Saturday, September 5,

Otago Witness, Issue 1764, 12 September 1885, Page 11

Saturday, September 5,

Fresh trouble is anticipated over the East and West Coast and Nelson railway. I have it on excellent authority that the supporters of these lines have signed a round-robin to Ministers that if the vote, is not made a Ministerial question their support will be withdrawn. Some 20 members have signed this precious document. This action has been taken in consequence of 'a count of the votes having revealed the fact that the proposed vote of L 150,000 is certain to be rejected. The members who have signed intimate that their support has only been accorded to the Government because of their desire to have the line constructed,and if the utmost efforts are not made in that direction their support can no longer be looked for.

The report of secondary schools for ISS4 shows that the total expenditure for the year was L 71.517, of which L 36.084, or rather more than half, was. for teachers' salaries. The Otago Boys' High School costs for salaries L 5132, the Auckland Grammar School L42SB, and the Wellington College L 2419. The two schools in ChrisMiurch cost for salaries L 5798. The Auckland High School for Girls costs for salaries L 2314, the OLago High School L 1857, and the Wellington Girls' High School is only fourth on tho list with L ll6-1 — even Nelson spending more on salaries for its Girls' High School, namely, L 1332. The difference in the total expenditure on secondary education in the various districts are very wide. In round, numbers, the .respective expenditures aro as follow :— Canterbury,

L 25.000; Otago, L 21.000; Auckland, 1,17,000; Nelson, L 10.000; Wellington, LSOOO. The Public Works Act Amendment Bill (No, 2) introduced by Mr Richardson (says the Wellington Times) consists of 17 clauses. Clause 4 enacts that, except for the purpose of a railway or other public work to be rtiade under the authority of a special act, nothing in the Public Works Act shall authorise : (1) The taking of any stone or other material from any quarry, brickfield, or like place commonly used for the taking material therefrom for sale, without the consent, in writing, of the owner; or (2) the taking of any land occupied by any building, yard, garden, orchard, vineyard, plantation, or ornamental park, or pleasure ground, or the cutting" of any ornamental tree or shrub without the previous consent of the Governor-in-Councfl. Further powers are given to the Minister of Public Works in respect of railways open for wont, flfld further penalties are imposed upon any person tfha " knowingly or wilfully does, or causes, or procures to be done, any of the following things, not having 1 lawful authority to do so : — (1) Moves any signal, points, or stopblocks, or shows any signal likely to mislead ; (2) removes from the railway or railway premises any rolling-stock, tarpaulins, tools, appliances, or property of any kind ; and upon anyone who sells or transfers to any person a ticket, or any portion of a ticket, which has been used for the whole or any part of the journey for which such ticket is issued ; or travels, or attempts to travel, with any such ticket, or portion of a ticket^ sold or transferred by any person.