The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 1891.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3788, 17 April 1891, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 1891.

We hope the coming Municipal Conference will affirm the expediency of Councils electing their own chairmen. The present mode of electing a Mayor by the direct vote of the ratepayers has been responsible for very much of the misgoyernment of past years in Masterton, and of the endless wrangling that lias made the Municipal administration a laughing stock. It may in theory be a fine thing to set up antagonistic influences in a municipality by electing a Mayor to fight a Council, but in practice it is extremely silly and inconvenient. It is also considered a grievance that there should be a defaulter's list in the Municipal Act, and that a man who has not paid his rates should be debarred from voting. No doubt from the liberal point of view a maximum privilege of voting, and a minimum privilege of paying is a desideratim, but assuming that defaulters were allowed to exercise their franchise, they might block municipal administration altogether by putting into, power candidate? pledged against the eniorcement of rates. The dimensions of the plural vote is also objected to, but the one man one vote principle cannot well be applied to the rating of properties It is inequitable to place a property paying a shilling a year on the same footing with one which contributes fifty pounds, and if a few large property-holders frequently hold the balance of power at an election, the sums* they contribute towards the municipal exchequer entitle them to the influence which they exercise. The disgraceful scenes which from time to time have been witnessed in the Masterton Borough Council almost raise the question as to whether the burgesses do not enjoy too many privileges, and whether M&sterton would not be better governed as a Town Board. It is humiliating to make such a suggestion, but it is undeniable that a Jjoaid of five or seven CommissionerSj electing their own Chairman and sitting for two years would do the work of the tcwn more economically and efficiently than a Municipal Council in chronic warfare with its Mayor, never fighting to a finish, but everlastingly nagging and squabbling. The liberals of Masterton would doubtless like to remove the few checks in the Municipal Act which prevent it from becoming utterly unworkable, but the real need is to simplify the Act as much as possible to suit the requirements of a small borough like Masterton. Whether an elective Mayor is needed in a city like Wellington we .know not, although it is evident that the burgesses there occasionally elect a person to the office whom no selfrespecting Council would dream of selecting, tut in a small town like Masterton it is absolutely essential that the Mayor should have the con- j fidence of &e Council and not be) chosen by an antagonistic outside body."

, ; It is expected, that the Masterton School Committee will face the house holders on Monday week without a single liability. Mr Gr. Ross, a well-known resident of Woodville, is about to leave for Otago, According to the Examiner the building trade in Woodville is becoming very brisk. One contractor says it is impossible to obtain men.

The price of bread in Palinerston has, it is said, been raised to 3M cash and 4d booked for the 21b loaf.

The weather in the bush has been extremely inclement during the past week, and it has been quit 9 impossible to do outdoor work.

Since the opposition coaches have ceased running between Eketahuna and Woodville the old fares have been resumed.

Johan Jacob Junger, for stealing a sheep at Eketahuna, has been committed to take his trial at the next criminal sittings of the Supreme Court. Mr. James Gifford, an assistant teacher in the Masterton school, bas received a week's holiday in which to visit some friends.

His Bonor District Judge Robinson this morning awarded the plaintiff costs, £1215s 3d, besides the farthing damages, in the case of Anderson v Johnston, slander.

It is said that the political services of the Enigbts of Labour in Masterton are to be rewarded by the Government making their chief a Justice of the Peace.—Evening Press. An Ordcrin-Council has been issued in England compulsorily retiring Civil servants at 65 years of age; Yet there are fifteen British judges over that age, and the Lord Justice General is 81

Mr Adam Donald, of Featherston, builder, has been adjudged a bankrupt|

There are altogether JOO,OOO depositors in che Post Office Savings Bank in New Zealand, with aggregate deposits to credit of their accounts ©f nearly £2,500,000. It is said that a certain farmer in Carterton has this season got 14s a head for wethers, whilst last year wethers of similar value fetched only 9a, A lad named Dalgety, whilst running down a hill at Gladstone, tripped and fell. A spade he was carrying penc" tratedhis arm, malring a sevcr6 gash. Dr. Johnston itched up the wound. It is expected that the Mayor of Carterton will be petitioned to take a poll of the ratepayers on the question whether the Public Libraries Act shall be adopted in that Borough. With three printing offices in Masterton our Hospital Committee hunt all over Wellington to get tenders fcr printing their annual report and then send a collector round to the Masterton offices for an annual subscription. Nearly all of the members of the Masterton School Committee have signified their intention of contesting the forthcoming election. Messrs. Prangnell, Feist, Hoar and Easthope were nominated after the meeting lost night. The Railway Commissioners have committed the unpardonable sin at last! I Some mixed drinks have disappeared I from the Mauriceyille railway station and our local contemporary, like a iion bereft of its preyi; springs upon Messrs. Maxwell and Co and crunches them up. Constable May who proceeded to Mauricevelle yesterday to make inquiries into the reported case of stealing from the Mauriuevillo raJwav station, reports that only four bottles of ginger ale were abstracted from an open case, but he was unable to discover by whom. It is supposed to be the work ot children. A shipment uf stoats and wease.ls is expected to arrive here early next week, consigned to the North Wairarapa Rabbit Board.

