The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 1881.

Evening Star, Issue 5610, 2 March 1881, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 1881.

Whbk tho report of the Financa Committee was submitted to the City Council last week we ejprtßßed the opinion that it would be by no means satisfactory to the ratepayers to learn thai the Committee recommended the City rate for the year to bo struck at the maximum of one shilling in tho £; tho special rate io be Increased from threepence to sixpence, and the water rate to oontinue at the maximum named in socHou 253 of the Municipal Corporations A<r, 1876, An hjoroaso of taxation should never bo resorted to either by Parliament or any local body unlosa an absolute necessity can bo shown ; and we certainly did Indulge in ths hopo that tha Finanoe Committea had rather been calculating OB possible contingencies than basing their exceedingly unpleasant recommendsHon on the stern log'c of facta, Hia Worship the Mayor, however, in the elaborate and comprehensive et&fcemont whloh hj« made at tho ip&oial meeting on Monday evening, relative to tho financial j position of tha Corporation, proved, we think, to conviotlon that a city rate amsnnting in the aggregate to in the £ was necessary unless old dobfcs were to he continned to bo paid with new, and ourrent ex penditnre was to bo met by an increased overdraft at the Bank. It la now unhappily very little use di»cussing circumstances which have brought things to this present pass, exeept so far as to warn the oiHswna against again entrusting municipal affairs in tho hands of those who have so mismanaged them: but the present oondition of finance has to be faced, and provision made for public sorvloes accordingly, It is, no doubt, somewhat

irritating to at lulled to sleep ov kepi :,wake by ihe cinm<:& and hr.vo t.» refhset iliat as an addition to the coj=j of the Town Had tii :-.y stay ft hi V'vry close relatione :ha r.niomi'i; of tho additional special ra'-.o >o be I*vioU Uio A? o:;oc3:mut help envying, the ton the liicky hribhr of the Uclict >. r- .•:;■.'ivr.v-it ihe {•.i)n:-;{.; , .i'.'a of p. ral'.-p.v\(;?' tvar.-'l f;o 'shoso hj £»:■;.: 7 cHhr.s tho CorwiTitlo'- 1 , and v:;iF'»'i;t'.:(l m the: hinocer.-jp, ol cbeir souls 1:.r..fov tho earao to .vrbrital.'';;*, Thb 00: :■ si deration of tho expenditure ct tbous&uda in years p:+s» wiH not, however, help to moot the nociwi'liea of tbo present. Tbo Municipal. litiii'tii:y;R, they do atrn;d to eornowhero about L 3,000 a-ycav, arc ireful, ornamental, and iu one sense a credit to the C.iiy : whilst very, possibly their Imposing facade may kitv'lo ambition in tho nitud-i of nisny WniTTixoTONs, r n their way to ai'l from tho educational foroing hoiwu m tbo neighborhood, to work up to tho level of Mayor of Dunodin. Tho "plain, unvarnished talo" of tho Finance Committee emounte to this j that tho estimated, and we believe very liberally estimated, receipts for the current financial year amount to £13,465 ; whilst the estimated expenditure, Inoluding iniorost on loans, £17,216, amounts to £39,990. Tho balance to be provided for by rates or otherwise Is therefore £21,525. In acocrdano9 with the Municipal Corporations Aofc the interest and sinking fund of the loans might be raised entirely by a special rate, whloh _ would be a fraotion over fiftoenpenco in tho £, and the City rate ould then bo laviod at its maximum of one shilling. We must, therefore, be " thankful for small mercies," since the Council, acting oh the reoomm.endatfon of tha Committee, have decided that a gonend rate of ono shilling in the £ be lev'ocl on tho rateable value of property—£2B7,ooo—which will yield £14,350, and » special rate of elxponoe, which will yield £7,175, making, together, the required ram of £21,525. Into the details of tho proposed expenditure we are not prepared to enter. Interest and sinking fund on the loans is a large Item, and ia a permanent appropriation ; tho balar.co does not appear otherwise than moderate, considering the large area of the City in proportion to its population. In considerir-g tho revenue, outside altogether of the rates, wo arc nt once with many difficulties in comprehending tho exact why and whoratore of 'a state of things aofc financially satltfactory. Tho water and gas SUppiiCS, which sh»ula be rearaneraHva ae a ! master oi business, are still, according to tha irawtt of the Finance Committee, oosting money Instead of returning profits ; but sufficient reaaouj exist, we think, In both c»3eo, and there ic g»od cause to anticipate that the gas at all events willnoxt year more than meet its expenses. The question will, as a matter of course, suggest iiswf to meet ratepayers whether the City Council had any alternative under tho oinnmstwiooa, but were constrained to increase local taxation by levying an additional threepence in the way of tho epeoial rate. Councillor Fisn, la his' letter which was read at tho special meeting on Monday, states this alternative, and what was said by Councillors Carroll and Isaac was only a weak dilution of their ohlof'a opinions. If this extra rate is not imposed, says Councillor Fisn in affect, at the and of this financial year tho municipal aooonnt forVae poriod will be overdrawn about £3,500, "which, added to the anticipated overdraft! "as a* Marck 31, 1881, will make tho "mnnloinal overdraft as at March 31, 1882, " r,b.::ut £12,500." If this ahor.ld ho eo, ho thin't.!? that thorn in " nothing to bo abraicd "at." "We confess, however, to fail alfco"ether to tho philosophy ■;.* rv oonitantly accruing ovomraft, 'bo £a« tores*, of which baa to he mot, arul which s'jorf.r r -t Jr»ter mnrt ho paid ous of tho 0,-cMn.vy rovor-uD of tho Coporfttr'on, rs there ia a statutory prohibition agrdnst its being pnid out of io'.n. l>y i'.ll ir.c:.r.s les tho cl'oooat poesibla economy bo ?,xerciPOcl in ; .I1 rrxur'cipal r,dmi:.il»tratlor, ; Ist tho Binn'cip : >l rsvon-j«j from all aourc-es bo rri.vic-tb.-j most or. But i'mus? bo conrsidyrad that; tho City Couno'l in fitriking tbq nXQ* V>c tbo year had to provido fo*" and cot-Id not di?o>:v.n:t ->.h ctrh

