The Taranaki Herald. DAIRY EVENING. MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1915. MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144855, 6 December 1915, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. DAIRY EVENING. MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1915. MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT.

Some months ago the Auckland City Council invited Mr. Robert M‘o. Anderson, formerly town clerk and treasurer of Sydney, to inquire fully into the management, of tho council’s affairs and to report the result of his investigations. That report has been received and a first step taken towards reorganising the city staff on tlie lines recommended by Mr. Anderson. Much of the report deals with matters of detail which are of no particular interest outside Auckland, hut tho principal recommendation is one which might he made to any city or municipal council in the Dominion. It is to tho effect that the town clerk should really he the general manager of the city’s concerns, exorcising full power and control under the guidance of the Mayor and council. In other words, Mr. Anderson’s idea seems to be that the chief executive officer of a city should be like the managing director of a company with the Mayor and councillors as ordinary directors. No ono who has even a superficial acquaintance with the duties of mayors and borough councillors, especially mayors and the chairmen of committees, will deny that to carry out the duties properly makes demands upon the time which the burgesses have really no right to make without giving adequate recompense. Mayors usually are voted an honorarium, but this in most cases probably does not cover tho calls made upon the mayoral pocket; certainly it is in no sense to bo regarded as payment for services. Councillors have not so many demands upon their pockets, and they have no honorarium. Mayors and councillors should, in Mr. Anderson’s opinion, be concerned

solely witlx matters of policy as distinct from administration. Tlie town clerk sliould lie the cliief executive officer and not, as at present, a sort of cliief clerk—a medium of intercourse between tlie council and its committees and tlie various. departments. ‘Here in New Plymouth we have a municipal business with a turnover o'f something like £30,000, apart from loan moneys, and we expect our board of directors—the mayor and councillors—to administer this business- without remuneration. Most of the work naturally falls upon the chairman, or mayor, and it is common knowledge that the occupant of that office finds, it necessary to devote a very large proportion of his time to his administrative duties. When to this is added the time taken up with what may bo called the social duties, such as presiding at public meetings, attending functions of one kind and another, and meeting the numerous other demands made upon his services, it will be seen that ho must either be a man of means and leisure, or he must relegate his own. personal business largely to other hands. It is not right. Moreover, it is not the way for the ratepayers to get the most efficient administration. What commercial concern could hope to prosper if it changed its manage-ment-every two years? It is not in our minds to criticise just now either the present or past mayors or councillors; our remarks are quite impersonal ; hut it must bo obvious to everyone who will give the matter a little thought that the system under which the managing director of such a business as that of the local municipality is changed every year or two is wrong. It is true, that there are assistant, managers in the persons of the (own clerk, the engineer, tho electrical engineer, the tramways engineer, and the abattoirs manager, but the directing head is unpaid and may bo changed every second year. Mr. Anderson’s proposal is that this directing head shall be. a permanent officer, with a salary large enough to command the most efficient service. This officer need not bo an electrical expert, an engineer, a tramways expert, or know anything about slaughtering cattle, lie must, however, be a good organiser, know more than a little about finance, have the gift of obtaining the best service from his subordinates; in a word, he should be what the Americans call a captain of Industry. It is possible that there is on the staff here a man who could fill the position with credit if he wore sent, as Mr. Anderson suggests in the case of Auckland, to larger centres, in Australia for instancy, to learn how things are maimg - fi there. That', however, is a detail. Tlie Auckland City Council has adopted the principle and proposes to appoint a chief executive officer of the municipal staff who will be responsible for the whole municipal management. It is a practice which is being adopted in other countries and is worthy of close. investigation.

. Recent newspapers received by mail give somo details of Lord Derby’s scheme for enlistment, which is now in force in Britain. If men do not come forward for tho reinforcements here it may be necessary to adopt some similar method. In brief it is ns follows. All men of military ago, without exception, aro asked to enlist, and those who aro found to bo fit aro attested at oneo. Those who desire to join tho colours at once will ho allowed to do so, but if their services are not required at once they will be allowed to return home and receive an allowance of 3s a day. In this case they may bo called up with 21 hours’ notice. Men whoso services aro required in necessary employments will bo sent back to work and not called on unless required. Those who do not wish to join the colours at once will bo divided into -16 groups, tho unmarried men in the first 23 groups accordin" to age and tho married men also into 23 groups. These men will be called out in successive groups as required, a fortnight’s notice being given in each case. If tho enlistments are as great as is hoped the older married men will probably never be called. Hard cases will receive consideration; thus, for example, a young man who is say in group 3, but. who is the soltasupport

of a widowed mother, will be put into a later group and other necessary adjustments vcill be made by committees. It is a scheme which appears to meet all difficulties, so far as they can bo mot, but it demands for its success that practically all eligible men should enlist —otherwise compulsion is the only possible alternative.