A man named Dykes, who was lost in the bush at Dundoo, near Eulo, in .New South Wales, has been discovered aftor a lapse of 14 days by a stockman on Mr Sly Ardooh's station. He kept himself a%e by eating his horse. When leaving 3undno he had neither food nor matches and his sufferings have been terrible. He is now '■ recovering under careful attention.

Excuses of all kinds havo been received by the truant officers in Maatertou for the non-attendance of children at school. Amongst the number was one of a very singular character. It was alleged by a certain parent that her girls could not attend school in consequence of their clothing not being decent. This, if true, is a lamentable state of affairs.

Parcel DO3 s, like most other mortals, have their grievances. One of them writes to aDunedin paper abqut the long hours they have to work, lie savs, " We begin at 8 a. m, and are supposed to stop at 6p. m, (that, owing to the ladies shopping bo late, we often do not get home till Bp. m for tea." He asks the ladies to shop earlier, or else not insist on their parcels being delivered the same evening.

Our Eketahuna correspondent writes: —The correspondent of the Eketahuna and Pahiatua Mail, alias the Star, is taking; me to task because the late ball was not a success. As J had nothing to do with promoting the ball, J fail to see how I am to blame. 1 certainly had a look in, but 1 could not count the forty couples said to he there by the man of one idea. By-the-by how did he find out that there *vas anyone at the ball 'i He was not seen at it. I did hear of a certain party dressed to kill undertaking to escort a lady to the ball on that night, but something—we shall say his journalistic efforts—overpowered, him to such an extent that ou the road to the ballroom, seeing what he took to be a nice pool of clear water, he plunged headlong into it and there he remained, singing, "We wont go home till morning." No doubt the stars-or shall I say the males— appeared to hnn as couples tripping tho light fantastic to his favourite music—tho bagpipes. Needless to say the lady found another escort.

We are glad to learn that our sportsmen and others can now have stagsheadsand birds mounted in the highest style, as John Jacobs, the professional preserver of birds, fish, and animals, has arrived here from London. Highest'pnce given for hu'as, crows, New Zealand quail, and other birds, stags heads and skins. Feathers cleaned, dyed and curled? fur skins tanned and dressed, rabbit skins made into rugs, bullock's horns polished and mounted in the highest style. Orders left at Mr F. Meenken's, close to Bank of New Zealand, Carterton, or MrCatt's, Hair Dresser.—Advt. The public are invited to inspect the New Shipments ot winter goods just opening up at the Bon Marche. Messrs. L. J. Hooper and Co notify the arrival of a large quantity of novelties for the Coming Winter Season. This firm has always held the first place in this town for Fashionable Drapery, Millinery, etc, and no doubt their importations this eason will surpass any of their previous ones. Special notice is directed to the Ladies' Show Room, which is crowded with the Latest- lashiuns, Further Particulars willappearin a future issue of this paper. -, : The Tailoring department at the Bon Marche ib assHmingenormous dimensions The quantity of clothing turned out in this department requires to be saen to be credited. The make and fit is equal to some of tha best West End tailors, the liuin<»s and trimmings are also of the best quality. The prices vary from 4fls to < 00s the sojt aoQO,rdinß to the quality of j tweed selected. A visit to Messrs L. J. Hooper and Co. "b warehouse will repay the trouble. Over two thousand patterns of tweed all shown to select from. The Dress and Mantle departmen to the Bon Marqbe ?a a, ««ht tp lovers of fashion very seldom met with. ' A first class Dressmaker with a large staff of assistants is kept on premises to meet the" requirements .of the ladies. Good-fit and style at moderate prices guaranteednewest designs and materials in Dress Goods are now being exhibited together with trimmings etc to match. A visit to their Spacious and' well Lighted Warehouse is eolicited by L.'J. Hooper and Co., Drapers and Clothiers, Masterton.