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Marlborough Express, Volume XIII, Issue 1052, 17 August 1878, Page 5

A. somewhat startling telegram reached us last night stating that Mr Allen of Picton has beenappointed Resident Magistrate at Blenheim. We do not possess the key to this riddle. Mr Dowling from Nelson, who succeeds Mr Hull as manager of the Blenheim branch of the Bank of New Zealand, arrived here yesterday. We regret to have to announce the death of Mr E. Eccles, about 11 o'clock last evening. He has been lying ill for some days past at Cundy's Hotel, where he died. We desire to call the attention of miners and others m the Havelock district requiring to publish notices m the Marlborough Express under the Mines Act, 1877, to the fact that Mills Bros, of Havelock are our agents, and will carefully attend to these matters on their behalf, thereby avoiding the necessity for paying exorbitant agency charges. It is whispered (writes a correspondent to the Lyttelton Times) that Mr Joseph Shepherd, of Nelson, formerly member for Waitnea, was very anxious that the Government should call him to the Council, but they declined. This is said to account for the furious attack made on the Ministry m the Nelson Colonist article on the Governor's Speech.

itiK JSew Zealander states that on Monday last some shares m the D'Urville Island Copper Mining Company were disposed of by Mr Finnimore at auction at £2 lQs per share £1 paid up.

Atf Original Idea.. — At the County Council Conference at Wellington on Wednesday last, a Mr M'Minn proposed— " That iv the opinion of this Conference the law ought to be framed m such a manner that any local body should have the power to levy and spend the rates for the year succeeding their term of office." The motion was negatived.

The Patea Mail appears to have discovered a new feature m Representation, for m a leading article the other day relative to a proposed railway from Wanganui to Taranaki, it states that a " deputation consisted of Taranaki and Wanganui members, including our own representative, Major Atkinson. : '— lt is not every paper that can raise an ex-Premier to represent it m Parliament.

The Railways working account for the year ending June 30 shows that the line from Picton to has produced a revenue of £4,282 14s sd, with an expenditure of £4,536 Ss sd. The percentage of expenditure to the revenue is therefore 102-92. The revenue from Picton Wharf during the same period was £708 and the expenditure £237, which if added to the railway account would nearly balance it.

Wk regret to hear that Mr Rogers, who has.been unwell for some time, has found it uecessary to leave, for Auckland m order to consult a celebrated oculist there respecting his sight. On Monday last he. was unable to continue m Court owing to inflammation of the eyes and was obliged to keep them blindfolded. Mr Oonolly, we understand, will temporarily meet Mr Rogers' clients at his office to-day, and attend to business m his absence.

A keturn of- the value of Imports of the several ports of the Colony for the quarter ended the 30th June last, gives the following from the ports m Marlborough : — Wairau, from United Kingdom £501, New South Wales £232, Victoria £228. Total £964. Corresponding quarter 1877 £401. Picton, from United Kingdom £68, New Sonth Wales £274, Victoria £154. Total £496. Corresponding quarter £344. Haveloch, nil. Corresponding quarter £371. This seems rather curious. Kaikoura, from United Kingdom £28. Corresponding quarter £310.

We beard a rather good joke a day or two since. Mr A. met Mr Z. down town, and euquired if lie had heard the news ? To this the other of course asked what' it was. "Not heard about the Bridge " says A. "No, No, what is it ? " " Why there's another load of timber for the flooring come ! " The point of the jest is that the contractor has had to leave off the job, we are told, about eight times m consequence of the scarcity of timber, m the heart of a timber producing country. Other contractors are served very much m the same way and timber is harder to get here than iv perhaps any other town m the Colony.

In the House of Represertafcives one day last week, Mr Barton brought up a series of charges against the police, especially of Wellington, of the most serious character, and the matter cannot rest at this stage. He described men as being tied to a ring m the floor all night m order- to compel them to disclose who had supplied them with drink, and other cruelties. The Minister of Justice said that if the statements were true that condition of things ought to be abolished at once, and an example set to the whole Colony. He said it would be impossible for the House to pass the matter over. He was willing to appoint either a Committee or a Royal Commission to enquire iuto the case.

At Picton on Thursday, S. L. Muller, Esq., R.M., held a sitting under his extended jurisdiction when the case of " Collier v. Union S.S. Company" came up again. Mr Conolly applied for a rehearing on behalf of the defendants, and pointed out that the judgment given on a former occasion allowed an amount m excess of what the plaintiff was entitled to receive, as was shown by the actual wording of the judgment. Mr Conolly entered fully into the subject, and at the conclusion of his remarks, the Magistrate said he had no hesitation m saying that the judgment on the former occasion was given m error, and had the Bench known that the goods had not been utterly destroyed, a different judgment would have been given. His Worship granted the application.