The most encouraging feature of the war news just now is that which relates to tho internal troubles of Austria. It is a good set-off against tho disappointment from Mesopotamia, where General Townshend has evidently been too impetuous in his advance. For some time there have been reports of growing dissatisfaction and discontent in Austria, reports which have had to bo accepted for what they were worth, but tho visit of the Kaiser to Vienna, the resignation of three Ministers and the substitution of others with stronger pro-German leanings, and tho activity of tho Socialist party, all these incidents tend to show that the Austrian people are becoming sick of tho war and are realising more fully that they have been made tho tools of German ambition. Our cables tell to-day of disturbances and of great reluctance on tho part of reserves to join tho colours, also of complaints that Austrian reserves are being called upon earlier than those of similar age in Hungary. These things account for the Kaiser attempting to get a tighter hold of tho reins. Wo nay not bo able to look for on early collapse of Austria, but it certainly does appear now that unless tho AustroGonnnu forces in the Balkans and in Russia, and tho Austrian forces on the Italian frontier are able to score an ' early victory of some importance the disaffection in Austria will become veij acute. At the moment tho most pressing need on our side is vigorous action in the Balkans, where tho events of tho next few weeks are likely to have an important effect upon the duration of the war. ,» lalso move may result in : set-back to the allied armies which it will take a long time to recover from. On tho other hand, tho moment the crisis ends in our favour that moment will ho tho beginning of tho end, for Germany will have shot her last bolt ineffectually and tho initiative will have passed from her hands cm every front.

Over £2O was taken at tho Red Cross Market on Saturday. Tho men of the Ninth Reinforcements who have been spending tuerr bum leave at Now I'lymouui returned to Tauharomkau this morning. The Bank of New Zealand has purchased a section tit Urouui iths corner opposite the holed and intends to build tnero tor the purpose of carrying on its agency.— Uaitara Maih Tho New Plymouth police have received mioi timuou mat a Moon named U aho was touud dead at Ukato on Sunday m c.reuinstances pointing to suic.de by hanging. An inquest was set down for ukato to-day. ■ Mr. E. Giiuiour showed a Herald reporter to-day a huge scarlet carnation measuring just four incites across from petal to petal. Tho Uower ‘was grown by Mr. Gtlinotir Irom a seedling supplied by Mr. K. Beal.

Mr. Pirani's paper says that the chairman and at mast sis members of tho Wanganui Education Board nave determined not to sock re-election to tho smaller district created by tho Council of Education, but tbo wbolo question wifi ho discussed at tho next meeting of tho board. The income-tax proposals, as affecting farmers, were -discussed at a meeting of tho Cambr.dgo branch of the I 1 armors' Union lust week. The toiiowing resolution was carried: —“That this meeting respectfully protests against tho present returns to be made under tho band and Income Assessment Act, 1912, and Amendment Act, 1915. as being cumbersome and impracticable amt at every way unsuitable to collect.oit of taxes."

