THE OTOGO DAILY TIMES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9039, 14 February 1891, Page 2

THE OTOGO DAILY TIMES

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1891,

The speech of the Premier at the Wai ganui banquet, published in on columns yesterday, has about it a my unexpected tone of moderatioi Official responsibility has always restraining force, and its results wei never more plainly seen than in M Ballance's speech. We do not hesitat to say that the utterances of th ad Premier will hav9 a quieting effec on the minds of that numerou class here who expressed themselves a afraid of wild and visionary measures - which, if introduced by Ministeri would affect the industries of th colony most disastrously. The pre gramme put forward, if somewha vague and indefinite, is certainly no revolutionary, while there are som points in it which will receive we! merited praise as well from the part now in opposition as from th supporters of the Ministry. W need not follow the Premier's state ments as to the Governor's actior or the necessity of a second sessior since we have repeatedly deal with these matters. Everybod agrees that it would be undesirabl directly or undirectly to render i impossible for poor men erer t enter political life; but it is quit 1 another thing to evade the spiri P of the . statute by having second session in order to pay member L 250 instead of Ll5O for their worli The Premier, indeed, says that "ac journment was impossible on mora grounds," but this mere bald statemen * unexplained and undefended will con vince no one that an adjournmen presented any more difficulty tha: a prorogation. Mr Ballance's smal reference to the gentleman who movei - the resolution against holding a seconi session, and the other membe who spoke of the expenditure beinj " criminal," as men of " immense for tune," is too silly and too incorrect ti require refutation here; indeed, thi part of the speech is the weakes portion of the whole. It is on reading the paragraph 01 the incidence of taxation that interes is aroused. The Premier's announce ment. " that a proposal for a radica ( change in the incidence of taxatioi will be made next session " is at firs' sight an alarming one to those wh< understand that it means the aboli tion of the property tax, and who, lik< ourselves, regard the property tax ai at once necessary and equitable. W< gather, however, from the sentencei which follow that a " radical change' does not mean the total abolition oi the property tax and the substitutior of a land and income tax, but thai "the direction which that changt would take would be to relieve people who were nowunjustly bearing an undue proportion of the burden of the propertj tax." What this enigmatical sentence means we do not know; and we arc . not greatly concerned to hazard a con- ■ jecture on the subject. Some relief tc - farmers would be generally received with satisfaction, and it has always been felt to be a grievance that buildings and plant for use in our manufactures should while non-productive be liable to this tax. The general announcement made by the Premier is hardly of much value in the absence of those more precise details which he at present withholds. The proposal "to place a fair share of the burdens upon those who had acquired wealth in the colony and were able to pay additional taxation" has about it an ominous sound, but may mean very little, since, if regarded merely as an abstract proposition disassociated from all idea of a bursting-up tax, the intention is in itself admirable. It is just as well to draw attention from time to time to the limited area of land available for agriculture which remains in the hands of the State. If Mr Ballance is successful in preventing this area of land from passing into the hands of dummies and speculators he will deserve the thanks of the colony; but the suggestion that arable land held by individuals should be purchased by and be redistributed through State agency, at once suggests jobbery which could hardly be avoided in practice. We are not hopeful that the Ministry will be able to evolve a scheme of redistribution of land which would at once be equitable to the owner, profitable to the State, and acceptable to intending settlers. If anything of the sort is contemplated, the Government have their work before them to devise means to give effect to the proposal which will have the approval of the Legislature and the country. We cordially approve the Premier's straightforward announcement that he will have no more public borrowing in the English market. It was hardly expected that the Ministry would so emphatically declare against borrowing, but this plain statement will reassure all those whose fear was that a period of further expenditure on borrowed money wa3 about to begin. The announcement made by the Premier in this matter may partly be accounted for by the fact that, as we informed our readers a few days since, a sum of half a million will shortly fall into the Treasury from accrued sinking fund, on the conversion of loans account. But to whatever cause tbis decision of the Government is to be attributed it will certainly produce an easier and safer feeling throughout the whole Colony, since natural causes will effectually prevent colonial borrowing being carried too far. We are not very sanguine about tbe Government being able to devise measures that will attract population and keep it in the country. The accomplish-; merit of so desirable an end, we aro i afraid, does not rest to any consider- j able extent with anything that can bo done by Governments or Legislatures, '

but far more to the operation of! natural causes, Further criticism of Mr Ballance's first important utterance as Premier is not necessary. Until the details of his proposals are before the country, it is sufficient to say that we are agreeably surprised to find that thore is a prospect of his programme being far moro prudent thau there was reason to expect.

