MORE FINANCIAL MISSTATEMENTS.

Evening Post, Volume XLIX, Issue 115, 16 May 1895, Page 2

MORE FINANCIAL MISSTATEMENTS.

It is only fair to the Premier to say that he knows nothing of finance. What he knows he pioks up nerhaps from Treasury officials and supplements from his imagination. This is the only excuse for his misatatemonts at , Opunake. Let ns take one point. He said ' his Government bod iasned .£117,000 worth of debentures under the Consolidated Stock ■ Aot, but that was the lowest sum ever issued, and that previous Governments had issued as ! muoh as £280,000, The inf erenoe was that the issues of the previous Governments went to swell a snrplua, just as tho .£117,000 did. Now, this is untrue. Up to the last financial year a large part of the bonds issued under tho Aot at the boginning of the year were : repaid before the end of the year. If he had read the Financial Statement of 1881 he might have understood the operation. His ' own Government issued in 1893-91 no less a sum than £284,000. But £169,700 was repaid before the end of the year, s J the net issue was only £114,300. This year £117,000 > issued on the new system .was only in force i for nine months. There will be some small . returns under the Consolidated Loan Act of 18C7. Take for example the last year of the Atkinson Government. An amount of ' £275,000 was issued under the 18S4 Con- > sohdated Stock Aot, but £133,400 was re. I paid before the end of the year. It is . nonsenso, therefore, to cay that there has L been any gain to the colony by the new 1 system adopted. It does not vary our liabilil ties or alter the aid we get from the 1881 Stock 1 Act by one farthing. And yet tho Premier of the colony led the people at Opnnake ' to believe that some great gain had been got E by the new system adopted by tbe Treasnry. . Indeed, the system was adopted on the re- . commendation of Mr. Gavin, Assistant Con- , troller and Auditor, and for the purpose of ; simplifying the accounts. Financially, it is , no gain to the colony, and the oolony got, l as we have said, as muoh aid in 1891-95 as in , 1893-91. He having failed to understand the , simple transaction of the issue of bonds ■ under the 18S4 Act, we need not be sur- . prised to find the Premier flounderl ing when he deals with other financial k questions. We have not got our money , at 3 per cent. It has oost us at the least i\. We have had a financial failure, \ not success, in oqr attempts at land pnr- . ohase and settlement. The Act provides I that the return is to be 5 per cent on the 1 land pnrohased and settled under the Land r for Settlements Act. On the Premier's own , admission it is just over 4 per cent., and , the settlers are olamonring for a reduotion 1 of their rents. Indeed, the best test of the value of Pomahaka was what the Magistrate, ' on evidenoe in open Court, fixed as its , value. The land has been roaded and , improved, and houses built, since the , Government pnrohased — bnt the Magistrate . fixed the value at £2 per aore. This was t done after a oontost in the Court. But, as L we have said, the Premier's strong point is , not figures. It is wild assertion so often , repeated that we must assume he haß begun to believe what he Bays. As to the oredit ] of the colony having been vindicated, we wait till we see what assertions have been made in London. If the statements made f there have been no more truthful than those made here, then the people in England have been wofully deceived if they have paid any attention to the assertions about our finanoial strength. '"

