The Daily Telegraph SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3018, 26 February 1881, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1881.

At thelast meeting of the Municipal Council, Cr. M'Dougall moved "That the engineer be instructed to prepare an estimate of the probable cost of drainage works remaining to be lei, and also to prepare a plan and estimate of a scheme for extending the water supply to the bill portion of the borough." This motion was carried, and the fact tbat it was deemed necessary to bring it forward shows how loosely the drainage works are being executed. Irrora the time when the first contract was Jet the ratepayers have been led to believe, from the etatements of the Mayor and of the late engineer, that with a slight alteration of the levels Mr Napier Bell's scheme was being carried out. Mr Bell's scheme involved an expenditure of not more than £15,000, but how much the present works will cost not a Councillor can tell. It seems preposterous that at the eleventh hour the engineer has been instructed to ptepare an estimate of the probable cost of the drainage contracts remaining to be let. Is there no e?timate of the total cost in the engineer's office ? Are there no data by which to calculate within £1000 the probable liabilities to be entailed by these wretched works? It seems not. We can scarcely conceive the Council to be in absolute ignorance of this most important subject, yet it is apparent that from the Mayor downwards not a soul knows what is being done, how much remains to be finished, or what it will cost. The borough has been committed to a scheme, and it looks very much as if the authorities, or whoever is responsible, are bungling along blind folded. Cr. McDougall's motion offered an opportunity lo the Mayor to show the Council, as well as the ratepayers, that he knew something of what ■•was going on, but as he allowed the resolution to pass without offering the slightest explanation we must conjecture tbat he is just as much in the dark as the office messenger. We had expected tbat ere this the newly-appointed engineer would have volunteered a professional report on all the works that have been finished, which are on hand, and what have to be executed to complete the [ drainage of the low levels, but as he has not done this it was absolutely necessary that he should be instructed to do so in tbe manner indicated by Cr. McDougall's resolution. From what fell from His Worship it appears a settled conviction in his mind that the drainage scheme is an indefinite term that includes the metalling of streets, the formation of footpaths, and the quarrying of curb-stones. At the same time he is perfectly satisfied that no extension of the water supply can be legally commenced until,.>s»<? drainage scheme is completed. With all due deference to the legal lights by whom His Worship is sometimes pleased to be directed, we venture to think his supposition simply ridiculous. It is true that the loan was primarily raised for drainage purposes, but the scheme was never defined, and is not, in fact, defined up to the present moment. All that the Corporation has to be careful about is to see that the loan is not wasted, and that the debenture holders have not been induced to lend their money on false pretences." The whole scheme of drainage should long ere this have been elaborated, its coet estimated, and plans prepared, and the works initiated for the extension of the water supply. Had there been any system at all in the administration of the borough works there could have been no difficulty whatever in carrying out the drainage and the water supply at the same time. We need not here dilate upon the importance of having abundance of pure water. The residents on the hills know to their cost the want of it, and it is a scandalous ehamethatup to tbe present time no steps have been taken to fulfil the pledges given them when they consented to the imposition of a water rate. Cr. McDougall's motion shows how affairs have been thoroughly mismanaged, and we fear that this mismanagement has been due to both want of zeal and want of ability in those to whom the burgesses had a right to look for those qualities.

The Resident Magistrate took occasion, at the sitting of the Court this morning, to make some remarks upon larrikihism. He said that a gentleman had complained that, having recently had his fence painted at considerable expense, come boys had coveed it with mud, and otherwise defaced it. He wished to give fair warning that if any boys were brought before him charged with any offence , of this kind they would be punished with exemplary severity. He would not be influenced by any sentimental nonsense about boys being boys j they would be charged with an offence against the law, and punhbed accordingly. There were also frequent complaints about apple steali»s; by boy?. To steal apples was just as muc i a crime as picking a pocket, and oiten mere vexatious. A man often spent the little money he could spare in growing fruit, and then found that when ripe the fruit was stolen. If any boys were brought before him for this offence, they would be punished for stealing, with a whipping in addition. We have frequently had occasion to call attention to this very common crime of fruit stealing. This warning from the bench is very timely, and we trust it will have the effect of making parents caution their children of tbe consequences likely to follow any attempt at satisfying their craving for fruit at the expense of others. It is verydesirable thatmagistrates should take a firm stand in this matter of putting a stop to Jerrikinism, which is on the increase throughout tbe colony, and not be detered from the discharge of their duty for fear of any blatant sentimental rubbish about repressing the natural flow of animal spirits in the rising generation. It is to be regretted that the parents of boys convicted of such offences, cannot be fined in addition to tbe punishment inflicted upon their offspring. Such a penalty would probably have the effect of inducing more care in the bringing up of boys, and a greater watchfulness of their habits when they arrive at an age to be mischievous.