The Press. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1867.

Press, Volume XII, Issue 1589, 10 December 1867, Page 2

The Press. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1867.

Ix considering the possibility of lowering the taxation, it is first of all necessary to ascertain what amount of revenue Is absolutely required in order to meet the permanent charges on the colony and the expenses of carrying on the Government. There is little use in crying out for a reduction of taxation, unless we arejprepared to show what it is that makes the taxation so heavy, where the expenditure is excessive, and how the desired reduction may be-effected. The first thing to be done is to examine closely how much the colony is spending a year, and on what; until we have full information on these points we can form no rational conclusion as to whether or not any of that expenditure can be dispensed with. In fact we must resolve ourselves in a committee of ways and means, and follow the reasonable business-like course of enquiring, first, what i s the total sum of money that has to be paid during the year, and then how the money can most conveniently be raised. The Appropriation Act passed by the General Assembly last session voted money in .various sums for defraying the cost of the public services for the current year , , amounting altogether to £406,009. This does not include the civil list, nor charges on account of colonial loans, with a few other expenses, all of which are provided for under special Acts, nor the interest and sinking fund of provincial loans. It comprises only what we may call the Governmental expenditure of the colony, in all its branches, which therefore at the present time may be reckoned at £400,000. The various amounts are arranged in the estimates under the following heads : —Public Domains, Public Departments, Law and Justice, Postal, .Customs, Native, Militia and Volunteers, Miscellaneous. The items under the head of Law and \ Justice amount to £69,148 (we omit 3 shillings and pence here and elsewhere for convenience sake) and those under the head Postal to £148,577 ; so that these two departments alone absorb more than half the entire expenditure, or £217,725. We must observe, however, that £21,000 is spent in paying up arrears of contribution to the Suez route, and therefore must not be taken: into this year's account, nor will it, occur again. Can there be no reduc-. tion effected here ? We can only say in reply that these services are solely for the public convenience, and their enlargement or reduction depends! entirely upon the public themselves.. If the people insist on having so large a number of stipendiary magistrates, and such abundant, we may say luxurious, postal accommodation, they; must not exclaim against the cost; if: they are willing to be more moderate in their desires, no doubt a saving cani be made. But we are bound to say that public opinion is not favourable! to a diminution of, expenses under] these heads. The attempts made by ! Government in that direction have! been received with marked —as witness the indignation meetings in Otago over the loss of a Resident Magistrate; while most urgent appeals are continually addressed to them for additional services, leading of course to additional expenditure. Of the other headings, Customs expends; £44,471. This sum represents the cost of the Custom-house establishments at all the ports in the colony, and nas been considerably reduced within the last two years. It amounts to little more than five per cent, on the gross sum collected. The Public Departments consume £44,565; of which £33,665 , is. spent ;at headquarters,, and £9900 in the. provinces in payments of Sub-Treasurers, Deputy Stamp Commissioners, TJeturning Officers, &c. This heading includes the salaries of all Government officers except those counected with the administration of justice, the cost of the Governor's establishment, and £he expenses of the General Assembly, the latter amounting to £13,321. It seems large, but we see hardly any room for reduction, unless it be by striking out the allowance hitherto made to members of the Assembly. Whether this payment should be continued or not is again a question for the people to decide j but as it has been settled in all the other colonies in the affirmative, and is sup-! ported here by the practice of Provincial Councils, we think ourselves justified in assuming that it is not the wish of the people that it should be abandoned. The Native expenses amount to £23,544, a very small sum when compared with former years. It may possibly still bear some reduction, but we cannot expect to govern 1 Natives any more than Europeans for nothing. The Militia and Volunteer charges are £24,53S ; and £48,083 4s expended under the head Miscellaneous. This includes a variety of scattered items such as every Government must expect to meet in the course of the year, and as each *jf them was considered and