Fiioji tbo chairman's speech at the ~ annual meeting of the Westport Coal '"' Company we gain a further and moro :e exact notion of the cost to the colony i of the disastrous strike of last year. ■■• At the annual meeting in 1890 the n remaining portion of a dividend of 6 per cent, for the year was declared, which total dividend amounted to no „ less a sum than Ll 2,472. The Hon. H. J, Miller at that time ventured on the pleasing prophecy that " we are now entering on an era of prosperity," whilo Mr K. Kamsay, in seconding the I adoption of the report, said, "so far as I they could see, it (the company) had a / very bright future before it." The history of the Westport Company, _ taken with the figures of the balance sheet, more than justified theso L . favourable anticipations, and the differr ence in the profits earned last year of a L 21,528 and the profits this year of L _ LllO2 is caused by, first, the increased a indirect cost of getting the coal, and c also to a very large extent by increased r expenditure directly necessitated by c the strike. To this, if we desire to c know what is the cost to an industry (. of a large strike, must be added the s loss to the miners, wliich the chairman g estimated at L 30,000. In the waste , it causes, in the all-round loss it ,' creates, a strike is only less disastrous b to victor and vanquished than war ~ itself: it is in all its consequences -. fitly termed an industrial war. The (; steady progress made by tho Westport b Company year after year, as shown in I its balance sheets, more than justified „ the expectation that its future would c be one of regular growth. The eire cumstances of New South Wales and h New Zealand are sufficiently alike to render a comparison useful, and the ' actual output of coal in New South / Wales has increased from 549,012 tons in 1864 to 3,655,632 tons in 1889. B The actual output of coal in New fc Zealand was 558,620 tons in 1887, or 3 almost exactly the same as that of B New South Wales 23 years previously. t If the rate of progress here is as great a as in the sister colony, the shareholders s in the Westport Oompany will have reason to congratulate themselves upon " m the patience with which for many j years after the initiation of tho j. company they waited for dividends, content to know that thoy were f. building up a property surely, if slowly 1 —a property from which they would j hereafter reap a rich harvest. We • observe that Mr James Mills dealt j with the subject of other mines being p started, a contingency which has of , course to be faced, and one which has I quite lately assumed a positive form at j Mokau. It is difficult to suppose that 3 the shareholders of tho Westport Ooml pany have any real cause for fearing competition. In the first place, the t demand for coal has so grown in this . part of the world during the past 20 ' years as to suggest that it will here- ■ after rather outgrow than fall t short of the supply. In a paper read . by Mr Park (late of the Geological ' Survey department) before the Wellington Philosophical Society, which will bo ( found in the Transactions of the New j Zealand Institute for 1888, he esfci- , mated that if the increase of output ' continues uniform with the average i yearly increase for the past seven years, • our coal will be exhausted in 1978, when the calculated annual output will bo '. 48,100,000 tons. Such estimates and figures hardly represent any realizable [ notion to the mind j but the results of i the past are quite enough to warn us , that the danger of the future lies rather in the exhaustion of our mines than in that slackness of demand which would, when distributed, so to speak, among competing mines tend to reduce profits to the non-paying point. So many industrial undertakings have sickened and died in this colony during the past 20 years because those who had them in charge failed to recognise the smallness of the population of the colony, that it is quite refreshing to deal with an undertaking like the Westport Oompany, the conduct of whose affairs has always been characterised by patient prudence. If the Westport Company's coal mine had been treated as many a gold mine has been dealt with by its proprietors, it would have been in liquidation long ago instead of being instinct with vigorous life. The West Ooast coalfields have an interest for all good New Zealanders quite apart from the question of the success or non-success of this one company. Although there havo been fre- , quent efforts made to secure some sort ' of protection for the coal industry, and ' that without success, it has grown into one of the largest and most important productions of the colony. It has done so in virtue of the laws which regulate supply and demand—the commodity ( produced being in constant and exten- . sive use, and the conditions for putting , it on the market extremely favourable, i When to these facts are added the i generally admitted fact that Westport ' coal is one of the best coals in the i world for generating steam, the future ' of the company, which should be of interest to all good colonists, seems assured. The shareholders have not . got any dividend this year owing to , very exceptional circumstances, which i we earnestly trust will never again I occur. '