On the fourth page we publish particulars of the Wellington Rowing Club's social gathering, and of a meeting of the Welling- , ton Rugby Union, besides letters to the Editor and other matter. . More than 200 shooting lioenses have so - far been taken out this season in the Wei- j lington .Provincial Distriot. , Argument in the case of Winiata Te j Whaaro v. Airini Tonore and another was concluded in the Court of Appeal this morn- ' ing. Judgment was reserved. ' Dissatisfied with the finding of the Har- 1 bour Board in regard to the complaints 1 made as to favouritism on the wharf, and in 1 the belief that they cannot get justice under < the present system of eleotion to the Board, the Carriers' Union has deoided to interview the Premier and request an alteration in } the system of eleotion, either in the direation of giving householders voting power or { establishing the one-man-one-vote system. Mr. F. H. Fraser is to be asked to introduce the deputation. The Union has deoided to J support the candidature of Mr. H. Beau- t ohamp for a seat on the Board in the eleotion t now pending. c Mr. D. J. Nathan has aooepted an invitation to attend the quarterly meeting of the Bu«h Districts Farmers' Club on the 7th ' prox., and read a paper on his frozen meat f trust soheme. _ , B , A solitary drunkard occupied the polio* 1 cells last night. He wasmuloted in the S usual fine on appearing before the SMpbn- p diary Magistrate this morning. ■

In reply to an enquiry mode yesterday, Vlr. J. Edwards writes : — " Toar oor. respondent who enquires abont the stars trill find them as follows : — Alpha Centauri, ;he principal star in the constellation Dontlur, is one of two bright stars seen near the Southern Cross. If he knows the Dross, which is now nearly overhead, he trill see the two stars I mention below the Orosß, or in a direction sonth and east. The brightest of the two, and the farthest from the Cross, is Alpha Centauri. Canopua, the principal star in the oonstellation Argo, will be found near the largest of the Magellan Clouds, and approaching the S.W., while Sirins is very conepiouous in the west, setting about 8 o'clook." Another correspondent (H. Sohaw) givos the following further information :—": — " I would say that Alpha Centauri is that one of the two bright Btars near the constellation of the Southorn Cross, and whioh point to the Cross, which is the further of the two from tho Cross. Alpha Centauri is at this time of the year nearly on our meridian at 11 o'olook at night. This is not a favourable time of the year for observing Sirius or Canopus, whioh are nearly on the same meridian, as they now set very -mrlj. Canopns, indeed, is so near the Southern Pole that it can hardly be said to set at all; but it gets very low down on the horizon towards midnight. The best time to boo thoßO two stars now is as soon as it gets dark, and the observer should get on to the hills, so as to see as low down as possible towards the western horizon. The brilliant oonstellation Orion will then be seen setting a little to the north of west, and the three stars close together in line, and known as Orion's Belt, point a littlo to tbe north of tbe very brilliant star Sirius (or Alpha in Canis Major). Duo south of Sirius, and about half-way between it and the South Pole, or a little further from Sirius than Sirius is from Orion's Belt, will be seen Canopus, a star almost as bright as Sirius." The looal Assembly of the Knights of Labour, at a meeting held last night, passed a resolution expressing pleasure at the assurance given by the Minister for Labour at Stratford of the intention of the Government to press forward dnricg next session tbe question of raising unimproved land values. The following proposals for consideration at tho next Distriot Assembly wore also approved : — That tbo Government be asked to establish State fire insurance, and to extend the munioipal- franchise to adults of twelve months' residence ; that the functions of the Post Office Savings Bank bo expended by allowing withdrawals by cheque; that with a view to an increased use of poßtal notes tbe charge of 3d for £1 notes be abolished ; that the Government be asked to reduce the duties on the necessaries of life, tho deficiency in revenue to be made up by increasing the tax on land or removing the exemptions in the Land Tax ; that the Government bo urged to open up new coal measures by 00-operativo labour. It was Miss Seddon— not Mrs. Seddon, as misprinted on the fourth page— who made the presentation to Mr. Bishop at the Wellington Rowing Club's gathering last night. " A Miner," who has recently visited the Mahakipawa gold