THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1893.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4370, 23 March 1893, Page 2

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1893.

The United Charitable Aid Board report in our last issue was instructive and Mr Buchanan once more had no | difficulty in showing that thin district

was being robbed in more ways than one. Figures are more or less puz* zling, but we offer below a simple comparison showing what the different districts get out of the Board fund and what they give towards it. One hall the money that comes to us is drawn from tho Government, so that we simply etate the amounts which the Board has to provide from its own exohequer, We haye also inoluded the returns of country boroughs, for the sake of simplicity, with the counties in which tbey are situated, Tbe result as we gather it is as follows Receive trom Pay to Board Board Wellington .. 8140 2138 Wairarapa North County ... 885 788 Wairarapa South County ... 87 G93 Pahiatua County 100 172 Hutt ,„ ~. 262 620 It will be seen from the above estimate that Wellington receives about £1,300 more than it pays,, This is brought about by making Wairarapa South pay £6OO more than it receives, and Wairarapa North finding £450 in excess of what it gets. The arrangement is a splendid thing for Wellington, but a very bad bargain for this district. It is one of those blessings that have cops to us from the great Liberal Party, and we feap that it has come to stay. There is in tbe table we have presented, another little matter for consideration, Why should Wairarapa North spend nearly seven hundred pounds per year on benevolence while Wairarapa S.qut)j disburses less than £IOO. Have P seven tirjiea morp povprty north of the Waingawa than there is south of the river 1 We do not think so, but wp have more pauperism here because we maljp more. Here we have a pommitteo of good hearted settlers who find annual incomes for a considerable number of persons. In Wairarapa South there is but one individual who in his official capacity administers relief and he, whatever his heart may be, h>B a hard head. The sum spent in Masterton on charitable aid is monS!r? lla and in comparison,, is as excessive as the amoiiut > n Wellington. In both places the fault of the system of administration is pretty olear, A, B. applies lor aid and it is found that the case is a deserving ono, A.B, is put on the jbpoks at say seven shillings a week, and frflm fhe tjpjo thajb the first payment is niade t|ie charge becomes a permanept ope. A.B. sticks to thp charitable committee like a limpet to a rock, and if instead of a society reporting that A.B.'s allowance of sevon shillings per week is continued and C.D.'s of six shillings a week is maintained, it were to declare that A, 13. has been paid to date £lO7 and that C.D. has been paid to date £9710, the eyes of the publio would be opened. We do not believe for one moment that either the Wellington or Masterton Trustees entertain, the slightest conception of the onor-

mous Bumß of money which they expend in the manufacture of pauperism, We believe, that if j the Masterton Trustees, for example, were to publish a return showing the totals of the earns paid to date to their lending pensioners the revelation would be startling, and that no one would be mote surprised than the administrators of the fund. The fault of the system is that after a hundred pounds has been spent in relieving one poor person, that poor person is more destitute and less oipable of self help than when the first pound was advanced.

The Stock Bale advertised to bo held at tho Martinbornugh Yards on the 28th has been postponed,

Joseph Jesanp, the oracle of village settlers, says tho Woodvillo Examiner, is do longer H f , for a moral reader. We now wait to hear what the Woodville Ex. aminer has to say about Joseph Jessop, By advertisement in this issue tenders ate called for alteration to the teacher's residence at Tenui. Tenders close on the sth April noit and plans and specifications can be seen at Mr Sellar'a office, Masterton, and at the Sohool-housß Tenui.

Mr 0. H. Qayfer has removed to mote central offices, over Messrs Townsend and Oowper'n premises in Queen Street.

Messrs G. and T. Young, the practical watch-makera of Lambton Quay Wellington, give in another column their prices for watchosand clooks, which are bound to go, and don't require mending. They don't deal in cheap and nasty pro. crastlnatora but give without hesitation a two years' guarantee to their time keepers. They also challenge competition with thoir jewellery and electroplate ware novelties.

A bullock driver aud twobushmen are required by Messrs Alex. McLeod and Co., of the Upper Opaki sawmill. Professor J. "Wortley Axe estimates that upwards o[ 18,000 horses annually die or are killed in London, and of this number about half succumb to accidents or infirmity. TheTruda Bros gave another of their excellent entetaiiiinonta at the Theatre Boyal last evening, tho attendance boing only moderate. Tho Otago Daily Timea says: -People should be careful about attaching wire lines to their house. It is believed that the houae of Mr Croggins, Otarara, was damaged by a wire oiotheshne attached to tho houso conducting the electric fluid. The wiro itself has disappeared A small remnant of it was left in the eye of tho post, down which the electricity has run and fused a piece of wire netting on the adjoining gate. The wood around the staple in the wall being charred.