the co£V..'r.g'.nc'.'3B of iiicroasoo. vsvontio reotn reserves and tho gas supply. Tula biercsr.ed r<sv«iiU3 will coma ia go:>d time, .Te hop", ar'd'tho booiirv tho heater ; at pr«seui it ;s hardly a reiu'eable asset. The .rr/cepayern may take norno cemfort from tho fact that ihe recently elected mcrnbora of t>>e Mr Mattieson, Mr-STUKET,a«d Mr ycoui.L.A.u, cntiroly nnconc?ctcd as they are with tho old clique and cabsb, and who nip-y bn rof/arded as looking at the mittcr in a pnroly bn'dnosa iir/hfc, all exproeaed their conviction cf tho de-rfrabflH-y of tha ccurne adoptod as tho firsr e*op oui of the difficulties in which the Corporation haa bo«u pluugod. We should be only teo glad if farther consideration should prove thai an additional rate ia not necessary.

Tho Mayor of Dunedin receivsd the following telegram yesterday :—" Wellington, March 1, 1881. His Worship the Mayor, Dunedin. His Exoelleocy tho Governor will leave about the middle of next week for Lyttalton on a visit to the South Island. Aa soon an I can do bo I will inform you oi the probable day of H!a Excelloncy'a arrival in Dunedin. (Signed) J. Hall," Tho Livingstone Sohool Committee have voted for Messrs Robin, Elder, and Shaad. The City r.f Sydney, with tho London raaih of fcko 27th January, left Ssn Francisco for Auckland on Thursday, the 15*h February, three days later than tho time-table date' Tho s.s. Australia, with the Fnbruary

! colonial malls, arrived at San Fraucleoo fcv/o i days iu advauco of due date. j Tiia Governor Intends to pay a flyinq ' vieit to the South vex'; woek, ieavtog Woli Jington on Wednesday or Thura-jlay waek. ; After a couple of days' stay at Chriatohurch : he c-jtnes overland to Dunodin, stopping at | Tinuru and Oam&ru. Ho abo visits laveri oargill, and moat probably she L*ks disj trlct; returns to Dnnedin, journeying \ thence by rail to LyUeUon and embarlsbg ion tho Hinemoa, His Excellency, who will l most; likely be r.ocompaniod by the Hon. Mr Dick, expeoia to be away a fortnight horn I tho seat of Government.

S About 2 p.m„ yecierday a lady resident of ! Port Chaim?rs, whilst walking towarda ! Purakanui, noticed a man lying dead on tho f road-side. Sua at onoo gava information to Sergeant Hanlan, who had the body brought ' into tho Port and taken to the morgue, when | it was identified aa that of William Jr.hn-

aton, who vv&s ksfc ceen alive by Mr Foreyth, bu'soher, at 1 p.m. yesterday, when ho purchased some meat at his shop, and then hh apparently for home. There were no marko of violence on tho body, nor anything Busploious. Doalh la supposed to have resulted from heart dise&ae. Drooaeed was married and a settler at Purakaoul.

j Duripg tho hearing of a case at this morn- ] ing'a sitting of tho Resident Magistrate's ! Court, Mr the only counsel ongagsd therein, expressed hia intention of goiug into tho witness-box and giving evidence. Suiting tho action to the word, ho

