Evening Post. TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 1895. THE COUNTY COUNCIL CONFERENCE.

Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 44, 20 August 1895, Page 2

Evening Post. TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 1895. THE COUNTY COUNCIL CONFERENCE.

The recent Local Government Parliament assembled here, in form of a County Counoil Conference, was really a very interesting and important gathering. It was probably a more representative assembly than the House of Representatives itself; and it bad this great advantage over that body, that its members understood the subjeots they had met to disonas. All or nearly all the delegates were men practically acquainted with the administration of local government and the powers and duties of County Councils. They conducted their proceedings without any unnecessary talk, and they got through a lot of important business in a remarkably short apace of time. Their suggestions were of a very valuable oharaoter, and it is to be regretted that they were unable, owing to the discourteous notion of the Premier, to carry out the main purpose of their gathering. This, of oourae, was to 'discuss the provisions of the new Looal Government Bill whioh has been promised by the Government. Months ago the Premier announoed that this Bill was to form the piics de rhUtanct of the present session, and he even outlined the nature of ita main provisions. The County Councils have ever sinoe been anxious to see tho measure itself. The Conference was arranged so that the BUI might be discussed by the delegates before Parliament was called on to deal with the subject. It would have been a great advantage to the House to have had the opinions of the delegates upon the Bill. , The assnranees held out by the Premier, the 1 statements made as to the preparation of the Bill, and the precedent adopted by the Minister of Labour in submitting all his Labour Bills to Trades Councils and similar bodies for oritioism and suggestion before they were laid before Parliament, all justified the County Counoils in expecting that the Premier would only be too pleased to furnish their assembled representatives with advance copies of the promised Bill. Instead of doing bo, however, the Premier treated ' the assembled delegates in the moat oavalior, we might almost say sourvy, manner, abao1 lately refusing to give them oopies of the Bill, or indeed any information as to its provisions. The Conference therefore failed in its primary and' moat important purpose, and its members had to go home, save those who uit also in Parliament, as wise as they oame in regard to the intended proposals of the Ministry. Apart from the disoourtesy . Bhown, this is much to be regretted. It is ; evident from the practical and businesslike manner in whioh the Conferenoe diiousied and dealt with the existing looal govern, ment law, pointing out defects and BUggeating improvements, that its oritioiim of the proposed now law would have been of great value, and would have smoothed and 1 facilitated the consideration of the measure in Parliament. Mr. Sxddon, however, apI parently does not desire to have his proposals publicly dismissed and oritioised by those who from practical acquaintance with the subject referred to are most competent to give an intelligent opinion upon it. Mr. Siddon, in faot, does not Beem to have any confidence in looal government experts. Hisown experience of looal government administration is very limited, but he evidently thinks he knows more on the aubjeot than " those who have had a muoh wider experience. His treatment of the County Counoils 1 Conferenoe was only on a- par with the manner in whioh he haa contemptuously disregarded the recommendations and opinions of the ' -Munioipal Conference in regard to the amendment of the municipal law. The Ministerial objeot is no doubt to mould the whole of the laws relating to counties and municipalities to suit Party- and politioal - purposes, rather than to make them efficient for thepnrposei of sound local administration. The proposed dealings with the municipal law have made this purpose plain; and as the objections of tha Mnnioipal Conferenoe to the munioipal law being manipulated in this way were found inoonvenient, Mr. Sbddom no donbt strongly objected to tha County Councils' Conference having any opportunity of objeoting to provisions of . similar intent in the Looal Government Bill. The Connty Counoils, however, will not be slow to detect tha Ministerial purpoie, and they will, we trust, resent the manner in whioh they and their representatives havt

been snubbed and ignored. If tho object of tho Ministry had been to introduoe a really satisfactory, equitable, and efficient Local Government Bill, to plooe looal governing boilio'. in the best position to diiobargt 1 tlioic ilutied toward i the latepayerr, th» Premier wonld have welonmed the opportunity whioh the Cnufer'enoe afforded of getting the aßsiatanoe and advice of those best able to give assistance and advice of value in framing snob, a measure. One very satisfactory feature in the late Conference was that the local bodies north of Auckland were for the first time represented. Last year they held aloof from the general movement, having an Association of their own Now that the Conferonce or Association really represents all the local governing bodies of the oolony, it ought to prove a very powerful body, and one able to make its power felt even by the moßt supercilious of Ministers. Although the late Conference failed to obtain copies of the Local Government Bill, it did a lot of useful work, and iv addition to its mere resolutions, the interchange of thought between the representatives on many subjeots, as well as tho knowledge gained by the members from personal intercourse with representatives from other Darts of the colony, cannot fail to prove of great advantage to all. It will help to dissipate many looal jealousies and misconceptions, and enable the local bodies to oombine and 00-operate cordially in advancing the common interest.

