THE Otago Daily Times. DUNEDIN, MONDAY, MAY 23.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2587, 23 May 1870, Page 2

THE Otago Daily Times. DUNEDIN, MONDAY, MAY 23.

The conduct of the City Council in its dealings with the Gas question has not been such as to raise that body in the! public estimation. Hesitation may often be an evidence of prudence, but vacillation indicates only weakness.^ With very little consideration, the Council decided that the city should undertake the supply of gas, both for public purposes and to the private con-; sumer. Prompt measures were taken ; Mr A. K. Smith was sent for, a report, was obtained, estimates prepared, and " tenders called for. For a little time thei utmost vigour and determination appeared to rule the action of the Council. But the necessary interval be-: tween calling for tenders and opening them seems to have been sufficient to superinduce a reaction towards that lethargy which is generally considered to be the normal condition of official life. By the time that the tenders and Mr Hutchison's offer of the present works came before them, all the energy of our Councillors had evaporated. They had apparently begun to doubt the wisdom of their former decisions, a sure mark of their' having arrived at them without any. earnest consideration of- the questions involved. They would have earned respect, even from those who differed with themin opinion, had they gone straight on with their work and finished it. As it is, their latest action, though probably intended to court popularity, is the weakest thing1 they have done. They abandon even the fundamental position they had taken up —• that the city ought to have its own gas works. The whole question is reopened; they virtually confess their inability to come to a conclusion upon it, and ask the ratepayers to help them with their advice. The form of their appeal is also most objectionable. Elected representatives of the people have always before them one constitutional' method of appealing to their constituents—that is, by resigning their offices. Had the councillors taken this course, the plebiscitwn-r-the decree of the.people —- could have been much more satisfactorily given than it possibly can be by the polling .of:to-day. ; From first to last the action of the Council has been undignified. The tone in which it has discussed the question has often been bad enough to provoke severe criticism. This would have been forgiven as merely a symptom of real, though ill-regulated, earnestness. But it is recalled" to memory for pointed condemnation, when it is found that after all the Council was only half in, earnest. If the citizens do. really respond to the appeal of to-day, and record their votes at all generally, it will be an exemplification of more longsuffering and forbearance than 'the masses' are usually credited with.

-The questions to be put to the ratepayers to-day have been justly criticised as inadequate to the purpose they are intended to serve.' They do not embrace the whole question, and many shades of opinion can find no expression in 'yes or no' answers to them. Taking1 them as they stand, however, they embrace two sets of alternative propositions. The ratepayers have to decide, in the first place, whether the Corporation should or should not take the production of gas into its own hands. For those who hold to the former view a further question is presented : shall the present works be purchased at a certain figure, or shall the Council have nothing to do with them at all ? Upon the abstract principle involved in the first of these alternatives, we have long, since given expression to a decided' opinion. It was in these columns that the propriety of the Corporation undertaking- the supply of gas and water to the city was first demonstrated. Whatever decision may be come to to-day, or however any particular circumstances may retard the important revolution we have advocated, we feel perfect confidence that, in due time, it must be accomplished. At the same time, we are free to confess that the way to this reform is not at all clear before the Corporation of Dunedin at

the present moment. Its own financial ■ position is not by any means what we ! should like to see it. We can readily understand the feelings of those ratepayers who shrink from the idea of the Corporation incurring just now new and serious ■ liabilities* for works, the profitable or unprofitable character of which must depend so much on the business capacity and integrity oi officials who will have no mas text's eye over them. If the lessee of the existing gasworks is prepared to take a contract for further supply to the city on reasonable terms, such a prospect" will, we feel sure, under present circumstances, prove captivating to all those who cherish their constitutional timidity under the conviction that it is an estimable prudence. It is possible that this feeling may carry the day; but we feel very sure that if it does, the expedient will only prove temporary, and that in the end the course we have throughout advocated will be followed. The second question has also its difficulties, and these are by no means of a nature to be decided upon satisfactorily by a popular vote. On the one hand, the efficiency of the present gas works appears to be open to doubt. The professional opinions on this subject obtained by the City Council are adverse. Could the public feel perfect confidence in them, it is highly probable that the objection to the purchase of these works would be found very general. We do not presume to criticise these opinions ;- t still less have we any desire to depreciatethe ability and integrity of the engi- \ neers who have given them. Mr, Blair's report is,, however, confessedly imperfect, while that of; Mr Smith does not carry all! the weight which might have at-, tached to it, had he avoided personal; controversy with a rival engineer,: and not appeared on the scene as a tenderer for the construction of; new works. Coupled, however, with; popular impressions on the subject, these reports have thrown a doubt on; the propriety of purchasing the Gas Company's works and plant as a business speculation. '

