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New Zealand Mail, Issue 787, 1 April 1887, Page 16

The Government appear to be proceeding vigorously with regard to reductions in the Civil Service. GnWednesdayseven officers in the Survey Department received intimation that theic services would shortly be dispensed with. Two of the officers have been connected with the Government for a number of years, and occupy high positions in the Service. It is understood that all seven will leave immediately, and that they will be granted compensation according to the number of years they have been in the Service.

Various rumours have latterly been current regarding the intention of the Government with reference to a Bill for enfranchising women. No definite information has, however, been given hitherto as to the nature of this measure, and the extent to which it is proposed to grant female franchise. We now learn on authority that the Bill has not yet been drafted, and that it will not be a Ministerial measure, but will be brought forward by either the Colonial Treasurer or the Native Minister in his unofficial capacity. It is a measure in which we understand Mr Ballance feels the warmest interest,and whichhefavours very strongly, deeming it one of the greatest modern social reforms. He is opposed to any half measures with regard to female franchise, and should he father the Bill he will propose to confer upon women the full franchise now enjoyed by men, simply striking out the word “ male” in the present law, which gives the franchise only to “ male persons,” and then applying the conditions of the Bill equally to both sexe3. We understand that Mr Ballance will only support the Bill on condition that it is as thorough as this. How far Sir Julius Vogel is prepared to go is not yet disclosed, nor is it known what support the other Ministers will give the Bill. The Premier voted for the same measure once before, and may support it again ; but that will not be known till it is before Parliament.

In our remarks elsewhere as to the inadequacy of the present provisions for fire extinction in Wellington, and the inferiority of the present brigade to the two volunteer brigades which formerly existed, we incidentally made reference to ex-Captain Moss, who so efficiently commanded the Central Brigade. A letter j ust received from that gentleman—who is now in Sydney —has been courteously placed at our disposal, and we publish aa interesting extract in another column. It will be seen that Mr Moss’ experience leads him to take very strongly the same view that we have done throughout—a view which is warmly endorsed by the Wellington public. The existing provisions against fire are utterly inadequate for the requirements of a city like Wellington. Ihe Panama-street fire proved the present brigade to be deficient alike in numbers and in collective skill, however zealous and energetic the members might individually be. The fate of Messrs Johnston’s store furnished a glaring instance of incapacity that was only saved by the splendid exertions of the Nelson’s men from causing the destruction of the entire block, and perhaps mu6h more. A far stronger brigade is needed, and, as Mr Moss suggests, it should be backed up by a powerful reserve of trained volunteer firemen. Another urgent necessity to which we directed pointed attention the morning after the fire is a steam fire engine, which would utilise the salt water from the harbour and force it on to a fire in irresistible jets. The water in the boiler could be always kept nearly at boiling point by a gas jet underneath, so that when the engine fire should be once lighted steam would be rapidly made, and available by, the time the conflagration would be reached.

The outcome of the charge against Mr James O’Shea at the Magistrate’s Court was exceedingly discreditable. The whole affair was a gross insult to a Court of Justice, and we are at a loss to conceive auy satisfactory explanation of the prosecutor’s conduct. If there were any grounds for his sworn information against Mr O’Shea he was bound, in honor and as a good citizen, to do all in his power to further the ends of juatice. If there were no grounds for his accusation, he inflicted on Mr O’Shea a cruel wrong, for which he ought to be called to a very sharp account. If he believed originally that he had grounds, but subsequently discovered he had been in error, why did he not come forward . like a man and exonerate the person he had accused on oath ? By simply failing to appear to support the prosecution he had initiated he not only left a stigma on Mr O’Shea, but also placed himself in a very despicable and

equivocal position, as he may yet find out - to his cost, and he was guilty of gross disrespect to the Court.

The remains of the late Joseph Silbery were accorded a military funeral on Wednesday, the deceased having been a member of the Naval Brigade. The Colonial Secretary and Mr G. S. Cooper left for Masterton on Wednesday. Mr Buckley wished to be present at an experiment for testing a Doison for exterminate ing rabbits.

The Land Board decided at their meeting yesterday to ask the Government to Mr A. W. Sedoole’s appointment as temporary ranger during Mr A. R. Mackay’s (the regular ranger) illness.

At a meeting of the Masterton Borough Council on Monday it was decided to make* application forth with to the United Charitable Aid Board to refund the sum of £25, paid to* the Benevolent Society on tbeir account.

