THE CITY COUNCILAND THE REFORM ASSOCIATION.

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 49, 1 March 1881, Page 2

THE CITY COUNCILAND THE REFORM ASSOCIATION.

It is not easy to see how the City Council could have acted otherwise than they did last night in declining to accept the resolutions of the Reform Association. However sensible and reasonable these resolutions 1 might be, they did not emanate from the ratepayers as a body, or from any elected or representative body at all. The Reform Association, while capable of doing' mnch useful work in directing public attention to municipal abuses, is nevertheless a wholly irresponsible body, which can in no sense be said authoritatively to represent the feelings of the burgesses, because this has never been put to any test. The City Council, on the other hand is a responsible body, and does represent the ratepayers, because elected by the latter. As Councillors Logan and Maginnity justly pointed out, the ratepayers had an opportunity every year of signifying their approval or disapproval of their representatives' action by re-electing or rejecting them, and last September all four of the retiring Councillors were re-elected, three unopposed. This- was so plain a token of approbation that the City Council certainly would not be justified in altering their general policy at the dictation of a dozen private individuals, whe spoke under no

authority from the ratepayers, while the Council directly represented the ratepayers. If these- latter disapproved the proceedings of the Council, they had ample opportunity last September of demonstrating that disapproval at the poll, but they did just the reverse, giving the strongest possible expression of their in the Council by re-electing all the retiring members. In the face of this, it is useless attempting to go behind the vote of the ratepayers, and until that vote is reversed the present general policy of the Council must be deemed to have the approbation of the public. If this were not the case, the popular feeling would soon find expression through large meetings and numerously signed memorials. In this case these have been conspicuous by their absence, and as the Eeform Aesociation can produce no warrant frr their action, they can only be regarded as a useful little private political club. They would be quite right in directing their attention to specific grievances or local needs, and we feel sure that any representations they might make on such matters would receive due consideration from the City Council, although the latter, as the elected representatives of the ratepayers, certainly would not be justified in submitting to any dictation as to their general policy from a non-elective and irresponsible association of private individuals. The Customs revenue for the month of February, ended yesterday, showed a large increase compared with the corresponding period last year. The revenue for the month just ended was .£18,390 8s 9d, and for February, 1880, .£11,062 18s Id. Mr. Wm. M'Lean's letter in answer to " Shareholder " is crowded out of this issue, but will appear to-morrow. During the month which expired yesterday, 87 births and 47 deaths were registered in the Wellington District, and 17 certificates of marriage issued. The members of the University Senate met as usual yesterday morning, the Chancellor presiding. The report of the committee ap-' pointed to consider the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Bill was brought up by Dr. Hector, and deferred for discussion at the next meeting. The Finance Committee then held a sitting, after which an adjournment was made till to-day. A sitting 'of the Assessment Court for the Kaiwarra Local District is advertised to be held at the Kaiwarra Schoolroom, on Saturday, J2th March, at 11 a.m. At the same time and place objections to the valuation lists for the Hutt County will also be heard. A somewhat important notice, issued from the Public Works Office, appears in our advertising columns, in reference to the laying-off of a road through the Harbor, Kaiwarra, and Porirua districts. The City Engineer is engaged in preparing an alternative plan for the bridge to convey the water-pipes across the Hutt River of a less expensive character than that originally proposed. When completed, the plan is to be submitted to. Mr. Blackett, C.E., for his approval, prior to being discussed by the Council. Two disciples of the piscatorial art repaired to the Queen's Wharf yesterday morning for the purpose of trying their luck, and pegged out claims adjoining each other. Angler No. 1 was exceedingly fortunate, bringing the finny creatures to shore in great numbers. This circumstance served to excite the envy of Angler No. 2, who failed to secure even a nibble. Nevertheless, with praiseworthy perseverance, the latter continued to sit at the edge of the pier for some hours, in the earnest belief that the next moment wonld find him more lucky. At length his patience and temper deserted him, and to the dismay of his companion, he used a big, big D. Each time his brother-fisher landed a fish he repeated the inelegant expression. Eventually, Angler No. 1, whose feelings were thus outraged, chalked the obnoxious expletive on the wharf, and requested the other to point to it every time he felt inclined to utter the word. The suggestion was accepted, and what with Angler No. 1 hauling out the " spoil" on the one hand, and Angler No. 2 pointing dejectedly to the writing on the timber on the other hand, things went pretty merrily for the reat of the day. Mr. Sandilands, counsel for the defendant in the recent action instituted by the Customs'authorities against Mr. Charles Martin for having seven unstamped boxes of cigars in his possession, to-day received a letter from Mr. MKellar, Collector of Customs, stating that the fine of J2IOO has been reduced to .