LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 882, 5 September 1879, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

We remind oar readers that after the excitement of the elections this afternoon, it will greatly mollify people's feelings and bring them into a pleasing train of tniud, by a visit to the concert this evening at Mr. MacFarlane's hall, which is to be -iven in aid of the Roman Catholic Church funds, aud will be assisted by our best talent, - vocal and instrumental, Mr. George E. Birton, late M.H.R., has, says a Wellington correspondent, bounced the colony with more effect than he did the Judges. Wnen parliament broke up, aud the most important thing left for a member to do was to rake in the houorarium, Mr. Barton made acal at the Treasury tor his. A slight difficulty occurred, owing to a regulation in force for a considerable time, that Wellington city members have to be satisti d with an houorarium considerably lower than that allowed to lion, meinberd who have come from farther afield. Mr. Barton, however, demuared to being classed as a Wellington member, and to being allowed a less honorarium than other bun. members. The official argued the point, but Mr. Barton insisted upon it that he was not a Wellington member and dil not intend to be —that, in fact, he would be outward bound in leas thau a weak. Ad he asserted . nis rights with his usual pertinacity and vigour, it was considered that tiie cheapest way out of the ditticulcy would Od co pay Mr. Barton what lid asked, otherwise the risk would be run of detaining Mr. Barton in the colony for an indctiuite time. The other day n Otago, two men were "caught" by the railway officials jumping from the platform on a train while the latter was in motion. One of the culprits was a farmer, the second a member oi Parliament. The farmer was duly summoned, couvicted aud fined. The iVI.M.K., was let t alone aud went on ins way undisturbed by auytuiug more unpleasant than a word of cautiou given in a smiling tone and nat in liaud. Another instance of the two different kinds of sauces served out with goose and gander. There have been some curious insolvencies* during the past year, to which must be added the loilowiug wnich the clip, from the i'atea Man : — " Che wholj oi the assets in a lute oaukruptcy estate nere amounted, we believe, to two cuuirs. The liabilities were aoout £140. The Waikato Time* has quiet an original article in land laws. it advocates a system of unrestricted purchase of Maori lands, at the same times expressing tne anticipation thai under this system " much land will in many cases n'uU its way uico few hands;" addmg, "When once the land passes into tne possession of a niui opean owner, subdivision can be easily effected by subsequent taxation of special nature. This is »ur safeguard agaiust tue possible passing of the puulic lands into the hands of a tew, and it is a sure one." The laud-sharks ot Waikato are evidently quite prepared to run tue risk of a douutlul " special tax " in the future, if they arc only allowed to mouopohs. large blocks' of the tiuest laud in JNe»v Zealand aC the present tune.