OPERATION OF AN ACT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 23, 28 January 1911, Page 8

OPERATION OF AN ACT.

fBY TELEGEAPH — PBESS ASSOCIATION.] BLENHEIM, This Day. A conference of local bodies' representatives was held this morning to consider .the question of the Counties Act which Parliament last session decided to bring into operation in Marlborough. After a long discussion, it was decided by 11 to 3 that the Govern : nient be asked to postpone operation of the Act for at lea&t twelve months.

A Press Association message states that the police are appealing against the decision of the magistrate in dismissing the informations against Westport publicans for selling liquor on 26th December. The appeal will be heard in the Supreme Court at Westport in March. Belief in a payable and accessible golden element an the Tararua Ranges is still strong among people of Levin and the sunounding district. The other day a deputation, introduced by Mr. Field, M.P., interviewed the Minister of Mines (the Hon. E. M'Kenzie) and pressed the claims of a prospecting proposal for the Government's support. It was explained to the Minister that a Prospecting Association had -been formed and supported to the extent of £400 in pound shares. The Minister gave a sympathetic reply. He said he recognised the importance of testing the ranges, and he believed that ¦when people were prepared to help themselves in a work of this nature the Government should assist. He would examine the whole question, and give an official answer within a few days. Mr. Field mentioned that years ago he, himself, had found outcrops of quartz in the ranges behind Waikanae. The Minister remarked that gold bearing specimens alleged to have come from somewhere in I the same locality had been exhibited to him. It is reported unofficially that Captain R. J. S. Seddon will be one of the four officers selected this year to go to England from New Zealand to undergo military instruction. The annual members' meeting of the Hutt Electorate No-license League was held at the W. Y.M.I. Hall last evening. Reports concerning the year's operations were submitted by the secretary and treasnrer and adopted. The retiring officers were heartily thanked. The following officers '.vere ctected : — President, Rev. A. J. Seamer; vice-presidents, Hews. Russell, Cottom, M'Caw, ~Rothwell, Harris, Pallaal, and Williams, Adjutant A. J. Marshall, Messrs. J. M. Leigh, J. J. Woods, T. Waugh, J. "W. M'Ewaa, and Mrs. M'Ewan (also several other gentlemen, subject to their acceptance) ; secretary, Mr. W. J. Wakelin j treasurer, Mr. Jas. M'Dougall ; convener of committee, Sirs. Falder and Mr. A. Wright; executive committee, j Messrs. Byrant, Ayson, R. House, Allen, Delahunty, Lockwood, Piper, Mesdames Bsfctersby and Miller. In reference- to the gas-meter controversy of the Petone Borough Council, Councillor Piper writes a detailed explanation of what he terms the true facts of the case, an explanation called for, he says, by the "large amount of manufactured fog introduced • into the discussions." It must be obvious, Mr Piper, holds, that his original question affected the administration of a department — a totally different thing to voicing a complaint on behalf of the consumer — Mr. Meyrick. What was not disclosed until 10th January was the fact that the messenger — sent about 8 a.m. to the council's gas-fitting workshop with a request that a gas-fitter might be despatched as soon as possible to remedy the fault — failed to see any of the gas-fitters, but got the answer — that no work could be done until after 9 a.m. — from a street cleaner. Hence, says Councillor Piper, his (the writer's) original question at the council table. Capital was sought to be made out of this, and his alleged complaint was characterised as twaddle, etc. Our correspondent goes on to state that at the last meeting of the council he read a letter (which was not published in the report of the proceedings) fivm Mr. Meyrick, confirming all he had stated at a previous meeting. Mr. Piper concludes as follows: — "This, however, is now absolutely clear, that Mr. Meyrkk's messenger, failing to see any of the gasfitters, they (the fitters) know nothing about the trouble. Further, as owing to the defect being remedied by myself later in the day (16th December), Mr. Meyrick did not enter any complaint in the official complaint book. The gasfitters, not knowing anything about the matter, did not investigate. In proof of this, Mr. Meyrick, in his letter of 10th January, states, neither on that day (16th December) or since, have I seen, or spoken to, any of the council's ga6-fitters in connection with this trouble. This, I submit, effectually disposes of portion of the engineer's report. With it the whole superstructure built upon such a foundation must of necessity fall, and my motion to delete appear amply justified." The meeting of the Wellington Brotherhood to-morrow afternoon will be addretsed by Rev. E. O Blamire6 in the Druids' Hall, on the subject "Humbugs." On the following Sunday, Hon. G. Fowlds will speak ufc an open meeting on "Impressions of South Africa."- '