RALCLUTHA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2202, 14 May 1896, Page 31

RALCLUTHA.

May 11.— The burning question of late has been prohibition and borough finance, and two rival parties in the township have been greatly exercised in txiind thereby. It all arose from a misleading statement in a local paper attempting to show that the overdraft had been reduced from nearly .£IOOO before prohibition to £50 now. Of course the wild statement was wofully wide of the mark, but it afforded a good text for the Prohibition Convention in Dunedin. The true position is that prohibition has not in any way increased the revenuo of the borough. On the other band, there is a substantial decrease, repreoented by £240 lost in license fees annually. Some time after prohibition had been carried the bank gave the borough council uotice to reduce their overdraft, which stood at £750, as the limit allowed by law in proportion to their reduced atmual revenue was considerably less. A finance committee was appointed to inquire into the whole position of borough finance, and ia the report they brought up they recommended that wapes be reduced, the sexton paid off, and duties requiring the attention of several men previously be handed ovei to the borough dayman. This was agreed to by the council, and in addition it was re.-olved that an extra rate for one year be levied, and all works except the most urgent suspended. This heroic policy was carried out, and the result has beea such as to enable the council to reduce their overdraft by about £400. It fortunately happened that when the bank put the screw on the streets were in torjellent condition, so that only a little surfacing was necessary. As this policy is likely to continue for some time, I hope to be able to congr*tulato the borough on the final extinction of its overdraft before long. But to ciedit prohibition with the result is absurd. The only credit the prohibitionists can take is that the loss of licensing revenue forced the council to revise its financiai system, aud to economise expenditure. Really, it is surprising how prohibitionsta, like drowning men, catch at straws.

The Brunner Fund —A concert was held on Fiiday night to raise a little towards the Brunner fund. Iv addition to tbe best available local talent, both here and in Kaitangatft,_there were several singers from Duaedin. Prior to the concert a very large sale of tickets had been effected. All tickets were 2s, with children half price. The hall was filled, and I need Hay nothing more in favour of the concert than that it was a first-class tntertainraent The proceeds amounted to about £30, so that with the subscription lists this place ought to be able to send about £50 to the Brunner fund, which must be considered very good in our present circumstances. The Late Collision. — The Waiwera collision of cour c resulted in a departmental inquiry, but the nature of the evidence given is kept f«om the public, who have a right to know. After the verdict of the Minister for Railways, dismissing four oftv-ials concerned in the collision, I made a good de*l of inquiry, and as far as I can see the department could not do ltss' than dismiss those responsible for the collision. It has bean divi kly hiuted at that the collision showed laxity of management, but there is no evidence of that. Exactly the s- me instructions were issued as are issued to control the holiday traffic in the busiest season, and if the same officials had been as carelets during the busy season thtre would have been collisions g^lora. Ho far as I can learn the trim position of affairs, the excursion train i;*n to its time table, aud was in no way responsible for tbe collision. This traiu had i's advice for the day's running from the starting point.- .Duaedin. The goods train, which overran the crossitfg place, go: its advice to Clintoa-the terminus of the Invercaigill section— from Gi.re. Thence it ran on to Bdt-lutha without advice, and returned from B^lcl'itha on its way to Clinton st H without advice. That the statioumaster at Clinton and the noting stationmaster at B->lclutba should have Jinif te>J to give the circular containing the special traiu advicft to the guaid and driver of the goods tiain is a double oversight which let us hope will seldom occur in the railway service. That the driver and guard of the goods train, who knew there was an excursion train on the tr«.ck, should Lave left both Clinton and Balclutha without advice wan, to Bay the least of it, culpable negligence. It is a hardship, no doubt, for these men to be throwu out of emiiloymeijt, but the efficiency of the railway jteivire must, be maintained even at the cost of dismissing old servants. It is the opinion of the travelling public that some of those dismissed should never have been in the service. Tkchnical Classes.— The Balclutha Technical Cla'ses have started for their second session. This session the subjects of instruction include dressmaking, millinery, woodcirviug, carpentry, mechanics, mechanical drawing, ambulance, chemutry, shorthaud, and gymnastics. In addition there will be a series of lectures by professors of the Otago University »nd wellknown Dunedin gentlemen in connection with the classes, which should oa that account prove great boon to this plies.