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Evening Star, Issue 11893, 22 May 1903, Page 4

Thees can be little question but that the institution of a graving dock Port Chalmers sufficient in size and equipBig Dock, ment to accommodate the largest \essels in the intercolonial (if not m the Home) trade would be of great benefit to Port Chalmers, and incidentally to the Colony; but the question necessarily resolves itself into one of ways and means. Now, it has been clearly demonstrated, and is, indeed, even locally admitted, that the undertaking is altogether beyond the present means of the Dock Trust, or at all likely to be available within a determinate period. The matter in all its phases has been thrashed out again and again, and various schemes have been proposed, only to be abandoned on close investigation. Circumstances render it hopeless to expect pecuniary aid or additional endowments from the Government, and the ordinary revenues of the Trust have not sufficient elasticity to enable provision to be made for the additional income which would be required to meet the annual charges for interest etc. 4 on thq,,

money to be raised for the cost of construction. In the face of competition, the new dock would rot be able to bear high charges, and the fixing of a high scale would defeat its own object. The most practical proposal—which, however, does not meet with favor at the Port—has been that the Dock Trust should abrogate their functions in favor of the Horbor Board, who might be able to raise a dock loan on easier terms, and presumably could conduct the administration of the dock more economically, without materially augmenting their present staff. But here again there is a lion in the path in the shape of the quite possible contingency of the dock not paying interest on the cost of construction, besides the expenses of management, and the necessity" thence arising of the Board having to increase the port charges, which are high enough already, and must not bo raised. Many things are very desirable for communities as well as for individuals, but an invariable condition precedent is having the wherewithal to procure them. This is really the case with Port Chalmers and its much-desired big dock. If the money is not to be obtained in the process of legitimate business and with reasonable facility, the proverb might very probably apply that "The game is not worth the candle." It is no new thing for the. ambition of municipalities and bodies cognate thereto to overleap itself, and involve grave financial - consequences. Enterprise must needs be ruled by prudent judgment.

In our issue of Monday last we published a letter signed " Dunback "—the writer evidently a Port Chalmers ratepayer—in which the action of the Borough Council at their late meeting is unfavorably criticised in regard to passing a resolution to the effect that a public meeting be held to consider the advisability of forwarding the early construction of a new dock, by the Corporation guaranteeing a sum of not more than £»1 : 000 a year towards the payment of interest on the. cost of construction. This is breaking ground in an entirely new direction, and irrespective of the very questional.! policy we venture to doubt whether the Borough Council can legally incur such a liability. A public meeting can certainly do no more than make a recommendation to that effect. Our correspondent ''Dunback" is very emphatic in his condemnation of the proposal, to which ho objects on economic grounds, and certainly makes out a very strong case, pointing out that in order to make provision for meeting the suggested guarantee an additional general rate of Is 7d in the £ would have to be levied. He points out, further, that the carrying of Nolicense in the district will involvo a loss to the Corporation in revenue of something like £4OO a year in the abolished licenses alone, as well as a material reduction in the rateable value of hotel property. The result, he declares, must necessarily be very heavy local taxation, and the increase of rents to tenants, who are already subjected to high payments. These estimates are sought to be controverted by "Forward" in Wednesday's issue, who questions " Dunback's" figures as to the rates at present in force, which he affirms aggregate only 2s 8d in the £, not 3s 6d. He further challenges the assumption that Prohibition will involve raising the rates in order to make up for the loss of revenue owing to the suppression of licensed houses. His argument on this head is somewhat diverting. He maintains that "owing to the "large increase in the use of water the "one (that is, the revenue from the water "supply) will more than adjust the other" ! The consumption of water will needs have to be somewhat abnormal if it is to make up the. loss of revenue now derived from the li.pior traffic. We wonder how many gallons per head this enthusiast expects the Port Chalmers citizens to pour down their throats ■ daily. This view of the case has certainly the merit of novelty. Appliid to Dunedin, the prospect would be somewhat startling! The advantages to Port Chalmers of such a clock as is desired by the promoters would unquestionably be materially considerable, but these advantages might be purchased too dearly if the borough is to be so heavily rated as to discourage population and handicap enterprise in trade and commerce. The problematical revenue from the dock and the locdl business connected therewith could not reasonably be expected to compensate for the severe pressure on the whole community which would be effect d by high rates. The very sensible letter of " Dunback" deserves the serious consideration of all directly concerned.

The second representation of ' The Christian' was witnessed by a very large audience at His Majesty's Theatre last night, and the performance was exceedingly we'll received. Miss Chevalier is to be heartily commended on her representation of Glory Quayle, and she ably backs up the efforts of Mr Hastings as John Storm and the other members of Mr Williamson's wellbalanced dramatio company, who are now drawing to a close a season extending over five months in this colony. The opening performance in tho colony was given in Dun-.din on Boxing Night, witli ' Sherlock Holmes,' and Mr Stewart lias wisely decided to close the tour with that play. The company leave for Hobart ty steamer on Sunday.

