THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1875.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2140, 12 November 1875, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1875.

The fortnightly sitting of the Thames; Borough Council last night was a protracted one. That which principally: occupied the time was the discussion on an item of £60 odd which the Finance Committee had set down as to "be paid to ; Mr Macfarland for* laying out rthe Tararu Cemetery, and the proposed ropd to che Shortland Cemetery, funds for .which it was recommended should be raised by mortgaging the property known as Wilson's paddocks. To the first of these Councillor Butt demurred, and was followed by Councillor Bowe, who insisted on tracing the transaction step by step to see whether the Council had authorised the "laying out,", (which word seemed to him indefinite-rr-not to say incomprehensible—though it appears intelligible enough) of the cemetery. There can be no doubt in : anyone's mind, we should think, that' the Council authorised the proceeding in some 'way, or it : would not hare been done. Borough OpunciU lors take quite sufficient care of their own funds—as is quite right and proper that they <should—to make payment for, unauthorised services problematical in the extreme, neither do 'we think that there are: any on ;the Thames sufficiently anxious to afford gratuitous labour as to take-up the work on " spec." The question is, did they authorise work being done to the amount charged for. If so the whole matter resolves itself, as said Cr Ehrenfried, into the question whether the charge made for the work done was a fair one or not ? This we can safely say, that any one who has seen the work will unhesitatingly affirm that it has been both well done, and the amount perfectly reasonable. As regards -the authority given, the, Mayor, explained that it was , impossible in matters of tho kind to estimate exactly the amount which would have to be . expended; they could only telliVEr Macfarland to ""'lay out" (the word of offence to Mr Kowe) "the cemetery according to a plan he prepared. Upon this Mr Eowo took up his parable, and explained by reference to himself, a builder*, a house, and £4.0, that the Council ought to have said we have only so much money to spend on this matter; do it for that if you can, and if not leave it alone. As the matter stands Mr Eowe and two others are to enquire into all the " why's " aud " wherefore's " as to the work being done, and report to the Council. It strikes us that it wonld be more satisfactory to the Councillors ; themselves, and doubtless also to contractors for their work, if Mr JRowe's qualms of conscience as to lavish expenditure were satisfied before the orders . were, given. It seems rather late in the day when an expensive work has been done— .and done well—to demur at the expense. Doubtless if Mr Howe's visits-to the Council were more frequent, he Would not require to be kept posted up in the past transactions of the Council. The other matter was the cemetery road, arid we -most unhesitatingly say that- thV'Council have come to a wise decision in determining to seek.jQU* a piece of ground more suitable than 'Wilson's Paddocks for a cemetery. The objection to enlarge the present cemetery i» the cost; of making a proper road to it. Of course if means be not forthcoming the road cannot be made, and that these means will be forthcoming in the manner proposed, i. c. by mortgaging Wiison'i paddocks, the Mayor

affirmed to bo more than doubtful. As regards Wilson's paddocks, even if no actual harm results from the waterworks passing in close proximity to the burial ground, the idea is not a nicepnej, and on every ground we should Ihinkifcbe.tter lljat* another and more suitable spot shouldJbe sought. If the road to the"' preaijnt cemetery cannot be , made,V eithex; ( Wilson's paddocks musi-be used, or ihis fresh spot found, for besides being in wet weather most difficult of access, ;-thls^!ri[Jitd" w-1»^-(hB'-oem«teryv-5rri^^by ; ,sflch. name it can be dignined—is most inadequate. Only a short time ago one of the !'reounoUlors^wJiendipeakinK^.4>f..vthis >ry]tf T > ejx t thing, said that it must be most distressing and revolting to the feelings of any of the friends of the dead to sco the unseemly, way inf.^hich|hejhearse with the coffin inside was jolted and tumbled about on its way to the^cemetery. The path inside the cemetery itself, is also much needed, and we are very glad to see that the Council have determedto try? aad-get it executed. '

:>Ws lha'v"e been favoured witK tli&fbl*

lowing copy of a telegram sent to-day to the three 'Goldfields ' Members in the South, namely, M«ssre. Eugene Q'Conno^ T. L. Shepherd, and W. H. Harrison :— •• The Hon. Dr. Pollen.;; states that the Government *w;ili not subsidise Goldfields' revenue for last year out of the £80,000 voted by the Assembly. Cannot united action be taken to obtain such a concession for the Goldfields. To give only onethird upon ordinary rates will be a great injustice, to the Goldfields.—A. Beodje, Waiotahi; J. A. Milleh, Parawai; L. J. Bagnall, Eauaeranga; Delegates Thames Districtßdard: i

A MSETiNff bf; persons interested in carrying out a race meeting at ParaWai will be held this evening at 7.30 o'clock, to elect stewards to carry out the business. ' :

Wshear that the following jgentlenien hare signified their intention of acting on the committee for arranging, races,at Tararu on the 28th and 29th of ne±t month: — Messrs W. Souter, James Stewart, J; Tbwnsend, J. Endean, J. Wilson and W. Howe.

