THE WEEK.

Poverty Bay Independent, Volume I, Issue 14, 6 June 1885, Page 2

THE WEEK.

We understand that a petition referring to the Turanganui Bridge is being numerously signed by the ratepayers. We rejoice to hear that such a step is being taken, as it is evident that neither justice or fairplay has any place at our public Board, and unless the ratepayers take steps to defend their pockets against the insiduous attacks of the common robber “ ring,” their case will shortly be in extremis, and all efforts unavailing.

Messrs. Davis and Quigley have been elected Borough auditors for the ensuing year. A coal miner named Sherd was killed in the Bruner mine, Greymouth, on Monday last, through a truck load of stone falling on him.

A most destructive fire occurred at Owen and Graham’s wholesale warehouse, Auckland, on Monday last, £30,000 worth of property being destroyed.

A Court for the revision of the county electoral rolls will be held in Gisborne on Monday.

A man named Walker was on Tuesday fined 10s for drunkenness, and sentenced to thirty days imprisonment for making use of obscene language. The following civil business has been transacted at the R.M. Court during the week:—Warren v. Davis, claim 7s 6d, judgment for plaintiff; Cox v. Thomas, claim £7 10s 6d, judgment summons; Allanach v. Rees, £l3 16s 9d, judgment summons ; Croft v. Haurangi, £6 12s, adjourned for a month.

The annual meeting of the Gisborne Licensing Bench was held at Makaraka on Monday, when the following transfers were granted:—Ormond Hotel, J. Clements to H. Clements; Sir George Grey Hotel, D. Din an to J. Bennett. The license for the Chandos Hotel at Ormond was granted conditionally on the house being furnished by the next licensing meeting. It is rumored that Mr. Kelly, the defeated candidate in the Tauranga election, intends testing its legality.

Mr. G. Burnand notifies in another column his intention to run a coach between Matawhero and Gisborne every Saturday evening, the first trip to be made on Saturday next, leaving Matawhero at 7, Makaraka at 7 15, and returning from the Masonic corner at a quarter to ten. This should prove a great convenience to our country friends, and we trust Mr. Burnand’s efforts will meet with the success they deserve. A girl named Pearson wandered from her home at Ormondville (H. 8. last week, and was found two days later in a shallow stream of water. It is feared that she will lose the use of her hands and feet through the exposure.

The customs revenue collected in the colony during the month of May was £107,834. The amount for the corresponding month last year was £107,356. The Makaraka Domain Board met in the Council Chambers on Tuesday evening. It was resolved to notify that the Board is prepared to receive applications from persons willing to clear and lay down in permanent pasture the Makaraka Domain. Applicants to state the length of lease they will require, and amount of rent they will be prepared to pay for the same, and to state any other conditions they may think fit; one third of the land to be cleared in the first year, one third in the second, and the balance by the end of the third year.

Two seamen belonging to the ship Soukar, were sentenced to six months’ hard labor, at Lyttleton, for broaching cargo on the voyage out. The Bankruptcy business of the Supreme Court will be taken on Monday, the 22nd inst. at 10 a.m. At the R.M. Court, on Thursday, before W. Common and J. W. Johnson Esqs., J.P’s., Allan Long was fined 5s for drunkenness: and James Eaver was charged, at the instance of the police, with stealing a pair of hoots from the Masonic Hotel. As no felonious intent could he proved, the case was dismissed.

We understand that the telegram announcing that the Auckland City East Licensing Committee have renewed the licenses for one bar in each hotel only, and ordered the removal of all partitions in bars, and that the Arch Hill Committee have intimated that if elected next year they would close all the licensed houses, was read at the Total Abstinence Society, on Thursday evening, when Mr. Somerville commended the first named Committee for its prompt action, whilst he animadverted upon the procrastination of the Arch Hill Committee.

We have two lawyers in the Borough Council and also pay a retaining fee of £lO 10s. to another one, and yet, as in the instance of the nightsoil contractor, there is more bungling in connection with the simple ordinary work of the Board than ever happens in the smallest business concern in the town where? there is double the business done.' Well might Councillor Joyce remark, when referring to the Engineer, that “ the ratepayers were paying dear for professional experience.” At the last general election total number polled was 1,193 out of 1,868, which appeared on the rolls. The fact that the population of the district, even according to the last census taken in 1878, is 4,680, (it is doubtless now more than double) shows that the roll must be in a most incomplete state, and how necessary it is that some steps should be taken to purge and complete the present list. Until this is done the full benefit and effect of the franchise Act will never be felt. We trust that every working man in this district will take the necessary steps—which consists of calling at Mr. G. L. Greenwood’s (the Registrar)office and filling up a simple form and signing it—to have his name placed on the voters roll at once.