field, writes us a long letter pointing out tho opening it affords for mining industry and the investment of capital. The alluvial deposits would pay well if systematically worked. At present there are only two claims being worked in deep ground. These claims arc paying well. The depth of sinking is from 70 to 100 feet. Some of the ground worked has proved immensely rich. The working is in wash dirt and cement, and there is about fonr miles of auriferous lead known. While our oorrespondont was on the field one olaim of 30 acres was pegged off by a mining speculator who intends boring for the lead with an improved drill, and it successful to form a substantial company to work the ground upon a large scale. A real Coolgardie thus exists within a few hours' journey of Wellington if only capital were engaged to develop it. Anywhere else than in New Zealand suoh ground would be rushed. Whilu at Mahakipawa our correspondent met with an old Wairarapa resident, Mr. A.H. Ewington, at whose comfortable hostelry, tho Mahakipawa Hotel, ho stayed while on the field. The pawnbroker's license held by Joseph Metz was renewed to-day by tho Stipendiary Magistrate for a period of 12 months. A resident at South Karori writes to warn people against a man in that neighbourhood who on Sunday afternoon last accosted a littlo girl who was returning from church, and behaved indecently towards her. He then offered the child a penny to go into the bush with him, promising co find her a bird's nest. Ihe child refused, and while he was pressing her a boy came along, and the fellow made off. The child was muoh frightened when she reached home. On) the Wellington Bowling Club's green yesterday afternoon, Russell and White played tho final match for the Vioe-Prosi-dent's (Mr. F. Grady) medal, tho latter, winning it by 21 to 9. Tbe sudden death of a six-weeks-old infant named Ivy R. Fleming, boa' ded out with Mr. William Giles, Tinakori-road, was reported to the police as having occurred this morning. Tbe Coroner will hold an inquest at 11 o'olook to-morrow morning. The Stipendiary Magistrate entered up jndgmont for plaintiffs in the following civil cases to-day :— W. B. Edwards v. R M' Master, £5 53, costs 10a ; P. Haymau and Co v. S. Stidolph, £1 14s Sd, costs Gd; D.I.C. v. W. H. Hawkins, .£1 193 9d, oosts 0s ; Laery and Co. v. W. C. Davis, .£8 18s 3d, costs .£1 58 Cd ; Odell and Laing v. A. B. Green, lls 9d, costs 6s ; same v. P. Diamond, £7 0j lOd, costs £1 7s Gd ; Stewart and Co. v. K. Naylor, judgment summons for .£2O 9a Id, defendant ordered to pay tho amount forthwith, or go to gaol for two months. Tbe following Bteamers have been selected for the npw Australia- Japan trade :—Yamashiro Mara, 2826 tons register ; Sakura, 2690 tons register ; Shibata Maru, 2879 tons register ; and Toyohoshi Maru, 2819 tons register. These vessels are of the most modern typo, and very fait, and have Insurious passenger accommodation. At Port Underwood laßt week Mr. Deaoon captured, with a small toggle-iron and lance, a scsmpordown whale between 25ft and 30ft long, which will yield about 100 gallons of oil. The oil of this fish is said to be only second to the best sperm whale oil. The whalers in Tory Channel are engaged in active preparation for the ooming season, and three crews, piloted by Meßsrß. 1 John Love, Rewi Love, and the veteran Jim Jackson, are expeoted to bo out this year. At a Bitting of tho Magistrate's Court held by Me. Martin, S.M , and Mr. G. Brown, J P., at the TTppor Hutt yesterday S. Harria was fined Is, with 41s costs, for keeping an unregistered dog, and W. H. Engleion 10.3, with 15s costs, for keeping two unregistered doga. A caso against Engleton in respect of a tbird dog was dismissed, and tbe informant (J. Men^ieß) was ordered to pay 10s 3d costs. In oivil oases plaintiffs obtained judgment with coats in the oases of Till v. Moora, .£1 133 lOd, and Wilkie v. Jadd, .