With oharaoteristio dishonesty, the New Zealand Times this morning makes a violently untruthful attaok upon us in regard to what it terms a " paragraph" in our last issue. The paragraph in question was a letter from a correspondent signing himself " Observer," and, as our contemporary is perfeotly aware, no newspaper identifies 1 itself with the opinions or statements of 1 correspondents, whose communications it 1 simply publishes. "Observer" may have been mistaken in assuming that no Ministers or members have subscribed to the Unemployed Relief Fnnd. It may be quite true that, a 9 our contemporary states, two Ministers and eight members subscribed to the Christohnrch fund, bnt with that we have 'nothing to do. We assumed no responsibility for the accuracy of the statements of our correspondent when publishing his letter. It appeared as a "paragraph" , simply to save space. We are so overwhelmed with correspondence just now that we have the greatest difficulty in finding room for letters, and have to oondense many, i while others wbioh are short and to the point are frequently given as locals, as was " Observer's " letter, which was one of 14 reoeived yesterday. The attack on us for having published this letter is so worded as to leave . no doubt as to its authorship. We suppose our unfortunate contemporary is so completely under Ministerial control that it cannot refuse to publish anything Ministers desire, however silly it may be. No doubt it is owing to the same influence that it publishes this morning " in a most prominent position," and we presume by " special editorial arrangement," a long extract from the Sydney Bnlletin, an exohange whioh, so reoently as February last, was deolared by the New Zealand Times to " know nothing, and care for nothing, that decent peoplo care about." That we suppose in the reason our contemporary now quotes tho Bulletin. Cn the fourth page we publish a report of the annual meeting of the National Bank of New Zealand, an account of last night's China Mission meeting, and letters to the Editor. In order to keep pace with the inoreased press of work between the two Islands, the Telegraph Department haa arranged to use the duplex instruments on tho WakapuakaWanganui cable continuously, and tho office staffs at both enda have been re-inforced. The preaent number of patients in the Hospital is 166. In another part of our preaent issue we reprint from The Financier of the 11th July the balanoe-Bheet of the National Bank of New Zealand for the year ending 30th March last, and a full report of the proceeding at the annual meeting We are glad to be able to congratulate the Bank on the satisfactory results Bhown by the balancesheet. The speech of the Chairman (Mr. Maoandrew) in moving its adoption is well worthy of perusal, containing as it doeß a fair, and, on the whole, hopef nl review of the finanoial position iv the oolony, with, of course, speoial referenoe to tho business of the Bank. The Hospital Trustees met this morning. There were presont — Messrs. F. H. Frasor (Chairman), C. E. Willeston, L. L. Harris, C. W. Brown, J. Danks, G. Ailen, and Rev. H. Van Staveren. Nurse Craig was given leave of absenoe for three months without pay. The Inspector of Nuisances wrote that he had notified Messrs. R. Bell and Co. that they must lengthen the chimnny stack of their match factory, next to* the Hospital, , by 18ft. It was decided to inform Mr. T. i Ward, C.E., that Mr. S. Palmor could either surrender tho two sections which he is leasing from the Trustees or sub-let one of them, there being no power to enable the Trustees to accede to the request that ho should be allowed to nnrrender one of them. Authority was given to Mr. Danks to procure now gas-stoves. It was decided to purchase £200 worth of drngs through Mr. Wilton, chemist. "Worker" writes to us in reply to " Single Unemployed " as follows :— " Your 1 correspondent wishes to know where he can earn even his food honestly at present. I reply in many places within 30 miles of . Wellington, and I send you a postal note for i 5s