An interesting action to newspaper proprietors was heard at Perth recently, when the proprietor of the West Australian newspaper was charged with publish" ing an advertisement in that paper in* viting persons generally to take shares in a lottery. The advertisement referred to was a prospectus of the Equitable Building Society of Queensland, and tho prosecution was under the section of the Amonded Police Act, which is aimed at lotteries and sweeps. The Police Magistrate held that tho promoters of lotteries, and not tho owner of tho newspaper in in which they advertised, were liable. He therefore dismissed the information.

A meeting ol juvenile" soldiers" wbb held at tho Maßterton Salvation Barracks last evening. One little girl, aged fourteen, contributed to the evening's ontertainment by playing vory skilfully on live different instruments, including tho violin, accordeon, concertina, tin whistle and mouth organ. Very general regret is felt at Eketahuna and the district round about at the removal of Constable Roche after his long residence iu tho district, during whioh time he has learned to thoroughly understand the people and the country. When Constable Roohe first arrived at Eketahuna it was one of the roughest places in the North Island, and he is now leaving it a quiet, well-behaved and orderly country township. This is in a great measure duo to his efforts, and tho settlers do not intend to let such a valuable officer go away without Borne slight mark of their esteem. A meeting was recently held at which it was decided to prosent tho gallant constable with & testimonial and a purse of sovereigns.

The Indian game of polo is becoming the fashionable amusement in Melbourne and Sydney. It is somewhat more risky than steeplechasing So far, in Sydney, the main casualties have been an aide-de-camp lamed probably for life, a lawyer seriously hurt in thooye.and a newspaper owner's forehead laid open, In Melbourne one man got hiß nose absolutely flat with his face, and a spectator got his leg broken through meroly looking on at a match, A team of offioers propose to come out and show "the colonials" all about this wild amusement. In India, they kill two orthiee men a year at it. In N.SAV., the Monaro men liavo formed a club at Ooorna, and once they get fairly going, the ''men from Snowy Kiver" will make the Indians ride for thoir lives. There are no better ponies in the world than the mountain-bred ponies of Monaro, and no better riders than the Monaro men,

The Bulletin remarks :-Even the Ohinaroan has gone into the shent per shent business, Tho other day two ladies residing at Manly (N.S,W.) started to drive into Sydney. They had junt got to the Spit ferry when they discovered that neither had any money to pay tho ferryman, or get lunch or anything else. They were wondering what on earth to do, when a familiar figure loomed up before them- It was their vegetable John plodding sturdily along with his bankets, and smiling ashe wont. The ladies applied to him for a Bmall temporary loan, and ho expressed himself agreoable. At first he offered half-a-crown on condition he got 3s Cd next day; and finding that not sufficient he produced ss, whfoh he was willing to lend till next Saturday at 2s pd interest, Also, he volunteered to adyanco 10s, provided he received 12s Cd the Bame evening. Finally a compromise was accepted, and the two ladies borrowed 8s atftOQO per cent per annum, and wont on their way thinking hard,

Payment by result) for nursing and invalid transport is an idea for which we are Indebted to tho Ohinesei It was adopted recently by a party belonging to Olyde. One of their number, being seized by a serious illness, took the fane; into his hoad that ho would like to get to Dunedin before he died. How to get bipi therp in a hurry without jolting out the vital Bpjrk was a difficulty iyhlch the Celestials overcame by contractile with a man to drive tho invalid to Lawrence and land him in tjie afternoon train on the condition that £9 was to be paid for the service if the Ohinaman was put on board alive, otherwise no pay. No Ozar could have been taken more caro ef on the journey, and the money was earned | but it was a narrow squeak,for John died the next morning, —Dunedin Star,

Tbe News,-We havo now opened out our new dress goods for the Autumn and Winter tan, The variety is greater, the value better, Z? ha Prises lower than in any previous season at Te Aro uCL""' Vel ' lington.

Tbe Need,—For winter wear every good housewife will need warm dresses for nerself and daughters. Try a full dress of our useful Knioker Tweed at 7/6, carriage paid from Te Aro House.