I iius ilu- Eiihiiui Argus: “.•“peakui ■; ;-.t a u.vcuug oi ute jttrauuki viiai.iutw of Commerce, Mr. \\. ,J. Tenn, rti.rriug to ibo tjuoai.ou or voiiH-iipiunt. sate that lie uu that coiiscppuoa should not bo introduced until tho voluntary system had been tluiiougii.y tried.' Mr. Penn’s position is send ami suuml. it is all very well for those who aro themselves beyoud tho military ago to clamour for conscription, bat they aro eat.roly ignorant of tho social upheaval that'such a course would create in tho Dominion. It can ho adopted only as a last rosourco. The Hawcra Star reports that Mr. ,1. S. Murray, surveyor, of Hawura, has been instructed by tho Public Works Department to make tho land plan survey of tho Manaia branch of tho To Koii-Upunako railway, and has made a start with the work. The Government surveyors have already laid out tho route which tho railway will follow, and Mr. Murray will now prepare tho necessary survey of tho land required. The lino will junction with the main branch' just above Kapuni, and will como out oil to tho Manaia road at tho bend just above-Kapuni, at which point the road will bo slightly deviated. The railway will cross Skeot Road between tlie Kapuni Store and the bridge over the Kaupokonui stream, anl come on to tho Manaia Road again at a corner just below Kapuni. Hero tho road will be again slightly deviated, _ but from this point onwards tho railway will bo somo few chains from tho road. There will bo no streams to cross, and the formation right to Manaia should be of the easiest character.

A meeting of the General Labourers’ Union will be held in the Town Hall to-night, at 7.30 p.m. History is being made every day. Our bovs are taking part at the Dardanelles. Their letters give us a slight idea of what is going on just now, so that p'o long to know more. Just think, if your friend or relative had a camera which, while small and compact enough to be carried anywhere without the slightest inconvenience, would take perfect postcard pictures. Wouldn’t those pictures be Interesting. ' Present your friend with a soldier’s camera, to bo bad from Fraser’s at 27s 6d, 32s 6d, 37s 6d, and 4Ss, and wouldn’t he appreciate pictures of homo when ho is awayl Got a camera yourself. Our guaranteed cameras from 6s to £l2. Fraser’s Photographic Pharmacy, Devon Street.*

Ensignette Cameras—the all-British cameras—at the Davies Pharmacy.

The winner of the cate weightguessing competition at the carnival last Thursday was Miss Jamieson, who guessed the exact weight, 91h. 2oz. Automobiles Cut Bank Deposits.— Actual proof that the extensive use of automobiles is cutting heavily into the bank deposits in the Western States, was furnished last month at the meeting of the Wisconsin Bankers’ Association. Figures • produced at the meeting showed that 70,000,000 dollars in cash had been withdrawn from the banks of that State for automobile expenses alone in the shape of straight withdrawal of deposits, money borrowed or notes purchased. As a result, said the bankers, money is actually scarce in the State.

Following are the results of the guessing competitions at Stratford Show:—Bullock (correct weight 538) lb.): Mr. B. Orr, Ngaere, 535; Mr. W.K. Fawcett, Wanganui, 539; Mr. F. M'Donald, Stratford, 533. Theso three divide the prizes, being equally near. Sheep (correct weight 241 Jib.): First, Mr. E. W. Lysons, New Plymouth, 241 lb.; second (equally near), Mi - , T. Walker, Stratford, 242); Mr. H. Butcher, Stratford, 240); Mr. E. Mason, Stratford, 240). Pigs (correct weight 1721 b.): First, Mr. F. O’Connor, Flint Road, 1711 b.; second, W. Donaldson, Toko, 169)1b.

“Women teachers do notwant women inspectors,” was the statement made by Miss. Goad at an Educational Institute meeting in Wellington last week, in opposing a motion moved by a lady to the effect that women should be appointed to inspecting positions. “I was trying to screw up ray courage to speak,” said Mr. W. Foster, “on behalf of the women teachers of Wellington, and I am glad that Miss Coad has broken the ice. This appointment of women inspectors would bo a pleasant thing for the women who were appointed, but it would bp a calamitous thing for tile women they had to inspect. lam satisfied that the infant mistresses are treated better and more fairly by the men inspectors than they would be by women. It is a fact of human nature.” The proposal was rejected.

