Kaitangata Relief Fund.

Otago Witness, Issue 1597, 1 July 1882, Page 23

Kaitangata Relief Fund.

A special meeting of the Kaitangata Relief Fund Committee was held in the Harbour Board Office Friday afternoon (23rd). There were present— Professor Salmond (in the chair), and Messrs A. Rennie, R. Paterson, W. G. Geddes, W. Wilson, and J. L. Gillies (hon. sec.)

The Secretary < reported that he had convened the meeting for the purpose of placing before the Committee a statement, in reply to remarks made by Mr Joyce in Parliament regarding the fund. He thought it would be well to_ place on the records of the House authenticated evidence of the facts connected with the fund which might be available for reference, say a dozen years hence, when there would probably be occasion for legislation in regard to any surplus that might then _be available. He thought he was justified in saying a dozen years, as it would be at least that time before the 84 children would be able to do for themselves, to say nothing of the probabilities of at least some of the widows continuing in their widowhood. Until such time as this it would not be advisable to allow the fund to be diverted from its original purpose. The Committee, he felt sure, had done their work quietly, and at the same time prudently and effectively, so that there could be no reason in being afraid of laying their actions t before the public. He would move— -"That the Committee respectfully request the Government to aid the appointment of the Committee asked for by Mr Joyce, and to lay before such Committee if appointed the following documents which have been compiled for the information of hon. members, or take such other action as may be necessary to have placed upon the records of the House the facts connected with the fund." [The documents in question consisted of newspaper reports of public meetings, annual balance-sheets, and report on the circumstances of each family at time of the accident, and how each , has since been dealt with by the Committee.] Mr Paterson seconded the motion. The statements made in the House were erroneous, and it would be as well to place the doings of the -Executive Committee on record.

The Chairman suggested that a sub-com- | mittee should be appointed to draw up a plain' historical statement of the facts of the case, such, as ccmld appear in a newspaper and be published in the name of the Committee. The Seoretaey thought that if that course was followed the Committee would be told that it was their statement and not the facts of the case,; but this was a record of the facts as published by the Press at the time of the disaster and subsequently. The Chairman remarked that the facts, as pointed out by Mr Joyce and several writers who had recently brought up the matter in the public prints, showed a lamentable , ignorance of the facts. Members of the House did not even seem to know that the annual income derived from the capital was insufficient to meet the demands, and that calls had to be made on the capital. Mr Gbddes said he would support the motion. Their actions had been so, far fair and aboveboard, and it was only right that members of Parliament should know that the Committee had done all in their power for the welfare of those concerned. Therewas not the slightest ground for the unwarrantable statements made by Mr Joyce, who did not seem to know anything of the matter about which he had spoken. The Secretary stated that the general voice of the country was in favour of the circular issued by the Committee as to the distribution of the funds.

It was unanimously agreed to adopt the Secretary's motion, and The Chairman having intimated that he had i prepared a historical statement connected with the apportionment of the relief fund, which he intended publishing, The meeting terminated.

The Rabbit Act.

At the City Police Court on Thursday (22nd), ' Allan and John Boyd were' 1 charged with failing to destroy rabbits on t the Rocklands Run, of which they are the lessees, in accordance with notice given them by the inspector under the Act. — Mr Haggitt appeared to prosecute, and Mr Denniston for the defence.— R. H. Johnstone, rabbit inspector, stated that on the 24th May last he had given the defendant John Boyd Dotice to destroy the rabbits on the run, but this had not been paid attention to. One part of the run was an actual rabbit- warren.—Crossexamined : Phosphorised grain was the most effective, and indeed the only efficient means of coping with the difficulty on such land as Rocklands. It would take at least three months to get the rabbits under, and several tons of grain and about 501b of phosphorus would be required. When the rabbits were too thin for poisoning it would be necessary to employ dogs. — Corroborative evidence was given by Frederick Shaw, an assistant inspector. — Mr Denniston contended that the Governor had no power, as in this case, to appoint two inspectors for one district. They might simultaneously give different directions to any person brought before the Court under the Act. There being two appointed, neither, he held, could act. The defendants were furthermore charged with "failing" to take efficient steps to destroy the rabbits. This, he submitted, was not an offence. The offence mentioned by the Act i was "neglecting" to do a certain thing. Another point was that John only, and not Allan Boyd, had been served with a notice as , required. -Mr Haggilt, in reply, contended that the Governor had power to appoint two ' inspectors, and that the interpretation clause did apply in this instance. At all events, the Gazette proving tho appointment of Mr Johnstone only had been put in, and that, he held, was sufficient for this case. It was also sufficient to show that the defendants had failed to take efficient steps. With respect to the ■ service of notice, it had been shown that Allan and John Boyd were partners, and a notice served on one of the partners at their place of

business— i.e., on the land, was all that was re* quired. — His Worship said that he did not consider the notice served on John Boyd affected his partner ; the case was therefore bad against the latter. The appointment of two inspectors he did not think was in contravention of the Act, and he should rule that there was a case to answer. — Mr Denniston called Allan Boyd, one of the defendants, who deposed that before the notice had been served he had despatched to the station seven tons of grain, and had ordered phosphorus, which, however, was unobtainable except in small quantities. When he managed to get phosphorus he employed eight men to distribute grain on the part of the run within this district ; he had also paid two parties with dogs. The men continued distributing grain whilst the weather was good. — His Worship said that he did not consider efficient steps had been taken within the time rej quired by the notice, although they had been taken afterwards. He would inflict the minimum penalty on the defendant John Boyd— viz., £l and costs. Bankruptcy Reform. Wellington, June 27th. ' The principal features of the report drawn up by the Chambers of Commerce delegates are :— l. That the bankruptcy laws should aim rather at being a deterrent to insolvency than merely providing for dealing with insolvents and their estates. To this end they advise that discharges should nofc be granted to debtors who do not pay 10s in the pound, exception being made m cases where insolvency is caused by misfortune or unavoidable losses, but the onus of proof in such cases to be thrown on the debtor. 2. To vest the administration of bankrupt estates in the hands of an official assignee, that_ officer to be Required to make a thorough investigation and prosecute in every case where wrongdoing appears. 3. That two judges should be appointed exclusively deal with bankruptcy business, and to have the sole jurisdiction in such cases, it being held that under the present system the Supreme Court judges are unable through press of other work to devote to this branch the care and attention its importance demands. Various other suggestions are made, I understand, as to details of reform, but these are the chief alterations recommended.

The Kartigi Acoident.

Oamaeu, June 22nd. At the inquest touching the death of Neil M'Pfyee, which commenced at 10 o'clock yesterday morning and lasted until midnight, tha following verdict was returned by the Jury : — "That the deceased Neil M'Phee diedfrom. pycemia, caused by_ injuries received in an accident on the railway-line at Tidal Creek bridge, which accident was occasioned by a horse, getting on the line and upsetting the engine." The chief facts elicited were that the fence of the line was good ; that no complaint had been previously made of cattle straying on this particular portion ; that the owner of the horse which occasioned the accident could not give any idea how it got on the line, nor account for the rope on its neck ; that ' the driver and guard, with the shepherd who was in charge of the aheep with which the train was loaded, used. every effort to get M'Phee out from under the engine ; that it was impossible to do so with, the few tools carried by the train, even if they could have been found, as his legs were jambed between the cab of the engine and the boiler or fire-box. It was shown, that MfPhee had been on duty, with short intermissions, from, 11 o'clock on Sunday night, and the driver from noon on Monday up to the time of the accident— about midnight on Tuesday.