€8 Bs, being equivalent to the lesser penalty provided by the Tobacco Act. The cigars are to be returned to Mr. Martin, and Mr. MKellar intimated that had the invoice for the cigars been produced in the first instance, the prosecution would not have taken place. A oombined Horticultural Show and Exhibition of Colonial Manufactures and Works of Art will be held in the Arcade on Friday and Saturday, the 11th and 12th inst., under the auspices of the Wellington Horticultural Society. : tt will be - remembered that a. similar local industry exhibition was held in the spring, and although a first venture of the kind, was a very successful affair. The present, exhibition willy doubtless, be even ¦more successful. The prices of admission are adults I|, and ohildren half-price. ' Mr. Angelo Forrest's farewell recital at the Athenaeum last was in every respect worthy of his ability and his fame. It is needless to say that he played magnificently from first to last, and, if possible, increased the general feelingot regret that he is so soon to be' lost to Wellington. His solos were admirably selected to display his versatile talent.- He* played tWb of Bach's Preludes and Fugues (Nos. 2 and 3 of the famous '" 48"), Handel's" Harmonious Blacksmith," Mozart's Sonata in A major ; Beethoven's great " Funeral. March" Sonata in A flat, Op. 26 j Weber's Sonata, Op. 24 ; three very original studies by Moschelos; Schubert's M omen s Musicals, No. 3, and Impromptu, No. 2 :. Mendelssohn's Capriccio in F sharp minor, and two " Lieder ohne worte" (Book 1, No. 3, and Book 6, No. 4) ; Chopin's Grand Valse in E flat, Op. 18 ; and two compositions of .the Abbe Liszt, "Le Rossignol and " Hungarian Airs." Mrs. George Cotterell sang Handel's " Lascia oh' io pianga" (Rinaldo); Weber's "Soitly sighs" (Der Freisohiitz); Mendelssohn's "Jerusalem" (St. Paul), and Schubert's song, " The Question," with her usual consummate taste and artistic skill. Her voice has improved in richness and volume since last she was heard, but we regretted to notice for the first time a slight tendency on her part to use the vibrato a little too mnch.' Both she and Mr. Forrest were loudly applauded for all their contributions, indeed we have seldom seen a more enthusiastic or appreciative audience. Mr. Forrest's departure from Wellington is a serious loss to the cause of music here, and while we wish him every success at Auckland, we heartily hope he may find it convenient to return hither at no distant date. The Pearl of Peace Lodge, 1.0. G.T., is announced to celebrate its seventh anniversary by a tea and musical and literary entertainment at the Bey. H. B. Redstone's school-room, Courtenay Place, this evening. The tea commences at 6.30 o'clock. The Rev. H. B. Redstone will preside, and a pleasant evening is anticipated. Particulars will be found in our advertising columns. Mr. D. Hall, the City Missionary, thanki fully acknowledges the receipt of the following subscriptions, in aid of his support, for February :— Mr. R.M.C., £1; Mrs. J.H., £1; Mrs. 8., 2s6d; Mr. W.W.K., ss; A. and J., ss; Mr. A.8., ss; Mr. -J.S., ss; Mrs. X., 5s ; J. and R.S , ss ; Hon. Mr. D., .£1; Mr. J.E.S., .£1 Is; Mr. J.W., 10s; Friend, ss; Mr. D Jj., 10s ; Hon. Mr. A., .£1 Is ; Mrs. A., £1 Is ; G.T., 2s 6d. Total, ,8945. The regular session of the Pioneer Lodge, 1.0. G.T., was held last evening in the Friendly Societies' Hall, Bro* Wm. Hutchison occupying the chair. Four candidates were initiated and others proposed; and a number of members applied for their second degree. It was announced that next Sunday evening Bro. Maston would preach a sermon under the auspices of this Lodge. The latter part of the evening was devoted to singing, etc. Next Monday the Degree Temple will pay an official visit. >A tea meeting in connection with the Church of Christ isJahnounced to be held at the Foresters' Hall to-night. At the Opera last night, "La Dame Blanche" was repeated for the third time. This evening FlotoVs popular opera " Martha " will be produced ; to-morrow, Wallace's " Maritana " ; on Thursday, .Verdi's "Traviata"; and on Friday and Saturday, Weber's immortal work "Der Freischutz." The London Telegraph of 29th December, contains a highly eulogistic article on Sir Hercules Robinson, apropos of bis starting for the Cape. It sayß he is the best Governor under the British Crown. The South Canterbury Times is disgusted with the Wellington correspondent of the Press, and calls him "a secret-puzzle-box-with-the-spasms and "a bilious corresponding logogriph." The Rising Star Juvenile Temple was convened last evening, at the Athenaeum. Six candidates were added to the roll of membership, 'and others proposed. Bro. Johnson, G.W.C.T., gave an address upon the first Band of Hope, whioh is mentioned in the Bible, in DanieL « The society of juveniles appears to be prospering well. A farmer named Thomas -O'Shaughnassy, living at Kakaramea. in the Patea District, has been committed for trial for malicionsly shooting and killing a horse, value .£lO, the property of Jameg Hansen. settler. It was alleged that the defendant shot the animal because it came rubbing against his fence. Bail was allowed, defendant in £200, and two sureties in JJIQO each.

