A LIBEL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6002, 24 February 1891, Page 2

A LIBEL.

Haiibou Boards have been subjected to unmeasured and unreasonable abuse by writers both inside and outside tho colony. Tho Financial News has been ono of the most violent of the libellers, and lately that journal has excelled itself in mudthrowing. The London correspondent of the Dunedin Star wrote on January 2 : — " The authorship of tho slashing series of articles on the various Now Zealand Harbor Boards, which have boon appearing recently in the Financial Times, is attributed, by the initiated to a wellknown public oflicial resident in Wollingtocl. On Boxing Day tho positions of the Boards of Gisborne, Napier, and Wanganui were gone into. It certainly does seem incredible that, at any period of tho colony's history, (Jisboruo should havo been able to borrow lico hundred thousand pounds. Tho population at the time tho loan was floated was only 2,104, and how the interest on such avast sum was to be paid docs not appear to have troubled anyone much. Napier and Wanganui are not quite such culprits an Gisborne, apparently. The latter Board, tho ' Financial Times ' points out, has an ingenuous, not to say ingenious, plan of religiously writing oil' 10 per cent annually from the value of its property. This docs not come from revenue, as there is none. In other words, the Board frankly tells its creditors every year that the security they hold is 10 per cent worse than it was the; year before. This, adds 'The Times, 1 is candid, but scarcely calculated to raise bondholders' spirits, as nothing can be done to moot tho deficiency." We do not for a moment beliove that, any prominent Wellington oflicial penned the articles in question, for the simple reason that no colonial who had paid any attention to the subject could bo guilty of tho flagrant errors set forth. It is not true that the Gisborne Hurbor Board has written off annually ton 1 per cent, from the value of its property, which wo take to be the rateable property of tho district. The Board has nothing to do with the assessment. Tho valuation is under the Property Tax, and is made by a gentloman appointed by the General Government, and over whom the Board exorcises no control whatever. The last valuation of property in Cook County showed a reduction of about four per cent,, which very probably was owing to the ignoring of mere speculative valuos. That is the only drop that has taken place since tho loan was floated, and was general throughout the colony. The next assessment will undoubtedly show a large increase in tho value of property in tho Harbor district, owing to the considerable amount of fresh settlement and tho improvements effected by many of tho older settlers. Tho development of resources is shown in tho vast increase which has taken placo during the last few years in the exports from this port, tho valuo having about trebled since tho harbor works were' commenced. Tho Financial Nows makes a gross mistake in asserting that the loan of L20(),000 was raised by the burgesses of the town of Gisborne. Tho money was borrowed by the whole of Cook County, which then embraced tho present Wnmpu Comity. Tho population was about 0000, and the area of tho district two million acres. Ak for tho Harbor Board having no revenue, thati.s tho biggest and most malicious misslatomont of all. For the year just closed the shipping yielded a revenue of L2OOO, which will bo supplemented by about L 5500 of rates. Thoso two sums added together would pay nearly four per cent, on tho whole loan of L 200,000. The Gisborne Harbor Board is in a perfectly sound financial position, and there is not the slightest fear of default taking place. Mr H. 0. Wilson, surgeon dentist, arrives here on April 12bh, remaining until the following Friday. A telegram received just as we had gone to prass yesterday stated that the s.s. Australia arrived off the inner harbor at Napier at 3.30 p m., after a passage of 2IW hours from Gisborno. The s.s. Tarawera readied hero this morning after a very rough trip from the South. When out in the straits on Saturday night the steamer's boiler tubes commenced to leak, and that was why she had to put back. The representatives of the Napier Rowing Club who meet Gisborne on March 29th arc Hughes (stroke), Knight, White, and C. Cato. Jago replaces Knight in tho under lOst races The crow will most likely enter for the regatta. The heavy sea which was running in tho bay yesterday increased during the afternoon, beiug forced in from tho oeoan, where there must have been a dreadful storm, but during the evening it abated somewluit. This morning some enormous rollers came in every now and then, making tho work of transhipment to and from the s.s. Tarawera a matter of extreme difficulty, A special meeting of the Ormond School Committee took place l&st evoning. A'l the members were present. Mr Newmans resignation was receiver! and Mr Walters elected Chairman pro. lem. It was decided to ask Mr Newman to continue to act until the present Committee's term of office ceases Tho minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. The Education Board having granted Lls for improvements, ifc was decided to proceed with the necessary work without delay. L 25 has also been granted for repairs to tho old room, and the Boaid invite suggestions from the Committee as to the most effectual w>y of spending tho money. It was resolved to intimate to tho Hoard that the Committoo consider L2s quite inadequate to effect substantial repairs to the room, and they beg to suggest lh;it the Board sen 1 a qualified person to inspect and report thereon,

