The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1891.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XL, Issue 9208, 20 October 1891, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1891.

_» At a meeting of the Harbour Board last week a statement was made by the member for New Plymouth, who is also a member of the Board, which puts the I Government in a very awkward position. Mr Smith implied in what he said to the Board that the business transactions respecting the dredge being sent to New Plymouth to clear away the sand from the harbour would have to be carried on through him solely, at the Government I would not recognise the Harbour Board in the matter; and for that reason, we presume, the members agreed to send Mr | Smith to Wellington, bach a position for the member for New Plymouth to take up i amounts really to a confession of political ! " log-rolling" with the Ministry. Without further explanation from him the outside I public can come to no other conclusion ; than that the Ministry did not put the £3000 on the Estimates for the benefit of the district, but merely ai a reward for Mr £. M. Smith's loyal support to the Government during the session. We have, however, a better opinion of tke members of the Ministry than to believe they would lend themselves to snch a nefarious transaction, and scarcely think that Mr Smith views the matter in that light ; though outsiders cannot look at it in any other way after the statement he made at the Board the other day. When the Premier was in New Plymouth at the Jubilee celebration, be was so convinced of the need of clearing away the sand that he told the Chairman of the Harbour Board and others, including Mr Smith, that he would endeavour to get one of the Government dredges seat to New Plymouth to do the requisite work, and the vote of £3000 was the outcome of his promise. The Hon Mr Ballance is a mm of hid word, and not likely to make Mr Smith's support of the Government a sine qua non for the vote and so be guilty of a glaring act of " log-rolling." By his statement to the Board, however, Mr Smith has placed himself and the Government in a false position; and to clear the Ministry from the imputation of " log-rolling " he must retract the words " that had he not persistently nagged at the Government the sum of £3000 would not have been voted." Mr Smith naturally wants to get all the credit be can for his exertions as a member, and no one blames him for it ; but he has no control over his tongue, and by his statement at the Board the other day he will be liable to be misunderstood — for •* log rolling " is looked upon as a very serious^ political offence. Mr Smith should not insist on making himself a " go-between " between the Government and the Board, but as the member of the district he should take up a distinct position, giving outside help to the Chairman of the Board when he found the Government were lacking energy or inclined to be obstructive.

The floating of the " Taranaki Iron and Petroleum Company" in London, with a capital of £125,000 (not £225,000 as telegraphed), is the best news we have had for some time. It bliows that consideiable interest at Home is still being taken in this district, and notwithstanding our Harbour Board's default, tho confidence which capitalists have in the resources of Taranaki has not been lost. Sir Julius Yogel has always had faith in tho petroleum, and with the aid of British capital, is deter mined to re-enter on the search for oil in a very systematic manner. It is over twenty- five years since his attention wob first directed to tho oil deposits existing near the Sugarloaves, when with a number of gentlemen including Mr B. L. Farjeon, the popular author, he formed a small company and started boring operations, which for want of capital wore abandoned;

On Sir Julius Vogel's last visit home he 1 met the late Mr Marvin, a gentleman who I had had great experience in the oil regions I of America and Gahcia, the result being that the two formed a syndicate for the purpose of having the country here thoroughly prospected. Mr Marvin dying stayed operations for a . time, but Messrs Booth and Smith, practical men, were eventually engaged, and about twelve months ago arrived in New Plymonth with complete boring apparatus of improved character. They at once started sinking a well at Moturoa, and at a depth of about nine hundred feet " struck oil," which was considered so thoroughly satisfactory that all work was stopped until those interested in England were communicated with. The result, we learn by cable, is that a Company has been formed, with a lurge capital, and by the mail after next we may expect to get fuller particulars of wbat is proposed to be done by the Directors. Mr Booth, who was only engaged by the syndicate for twelve months, vras so thoroughly satisfied with the proftoects that he left at terminatioir 'of his engagement for the purpose, we hear, of going to Canada to get a. company started, wjth , a view of sinking wells for oil in other parts of Taranaki, and letters have, we learn, been received from him, in which he says he is completing his arrangements for the formation of a company to work the .Taranaki. As oil deposits can be traced to the foot of Mount Egmont on the one hand, and to the Mokau on the other, there is an unlimited extent of country to prospect over. If, therefore, these companies are successful, and oil proves to be in abundance, there will not be a more prosperous district in the Southern Hemisphere than Taranaki.