Some interesting particulars regarding the little-known Surprise Maud were supplied last week by an officer of tho barque Rona, now - at Auckland. The island is owned by the French Government, and is situated about eighty miles from Noumea. It is of rock formation, and is rich in guano deposits, which are worked by sixty natives imported from tho Solomon Islands, under tho supervision of three Europeans. A rough grass and a few coconut palms are the sole vegetation on tho island, and for supplies the residents have to roly upon obtaining them from Noumea. The island is only about 12ft. above sea level. During tho hurricane season—now approaching —tho work of obtaining the guano has to coaso, as vessels are unable to call. In connection with tho conduct of Mr. Henry Ford at the present time, the following cable has been received from The Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd., by the manager of tho Colonial Motor Co., Ltd., Wellington: —“Mr. Ford’s statements do not reflect tho sentiment of this company. This Is strictly a Canadian organisation, financed by Canadian money, using Canadian material, and employing directly and indirectly 3500 Canadian citizens. Mr., Ford owns only 25 per cent, of our stock, majority cf stock held by Canadian shareholders; our sympathies and resources absolutely with Allies. Employees and officers of Canadian Ford Company have to date subscribed over 40,000 dol. to British and Canadian Red Cross and patriotic funds. Over '4OO of our men now at front, and their positions guaranteed upon return.”

In connection with tho art union of 4000 shares in tho Maraotai Land Company, which is being run by tho Wellington branch of the Now Zealand Patriotic Society, Mr. John M‘Master, who presented tho shares to the society, has signed a .deed agreeing to pay to Mr. J. P. Luke (Mayor of Wellington) and tho Hon. J. G. WL Aitken, M.L.C., as trustees for the society, tho sum of £2OOO, on condition that the sum is handed to the winner of’the art union. Mr. M'Master has done this because he has heard that tho reason why tho tickets are not being readily taken is that tho public, do not know the real valuo of the shares. Ho himself holds tho opinion that the shares are worth more than their face valuo, but in case ho is wrong, and in order that tho Wounded Soldiers’ Fund may really benefit by tho gift, ho makes tho straight-out oiler to give the winner tho option of taking either £2OOO or tho 4000 shares. Tc-day the twisted wiras and broken frame of a costly Gorman piano bear testimony: to the'patriotism of a Potts Point society hostess (says a Sydney vv’.'.'gram). Last week invitations wore sent out for an At Horae. On the corner .4 Hie cards, instead of tho customary word, “Music,” there was the word

".Smashing.” The cards also contained the intimation that hammers would be provided. Tho guests 1 assembled in strong force, and at a given signal hammers wore served out by maids, and the guests struck furiously at a German-made piano. So seriously did they take the business that in loss than a quarter of an hour ho instrument was reduced to matchwood. Ivory keys were lying about in all directions, and tho strings wore so coiled up that they looked like a barbed wire entanglement. Even tlie iron frame went to pieces under tho blows. Those people who were invited and could not attend called next day and delivered the final blows at the debris.

A. word .regarding the money sent to Egypt to bo spent for the benefit of New Zealand troops was spoken by Captain- D. Alunro m an address to the Now Zealand Club on Friday. Ho said that up to the time that the raon went to the front they had plenty of rations. At tho front they got plenty of bully beof and biscuits. When ono (oil sick or wounded ho was taken away immediately, and eventually reached a hospital. There was no time when removing him to go back for his belongings, and so many reached hospital destitute. Therefore, every available penny was wanted for necessaries—razors, strops, and so on. Up to the time Captain Munro left Egypt there had been no shortage of money, but it was running low. Some towns had sent money to be spent on tho men from their locality, but it was impossible to carry out tho wish of those donors. In going through a hospital, one could not give something to ono man, ask another if ho camo from So-and-So, and, receiving a negative reply, say, “Nothing for you, then.” No, tho. men were all Now Zealanders, and all there for the same job. They con'd not mako exceptions for men from particular towns. (Loud applause.)

The adjourned meeting of tho Waterside Workers’ Union will be hold in tho Town Hall to-morrow night at 8 o’clock. The Melbourne, Ltd., quote the following prices for new summer hats for men and hoys; —Men’s harvesting hats Is 6d, men’s boaters 5s 6d, 6s 6d, 7s 6d, men’s and hoys’ pedal straws _3s 6d, men’s white linen cricket and bowling hats Is lid, children’s Peter Pan poplin hats Is 6d, silk tussore and sdk poplin hats 2s lid. AH sup irb values.*

We have received- a copy of the December issue of ‘‘The Message of Life,’ a spiritualistic paper, the receipts from which are devoted to the war funds. The paper contains a further account of the “Angels of Mons” and other articles of interest.