The Pmcs,-Whore to get the best value fermoftoy from fe Aro jjouse. You may grocure a full dress of to tjie last 1 ' liagpnal o)jevipt Tweed for 7|6 bi)4 'fpvpr durable I 'BannoßlfbumTVeed far IJ/6 carriage paid. Tps Time,—Buy when you want and that should be now, Pelays are dangerous. Don't miss the ohance of buying full dress lengths of 11 wear resisting" heavy Scotch Cheviot Tweeds, double width, 18/6, oarriago free, from Te Aro House, | The Wat,—Buy for cash. That is the proper and best way. You will find it the cheapest way, Try it in our "strong as leather" Diagonal Cheviots, 21sthe fall dress, and "never wearing out" "Wylwyowyl" Welch Tweed 26/-, carriage paid from To Aro House, Wellington,

A writer In the Napier News, Bays that 11 the police dire not do their doty. The moment a member of the force looks sharply after this or that offender against the law, he is either shifted or a hint ia conveyed to him that ho mußt net be too particular.

News from tho West Coast of Africa states that the French have hauled down a flag in British territory in Gambia.

China has admitted Great Britain to Free-trade in Eastern Turkestan.

The Harvest Festival, in connection with the Mastorton branch of the Salvation Army, tvill commence of Saturday next, Captains Kendall and Goodall, of 'Wellington, will be present, and also Captain and Mrs Lane, who were at one time in charge of tho Masterton Barracks.

La Plata has'some wondetful spiders, nf huge dimensions and rapid speed, that can keep pace with a trotting horse.

1 The post of Chaplain to tho House of Commons, about to be resigned by Archdeacon Farrar, is worth £4OO a year. A little boy at Tunbridgo Wells drank too much of his mother's rhubarb wine, and attacked a visitor with a hammer. The mngis tra to ordered him to bebirched.

" Why," exclaims Labby in this week's Truth, " doos no visit from the othor world come to me ? I would welcome such a guest with pleasure. I should like him to materialise himself, and to sit down comfortably and enter into conversation with me. I invite all spooks, ghoßtß, or other inhabitants of epaoe to call on me. But I am not over-credulous. I should require some bettor proof of the reality of their presence than knockings, which I know may be produced in various ways, or by the mere wagging of my hand. Mr Stead is always an interesting conversationalist, but if lie would only look in ou me, accompanied by one of his spooks, 1 should be Bpooially pleased," It is satisfactory te find, on the good authority of the World, that the marriage between tho Princess Marie and the Grown Prince of Boumania, is-at least on the lady's side-a leve match. "It is no seoret," says Atlas, " that Princess Marie is devotedly attached to Prince Ferdinand, and then comes this cryptic saying:—Prince Ferdinand ought to feel highly flattered by the preference of Princess Mario, who, had she been so disposed, might probably have married the prince who is at the present time the best match in tho world.' Finally, eaith the World, Princess Marie is not only very pretty, but she is bright and clever, and has inherited hot mother's force of character.

in animal named Pullpirwkarwtarranimma has been nominated at Warrma (Adelaide) races, and an oxchance eayn that a double entrance fco should be charged for an horse with such an absurd title.