to pay his train farg for that distance, ' although I would take shanka' pony for it. > If the ' Single Unemployed ' is honestly , willing to work on the terms mentioned in his letter, if 'he does not get satisfaction ' within 24 hoars from his start he has not tho i grit or oourage of a Chinaman." If " Single 1 Unemployed " will call on us we shall be ' glad to hand him over the si. ' Mr. Chantrey Harris, Jan., who has cou- . (1 noted the Bruce Herald since his father's death, has now disposed of that journal to i Messrs. Dinksoa and Buteman. During the month of July 23 patients in the Hospital received 16S pints 17 punoea of | winoa, spirits, and malt liquors, being at the . rate of 7i pints per head. ' Captain Fairchild, of tho Government , steamer Hinemoa, left by the Mawhera for . Nelson yesterday to take up the duties of t harbour pilot there, with Mr. Cox as an assistant, and will remain until Mr. Cox is ' considered to have been sufficiently installed ' to take the full responsibility of the position , of pilot, to whioh he was lately appointed. Mr. Nealo. ohief offioer of the. Hinemoa, took that vessel away this morning, Mr. Bollons, second officer, taking up Mr. Neale's late duties, and Mr. Cooper acting as second offioer. The amount of payments due by past and present patients in the Hospital ia over .£9OO. The Treasurer (Mr". G. Allen) referred to the matter at the meeting of the Trustees this morning, and it was deoided that the House Committee should oonaider the- best means of getting in some of the money owing. Tho payments due have only ' been accumulating for twelve months. , An aooident caourred on the relief works 1 yesterday afternoon. An elderly man named . John Danderson was buried by a fall of i earth, and sustained injuries about the head and chest. He was removed to the Hoipital, where he ia progesaing favourably. [ The Boene of the prospeoting operations carried on by Mesars. Thompson Bros, and others on the Karori waterworks reserve > waa visited yesterday afternoon by the 1 Mayor and Councillors Willeaton, Froser, Tanner, Tatum, Smith, Devine, Penty, [ and Barber, and the Town Clork Their ' purpose was to ascertain whether the ; water in the reservoir was likely to bo pol- ! luted if mining work waa permitted. The , claim pegged out close to the oaretaker's . house was first inspected, and a fair prospeot [ was washed out by one of the diggers. . At the workings further up the gully some r stuff broken out by one of the prospeotors left a very nice " tail " in the dish, and the . gold was presented to the Mayor as a [ sonvenir of the visit. His Worship and party were afterwards esoorted to the top of } the hill overlooking Mitohelltown, and were ; informed that if operations were carried on | there not the slightest damage to the water- , works oonld result. The prospeotors dis- , claimed any intention of creating a boom, i and gave an ossuranoe that if they were per- [ mitted to continue operations, they wonld I work in a thoroughly legitimate manner. , The City Reserves Committee ia to oonsider [ the applications of Messrs. Thompson _and party at its next meeting. ! Is a now suit of olothes a necessary or a luxury ? Two youths named William and . Harry Dunn appeared this morning before . Mr. Martin, SM , on a summons issued by | the Official Assignee of the property of John Coogan, tailor, who claimed the price of . two snits ordered and obtained by the . Dunns. Tho youths were infants, and under ' the Infants Guardianship Act they were i not liable for any contraots except for i necessaries. Dr. Findlay appeared for the Official Assignee, and contended that the | olothea were necessaries by inferonoe, and that no evidence need be adduoed to prove ' that they were necessaries. Tho Stipendiary [ Magistrate overruled this argument, and ¦ evidenoe was given by the defendants establishing the contention that the olothes were : luxuries, inasmuoh as they already had snf- , fiaient olothes. Judgment was given for the : defendant in eaoh oase, with £1 la costs in ' the case of Harry Dnnn. Mr.