Miss Amy Blackie, who appeare* for the last time at the Alhambra Theatre last evening, was accorded an enthusiastic send-off. There will be no performance tonight, but to-morrow Mr Fred Bluett, an old favorite at this place of amusement, will make his reappearance. The usual matinee will be given on Mondav (Empire Day). There was an excellent attendance and good business at the Choral Hall iart evening, when the Mornington Wesleyan Church bazaar was again open. In addition to the cuftomary attractions, there was a series of tableaux by ladies and gentlemen connected with the Cargill road Wesleyan Church. Two of these were scenes from 'Cinderella,' and 'A Japanese Tea Party,' ' Snow Queen,' ' The Portal Gate,' and 'The Lady with the Lamp.' All were exceedingly good, and the forty or fifty persons who took part destrve much credit for their efforts. These tableaux are well worth seeing, and the audience heartily applauded, the performers. The Kaikorai Band was present during the evening, and played several selections. Tonight there will be a choir contest, in which the four Wesleyan choira of the city and suburbs take part. The new 6in q.f. gun which some months ago arrived in Dunedin from England, and was Bent down to the* Heads, is not yet mounted, and, judging by present appearances, is not likely to be mounted for a. long time to come. It appears that a cite for it was chosen by Colonel Penton, lately commanding the New Zealand Forces, and on this site a good deal of very expensive tunnelling in the rock was carried out. When the pit, magazines, and galleries for the gun had been almost completed, a new artillerv expert, Major Moore, came down from Wellington to inspect the same. Almost at the first glance he decided that :he site chosen was so vulnerable from the sea as to make its adoption completely out of the question. So it looks as though a very costly gun pit will have to be filled in, and a new pit and galleries constructed somewhere else. The proposal to establish a schoji at Maori Hill came up for discussion by the Council of that borough last evening, and it was decided 1 that a deputation wait upon the Education Board to urge the desirability of such a step It was suggested that the Council Chambers might serve as a jrcuqolrpom until another was erected.

The Dunedin agent of the .Government Tourist Department has received information that Messrs Lucas and Hodkin, -vno have been engaged in taking soundings iu Lakes Wakatipu and Manapouri, have completed their labors. lake Wakatipu wa* found to be 1.242 ft in depth and Marapouri 1,458 ft. Thus the latter proves to be 216 ft deeper than Wakatipu,.which was hitherto considered to have the greatest depth of any lake in the colony. The bottom of Lake Wakatipu lies about 200 ft below sea level, while the bottom of Lake Manapouri reaches to the greit depth of 861 ft below sea level. The following are the deepest soundings in the various lakes • —Lake Taujjo (in the North Islaul. the largest lake in New Zealand), 644 ft; Lake Rotorua, 84ft; Lake Rotoiti, 228 ft; Lake Waikaremoana (2,000 ft above sea level) 846 ft; Lake Wakitipu, 1,242 ft; and Lake* Manapouri, 1,458ffc. A social and concert was held at St. Leonards on Wednesday evening to inaugurate the opening of a new hall in connection with the Presbyterian Church. The Rev. Dr Nicolson presided, and in the course of his introductory remarks briefly and appropriately thanked all. who had helped in promoting the object which has resulted in the erection of such a comfortable and commodious building. His Worship the Mayor (Mr Cray) also congratulated the district on its acquisition. The hall was comfortably filled, and a firstrate programme of vocal and instrumental music dispensed. The following ladies and gentlemen contributed to the evening's enjoyment:—Mrs F. Wise, Miss Wis°, Miss Murray, Mr A. Ross, Mr G. Sutherland (vocal), and Messrs R. and T. Bagley (piano and mandoline). The Tnvercargill sittings of the Supreme Court, beginning on the 2nd June, are to be takm by Mr Justice Denniston, and Mr Justice Williams will preside at the Timaru sessions, opening on the 9th June. Mr Justice Williams gave judgment this morning in the case of Foley's Extended Dredging Company v. Cutten Bros, and Faithful. His Honor dealt with the whole case at length. He said he thou ht that the jury's findings exonerated Faithful. Faitliful's statement was by no means a direct and absolute statement; it was merely an indirect statement inadvertently expressed in such a way that a particular inference could be drawn from it. The jury bad as far as possible negatived the existence of moral obliquity in regard to Faithful and Cutten Bros., and Hs Honor held that they were exonerated from deceit. His Honor also found that there was no contract as between the company and Cutten Bros., and on the whole that the defendants were entitled to judgment. The Albany street School Committee have passed a resolut : on rninrpfinHoti of (he efforts of the Education Board in providinu' woodwork classes tor bovs dur.ng school hours. election of a member to represent Port Chalmers on the Ota?o Harbor Board in place of Mr John Cable, resigned, took place to-day, there being four candidatesMessrs Godfred. Murrav, Nelson, and J. Watson, jun. The contest in all probability will lie between Messrs Godfred and VVatson. The Momington Tramway purchase bv the local Borough Council was the subject of an application to Mr Justice Williams in Chambers this morning. It was in the form of an application under the Borough of Mnrnington Tramway Act, 1901, for an order to vest the tramway and undertaking, including the concessions granted by the Dunedin Corporation, in the Borough of Mornmgton. Mr Woodhouse appeared for the borough, Mr Sim for thr company, and Chapman for the City Corporation. It appeared from what was put before the Judcre that all the provisions of the contract for the'sale and purchase had been complied with and the purchase money paid. Mr Chapman said that he could not understand why the application had been made in the present form. The consent of the City Corporation was of course necessary but thev had no objection to the transfer, and if asked to consent to an order which preserved their rights they would no doubt do so. After discussion His Honor made an order in terms of the application, the form of the order to be settled between the parties and the City Corporation. There is again a shortaje in the Citv water supply, and householders are warned of the danger to themselves in allowing or cansmg any waste. The City Council V \ ise that proceedings will be taken m evencase where negligence in this relation is oermstted and as the penalty is £2O, notification of the fact should be sufficient to act is" Tl f e OTp , ply iD the rEservoir is so low that unless the strictest precauu°on X'w? c,tl f n T S -T ll be H>n the Water of Leith-an alternative sufficiently appalling ,to impose regard "or economy upon the most careless t; rt n% R - ?) hho]m > Otago Acclimatisation Society a representative on the Marine Jfatchery Board, told the society to-day taat Meps had b.en taken to hVe the hatches completed. They had called for tenders for the attendant's cottage and hatchery house, and the Government, on their recommendation, ,had accepted the tenders. Recently tenders had been called for the concrete tanks and other workfne cessary, and were received yesterday. The ca„ TO an had been instructed to forward he lowest tender to the Government,™ he recommends,*,™ that it be accepted and the work proceeded with as quickly as Z able. I here was therefore every pros Sect that within the next few weefaVrtart would be made with the construction o the marine hatchery at Portobello