A very serious complaint has reached us which materially affects the reputation of certain Government officials in the place, who, it is asserted, have been in the habit of getting vouchers signed in blank, for certain obvious reasons. We shall take every pains to ascertain the truth of this matter, and if needed, shall at once call the attention of Government tot the same.

Writs have been issued in the case of Stevens v. Tutchen, set down for hearing at the next sittings of the Supreme Court. Damages are laid at £\,500, and Messrs. Rees and Cresswell are engaged in support of the case, whilst Mr. DeLautour appears for the defence. Another action, Stevens ▼. the Hamburg-Magdebourg Fire Insurance Company, out of which the above case arose, will also come on. The cases are likely to prove interesting on account of the former having been brought forward at the last December sittings, together with the sim : lar case, McKay v. Tutchen, when the plaintiff elected to be nonsuited. The action against the Fire Insurance Com; any is taken at 'he instance of the creditors in the estate of A. Stevens, who attributes his bankruptcy to the non-payment of the insurance upon his house which was burnt down at Patutahi, some time back.

The Tarawera arrived from Auckland about 5 o’clock yesterday, and left again for the South with the following passengers:—Mesdames TaitHam and Taylor, Misses Cameron and Buffy, Messrs France, Cassia, Taylor, McKenzie, McCauley, and Adams. Notice.—Our first quarter having expired, a collector will call during the ensuing week for subscriptions due, when a prompt settlement will oblige. We have been given to understand that when Cr. Joyce said that he could get the same work done (in the Bridge matter) for which the Council were now paying £l9O for £5O, that he did not wish to be understood, that it was for the same work as that being undertaken at present; but that by another plan costing but £5O the same should be achieved. To-night Mr. J. Cantie, the rapid inarch of events, opens large new winter stock which arrived. In order that customers see what they are buying he htS| considerable expense, and with thJMgg sistance of Mr. Wade, gasfitter, hadlM gas laid on, and will light up withW on the above occasion. Mr. Cantlß has always been noted for combined with quality, but his new 1 stock of winter goods outrivals all his previous speculations, and buyers would do well to give him a look in. “ Ada Mantua,” following her usual custom, has forwarded us the names and addresses of the principal winners in her last contultation; also the names and addresses of the gentlemen who were on the committee, all well-known residents of Dunedin. The first prize, £2BB nett, went to a well.known saddler of Greymouth; the second, £O6, to a servant at the Bull Mouth Hotel at Dunedin; and the third, £96, to the poundkeeper at the Dunstan.

A man named Allendale has confessed to having committed a large jewell robbery at Christchurch on the 26th ult. The greater portion of the property has been recovered, and the prisoner remanded. Travellers from the coast are complaining loudly of the want of a ferry at the Parkari, and several narrow escapes from drowning have lately occurred through travellers having to swim the river and others having to go out in the heavy surf along the bar. The County Council should certainly take some action in this matter, as the Maori who used to attend with a boat has long ceased to act. A man named Smith had a narrow escape from drowning yesterday evening, while engaged in the lifeboat service.

At the regular fortnightly meeting of the U.A.0.D., Lodge No. 191, a presentation of a gold chain and locket and silver pencil case, together with a handsomely printed address, on white satin, was made to P. A. Bro. F. Cassin, on the eve of his departure for Napier. The address ran as follows: — “ U.A.O.D. Turanganui Lodge, No. 191. To P.A Bro. F. Cassin.—Dear Sir and Brother,—On behalf of the above Lodge we have to express our sincere regret at your departure from our midst for another sphere of duties at Napier. As the founder of this Lodge, and the most active promoter of the interests of the Order with which, through your instrumentality, we are indentified, we now most gladly, in recognition of your services, and as a token of the high esteem you are held in as a Brother and a citizen, beg to present you with this testimonial, together with an accompanying souvenir, which we trust you will accept and retain in remembrance of your Gisborne brethren. Wishing you every happiness and prosperity through life, we are, yours fraternally, on behalf of the Lodge [here follow the officers’ signatures].