WHAT THE DUNEDIN TOWN BOARD SHOULD DO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 111, 25 March 1862, Page 4

WHAT THE DUNEDIN TOWN BOARD SHOULD DO.

If, as we are told, a certain place is paved with good intentions, no small share of the necessary material will have been contributed by the governing authorities of the town ofDunedin. But, unfortunately for the interests of the community, intentions however wide in their scope, and however liberal in tlieir conception, will do nothing for the public welfare. ...,..■■ There exists amongst us a seriii-municipal body called the " Town Board," an institution having for its object the promotion of public works of utility and impravefrtent. For the carrying out of these objects itjs not only invested with considerable powers, but has a large revenue placed at its disposal. Wo doubt not, that when the gold discoveries caused such a sudden accession to our population, these conservators of the Town saw the necessity of more extended action, and strovo to be equal to the emergency, and probably indulged individually, in prospective visions of well paved streets, lighted thoroughfares, and complete sanitary regulations. For aught we can tell, more than one of these worthy burghers resolved to initiate some particular public improvement, which should hand down his name in grateful rememberance to ah admiring jDosterity. One would take the . water question under his especial protection, and; the town should be supplied with a stream so pure and'pellucid as to defy the research of the microscope, and materially injure the trade in filters. Another would watch the antagonistic element, and. by powerful engines and well disciplined brigades be well prepared to meet the Fire King. Some would strive to emulate the illustrious Macadam, and in their liberality would give us adamantine streets and flagged pathways ; while others-would study South wood Smith on sanitary, reform, and be learned in the respective merits of square and tubular drains. The atmosphere of Dunedin should be as pure as. that of their heatlfer-clad hills, and none but pleasant odours should salute the nostrils of its inhabitants. But, alas for the vanity of human expectations ! Instead of the translucent fluid that should have cooled onr,parched, throats, we have a cream-colored, frothy mixture which our eyes and taste alike repudiate ; and in place of powerful appliances fin- the extinguishing of fire, we have a miserable little squirt, which, may; be useful in the Botanic Gardens, if ever we are to

have them. Instead of the mythical pavements, our streets are perfect quagmires of mud and Stygian pools. If cleanliness is akin to godliness, and the antithesis of this axiom be equally true,

the state of the moral atmosphere of Dunedin must bear some close resemblance to its material' condition, which, thanks to"llie fostering eire of its incompetent guardians, is about as ba.l as it well can be. Witness 'it's ill-paved miry streets, the total absence of proper draintge, the "Egyptian darkness of the thoroughfares at night, and the malarious effluvia which are so destructive to the health and disgusting 'to the senses. The season is.approaching when the chances of having another disastrous fire will be much increased ; and yet, to judge by the supiucness and inaction, alike of the Tow;"! authorities and the public themselves, we might possess every possible appliance for such an emergency, when in fact there is absolutely little or no provision at all. The hours of daylight ure gradually decreasing, and yet with so many substitutes for gas, easily available, our streets arc still unlighted. Thu expenditure of no very large sum would illmuiimto the .streets and not only contribute. to the comfort and convenience of the public, but also to its safety ; for it is not unreasonable to expect, in the absence of this protection, that acts of robbery and outrage will be increased in number. The erection of a score or two ot such lamps as the one opposite Messrs Stanford and Co.'s store, would cost butiittlc, and remove this great stigma on the Board. It would be well for the inhabitants in the different localities to exercise a little more pressure upon their respective representatives in the Town Board ; for, to judge by1 its inaction,and inattention to the complaints that are con-; tinually being made, it is not influenced much by mere expressions of public opinion.. "We arc aware that it languishes under the difficulty of a not very heavy balance at its Bankers, but when it has been unable through want of funds to undertake specifically designated works, the Provincial Government has shown itself not averse to relievo the Board of the burden of the expense. The Board does nothing but grumble at its want of funds and want of power, instead of taking the measures calculated to show that it deserves the one, and could safely be entrusted with the other. We long ago pointed out that if the Board desired tocontiuuein existenccit should indicate the means by which its constitution could be changed, so as to assimilate it to a Municipal body. Had the Board drafted out an Ordinance, of the kind, and suggested the means, whereby the various domestic necessities of the town could be attended to, there would at'least have, been evidence of its knowledge of the evils and its desire to redress them. For instance, it is very clear that the expense for paving, lighting, protection against fire, and water supply should in justice be borne rateably by the various housholders and leaseholders who would derive advantage from them, and that could easily be done by obtaining the power of assessment and imposing rates for the respective purposescnumerated. But the Board, happy in its laissez faire policy, seems determined that its faults shall be only those of omission not of commission.