i Waiting jurors were relieved from further ! attendance at the Supreme Court this morni ing until to-morrow at 10, s the arson case i is likely to last all day. At the Trust Commissioner's Court yes- ' torday, before J. Booth, tfsq., T.C, the following applications were granted :—Conveyances from Heni Hoehoe and from Erena fsirini 1.0 J. N. Williams, of Taifcai, No I<J block, from Mikaera Kawena to same of Poroikamoana block, and from M iraea Mapufcu and Mohi Takama to same of the Taitii No 1b bock. At the sale held to-day by Mr C. D. Pitt, of Mr O'Neil'a property, there was a good attendance. Draught horses brought from Ll(s to L2C, hacks up to Lb' ss, cows up oo £6 ]ss, and implements, furniture, and other effects realised satisfactory prices, The section of four acres was passed in, the bidding not reaching the reserve. Mr Cook, secretary to the Napier Bowling Club, writes to Mr London that the Napier bowlers had fully intended to pay a visit hero this week, playing on Friday afternoon and returning on Friday night, bui as the Australia is likely to be late in getting back from Wellington it is doubtful if they can conn;. Should the steamer be up to time he will inform the local clubby wire. William Capper, who was accused of horse-stealing at the Supreme Court yesterday and acquitted, was arrested by tho police this morning whilst visiting the Court and listening lo the evidence in the arson ease. The police claim that accused told a great many falsehoods which can be readily dis- ■ proved Capper was brought up at the R M. Court at 10.30, and remanded till Friday. The New Ze dand Shipping Company's fine iron ship Opawa, 1075 tons, left Lyttelton on Saturday lust and reached here todu.y after a remarkably smart trip. The Op'awa met with a very heary gale, accompanied with heavy seas, and this was of course in a favorable direction for tliß vessel's journey northwards. The Opawa is the third wool ship of the season for Poverty By, and also takes a large consignment of frozen mutton. When the jurors were empamielled in the arson case to-day two names were called, W. F Crawford and 11. Currie, bub the jurors were not in attendance His Honor directed that they appear at 2 p.m. to show cmse, etc. The gentlemen attended at 2.30 and said they understood their summonses were for 10.30 a.m., the summons for the first day being 10.30. His Honor said the Court always sut at 10 o'clock after the first day. The jurors were excused. It was rather amusing in Court this afternoon to watch one white-haired old gentleman with a big ha d patch on his pate as he kept on falling into the arms of Morpheus, evidently finding tho case before the Court very wearisome. He would straighten himself up, staring fixedly at the Judge, but hi 3 eyes got tired by tho light and he closed them, and then his head would sink lower and lower till his chin rested on his breast, and he was quite heedless of the flies crawling over his skating rink. Then ho would awaken with a start, only to once more doze away again. It is a remarkable fact that a large district in the vicinity of Tarawera, which last year was covered with ash from the eruption and bore not a wstige of vegetation, now carries a most luxuriant crop of grass, which in places is up to the knees. A correspondent writes to the Lyttelton Times from Whakatane : — " I was driving from G-ilatea to tho Toko list week, and was rut her surprised to see how tho wii grass is growing on the Tarawera nsh, which is very thickly deposited along that part of the district. 1 have never seen wii grass growing so luxuriantly hi any part where tho deposit from Tarawera Mountain has not been thrown. There arc thousands of acres of this wii, and the wild horses now running over it are in splendid condition. Why should it not suit for chaff? There would bo an everlasting supply." It is hardly necessary to remind readers of the excellent musical evening to be spent in the City Rink this evening, when the cantata " Queen Esther " will be repeated, and followed by a most excellent concert programme. The latter is one of the best which has ever been promised in Gisborno, and anyone fond of music (and who is not) will find great enjoyment from each of tho items alone. This will in all probability be the last appearance for a time in Gisborne of Miss Largo, of Napier, who so enraptured the audience of Friday evening with her lovely and charming voice. The evening is a fine one, and at the absurdedly low price of admission we may expect to Fee the Rink crowded to-night.