Mr Ballance leaves by the WellingtonMauawatu Railway for Wanganui (this)Friday morning. Mr Ballance will address. his constituents in Wanganni on Tuesday night.

The Hospital Steward acknowledges with thanks the receipt of grapes, old linen, and illustrated papers, from Mrs Richardson j grapes from Mr Dixon, a large quantity of " ice from the s.s. Tongariro, and old linen from Mrs Innis, Courtenay-place. His Honor the Chief Justice held a shortsitting in Banco on Wednesday morning. Mr Hall moved for an order to restrain further proceedings upon a judgment for £4O in thecase of Kirkcaldie and Stains vC. Cave After hearing argument his Honor granted the order asked for. The Board of Education made the following appointments at their meeting on Wednesday : —Master at Tawa Flat, Mr G. N. Phillips ; master at Mauriceville, Mr John McKenzie; first assistant at Carterton, Mr J. H. Malcolm ; assistant infant mistress at Masterton, Miss Cook; assistants at Masterton, Mr Albert Erskine and Mr James Willis.

The Hon. Mr Tole is, we are pleased to learn, making satisfactory progress toward recovery from bis recent accident. He was able with the aid of a couple of walkingsticks to get down stairs on Wednesday for the first time. His medical attendant hopes that Mr Tole will be able to get out and about as usual in a short time.

The adjourned meeting of creditors in the estate of Robert Cowan was held before Mr C. C. Graham, Official-Assignee, on Wednesday afternoon. Mr Jellicoe appeared for the bankrupt, Mr Skerrett for Mr Ballinger and others of the creditors, Mr Fitz Gerald for Mrs Lennox, and Mr Brandon for the bank. The bankrupt was examined at considerable length, but nothing of importance was elicited, and a resolution was carried recommending his discharge. The meeting then adjourned sine die.

A new departure has been decided upon by the New Zealand Shipping Company, and we believe alsi by the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company, with regard to coastal passengers by their steamships. Hitherto persons desiring to travel by them have in par. ticular cases received permission to do so without charge. This is to cease. In futurepassengers will be conveyed coastwise by the> large steamers at the ordinary rates o£ passage. A beginning was made with this, new system by the R.M.S. Tongariro ort Wednesday, which conveyed Lyttelton passengers from Wellington.

The Education Board decided at their* meeting yesterday on the motion of tho Chairman :—“That tenders be called for the erection of the offices for the Boards School of Design, etc., at a cost not to exceedj£sooo. That the tenderers shall be required to find the necessary capital, which shall bear interest at the rate of 7 per cent, per annum. That the interest shall be payable quarterly. That the Board will out of its building fund, or auy other funds available for the purpose, reduce the capital som owing to the contractors by a sum not less than £SOO annually till the whole claim of the contractors be liquidated. A son of Mr James, of Newtown, met with a nasty accident on Wednesday The boy, who is about 12 years of age, was holding on to the back of a tramcar and running along with it. When opposite the Newtowu school he let go, and was knocked down by a milk oart coming in the opposite direction, the wheel of which passed over his leg and broke it. No blame is attached to the driver of the milk cart, because be could not possibly see the lad, who rushed out at a right angle from the back of the tramcar just at the moment the cart was passing. The practice of boys running behind the tramcars is a most dangerous one, aud the guards should receive strict instructions not to> allow it.

The results of the election of three members of the Education Board in place of Messrs Buuny, Buchanan, and Shannon, were declared on Wednesday. The latter gentleman did not seek re-eleotion. The number of votes recorded for each candidate by the various committees was as follows :Mr W. C. Buchanan, 32 ; Mr H. Bunny, 29 ; Mr F. H. Fraser, 17; Mr Charles Pharazyn, 11; Mr W. W. M‘Cardie, 10 ; Mr H. S. Fitzherbert, 8; Mr David Speedy, 6; Mr William Lowes, 5 ; Mr Janies Taylor, 4 ; Mr Francis Greer, 1. Messrs Buchanan, Bunny, and Fraser were declared duly elected. Fortyfive of the 58 school committees in the district took part iu the election. A rather comical scene was witnessed on Wednesday afternoon ou the Queen’s Wharf. Just as the R.M.S. Tongariro was moving from the wharf, all the gangways being in, one of the firemen who had overstayed his time on shore, put in an appearance, and clamored to be taken on board. A rope was accordingly flung to him, but he had evidently been “improving the occasion” while ashore, and was hardly in trim for the gymnastic performance required. When he got hold of the rope he went down it instead of up, and very narrowly escaped a salt bath. In the end he managed to stick to the rope, and was hauled ou board by main force amid the jeers and laughter of a crowd of interested spectators.