Our supplement contains reports of yesterday's courts, an account of a holiday trip to Margin's Bay, Passing Notes (by "Civis"), correspondence, and miscellaneous reading matter. The action brought hy Mr lan S. Simson against tho Colonial Bank, and which was set down for hearing afc Invercargill before Mr Justice Williams yesterday, was unconditionally withdrawn by the plaintiff, and judgment was entered up for the defendants, with costs. Mr Justico Williams returns from Invercargill this evening. No declarations of insolvency have been filed at Duuedin this week. The George street School Committee have made provision for supplying pure water for school purposes. They have had a large filter constructed, and there is now a 500-gallon tank full of filtered water, so thafc the supply is adequate. • Afc the meeting of the committee lasfc evening ifc was mentioned that the filters were working very satisfactorily, and some samples of pure sparkling water proved that the statement was well founded. The Committee of fche Technical Classes Association have received from Mr Earnsbaw, M.H.R., an offer of his services bs teacher of lathe work in connection with engineering operations. ! It has been decided to form a branch of the j Nalionsl Refoim League in Oamaru, and Messrs | A. Kilgour, Pjlie, Snadden, Mocdio, Anderson, i Boreham, A. Kodgers, Alexander Sinclair, end j Alexander Familton have been appointed a com- I mittee to work the matter np. !

if A committee meofcing was hold afc Soutl Dunedin lasfc night for tho purposo of forrau „ lating some echemo for carrying out; tb wishes ot tho recent publio meeting held ii that borough in reference to taking lads offi th streets at night time. Six lads attoudod as i deputation, and brought with them a documen !- signed by a large number of thoir companion l expressive of their appreciation of the effort r thafc were being put forth on their behalf. I ) was resolved thafc the deputation bo added t the committee Mr W. Wardrop was elected a president of tho proposed olub, Mr R. Rao o secretary, and Mr J. M. Gallaway as treasure! Messrs Gallaway and Halliwell wero authorise ■■ to inspect and report with regard to a siiitabl ! building for club purposes, and ifc was .decide ' that a public meeting should bo held on Mor day, tho 23rd iusfc,, afc which Mr Leo Smit i would address the lads. Wo understand ths this movement for providing the youth of th Flat wifch rational recreation of an evening pre miacs to be successful, about 100 lads havin expressed their willingness to become membei of the club; and ifc is anticipated that about 5 more will bo induced to fall in with tho movi ment in the courso of a week or two. The polling of the South Otago Distric 1.0.0. F., for the eleotion of two representatiyf to the Grand Lodge, which holds its biennii session in Christchurch during March next, hi resulted in P.G. Bro. Higgins (Linden Lodgt and P.G. Bro. Millar (Leith Lodge) bein returned. Tho ordinary meeting of the George sfcret School Committee was held in tho schoolrooi lasfc evening, when there were present—Mr W Simpson (chairman), Messrs S. M'Donald, , Cramond, C. E. Anthony; and tho Rev. . Gibson-Smith. An apology was received froi Mr A. S. Adams on account of ill-health, and was also stated that Mr Haynes was unavoic ably absent. The head master's report showe the number on the roll to be 885, and tb avorage attendance 774. A letter was rca from tho Trades and Labour Council re Whi combe and Tombs' publications, and wi received. Tha Chairman intimated that two ( three of the parents of the children had calle on him relative to the use of the " Souther Cross Readers," and said that ho had informe them thafc if a deputation waited on him he W£ willing to call a meeting of householders t ascertain their opinion on tho subject. Tb f committee approved of tho chairman's actioi I Accounts amounting to £9 16s 3d were passe for payment, and the committee resolved t vofcs for the return of Messrs J. W. Jago, H Fraer, and J. M'Gregor to the Educatio Board. Mr W. S. Allen, who was returned for the 1 Aroha se-ifc in tho House of Representative has arrived at Wellington from England. B was, with his family, a passenger by the steamt Arawa. An Invercargill telegram states that since th compulsory clauses of the Education Act wei put in operation the attendance at one of tl town schools has increased by 100. Tho Masterton correspondent of the Ne Zealand Times reports that a very serious ca! of accidental poisoning occurred there on tl Bth inst., by which tho whole family of Mr 1 G. Williams very nearly met their death. : appears that at tho usual hour the family si down to breakfast, each partaking of porridg with fche exception of one boy. Before tl meal had proceeded far the younger membe begrn to eicken, and in a very short timo tl whole of those who had eaten the porridge we: seized with violent pains and vomiting. I Hosking wes immediately called, and at oni pronounced the symptoms to be those i arsenical poisoning. Antidotes wereadministeri with successful results. Some time ago Ti Williams mixed a quentity of " Rough