CHRISTCHURCH. September 24.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8086, 26 September 1894, Page 4

CHRISTCHURCH. September 24.

A special general meeting or dug Canterbury Oharabor of Oomraorco was held to-d»y to consider tho proposed bank amalgamation. Representatives of tbo Industrial Association, Libor'al Association and Employers' Asaooia'ion wcro present by invation. It was re boIvocI : " That in tho opinion of tho meeting Parliament ohould decline to ratify any scbomo for the amalgamation of the Bank of New Zealand with tbo Colonial Bank which entails upon tho taxpayerfl of the colony the responsibility of making good any ultirante deficiency after the liquidation of tho asBoto of either bank." Mr G. G. Stead, who propos d tho resolution, said no one would objeot to the amalgamation of tho banks, which in all pro* babUity would bo a source of etrengbh to thorn, and to that) extent would be of service to the colony, but ho objected to the proposals that tho taxpayers of Now Zealand should be saddled with uoroalisublo assets of one back to rcliove its shareholders of their ro'iponability, and thug improvo thoir position at tho oxpenso of tho colony, and he could not undorstand how gontlemon connected with this movement had the audacity fo ask the people of New Zealand to come to the roscuo of tho shareholders in a joint abode bank in this way, It was all very wojl for Mr Murray to say that bbe undertaking in point of faofc already existed under tho two million guarantor At present tho colony wa8 liablo for two millions on preferential shares gjuarautoed by the Government, and if bbo worBt oarne to tho worot, it oou'd only lose that sum. If tho colony took rho proposed guarantee in rcspecb of bho E. tabes Company upon it, it would ; bo imj ossiblo to Bay bow much it might I oso. No prudonb men or set of men would take the responsibility of endorsing a bill in blank, whioh wa& practically what tho colony was asked :o do. Ho thought they had quite euough to do with their own reapon* «ibiltio8 without taking unprofitable factories and unsaleable farms on their bands. Ho detailed tbo history of tho Instates Company, and quoted figures to support his argument that it was highly inexpedient that tho colony abould accede to the proposal of the bunks in this matter, It was decidod to ncnd copies of the resolution to bbo I'remier and bbo Christchuroh mombo v. A singular outrages is reported from Kaiapoi. About a fortnight ago Bolcher aa \ Sons, farmers of Kaiapoi [eland, found that several pigs running on their farm had died without «ny apparent cause. A day or two uftorwards throe cows died from poisoning, on tbo same property bat week a valuiblo draught horso was found with a hiud leg shattered, and had to be dosiroyed. Yesterday morning a draught naro was found dead, having been stubbed through the lungs with a ilmi'p instrument, Lieutenant baa been scratched for bbo Now Zealand Cup and Derby. Mr T. M. Ilardy-Johnsbon, tho wellknown Indian civil engioeor, who has m d> d in Christohurch for a number of years, died to-day, aged 78. Several burglaries havo been reported to tho police^ but in no case has anything of valuo been takon.