The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1910.

Evening Star, Issue 14526, 30 November 1910, Page 4

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1910.

Ix a minute drawn, up by the City Treasurer, which is to City Trading be submitted to tho Departments. City Council to-nigbl, the statement is made that “the gross profits” on tho trading departments of tho City Corporation—viz-, Gas, Water, Tramways, and Electric Light and Power—for the six months ended September 30. 1910 (two months ago) axo £17,475. Why this is termed the “gross profits ” we do not quite follow, assuming that tho sum stated is that which, according to the City Treasurer, remains after each and every legitimate charge has been mado. A reference to the detailed statements that have been supplied us gives the following figures as the “net profits”: Gas Department £6,445 Water Department 5,527 Tra.r"*vays Department ... ... 2,700 Electric Light and Power Department 2,803 Total net' profit £17,475 As all working expenses, salaries, maintenance, interest, sinking fund, and depreclar tion charges have presumably already been provided for, wo conclude that we aro correct in regarding tho above, in tho terms of the detailed statements appended, as the net (not the gross) profits for the six months. The amount of capital which tho cilizcns have invested, and for which they are responsible, to earn this profit is as follows: flas Department ...£IOB,OOO Waten Department 221,202 'lraniways Department ... 300,000 Electric Power and Light Department 329,200 Total £958,402 This last-named department has not, however, used tho whole of its borrowings, a sum of £38,000 being temporarily on deposit, and therefore interest-bearing; so that tho £17,475 of net profits have been earned on a capital investment of £920,000, or a return of less than 2 per cent. We doubt wheDior a private corporation would consider a return (including interest) of, say, 6 per cent., with nothing earned to restive, and a quite inadequate sum set apart for depreciation and sinking fund, wholly satisfactory. In other words, there is room for large and continuous improvement. -The City, unfortunately, has had to pay dearly for its trading investments. It has been handicapped in ways that no alert body of business men would have permitted themselves to be in connection ■with their own undertakings. Tho Tramways and Electric Light and Power Departments have cost tho citizens tons of thousands of pounds more than they should have done, and each has been and jys ciimily loaded. The jaigoi-taJit and aote^

■worthy features in. oomiection with. Mr Henderson <3 return are not that- there has been a net profit of £17,475, but that the citizens have not so far reaped those material advantages from their trading departments that they are entitled to expect, and that there is cause for apprehension rtf'-' gnrding the Electric Power and Light Department. Were the ’ depreciation charge fixed at an average rate of 2| per cent, (as in Wellington), and the sinking fund at 1 per cent., tho profits in this department would bo reduced to small dimensions. Again, tho question presents itself whether Lire Electric Department is not profiting tit the expense of the Gas Department. Tho City is selling, or has sold, its electric light and power’ to largo establishments at a clear loss. Tho price in Dunedin for these services' is lower than that in other cities of tho Dominion, lower than the estimate fixed as the selling price by Mr Birks In Iris misleading report to tho Government on their proposed hydro-electric scrvice; lower, in fact, say some, than in any other city hi tho world. Why should Dunedin thus push tho sale of its electric power supply? And why should tho sale of electric Light bo persevered in to iho detriment of tho solo of gas? There is more profit to tho City in tho sulo of a pound’s worth of gas than there is on a pound's worth of electric light. What Dunedin has dono Ls well enough known to experts. Writing in the Wellington ‘Evening Post’ on November 22, a correspondent says: “Tho loss on tho Waipori “ investments for tho three years ended “ March 31, 1910, would bo only a regrettable fact but for tho action of tho “authorities in selling much of the power “to Lugo users at a rate below tho actual “ working cost of production, Unis saddling “tho present and future citizens of Dun“odin with the burden of a largo present “to those who could well afford (o pay “their debts. ’’ The great mass of tho citizens have not so f;ir reaped any appreci-able-material benefit from being the owners of the Tramways and Electric light and Power Departments. Tho tram (ares under no form of ownership could well be higher, and tho income from the Electric Lighting Department could not well ho less.

