The Taranaki Herald

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8238, 10 August 1888, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald

PJBUSHEB DAILY.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 1888.

There seems to be considerable opposition to the Harbour Amendment Bill, both at Hawera and Patea, and this has arisen chiefly owing to a uisconoeption of the .powers the bill contains. Because the measure placos in the hands x>f the Government the power to raise or lower the dues it has been taken for granted that a prohibitive rate of oharges will at once be made and the ports virtually closed. This shows that the district where the question is raised has no confidence in the present Ministry. We are not surprised at it, because the Government this session have so deceived the publio that most persons are inclined to look with suspicion on everything they may do. Still in the present case we scarcely believe that any power would attempt to olose ports by fixing prohibitive dues on the shipping using them. The question of the Government taking over all the harbours of the oolony will before many years are past be one that Parliament will be called upon to consider seriously. Already Otago, the Bluff, Timaru, Oamaru, Gisborne, the Thames, New Plymouth, Port Chalmers, Waitara, and Patea, are in impecunious circumstances ; and before long we may expect to hear that Auokland, Wellington, and Lyttelton are unable to meet the interest on their loans. The bill that is being brought in to relieve the harbour boards on the West Coast is but the commencement of what we may expeot to follow with respect to the harbors in other parts of the colony.- The debts of the harbors are between three and four millions, and already several of them are unable to make their accounts balance. The Otago Harbor Board is perhaps in the worst position of any of the Boards. The oase of the Otago Harbour Board is simply stated by a contemporary to be as follows: — They have a liability of £37,000 a year for interest on their debt. Their gross inoome is £39,600 a year. Their expenditure is £18,000 a year. Their net income is £21,600 a year. Their defioit is £15,400 a year. This is serious enough. But it by no means shows the worst. The expenditure of the Board fluctuates from month to month; and though, taking the average of the last twelve months, it may be put down at £1,500 a month, or £18,000 a year, it is undoubtedly increasing. At the Board's meeting on the 81st of May, the aooounts passed for payment amounted to £1,886 18s Bd, while the balanoe as per bank book was only £1,845 >2s Bd. This left a deficiency of £83 10a 7d. This was merely for ordinary expenses, and left nothing towards meeting the sum of £18,500 which has to be remitted to London for payment of interest in October. At the monthly meeting on the 28th June, the situation had slightly improved. The Bank balanoe was £2,083 5s 83, and the acoounts passed for payment amounted to £1,103 6s 3d. This left a credit balance of £979 19s sd, which was all the Board possessed at that time towards meeting the liability ot £18,500 for interest in the middle of October. They have no money to pay this interest "without the assistance of the Government ; and the Board is relying on the House passing a bill giving them power to obtain a bank overdraft up to six months revenue, which would, it is stated, enable the Board to meet the interest in Ootober next. This would only drive off the difficulty, for in the April following they would bo short again by £17,200, and would in the- meantime have added £19,800 to their debt at 7 or 8 per cent, interest, instead of 5 per cent. Auokland Harbour Board is drifting into the same position, and Wellington, it is said, will in a few years also be wanting assistauoe from the Government. As we have stated, the harbour question will have to be dealt with before many years have passsed; meanwhile the bill now beforo the House is but an experiment. If that succeeds, then we may next hear of all the' harbours being transferred to the Government, and the Harbour Department, like the Railways and Customs, will be managed from a centre by one set of officers doing the whole of the work.

Mr Nowton King, having sufficiently recovered from one of his late nccidente, haa presented his pair of crutches to the hospital, with the proviso that they be returned when he requires them again, or another pair supplied io place of them.

The special ladies 1 night at tba Ideal Rink on Thnraday was a great success. There was a very good attendance. Captain Bayley of the Fire Brigade held a special inspection on Thursday nighl, when there were about 20 present. Tba men have all been provided with new uniform trousers and a few other necessary articles of dress but only a couple of new uniforms have been made. The men in their renovated uniforms looked very smart. The B.S. Gairloob took out of Waitara on Thursday night the largest cargo of horseß ever shipped from this district, i totalling 115. Major Walmsley, the purchaser, expressed himself very highly i pleased with the excellent facilities afforded for shipment, thß whole being placed safely on board ia under two hours. The Gairloch had also a large cargo besides, comprising sheep, potatoes, cheese, bacon, butter, &0., valued at near £3000. The secretary of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board desires to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of several late copies of the Family Friend from Mr W. B. Davies, who has kindly offered to supply the paper regularly in future. Sergeant Duffin left by this (Friday) morning's train for Fatea, having in his charge Jackson, alias Loughran. Much attention is being paid to praotice by those who play ia the polo teams at the rink on Tuesday night. The teatnß will appear in uniform. Mr Fennell has kindly presented some choice roses and azaleas, and Mr T. K. Skinner a large oamelia, for ornamenting tho hospital grounds. Mr Gilbert baa also been quietly collecting and planting a number of things in the grounds, and will be glad to hear of sny others offered for the purpose. As the country settlers seem to be unaware that emergency oases are admitted into the hospital without an order being required , tho necretary, Mr J. C. Davies, has forwarded a copy of the bylaws to all the local bodies in the 'district, and at the same time by circular has called attention to clause 88, " that emergency cases are receired into the hospital without delay, and beds kept ready for cases of fracture or serious ascidents." MrG Potts, of Bell Block, read a paper on " Land Tenure" at the Mutual Improvement Society on Thursday night. From tho tenot of the essay, Mr Pott evidently is a believer in land nationalisation. After the reading of the paper, which occupied something over half an hour, a discussion ensued, amon? others who spoke being Mr Robinson the Crown Lands Ranger. A vote of thanks to Mr Potts terminated the meeting. Mr Price, the manager of the rink at the Alexandra Hall, has arranged for the attendance of the band on Saturday afternoons, which should prove an additional attraction to visitors from the country. It will also be noticed that next week the scale of charges will be reduoed. Messrs Sargood, Son, & Ewen's new season oircular, which the firm has been sending round to their clients and friends, is a handsomely got up publication of sixteen pages. It has a cover printed in colours, on the first page of which h given viewß of the buildings owned by the firm in some of the ohief towns in the oolony; and on the back is a sketch map of the three islands which compose New Zealand. The colours are bright, and the publication has a very attractive look about it. It was printed at the New Zealand Berali offioe, and is a credit to that establishment. The New Zealand Frozen Meat and Storage Company's circular for 1888 89 is to hand. It has been very neatly printed at the Auckland Herald office. We have received, through the parcel post, from Icglewood, a flask containing an unpleasant smelling liquid, also some ingredient in a paper. As we have received no communication from the sender we are at a loss to know what the liquid is ; perhaps the person who sent it will kindly forward particulars. On Thursday night at dusk an accident, resulting in the ultimate death of a horse, occurred at the intersection of Powderham and Dawson-streets, at Mr T. King's corner. Messrs Vtale & Carter's horse, ridden by a young man named Chatterton, came into collision with a milk cart belonging to, and driven by, Mr Barclay, of Vogeltown, with the result that one of the shafts of the cart entered the animal's body inside the flank, with such force as to disembowel the poor brute. It was deemed expedient to shoot the animal after an inspection, and it was Bhot by Messrs F. Okey and Bruce in a gully a few yards from the scene of the accident. The only damage to the trap was a broken shaft. Neither the rider of the horse nor j the driver of the cart was injured. ;