THE Bay of Plenty Times AND

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXI, Issue 3072, 24 January 1894, Page 2

THE Bay of Plenty Times AND

1 THAMES VALLEY WARDEN. The Sp !m!> ■-»'"»« 'i.iitft walj . mj/> ma sp-ird. — KiagJclin. Afltir. . L Wednesday, January 24, 1894. • Tiie time for the electors to exercise L their suffrages on the question oi 1 licensing vendors of alcoholic liquors . is now near at hand ; according to the new Act, the poll will be taken on , some day in March, the decisions thus 1 obtained will then remain in force foi a period 6f three years. The questions at issue are far more serious than a large* body of the electors appear to be aware of, as at present there is but little interest taken in the matter in this district if we may judge by the columns of the press in the various centres. The poll to be taken provides first for three questions to be submitted to the electors, viz., Ist. Whether the present number of licenses is to continue ; 2nd. Whether the number of any such licenses is to be reduced ; 3rd. Whether any licenses are to be granted. The provision for an increase of licenses will be noted to be absent from the foregoing and this omission is provided for by a special voting paper to be issued only under certain conditions. The Act appears to take for granted that the number of licenses already existing in any district at the time the Act was passed are sufficient for the requirements thereof unless' some very material increase in population has taken place. In a case of emergency, such as a rush of population suddenly to a district, the Governor has powers conferred upon him to deal with the necessities of the case, and this we need not consider, but with this exception no increase may be made until after the taking of the census. The Act then proceeds as follows: — If the results of such census prove that the population of any district has increased by twentyfive per centum of the whole population thereof as existing at the previous census, then a proposal as to whether there shall be an increase of licenses granted or not shall be submitted to the electors for their determination. "For this purpose there will be a special form of ballot paper provided only if required as above. In this district it is evident that this proposition will not have to be considered as the population has certainly not increased to the extent required by the Act, which therefore prohibits the issue of any fresh licenses, the Committee and the electors having no say in the matter whatever. An absolute majority of the votes recorded however, can decide whether the present licenses shall continue or wheth^ they shall be reduced, but a three;fifths majority can. say that no licensed shall be issued whatever. The Act while, it relieves the Committee of some responsibilities leaves on its shoulders the onus of inspection of houses and the regulation and conduct of the business in a proper manner. It is high time electors were seriously thinking over the questions to be submitted to them and making choice of fit men to serve on the one central committee of eight for the whole elecx>rate. now ftymirari fo he «la/>WI

Mr J.N. McKenzie, of Waihi, challenges Mr H. Tanner, of this town, to run a match of 125 yards for £50 a-side. . Mr P. Munro reports having disposed of the house and land at present occupied by Mr JenMnson, at the Quarter Acres, i to Mr Bertram. r e The local School Committee has decided to vote for Lamb and Lang for seats on j the Education Board. ' A programme of eight events has been, t arranged for the athletic sports in con^ i nection with the Garden Fete o|i February Ist. \ I At the meeting of the Cemetery. Trustees held last week it was resolved to • ask the County authorities to get the r roadway on the south of the Cemetery 3 Reserve cleared of furze. The furze is [ constantly spreading over the Cemetery 1 and is a source of expense to the Trustees, besides being dangerous. J Yesterday Mr Gardiner was fixing the machinery and getting his engine and combine ready to start for Te Puke. 3 Stealing is going on to a great extent amongst the gardens and orchards here, j Fruit and all kinds of vegetables falling - a prey to the thieves. In one garden they repeated their operations several , nights running. It is a pity that these \ people are not detected and get their j ustjDunishment. /x oung sharks are very numerous here j4t present. The other day four were -j seen on: the beach, at the back of the ! domain. Some boys set out after them j agxLsucceeded in killing three. I Oil Monday last a large landslip about 1 a chain in length occurred on the cutting on/ the other side ofthe Hairini embank- ' inent bringing dowii a large quantity of I earth, completely blocking the road, and j thus stopping all /wheeled traffic. Yesterday a quantity of the slip was removed and carts and other vehicles were able to pass over without danger. L^-Bast Monday being pay day the Creamery disbursed £250 for milk sup--1 plied during the month of December. 1 The Trustees are having good work done at the new cemetery, where they have a man engaged putting the fences in thorough repair and getting all the enclosures cleared of fern, furze and z briars. At Messrs Fleming and Co's cattle [ sale at the Thames last week the following , prices were realized : — Beef, 18s 6d to 19s ! per 1001 b; sheep, ewes, 9s 9d each ; * lambs, 9s. Last Wednesday the results of the I Senior Scholarships held in Auckland last r December were made known. In all there were 43 candidates examined, Bof whom gained scholarships, 31 certificates of proficiency, and 4 failed. Tanner's trotting horse Sandfly is again to run at Potter's Paddock in a few week's time. . Mr Douglas' new house at Otumoetai was completed last week, and he and his family have taken possession. Mr H. L. Harston, pianoforte tuner, is now in Tauranga on a professional visit. Mr Harston has gained for himself a reputation during his ten years colonial experience. He has not alone always held the largest and best connection here, but throughout all the district between the Thames and Gisborne, and we are pleased to say that he has got nearly all to himself. Outside of this connection he has tuned for many of the best musicians that have -visited the Colony, amongst whom is M. Kawalski, W. H. Jude, Madam Van de Yere Green, Miss O'Rielly, Madam Bansbon, Miss Eosson, Madam Goldenstedt, Mr SnazeU, Lynch Family, Montague-Turner Co., Payne Family, Palmer-Beaumont Concert Co. etc., besides all the principal musicians residing between the Thames and Gisborne. Last evening the Good Templar's Hall was crowded, and many who sought admission had to be refused, the occasion beingan open meeting in connection with Lodge No 43. A lengthyprogramme was gone through, and all items were much appreciated. We understand it is the intention of members to hold open lodge meetings more frequently. Mr Stewart Bates, of Opotiki, has been sworn in as Coroner and Justice of the Peace by Col. Roberts, R.M. Three Sisters of the Order of St. Joseph arrived here this morning by the Waiotahi on their way to the convent at Matata. All the old rooks of horses, damaged vehicles and broken harness arc being brought into commission to provide conveyance to the races on Monday. News comes from Matata that eels are very plentiful there just now, and one was caught last week which weighed over 20lbs. Mr Toss has got all his mechanical figures in position in the Theatre Royal, and they work splendidly. At the Wesleyan Competition Show to be held on February Bth prizes will be offered for rich plum cake, sponge-cake, madeira cake, fancy biscuits, small cakes, and pastry of all kinds. The Otago Daily Times says:— "lt would appear as if farmers in the soath anticipated a large harvest, judging by the number of binders that are now being delivered." 'Southern Standard' says that hundreds of sheep on the Waikara and Nokomai hills have perished owing to the coldness of the weather. Mobs of sheep, it is stated, from ten to twenty each, are lying dead on the Wendonside plains. "Auckland Star" says— "Seddon will go any length to retain office." Why, what has Seddon been doing to the Star now? It is rumoured that a Bill is to be introduced next session taxing New Zealand bachelors . A tax on spinsters might foHajSP*-"" / The petroleum in bulk ocean-carrying trade is assuming large dimensions, there being atj present 47 oil-tank steamers afloat, raging in size from 666 to 4134 tons gross, while no less than 17 more are at^pcesent being built at European yards. The yacht Coollana broke from her moorings at Queenscliff, Victoria, the other day, with only two hands aboard — & man named Prest and his son. They were obliged to run for Sorrento, and on arrival there Prest, senior, died suddenly of heart disease. At the Christchurch Board of Education last meeting notice of motion abolishing the corporallpunishment of girls in the schools of the district was given. The matter rose out of a complaint, which is being investigated, against the master of

