The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, MAY 28, 1885.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5105, 28 May 1885, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, MAY 28, 1885.

One of the items in the programme promised the House of Bepresentatives by the Government for consideration during the coming session is a Local Government Bill. Great expectations may be indulged in by thoso desiring a reform of the hw as regards this important subject, and it may be almost conjectured that notwithstanding how perfect may be the measure introduced, any bill passed will be bo altered that " it's own father wouldn't know it." It would not be at all a wild guess to hazard that if a measure in this direction be passed, it will be a mass of troubles to its administrators, owing to the various and divided opinions already expressed by leadiug politician;; belonging

to various sections of tho House. The ex-Premier, in addressing his constituents recently, attacked the proposals of the Government-—as far as they are known— in connection with this question; and, evidently with a view to tickle the susceptibilities of his listeners, and no doubt many of the readers of his speech as published, told, his audience that the people should legislate for themselves in regard to local government. Thi3, of course, is precisely what they do in any case, but it would appear that Major Atkinson would have a multiplicity of small local bodies attending to their own affairs, and this, we maintain, is one of the evils from which the colony has long suffered. We are too i much governed in the matter of the I number of Councils and Boards of one kind and another, and they should be numerically reduced for the sake of economy and efficiency—certainly they should not be increased. We have in previous issues pointed out that our own community has suffered from tbe infliction of too much local governing power, and not only has this meant an unnecessary expenditure, but it has entailed all kinds of trouble, and aroused unworthy feelings in the breasts of those residing in close contiguity to each other. County residents and burgesses have been at variance over trifles, and in cases where unity for the general good may at any time be required, there is the contingency that each body will prefer to row in its own boat. In the many scrambles for the goods the Parliamentary " gods give us" it is each for himself, and " the de'il tak' the hindmaist," instead of a perfect understanding existing between the bodies in the one_ district, whose duty it is to look -afteifthe general interests of the people in it. The functions of the County and Borough Councils, Harbor Board, and—as there is a possibility of Charitable aid management being left to the local Governments, whatever form they may take —Hospital Committees might, and could be efficiently performed by one council or board in many other districts besides our own.and this would mean economising; a thing very requisite in the present financial state of the colony. The present expense of maintaining these numerous bodies, is of course the strongest reason for their concentration or amalgamation, and in itself we think a full and sufficient one, but there are others which will at once commend themselves to any thoughtful student of the position. Where there are a multiplicity of bodies, numerous superfluous interests are born, and these frequently assume an antagonism towards each other, which grows day by day ; whereas if one body exist in place of the many, the "interest is maintained as one—that is as a rule. Any proposal having for its object the formation of a multitude of small local assembles, road* boards, or whatever else they may be termed; whose respective duties it will be to see to the business of a small area of country ; will, we hold, be mischievous in effect, and damaging to the progress of the country; Dot only leading to useless expenditure, but being likely to retard useful legislation by creating conflicting interests, which would not otherwise exist. During a Parliamentary session the House would be swamped by requisitions for all sorts of endowments—the same one applied for, in many cases, by many bodies—,petitions for and against separations, annexations, and a variety of other things; while by condensing the forms of local Government those things may be avoided. It would be an easy but a lengthy task to undertake to point out the disadvantages likely to attend any attempt to cut the colony up into numerous small sections, and grant a board or council to each. If reform should come, and undoubtedly it is demanded, it should rather take an opposite direction, and attempt to reduce the number of bodies now existing, and it certainly would appear reasonable to surmise that the result of such an experiment would be most satisfactory.

The following encouragiDg telegram was posted at the corner this morning from the manager of the Cambria G.M. Co.: —"100 pounds specimens from underhand stope; good show left.—H. W. Moobb."

The last Gazette to hand proclaims that the Wttihou liver, its tributaries and brancheSj the Hauraki river, and the Waipaheke stream in this County, may be used under license for timber floating under tbe Act of 188-1.

At a meeting connected with the Wesleyan Foreign Missions, held last night, tbe Eevs> E. Best (presiding) and W. S. Potter, and Messrs E. Scott and Gr. Tawhai addressed those present. There was a good attendance and a collection made after the meeting resulted in £3 133 being obtained towards the mission fund.