on Rats with oatmeal, and placed the vessel containii the mixture on a shelf, as he supposed, out < harm's way. As thiß cannot now be found ifc supposed that one of the children, finding tl poisoned meal, and not knowing better, emptif ifc into tho oatmeal tin. There is no other tut of accounting for the accident. The cereal crops in the Ahuriri district ai looking well, end though ifc msy b3 late thei will be a good haivesfc. The root crops ai strong and healthy, and the grass is rich an plentiful. Luckily the recent terriffic storm wi veiy partial, and the Ahuriii farmers sustaine no loss. What wifch rabbits, small bird;, storm and low prices (says the Clutha Leader), tt farmers have a lot to ponteDd with, but despil all discouragements they are a pushing, stead; industrious clasß, have mostly good house plenty to eat and drink, and know nothing ( pinching poverty. Dr Galbraith, having been called in by th Wyndham Town Board to report en the su{ posed ca3cs of diphtheria which were 6 prevalent in Wyndham, has done co. The gis of his report is that; most of tho cases examine had advanced too far towards recovery for hit to say positively whether diphtheria had bee: prevalent; however, Irom tho symptoms s explained by Dr Sfcockwell, he was satisSed tha diphtheria had prevailed in all except two case! of which he had some doubt. He mentione two cases thafc were genuine diphtheritic onei He strongly recommended strict isolation, an by careful management only ouo child migh have the complaint in the family ; there was n reason why ib should go through the whol house. Regarding the sanitary condition o Wyndham, he had little to complain cf. 1 well thafc he examined was in a bad slate and in cases of typhoid would bo extremely dangerous. The Hon. R. J. Seddon, Minister of Mines was entertained at a .banquet afc Havolock, oi Tuesday night last. Responding to the toast of " Tho Ministry," Mr Seddon said that at th( present juncture he was nofc iv a position tc disclose any Cabinet secrets. Generally speaking, the policy of the Government would be tc govern New Zealand on practical lines, equalis. ing taxation, settling fche people on the land, developing the mineral resources, and reducing tha expenditure to within thai; limit which the colony could afford to pay. The Ministry was composed of practical men. There would be nothing revolutionary or extreme. Rsal progress could ba besfc achieved by moderation and safefcy. True confidenca could in thafc way bo established, Wifch confidence in ourselves and the practice of strict economy, the resources of the colony would in themselves place Now Zealand In tho first position. Mr Thomas Mackenzie, M.H.R, has written to tho New Zealand Times, regarding the loss of the young man William Quill, stating thafc if the information to hand be afc all reliable— namely, thafc Quill was despatched alone from some part about the region of Milford Sound, to place a flag on a mountain top near the Greenstone, and that for tho journey five days' provisions was taken, he has no hesitation in saying that the life of a noble young fellow has been wantonly sacrificed. Such an undertaking required not the work of one man poorly equipped, bufc the services of three men well provided against emergencies. That tfce expedition was no ordinary ono even in the eyes of the officer in charge was shown by the fact thafc five days' provisions was taken; bufc what was five days' food to a man in such a region if he had not fche necessary protection of tent fly, blankets, ko. to afford him a shelter from the storms whioh so frequently occur there. Wild and inhospitable as was the region where poor Professor Brown was lost, the country between Milford and the Greenstone is (says Mr Mackenzie) infinitely worse. "Can ifc be," he asks," that the wretched spirit of skinflintishness has driven the Government to such depths of parsimony that our engineers in charge of works when sending out. men are not permitted to extend to their workmen reasonable protection against risk to life and limb ? " ConcerniDg the policy of the Government, tho Wellington correspondent of tho Lyfctelton Times says :—" Ministers have, ifc is an open secret, been very busy during the rece33 holding Cabioofc meetings and informal discussions vory constantly. Tho result is that the policy bills are iv a forward state. Amongst, those aro bills for the reform of fche Upper House, and reform of the civil service; Labour Bills, including a Conciliation Bill. Ojo feature of fche Upper Houso Reform Bill will ba a seven years' limit of tenure. The Civil Service Bill contains new provisions, and proinisc-s to bs a very complete measure. The Conciliation Biil is not yet framed, bufc progress has so far been made in Cabinet that tbe South Ausfcr.-dian act | has been discovered to be too radical a measure, j ia the senna that ifc is radically faulty. The I financial policy has beeu frequently canvassed, ; but the results have not transpired. Tho Land i Bill has got; iuto something like shape, and has j been much discussed. Ou the whole, tho j tho Ministerial policy will br, it is expected, I very carefully aud fully matured before the I meeting of Parliament."

