Page 6 Advertisements Column 4

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 39, 15 August 1910, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL. ♦ Parliamentary work is practically at a standstill to-day, owing to the absence of a large number of members at Auckland. Not a solitary deputation, even, has waited on a Minister. The work of Parliament will be resinned to-morrow, at 7.30 p.m. Has a municipal corporation legal right to supply electric fittings and appliances as well as electric energy? So far as the United Kingdom is concerned a recent judgment by Mr. Justice Neville in the High. Court limits the powers of municipalities' to the supply current only to the terminals of the consumers' premises. The case — that of the AttorneyGeneral v. the Corporation of Leicester, reported in another column of this issue — has been brought under the notice of the civic authvdities. This morning the Mayor (Mr. T. M. Wilford) was asked his opinion. Mr. Wilford said tn* matter was m the hands of the City Solicitor, who was instructed to ascertain how far, if at all, the judgment affected the operations of the Wellington City Council. Wo have local statutes on the matters," said the Mayor,/" which, of course, are our special authority. It may be quite possible that we have statutes which givq. us authority which at Home they have not. It may, on tho other hand, be necessary to secure legislation. I cannot say at the present moment." A proposal from the Dunedin Fanciers' Club will be (made to the New Zealand Kennel Club nexb week, that no certificate should be issued by the New Zealand Club unless a dog shall ha.ye won at> least one challenge certificate in each island. The Dunedin Club will also move to delete from the rules and regulation? the words "each delegate shall bs a resident of the, town or district wherein the ehrb he represents is situated." The receipts for the year (including a balance of £33 14s 2d from the previous year) amounted to £103 5s Sd, and the expenditure to £66 18s 7d leaving a balance of £36 7s 2d. Rate-demands for the half year are now being issued by the City Council. A correspondent who signs himself, Live and Let Live," writes to Tho Post complaining about the increase in the interest special rate of 100 percent, on last year's rate. He asks the reason why, and expresses resentment at the rise. The matter was laid before Hie City Council authorities and the explanation is this : The City Improvement Rate is l-sth pence instead of l.lOd, as it was since 1906-7. In 1902-3 it was 7.16 d, so that there is no comparison between the two. The reason for the rise is that it was found in 1906 that the rats, which is for the purpose of paying interest on the City Improvement Loan, was bringing in a surplus, which could not be used for any other purpose. So the rate was very substantially reduced so as to work off the surplus in payment of interest. This surplus has now been worked off, and it has been found necessary to double it to bring in the required amount for interest on the loan. The whole matter was explained by the Mayor when the city estimates were laid before tho council. A very readable pamphlet gives the thoughtful, ti enchant criticism of rural education delivered by the Sev. P. B. Fraser at the annual meeting of the Otago County Schools Committees' 4ssociation. "I have for some time,"' said Mr. Fraser, Vinsisted that justice will be done to the rural schools of the Dominion only by a distinct cleavage being made between them and the city schools. Every year furnishes fresh proof of the absolute necessity of something being done in this direction. The education in a large part of the rural districts of New Zealand at the present time call only be described a deplorable, if not de&perate , and so far a3 appears from the well-intentioned schemes of the department, the situation is ignored, and it is content with words of approval from an inspector here and there, or from so-called educational conferences, where all independent and adverse criticism is excluded, where Mr. Hogben, as head official, sits supreme, and only such subjects are permitted to be discussed as suits tho department. But I shall furnish abundant overwhelming evidence that the schemes of the department ai-e, as regards rural education, a dismal failure, notwithstanding the enormous increase in the education vote." Then follows some lengthy impressive evidence. ' A party of visitors to Rotorua made the Tikitere-trip last week. Altogether some 54 passengers were duly charged 2s each to see the "sights" at Tikitere. This charge they all considered an ex.tortion (says the Eotorua Times). In the light of the Government removing the comparatively mild charge of Is, wliich had previously b«on the entrance fee to the Whakarewarewa wonders, wonders which are infinitely more varied and interesting than those in any other locality, this toll would seem to visitors touring the district to require explanation. Of course the Maori has the right to- charge for admission to his land, a right that no one disputes, but, considering who bears the cost of roads and bridges, which have made such plaoes accessible to tourists, some reciprocity on the part of our native landlords seems desirable and justifiable. The effect of this continued demand for 6d to see this. Is to see that, and 2s for Tikitere, is beginning to have a bad effect on visitors who come up yearly to spend tJleir holiday in Rotorua, and is, without dor.bt, the means of restricting touripts from sightseeing. There is a very interesting and instructive display of millinery at Kirkcaldie's which all ladies should endoavoui Lo see — Kirkcaldie and Stains, Ltd. — Advt,