At the age of sixty-eight Blondin is still vigorous and as agile on the tightrope as ever. He holds that a tight-rope walker is born, not made Nevertheless he takes precautions. He has never unstrung bis norvcH by the uso of tobacco in an; form; and he always puts up the rope himself. Though he has made something like 4,000 journeys on tho tight" rope Id various parts of tho world, ho has had but one accident, and that a slight one. Blondin lives near London, in a pretty house ol his own, which he calls Niagara Villa, and whore ho likos to hear music and cultivate flowers, and potter about in his pardon. You can get him to walk at any time If ymt aro willing to pay his terms, which are £IOO a night. In tho course of Mb speech at the luncheon on Saturday, says the Kapior Telegraph, the Governor said that ever since Lady Glasgow and himself came to the Colony they felt they had come among friends. Wherover they went they woie met with the utmost kindness, consideration and courtesy. Everything had been done to make their paths pleasant, and they had been made te feel that while they were in the Colony i their interests were bound up in it,- and they took the liveliest interest in its prosperity and success, Since the Pur iiamentary session they'had been able to visit all parts of the Colony, or at least tho centres of edi province, and they did not know which to admire most—the material advantages of the Oolony or tho Industry and energy whioh had bcon displayed in developing its resources. It had given Lady Glasgow and himself pat pleasure to come to Napier, and they regretted that their stay was so short. They had been much pleased with what they had seen of Bawke's Bay, and wished it all prosperity and success. One day a gentleman buying a oarre' of old whisky, called two of the best judges of the beverage in tho State of Kentucky—Senators Blaokburn and Beok—to give an opinion ".Well," said Mr Beck, after tasting tho liquor and smacking his lips, 11 well, sir, this is most excellent stuff, air; but, ahem I it has a Blight taste of iron, sir," Mr Blackburn rolled up his eyes after a sip, and remarked," I quite agree with Mr Beck as to the quality of tho goods; but ah I let mo see; I really behevo 1 doteot a leathery taste." And when the barrel was emptied, at ita bottom was found—a oarpeb taok with a leather ring around its head. One of tho effects of the recent .floods was mentioned at the meeting of the Wellington Benevolent Trustees on Tuesday, apropos of an announcement that blankets had beon issued to Grainger street sufferers, Mr Q, Beetham asked whether any steps hid been taken to wash the blankets they already had 1 The Qhairman and Secretary said that the condition of thejo blankets was so horrible that they could not be washed, Tho sediment left in them by the flood oonsißted largely of sewage irom the upper levels, which had been floated about in the Grainger street houses in consequonce of the bursting of tho sower, and it was difficult to tell blankets from anything else, while it was a question whether tho whole lot should not be destroyed, and the Trustees were getting a report upon them. Mr Kirk said that the sediment left by the clean water floods at Petone and the Butt was offensive enough to destroy blankets. Mr Beetham said hp had beon flooded out several times, find he had always got bis blankets out after, and had them thoroughly and successfully scoured, A little later the question cropped up again in the casp of a woman, a vegetable backer, who had, with a great struggle, Succeeded in establishing herself in a little home on rented land at the Lower Hutt, where sho grew vegatableß,'and who, each timo she wbb beginning to do well, hsd been flooded out and lost everything. Now she had abandoned the section. She said that she had, since the flood, had absolutely no bed* ding for herself or children, and had been allowed to live in an empty shop in town. The floor ofljer house at the Hutt had pollapsed, and her lidding was indistinguishable in two feet pf mud. Mr Fitjherbert, who was attending to the flood relief at the had told her it was useless to attempt to recover them, and said she was to leave them there. Mr Beetham said ho could not understand this abandonment of good blankets ail over the district, He had seen many floods, and he always found that a thorough scouring raads blankets fit for use. —Post.

"Go at 'em again I" "1 saw young Harry with his beaver ou I "—I Hen, IV., IV,, I, Aye and with his eyes open and his head screwed on the right way, and be went for them not esiC!!j headed.but knight from tho shoulder, and the peopio him and said go at 'em again old man, and doubtless he did, It was good advice and wo propose to tender it to onr countless supporters in connection with our halt price remnant sale. Go at 'em again wo say as hardas you can. Don't leave tnem till they're all gone. Sec that you clear the lot so that when the enJ comes their place shall know them no more". We'want these Half Price bargains distributed throughout the length last ? lie cin't say I We don't how) Our havo a cabinet council perhaps to-day. anjl we'll let you all know jf any decision is arrived at. In the meantime go ftt 'em as hard asyou can, ■lt might be one day, two days; perhaps three, perhaps four —possibly a week. We can't say I Wo don.t know except it can't last long before the end comes at any rate. Now is the time to buy 'argely at Hooper's half pricejtßemnantSale 111-. Am

Oat Pahiatua contemporary does his district an injustice, fie spoaka if a local settler passing away to a brighter and better land. Tha Austrian War Office claims to have secured the secret of the manufacture of a bullet-proof cluth whioh will resist bullets at a short range. Mr George Milner Stephen, the wellknown "healer" notifies that he will arrive in Masterton about the 27th, and that he will hold special public meetings of the poor. TheTaieri Advocate" states that the proposed flour millers' trust has come to nothing, owing to the obstruction offered by a 'fituaru miller who refused to join hands in the unholy alliance. Several improvements are shortly to be effected on Messrs Williams and Beetham'B Landßtlowne property, including the erection of large stables. Wo (Evening Post) recontly showed that a scare has been raised in Australia by confounding the horso bot fly with that effecting sheep, To save our own readers similar confusion, we give here the various names under which the affection of the sheep bot, and the bot itself (CEitmoms), Bra desoribed in different works Sheep gad fly, broeze fly, sheep bot, grub in the bead, nasal catarrh. This is small fly. The horse hot is a largo and very different fly, comii'only known as the" horse bot" or " horse bee" the scientific name of which is (Eslm(gadrophlm)qM. Mr Bruce, Chief Inspector of Stock for New South Wales, has officially written to the Agricultural Department on the matter, Asking if it was true that the gad fly was likely tn do serious damagoamongstJNew Zealand sheop. Mr Ritchie has replied that there are only very isolated oases, ' and that the trouble is not by any means prevalent, This is onty understood to be the viow shared by Mr Bruoe himself, As a nutter of fact, it is abont two years sinco a speciman of the (Estm ovii was scut to the Department.