passed by the Assembly we presume the expenditure was in all cases justifiable. The census ia the largest item, costing £SOOO, while £0000 is voted for the expense of receiving his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. The total amount then voted in the Appropriation Act is, as we have said, £406,009; to which must be added the Civil List and Permanent Charges, £333,313, bringing it up to £739,327, and also £175,000, the interest and sinking fund on provincial lo~ans~which is deducted from the provincial- half of the consolidated fund. The-grand-total is £914,327 ; and as the total revenue is estimated at £1,084,000, there will remain a balance i for the provinces of very nearly £170,000. It must be remembered however that the provinces pay collectively a very large sum for police, gaols, &c, which otherwise would have to be paid by the General Government. Aβ it is, this sum of £406,000—0r, subtracting the £21,000 of postal arrears, £385,000—covers the entire expenditure of r ihe General Government, and those w.ho demand a large reduction in the taxation can only have their desires gratified by such savings as they can accomplish in the various items, that go to make up that sum. It ia perfectly clear, therefore, that no such vast reduction as has been talked about can be effected. Tor our own part, after going carefully over the figures, we come to the conclusion that th« expenditure of the colony cannot under any circumstances be brought much under £1,000,000, half of which, the public must be again and again reminded, is absorbed by permanent charges which can neither be passed over nor reduced. So much for the expenditure; the next question is, how the necessary amount of revenue can be raised. At present the estimated revenue for the year,.is. as follows: —Customs, bonded stores, £5000; stamps, £75,000 ; miscellaneous, £134,000. Supposing the alterations in the manner of taxation that we have suggested were carried out, the account would stand "thTus: — Customs, £500,000; property tax, £250,000; stamps (including £50,000 derived from mortgages), £125,000 ; miscellaneous, £134,000. We take the stamps and miscellaneous at the Colonial Treasurer's estimate. If the provincial system were abolished, the miscellaneous revenue would be increased by the fees for public-houses, and other matters of a similar kind, now paid to the Provincial Governments. Under this plan a very substantial reduction of the Customs is effected, because the new taxation supplies the place of the duties remitted or- lowered; but unless, some new form of taxation is adopted x no reduction is practicable, beyond such petty sums as may be gained by dispensing with a few clerks, and the like, which though all very satisfactory so far as they go, are not of sufficient bulk to be appreciable in an expenditure that reaches a million. Musical Society.—The members of the Musical Society are requested to attend a practice on Wednesday evening. Bt. Luke's.—We have been requested to inform the inhabitants of; St. Luks's parish that divine service will take place every morning at nine o'clock until further notice. Caebiebs' Licenses. —All persons wishing to apply for the renewal of their carriers' licenses must do so on or before the 15th instant. Kaiapoi Sports.—These-sports, will this year take place in the same paddock in which they were held last year, and a like attractive programme has been provided. The Late Fiee at Me. Gould's.—We would remind the jury who were summoned on the enquiry into the origin of the late fire at Mr Gould's that the inquest will be resumed this afternoon at two o'clock, at the Carlton hotel,- ■'- Pbayeb Meeting. — The united prayer meeting for all denominations will be held this evening. at seven o'clock, in the Methodist Free Church, in St. Asaph street. The Rev. T. :R. Fisher will conduct the meeting. The Rev. C. Fraserwill deliver an address. BoATINjJ.—AII entries for the race, to take place on Saturday afternoon next must be made at the boat-house on Thursday evening j next, at half-past six p.m. The race is for pair-bared boats, with a coxswain • the course from Wright's corner to Ward's brewery. Magisterial.—At the Resident Magistrates' Court, Ktiiapoi, yesterday, —Seawood was charged with lunacy. The charge was preferred and the aeensed arrested on warrant at the instigation of a relative. On examination the sanity of the accused was proved, and the Bench dismissed the case, administering at the same time a word of reproof to the party bringing the charge. Ceicket.—A meeting of the members of the Match Committee is to be held thie afternoon at five o'clock at the Clarendon hotel, to receive answers from the sixteen players chosen to practise for the ihterprovincial match, and for other business. The match between the eleven and eighteen, with two bowlere, will probably be begun on Saturday afternoon at half-pastone o'clock, and will be played out on the following Monday. Financial Re*obm Association. — A meeting of the provisional committee of this association was held yesterday afternoon in the Town Hall, at four p.m. Present—Messrs W. Wilson (chairman), J. G. Hawkes, W. Montgomery, G. Gould, J. O. St. Quentin, and Wynn Williams. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. The rules as passed at the late meeting Df the committee were read, and it;waa decided that they ehould be submitted for adoption at the public meeting to be held this evening. Arrangements were made for the meeting and the committee separated. Theatbb Royal.—The performance at the theatre last evening was for the benefit of Miss Bowring, and we were glad to see a very full house. The play was Tom Taylor's drama "The Serf, or Love Levels All," which was mo»t successfully performed, and at the foil of the curtain Mies Bowring received a unanimous call. We regret that the very late hour at which the performance concluded precludes us from •giving a more lengthened notice, but the audience were evidently highly satisfied with the entertainment afforded them. To-night the same bill will be repeated.

