A DEPARTMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 620, 19 November 1913, Page 4

A DEPARTMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY.

- - ■■ <► - - The prompt action of the Counties' Association in entering an emphatic protest against local bodies being saddled with the cost of installing alarm signals and oilier de\ices for the public safety at railway ores-nigs is to be commended, and the outcome of the protest will be awaited wi'.h interest. It is difficult So understand by what chain of reasoning it esn be held that the local authorities should be considered liable for the making safe of the railways, which are established by the State and administered in the interests of the public at large. On the face of things it will seem to the majority of publicbodies that the safety of the travel ling public is the first duty ci those responsible for the railways, and it cannot be doubted that the danger to train travellers, in the case of accidents at level crossings is very considerable. When approached recently with respect to adopting safety devices at the various crossings in the Dominion, the Minister of Knilways stated the expense would be a very considerble item, and lie doubted if the funds would bo available for the purpose. Apparentiy there was no question in the Ministerial mind at that time as to the liability of the Department concerning the work. The afterthought of saddling the- liability on the local bedieri may he an ingenious method of saving department.'-.! funds and showing the much-coveted profit on the railway work in:: at: the end of the year, but there i- little doubt the local bodies will strenuously oppose the passage through Parliament of such a Bill. At the various largo railway stations in the Dominion there are already installed automatic beiis and other safety devices, and there has been no suggestion that the cost; oi. theoe should be borne by the local authorities. It is surely only logical to assume that the extension of this system in the interests of public safety is the responsibility of the Department. One of the few available freehold business sites left in Te Kuiti will be offered under the'bammer on Saturday. December 6tb. We allude to that centrally situated shop and dwelling, the property of Mr H, Jane For details see advertisement.

The IV Kuiti Horticultural' Society's show wiii lie hold in the Town Hall on Thursday. November 27th. Entries % close wiiii (he secretary on Monday, Now -mhit 2-1 <ii. intending exhibitors will materially assist the secretary if g llu-v will forward (heir Hats of entries :: ,™ ::!i p-iM I - ; n : : .enon'oh thai; if he fails to seenre amnim-m! of the Boxing Federa- | don's d. Hsinn depriving him of the j world's -.•'.;■ r.ij.innt-hij l . Jack Johnson j bs decide. ;i to cr.aaHf v a scries of bouts in Marseilles '•'■ decide the champion- , ship. No i-!?:;; ::<■ will be made for ad- ] mission. ,lam,.en paying all expensen. 7!:, Vvc.K-U loan of £54,000,000 at i ;■ per cent, has been rendered necessary ev •;,,,: to the heavy calls on the ! eounirv for defence purposes to Counteract .': - heavy spendings by Germany oh increases to heT armies and armaments. Thy exigencies of the i Three Yen'-s' Service Bill will cause a ! serines deficit, amounting to many i millions of pounds, in the Budget for \ h'TL j A fasting man named Tanner, who lives in Hartford, Connecticut, has exI pressed a desire to marry Mrs Pankiiurst, pointing out to her that abstention from food coatituted an ideal link between them. Mrs Pankhurst is'besieged by reporters. The suffragette leader, flushed with anger, described the offer made to her as insulting, •and added: "I am a politician, and not a marrying person." A short sitting of the Court was held at Te Kuiti on Monday before Mr J. Boddie. J.P., when two drunks, who had passed the, week-end in durance vile were dealt with. Frederick Willoughby, who became obstreporous when arrested, was convicted and discharged for drunkenness. On a charge of resisting the police he was fined £2; and for damaging the police cell he was fined a similar amount and ordered to pay the damage amounting to 2os. A first offender was convicted and discharged. The methods adopted by those engaged in the illicit liquor traffic for plotting liquor into the district are beoemim: well known to the police. The oiii dodge of merely ordering in a j false mi mo has become played out, and | the practice of frequently changing the address to which tho liquor IB to be -on! is more difficult to combat. However, tho police succeeded in | i minimi <u mirth Ibis week an offen- ' I der v, i;o had been getting liquor ; consigned in various names to Btai tion:; covering a distance of sixty or i seventy miles. ! as. i'':c monthly meeting of the Te j Kiiiti llsiepayers' and Citizens' Association, Imid on Monday evening the ! inconvenience caused through no clock ! he ire: visible to the public on the rail- ■ wav station was discussed, and it waß ! resolved to approach the Department j and noim oat the desirability of having a. .dock provided. The difficult v of obtaining an expressman sometime? experienced by business people was also brought before the meeting, and i f was suggested that the thorough Council be requested to set apart a suitable place for a car- ; riers' stand, but it was decided to . defer action till the feeling of the cavuirs on the subject had been ascertained. At the annual meeting of the Scottish and Australian Investment Company, Mr John Harley, the president, said that £20,818 was paid during 1912 on colonial taxation, the hulk being Federal land tax. The amount . equalled a dividend of 4 per cent, on ordinary capital, and was levied on all ' freehold properties, whether repro- ' dnclive or not. The taxation exceeded i mivihiip; that could be termed reason- , i :u)'v. i■■<:•{■ strong, remonstrances to the ! Government proved unavailing, and ' | only on;' course remained, to sell the ' ' freehold upon which the Federal land i i tax was levied. This would take time, 1 I and they would tind other outlets for their capital, heeav.se Australia, with ' all its fauits of government, was a great country and had a wonderful future lie fore it. J .