By the last mail from the north, intimation was received that the Harbor Endowment Ordinance was formally disallowed, but that assent would be given to v frepli ordinance, empowering the granting of leases of certain defined portions of the land for 99 years ; also to an ordinance empowering the raising ot £50,000 by way- of loan. Now that so much time has been: lost, it seems to us that it would be better to wait until an Act can be passed empowering the parting with the freehold. The very grave difficulty would present itself, in granting leases in the manner proposed, that the land, although immediately contiguous to the town, would he outside the boundary, and would not be amenable to any municipal institution that might he introduced into "Duncdin. It would be free from n&PcsMurnt, and Hie regulations for sewerage and sanitary purposes could not he enforced By waiting for an Act, the ground could be included within the limits of the town boundary.

Yesterday about noon, a fracas occurred between a drunken man and three constables, in front of the Provincial Hotel. In the first instance, two of the police attempted to take the man into custody, and each placed himself on either side of him, and were walking away with their supposed prisoner, when he dexterously tripped up both his captors, and sent them sprawling in the mud. Another constable renewed the attack, but by an effort, which would have done credit to an acrobat, the man seized suddenly hold of his assailant, and, for a moment poising him in the air, pitched the disconcerted peace-officer over his head into the gutter. A reinforcement coming up in time, enabled the police eventually to secure their prisoner, but the apprehension was not effected until a large concourse of persons had assembled to witness the interesting spectacle of " one against three."

Yesterday being a general holiday, the Resident Magistrate's Court was closed, but Mr. Strode attended at the Police-station in Princes-street to deliver the lock-up, and summarily dispose of the minor watch-house cases. The business of this court to-day is likely to be protracted, to an unusually late hour, -there being a heavy charge sheet and an accumulated number of informations for adjudication by the Bench.

A funeral sermon for the late Prince Consort was preached on Sunday morning, at the Episcopal Church, by a minister from Canterbury, the text being selected from the 51st verse of the 15th chapter of St. Paul's Ist Epistle to the Corinthians The preacher remarked of the deceased Prince, that during- lifetime, he was beloved by the British nation ; and idolized by the Royal Family. Several persons were unable to procure seats, and were compelled to remain stationary at the door. Tn reading the prayer for the Queen and her family, the name of "Albert Edward, Prince of Wales," was substituted according to Her Majesty's recent Order in Council,

The following statement shews the condition of Hill Gaol up to Saturday evening last :—For trial before Supreme Court, 13 males, 1 female ; for trial before magistrates, 4 males ; under sentence to hard larbor, GO males, 5 females ; sentenced to* imprisonment, 3 females ; debtors, 3 ; lunatics, 3 ; received during the past week, 21 males, 5 females ; discharged during tho week, 17 males, 4 females ; number of prisoners in the gaol last Saturday evening, 83 males, and 9 females.

We have been requested to draw attention to the sale of the St. Kilda Township, on the Ocean Beach Road, at the yards of the Provincial Hotel, this day. . '

A public meeting of the working classes, on the subject of the eight-hours movement, was held on Friday night, in the Bowling Alley, back of Laing's Restaurant. The chair was taken by Mr. John Graham ; and about. 150 persons were present. The meeting was addressed by Mr. C. B. Vine and Mr. George, and a resolution was passed to the effect that a dinner should be given to A. J. Burns, Esq., the founder of the eighthours movement in this colony. The meeting was concluded by passing a vote of thanks to the chairman, complimenting him on his having taken so much pains to get so many of the working classes on the Electoral Roll.