We learn that> a pretty ikeeb.. contest may be expected for the Mayoralty. The.names of Messrs Benshaw aha Gibbons are spoken of as certain : to he can.didates. Mr Ehrenfried was men|ibrie.d, but we are informed that hie will- not enter the lists. ■ It is also believed that the present Mayor will seek fe-eledtion. ■In'aoNiifciOri the names ; of one or two .citizens —not councillors—hare-been mentioned, and a good number of the jjbjirgesses are said to be favorable, to such candidature. Mr J. E. Macdbnald is definitely indicated as a.candidate.

We regret to learn that a painful accident happened to Mr Foiighy, contractor fop No. 3 section Thames' Water Eace, yesterday. He was superintending the progress of the work as usual, when he fell with such force oh his arm as to dislocate it at the elbow. Assistance was: promptly obtained, and the dislocation righted, but the accident will not be fully remedied for some time.

We are informed that Captain Best has received a telegram from the feather department at' Wellington intimating that' fine weather may be expected, the baromete,r indicating " set fair."

The regulations for the next annual Prize Firing for the Colony are published. The competition will take place at Wanganui; the time has not Jbeen fixed, but; probably it will be about the same time as last year. The generdl elections may, h6?rever, interfere with^ the meeting, arid necessitate its coming off a little later.

aieSOHE usual weekly meeting of the Star X#thV Thames Lodge of Good Tern plars was held in the Hall, EoUeston^ street, last evening, and arter the ordinary business had been transacted, what is known as an " open lodge" was field, that is,, the doors were thrown open and the general public were invited to attend and be both instructed and amused. A considerable number availed themselves of the opportunity,' the room being well filled. W. C. T. Bro. Lee presided. Addresses were delivered by Bros. Carpenter arid French, who expatiated at some length on the benefits of Templary, aud a number of songs arid recitations were given in a pleasing manner by various members of the Order assisted by a few friends. The proceedings were brought to a close about 10 o'clock by singing the National Anthem.

If the weather be fine to-morrow, and telegrams from Wellington lead us to expect settled weather now, the match, Grailamstown v. Shortland will be played in the- "afternoon at Parawai. The following are the sides, which appear very even on paper. Cricket, however, is a fame of uncertainties, and we should not c at all surprised to~see "a one-sided game, though which side will have the best it is impossible to say. Grahamstown: Messrs. Carnell, Colson, Cook, Frater, Heron. Hewitt, Lawless, F. Paul, H. Paul, Eobinson, Steedman, and Watkin's. Shortland : Messrs. Brassey, Bull, Crawford, Crump, Gellion, Hulme, Moore, Schofield, Spencer G., Wardell, West, and Whitford. All players are requested to he on the ground and ready to play at 2 o'clock, and if unable, to leave their names at Waller's as early as possible.

; A feature of the Superintendent's demonstration at Dunedin was, according to the Daily Times, the appearance of two coats with the sleeves turned inside out, which were stuck upon the high poles belonging to the scaffolding of the building adjoining the offices of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company (limited). v ßy the instructions of somebody, however, perhaps Mr Barnes, the coats were taken down before the Superintendent passed. The names of the " turncoats " whom the author of the joke wished to have a tit at, have not transpired.

The following letter from a "Guardian" appeared in a, recent issue of the Coromandel Mail. It confirms what appeared in this journal from a correspondent on the " Sanitary" condition pf Coro* mandel:"—Sir, —Knowing your desire to benefit through your able paper in every way you can the people of this district, I avail myself of the iise of its columns to point out to the Highway Board authorities the fact that the remains of a

dead horse are lying immediately outside the English Church fence decaying, and spreading foulsoroe and pestilential smells through Wift; too poisoned air, which, has,, sent so' many poor little chil'dron'to their last rest. As the father t)F a family X cannot express in too strong i language the abhorrence that I feel for| •the dastardly,net which leaves this fester-f 'in&iriass to^accoelerate/Hlie fever which/even now homittoßjivesof more children * in suspense, and I am quit£ certain thaK when our Highway Board Chairman is made aware of this evil that he will immediately cause its removal anil ad« "mlmsTeF*a*ii^^ person who shows so little ..feeling for the families of his neighbours.' .'' '

merchant belonging to Buisen, near Cologne, was summoned before Ihe tribunals for having, during his sleep, uttered some, words which might be. construed as injjtirioy tOt M. |c B«smafcl^. CH^ Tlassleeping in'aJoo%i4,t^.-a 'tavern^ a&L&whenv he awoke the master of the establishment told him he had insulted the Chancellor. A third person, who had heard the expression, went immediately £<y#he^)olice-s office and gave informationjbpon^hichf tbu unconscious offender was soon arrfesJed; ahdfcroti#hfej;o;judgment; J^o. sentence was passed on him ; but the president of the 'qourfc remarked with severity that the accused had only to thank himself for the inconvenience to which he had been put, because, if he were not an enemy pf Prince d© BJ*j inarck, he ought not during his sleep to have insulted the benefactor Germany! '" ' *' *,"":" "*' : ''V f