Gbeat Southbbn Railway.—The timetable in connection with this* line is to bo observed on and after Monday, the 16th inetant, instead of Wednesday, as previously stated. Lyttelton Yoltnteee Aetiixesy.—The members of Xos. 1 and 2 Barteries turned out with their guns for practice at the target situated on the reef from Battery point yesterday afternoon, being the monthly Adjutant s parade. The result of the firing was not known when our report left Lyttelton. Lyttelton Fiee Brigade.—We arehappy to say that the Lytfelton Municipal Council have" taken the iniliative in affording their fellow townsmen some protection n«ainst fire. The Council, having conferred with the lato deputy-superintendent of the Fire Brigade in Lytteito.n, to whose experience they are indebted for the information required to form a hook and ladder brigade, intend laying before a public meeting of their townsmen the details of the scheme when sufficiently matured. Pending a regular system of water supply, which, situated as Lyttelton is, must be a work of some time and considerable expense, the fire engines may be deemed useless, more particularly since the land between Norwich quay and the sea wall has been reclaimed, thus cutting off the only certain supply available in an emergency. It is earnestly hoped that the insurance companies, as well as the public at large, will afford substantial aid towards carrying out this most necessary scheme, as in a wooden town, without water, the consequencee of an unchecked fire would be terrible in the extreme. Fatal Accident neae Westpoet.—A very melancholy accident, says the " Westport Star," occurred about one o'clock on the morning of November 26, at the Caledonian Lead, by which two men met with a most eudden death. Thie forenoon two miners of the name of Thomas Farrell and Samuel Alexander came into the police camp, and gave the following information :—" About one o'clock this morning we heard a roaring noise, which made us suppose a land slip had taken place. We rushed out of our tents and went to the place where the prospector's tent stood. It was driven down the hill several feet, and completely ruined ; there were six men residing in the hut la a t night, but two are still missing. Their names are Thomas Kilburn and William Evereste, and they are supposed to be buried under the debris from the hill. When we left to report the occurrence about thirty miners were busily engaged in endeavouring to disinter the men." Since writing the above the bodies have been dug out and brought to town. The bodies were found about three yards apart,and one was frightfully mangled. John Fleet, another-of the party, was dangerously injured, and is not expected to live. The bodies of Kilburn and Evereste were conveyed to the Nelson hotel. At the inquest held pn November 27 the following verdict was given by the jury:—"That the, said Thomas Kilburn and William Evereste were, on Tuesday, November 26, 1867, at the Caledonian-terrace, near Westport, in the eaid colony, casually and by misfortune killed by an accidental fall of earth, attributable solely to natural causes, and not to any negligence or carelessness of themselves or others." The funeral of the two unfortunate men took place on November 28. There were between 4QO and 500 miners and others present, the mates of the deceased being next the corpse. The Rev. Mr Harvey and Dr. Giles, R.M., headed the procession, and the former performed the usual burial service. Waimate. —A meeting of the Eoad Board was held at Waimate on Monday, the 2nd instant. Present — All the members. The minutes of the last meeting having been confirmed, letters were read. One from the Secretary of Publio Works, informing the Board that £540 had been paid to its credit into the Bank of New Zealand, Timaru ; and one from Mr Mouritz, naming his sureties for the contract on the Bush road. A requisition from about fifty of the ratepayers of the district was read, requesting the Board to elect Messrs M. Studholme and George Buckley, as members of the General Board, under the Timuru and Gladstone Board of Works Act. It was resolved —" That the sureties proposed by Mr Mouritz are not satisfactory, and that therefore his offer contained in his letter of November 5 cannot be entertained at present." Resolved —" That Tregoning Brothers be informed in, writing that the extension of time granted them for the completion of their contract has expired, and that they are called upon to state the reason why their contract is still unfinished. The gentlemen were then severally proposed as members of the General Board under the Timaru and Gladstone Board of Works Act, ; viz.