In referring to tho death of General Butler, an American paper unburdoned itself in this remarkablo manner:—"Tho beast is dead. Early yesterday the angel of death, acting under the devil's orders, took him from earth and landed him in hell. In all this southern country there are no -toars, no sighs, and no regrets. So lived only too long. Wo are glad he has at last been removed from earth, and we even pity the devil the possession ho has secured. He was a truckling demagoguo, whose selfishness amounted to pollution. Be was an autocrat who used power to wreak personal revenge; he was mean and malignant, a hangman from prejudice, tho iusulter of women, a braggadocio, a trickster, and a scoundrel whoso heart was as black as the smoke from the coals that are now scorching his soul," The residence of Mr W, McKenzie, of the Opaki was totally destroyed by fire on Tuesday afternoon. Mr McEenzie and Mr Blatchford were engaged repairing a fence near the house when they suddenly became aware that tho Bhingle roof was in lUmeß. Everything possible was done to save the building, but the lire had too strong a hold. The residence (which was worth about i 250) was Insured for £l5O with Mr Dairy inpic in the Standard Fire Office, and the furniture fer £6O with the same company.' Mr McEenzie is a considerable loser as nothing was saved worth mentioning.

The Masterton Rifle Volunteer! parade this evening.

William Sifflmondswasctarqed before Messrs Hughes and Price J.r'ain the Maatertoa 11, M, Court this morning, with stealing 720 rabbit skins, the property of John Pas;e, of Kaburaingi. The case was remanded until Wednesday next.

The cost of the proceedings of Messrs Injustice Ministers against Justice Edwards amount to £1,070 3s 6d. This, however, is only the thin end of the wedge. The compensation claim has yet to be paid,

There aro two thousand one hundred and twenty-throe local bodies in Nan Zealand and an occasional earthquake,

The cost of tho Public Trust Office Commission was £3,31212s 4d.

It is Baid that Alexander M'Naught, who waa coramited Co Duneclin Gaol for refusing to answer questions put to him in the District Court at Oaniaro, when undergoing examination in bankruptcy proceeding, now deolinca to work, alia that ho apeaks only on rare occasions. Ho ia not compelled to work, but at first he found relief in this, to him, wholesome form of employment, We balievo he is under the impression that he should be brought before the District Court on every ocoasionon which ic Bits. M'Naught can regain his freedom when he professes his willingness to comply with the law, and (observes the North Utago Times) his Bteadfast refusals only lnorease the strength of tho conviction which many hold that his misfortunes have unsettled his mind and that he Is better in custody than at large.

Writing on the subject of the ruin of the American farmer, Mr Maitland, In the Fortnightly, Bays: "For everything which the farmer buys, he has to pay a protected price. The village storekeeper who supplies blm with groceries, the smith who mends his ploughs and wag. gons, the lawyer who draws his mortgage, and the doctor who attends his family, oven the undertaker who at lust borios him, all requiro n'nd obtain a protected prico for their services, flagged, or at best patched, he stands alone, the only unprotected man in all America."

Mr W. Darling, Secretary to the Manawatu and West Coast Dairy Association was in Masterton yesterday, His object in visiting the Wairarapa is the advancement of the dairying industry on the cooperative principle. Home portions of the egg of the New Zealand Moa, have been found by a resident in tho Whareama distrlot, and handed to Mr R. Brown for the Masteri ton Museum,

[ A London Magistrate has ordered the payment of an hour's woge(9Jd), and known as "grinding money," to several carpenters, The masters, on discharging the men paid them an hour's wage in lieu of notice, but refused to pay for another hoqr to enable them to grind their tools, which appears to bo tlie cub* torn of the trade.