■a.'fijsss! .s £*»« of woman »tfx -yjige. T)r Newman gave notice at the meeting of the College Governors yesterday that he the Ooli g the jjoxt meeting of the Board “That a sum of £5 bo spent on the Fitzherbert reserve, as the Hospital Trustees have voted an equal amount.

A meeting of creditorsin thebankrupt estate of James Cowan, publican, Ivaitoki, was held vesterday before the Official Assignee. Mr Jeliicoe appeared for the bankrupt. A resolution was carried that the bankrupt be recommended his discharge, and that he be allowed his furniture. The meeting then adjourned. There lately burst at Thionville, near Metz, an old shell, preserved from the year 1870. which killed a boy playing near, lhe authorities therefore made a search for any shells kept as memorials, and found more than a hundred. Their possessors were mostly unaware of the danger incurred in keeping these unexploded shells gathered from the battle-fields.

While the workmen engaged excavating -the ground where Mr Lindsay’s bootshop stood previous to the fire, they found yesterday . a quantity of bones which w* re subsequently ascertained, on examination by Dr Cahill, to -be human. Many years ago this site was an old Maori pah and a stream known as the Xumoto flowed through there and into the harbor. The bones found consist of parts ot - the vertebra, leg bones and arm bones, and no doubt are the remains of some Maori who • had been buried there very many years r-ago. The following tenders have been received bhvthe Public Works DepartmentKaiparaWaikato Railway, Kaipara contract: Ac-cepted-H. Fulton Kaubapakapa, £6875. ’ Declined —M. Walsh, Auckland, £6988 Mulvehill and Co., Auck and £7089, ’-Mclntosh and Culpan, Auckland, £7391; . Coulson and Co., .Auckland £7417 ; JMcLeod, Helensville, £5426; Sheldon, 'Heatson and Co., Auckland, £8470 ; Lovett ::and White, Auckland, £8490 ; Larkins and • O’Brien, Auckland, £8752; W. Foughy, -Auckland, £SSOS; Mcßae and Henry, Auckland, £9268: J. Beorpft Auckland, i£92S2 ; J. Leydon, Auckland, £9d42. A letter was received at the meeting of • the College Governors yesterday from the 'Post Office Savings Bank to the effect that -deposits could only be received from individuals legally established friendly societies, -and‘duly approved charitable and provident .•societies and savings banks. If, therefore, •the money of the College be deposited m Abe names of two persons, it could only be ■regarded by the Department as belonging to those persons. The Secretary stated that there was about £SOO of the Board s fund in the bank. After some discussion it was decided.iOn the motion of Dr Newman, seconded bv Mr Bnnny, that the trust funds of the Board be placed in a colonial bank, the greater portions on fixed deposit, the rest at call. The nanal monthly meeting of the Colleg?Go“emors was held in the Education Board’s office yesterday morning. Present— Messrs 3. R- Blair (chairman), H. Bunny, M.H.E., Dr Hector, »od the j Peterson. The Chairman reported that the debit balance was £634 11s sd, the overdraft at the bank payments now required, £330 11s 4d. Dees sue“ mounted-to £392 13a 4d of which sum -P f lO2 17a 4d was due on first term of this vear The amounts required for salaries were passed -for payment. The Chairman remarked that siaco Be had been a mSnber of the Board the finances rjnever been in a better condition. A letter was read from Mr Mackay, Prmcl- - of the College, etatmg that the building is sadlv in need of painting, and asked that ibe Board should make an effort to have the work done during the autumn vacation. Tne letter also stated that four divisions are now receiving systematic instruction in science. Mr Mackay also stated that subscriptions for a work shop and fives court had been so far successful that lie had felt justified m proceeding with the work at once. It would be finished m a few days, and as Sir Robert Stout had intimated his intention of paying an official visit to the College before Parliament meets, he would, with the permission of the Board, ask «ir Robert Stout to open the workshop #n that occasion. Mr Mackay also mentioned fch a t there was some trouble at present with the fencing on the Adelaide-road side of the College Reserve. The proprietors of the adjoining land had pulled some of the fence down, on the ground that it encroached two feet «n their property. The Board decided to grant £lO for the erection of the workshop and the Secretary was instructed to see if he could get the right boundary of the fence, and if not to employ a surveyor. The question.©! paintiDgthe College was deferred for consideration.