—Messrs M. Studholme, H. R. Parker, and Geo. Buckley. Mr Buckley declined, on the ground that being at .present, a member of the Provincial Council for this district he though}, it better that some other gentjemaq should be elected to the General Board. Messrs M. Studholme and H. 8.. Parker were ihen elected members of the General Board under the Act. The Engineer was authorised tq employ labour in maintenance and necessary repairt! on'two newly-made roads, and was. instructed to prepare- an approximate estimate! of the amount that will be required during the next twelve months, to keep the main roads open for traffic between the Pareora and Waitaki. Sums to the amount of £300 were paesed for.payment, and the meeting adjourned to the first Saturday in January, 1868. MXTBDBE AT TaEANAKI BX A MaOßl;—The "Taranaki News," of November 14, states :— " An occurrence of a most melancholy nature took place last Thursday, about four o'clock, at .Manutati, which resulted in the death of a man named John Daniel Roby, who was shot by a Native named Inia. The circumstances are these : —A Mr Savage seeing the Maori, Inia, with some clothes, which he believed to have been stolen from the house of Mr Marshall, brought him to the inn at Manutahi, arid asked Mr Wakefield, who keeps it, to detain him while he fetched Mr Marshall; who on coming claimed the clothes; and Inia, giving no satisfactory account of how he came by them, it was determined to leave him at the inn in charge of the deceased Eoby, while a constable was brought to take him to town. Roby, having borrowed a rifle, was left with the Native in a room at the inn by Mr Wakefield, who almost immediately afterwards heard a ehot fired, and on rushing towards the place found Roby lying on his back in the passage; the Maori having made hie escape by the window. The poor fellow spoke but a few words, and died in less than ten minutes after being shot. No struggle took place between them as far as is at present known. ' It is supposed that Roby incautiously put tha rifle , out of his hand and turned his bacis for, a moment, when the Maori must have seized it and used it with the fatal effect described. The murderer was not' captured till the following morning, a Native named Rameka bringing him in. On being taken he made no resistance, but tried several times to take his own life—first by getting Rameka , a gun and trying to shoot hinuelf; then eeizing a billhook and trying to get into the bush; and in preventing him Rameka had his hand cut. He next tried to cut himself on the head with an American axe, but it was taken away from him. The inquest was held on Friday, at Manutabi, by J. Flight, Esq., coroner, when the jury, after hearing the evidence, and with short deliberation, returned a verdict of Wilful Murder against the Native Inia, and expressed their approbation of the conduct of the Natives in giving him up." Chbistchubch and Lyttelton Railway. —This line is now fairly opened to the public, seven trains each way having run yesterday. j The arrangements were admirably carried out by Messrs Holmes and Co, and no hitch either to alarm the fears of the excursionists or to cause delay wae experienced. The trains ! performed the distance easily within the speciI fied time, namely, half an hour. The first I train, consisting of four carriages, left the station at nine a.m., that ia by the corrector railway time, which ie about a quarter-of-an-hour slower than that as rung by the City belL It was somewhat amusing yesterday to see numbers of people flocking in full baste to the Railway-station, thinking they ..were late-when at the same-time they -had fully~a