The Premior of Woafc Australia, Sir John Forreat, tell an enticing tale of political harmony and Ministerial happiness in (hat colony, where Macaulay'a ideal ia improyed, becjiuso all arofor the Ministry as well as for the State, for over too years (says the Sydney Daily Telegraph) Bir John Forrest and his colleagues have gone on governing the country, unhampered by hostile attack, and actually enlarging their majority, the closest division ever recorded on a vital question having been 22 for the Ministry and Boven against them. Thoro are even jn thjs happy land plcontenta who aro '' agin the Govern pent," but so few in nipber that there is no leader of the Opposition, and never has been one. Bir John Forrest's explanation of this condition is appropriately astounding. Most of the members of Parliament, he says, are men tolerably well off—there ia no payment of members-and don't covet office, tbeir sole object being to attend to the welfare of the colony. There is little doubt but that the question of Atlantic liners carryingdupli. cate machinery has been brought to a head by the accident to the (Jmhria's wain shaft. As Sir Henry Tyler point* out, the time haß arriyed when no moro single-strew ships for ocean voyages should be built. For the future all ships of the Umbria class ought to bo provided with "duplicate engines, condensors, shafts and screwsi" Had the Cunar'd liner been constructed In this way she would have been able to continue her voyage without delay. Jho one thing to guard agaihat just no# is to pre* [ vent the 'accident being only-R uino day's wonder, in America things move even faster than they 'do here, asd accidents such a 8 thpap are forgotten §|moß|; is soon asthey occur.' The'Americin, however, dearly loyea his Europe^''and the Atlantic boats are looked upon as parf and parcel of tho mainland.' A forf? night's agitation both sides of the water, if it can but be maintained, should mako these improvements Bure,—Pall Mall Gazette,

A Orand Concert in aid of the Master* ton Wesleyan Church Renovation Fand will be hold in the Theatre Royal on Tuesday next when several now choruses will be given by the Church Choir, assisted by the best local talent, The object being for a specially good purpose we expect to seetho Theatre well filled by those who like good music, and by per* sons of all denominations, Tickets oan be had from all members of the choir at the moderato prices of 2s and k

Mr N. Stevenson, well knowa-in Mastorton, was very seriously injurcfat Messrs McLeod's Opaki Sawmill yesterday. He was working in tha bush, when in some way he was struck by a falling tree, his leg bain? dreadfully smashed and his head injured; Mr Storenßonis a married man with two children.

. Mr Earnahaw, M.H.R., bas accused the Rev, L. M, isitt cf tolling a deliberate untruth. After this the rev. gentleman's veracity will, like good whisky, be above proof.

Concrete tombstones are being tried in the Uanatuiu district, The public, underground, do not object.

Messrs Lowes and lorns anuounce their next iSketahuna Stock Sale for Wednesday April at date comprise 220 and 100 fat ewes.

A small bSjy attending a Masterton sohool went home the other day and asked his mother to come out and see him do the "muscle-grinder" on 6 newly erected horizontal bar. The good lady remarked, "Mnso'o-grinder. wby that's gymnastics, is it not ?"" Oh no," replied her youthful eon, "It's Jim Tompkins—a boy in our class-he does it."

A roverend gentleman in America haa broken himself off swearing by yelling out" beefsteak and onions" and " ham and eggs," instead of . Well, moßtof our readers know the old formula. Last Friday, a girl of sixteen years, named Margaret Reeeo, of Onehuhga, mixed forty-two matches In a ctip; n( mtt water, and drank the solution, Sho mMP yesterday morning. Theoauseofsuiolde ' is said to be religious melancholia. The annual report of the Hon. treasurer of the Wellington Agricultural and Pastoral Association, to be presented at the annual meeting next week, 1b as follows:—The committee havo pleasure in presenting their fourth annual report and statement of accounts. In doing bo thoy may, but for one unforeseen and unpreventable misfortune, congratulate yoa npon a continuance of the prosperous course hitherto experienced. The catao trophe roforrei to is the damage bus-talM-l by the recent floods at Petone, wheroby the associations buildings, &0., suffered to an extent hardly yet ascertained, but LIOO will probably more than fully cover the cost of replacement, During tho year the association acquired a most satisfactory asset in the shape of a valuable free hold site, upon which substantial permanent buildings have been erooted, The whole cost of the property, including new buildings and romoval of offices from the old site, amounts tea sum which represents a very large .'margin upon the realisable value, quite irrcspeo • tive of the enhancement whioh islikely to accrue in the future, Tho indebtedness of the association has boon placed upon a permanent basis by the suooessful issue of debentures for £2260, having a currency of seven years, and bearing interest at 7 per cent per annum. The. oomrnitteo desire to record appreciation of the zeal and energy displayed by the secretary, Mr H. D. O'Callaghao, in the performance of his duties,