LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1045, 21 June 1880, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

We have received a report of the Civil Service Commission by this morning's mail In the railway departments there are shown to exist such an amount of corruption, dishonesty, peculation, and bad mauagement, as must cause the greatest indignation aud surprise among all classes in New Zealand. We have only to place the subject matter contained in the several reports, when people will form their own opinions and pass their own comments, surely without requiring any assistance from the Press. It is almost impossible to have imagined that bad as Sir George Grey and his Ministers had governed the country they would have tolerated such an infamous state of things. Such Commissions as have been held, it will be seen, were absolutely necessary, and we shall require done much more than has been done to purge the country of its present innumerable corruptions. We do not know who is responsible for the care and preservation of the railway plant, lodged on the bank of the Turanganui river, but to those concerned it is a shame and a disgrace. There are sacks of screws and nuts, each one of which is worth valuable money, lying scattered about. The sacks are rotten, the screws aud nuts are lying about ready for depredators, and are being eaten away with rust. Is there no storage room in town where this loose and costly property can be stored in safety, secure from pilferers and the action of the weather ? By and by, when the rails come into use, it will be found that some three or four hundred pounds will be required for nuts, bolts, and other fixings. Is the County Council responsible, or its servants ? If not, who is to be held answerable ? Such neglect is something more than culpable. It is dishonest to the people of the County and Borough alike. We are informed that at the Land Tax Office, Napier, summonses are in preparation to be issued for the recovery of all unpaid Land Tax in the Borough of Gisborne and County of Cook. The summonses will most tprobably be forwarded to the R.M. Court, Gisborne, for issue by first mail. The Borough Council will hold its usual fortnightly meeting in the Council Chambers to-morrow evening. Madame Camillia Urso the celebrated violinist, and her talented company may be expected in Gisborne, for one night only, in a few days. To-day, the 21st of June, is put down in the almanac as being the shortest day in the year, as, andi&generallyspokenofasmidwinter, though, we presume, that no perceptible difference will be apparent for some time in the length of the days. The suurise to-day are 7.27. and sunset at 4.37. To-morrow a total eclipse of the moon will take place, and which will be visible all over New Zealand. First contact with the penumbra, lOh. 48m. 65,, p.m., (local time) ; lirst contact with the shadow, lib.'. 44m, 48s, ; beginning of total phase, lh. lm. 425., (after midnight) ; middle of total phase, lh. 20m. Gs. ; end of total phase, lh. 38m. 30s. ; last contact with the shadow, 2h 55m. 245. ; last contact with the penumbra, 3h. 51m.. 6s. Magnitude of the Eclipse (Moon's diameter =1) 1-036. During the hearing of the charge of horse-stealing against Whakatika, of Te Awanui, in the Supreme Court at Napier on Friday, Major Ropata caused considerable laughter. After giving his name he was asked the usual question, " What are j you ?" He hesitated awhile and the question was put again, when he said " I don't like to say what I am— l am rather ashamed of my position. " His Honor said, " Oh, never mind what it is ; let us know." The people in Court were all listening intently for the reply, and were somewhat disappointed though not unamused when the Major came out with, "lama Native Assessor." Even the gravity of the Court was disturbed at the answer. It is satisfactory to notice that Mr. Allan McDonald does not allow himself to be ranked as one of Sir George Grey's revolutionary followers, and that on important divisions he goes with the Hall Ministry, for which we are quite sure he will receive the thanks "and acknowledgments of his East Coast constituents. We remind all those interested, that His Honor, Judge Kenny, will sit to-morrow morning, at 10 shaqj, in the District Court, at which time jurors, witnesses, plaintiffs, and defendants must be in attendance, at Macfarlane's Hall. On Saturday night, a sou of Mr. Searle, tailor, of this town, in thoughtless mischief, tied a kerosene tin to the neck of a horse running on the Waikanae, and owned by a Maori. The horse became alarmed, and having started off in a galop, galoped himself until becoming completely exhausted, it fell down and so died. The father of young Searle, we hear is to be sued for the value of the horse, and the boy to be brought up and punished for the offence. A rumor has been current in town to-day that Mr. D. Page has sold out his interest in the Masonic Hotel. We believe that the report is incorrect, although we have no doubt but what Mr. Page is quite open to a good offer if it happen to be made, which we are not aware is the case. A singular case of illicitly selling gunpowder to Natives recently came on for hearing at Wauganui, in which Captain William M'Donnel, brother of Colonel M'Donnel, appeared as the accused. The offence was stated to have occurred at the Maori village of Putiki, at two o'clock in the morning, and the quantity of powder sold to the Native (a man named Hone Piako) being a flask and a-half, for which he paid M'Donnel 15s. In the cross examination Hona made the remarkable statement that he had got some 750 rounds of ammunition and three guns from Sir George Grey and Mr. Sheehan in 1879. None had been allowed him since the 16th December, 1879, but that previously he got small quantities through Mr. Woon. For the defence a number of witnesses were called, who directly contradicted Hone's statements. M'DonneU, who defended himself, was acquitted.

A novel balance sheet is published in a late Government Gazette. With all due circumlocution it sets forth to be the Balance Sheet of the Ngaruawahia Domain Board up to the 31st December, 1879. Under the heading Dr. it shows — To receipts, nil', under the head of Cr. — Byexpenditure, nil. R. R. Hunt, Chairman, And the correctness of these intricate accounts is vouched for by 0. T. Batkiu, Assistant Comptroller and Auditor, who signs that they have been examined and found correct. The Secretary and other officials of this body can scarcely be over burdened with work, if the above w a sample of the balanco sheets.