Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878.] SATURDAY, JULY 29, 1893. THE TRUTH ABOUT WERAITI

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4489, 29 July 1893, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878.] SATURDAY, JULY 29, 1893. THE TRUTH ABOUT WERAITI

SECOND EDITION

So much has been written and pub' lished about Weraiti, EOine of it 1 unwisely, that the public- have got sick of tlio controversy, and we our- , s?lveß have wearied of it and have '' shunned it. Now that, to all praotical j intent, the Weraiti question is determined, it may be worth while to - review an aspect of it which we think is not clearly understood, by the public. The view we intend to present is not one that is likely to be popular, but it is one that we brieve to be a just one, and that we ought, as a matter of good conscience, to place before our readers. In the Weraiti controversy, Mr William Beetbnm has appeared in a dual position, viz., as a large landowner and as Chairman of the Masterton Road Board, and in order to understand his attitude with 1 respect to it, we require to separate - this dual position and to discriminate between his action as a land-grabber, as his opponents love to call him, and his official position as Chairman of the Masterton Eoad Board. , Wo will take first his attitude as 5 a land grabber, and it happened once upon 1 a time that we got a clear insight into his sentiments from this point of view. In the early stages of the controversy we were piesent upon one occasion when a friend interviewed him, and urged upon him that Weraiti was ii> the market at a fair price, and that be-could Bolvo the road difficulty by the. simple expedient of purchasing the property. Mr William Beotham replied that the property would be a good investment at' the price at which it was available, but that he was getting on in yearsand instead of undertaking new responsibilities he would prefer divesting himself of old ones; that 'instead of adding-Weraiti to his estate be would rather out up lor settlement his land at the back of Weraiti. Now this was Mr William Beetham's pcrsopul. view of the Weraiti question. He wished to contraet, not to enlarge bis possessions. The 11 landgrabber" spirit was decidedly dead in liim, and lie would' willingly have dispossessed himself of a considerable slice ot the may say that this expression of opinion on his part was made,, bofore the graduated tax was ppssed, nnd was .not in any way the outcome of it. . We then turn to Mr, William Beeiham'B position na chairman"of ; the Masterton Road l3oai'd. . It is in this capacity that lie haS-.-been; fight-' iog for the road on ! certain „publis