But the question cannot be considered solely as a matter of business between man and man. It is not a new Gas Company, but the public itself, which is considering the propriety of buying- up the old. concern or erecting new worts to drive it out of the field. A large question of public morality is raised at once when we take up this view of the subject. No public body has ever been permitted by the legislatures of British communities to destroy the property of private individuals, without adequately compensating" them for their loss. No reason for a departure from this rule presents itself in the present instance. The city has no quarrel with the shareholders in the Gas Company,l or with the holders of tbat Company's debentures. If the City Corporation steps in to injure the property of the one and the security on which the others have lent their money, they are entitled to a fair compensation for such injury. . Nor do we suppose for a moment that their claim would be ignored. Universal precedents and the law itself are with them, though we do not presume that there would be need of appeal to either—the moral sense of the community would at once dictate the course bo be pursued. This is a difficulty which has been very little considered by the Council. Yet it transforms itself into a question of pure business when we look upon it as a money compensation to be added to the cost of any new works erected. It is of course just; possible that the Gas Company might prefer an open competition with the Corporation to putting forward a claim for compensation. Such a course would equally mulct the Corporation, because nothing can be more evident than that two gas works cannot find profitable business in a small town like Dunedin. So long as any active competition may be kept up, so long there will be a heavy annual loss to the city of that profit which is expected from the works. Possibly some of the ratepayers are disposed to contemplate, such a prospect with complaisance, as something likely to benefit themselves. But the general public has no such interest to- serve. There might be gain to the comparatively limited number of private consumers of "gas, but there would inevitably be loss to the ratepayers as a body. From another point of view, also, there is an , immediate gain to be seen if the Gas Company's works and good-will can be purchased. New works cannot be brought here by a touch of Aladdin's lamp. /Eighteen months is the shortest; time that is spoken of for their construction. During this interval the lighting of tiie city has to be provided for. This is not likely to be done for a minimum price by the present .contractor, with the prospect before him of his business being destroyed by the Corporation. However we view the question therefore, it is evident that, if the Corporation finds it unadvisableto buy the existing Gas Works, it will be subjected to great expense as a consequence of declining to do so. In any comparison of costs between the erection of new works and buying the old ones this must be taken into account, and an estimate of it added to the contract price as part of the actual cost to the city of any new works it may undertake. When, therefore, the advantages and disadvantages of purchasing the Gas Company's works are weighed against one another, most people will probably be found of the opinion that the prudent course for the Corporation is to get them into its own hands at as low a figure as possible. We may add that there is an additional argument in favour of this course which, though it immediately interests only a part of the public, will have weight with all. If the Gas Works are purchased, the transfer to the Corporation can be effected at once, and the gas consumers as a body can be permitted to realise immediately that benefit of reduced charges, the hope of

which has been the strongest motive power in the recent agitation.

The following are the entries for the Selling Race at the Tradesmen's Faces to-mor-row :—Mr J. Stephenson's cr m Jenny. 5 yrs. Bst 121b; Mr J. fla-tie's gr m Catch, 4 yrs, 7st.Blb; Mr E. Brown's b m Miss Lucy, 4 yrs, 7st 81b ; Mr H. Scott's b g Dandy, aged,- Sst 81b; Mr J. Welsh's b g Little Tim, 5 yrs, Sst 121b ; Mr P. Stanton's b g Turpin, aged, 9st lib; Mr W. Roberts's eh g Outcast, 4 yrs, 83t 81b ; Mr W. Bobertß's b g Ancient Manner (late .Arinijal), 4 yrs, Sat Sib. The first race will ;be run at 12 o'clock.

The righto of using, during the ensuing Tradesmen's Races, the various privileges attached to the Silver Stream Course, were sold on Saturday, by Messrs Wright, Stephenson. and Co. The prices realised were as follows :—Grand Stand, L 5; one booth, Ll6 10s paddocks and stabling, LI 10s; cards, Ll ss. •

The following prisoners were receivei into the gaol on Saturday night from Oamaru :—

John Hunter, on remand until the 26th inst., at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Dunedin, charged with cattle stealing at Wnnganui; Thomas Hardiag, committed for trial at the ensuing sessions of the Supreme Court, charged wibh stealing, at Oamaru, on the 27th ult., a gold watch, the property of Mark James Jarvis.