* .Telliooe aps peared for the defendants. 1 At last night's meeting of the Citizens' * Institute, Sir Robert Stont presided. The '. Hon. W. Steward wrote forwarding a nnmE ber of copies of the Elootire Executive Bill J for distribution. Sir Robert Stout gave an 1 interesting! address upon " The Elootive 9 Exeoutiye," traoing first the progress of life from a simple organism to one more oomplex, 1 as exemplified in the animal kingdom and > the Booial, industrial, and political world.. ' The whole trend of tha animal, sooial, 1 and politioal life was towards diflorentia- ' tion. The ideal free Legislature was a ' House in whioh every member should be ' able to express his opinion freely and fear- ' leealy. For' the Exeoutive the ablest men in the oountry were required. But the system 1 of selection in our Parliament did not effect ' this end. By the Elective Exeoutive Bill the ' Ministers'in the House would be eleoted by : tha individual votes of the members of the House. The functions of the Exeoutive were also specialised by this Bill, and the members of the Executive were only administrators, while the legislative f unotions were retained by Parliament as a whole. The Exeoutive wonld not be liable to be removed . as_ administrators because their Bills were ' rejeoted. After stating and' meeting some 1 of the objections to the Bill, the leotnrer ¦ eonoluded by emphasising the faot that the reform was a progressive one. A disoussion ensued in whioh Messrs. T. On, E. L. Burgees, Russell, A. R. Atkinson, P. Levi, A. H. Hindmarsh, and O. C. Ceok took part. . Sir Robert Stout having replied, a hearty . vote of thanks waa given to him, on the motjon of Mr. M. Hiohmond. Blenheim papers announce with great regret the death of Mr. Charles Watts, of Lansdown station, an old and respected Marlborough settler.

Before the meeting of the Hospital Trustees oonoluded this morning, Mr. J. Danks askrd whether roedioal men wore to be allowed to make special obar/oj foi operations purlonneil in the institution Hi' aaid he usketl the qu<"Btion bfcanst) hu liad been informed that a doctor had intimated that be wonld not perform an operation on a oertain patient in thn Hospitil unless he was paid a fee of £\ 4s He (Mr. Danks) thought the stand taken up by the dootor in question waa entirely a wrong one. The Chairman said that the medical staff was a rarely honorary staff, and no member of it had a right to make a oharge for services rendered in the Hospital. He had heard of a oase in whioh a very poor man had recently been oharged 10s by a dootor for certifying that he was a fit patient for the Hospital. Suoh a payment should novor have been made. On the motion of Mr. L. L. Harris, it was deoided that the Honse Committee should deal -.\ith the matter referred to by Mr. Danks A meeting of the Committee formed to get up the petition to the Minister for Public Works in favour of ntilising Mount Cook Beservo for a University College was held lost night. It waa deoided that each member of the Committee should be responsible for the proper oanvassing of a definite area of the oity, to be allotted at a subsequent meeting, as, owing to a misunderstanding, all were not present last night. Sir Robert Stont applied to the Chief Jnstioe this morning for an order for the attachment of the missing witness Castlehow, who failed to attend the Supreme Court to give evidence in the oase against B. F. Davy, oharged -with having infringed the trade mark connected with Wertheim sewing machines. His Honour adjourned the matter until to-morrow. The statement of Henry Barrett, builder, bankrupt, shows that his ohief creditors are:-W. WiUiams, .