It is expected that the figures recently collected by the Labour Department from unions in- regard to the number of their members who had up to September 30 last, enlisted for active service, will be published in next month’s Labour Journal. It is understood that the statistics disclose a very satisfactory response on the part of organised labour, comparing most favourably with Australia. The Australian Prime Minister (Mr. Hughes) and the Minister for Customs (Mr. Tudor) received a deputation last week in Melbourne from, the Australian Protectionist The deputation urged the imposition of special war duties on luxuries and goods which could now be manufactured in Australia, and the prohibition of goods from enemy countries. It was stated that the value of luxuries imported each year into Australia was £20,000,000. Mr. Hughes said it was not possible to win this war as a bankrupt nation any more than it was to win it without munitions or men- We must diminish our consumption of imports and maintain exports upon an increased scale. Ho believed that under one name or another German-made goods were still coming into Australia, * Mr. Tudor, he said, would carefully consider the whole question, and make’a recommendation to Cabinet.

A number of persons desiring to de*part from Dunedin by the steamer WimmeraJast week were somewhat surprised to find that they could not get their tickets on Wednesday. Ihe Huddart - Parker Company’s ; officials were obliged to pacify intending passengers by advising that special permits had to be secured before tickets could be issued. A gentleman over 60 years of age was annoyed at being put to the inconvenience of having to wait for permission to leave for Australia. “Why;, I am too old to fight Or do anything else, so what is the use of all this ‘rea tape’ business with me," he said. The retort courteous was, of course, that no differentiation could be made, .but that ho ; would have to call again! “How can you refuse me? I don’t belong to this country; I belong to the United States,"-asserted another person with an independent air. Even that announcement failed to impress the company, and the map had to comply with the request to wait till Thursday, pending the arrival of the Government’s permission.

At a meeting of the New Plymouth Patriotic Committee recently one of tho members proposed a motion condemning “the indiscriminate transmission of views to the Dominion as per Ashmead Bartlett’s cabled statements belittling the war operations at the front,” The Rev. Colvile opposed the motion, and his speech appeared to paralyse the committee, for there was an absence of support for the resolution. We have no hesitation whatever in saying that tho motion more truly represents public opinion than did the Rev. Colvile's views. Ashmead Bartlett should be suppressed. He is a leading member of the Northcliffe. gang who prostitute journalism for politics. The Rev. Colvile takes Ashmead Bartlett to his bosom because he points out our blunders. Any idiot can point out blunders after they have been made, and wo fail to see what special praise is due to Ashmead Bartlett. No one but a fool could expect to see such a huge.war as the present conducted without mistakes, and the particularising of them by Ashmead Bartlett will not do any good.— Eltham Argus. News received by the mail steamer Maitai indicates that good progress is being made in salvage operations on the ex-German turret steamer Walkure at Papeete. It will bo remembered that tho Walkure was sunk at Papeete shortly after the outbreak of war % gunfire from the German raiding cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. Tho vessel has remained on an even keel, with her funnel and part of the bridge showing above water ever since. Some weeks ago she was put up for public auction, and was purchased by an American firm. When tho Maitai called at Papeete the sunken vessel presented quite a busy appearance. An American steamer was moored alongside the Walkure getting the necessary gear in place and erecting a coffer-dam around tho vessel. The salving steamer will shortly commence operations with seven powerful pumps. , it is expected by the owners that the Walkure will bo raised and taken to San Francisco for repairs bv tho end of the year. It is stated that the owners are so sanguine of suoceos that already a charier has been accepted for the steamer. The Hon. W. D, S. MacDonald gave some interesting particulars of the Government’s Grew era purchase to a deputation at Whakatnno. Ho said that interests equalling about 125,000 acres have boon purchased in Urewera blocks, the recent purchases being about 50,000 acres, while 75,000 acres represent the purchases made some time ago by tho Lands Department. The block's bought into are tho following; MnungapoluiUi, Maraetnhia, Oinapiuu, Otairi, Otara, Paraoniii North and Paraoimi South. Tauranga, Waikarewhonua, Te Wimiti, Nos. 1 and 2. These are the only blocks that have been valued, and it lias been decided not to purchase in the other blocks till valuation is made. It is hoped to complete purchases as soon as possible, then the papakaingaS and non-sellers will he cut out, and tho laud declared Crown land. Only a prismatic compass survey has been made of the whole country, which adds to the difficulties of purchasing, but it is not expected that tub blocks will show much shrinkage on tho estimated acreage. Of coarse a detailed survey will have to be made before the land is cut up for settlement.