—1 grounds-which ho liimsolf Ims repeatedly stated.: He luis, as far us I .we. can judge endeavoured to keep in J the background his personal interests' (l and lias confined himself s! rictly, to the brief lie took up in what be be- : liaved to be tbo ratcpiiyers 'interests,, j. tie fought as counsel for a. body of , ratepayers, riot ha tliii. owner of a large a property affected by (lie road. We think it rigbt to state this, naw-thai f inuoh of the personal . feeling ] which attended. .the., <ioni.royer.-iy t has subsided, because after nil the ' honour of 'the leading, publio men'nf • this district is a matter of even great r importance than a road ' through Weraiti. We are not going ' even to assume that Mr Beetbnm's j view of the Weraiti road from a rate- , payers point of view was the cornet < one. Even, if it were admitted that I it was a mil-11ken one, we should ' still maintain that from, evidence 1 witbin our own knowledge his per- j Bonal view of the question lias been | misunderstood, and that lie is entitled to'claim that in his official position be , has advocated only the course that he i believed to be in the best, interesti of the raiepajws of tlm Masterton Road 1 District. We have hesitated in : writing these few lines lest it should | be thought that a n an who has' resided so long in this district as Mr William Beetham and whose reputai tion for integrity Btauds so high should need any defence atour hands. We feel, however, that in sotne , qua'ters hisaoticn has been misunderstood, and if as a farewell word to the Weraiti discussion we can assist.in clearing up a misconception it is our duty to do so. 1 Ernest Benzon, who was known in ■ English sporting oiroles as "Jubilee • Juggins,'' the plungor, arrived -in. New York last Week, says an exchange, on ! the Germanic. He has lost a vast fortuno f on the race track, and is to appear aB an ■ actor in T. Henry French's speotsicle, "The Prodigal Daughter," at the American Theatre. ' A Post Office has been re-opened at Pleckville. The Now Zealaud Football Tgam played a cricket match at Brisbane. The ' game was not finished, 4 day or two ago three young women wero found in a boat in the Wellington harbour in a position of peril, and wore rescued by the timtily action of a young bank clerk who waß blbo out boating.' Their craft had not been used for some time, but had not shown signs of leaking , till tiiey wore distance from the shore. £ When the rescuer arrived it was half full of water, and rapidly filling. Thoadven- ' tore should be a warning to those who venture out in beats tomako certain of their condition beforehand,-Post, Tho main road between Eketahuna and Pahiatua is not improving at all. Coaches and teamsters are taking tho fullest advantage of the faot that the wheel-tyre by-law has broken down, and run as many horses as they please. '. The Spanish steamer Samanuam, ? shortly altar leaving Hong Kong, who burned, and 220 passengers perished. . Thousands of people are dyiug ot t famine in the Shansi province, China. The survivors are compelled to eat the j dead bodies. A very sharp froßt was experienced in Masterton last night. Very bad weather has been experienced in the Forty-mile Bush during tho past week. That ojndid friend of the Government, Mr Earnshaw, said iu a recent speech: '■ With regard to the Financial Statement, I am not going to deal with the financial part of it. 13i,y at once (hat L aui not able to do so, and apparently ' there is no one as yet on the side of the Government who is,". The New Zealand Colcnising Company is sending a number of small farmers at once to settle a block at Carnarvon jj belonging to the Bank of Now Zealand. Two Shorthorn bulls arrived by tho - Tekoa, at luckland yesterday, for Mr „ Stuckey, ofTaßangitumau. Both are in excellent condition. Mr G, Fairbrother is reported to have ~ offended a number of South Wairarapa „ Liberals, by deolaring his intention of going to tho poll against all comers. !' They wanted him . to wait and be "solected," •I Tho Eketahuna Football Club's annual ball was a success, although the attendI- auce was not so large as expected; as '• about 9 p.m, the rain fell in torrents and >• continued without intermission till midnight, thereby stopping a large numbor ; from the outlying districts from attendr iug. The hall was very tastefully de* I corated with evergreens, etc., and a - large number of people paid admission to the gallery to listen to tho excellent music' provided by Messrs Koisetiberg • and Candy, who gave the most complete satisfaction, so much bo, in fact • that they were engaged : at their own terms, to play at a Settlors Ball, which has been fixed to , takeplaco at Eketahuna on Tuesday next. ' Dancing was kept up with vigor until an early hour,when the gathering dispersed. ( A French ironclad rammed and sank a British steamer at Tuulon. The latter , attempted to cross the bows of the man. e'-war while some naval ovolutionß were '■ going on. No lives were lost. • The Pall Mull Gazette says that Mr " Rogers, husband of Minnie Palmor, the s well-known actress, Is suing for a divorce 0 and seeking to recover £IO,OOO damages t from the co-respondont, $ wealthy bar- . onet, t Owing to the famine in Shatisi, in 1 China, children are boing sold at two dollars a piece. 1 A man nSmed Carey was eccidently a shot through the arm by some boys at j Ocean Reach, Bluff Harbour, yesterday, 3 Sussex beat Surrey by 119 runs, i making the sixth defeat in Dieted on the f .champion county this season. l Tho death is announced at Sydney of i the Bev Mr Inglip, Presbyterian divine, 3 well-known in Victoria and New Zea--0 land, ,I'he verdict entered as to the loss of j the warship Victoria attributes the ' disaster entirely to the turning-signal 3 issued by Vice-Admiral Tiyon, and acquits' the Hon.' Captain Bourke and ; tho other survivors from any blame. 3 The Court regretted that Rear-Admiral p Markliam had omitted to demand au explanation of the order issued by ' Admiral Tryon, but declared that it 1 would be fatal to the best interests of the t navy to say that he was to blamo for 1 obeying tho orders of the Admiral,, who I was on the spot., | The Wesleyan Ohurch Foreign Mission ' services, in the Ma'stwton Wesleyan ■ Church to-morrow will be conducted by - the Bev 8. J. Gibson- The subject in I the morning will be "Fiji paßt and | present" and in tho 'evening "Model , young men." On Monday evening, r ■special services will be held in the school ' room, particulars of which appear in | another column. • . Salvage Sale of goods saved from the burn 1 ing ship "Port Jackson" in Sydney harbour 1 bought at 10s in £ commences on Friday, ' June 80th, at Te Aro House, Wellington. ' Salvage Kale,, 500 good Winter Dresses <&eap atßs 6d,now selling for 3s lid.' 350 heavy Melton Dresses, in navy and red, worth 1 9s 6tl lor 4a lid. - 1 . falvage Sale.' 300 heavy Cheviot Tweed Dresses, valued at 22s 6d, for 12s 6d.. 150 i splendid' Cashmere Drisses, in all co'ors, usual price 12a Gd for . . '• Salvage Sale, Heavy' Striped Flannelette's Is' lid per dozen yards, Twilled Flannelettes 2s lid pordozen yards. ? These are exactly half price, ' '■'■ "" Salvage Sale, ', 6000 yards • Stout; Grey : Calico 3s Gd for Is lid dozen. Heavy Crey i Calicoes, Iyd wide, 6s Od for 3s lid dozen I yards -..'.■• H ] . Salvage lyd wide; 5s Gd for 23 : lld dozen.;; Heavy ' ; :Whife.Caliooes;one yard wide,. 6s. Cd/or 3s ' ; lid ~. : v j Salvage Salo; from burning shig '-Port | ; •Jaoksfe!!; .»