quarter-of-an-hour to spare. The tram was however full at five minutes past nine, and, including stoppages at the Opawa station and ut the mouth of tho tunnel to take up some friends of the contractors, run the distance in twenty-nine minutes, the time occupied in .rosng" through the tunnel being cix minutes and "a-half. The journey down was a very pleasant one, very little vibration or jolting being felt, and tli'e cure running as smoothly in the tunnel as on any other part of the road. Each carriage is supplied with a lamp, and vory little inconvenience from clo*>o or confined air is felt in the tunnel. The journey back through the tunnel occupies so-newhat more time, as from LyHelton to the lloatheote end there is a considerable incline; but the time taken yesterday in coming through was only eight "minutes," the train arriving ut the Christchureh etation exactly to time. No demonstration ■whatever was made; the first train left and arrived without even a single cheer. Of course Port looked a little livelier, owing to the number of visitors from Christohurch, but no flags were flying or any of (he other usual concomitants of an affair of the kind. "Wo presume that it is intended on some future grand occasion to have a formal opening. We hear that the line is likely to be fully occupied during the next week or two, as in consequence of goods being held back upwards of a thousand tons have been collected at the goods sheds in Christchurch, which, with those coming in, will keep the line fully employed for some days. A neat little station has been erected at Lyttelton on the reclaimed ground, and the platform, which is at present rather short, is being rapidly lengthened so ac to give ample accommodation. Agkiculthbal and Pastoral Association. —A meeting of the committee of this association was held yesterday afternoon at the rooms of Messrs Wilson and Alport. Present — Messrs R. "Wilkin (chairman), Gould, W. Wilson, Washbourne, Page, Graham, Norman, Shand, Alport, H. P. MurrayAynsley, and the hon secretary, Mr E.B. Bishop. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Some conversation then took place as to the prizes awarded at the last show to the owners of the ponies, and it was ultimately decided that the. award given by the judges should be confirmed, as fur as regarded the first prize, the second prize to be given to Mr Gilchfist for his exhibit. The chairman stated that he had received a letter from Mr Bust, secretary of the Farming Association, respecting the question of amalgamation with the Farmers'' Club and Agricultural and Pastoral Society. The following gentlemen, comprising the deputation from the Farmers' Club, were then admitted. Messrs Kennaway, P. Kerr, G. Duncan, P. Tisch, Tosswill, and Bust. Mr Kennaway stated that the Farmers' Club thought that something more might be done towards the interests of the farmers, and witli that idea the Farmers' Club had been formed. Mr Kennaway then read the objects of the club as published, and stated what had been done at its last meeting. The objects of the two associations were almost the same, although they might not be expressed in the same words, and he thought that there would be but little difficulty in bringing about an amalgamation. The Chairman stated that the present was only a meeting of the committee of the Agricultural and Pastoral Society. Anything they might do would have to be ratified by a general meeting. Mr Kennaway waa aware of the fact, but still an expression of opinion might be given, so that the Farmers' Club might decide whether to go on with the formation of the club or not. Mr Tosswill .said that one of the chief objects of the Farmers' Club was to have a place where they could meet and discuse farming matters. As an instance, he could state that within! twenty miles of ChrietohUrch in one district they were paying 5a per day, in another 6s, and in another 7s and 8s; There should be some place , at which 1 they could meet and discuss their affairs. Mr Wilkin said that it had never been, the abject of , the Agricultural and Pastoral Society to keep # out the farmer, but to hold out to him every inducement for entering as a member.. He thought that if they united a stronger society oould be formed,; and one much more likely to do good than by divided efforts. The want of funds had been a great drawback to the society. It was never contemplated to confine the work of the society to the , mere holding of an annual show. Mr Tisch said; that he was sure that if the amalgamation took; place he could secure two members to the joint society. Mr Wilkin stated . to the deputation that the Agricultural and Pastoral; Society wore; quite willing to carry out the views of the Farmers' Club, although there; might be . some little discussion as to the rules, to be adopted. After some discussion the deputation withdrew, and it was decided that a sub-committee, to consist of Messrs ■ Page,! Wilson, Grigg, and