TTin Excellency the Governor has decided to pay a brief visit to the chief towns of Canterbury and Otago during the present month, and will leave Wellington by the Hinemoa for Lyttelton in the course of next week. Hia Excellency's absence from Wellington will extend over about a fortnight. A private conference between the City Council and Harbor Board, relative to the sale of the Queen's Wharf by the former to the latter, was held last night after the conclusion of the Council meeting. A long discussion took place, both parties expressing their willingness to agree to reasonable terms. Ultimately, we understand, a price for the wharf was named by the Council, and the Harbor Board agreed to take the proposal into consideration. By the barquentine May a case of nine monkeys were brought to Wellington from Singapore, and Messrs. W. & G. Turnbull and Co. offered to present them to the Botanical Gardens. There was some hesitation on the part of the authorities as to whether they could accept this monkey show, as the trustees were, we believe, laboring under the idea that they were too poor to keep them ; but to-day they decided to take these nuclei of nine human beings, and Messrs. Turnbull & Co. have been notified of the fact. With menagerie, comprising a cassowary, a pond of tadpols, aud nine monkeys, the Botanical Gardens ought to become a most attractive resort for all and sundry. In reference to the statement of a Southern conteniperary, that "if one Government Department had communicated to the police certain information which it had in its possession, the [Tararna gold] robbery would have been explained long ago," it may suffice to say that the " Government Department" referred to is the Telegraph, and the "information " merely such as would be derived from private telegrams by the operators who transmitted them. It may readily be judged whether it would be proper for that sort of " information" "to be " communicated to the police" on the chance of its convicting somebody or other. A very- unusual accident occurred this afternoon in Willis-street. A dray, loaded with coal, belonging to Messrs. Fisher and Crook, was proceeding up the street, and when near Mr. Duthie'B ironmonger's shop one of the wheels sank about 10 inohes into the clay with which the new watermains have been covered. The solitary horse was suddenly brought to a stand-still, and all efforts on his part to extricate the cart were unavailing. Just about, this time, however, th 9 tram came down "the line, and became a friend in need. As the horse could not move the dray, and as the engine could not pass till the dray was out of the way, the engine-driver and guard procured a stout rope, and attaching it to the engine and dray, the former was backed astern and soon lifted the dray from its awkward position. The idea was a novel one, and the operation created considerable amusement. The circumstances attending an application made to the Licensing Bench this afternoon, for the transfer of the license of the Albion Hotel from Mr. Charles Martin to Mr. Peregoine Bertie, were, to say the least, of a rather "mixed up" character. Mr. Sandilands appeared for Mr. Bertie, who admitted that he had privately sold the bulk of his stock-in-trade, and had also disposed of at auction the whole of his furniture, and further,thatitwashis intention to leave Wellington within a week. Mr. Stafford appeared for Messrs. Donald and Pascoe, who together own a half-share of a 42 years' lease of the hotel, the other half being the property of Mr. Martin ; and he opposed the application until it should be satisfactorily shown that it was not being made merely for the purpose of having the license afterwards temporarily transferred from Mr. Bertie to Mr. Fisher, alias Gleich. Sergeant Anderson announced that the police would certainly oppose the transfer of the license to Mr. Fisher, on the ground that he was not a fit and proper person to hold it; and ultimately the Bench postponed the application for a week, to enable Mr. Bertie to make up his mind as to what he was going to do. At the same time, they intimated that Mr. Bertie must clearly understand that they were not disposed to license him tor the purpose of licensing another parson in whom they had no confidence. There was a short sitting of the Bankruptcy Court at noon to-day, before his Honor the Chief Justice, when the following debtors received their discharge : — William Isherwood Baine, of Wellington ; Henry Neilson, of Wellington, and William Jas. Ridler, of Petoni. Mr. Ollivier's application for the discharge of John M'lntosh, of Lower Hutt, was opposed by Mr. Gully on behalf of one of the creditors, and the case was adjourned till the 15th instant. The following tenders have been received for laying down water mains in Murphystreet and Cambridge Terrace respectively: — Scott and Co., £3 5s and' Js3'Bs per chain ; Bayliss and Co. , £2 15&* nd J63 ; F. Lenowry, £l 18s and £2- 10s ; R. Lyon, £2 7s 6d and £2 19s 6d ; Farrell and Co., *fil 13s 6d and £2 Is. Both Messrs. Farrell and Co.'s tenders were accepted. It is positively stated that the Reform .Club raised for election purposes. The Duke of Bedford gave £45,000, and the Duke of Westminster a larger sum. A notice appears elsewhere of a service of song, entitled " Christie's Old Organ," intended to be given by the choir of the Woodward-street Congregational Church on Tuesday next. Mr. T. Meyers, picture-frame manufacturer, advertises a reduction of 25 per- cent, on his usual charges. Mr. C. H. Ellaby announces in another column that he has opened a Seamens' Registry Office (licensed by the Government) in Custom House Quay, where seamen will be able to obtain information as to engagements on coastal or foreign-bound vessels An office of this kind has long been reqnired in Wellington, and no doubt will be duly appreciated by both masters and seamen.