First grade Rugby football matches will be played f o- m orrow at Cari.breok.BMis- - will be an interesting ceremony on Monday next (Umpire Day) at Wth-east Valley School, when the cadets, under Major MurJ? ? iT ™" 8 colors -" 'The British Flag wil bo sung by the school children wao will be gathered in the school ground for the occasion. We understand that this is the first time on which this interesting military display has been performed by school cadets m the Parents and friends are mvited.

Irvine and Stevenson's fruit department open all day Saturday; fruit cheap.—[Advt.j Auction sale (Hooper's premises) of draperv suitings, dress materials, blankets, will commence to-morrow, 12 o'clock; everything must be sold.—[Advt.]

The farewell social to Dr Watt takes place in t.hc Volunteer Hall, Green Island, at 7.30 o'clock. °"

Photographs of children are made a specialty by Mr Morris, photographer, Princes 6tre«. Charges. 21s per dozen.—TAdvt.] Now landed, special shipments of gents' " Florsheiin " celebrated boots, also the ladies' favorite "Jenness Miller's" hygienic boots. Simon Brothers' George street shop.—[Advt.]' A conversazione in aid of the library funds will be held in the Mining School, Otago Unfversity, this evening. The Anglo Co. are now fitting to their cycles the latest improved two-speed hub. Inspection is invited at their depot, 6 Princes street.—[Advt.]

Gentlemen are respectfully invited to see splendid selection razors, strops, sbavin" brushes, military hair brushes, etc., just landed at Hend/s hairdressing saloons [Advt.]

An attractive show of ladies' evening dress materials is now being made at the D.I.C. These dainty and effective fabrics, which seem to be the perfection of the manufacturers' art, and rich enough for the wealtiiiest, are yet within reach of the slenderest purse, many of the dresses ranging in price from 14s 6d to 25s 6d, and should be inspected by every lady who contemplates acquiring an evening dress. —{Advt.] Furniture, up to date in stylo and workmanship; carpets and toilet ware. Henry Sanders, 86 George street.—(Advt.] A magnificent stock of waterproof and rainproof tweed overcoats for men, boys and youths in all the newest styles now sh'owins at New Zealand Clothing Factory, [Advt.]

New guipure cape collars, full size just opened; also another shipment fur collars and fur muffs. Cheapest and newest in town At T. Ross's, direct importer.—[Advt.]