The works in progress at the New Botanic Gardens are criticised by a correspondent in the following terms :—Upon taking a stroll through the New Botanic Gardens which are now being formed, I could not help noticing, with a feeling of regret, that more taste is not being exercised by the officers entrusted with the formation of such an important garden. The absurd cutting or excavation a* the main entrance seems altogether out of place, not to say anything of the beautiful natural scenery that has been removed from the sides of the creek running through the, grounds. The gardens would certainly be; displayed to more advantage if the natural! trees and shrubs were saved at certain spots, instead of beingrhewn down, and the giounds laid bare, before any of the Botanic plants canhave any appearance ; but according to the. present workings the plan seems to be set aside altogether, and tlie Maoris allowed t ■•> display their taste 3 where it best suits them. If the working of the plan paid for by the Government is not carried out, there was no use in wasting money on it, but it would seem that every individual connected with the management of the gardens is determined to have his owa way, and it will be no wonder if the affair cost the Government a second system of management, as the Clutha railway has done, or is likely to do. •

The sixth anniversary ball of the Waikari Rangers took place at the Company's Drill Shed on Friday evening. Owiog to the inclemency of the weather there were not so many present as might otherwise have been expected; but, taking all things into consideration, there was a pretty good attendance. The shed was tastefully decorated with evergreens, and the music, supplied by Mr Anderson's quadrille band, was excellent. Mr Kroon was caterer, and deserves great credit for the style in which he provided the refreshment.

An occasional correspondent, writing from Macraes, under date May ]6th, says :—

"Since my last, dated the 9th inst., I have visited the Duke of Edinburgh Company's quartz crushing machine. 1 am glad to say that Mr Imrie, the manager, has succeeded in repairing the defect in the pump, which now works well. The machine has been working at different times during the week, and gives every satisfaction, though, of course, new machinery takes a little time before it is in regular working order. It has made a good start this morning, and is likely to keep on crushing night and day. I hope that it will prove a successful undertaking, and I have every confidence that it will do so. 1 have inspected some of the surface stone, which was well sprinkled with gold. A large quantity of stone—l should think about 150 tons—has been raised, and gold can be seen in almost all of it. The hours of working have, I believe, been altered to eight per diem, the rate of wages being a shilling an hour."

In a paragraph in our issue of Saturday, describing the capture of the cattle-stealer Hunter, justice was not done to the .efforts of Sergeant leaden, of Oamaru, by whom the prisoner was arrested. We learn that the Sergeant timed his visit to Benmore Station so as to arrive there when the station, hands were in bed, and arrested Hunter when he was snugly ensconced under the bed clothes. At daylight next morning he started with his prisoner, and on reaching the Ahuriri river, which did not appear to be flooded, he attempted to ford it, but at once found himself in deep water. It being impossible to turn back, he managed to reach the opposite bank, but then found that the other arm of the river— which appeared to be wider, deeper, and more rapid—had still to be crossed. As he and his prisoner were upon a shingle bank, between the two arms of the river, which was rising rapidly, prompt action v?as necessary. He knew that there was danger in going back, but being ignorant as to what he had to encounter in going forward, the Sergeant endeavoured to recross the river at the same place. The current, however, carried both him and Hunter some dis. tance down the stream, and they only regained the opposite bank after narrowly escaping being swept away. The Sergeant landed first, and pulled the prisoner's horse after him by dint of great exertion. He then returned to Benmore Station, where a pair of leg irons were m«rte by the smith, and the prisoner was properly secured. Kext day the Sergeant started again, and succeeded in crossing the Ahuriri river at another spot, where it is divided into several shallow streams. Great credit is due to Sergeant Naden for his efforts to secure this notorious offender, he having travelled 50 miles by a road he was totally unacquainted with, in the face of a heavy storm of wind and rain, fording creeks and rivurs, and pushing forward with all the expedition possible under the circumstances-