The great Foot Race, for £100 a side will come off at 12 o'clock to-day m High-street, running westerly above Cundy's ; the previous arrangement being altered, as High-street is better adapted for the purpose than Grove Road. Last evening we I'eceived a note from Mr Girling stating that he had received the sum of £100 from each side as stakes. In yesterday's Picton paper we observed a very unnecessary sneer m which the writer says " only £40 of the stakes have been deposited and there is a chance that one of the men may funk and refuse to put down the final deposit." It will be satisfactory to this man to learn that the " one " has paid his money as well as the other, and we should advise him to keep at a safe distance from some of the backers of both.

Db, Scoxt has received the appointment of Surgeon to the Picton Hospital. It appears bo be quite true that this institution has hitherto been used as an Almr-house for indigent persons, as was stated a short time ago, although disbelieved by many persons at the time. The Picton Press of yesterday says : — " The Borough Council made application to the Government for the Immigration Barracks, to be used should circumstauces require it to afford shelter for destitute persons. It has been the practice hitherto to send persons requiring only charitable assistance to the Hospital, thus converting that institution into a Benevolent Asylum, as well as a place where medical aid could be rendered. It was seen that this course was objectionable, hence the application for the Immigration Barracks. Notice was received on Wednesday that the Government were willing to comply with the request, and the barracks will for the future be under the charge of the Borough, and will be used for the housing of those requiring only charitable aid without medical attendance."

" That History repeats itself" is a common saying now-a-days, and the latest instance is m the following paragraph from the Post of 10th August: — "'ihe dull, dreary, and wearisome proceedings of the City Council last evening were enlivened by one little episode. Just after a certain resolution was carried, Councillor Maginnity arose m wrath and complained that a councillor had stigmatised the resolution jusfc passed as a " job" He protested warmly against this undeserved imputation. The Mayor characterised the remark as very improper. Councillor Macdonald raised a point of order as to whether notice could be taken of private conversation at the table. He had not made the remark complained of, but did not see how a mere private observation, made by one councillor to another could be noticed by the chair. The Mayor held that if his attention were called to the matter he was bound to notice it. The discussion here concluded." The Mayor of Wellington appears to hold different opinions as to the proprieties of spsech to those which are current with the Mayor of another town not a thousand miles away, but m the Wellington Borough Council it was only a Councillor that used the offensive term, and there is a certain amount of truth m Shake3pere's saying — "That m the captain's but a choleric word, which m the soldier is rank blasphemy," — judging from what we see around us. In our opinion an insult is one just the same no matter where it originated or how spoken. '

Extraordinary Bankruptcy.— The following case is worthy the notice of the promoters of the Bills ngw before Parliament for dealing with bankrupts. A meeting of credii tors m the estate of George Bartlett was held on sth August;, when the following statement was made by the bankrupt on oath : — ." I just completed a contract for Mr Dodaon about a fortnight before filing my bankruptcy; I received £30 from Mr Dodson m full payment as balance due on Bth Jaly, 187 S. f. sold some pigs to Mr W. Bell of Wairau Valley on or about Ist July for £13. Out of this sum 1 paid . Mr Rogers £20 for his fee fur acting as my solicitor m my bankruptcy. I paid Litchfield & Son for goods bought on Bth July the sum of £5 on the same day. Oti my way home on 18th July I lost £18 m the Waii-au Paver through my pocket-book being accidentally pulled out of my trousers pocket, when taking my hand out of my pocket. When I settled up with Mr Dodson I asked him not to tell anyone what ■cash I had received from him m settlement. I had the whole of the L 43 above enumerated m my possession on the Bth July, the day I filed my declaration of insolvency. The property mortgaged to the Building Society is m the name of my deceased brother and myself. I have no interest m any personal property that was held by my brother deceased. I have no interest m the Flax Mill property. I was m no way pushed by my creditors for payment of any portion of my liabilities prior to my becoming a bankrupt. The cause of my becoming a bankrupt was to get clear of my debts, which 1 considered beyond my power ever to pay. I did not seek to compromise with any of my creditors, and had no meeting of creditors. I have no property whatever besides about 20 sheep, other than what is named m my filed statement. To the best of my knowledge over half of my liabilities were incurred ■within the past six months. My occupation is a general laborer " In this case the debts wei'e set dowu at £78, but examination showed that that they was only about £60. No comment can be necessary m this case. Thb Tablet says the Jusuit Fatheis will arrive m New Zealand next month and open a college if sufficient inducement offers. A fire broke oub m Kempthorne and Prosser's warehouse, Dunedin, on Bth, and auother m Royse, Stead, and Co's mill on 9th August. Hardly any damage was done m either case. The looal paper sbates that the child of Mrs M'Neil, of Whitehaven-street, Lawrence, who was tied m a chair iv front of the fire and fell into the red-hot ashes, died from the effects of its' injuries Mr Dkivhh, the M.H.R. for Roslyn, having been severely taken to task for bis wholesale condemnation of barmaids at his nomination, denied that ' he intended any personal reflection. He merely intended to attack the system. He says he would rather see a member of his own family scrubbing floors than behind a bar. It was because he knew many fine women who followed the occupation that he wished to legislate to prevent the employment of females m so degrading an occupation.