Tho Finance Committee of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board wore given four weeks in which to negotiate for the purchase of a suitable site for a secondary hospital. They now ask for a further fortnight in which to report on a site for the acceptance of tho Board. At a social meeting of the Otago Methodist Synod last night the Rev. AI. A. Rugby Platt (Roxburgh) characterised Methodism os. the most remarkable religious romance of modem limes. When it arose in England the Court was corrupt, the aristocracy dissolute, and tho masses euibrated. In fact', the same forces wero at work which earlier had written the. history of France in blood and tears. After recounting what AVe-slcy had done, tho rev. gentleman informed iris audience that the Australasian membership was now 682,284, and Alethodism embraced forty millions of people in Iho Christian world. Our Tapanui correspondent advises that heavy showers have brought Die grain on at a surprising rate, and that lair crops arc assured. Tho country is looking splendid, and shearing is becoming general. It was originally agreed that the Government were to pay half, the University Council a quarter, and the Hospital Hoard a quarter towards the cost of structural alterations for tho bacteriological department at the hospital. Tho Government afterwards withdrew their offer, and offered to grant a subsidy of 24s in the £ on the University’s quota. The Finance Committee of the Hospital Board now recommend the acceptance of Diis. A London message ad vises the. death of Die Hon. Richard Oliver, formerly of Now Zealand. The deceased was born in Cornwall in 1830, and after his arrival in .Dunedin became senior member of flic hardware firm of Oliver and Ulph, whoso promises were in Manse street. He was the founder of the New Zealand Hardware Company. In 1878 he was elected a member of the House of Representatives, defeating Air C. >S. Reeves in a contest for tho vacancy caused in the City representation by tho resignation of Mr Lornach. In 1879 ho became Alinister of PublicWorks in the Hail Ministry, ;md retained tho office till Alay, 1881. He was in the same Government without portfolio till April, 1882, when a reconstruction took place, and ho was in the Whitaker Government as a inpmber of the Executive Council. A second reconstruction took place, and he then became Commissioner of Telegraphs and Postmaster-General in the Atkinson Government. With thomoet of his colleagues ho retired in 1884, and was appointed to the Upper House, but resigned after settling in England. Alr Oliver was twice married, first at Penzance in 1858 to a daughter of Mr William Purchase, and secondly at Penzance in 1885 to a daughter of Mr J. S. Courtney, and sister of that well-known Liberal statesman and publicist Lord Courtney. Air Oliver was a generous giver, and though long living in England, he was most generous in his monetary and other gifts to Dunedin.

There was a marked change at Die Burnside stock sales to-day as regards tho sale of fat cattle. Codd-quality animals wero on offer, and prices were not so high as formerly. In the opinion of one auctioneer," it is likely that good-quality stock will now be forthcoming, and that there will bo less buying outside. Tho launching of the Peninsula Ferry Company’s new steamer Waireka will probably take place on Friday or Saturday, It was expected that she “would bo launched to morrow, but It i.s unlikely that she will be ready in Dm?. The Waireka is to enter the ferry service about Christmas. Seven choice pictures bought iu Borne by Air P. R. Sargood have been lent to the Dunedin Art Gallery, and wero hung this morning under the direction of Air A. Bathgate, Professor Bonham, and Alia:; Wimperis. Guilo Hosati is Dio painter of two remarkable water colors, one representing three Algerian cavalrymen at full gallop, the other an Algerian merchant's shop. In both of these the drawing is a feature, and they are delightful as to color, whilst, much is made of local characteristics. The inactivity of the Southerners is nicely shown in tho last-mentioned picture : tho merchant and a friend wholly absorbed in a game of backgammon, indifferent to the waiting customer, who also seems to be in no hurry. Tliere are, besides, two oils by E. Forti, both brilliant and luminous. Tho subject of ono is a flower-seller’s open-air shop, possibly iu Florence or Rome; the other gives a view of tho end of a chariot race, a lovely woman tendering to tho charioteer a floral offering. The groat merit of Diis pair is their strength of color and their flood of sunshine. Another of the collection is a glorious water color by Gtiiseppc Guidi, depicting a company of monks drinking tho' cook’s health. The detail of Diis painting is quite irregular, and it, too, is a great color study. Two smaller works by R. Alainella, showing tho strange atmospheric effects that one gets in Egypt, complete the parcel that Mr Sargood has thoughtfully placed in ..the gallery. Our people plight to feel very thankful to this gentleman, and the best way to appreciate tho loan is to go and enjoy u view of the. pictures. The Committee have also placed In position an unsigned oil- painting of high value, given by Mrs 14. P. Houghton, tho subject being‘the figure of a yourfg gir.L James Lambert, a fireman from the steamer Otaki, was convicted of drunkenness this morning by Mr D. A. Do Alans, J.l*., at the Port Chalmers Court, and this being his second offence accused was fined 10s or twenty-f3ur hours. He also pleaded guilty to absenting himself from tho ship without leave, and on that count was sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment, aud ordered to pay 7s costs.