In the course of the retrenchment crusade of the South Australian Parliament a c< saving" of £1000 was made by striking out the line for collecting agricultural statistics. The Treasurer said they were valueless, misleading information being given ; and the Premier proclaimed that the Register's harvest estimates were nearer the mark than the Government's. z¥he DeaJ Sea is, it is stated, to be 'navigated at last. It is part of the private demesnes of the Sultan, and the salt, bitumen, sulphur, &c, so plentiful in its waters and on its shores, axe to be made use of , and recently two sailing boats-— one rather large and heavy, for cargo, and \the other smaller and neater, for passengers — were conveyed by train to Jerusalem, an\thence to the lake. TfteHawera Star reports tbat a Mrs FaulknerT'who had been ailing for a Week past, recently sank into a lethargic state, which was mistaken by those attending on her for death . The usual arrangements following a death were made ; but about twenty minutes after the supposed decease, her sou was surprised to see her recover consciousness. Mrs Faulkner has now greatly improved, and hopes are entertained of her recovery. So far the cutting up of the Maerewhenua runs has not been a good thing for either the lessees or the Government. At the present time the Government has nearly all the blocks offered back on their hands, and the reason for this is not hard to find. The leases were put up to auction, and the prices offered by ; intending settlers, under the excitement of competition, were considerably more than the land was worth. It was known at the time that those who had secured blocks would never be able to continue the payment of the rentals they had offered ai the sale, and it was ox>ly a question of time before they would have to surrender. The surrenders have come, and nearly all — large and small — have now handed their sections back to the Government. The land w.'U be offered under a different system, and the price to be paid is that fixed by the Government, and not by the settler. There will j therefore be no mad competition for the land. We may state that what has occurred at Maerewhenua will occur in connection with the Cheviot leases. This is inevitable, according to good authorities. There is, however, a differin the, two cases. In the case of the Maerewhenua, the settlers were at fault in giving too much ; in the case of Cheviot, the Government were to blame for asking too much. — North Otago Times. An important judgment was on Tuesday given at the Thames by Mr Kenny, R.M., in the case of James Wi t Ricdet v. Benjamin Adams. The plaintiff, who is a ?ivery stable keeper, hired to Adams a mare to go to Waihi, and upon getting three-quarters of a mile past Paeroa she went lame. Instead of turning back or getting a fresh horse at Karangahake, the defendant rode on to Waihi, the mare, upon reaching there, being, according to evidence, dead lame and clean baked. She was carefully looked after for eight days, and, appearing slightly better, Mr Dar ; el Campbell started to ride her slowly to Paeroa. She was dead beat after going turee miles, and c"cd the same day in a paddock in which she was then placed. The plaintiff Claimed £14, and the R.M. gave judgment for the full amount, -with costs £10 Bs. Leave to appeal was given. The New Zealand Trust and Loan Company have declared a dividend of 9 per cent. The French expedition to Madagascar will consist of 10,00 soldiers. The intention is to extinguish the influence of the English missionaries in the island. A Government * leaflet ' is now passing through the press which stock owners would do well to apply for when printed. It is drawn up by Mr Charlton, the new veterinary inspector of stock. He gives it as his opinion that in daddocks where there is * cocksfoot ' and 'Yorkshire Fox J sheep cannot be healthy. He say« tbat cocksfoot is excellent when it is young, but after it branches out and becomes old it is not fit food for sheep. Yorkshire Fox he describes as simply a noxious weed.