I startfd en hia way to the box. but came into ] collision with two or three chairs. Mr ' Simpson, R.M., who was preblding, fcivm re- | ruwkod : " Mr Aldridgo, you. fvro not. ia a £>; ] Gt?.t'.o to pk-id, at'i'i you .m;i in ovoa Ji Lo*a ii'< | 3 Nee to go into that box. I <vlU not tako I */0n on your oatli—you aro Intoxicated, i j v,'i.ca you figc-.i : - - afc ever again making your 3 apyoa.ra.iC? In t-<'-9 Coui'fe in I'hc btatnyou aro i' now in. I -'hVIl oring she mrsttor bc-foro the Judfo ; n -omo way. Tho o-abo will ba ady>orwd f~r ?• week." Mx loft tho i C,.-urfc v/'bh'-uh a word.

Tho T,isiH»>.E;»n r--.pr.rfc tho de;>,tli by s-al.-:l!l-3 of Mr a/B. Wiliii-, r.'c. Evnrt Buy. ITc fering for ~ ; o'.-.ao rbyu front rii\>pv:-:0. «u'> s'oroke, Or, tiio &f tornoon of Febat'ti'v 22 ho drauk about an oun-jo of clilotoio-i-:. Dr

Wih.cn waa :»t onca csi ltd in, and, air.gular to r«-..!atj, whiio ho \.aj in t!i« house, Mr Willi* cu'«; hia th>v.at with a sazor, and diod at ono o'clock n-xb niorn'ng. Tho deoeancd a &on cf Mr R. A. Wiiliu. who was for somo year. 1 ! Coikct&r of Cuatoinfi at Liuucoston, but ia no<v a rnddont of N*w Zeslund. Tho lets Mr A. B. WiUia h»8 been in tho Civil Service for a number of yearn. In May, 18GG, ho waa promoted from tho position bo then held in *ho Customa, and Wftß enrolled aa a juutico of the poaoo, and appointed stipendiary magistrate for the district of Eniu Ho waa a native of tho Colony, agod 4D, and leaves a widow and four children,

Tho Mail' knran that (tired postal co:nn-;u!: ; .c.'ttir.n between Qusoastown p.nci Duiicrlia is likely to ho ro'.,turod very ehui:.iy,

Tho '"'lJ'.-vMotyn?''' DV-iiorn in Ireland if i-• v .v.vi :oHck'r:/wLo !i ;•.%'("• gi on offonca to the ]>•-.:: !rr ■: | -.:i by jv.-tiitf- r,a behalf of persenn f:.'vv... : -:..- l iJ':.f) that body,

T/50 c-h:n*'\ r.rsjunar., bho nonidont to ! \.b'i:i \r-,>. ..oported. iu yesterdayY. is3Uo, ?:c- ---: »:■■ v ;\<::l cciicclci-iunsss yastorday r-fternoon, j Wc U -i-jt thought to bo ocrioucly injaved ■ It l- ..-iiiplres thsit he fell ouh of hie cab \vhih=. in » .'bj.' l.lrmtn A, F. Hftlccmbo aud Barber IJroiUiiriJ am endoavoring so push tho export of frozen moat busineaa in Wellington. They liavo had interviews with Caplaiu Roeo, 0! tho New Zealand Sbippiag Company, who h'is undertaken to ohiaiu from his directors d<\ta en which calculati«;QS for the trade ecu bo supplied, A Mr William Ribbald, of Chriatchurah, secured the LSO offered by an O&maru advertiser to the person who firai named the placed horses in the Duuediu Cup ; and he did so four days after the prizs was advertised, An Ashburton resident also ,: spotted " the horses, but (adds tbo • North Otago Times') h8 failed to comply with the conditions. Tho Bruoo Ocuuty Council nt thoir mee'Ing yesterday oonsidered the clrcuUr of the Walroa County Council re elective Land Boards, and adopted tho following resolution :—" That the Counoil disapprove of auy action interfering wtth the existing arrange ments as to the mode of plaoing members on tha Waste Land Boards, con«Sdf>ring th*'ssioh action on the part of tha Counoila would not tend towards any improvjmsnt." Tho CmV.:rbury Ff,rmer«i' Co-cp«raMvo Association appear to be doing steady work, jWo Jeara from the * Timam Herald' that j «' sxtenslvo otorago aooomniodation has been S rscured in Timarn, into which large quantities of grain arc being received from subscribers to await sale or shipment, and tho msHiAgcment are now engaged in effecting ohariars for tho couveyance of grain to the Homo nmkste. Arrangements of a satisfactory oh?4?soter for the roceptloc and diapotssl of the grain in Englaud are in prooess i-r,f complotlou. Something has also been l done b/tho matter of suyplylng subscribers' e reoairemoatfl. Estenslvo oid»ira have boon