’ Members of the Works Committee of the City Council and tho Domain Board paid a visit of inspection this morning to the esplanade at St. Clair. Dunedin prison is making itself wellknown for mat-manufacture. Mr J. G. Scanlon, the gaoler, takes much interest in this and ail ether useful work, and has encouraged some of the men to become quite expert. A large number of extremely serviceable mats, all of cocoauut fibre, are turned out to order, of W1 shapes and sizes. One of the prisoners is uncommonly clever at Did work. Ho has just completed tho largest mat ever made in New Zealand, if not in Australasia. It measures sft by 15ft, and is IJin thick, without kink or inequality. This big mat is for theOamam firo' station. It took the maker a month to make, and he got so interested in tho job as to work at it about ten hours a day. Mr Scanlon is proud of this article, anil will bo pleased to show it to authorised visitors. Tho man who mado it is .riso pleased with Iris work. Ho says that it will not tiro ij a match is thrown on it, tho work being so close, and ho fondly turns it over to show the-evenness of the groundwork. It was quite pleasant to note, also, that tho men engaged in this room were sticking to their work as it they liked it. Mr Scanlon has evidently struck a happy tjtough t, and knows how to develop it to tho advantage of the prison and the prisoners. A conference of the New Zealand Hotel Employees’ Unions will bo held at Wellington next month (says a P.A. telegram). Auckland, Wellington, and Otago are already affiliated, and Canterbury will bo invited id affiliate and asked to send delegates. Tho total membership of tho three centres is about 2,000. Tho wind was shifting Ui the eastward as the Terra Nova left yesterday. She would probably get it as a N.l‘l light breeze during the night and to-day, and if so the could (wint for’ the Campbell Islands and have CVory sail drawing. Wo shall be prepared In road in Captain Scott’s report hereafter that tho barque, logged 110 miles under sail in the first twenty-four hours. Any way, she got a good start. A poll of the burr bo r ratepayers was taken at Oiimani yesterday on the proposals as outlined in tho Oamaru Harbor Board Enabling Act, 1910, empowering (ho Board to effect a compromise with the debenture holders of ono of their loans and to consolidate all the other loans. The result of tho poll was that tho proposals were carried by 2,177 to 238. Tho Board’s indebtedness will now be reduced by over £150,000, the debenture holders having agreed to accept £50,000 in settlement of their claims. The Board have been in financial difficulties since 1894, partly owing to iho institution of a differential tariff on tho railways, which diverted a large part of the trade ot the port. The proposal was to consolidate £157,000 now and the balance in 1915, the total being £223,000. The loan is to bo secured by a rate instead of, as heretofore, being secured by revenue and rents. Since 1894 there has been a receiver in London, who acted for tho London debenture holders. His services will now be- no longer necessary. The king of the “great unwashed” lias been unearthed in Christchurch, the, city of much water. Ho gave his name as Joseph Scott when arrested for vagrancy in Hagley Park yesterday. Ho. had been sleeping in the park for weeks past, his couch the ground, his pillow a grass clod. His condition was something of a record for nauseating dirtiness, clothes rotten and nesting myriads of vermin—a spectacle to bo imagined rather than described. The man was almost unapproachable. The constables at the jiolico station had to burn the vagrant’s clothes and then souse him with a strong solution of water and Jeyes’ lluid. They swobbed him with a longhandled mop. Ho underwent the operation in silence, appearing to enjoy the sousing. It is understood that there is a chance of the proceedings against Grs Stewart and Shaddock 1 icing withdrawn to-morrow, seeing that the Municipal Corporations Bill has been passed, excluding directors of companies having contracts with a public body, such as the City Council, from sitting on tho Council. This new measure affects several of t-lio present members of the City Council. Many of those in search of a warmer climate turn iheir attention in the direction of Auckland. Messrs Samuel Vaile and Sons, of that city, have issued a handsome illustrated booklet describing “ Favona Park,” which will be sold by auction by them in suburban blocks of about ten acres. This booklet may bo had on application. “ Favona Park” is a block of 300 acres, lying midway between Otahulm and Mangare, and originally was the property of the late Hon. Hugh Mosmau. Particulars will bo found in the auction columns. A notice appears in this issue re tho installation of Pro. C. S. Jenkins a« W.M. of Lodge Otago Kilwinning, No. 143. Bring your wife and babies to Mr J, Steadman, at the Acme Photo Company, George street. The studio is on ground floor —no staircase to climb. Tel. 965.—[Advt.] Tho very latest and most up-to-date photo picture is the “ artist’s proof portrait,” by Morris photo, Princes street. Call and see specimens. Telephone 859.—[Advt.] A glass of Speight’s beer at lunch and supper is better than all the tea in China.— [Advt.]