abutting on Torbay, The British Museum has been offered a chance to buj' a piece of honeycomb which the ownor claims to bo .from Egypt and over 3000 years oldThere are two women who are captains of steamers on the Mississippi Eiver. Ono of them. Captain May Miller, is said to be tho most popular "master" on the rivor.

Out of thirty justices of peaco, whom tlio Earl of Rosebury, as Lnd-Lieuten-ant of the county of West Lothian, lms appointed to tho magistracy, throe are working-men.

. A Presidontal patchwork quilt will bo made by Mrs Harrison out of tho various party badges of the 1888-9 campaign in tho United States, as a souvenir of her husband's term of olfico. ■"There are,"' say' tho Printers' Retnster—speaking only of London—"few trades so well off as ours, for out of a memberahip'of some 7500, less than I'6o per cent, aro unablo or unwilling to obtain work." One well-lmown firm of city bankers, whoso name would be anion" the laßt usually associated with very risky speculative business, is reported to' hayo lost £500,000 on the coppor ring collapse. From the Transvaal 'Advortiser' wo learn (says the 'London News') that woman-flogging In tlio Transvaal is Btill albvved by law. It appears that recently a woman was sentenced to be ilogyed, She was tied to a post, and on her bare back the exocutionor inflicted fifteen strokes with tho "cat." At the tenth lash the woman fainted. A littlo water thrown in her faco revived her, and the reinauiin? five lashes were tlion tjiveu her, after which sho again fainted. This punishment was inflicted because tho woman used obsceno languago in the public streets. If such sentences were to be imposed in London for similar offences, the supply ot executioners and gaolers to carry out the sentences would have to be largely increased, •

Our Flannels whether ot English or Colonial Mauufaoluro are all pure wool froms the best looms. The manufacturers have a well-earned reputation to maintain and oar own prestige has been won by selling the best goods at the lowespjussible prices. We have no liking for "rubbish" of any sort, least of all in Funnels. We offer nothing but what is of sterling value at To Aro House, Wellington. Wo have an extensive range of English and Colonial Manufastiire, the fornior at prices unaffected by the enormous increase of duty and the latter regardless of the advance that Colonial maker's have put .on' theirproductiohs. In a word, wo shall Bell out Flannels of all makers for last years pVitfes at TeAjoHg#, Wellington,

Chaff .at ono ehillincr per ha? is advertised for tale by Mr A, Fraser. : Messrs Lmvos'and lorris add to their Stock Sale for Wednesday next,-150 ' good lambs, two fat heifers' and two, dairy heifers. . MtJ, P. Cowiu, of tho Cornor Storo notifies that lie is selling splendid Derwent potatoes at 6s per ctvt., also prime Ouinaru Derwonts at 0s Gd per owt ; for cash;" ; , . 1 An extonsive shipment of butter is spoken of as likely toba rnado from the Wairarapa this season. 'Ono Storekeeper alone is said to have 1000 kegs ready for forwarding. .. Mr George Johnston's new advertisement will appear in our Monday's issue.. Builders and contractors will lied it of especial interest, as tho arrival ofa qiwutity of builders ironmongery' and furnishings is notified, Delegates from various Friendly Societies mot in Wellington on Thursday and resolved to wait upon the Premier with a view to gottinp a clause inserted in tho Act exempting from taxation halls owned by Friendly Societiea and used by them for their meetings. Tho Southland County Council will give pound for pound to tho local bodies or ollior organisations for tho destruction of small birds, which a member of the ; deputation to tlie Council said were bejj ! coming a ureater pest than rabbits, which were now comparatively scarce in . settled districts.

Tho next criminal sittings of tho Wellington Supreme Court will commence on Monday, July Ist. Up to the present tho cases sot down for trial are John A. Thompson, sheep stealing ; Hobert Taylor, larcony; Oswald Spottis-

wood Brodie, incendiarism; Thomas Bonnett,. alias Conner, assault and robbery ;|Johu Walton, alias Sliortall, alias Hiokey [alias 'McGregor, larceny (two charges), • The ironmongery shop of Mr Jno. .Young was closed for two days and 1 opened this morning, the goods being remarked. The public fairly rushed tho place. And persons may be seon loaving iii all directions carrying brooms, buckets, coalscuttles and ironmongery of all description,, whilst carts and expresses are taking away hoavior goods, such as stoves, bedsteads etc, Tlioso who aro not fortunate onough to possess a good dairy cow and yet are desirous of obtaining a regular' weekly

supply of good fresh butter, Mr Robert Tomple •invites to call at his More, Perry Street, where they can be accommodated. Equally puro and good he can doliver to ordor all other kinds of dairy produce and his stock of groceries is second to none in the district in point of value.

Somo time ago a number of holders of deferred paymont sections in the KopuarangA district petitioned the Government for a roduction in tho annua! paymonta which tltoy now have to make, Replies have now been received by a number of- the petitioners informing theni that a revaluation of their sections, had been made, and that it was proposed to make sulstantial reductions, Tho matter would, however, have to be submitted to Parliament foritsapproval.An important notice to bushfallors appears in another column. Mr Geo, H. Scales, chairman of tho Hutt Special Settlement Association, invites tenders for falling 370 acres of bush in tho Matigatainoka Block, Forty-Mile Bush to be let in one or more contracts as per specifications which can be seen at Messrs Lowes and lorns' Masterton, Mr T. Parsons' Ekotahuna, and Mr ut, H. Scales' Wellington. Tenders close at I p.m. Saturday, Juue 24th. We referred in o'ir yesterday's issue to Messrs H. C. Gibbon's & Co.'s new catalogue of farm and garden seeds. In another column will be found a list of prices for a fow of their lending lines in fruit, forest, and ornamental trees and at tho lowest prices consistent with good quality. Tlioy wish it to be known, at tho same tiino, that tlioy will not bo undorsold by any respect-ablo firm, and will give special quotations for largo lots. For soniotune past complaints have been made by settlers on the East Coast district of tho rapid increase, of rabbits on the largo area of Crown Lands lying hotween the Coast and tho Wainuioru river, and some of them too beginning to think that they would have to erect rabbit proof boundary fences to protect theinselveß, Tho Government has now lot a contract to Mossrs Bennett Bro?, eons of Mr W. Bennett, of Wailtaraka, to lay poison, and a number of hands, have already been employed by thorn in carrying out tho work, Tho contract time is two months, which i certainly seems rather short considering the area of ground that has to begone over.

Animal Wool is the material devised by naturo for animal coveriug, and possesses, as (ho slinkiest experiments ivill prove, tlio valaublo quality of not attracting or retaining the noxious, mal-odorous matters whioh tlio animal body exhales, Moreover, being a slow oondnctor of heat, Animal Wool does not chill, even when damp. Therefore, every ono should seouro a selection of our puro l'lannels at To Aro House, Wellington,