The Leader says that tho Catlins river railway is being steadily and vigorously pushed forward, aud the rails are now laid to the first bridgo across the Glenomaru stream below Mr Begg's of tho Glen. v There are no fewer than seven bridges between Romahapa and the tunnel. Tho bush is being rapidly cleared, and tho formation of the lino carried on towards the tunnel. A good number of men are employed at fair wages for single men but too small for married men, who have also a home in town or elsewhere to keep up. At tho Trinity Wesleyan Church a very pleasant couple of hours were spent lasfc evening by tho members of the congregation and their friends, tho occasion being a sacred concert given in aid of the circuit fund. Mr Parker succeeded in gofctiug together a very handy little orchestra and giving au agreeable rendering of four selections, the prettiest of which was decidedly Lamotho's " Invocation il St. Ceoilia." Mrs Edgar's voice was especially well suited in the " Chorister " (Sullivan) and Piccolomini's " Ora pro nobis," and Miss Cooper rendsred valuable assistance in a duet with Mrs Edgar "Oh lovely peace " (Handel). Tha contributions of Messrß Crawford ("Star of Bethlehem") and Blenkinßopp ("If with all your hearts") were both highly acooptable, tho latter receiving hearty applause for his effort. Mies Derbyshire was an efficient accompaniste, and Mr T. P. Faulkner also rendered good service in this way. The Palmerston School Committee has voted for Messrs Borrie, Macgregor, and Fraer for tbe vacancies on the Education board. A reaper and binder trial, under the auspices of tbe Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association, takes place at Invercargill on Wednesday, the 18th inst. This trial is open to all comers, and the trophy offered is a valuable one, presented by tho Massey Manufacturing Company, Dunedin. Professor Lichtwark gave another exhibition of his method of horse-training last evening, in tbo corporation buildings on the Market Reserve, Princes street. Before the proceedings were commenced, some 20 gentlemen expressed their willingness to become members of the class, and tho professor then took in hand a wild young horse which had never previously been handled, the property of Mr Alexander, of South Dunedin, Tho animal was quickly reduced to a state of complete subjection—so much so that it not only allowed itself to be saddled and ridden, but followed the professor submissively around the room. Those present expressed themselves entirely satisfied wifch fche manner in which the animal was subdued, the treatment being at once effective and humane. Another exhibition will be given to-night. The officers of the Otago Hussars, who were among those present last night, have arranged for a similar exhibition to be given next Wednesday evening. Mr F. Walcofc, inventor of the emery file sharpening stone, has received intimation from Wellington of tho issue of letters patent for New Zealand for his invention. He is moating with a large Eile for h;9 files in Dunedin. A telegram from Invercargill statsa thafc the London Bellringers [aud Faust Family opened there to a crowded house, arid thafc fche audience were highly satisfied. The company yesterday gave a matinee, the entire proceeds of which were to be devoted to the Kakanui relief fund.