A .fire occurred last evening at Mr Berriman's workshop in George street, Masterton. Fortunately with the - ' help of: some neiehbours it was arrested without doinff any great damage,; .The origin of the fire is a mystery. -. . A TJnited Tompcraoco meeting will I take place at the TempeYance Hall to- t morrow oveniog, after tho church' ( service, , _ , ( Mr F. tl. Wood has spoken. ' freely of, as the coining champion of the j Liberal parly in the Wairarapa Electorate but his business ongaffemonla are ' likely to, preclude him from coming to • the'front at tho approaching contest. < While burning , out an old swamp in ' Foxton a short time back a gentleman : came aoross'a number of sheep's heads < thathad evidently been hidden there I from time to time. Theso heads were < on the gentleman's own property, and | were riddled with shot, as tho lead could ■ bophjfed out when near the surface. ' These sheep must have been stolon and 1 Bitot, tho heads out off and thrown into 1 the swamp, and the carcases taken away, t because the present owner bought the ! land many yoars ago, and has never i himself shot a sheep on it. It is gen- | erally supposed that a good deal of sheep stealing has been done about the Foxton ' district, but the thieves have never been caught, as perhaps the real culprits haye ' never been suspected.—Feilding Star, i At ft meeting of ratepayers held in the 1 Town Board Office, Feotherston, last nightj It was decided that tho Town 1 Board be iustruoted to make arrange- i ments for raising a loan of 1500 for the | erection of a publio hall, Tho Town Board will disease the matter at a special meeting to be hold on Tuesday 1 next. . ■ j Wo hear that a petition is being taken [ round Tor signature, praying tho Master- 1 ton Borough Council to hold a publio : meeting aud ascertain tho feeling of tho ratepayersom the question of the proposed wator and drainage schome, before any expenoe ia i'ueurred. Wo might state that this course-cannot be adopted as Mr King is already instructed to prepare preliminary plans and estimates. There was a fair attendance of members at the usual weekly meeting of tho Masterton Mutual Improvement Society, held in the Wesleyan schoolroom last evening. The chair was occupied by tho President (Bev, J, Dtikesj, and an interostiiE; debate resulted from the " Question Box "-the business of tho evening. The scheme of drainage and water supply for Masterton came up for discussion, the general feeling being m its favor, This is how a lady writes in a London society paper:—There is a report that tho Queon, who did a great deal ol standing at the lasb4.rawing room, wears a special ingenious arrangement to give her support," Heraldry has long deoided that the royal arms needed supporters, butßuroly it is a new departure to have supporters for the royal legs. A drunken man caused, some little diversion in town this morning by gallopinn up and down Queen-street at full speed. He was arrested and lodged in the lock-up. A deputation of Foatherstcn residents . including Messrs Cox, Cnndy and Suarl, waited on the Colonial Secretary (in the ' absence of the Miuister of Justice) yes. terday aftornoon, to ask that' the Court Houbs bo re-built as speedily as possible, , and also that the Post Office bo transi ferred from the railway station to the contro of the town. The deputation, ! wlitoh was introduced by Messrs Buchanan and Hogg, M.H.R's, stated that it [ was rumoured that Government did not . intend to rebuild tho Feathorston Court- ' house, but to wotk tho district in future from Grr-ytown, and this would bo a very | groat inconvenience to settlors, Tho 1 Hon. Mr Ward promised to lay the ' matter before the Minister of Justice on 1 his return'to town. Regarding the quos- ■ ti'on of the removal of tho Post Office, ' Mr Ward promised to give it his caroful 1 consideration, and intimated tho probability of the request being granted. ' In Parliament yesterday tho Eleo- ' toral Bill entered on its committee 1 stage in the House of Representatives. There waß a long debate on the interi pretation clause, which Mas ; passed, with tho principle of women's ) franchise. The clause will bavo to be recommitted, however, owing to an ( irregularity. Progress waß made with a t number of other measurers. An Imprest Supply Bill was passed. The New Zealand Institute of Journalists Bill was | reported from committee in the Legislative Council, aud the Public Domains and Timber Floating Bills were .read a [ second time,—Times. We regret to learn that Mr Henry 1 Phillips, of tho Occidental Hotel,, while I on a visit to Wellington bas been attacked with bronchitis, and is lying seri- ' ously ill at the Albert Hotel. Fortun--1 ately for Mr Phillips, his business—--1 under tho . excellent direction of Mr 1 John Engel, his popular manager—is in 1 Bate hands and he will have no cause to ; bo uneasy about it. [ Acrazo lor bargains set in this morning 1 at the Bon Marcho, We, that is Hooper& Company, have started clearing out tbo ' balance of our winter stock. Our bargains ' are always gonuine. We don't eay wo sell i at cost price, because no ono or very few i could test it, not knowing what the cost i price is. We don't offer our goods, at 20 . per cent discount because no one caA check ihe calculation, not knowing on what it is : based. Wo rely upon the prices at which > wo offer our bargains and in nine cases out , of nine and-a-half those pricesaro staggerers , both for tho Public and tho Trade. Of courso, weare going to lose money over this job I How could we do otherwise? Bu ' why not? Why shouldn't wo as well at i other people ? Everybody's losin moneys i ttow"-a-,days, 'and we aro prepared to drop i our share just for tho sake of company, but . that we lose we lose in a good causo, We benefit the Publio, so keep your eye on the Bon Marche'for bargains. Everything at panic prices.