£ls 6s lOd. Judgment went for defendant in the case of Wilkie v. King, a olaim of £2 7s Cd. In a judgment summons cose, Hodgetts v. Mitohell, defendant was ordored to pay £8 3s forthwith or go to gaol for 24 days. The monthly meeting of tbe Onslow Borough Council was held on Tuesday evening. Present— The Mayor (Mr. M. H. M'Carthy), Councillors Hannah, Holmes, D. Hobbs, Neeley, Durrell, Cavanagh, <}. Hobbs, Valentine, and Fitzgerald. The striking of the rate of 15-lGths of a penny in tho £ for the year 1895-96 was confirmed. The bnrgeeß roll and rate book for the current year were also attested and confirmed. Mr. Aplin waited on the Council and asked that the roadway at the junction of the Crofton and Khandallah roads be widened and a fence erected at the dangerous part. The Clerk was instructed to have this done. It was decided that a meeting of ratepayers interested in the proposed new road from Kaiwarra through Crofton and Khandallah and thence on to Johnsonville should be held in the Kaiwarra Hall on Monday next, at 7.30 p.m. Tenders were ordered to be invited for oarting in each of tho three wards of the borough for the year commencing Ist June next. The Clerk was inotruoted to have a portion of the road leading to the Crofton station put in order and metalled. Accounts amounting to £68 were passed, and the Clerk instructed to make progress payments to oontraotors. The first of a new series of popular oonoerts was given at the Skating Rink last evening, but unless the quality of the rest of the sories is in advance of that given last evening they are not likely to prove a lasting suooess. The chief draw had been the "Living Pictures," but these were not attractively staged or mounted, and so fell flat. Instead of being shown as in Australia and England, within a frame, with soenio backing representing the background of the actual piotnre purporting to be shown, they were displayed through an unframed opening at the baok of the stage, at such a level and in auoh a position that a large section of the audienoe oould not see them. The poseur* were Misses Lily and Jessie Anderson, and the subjeots shown were—" The Captive," " When the World was Young," "L'Orage," "Faith," "Clinging to the CroBB," " Morning," '.' Night," and "' Springtime, but they all lost effeot from the reasons given. None of the new singers were up to the standard of former Wellington popular oonoerts. and the promoter, Mr. M'Guinneßß, explained that other members of his oompany had not yet arrived from Christohuroh, bnt would ba np for next week's oonoert. _ The Forward Movement Literary Sooiety is making great progress in the matter of membership. At last night's meeting 32 new members were added to the roll. The item of the evening was a paper by Miss Riohmond on "Ships that Pass in the Night." The writer gave a brief sketch of the novel, but utilised it mainly as the text of an essay upon the education of women. Viewing the heroine of the story, Bernardino Holme, as a woman trained upon masonline lines, Miaa Riohmond depreooted ' the development of women's intellectual faculties in a manner detrimental to the emotional and domestio sides of their nature. An interesting discussion Jollowod, in whioh the speakers were Mrs. Atkinson, Mrs. Evans, Mrs. Fleming, MeßSrs. J. H. Helliirall, laing, D.- Gain, A. Munro, and the Rev. W. A. Evans, Mr. A. R. Atkinson oloun? the debate with a reply pn Miss Richmond's behalf. Next Wednesday will be devoted to a leoture by Mr. C. W. Benbow on the life of John Bright. Misb Brenda Gibson, well known in connection with the Broujth and Bouoioault Company, has been engaged by Henry Irving as a member of his English obmpany and for his next American tour. ■A-tthe invitation of the Chineße pupils of Mr. Chang Luke's school, a number of members of the Christian Endeavour Sooiety attended a sooial gathering at the Taranakistreet Wesleyan Sohoolroom lost evening, r hero were also present some 35 to 40 Chinamen whoattend Mr Chang Luke's Sunday sernco. The entertainment took the form of a nagio lantern exhibition given by Mr. Lawion. A liberal supper wag provided, and ipeeohes were delivered by the Rev. R. J. ffurraj, Mr. Chang Luke, and Mr. OhoirJhum— the last-named, on behalf of the >npili, expressing their pleasure at feeing 10 many present.'