By the Omeo we have receive! our usual Australian files, but we regret that owing to the pressure on our space, caused by the English mail news, we are unable to make extracts from them. The following, however, are a few of the items of intelligence they contain :—The University of Aberdeen has conferred the degree of D.D. on the Rev. D. M'Donald, of Emerald Hill.— MiningJ matters in the north of Queensland fare iv a satisfactory condition. A branch of the Melbourne Meat-Preserving Company is to be established at Ballarat. The capital is to be L 30.800. in 5000 ahares of L 6 eacb^A serious coach

accident has taken place at Rydal, N.S.W. Three passengers were severely injured, the Rev. Adam Thompson, of Sydney, the most lo.—The agricultural statistics of South Australia have been published. They show that the total yield of wheat this year is 3,000,000 bushels, as against 5,000,000 bushels last year. The average yield per acre is s|bushels. The acreage is the S3me as last year. The quantity of flour available for export is only 28,000 tons, which represents a falling off in money value to the extent of L 400.000. —The Tasmanian Government have received a communication from Captain Coute, who arrived in Melbourne by the Great Britain, staing that he is authorised to lay before them a proposal from a powerful company with acapital of L 1,000,000 to construct the main J'ne of railway. — Manuka is the favourite for the Melbourne Cup at 100 to 5 or 6. The settling on the late Randwick meeting was a very unsatisfactory one to the bookmakers, the backers of horses being anything but prompt in payiDg up.

The road between Clyde and Cromwell is stated by the "Dunstan Times to be in a " frightful atate."

The Argus publishes the following telegram, dated London, April 18th :—Telegraphic advicei from Ireland state that a serious tumult took place at Cork on Good Friday. A collision between the troops and the people caused great agitation. Many were wotinded.

From' the letter of the " Anglo-Australian in London," in the European Mail, we take the following items:—"ln regard to New Zealand ffiax, T am sorry to have to speak unfavourably of its present prospects, as it is positively d"cla red by many manufacturers, after fair trial, not to be a practicable substitute for Manilla hemp. Hardly anything has been recently done in the article except on March 17, when at the public sale held on that day, some disposition was shown to operate, resulting in the disposal of some 300 bales at 37s for extra fine, 30s for good, and 22:; for ordinary. At present, transactions are again slack, without a desire on the part of the trade to buy at any price. The whole business presents a gloomy aspect, the results of which will, in many cases abro id, be the loss of considerable fortunes.—ln relation to telegraphic enterprise. I may observe that the home Government have determined to raise L 4,000,000' at 3| per cent., to lay 24,000 miles of cables, independent of foreign powers, to connect more closely the colonies and India with England. —The Board of Trade have notified that merchants and shipowners are at liberty to supply Australian extract of beef for the use of merchant vessels. This permission is in connection with the control that the Board exercise in regard to the supplies of food to crews under the Merchant Shipping Bill, and it has given a considerable impetus to the trade in the Australian extract. What was lately the Royal Colonial Society is now the Rojal Colonial Institute, the name having been changed at a meeting held for that purpose on March 7, in deference to the Royal College of Surgeons, who suffered inconvenience and annoyance from the initial letters of the titles of the two societies being the same."

The farewell performance of the Christy Minstrel Troupe took place at the Masonic Hall on Saturday night, under the patronage of the Freemasons of Dunedia. There was a good attendancs, and the entertainment went oft very satisfactorily.

The plebiscite oa the gas question will be taken to-day between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. The fortnightly meeting of Court Pride of Dunedm, A.0.F., will be held at the Royal George Hotelat 8 o'clock this eveniag, instead of to-morrow evening. The adjourned monthly meeting of Lodge St. Andrew, No. 432, S.C., will be held this evening at 7.30.

A general meeting of theOtagoßibleSociety will be held in the hall below the Congregational Church, Moray Place, this evening, at 7.30. °

No. 1 Company, City Guards, will muster for parade in front of the Custom House, tomorrow morning, at 9 o'clock. The battery of the D. V. Artillery will parade at the Gun Shed at the same hour.

We have to acknowledge receipt of the Illustrated New Zealand Herald for May. It contains several striking engravings. The programme of the Dunedin Watermen's Regatta, to take place to morrow, will be fouud in our advertising colamns. It is announced elsewhere by the Hon. Secretary that the Athenaeum Library having been re-arranged, the books are now ready for issue to subscribers.

■As will-be-seen-by advertisement, a series of rifle matches is to take place to-morrow,, at the Port Chalmers Butts, for prizes. A list of the latter, comprising upwards of L3O, we have seen, and among them are some very handsome ones.