“I wish tho day would como when they would go back to blade shearing again, for then wo could shear with greater safety,” declared Mr. J. C. Field to a Poverty Bay Herald reporter, when referring to the mortality amongst sheep if there happened to bo a cold snap at shearing time. He said his sheep that died yesterday week were ewes in good condition, which had been shorn on tho Saturday. . This experience, he explained, bore out what he- has contended all along ns regards machine shearing, that the-risk is _ far greater as compared to blade sheaving. “It would pay us much bettor,” he stated, “tp give os a 100 more to got the sheep shorn by blades. Nothing of this kind was known of in the old days.” Mr. Field pointed out that the machine took every vestige of wool off the sheep. Whereas the blade left on practically half an inch of wool. It was a singular thing, too, that it was tho high-conditioned sheep that suffered most; more than the sheep in moderate Condition. ' He did not know whv. It was not only the risk _of so little wool being left on by machines, but the sharp combs that were used injured the sheep by scoring. If a shoep was killed within three weeks of being shorn tho pelts in tho majority of cascs were found to ho seriously injured. “So,” he added, “this is a case where machinery is not a blessing.” Mr. Fiejd added that ho believed some farmers in Australia were going back to the blade shearing again.

A feature this year of the inquiries through the Expansion League is the demand for furnished houses. A case in point is that of a Wellington resident Who spent the holidays here last year alone. This year he proposes to bring his family here if he can make the necessary arrangements. New Plymouth is rapidly recognised as the seaside resort for this coast.

How two Lancashire colliers serving with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force settled a private quarrel, regardless of the fire of the Turka, is described in a letter from a soldier. “A couple of Lancashire colliers," he says, “had a bit of a tiff. They came to blows, and quite ignoring the enemy's fire, stripped to their waists and went pell meli for one another."

A curious violin has come into the possession of Mr. F. S. Pope, Secretary for Agriculture. It is made in pari from a post that was in the whare of the famous Maori chief T© Kooti. ' Mr. James Williamson* of Wadestown, who is an amateur maker of violins, fashioned it from this historical material. It was sent to'.the San Francisco Exhibition, and has now been returned to Mr.' Williamson, and he has presented it to Mr. Pope as a tribute to hia father, the late Mr. J, H. Pope, who was for many years organising inspector or Maori Schools and intimately connected with the intellectual progress of the Maori race.

It has been brought under the notice of the Australian Minister for Defence, Mr. G. F. Pearce, that circulars inviting subscriptions for Christians in Syria continue to reach Australia. Mr. Pearce statec\ last week that, while fully appreciating the humane motives actuating the of such, circulars, it had been ascertained, as the result of careful in* quiry, that there was every reason to believe that the money which was forwarded in response to such appeals'did not reach those for whose relief it was subscribed, and that it was probably appropriated for enemy purposes. In the circumstances, the transmission of any such remittances was strongly deprecated.

A very poignant , story reaches Punch indirectly from the trenches. ,A gallant Tommy, having received from England an anonymous gjift of socks, entered them at once, tor he was about to undertake a heavy march. He was soon a prey to the most excruciating agony in the big toe, and when, a mare cilpple, he drew off his footgear at the end of a terrible day, he discovered inside the toe of .the sock what had once been a piece of stiff writing paper, now reduced to pulp, and on it appeared in bold feminine hand the almost illegible benediction: “God bless the of tbis pair of socks!” Madeline Danian, aged 14, and her brother, aged 10, of Exoudun, m the department of Deux-Savres, have been presented by the prefect of that departnient with a jewel, on behalf of tho Prosident of the Republic, as “a reward for admirable conduct.” At the outbreak of the war their father, the only baker in the village, was called to ms regiment, and there was no on© left to carry on the business. , Madeline knew somethings of the art of and resolved to carry on her father S business, with the help of her little brother. Every morning they were up and in the bakehouse as the clock struck four, and they turned out 8001 b. of broad. This incident was brought to the notice of M. Poincare, who Was so touched by the pluck of the children that he ordered presents to be sent them in his own name and that of Madame Poincare.