Noi"man lf be appointed toi confer with a.sub-committeeof tne farmers' Club in reference to .a basis on which an) amalgamation of the two societies can be effected. It was decided that the hon. tary should forward the' foregoing resolution; to the committee of the Farmers' Club. Thb meeting then adjourned. ; The Auckland Goldeields. — The " Southern Cross," of the 3rd instant, says that alluvial diggings have at length beeri discovered not far from the original claimei By the Janet Grey, from Mercury bay, wd learn that Barry and party, who have been prospecting the ranges at Mercury bay for the past fortnight, have reported most favourably of alluvial deposits, and have etruck a gold: bearing reef which bids fair to excel in richness the claim on the Karaka bearing this prospector's name. Wβ also ; learn that the party have picked up the shovel, pick, and tin dish of the prospector Paget, who, it will be remembered, was drowned by the capsizing of the schooner Rapid, whilst on his way to Auckland with two bottles of alluvial gold; in order to claim the Government reward of '£2000. A writer in the same paper, of the 30th ultimo, however, gives the following as the result of his personal observation and experience in the prospect to be obtained froni the general-.working of the fields. Having heard various accounts of the richness of the Thames goldfield, it may not be considered "uriadvisabteTor have the opinion of one who has been digging, and prospecting on the ground for ten weeks. At the time I went the result of the first crushing of Hunt's claini was just known, and everything appeared bright. Hard work only was required, and at that period it was done willingly. For two weeks oar party laboured incessantly. At the end of that time we selected the best looking specimens of quartz (from reins), and one'of our party proceeded with 1 , about 7Qlbsweight to Auckland to get ; it' crushed'; it turned out to be non-auriferoua. Great care is necessary that all sources of error should be. eliminated in crushing samples of quartz, as I have no doubt whatever that the reports of quartz yielding gold in quantity when none was visible to the naked eye have induced many to continue on the diggings who would otherwise have abandoned .them ere this. With regard to the tons,, of quartz stated to be piled ready for crushing, some of it which I saw was hard granular sandstone, and some tons of it have been already abandoned. The working of the machines ie dispelling, or will soon dispel, the illusions of many who fancy that when quartz is obtained they may speculate at so many ounces per ton j the highest figure is always taken in which gold has been reported- as not visible- in the quartz. Frooi-a survey of the claims already; abandoned at Tararu and elsewhere, I have come to tho conclusion;that tho rich spot of. the field is only about a square half-mile in extent. This includes the three first claims mentioned in the daily papers, and also the mouth of the Waiptahi. Doubtless there are other claims outside this which are paying well, ' but they are isolated. The quartz leaders are email, and in a hw months most of the gold-bearing claims will not pay enough to induce small parties of men to stay on them, though companies may then, perhaps, be formed to work them still further. ; I am of [opinion that there--i»-gold throughout the 'ranges, but the difficulty of discovering the ; leaders, the broken-nature of the ground, and its dense,- bosh, -will deter many who , have not sufficient money to persevere in a lengthened ; sxamujatioa; of the country. The field at

present open will not give romnnerative rates to more than 300 diggers, while at tho present time about 2700 miners' rights hnvr boon issued, and numbers «rr> th> r > v,'. :) ~ , ;inot alFord to purchase oim ; in fine tho population i-uinot bo far short of 4000, find ovory means should be employed tr» diMusulo thoao wl 10 h.ivo not much capital from enrnvMinr ; n .„ hazardous an enterprise as going to v field in which tho possession of a hrgo capital i necessary now that tho most available por! tious htive been selected. How to Remove DisTittr 3T and Revivb Tbauk.— What course is to be taken to relii>y, money market of its u.