£BB 10s; Grey Valley Coal Company, £15 ; John Anderson, £15 ; T. Andrewß, £17 ; W. Smith, £12 j and the Chnrch Property Trustees, £25, all of Chrietohuroh. His total debts are £208 18s, and his only as3et is his furniture, valued at £20, leaving a deficiency of £188 18s. Judgments for the following plaintiffs by default were entered up by Mr. Martin, S.M., thiß morning :— Wellington Loan Co. v. F. G. Russell and J. Collins, £21 16s 8d ; Empire Loan Co. v. W. E. Hammond. £9 17s; Official Assignee in the estate of J. Coogan v. T. J. Gardener, £3; Mary Skinner v. A. H. Cook, 19a 6d; Official Assignee in the estate of W. R. M'Kinatry v. C. W. Clementson, £2 10s. In the oaao Mills and Co. v. R. Bond and Catherine Seward, his Worship gave judgment against Bond for £i Is 3d, and against Seward for £55 18s 9d, with costs amounting to £7 10s In the defended case A. Pyemont v. Henry White, judgment was given for tho plaintiff for £51, with coats £6 7s. Mr. Gray appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Jellicoe for tho defendant. In connootion with tho Photographio Exhibition Bhortly to bo held in Melbourne, Messrs. Huddart Parker & Co. have agreed to carry exhibits to that city free. Mr. W. Jonea (eldest son of Captain Jones, of the Dnco), who served his apprenticeship at Meßsra. Luke and Sons' foundry, is now an engineer in one of Badoliffe and Co.'s steamers trading between Cardiff and the Black Sea. After leaving Wellington he took up his residenoe in Glaßgow, and was employed for a time by Muir and Houston, builders of the Mawhera and other Wellington-owned steamers. During the time he was theie the firm turned out no fewer than ten steamers, one of them a vessel of 4000 tons. Mr. Jones witnessed the lanuoh of H.M.S. Terrible, 14,000 tons, 25,000-horse power, the largest vessel in the British Navy, and he also inspeoted Lord Dunraven's now yaoht, Valkyrie 111., whioh he dosoribes as a mere racing msohine. Mr. Archibald Kelly (son of the chief engineer of the Kauu), who also served his time at Me-srs Luke and Sons, is now employed at tha celobrated Fairfield Engineering Works At the Magistrate's Court this morning, Robert M'Coy was ordered to pay £1 a week towards the support of his wife, and to find one surety of £15 for his own good behaviour. Two first offenders were punished for (irnnkenness. Yesterday afternoon Mr Martin, S.M., gave judgment for the plaintiffs for £1 15s and £h 10a respectively, with costs amounting to £2 4s, in tiro immediate summons oases, in whioh Julia and Kate Mosa sued Mrs. A. Stevens, boarding-bouee-keeper, Boulcott-street, for wages duo. Mr. Haselden appeared for the plaintiffs. At the inquest held yesterday afternoon on the body of the child Fanny Violet Golding, aged 3J months, who was found dead in bed on Sunday, Dr. Tripe stated that the post mortem examination indicated that death resulted from bronchitis and pneumonia . A verdiot to this off ect waa returned by the jury, of which Mr. R. Stevons was foreman. The Superintendent of the Homo for the Aged Needy, Adelaide-road, desires ti thank Mr. Anierson, of Willis-street, for a parcel of English newspapers, and Mr. Neilson, of Stokes Valley (per favour Mr. Woodger, Molesworth-street), fora box of choice ferns for the Home. The Australian Merrymakers appeared again at tho Criterion Theatre Itst evening. There waa a fairly largo audienoe, and the entertainment appeared to be thoronghly enjoyed. The company will make another appearance to-night. Bad as the weather was last night, there was a fair attendance at tho Forward Movement Penny Readings entertainment. The programme comprised Bongs by Mibb Fletcher, piano and violin duets by Master and Mr. Light, a piano solo by Miss Blick, recitations by Misses Suokling and Year and Messrs. E. Fuller and Bliok, and a little dramatic soene by Messrs. Richardson (2) and Year. Mr. D. Gain was in the chair. The Master of the Ohiro Benevolent Homo desires to tbs.uk Messrs. Levin * Co. for 301b Ceylon tea. The Wellington Iriah National Federation held ita usual fortnightly meeting last night, the President, Mr. J. Drisooll, in the ohair. Considering the weather there was a very good attendance, and it was noted thai all the members seemed to take even a more lively interest in the work of the Branch than hitherto, notwithstanding the depressing nature of the situation at Home. The meeting oonoluded with a special vote of thanks to all who contributed to the sucoeas of the late