An exemplification of " It's an ill wind that blows nobody good" is reported. Last session it appears an act was passed for the purpose of compelling banks to pay all unclaimed amounts deposited with them to the Governmsnt. The other day a gentleman received a notice from a bank intimating that a sum deposited there could be claimed by him, and on his applyingthe Bum was handed to him. The money, it seems, had been lying in the bank for some years. The entertainment in connection with the Independent Order of Rechabites takes place this (Tuesday) evening at the Foresters' Hall, Gill-street. Mr Broughton, formerly of the Treasury, died in Wellington on Friday, October 16, at the age of 74 years. He was at one time a member of the London Stock Exchange. He arrived in Auckland in 1860, and early in 1864 was " reader " on the New Zealander, when that paper was carried on by Messrs Heron, Kidd, and Seffern. Mr Maxwell, Railway Commissioner, Mr Rotherham, Chief Engineer of Railways, and the Hon. E. Mitchelson, M.H.R., arrived from Auckland, but were not able to catch the through train this (Tuesday) morning. Mr W. A. Collis has forwarded to us some specimens of his Christmas photograph cards, which are very artistically got up. The chief feature in the cards this year is the " Jubilee gathering " in the centre of the town in March last, although, of course considerably reduced, the figures are very distinct. The border of flowers around the picture is pretty, and adds to the attractiveness of the cards. Mr Collis has \lso views of a waterfall on the Waiwakaiho ; some of which have been artistically coloured by Miss E. Collis, and form a very pretty picture. On one of the boughs of a tree are tho words " Compliments of the Season." There should be a large demand for these cards. We take the following from the Marton Mercury : — "A moat enjoyable evening was spent last night (October 14), by a numerous company of citizens, young and old, who had gathered together to give Mr ' Harry ' Witchell a good send off, on the occasion of his being transferred from the Marton branch of the Bank of New Zealand to Wellington. Mr Witchell is the extremely popular son of a popular father, and has a perfect host of f rionds in this district. Mr C. Wilson occupied the chair, and Mr Jackson the vice-chair. In nearly every speech made during the evening some kind illusion . was made to Mr Witchell, the general opinion expressed being one highly in favour of his gentlemanly manner, love of sport, and general good qualities. Mr Johnson, as manager of the Bank of New Zealand, spoke in the highest terms of Mr Witchelf's business qualities, and all agreed that such a bright ' genuine ' young fellow as Harry Witchell has a good future before him. ' And so say all of us.' The meeting was most harmonious, and ended with an enthusiastic rendition of ' Auld Sang Syne.' Mr Witchell left for Wellington on Thursday, and we can hopely say that he carries with him the best wishos of one and all for his welfare." Under the heading, " Abuse Of Charitable Aid," the Wellington Post ■ays :— " A large number of small farmers, and the sons of small farmers in the Middle Island, have sought through the Government Labour Bureau employment in the North, their real object being to Bpy out the land. The Bureau finds work for them, conveys them to it, and by a little judicious manoeuvring they manage to get sent from place to place, earning fair wages, and becoming acquainted with the country, with a view to the future acquisition of land and settlement on it. When they find what will suit them, after » pleasant trip, they return South, either to resume their former avocations, or to Srepare for a permanent move to the forth. If this kind of use is made of the Bureau, it is exceedingly wrong that it should be permitted. Free passages should only be granted to those who are really in want of work and cannot obtain it where they are. For the Government to carry round well-to-do settlers, or their sons, who are on the look out for land under the pretence of their being ' unemployed/ is a gross abuse, and one which should be guarded against. It is, perhaps, an advantage to the districts which now seem to be the centre of attraction to those desirous of settling in the North Island, but it is certainly unjust to the rest of the colony." A peculiar application came before Mr Justice Conolly in Auckland the other day. It was one made under the Marriage Act, 1880, by Sir Edwin Dashwood, formerly a gumdigger at Kaipara, but who has fallen heir to a baronetcy and large landed estates iv England, for a writ of mandamus to compel the Right Rev. Dr Cowie, Bishop of Auckland, to alter tho entry of the registration of the marriage between Sir Edward Dashwood and Miss Norton, of which the Bishop was celebrant Mr E. Hesketh appeared in support of the motion. Mr Button said that Bishop Cowie was willing to submit to any order .the Court might see fit to make. Mr Hesketh explained that the applicant was married by Bishop Cowio to Miss Norton before he loft New Zealand, but it appeared that in furnishing the name of his iathor and mother he made mistake in both thoir names, and tho object of the application was to have these mistakes rectified. His Honor made an order for the alteration of the names on the registry, but allowed Bishop Cowie £5 sa. coats, to be paid by the plaintiff.