«eleis reserves and simultaneously to re-establish confidence?' , ] , ! " Bullionist" rejoins:—Tα invest lurgolv in Government stocks, which nre 100 per more remunerative than tho best bills. Th' best bills yield only li por cent., but console at present prices pay 3£ per cent. Tho effect of large investments in consols would be an advance in the prices of all other securities In their rise they would carry all things Uu ' with thorn ; and with an advanco in the prices of thoso now depressed stocks in which th public invested their savings two or thr years ago, there would be a revival of ahimi* tion in trade, and a general brightening up n f the national spirit. Such a movement, wo a m satisfied, would prevent the necessity for establishing the precedent of a 1$ minimum of ratfl of discount at tho Bank of England. Without it we shall certainly come to that rate" simply from the irrepressible tendency to aocu' mulate which is in corelation to the up.wilhW ness or inability to use. It is evident that in their own interest no loss than in thoso of th public the Banks should place a, large pro . portion of their deposits in the publio etocke" which are as convertible aa bank-notes bat which, ualiko bank-notes, yield a return' that ie as desirable as it is safe. It ia "quite aa necessary to call upon the Banks to come out of their distrust as it ie to address the hfeo invitation to the public ; but the speciality of tho situation is, that the distrust is m orfl hanking than a commercial distrust, -ju change in tone must therefore proceed from the banking interests ; and as, from the deadness of trade and the absence of enterprise they will for some time be unable to find bills on which to actively employ their resources the other is: the-best and only alternative. ' CITY COUNCIL. The usual weekly meeting of the City Council was held last evening at seven p.m. Preaeftt —Messrs Wm. Wilson (ohairraun)>- Tombs, Duncan, Ruddenklau, Calvert, Hielop, Andor-' son, Thomson, and Jameson. The minutes'bf the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Town Clerk reported that the balanco to the credit of the Council atthe Bank of New Zealand was £914 10s. The receipts during the week had been—for general city rates, 1865, £2 16s 6d; for drainage, £1 8s 3d ; for general city rates, 1866, £6 5s ; for city rates, 1867, £74 12a 6d j from'sale of drain, pipes, £14 11s 9d; from the - Inspector of Nuisances, £9 0a 6d; and for rents in the- Market-place, 17s; total, £109 lie 6d. The weekly pay-sheet and several other aocoiints, amounting in all to £157 13a 6d, were passed and ordered to be paid. The report of We City Surveyor was then read. 1 The tender of Wm. Leggett for forming St. Asaph street from the Ferry road to Barbadoes street, 10£ chains, for £18 183, was accepted. It was decided that a portion of Tuam street, extending from Madras to Barbadoes streets, should be metalled. It was resolved ,that the Town Clerk be instructed to write to those inhabitants of Caahcl and High streets refusing to level and korb crossings over footpaths, informing them that the Council will put down the kerbing and stop the entrance to their rights-of-way after the 16th ihefant. ' • " .' i ' , Mr Anderson drew the attention of the Council, to the inconvenience caused at the corner of Cashel and Colombo streets by the hoarding erected in the centre of the footpath. No work had been done on the build/tig for some weeks past. The Council could allow the hoarding to be re-erected when the contractors were in a poeition to go on with fhe work. The Chairman stated that he had cauaed inquiries to be made by the City Surveyor, and he understood that the work was to be proceeded with on Thursday next. Mr Anderson moved—" That the Surveyor giyfl notice to Mr Grigg, the agent pf the pro* party at the corner of Cashel and Colombo streets, that the hoarding and stones; ou the footpath be at once removed-until the worts be resumed. Mr Hislop seconded the resolution, whJQh was carried. o * The following letter fronv his Excellency Sir George Grey, in reply to the letter forwarded by the Council, was then read:—" "To the "Chairman and Members of the Christohurch City Council,'&c, &a, &c. " Gentlemen^—l thank you very much for your address expressive of "yolTr* deep regrotefc my having been removed from tho Government of this country. Ican-aeaure you it is with sincere sorrow I find myself taken from New Zealand "and ' its people; - and' from intereste to which I have Jot 40 long devoted myself., - "I shall nover forget the splendid .reception which was afforded to mc by