North Otago Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1881.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2686, 26 January 1881, Page 2

North Otago Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1881.

It is, we think, Charles Lamb who says that mankind are divided into two classes — borrowers and lenders, and that the former are greater than the latter. If this saying is worthy of acceptation, we in New Zealand must infallibly be a great people. At least we lend nothing and borrow much. The Colonial Government borrows might and main, loci\l governing bodies do likewise, and private persons follow this example. Those who have a desire to obtain accurate information concerning the high-haoded manner in which local governing bodies do the thing, cannot do better than dip into the Registrar-General's statistics, for the year that ended March 31st, 1880, in regard to the boroughs of the colony. There it will be seen that there are sixty-five boroughs in New Zealand, the aggregate population being 189,116. On the 31st of March last the outstanding loans of these bodies amounted in the aggregate to £1,597,304, the rates of interest being chiefly from 6 to 7 per cent, per annum. The sura borrowed is large for the population. This appears to be more particularly the case when it is borne in mind that the local bodies when raising it did not look alone, as they should have done, to their certain local revenues and inalienable assets, but allowed Government subsidies, which are now on the eve of being stopped, to enter as an element into their computations. For the period already mentioned the total aggregate revenue of the boroughs amounted to L 392.000, and of this the sum of £83,834 consisted of grants from the Government. When these grants or subsidies are withdrawn, as they will be in the course of a few months, we fear that some <►*" <•*»- i 8 L - — :u iind the work of making both ends meet as difficult as the proverbial passing of a camel through the eye of a needle, or the chopping of blocks with a razor. It is true that many of the boroughs have borrowed very little money. These are such as have not undertaken expensive public works, such as gasworks and waterworks. First on the list of mighty borrowers stands Dunedin, with its population of 24,000, and its outstanding loans of £566,600, the interest on which is at 5, 6, and 7 per cent, for the various loans. The population of Wellington is 21,600, while its loans amount to £430,000, interest at 6 per cent. Auckland's population amounts to 15,000, her outstanding loans to £180,500. On this money Auckland pays 6 per cent, interest. Fourth on the list of theso municipal crusaders of the money market stands Oamaru with a population of 5,100. Oamaru pays 7 per cent, for her money, and her loans tot up to £150,000. Our neighbor Timaru is in the ignominious position of having no outstanding loans. Napier, whose population considerably exceeds ours, has borrowed £70,000 at 6 per cent, lnvercargill has loans amounting to £60,000. Then come Cbristchurch with £35,000, Nelson with £35,900, and Wanganui with £30,000. Other boroughs have trumpery loans ranging in amount from £7000 down to £250. But to Dunedin, Wellington, Auckland, and Oamaru, with their aggregate population of 56,700 belongs the supreme glory of having amongst them outstanding loans amounting to £1,327,100, while the other sixtyone boroughs with their populations amounting in all to 133,000 can amongst them tot up loans exceeding no more than £270,204 ! If ever boroughs had reason to be ashamed of themselves these sixty-one have, while honored for ever must be the dauntless four who bear upon their atlasean Bhoulders all but a trifle of the entire municipal debt of New Zealand. To be serious, the case of Oamaru, if not an utterly desperate, is a most piteous one. For the year ending 31st March, 1880, her total revenue just amounted to £13,084 19s lOd. Of this £3,538 6s 6d was contributed by Government by way of subsidies, but succour from this quarter is soon entirely to cease: the rest of our municipal income was derived from rates, rents, tolls, licenses, and "other sources." No less than £10,500 goes annually in the payment of interest on our loans, and if the Government subsidies are to be utterly cut off there will be absolutely nothing left to pay salaries and current expenses, unless the borough raises another loan. Of course the waterworks j will yield some revenue, though we fear that they cannot for a year or two be expected to pay interest on the money absorbed by their construction. The town's office charges are not excessive, when they are compared with those of other municipalities, and when the work which has to be done is fairly considered, but we should not wonder if the Borough Councillors have to

imitate private firms when they are in financial straits, and find it incumbent upon them, as men possessed of spirit and of truly patriotic feelings, to do all the office work themselves, taking it by turns They are men most truly to be pitied, as much so, indeed, as those who have left them this legacy of trouble are to be blamed for their hairbrained want of consideration for the borough's reasonable welfare.