The conditions of the Government offer to assist an experimental shipment of horses to England have boon drawn up, and a oircul»r embodying them is to be issued to persons likely to be interested. The Government offers to guarantee half the freight, whioh must not include oost of fodder and attendance ; and, should the shipment not realise sufficient to cover total cost, inolndfreight, insurance, fodder, and commission on sales, will also make up the deficiency to the amount of guarantee. The horses must be valued and approved before shipment, and oonsist of a proportion of npstanding horses, hunters, and heavy draught geldings, not exceeding six years of age. Mr. J. W. Poynton, who leaves for the South in a fow days to take up his duties as Stipendiary Magistrate at Inveronrgill, is to bo entertained at a "social" to-morrow evening at the Princess Theatre, Torystreet. Sir Robert Stout will preside. Although the notice given is unavoidably short, Sir. Poynton has such a wide circle of friends that the gathering is sure to be a pleasant one. A deoision of interest to ratepayers was given by Mr. Martin, S.M., this morning. Tne Corporation had sued William Perry for rates payable in resoeot of » house he ocoupied. Ho was not on the roll as occupier, nor was he the ooonpier within the meaning of the Act, inasmuch as he was only a. weekly tenant. His Worship said that the present action must fail. The Act gave the local body the right to sue either owner or occupier within the meaning of the Act, or the person in aotnal occupation of the land, but if it sued the last-named the Aot limited the amount that it had a right to recover to the sum which was payable or to be payable by him as rent. The Corporation had not proved that any rent was payable or to bo payable by the defendant, and in the absenoe of such proof he must nonsuit. A nonsuit was accordingly entered up, without costs. Mr. Young appeared for the defendant. The Wellington agenoy of the CanadianAustralian Steam Ship Company, whioh has been held for the lost two yoirs by Messrs. Levin & Co., was yesterday taken over by the local representative of Messrs. Huddart, Parker & Co. Since the enforcement of tho Wednesday half-holiday a necessity has been felt amongst those affected by it for a football club of a more general and comprehensive nature than those existing, so as to embrace everyone who was willing to play. An advertisement in another column announces that suoh a club is in course of formation, l'he nucleus of a team has been got together, and it is intended to hold a meeting next Monday evening. The Seoretary (Mr. G. B. Is'icholls) would be glad if those willing to play or assißt would oa.ll upon or write to him before that date The Pollnrd Opera Company, whioh oontinues to do good business in Christohuroh, will mako a farewoll appearance in Wellington in a Sacred Concert on Sunday evening. The company is to arrive on Sunday moming, and will proceed North, en route to Queensland, on Monday morning, so that Simday is li'U only opportunity the oompany will bave of Making its farewell. A large nnmber of new gongs, jubilees, choruses, &c , wliiah have been in preparation, are promised. There will be 'cello and violin solos, a now novelette " Children's Voioes," and Miss Marion Mitohell will sing Sydney Hoben's " Aye Maria," the clever violinist M. de Wilhmoff playing the obbligato. Admission will be free, but there will he a collection. Onslow ratepayers are asked to meet at the Kaiwarra Hall on Monday evening next, to consider tho proposed formation of a new road to Khandallah and Johnsonville. This road, when formed, will be another pleasant drive for the oitizens of Wellington, Souquet Brothers, animal trainers, announce that they will give entertainments in the Salvation Army Hall, Petone, on Saturday night, and at the Upper Hutt Public Hall on Monday evening. Geo. Boclley's new diningrooin, &c, Ltmibtouqwav, will be thrown open for inspection by the public on Saturday evening next, when Jnpp's String Band will play selections of muaic. A. 6. Tame and Co. will sell to-morrow, at 2 o'clock, at their rooms, a large and important catalogue of household furniture, including a Hignou piano, wardrobe, &c., the whole being for uureserved sale, as the owner is leariag Welliugton. At their rooms, to-morrow afternoon, at 3 o'clock, T. Kennedy Macdotmld and Co. (Limited) hold a sale of rare toilet sots ; also 20 cases of assorted chairs, details of winch are published in our auction column. Kirk and Atkinson, solicitors, notify that tbe name of their firm will ba altered by the addition of tbe name of Sir. James Wilson, who bos been a member of the firm for tbe p»st two years. The style in future is to bo "Kirk, Atkinson, and Wilson." W. JT. Shortt holds a general sale to-morrow. Laery and Co. (Limited) will sell to-morrow fruit. W. M. Lawson and Co. will to-tnorrow continue heir s ile of furs, furniture, &c.