The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14,1887.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8020, 14 November 1887, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14,1887.

More than usual- interest will be attached to the proceedings of the Borough Council this evening, on account of Mr. Oorkill bringing forward his retrenchment resolutions. The reductions he proposes are of a drastic character, but not ' more so than the times warrant. His reason for moving in the matter is not so much a desire to reduce the officials pay as the necessity he and the ratepayers see exists for lessening the amount of rates levied on the burgesses. With the Harbour aad Borough rates the townspeople are paying nearly five shillings in the £ on the annual value of their property, and as that is very excessive, the Borough Council are called upon to lower their rates to the lowest sum possible. If the rates are lowered, there will (hapless money to spend ; ' and if the revenue is not sufficient to pay the present staff of omoers, then the Oounoil must reduce the amount paid to jsome and get rid of others. Mr. Corkill intends making his reductions first, and, commencing at- the head, proposes that no honorarium or other allowance be paid to the Mayor. By a letter from Mr. Oorkill, which we published the other day, we learn that he did not intend his proposition to abolish the honorarium to apply to our present Mayor, but his successor. Seeing the position the Borough is in, and that Mr. W. Bayly has not during his term of office been to any additional expense, we should hardly expeot he will look for any reoompence for his services ; the honor of being ' Mayor should be sufficient. He had one opportunity daring his term of office of distinguishing himself by his hospitality, but he was otherwise engaged., We refer ,-to his going out of his line- of business to cater for the volunteers at last Eas tor Encampment, instead of letting those who were used to such work undertake it. It is true that he made a mess of tho affair, and brought discredit on the town, but he, at the same time, put into his own pookefc a good round sum of money. We have no wish, however, to refer to that unfortunate affair again ; although we see others cannot forget it, for Major Noake, in his pamphlet, "How we may save £50,000 a-year," in writing of the Easter Encampment at Waiwakaiho, says " the commissariat was something to be remembered with loathing." Honoraria are usually given, not for the Mayor to put iv his pocket, but to spend. The late Mayor, ; wo believe, divided the amount presented to him between the Band and Eeoreation Ground; notwithstanding tbat Mr, Paul must have been to a great expense during his term of office in entertaining visitors. We never heard of Mr. Bayly doing a similar' act with the honorarium he received. Not even to the Eoyal Humane Society of Australasia is his name to be found for a guinea as a subscriber, although a large number of medals and certificates have been sent to this town. The Town Clerk's salary is the next item on Mr, OorkjU's list, Th.ig fee

proposes to reduce from dB2OO a year to £75, -with the use of the offices and i liberty to engage in other business. As we said the other day, every £90 spent means a penny in the £ rate. The burgesses are paying, therefore, now for the Town Clerk's services about 2fd in the £. This Mr. Corkill proposes to reduce to £d of a penny. We understand that if the present Town Clerk declines to continue the'duties on the terms proposed there is more than one thoroughly qualified accountant in the town willing to take over the office on the j I conditions named. The valuation fee j loan easily be reduced, for at the present time property, unfortunately, has not increased in value, and last year's Hat will answer for next year. One of the largest amounts to deal with in the reduction is the clause in the resolutions which refers to dispensing with the services of the employees and the disposal of the carts and horses. The Borough Council last year spent nearly £1500 on the streets, or about Is 4£d in the £ rate. Have we had the worth of that money ? We think we can hear our readers instinctively say, No I We certainly have not ; and we hope Mr. Corkill will carry his resolution, and that the expenditure on the streets for 1888 shall not exceed £500. If the work is tendered for we believe that that sum will be found to go as far as the amount we are now paying. We know that the carting can be done cheaper than it is at present, for owing to the number of wet days during the past year the horses have not cleared the cost of their feed ; whilsc by tendering for the labouring work the whole of those out of employ will be able to participate in the amount expended by the Borough. We have heard it stated by an interested person as a reason why no change should be made in the present expenditure of the Borough that there are others drawing as large salaries iv similar local bodies. Two wrongs will not ma&Ta right ; and jis New Plymouth is a most extravagantly and wasteful ly managed borough, let us carry out our reforms at home first. The Taranaki County Council and Borough we have taken in hand almost simultaneously, and intend to continue to advocate retrenchment in those bodies till we seoure the reform so very much needed. When we have accomplished that we shall be at liberty to look into the affairs of other corporate bodies — those having a jurisdiction over a large area — such as the Harbour Board and Hospital Board, and in the interests of the ratepayers we hope in time to secure reforms even in them.

Nominations for the Taranaki Jockey Club Spring Meeting close at 9 o'clock this evening. Captain Edwin telegraphed at 2.30 today — "Norih-east to north and west winds ; glass fall soon, and much rain and heavy sea within 12 hours from now." A young man named Edward Marshall caused a disturbance in the Salvation Array barracks dn- Sunday night, and on being ejected got up an impromptu wrestling match with the doorkeeper, on tha footpath. It is likely that the whole matter will be ventilated in the Police Court at no distant date. It will be seen by advertisement that entry forms for the Egmont A. and P. Association Show to be held at Hawera, on 30th instant, may be obtained at the office of Mr. J. C. Davies, where programmes can be seen. We are informed that a cream separator will be at work, also Wolseley's sheep shearing machine. There will be a Fire Brigade competition, and the show promises to be the best held on the coast for some years. Mr. M. Cunningham's The Dauphin, and Mr. Well's shorthorn bull were entered for the show last year and carried off the champion prizes, nnd it is to be hoped they will compete aajain this year. There are some good Ayrshire cattle in the district, and some good Down sheep worth sending.