I rioui n.oma for grass seeds and other oxpen- | sivo agricultural saods; and aS the present I time Nawcwtks ooal it being uuppUed la oonI Riclerablo qTicjntJfclo* to subscribers afc 31s per ■ ion in railway trucks, tbo erdiaary price for ! Ihla necessary bemg 40a to 45»," The ; Oarr.aru Awaoci&tlon «xyeot to Login opera. I Uona shortly. i A very nnmeronoly-atfcecded meeting of ? tho residents In the Si. Leonards district was I held at the ecbool-houso on Monday evening

t last to take into consideration the action < I tho School Committee with regard to tl i muter of the school. Mr Hatton was vote I to the chair, and, after oontiderable discui | sion tho following resolutions were passtc ■ the first by a majority of twenty-two again) I three, and Ihe latter unanimously, viz. ; Proposed by Mr Fish, seconded by M 5 Mainainnd— 1 “ That this meeting, havin i hoard with sincere regret that the Soho< | Ccmmittoo cf the district have (by th j casting roto of their chairman) passed I rea<du‘ion calling npon the Eduoabio I jDcard to remove Mr F, J, Fraaor from hi ( nociticn ns master of the echocl, desire t ■ piece on rjo o-d bh*ir entire disapproval, c I i.uoh resolution ; and further, that Aar Frase; ; hovh r. man and teacher, pcatoßooa the oc? j fidoncG of the large majority of the resident lin tho Si. Leonards school district.” Pr: < onjed by Mr Fish, and seconded by M ■; Adame on— “ Thr-t in the opinion of thi • mooting the School Committee by their ac’do with regard to the master of tho school an otbarmtirr', haro forfeited the confidence ■ fcho ohfotorn of jdie district, and that the should therefore bn called upon to redgn, i order that th« residents may have aa opto tnnity ’ f elect i*g a committee in who; they !\»v-! confidence.” A vote <f blank to the chairmen terminated the proecodlog! On thy arrival of the Protoa in L >odi> (Bays the * with a cm go cf frrsw au-at wams'.O. w*ck« age, a telegram was sen to Meibc-uino to rr.y thst some of too met whan cookoi v/a* fouEcl to be dry, Th statement was one which the director* < tho Aostrailcn Frozen Meat Company ooul not account for, as they had no grounds fc believing that tfco process was in any wa defective. To satisfy the minds of acme f tho shareholders they caused an experimen to bo made ?,t the works. About a fortnigh ago thirty sheep were killed, and th cr.rcsss&G frozen hard, six with the skins cn Several quarters of hoof, some turkeys, ru fowls wero operated upon at the same time After the meat had been kept in tho icc j house for a number cf days it was taken on j and gradually thawed, until It reached th 1 temperature of the atmosphere. Portion were distributed amongst the shareholder 1 on Thursday last, and cooked on Saturday j In every ca*e tho meat, when placed on th tabic and compared with joints obtains (from tho butcher, proved to be of excollen j quality, and free from any appearance o j dryness. The length of time that moat i j kept frozen does not matter—at least, so i la believed—because the offset of oxtrem I cold is simply to preserve the fle*h in ai j unaltered state. On tho other hand, it rnv ! bo desirable not to thaw the moat rapidly | a* a sudden change o i temperature may can a ! a disintegration of the libras. la th ! experiments concluded last week, th j oarcasaon wore allowed about a day ard a j half to thaw. If frezsn moat is treated in i | common-Eeoee way on its dal!very in London 5 there would o-jera no reason to fear drynee | or any like cause of complaint.

j \fo have rfcolvod the ourrent number ef the ] 'New Zia'arid Presbyisrisa.' j fir Thomas Fpurgeen vrlll pleach In iht :! street Chtuoh to-morrow cvei-i^g.

| The annual meeting of the First Oharoh oonI R'oyatiou taiea place in tho okurch to-morjow J evocitg. ! The London 'Standard,' 'Sporting and ! Pramatso Nev?a ? ' and * ?a)l £?all Budget' have { been added to tho DunoAia .ithonanm'a flies, j A public meeting of the ratepayers of ft, I Kilda is oft)l«l f .>r Thursday eveting, ia MitI chill's Hall, for tho purpose of rcotnsideri&g tho ( spendiag of the L 3.000 l*an. j TheJoßny I?yo Company Lava aTmsjred a pc-fcraanoo at tho T'rinoesa Thoatre on Friday night for the ben eat o' the widow of tho lato ff. Mayo Mr Sibbald haagivn th 3 theatre freo, end m fcfce expfn/ws will bo reduced to a rcmimum a al ran* oasLt to be rcalWd, 06 ihe Ltmedin public are never slow to Bopport a motoment for reiief of g»ntd«e dlstiea*.