THE Marlborough Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1887. Strange Finance

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 191, 10 August 1887, Page 2

THE Marlborough Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1887. Strange Finance

The decision of tlie Borough Council last night to reject Messrs Holmes and Bell’s loan proposal at five per cent will bo regarded by sensible people, on calm reflection, as an unwise proceeding, begotten of prejudice, and based upon strangely erroneous calculations. The Council will presently find itself in a queer fix. The Bank of Now Zealand has refused to grant the temporary loan of L 14,000, and the Mayor’s hopes are centred in the Bank of New South Wales. Should that institution refuse, we venture to say there is not another financial body or private “lender in the Colony that will come to the Council’s assistance, especially as a majority of the Councillors are taking the spendthrift course of borrowing without a sinking fund. Considering that other people and institutions in this Colony had failed to raise the loan, Messrs liolmes and Bell’s offer deserved less cavalier treatment and better arithmetic than it has received in the press and in the Council. It has been well said that figures can be manipulated to prove anything ; but it is certainly a remarkable twistthat can shew a 5 per cent loan at Homo to be worse for the Borough than a 7 per cent loan in the Colony. The ingenious way in which the calculations are made in one line upon a 10 years’ basis and in the next upon a 20 years’ basis, and especially the bold flight of fancy which calculates the property tax at a penny in the pound (a rato it has never reached yet) upon the whole loan for 20 years, although it is to be paid off at the rate of L7OO a year, would he amusing if the process were not so misleading to the Council. It is to be hoped that the Council, which has no earthly chanco of borrowing money in the Colony, without a sinking fund, at a moderate rato of interest, will reconsider its decision while there is yet time. LOCAL & GENERAL NEiVS. Institute. —A Committee meeting of the Blenheim Literary Institute will take place this evening at 8 o’clock. The principal business will he to receive the Book Committee’s report as to new works to he ordered from England. Discount.— Customers of the Gas Works wishing to get the benefit of the discount, (and who doesn’t wish to do so in these hard times), should interview the Manager at the Works to-night. Ho will bo intensely gratified to see anybody who bring 3 a cheque in his hand. Tenders. —For erecting Mr Macey’s new shop in the Market Place, Mr P. Connell, L-387, was the lowest tenderer. Eight other contractors put in prices, the highest being L6OO. Unhappy Bruts. —Poor Lady Agnes, whose starvation agonies were the subject of a trial on Monday in the R.M. Court, did not live to see the result. She got bogged iu a ditch in Taylor’s paddock last Saturday, and was found dead. The mare deserved a better fate, and a time will coino some day when the turning out of such an animal, without anything to cat, into a bare paddock on cold winters’ nights will be regarded as sheer cruelty.

Mb Henderson at Grovetown. —Last niglit Mr Henderson addressed a wellattended meeting of electors in the Grovetown School-room. Mr N. T. Prichard, J.P., occupied the chair. The address was of the usual character, and a number of questions were put and answered. Mr Henderson, as is his custom, did not ask for a vote of thanks or confidence. The customary compliment to the chairman wound up the proceedings. In the Wrong Place.— Our experience of Supreme Court jury lists is that in everyone there figures either a prisoner or a prosecutor, who, of coiu’se, is ineligible to serve. The sheriff has. no thing to do With such an occurrence. He simply gives the ballot box a vigorous turn, and draws out the names as they come. ' On this occasion it will be seen that the rumlimn jury list lor the 2-lMi contains the nnuie;of ; a person who has been committed for trial at the sessions. .Ho can hardly be a juryman in his own case. The New Roll.—The supplementary roll for the Wairau has just been issued. It contains 32.3 names, bringing the total number of registered electors up to IG3G. Of these, however, about GO have been struck oif—and wc observe the names of several others who ought to have the same treatment. In all probability the writs will be issued on the 15 th instant, after which date no names can be put on tho< roll. Persons entitled to vote and who are not registered should send in their claims without delay. The Registrar of Electors will issue a second supplementary roll-—as we mentioned some days ago—after the writs are out. R.M. Court. —Mr Allen, li.M., hold a sitting of the Court yesterday morning to take the defends in's evidence in a case brought at. Wellington by J. E. Evans h-adtiler' .against C. J. W. Griffiths to i recover the sum of 18? 6d. Mr Rogers a-ppeared for the defendant. Mr Griffiths proved that he paid the debt to Mr If vanson, on the "31st January, 1885, soon’ miCrg the; goods. ■ Ho -whx nii-. to to prodd-A !iispotty cash hock und f nii- jvt oipf. which -vf 'e lbiued m the k'.fo ! fire. A copy of the r-ntric-s in Pie ledger * tvn? put ))i as eyidenir . aim sr.*':>vrd the | poyriiour m Mr.-Evan-. G. Mai)can;., j f.iriu.-riy I'.lcrk'fo Mr nrbved the jnyvmii “f "the nih’.iry [tv. 1 a' peri of the' nifiiutiff'. 'The evidev.ro- bn ■ iiiiiti,! l-f Weffingiue Late.- ‘- T -.Y . re-.-m ,n the tunasiat? twee, i ;i," wsut to too •’ p *f A)' l *■ •••■ ' oktfd vi< tttc Jcuiid vi it,* TKat ;« i. rhe remark widen B'eithei.H o»...iU- ■ i,r; ke whun. tliuv re-ad ihe assets had Babirttb >f a local I.iinkvr.pt. Tbr-to’s nothing it: ltd ’ But so«t>.bines tin- o.cdi - *,:•••> r-vaso ;i.t • ana v.< • in sv« an C- .. .. j t - •• *.'<•: • • ..:*••• *1 *- •' ’ hi : • l.i I' j TLv »i* ■•• )• >•; t’h< \ ” hi u V- • proved-emme uvrammg round ciwiffipulyA ssignee lik* 'hungry ravens waiting fo bo ted. Unfortunately they were; t-.o iafe, and had to go empty away, Thorns a moral in this, if creditors can only tc-j if,

The Premier’s Tour. Sir Robert Stout addressed a meeting of 3000 persons at the Theatre Royal, Christchurch, last night. A vote of thanks and of confidence in his Governwent was passed unanimously, with acclamation. Three cheers were given for the Stout-Vogel Ministry.