yourselves and the citizens of Christchurch upon my viait to your city. I have long hoped that I might have had the pleaeuro of accompanying his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh to Christchurch, but tha recent orders of the Home Government preclude mc from any longer hoping that I shall have that agreeable duty to perform, as I have been informed that in pursuance of, those orders my successor will arrive here to assume the Government of this colony in the middle of next month. " I feel very grateful to you for the wishes you express for my future success nndhappi , ness. That which I should regard 03 a great success and as a very great happiness would be. to be able hereafter to promote in otiy manner the interests and welfare- of 2*ew Zealand and of its inhabitants; and thus to show to yourselves and the citizens of Christ* church that I have not forgotten your or their acta of kindness to mc, not tho leaet acceptable of which ia -the address in which you have so kindly expressed your regret at our approaching separation. ..." (.Signed) G. Geet. " Government House, ,„„„„ " Wellington Novembsi; 25,1867. It was decided that the letter should be recorded in the minutes of the Council. ~ A letter was reacTfrom the Provincial Secrotary, stating that the hafd-labour gan^'would be placed at the service of the CouueU provided it would pay the warder* -salary. Mr Calvert nioved—"*Thatrthe eervicea of the gang be accepted on the terms mentioned." The motion was seconded and carried. Mr Doncan moved—"That the hard-labour gang be employed by thd Burveyor in trenching the Town Belt north, preparatory to Us being planted with trees, the street at (he same time on "the being formed, "under 'the instruction of the Public Worto Committee." ■ ■ '' ' ■ ' Mr Calvert seconded the resolution, which carried. A petition was read from several persons residing near the City hotel, complaining of the Overflow from the fountain. <^^ The Town Clerk was requested in reply to state that the matter had been attended to. A petition was read from the city carriers, complaining of the fiigh license fee at present charged by the Council, and suggesting that it should be lowered to 10e. Tho petition was ordered to bo received and ite cpntideratiopi deferred, for a week. The' petition in favour of the city being lO" oorporated was laid upon tho table. It wae signed by fifty-four ratepayers. The Town Clerk waa. requested te forward it to tho proper authority. . : The report of the Inspector was read ana considered. The Council then adjourned until Tuesday next, the usual day of meeting (Moaday) wing the annivereary of the'jaovince.

*£pjtff ; MAGISTRATE'S COUET. j -•^"e^mJHTraCH— December 9. / = [Before CTCrSowen, Eeq!, KM.] J •d was charged with, drunken- , ■*& _.Sinitli,.tbe maater.of the Immigration 1 jjefs, -V gait! the prisoner was employed at [ jgrracW* • wag f rc q Uent iy drunk, and ] very troublesome. His Worship 1 to be an incorrigible i m 3 He should send him to prison for ffSintbM a vagrant. , jjnrich Ebling was brought up, charged ( Elective Feast said he was in Wilson and ! t'a salevarde on Saturday. Hβ saw a ' ,o ' there, which prisoner claimed as his, '■(witness) then charged him with steal- , 'the saddle. Prisoner said he had bought four years ago, and said he could show \ He took the prisoner to the VP , White said he had a saddle lent him gaddler named Hesketh, while his own being repaired. He left hie horse tied up Enlace where he stopped, and on coming t iow& it waß g° ne - c &d not see the ■ Jβ till next morning at his own bouse. rrL saddle was gone. The saddle in Court ~ .rag the one. Thomas Heaketh said he lent White a , jj e . that in Court was the one. The value 5j { was £3 10s. ; prisoner denied the charge, and the case was diourned till Tuesday to enable him to produce the receipt. , John Burnside was charged with stealing tffo cornsacks, the property of Mrs Thurton, (wuner-square. Sergeant McKnight depoeed to arresting the •jQjjer. who said he knew nothing about the haree. ' Witness went to prisoner's house, Lj found a number of bags ; two of them jere identified by prosecutrix as her property. Ellen Thurton said she lived in Cranmer-,-jare. She identified the bags produced as ? erß . She caught prisoner taking two bags, jsd told him to give them up, which he ,sjj. She told him he had two more, which he denieu. He was remanded till Wednesday.