social gathering, speoial mention being made of the Hon. Mr. Steward, Messrs. Collins and O'Regan, M.H.B.'s, Messrs. A. S. Paterson and Martin Kennedy. At the services held in the Wesleyan churches on Sunday on behalf of the Home Mission and Church Extension Fund, the congregations were large and the offertories satisfactory. A publio meeting was held in Newtown Churoh lust night, presided over by Mr. C D. Maokintoah, when the Rev. W. Morley gave a most interesting address on the work oonneoted with the fund. Meetings are announoed to be held this evening in the Molosworth-street Church and tomorrow evening iv Wesley Church, when Mr. Morley and other speakers will give addresses. Mr. S. Cimino has offered the services of his splendid string band for the " sooial " to be hold in Thomas' Hall on Thursday evening next, nnder the auspices of the Wellington" Navals, in aid of the Garrison Band's expenses in attending the Timaru contest. Members of the Order of Druids are invited by advertisement to a social evening at tho Kxoeluior Lodge's room, Courtenayplaoe, this evening. The- Port Nicholson Yaoht Club's ball has been fixed to be held in Thomas' Hall on Friday, the 27th September. Invitations are to be sent to the captain and officers of H M.S. Goldfinch, whioh will be in port on that date. The orchestra in oonneotion with Mr. Manghan Barnett's Musical Society is now being formed. The praotioes will be held under Mr. Alfred Hill's management, on a separate evening each week from that on whjoh the chorus meets. The first rehearsal of the oroheatra will probably be held next Monday week. Those interested are urged to oommuuioato promptly with the honorary secretaries. The employes of Messrs. Stewart and Co. have arranged to hold their seventh annual ooncorfc and ball in the Foresters' Hall, Tory-strest, on Friday, 23-d instant. Important facts are advertised by Warnook and Adlcin on our first page. 'New spring goods are beimr received by vessels now unloading, and the Arm's flrrt spring show of novelties is advertised for Saturday next. A sale of unclaimed dogs will be held at the Destructor yixdu, Clyde-quay, to-morrow. i'ranois Sldey and Co. will sell to-morrow, nt 150, Upper Cubvitreet, roperior household furniture and effeata, the property of a lady giving up housekeeping. At tho nonolnsion of any great sale suoh as the one just olosed at Te Aro House there is always left over a heterogeneous colleotion of odds and ends in every department In order that theßO may be disposed of before the opening of the new season, it has been resolved to institute a aheap remnant week at the Wholesale Family Drapery Warehouse, Te Aro House. These remnants form as varied an assortment as oan be imagined. In the dress department there are many short lengths of materials whioh offer a splendid opportunity for securing a oheap and pretty ohild's dress. The prices at whioh these abort dress lengths are marked will be quite the feature of the cheap remnant week at the Wholesale Family Drapery Warehouse, Te Aro House. In tht oarpet room, too, there are ohanoes whioh should be eagerly seized. A number of lengths of flooroloth and linoleum, suitable for covering various Bized rooms, are marked at very low prices. Some of these are four yards wide and some two yards, and the prices at whioh they are marked should ensure a visit 'during the oheap remnant week at the Wholesale Family Drapery Warehonse, Te Aro Houße.— Advt. Without a doubt one of the most magnifioent displays of Eleotro-plate Goods ever shown in Wellington is being made this week by Messrs. Wilkins & Field. It oomprisesa complete set of samples (amounting to several hundred ponnds) from one of tho best and largest manufacturer! in Great Britain. As these goods have been purohased at a heavy discount off English prioes, they will now ba sold at folly 33 par oent. beloiv their intrinsic value. Inspection U oordiaily invited, and we would recommend intending purohasers to call at an early date, so as to aeourethe first selection. See the display in tho window. — Auvr. ,