Rough on the “Uppercrust”:— -Bis hop Barry of Sydney has been orating in London. He declared that drunkeness was rather Worse in New South VV ales than in England, though there was less of it amongst the working classes han in other grades < -f society.

A Disruption Somewhere. —Recently a gi- an tic balloon was inflated with gas near Rothe-mv, on the Isla id of Lute, but be'ore all was ready it broke from i s moorings and s->ot miles into the air. Eventually it burst, and fell near a gardener’s cottage at Port Bannatync. The enormous extent of silk which composed t se balloon had completely covered the little cottage, suddenly and unexpectedly enveloping it in worse than Egypti n Darkness. “Oh, John, John,” said t.ie gardeuer’s wife, “it's the Judgment Day at last, and I’ve got my old clothes on !” “Nonsense, woman,” said John, “it’s just a disruption somewhere ”

A Fish Diet.—A bailiff in a house, eating up the “ cold scran,” is a favorite subject for humorists. Generally speaking the man in possession is a very harmless individual, who does his duty as quietly as he Can, and is never happy until he gets out of the establishment. As for his appetite— it is nothing, out of he way. But there are exception? to the rule, as the proceedings in the bankruptcy of John Smith, once upon a while the “tinker,” hut lately a fish-cuver, could abundantly testify. He left seven cases of fish at his "works at the entrance to Pelorus Sound, and the bailiffs were put in a few weeks ago. Silver and gold had he none, and mutton is unknown in that locality. It was, therefore, with pain and regret that the creditors heard at the meeting that the bailiffs had eaten up all the fish. Bailiffs should have a chance to live—though, as Talleyrand said “ One does not quite see the necessity of that.” There is nothing like a fish diet. Sir Robert Stout, who hails from a land where herrings are more plentiful than oatmeal, takes fish twice a day. Who would begrudge the bailiffs, who perhaps wished to develop their intellects, seven cases of fish in three weeks ?

Those Kaffirs. —Referring to the proposition of the Amuri Sheep Farmers’ Union that the wool-growers of the colony should combine for the purpose of introducing Kaffir labour in order to keep down the price of shearing, the Southland News says:—“The proposal is, on the face of it, preposterous, ami, if persisted in will have to be frustrated by legislation. The influx of Chinese is already limited by a polltax of LiO per head. Whether Kaffirs would be less desirable neighbours we are not prepared to say, but should suppose them to be at least equally objectionable. The action of the Amuri Association has been, from one point of view, taken most oppo;tuuely. The Colony is on the eve of a general election, a time when associations of every kind are able to bring pressure to bear upon candidates. It will be for the Shearers Union to use its influence and wherever it is able to do so, to obtain distinct pledges from candidates as to their intended action with regard to the introduction of coloured labour. Although not a large factor, one of the causes of the existing d-pression is the presence of Chinese'iu this colony. They almost monopolise some minor industries that would all'ord employment to Europeans, while from their habits of hoarding they contribute but little or nothing to the burdens of the State. Anything that would intensify this evil should meet with universal resistance.”

The World, Moves. —The Pall Mall Gazette says:—Democracy is spreading even in royal circles. The other day Madame VVoltner was presented by the Empress of Austrit to the Empress of Russia. Madame Woltner is the Ellen Terry of Vienna, and the Vienesse have just been celebrating her jubilee. Her true title is the Countess O’Sullivan, but the Empress presented her as Madame Wol-ner, “I atn proud of you,” she said “as the Woltner—that is the name which I like to present you. 1 have so many Countesses at my Court that y another title conveys no distinction." i his was rather strong for the Empress of the East. But it is very much the same with a Queen in the Nest. The Queen Regent of Spainhadsum uoned a meeting of her Ministry at the Castle of Aranjuex. When they came to the gate of the park the Queen was in a Victoria, and the Princess Isabel was in a drag and four. The Queen was driving. She invited M. Sagasta to take a seat beside her, and the other ..linisters accommodated in the drag. On reaching the Castle coffee was brought, and the Queen ordered cigars to be produced as well as offered to Iho gentlemen. The .Miaiste s seemed to heoiitttc. In nii the annals of Spanish, history no subject has ever smoked in the presence of a Queen. The Queen Regent, however, gave the command, and ••or Mini-dors, like dutiful subjects! obey. Cold sticks and chambei Ir/ms have ever •since been in hopeless despondency.

Holt.oway's Ointment and Pills.— Disease of. the most formidable and ehronic characters have by .cured by Holloway’s Vcbiodies. Ulcerations which have proved themselves incurable by any known means have healed kindly midcr the purifying and regenerating influence of this excellent Ointment. Sprains, stiff joints, contracted muscles and glandular swellings can be most safely and effectually healed by Holloway’s Ointment and Pi iis, which, can do no harm under any •Ptoumstaiices! Neither of those, inedi.a’incuts has anything deleterious in its composition ; both are essentially purifying and strengthening in their nature. The combinod. power, of these noble remedies enables them successfully to cope with most descriptions of impurities, and to cure, or at least relieve, most varieties of diseases.

To rest-ore nerve and brain waste, nothing equals Hop Bitters. Believe this and uke none but. American Go’s. See.