It is supposed by competent authorities that the missing mail steamer, the Bombay, if she has broken down, has made for Mauritius ; or, if further to the southward, she may be trying for Sydney. The Bombay should be in good seaworthy condition, having lately undergone a thorough overhaul.

"We have received a letter signed, " A Constant Itemler," on the subject of the Pine Hills Road and the supply of firewood to Duncdin. The following is the gist of it : —" It may not be out of place at this season of the year, to quietly inform i the inhabitants of the city, that if the Government do not exert thonselvcs in time, and carry out the forming and metaling of the Pine Hill Itoad, the public will have to pay dearly.for their firewood, as a few days'move rain will, shut up the roud to firewood-carting for the winter months At present it'is nearly impassable ; itis only a few days since when a cart-axle broke, owing to the jolting. This is not all, the Chief Commissioner

has kindly granted timber licenses to various parties," to saw timber, burn charcoal, &';., at tlia

sa-mu time time fiero is not a road vvithi-.i two miles or. nearly, to where their licenses give iluini a rig-lit to saw ; and it may corn's'to ba timt tlio.se parties anxious and willing., to work, may get till their labor thrown.back.-on their bands for the want of an outlet to town. At present; labor is abundant, and if the .Superintendent would exert himself on behalf of the above road, he would' confer a benefit on the convnunity in general. ■ . •

Last Wednesday morning, v prisoner named Anderson was observed by the senior warden of the gaol to have a long metal spoon in his possession, which he hud sharpened at the handle point, and,' when nsked what was his object, he confessed that he intended to stab the governor of the prison tins first opportunity. Anderson is under a sentence of three years' hard labor, and, about twelve daysago, obstinately refused to go to his work, for which misconduct he was punished with solitary, 'confinementon. bread and water, and' it is conjee-' tured the man harbored revenge for this treatment Since Wednesday, all the spoons served out to the prisoners at meal times have been cut short near to the bowl. ' ,

We are informed upon good authority that the public can now be supplied with coal to'any' amount, at a reasonable rate, both at Wetherstono's and Gabriel's Gully. At the former place, we learn that a joint stock company i^to .be formed without delay, for the purpose of..working the coal measure systematically. ' :

Numbers of people have lately been lined for creating obstructions in the public streets -, and the police have shown considerable activity in hunting up such cases. How is it that the "Town Board" escapes? There are; numerous heaps of stone lying on the roadway in Princes. street, to the manifest obstruction of the thoroughfare, and moreover, they are highly dangerous to any one who might be riding or driving along this street after daylight.

His Honor the Superintendent has kindly consented to become President of the Dunedin Musical Association.

Beyond the closing of the public offices and other places of business in town, there was no particular celebration.yesterday of the Annual, Otago Holiday ; the weather in the early part of the day having greatly interfered with out-dopr pleasures either in town or country. Perhaps the best treat afforded was the pleasure excursion given by the owners of the steamer Samson, to a wide circle of friends in town and at Port Chalmers. The wetness of the morning naLurally deterred many who had purposed availing themselves of the opportunity ; but, notwithstanding, a large party went on board the Samson, both from the Duiicdin Jetty and at Port Chalmers, and after leaving the latter place the day cleared up, and a most cheerful excursion was made round the coast, as far as Wickliffe Bay, to the poiut where the hull of the Victory still lies upon the strand. This sight of the coast, dancing on deck to the strains of iiddleand bagpipe, a short excursion on shore, a liber.il supply of refreshments, and a pyrotechnic display as a finale, made up a programme of entertainment witli which all on board were delighted, and considerable credit is due to the owners of the Samson for their liberality and the completeness of their arrangements. Want of _sp_ice necessitates our omitting for a day a full account of this interesting excursion. At Port Chalmers, the occasion was otherwise celebrated by ihe display of bunting and the firing of cannon at intervals during the day.

present our readers to-day with copies of the form of claim for the registration of electors. A full explanation of the manner, of filling up these forms will be found elsewhere in an article quoted from the Witness, and headed Registration of Electors.. ■ : ■ ' ' ■