A further illustration (says the New Zealander) of the careful administration of the "Continuous Ministry " is afforded b}' the recent discovery m the Treasury that arrearß of native land duties amounting to nearly £20,000 were outstanding, representing the accumulation of a good many years. As the law stands there is a duty of, we think, 10 per cent, payable to the Crown on native land rents, and other transactions. It seems, however, that those by whom it is due are expected to come to the Treasury and pay the amouuts, and if they do not like to do so it has apparently been no one's business to collect the money. It will scarcely surprise business men to learn that the debtors have not shown any feverish or excessive anxiety to visit the Treasury, and so the arrears of duty have gone on from day to day growing steadily larger and larger. The value of the uncollected duties has, however, scarcely improved, for we believe that several of the debtors have disappeared, and that iv other cases the accumulated debt and interest represent an amount not likely to be easily recovered. The Government have now appointed Mr W. H. Warren, formerly an officer of the Treasury, as agent •■ to collect the outstanding duties. We do not for a moment question the propriety of the selection, if outside assistance was necessary, but it does appear singular that these duties should have been allowed to accumulate, as they have done, until the Treasury has to admit itself unable to look after them. Most people will think that there has been neglect somewhere, and that there are enough officers m the service who might be utilised to collect these moneys without extraneous assistance.

Mr Kruli, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, to-day received a telegram from the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, stating that that Chamber strongly approves the partial abandonment of the ad valorem duties proposed m the Financial Statement, and asks the Wellington chamber to urge upon the Government the complete abandonment of a "system which has diminished the revenue and increased fraudulent practices." — Post.

His Worship the Mayor was somewhat unhappy m a remark made by him yesterday at the opening of the Waipaoa Bridge. Mr Syms m responding to the toast of "the Contractor" said that he thought it was usual to have proposed the health of " The Queen" first. His Worship when commenting on this made use of the following. remark : "Mr Svms is evidently of opinion that the Queen should be drunk first." We are unable to give more than these words, m consequence of a roar of laughter drowning the remainder of the sentence. — Poverty Bay Herald.

The Municipal Conference now assembled m Wellington is an absolute farce. From the Wellington papers to hand we learn the names of those gentlemen who are m attendence, and, out of over fifty municipalities, not a fourth have sent a representative. There are only thirteen Boroughs represented, and six of them the members of the Assembly for the respective districts have been deputed to attend, The delegates met m the City Hall, for which they will probably be charged a rent ; and a clerk, at a salary of £2 2*. a week, has been engaged. If we could see any good likely to result from these Conferences, we should be the last to complain ; but they have such little influence that it seems a pity the delegates' time should be wasted, aud the ratepayers' money spent, m such a farce. — Taranaki Herald.

In a debate which occurred m the House last week with reference to Mr Farnall's petition, some reference was made to the Katikati Special Settlement, and the hon. member for Napier, Captain Russell, took occasion to remark that "he fouud by the returns that there were only 300 sheep, 200 cattle, and 67 horses m the settlement, and that could not be looked on as a great success, as ifc did not contain more stock than would be found on a common farm."

"his remark is a very significant one as showing how gentlemen of Captain Russell's class re-* .gard the progress of settlement. Captain Russell did not trouble himself to inquire how many men, women or children there were living happily m the settlement. It was nothing to him that the same return showed there were 50 families there cultivating a considerable area, of land and doing well. The quantity of the stock was the thing. Shee-i and cuttle are no doubt better than human beings, and if the Katikati settlement, instead of being peopled and cultivated, were a sheep run with a few thousand sheep peacefully depasturing over it, no doubt Captain Russell would consider the position infinitely more satisfactory than it is now. — New Zealander.

We have heard of many eccentric doings of Municipal Councils when attempting to frame laws, but an instance which has just come under our notice leases all the others iv the shade. The half dozen or so of wiseacres who constitute the Borough Council of Masterton (an inland town iv the Wellington Provincial district) solemnly framed a bye-law that " no person shall light a fire m the Borough of Masterton." This is certainly the richest thing of the kind that we have ever heard of. Brevity is no doubt the soul of wit, but when a byelaw is made so brief as to render it illegal for a man to make a fire for the purpose of warming his frozen toes, cookiug his victuals, or obtaining the necessary hot water wherewith to warm his liquor, there is too much brevity if nob wit about it. Surely the law-makers of Masterton were anxious to avoid the possibility of getting into hot water. No doubt the people of Masterton were pleased to learn that the Colonial Secretary was opposed to such an amount of coolness existing m their delightful township, and had suggested the addition to the bye-law of the words "except m a properly constructed fire-place."— Oamaru Mail.