The Philharmonic Society, will meet for practice in the Volunteer Hall this evening at the usual hour. Members are requested to attend punctually. Messrs J. Reid, T. Reid, and C. Todd, being the only members present, the usual monthly meeting of the Waiareka Road Board, called for yesterday, lapsed. It ia said that the Otago Daily Times will shortly appear as a penny paper. In September l»st a man named Philip M 'Car thy was arrested at' Oamaru on a charge of having an illicit still working at Waihemo, the result of the trial being that that he was ordered to pay a fine of L2OO or undergo twelve months' imprisonment. M'Carthy at the time raised an appeal, which will be heard at the Supreme Court, Dunedin, on the 29 th inst. A day or two ago the police arrested a cockatoo in the public gardens. It is not known whether, at a conclave of the "force," it was decided to enter the charge as one of vagrancy, drunkenness, or of using profane language. A colloquy held with the feathered vagabond proved him to be a deliberate blasphemer — a larrikin, in fact, with nothing select or eclectic in his language. The creature was not taken into Court, as his instructor appeared upon the scene, and after a short conversation with the captive, succeeded in proving proprietary rights. A witness who gave evidence at the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday shortly afterwards found himself in the position of accused. George Stokes was charged with stealing a book belonging to the Otepopo Athensum, but was acqnitted on the evidence of one Thomas Cleary, who deposed to giving him the book. In the afternoon a similar charge was laid against Cleary, resulting in hia being sentenced to seven days' imprisonment with hard labor. An open meeting of session was held in the session room, St. Paul's Church, last evening, when the voting papora anent iustrumental music were opened and read. The result was as follows : In favor of the motion, 88 communicants and 43 adherents — total, 131 ; against, 42 oommunicants and 10 adherents— total, 52. As a majority of three-fourths was required to p»ss the motion, instrumental music cannot be introduced at present. It may be mentioned that a large number of the congregation did not vote. The cricket match, Australian Eleven v. Oamaru, was continued yestesiay under ad« verse weather, the rain causing the play to be stopped several times in the afternoon. About four hundred persona assembled on the ground, and the match resulted in a draw. The eleven were disposed of in their first innings for 118, and the Oamaru team obtained 88 in their secoud innings, leaving the Australians 25 to make to win. This they had not succeeded in doing when time waa called The Australians proceed to Timaru by the early train this morning. Mr Parker had a number of police cases to deal with at the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday. Thomas Currie was fined 10* x«i tuuuK.ennes3 and a like amount on a further charge of g resisting the police. Elizabeth Fenwick, who was brought up on suspicion of lunacy, was remanded for medical examination. Two little girls named Mary and Anne Sullivan, were brought up as neglected children and committed to the Industrial School. George Stokes, charged with stealing a book, the property of the Otepopo Athenaeum, was acquitted. The Timaru Herald i 6 its leading at tide of yesterday says: "The despatch of the Ardentinny, a wool ship, laden alongside the Oamaru breakwater, is an event on which we warmly congratulate the people of North Otago. It is an event full of good promise for that district, and encouraging in the highest degree to those who have striven so psrseveringly against ridicule, apathy, and abstraction, to show what could be made of bhe slender natural advantages which the port of Oamaru possessed. It is also, we think, an event from which we in this district ought to take a lesson. The history of bhe Timaru breakwater has been similar in many respects to that of the Oamaru breaksvater; and since that has been carried triumphantly to a point of success which a lew years ago was declared to be impossible, ive cannot do better than be guided by the sxperienge of pur neighbors." Mr R, C. Bagot, the secretary of the Victorian Racing Club, ia a strong advocate or the introduction of the totalisator at -ace meetings. Here is what he says in hia >videnoe before the Select Committee appointed t» inquire into its working x "I am >f opinion very strongly that the totalisatir vill be the means of annihilating the biggtht ot of rogues there are in the world— that Is, he mushroom bookmakers, who numbered >ver 7C3 upon the hill of the Melbourne acecourse last Cup day. — Did you hear of ny ease of defaulters upon the hill ? Yes ny number of the lowest class of thieves, rho come down to the stand reserve when hey get the money of the j on the ill." Mr B»got thinks that at ieast 200totaliitors will be rrqaired to meet the spegulaive spirit on the Cup day. Tha introduce ion will be the signal for a large number of liifty gamblers to take to work a little more rduous.