Wo have beon requested to remind our readers of the ewlmming tournament to-day afc Sfc. Clair. Mr J. Douglas Perrett resumes hia tuition of drawing and painting on Tliursday. Excursion railway fares are advertise! in connection with tbe forthcoming Cup meeting. Passengerß and cargo ex Arawa will reach Dunedin per Mararoa leaving Wellington on Monday. Messrs James Samson and Co. sell household furniture, piano, &0., on Monday afc Fort; Chalmers, and oa tbe 23rd freehold property and furniture at NorthEast Valley. The Howard all-stesi binder may be seen afc work at Mr Bathgate's farm, West Taieri, on Tuesday. Messrs Donald Stronach and Son sell fat and store stock on Tuesday at Palmerston. Messrs Held, Ms3lcin, and Co. (ln conjunction with Messrs Wright, ktepbonson, and Co.) sell the Wariitigton yearlings at the Duuedin horse sale yards on February 27. Mr John Grindley sells 17S0 sheep at Gore on Tuesday m-xfc at noon. Messrs Lorle and Boy sell fruit and pot Jtoes to-day at noon. Mr Henry tamer will soil Ibe complete stock of a general store at his Battray etreet rooms to-day at 11001 - Mr J. P. Jones advertises that he is in possession of tbe recipes and remedies which were employed by tbe late Mrs Jones. Owing to unforeseen circumstances, fche concert to b3 giveu in aid of tbe presbytery fund of the Boman Catholic Church at Fort Chalmers bas been postponed. The prospectus of the Co-operative Supply Association, which is being formed fco take over tha oldestablished grocery business of Mesars Lomas and Frazer, appe'irs in our advertising columns. The nominal capital is £15,008, of which sum it is proposed to call up £9000. Me-trs Pryor and Son, fruiterers, Princes street, bave on view some munificent bunches of their own locally grown grapes. In addition to the window Bbow attractions, they bave witbin the shop formed an archway by a growing vino b-nriug fruit of the " Sweefc water" variety, a-.d bLIU fu.fcberornamentcd with some enormous -clusters of the " Blrik Hamburg" grape. The whole display well deserves a special visit. The New Waltz Taught iv Three Private lessons, PA ls ; previous knowledge of waltzing nofc required. J. B. towe (from Melbourne), Wood's Hotel.—[Advt.] Walcot's gold medal emery file sharpening stonei. To-day (Saturday), positively last day of sale, ia the Royal Arcade, also next Herbert, Haynes, and Co., Princes etreet.—[Advt.] The D.I.C. shareholders and customers generally are reminded the company's great; Bummer bargain tables have now commenced.. A large qmntity of good and useful lines in every department are laid out, and will be cleared .at real bargsin prices.— [iDVT.] " Lome " Is everywhere regarded as tho creme de la creme of whiskies.—[Advt.] Money can be obtained from B. Francis, Octagon (next Aihen-eum). Bepaid weekly, monthly.—[Adv.] Joh» Hisiop, Watchmaker and Jeweller, li Princes streefc. The oldeafc established bcuie lv fcown. Repairs of all kinds. Good assortment Watches, Clookc. and Jewellery. Spectacles to suit all slgbtc—[Advt.] See Ct, and T. Young's stock of watches, oloeks, jewellery, sterling silver and electroplated goods. Five first-class awards reoeived K.Z. and 3.8. inhibition ISB9-90. Prices cfcrlctly moderate. Largest aud finest stock lv N.Z. to select from.—[Advt,] Dunedin Autumn Baces, February 25, 26, and 28. Cup day, Wednesday, 25. First race afc 12.30.— ]4dvt.] By special appointment to hii Excellency the Governor Lord Onslow for premier quality Aerated Waters and Cordials.—" Of other Sodawaters that bave come under our nofcice, aud take a very high plaoe in Australasia, we would be remiss if we did nofc mention thafc of Messrs Thomson and Co., of Dunedin."—" Australian Brewers' Journal," 1890.— Thomson and Co., Crystal Springs Mineral Waters Works, Dunedin.—rADVT.] Persons contemplating making trips from Dunediu, whether on pleasure or business, are reminded that Messrs Thos. Cook and Son, whose offloe is in the Brand Hotel, are in a position to save them muoh trouble and expense, aod to secure for them fche best; accommodation available, seeing tbat they act as agents for every Important line of steamers I or railway in the world.—[Advt.] j