A deputation consisting of Messrs 0. 0MoMillaD, J. M. Lennox, T. T. Masffield, J. and J. Friar Clarke waited on Mr Larnach in Auckland yesterday in connection with matters relating to the Big Pump, and urged that the Government should regulate the charges imposed fey the Pump. They thought that the Government should bring in an Act requiring contributing miuea to pay towards it in proportion to the depth of their work* ings, and the percentage of their yield of gold instead of the charge being left to the caprice of the owners. Mr Larnach was surprised that the pump should have been allowed to pasa into private hands, and said that the only way in which an Act of the kind indicated could be secured would be for the deputation to get the member for the* Thames to introduce it.

The Young Men's Improvement and Athletic Society held Us first meeting in St. George's SobooF-rooin last night, when fifty persona were enrolled as members. Messrs P. McGregor and W. Connbn were appointed instructors, and it was decided to hold the S ciety's meetings on Mondays and Fridays, The fees fixed for joining the Society are— for youths under 16 years of age 5s per annum, and for thoi« older 10* per year.

Thx railway troika now in progress in Otago are estimated to cost £200,000,

Mb W. J. Spmght, agent for the Govern ment Life Insurance Association, notifies in another column that he intonds residing on the Thames a few days longer, in order to afford those desirous of obtaining a policy on their lives an opportunity of doing so. •Amoxg the bills to be brought in by the Government next session is one dealing with the fisheries question.

The headquarters of the Oddfellows, as many know, ib at Manchester, where all the principal matters in connection with the Order are transacted. The distance has been found to act detrimentally, and it is now pro« posed to establish a complete m nugement in New Zealand, and to secure this end a meeting will be held at Dunedin in July next, at which all the priucipal lodges will bo represented.

The annual meeting of the Government Insurance Association Board was held last night, Sir Julius Vogel presiding. Two hundred policy holders were present, and the report was adopted. Mr G. Beetham, M.H E., moved that Local Boards should not be appointed. A show of hands -was taken, when for the motion about 60 hands were hold up, and against, it only half-a-dozen. A poll was demanded, and this will be taken at a meet'ng to be held a month from date, whea policy holders will be allowed to vote by proxy. The meeting broke up at 11 o'clock.

Rosx. GooDieos, who was connected some time ago with a peculiar transaction in horse dealing, was charged with the larceny of three horses while acting as bailee. The case was remanded.

A private meeting of the shareholders in the Colonial Insurance Company was held on Tuesday evening in Wellington, bufc the press reporters were not admitted. It is, however, understood that a discussion took place relative to the management of tbe company's business board of directors, and that in accordance with a resolution which was unanimously passed, steps will at once be taken to call an extraordinary goueral meeting of shareholders for the purpose of discussing the question of management. About 20 shareholders were present.

Charles Beads makes one of his characters in " Hard Case" say —" Them as has the orchard gets the apples given 'em." William Beach has just covered himself with honor and won a big stake, with no doubt a large sum tagged on to it, and so our friends in New South Wales consider it necessary to make him a man of independent means, and to shower gold into bis pockets. According to the Sydney Press the subscriptions to Beach's fund hate almost reached £3000, andHanlan, who has amassed a good fortune by his former deeds, also came in for a handsome douceur in the shape of £500, and Messenger will receive £300 and Laycock £100 for their services as trainers. Who would not be a sculler ?

These are at times scenes of misery in Auckland. The Star writes!—" A sight that would have touched the heart of the most callous might have been seen at the Policestation yesterday afternoon. Two small children, a girl aged ahout six nnd a boy aged three, were in charge of the kindhearted lockup-keeper awaiting an opportunity for transfer to the Howe-street Industrial Home, to which thay had been committed. The boy was sobbing piteously, and the girl was er> deavouring to pacify him by jingling a pair of handcuffs. The parents of these poor children are in gaol, and an elder sister is in the Home of the Female Prißon Gate Brigade."

The old Union Beach ground at Ooromandel has for some time been lying unworked, and an attempt is being made to float a company in London with a strong capital to work this and adjacent ground. Yesterday a deputation consisting of Messrs J. M.. Lsnnox, T, T. Masefield, and J. Friar Clarke, representing the Telephone Q-.M. Co., which has been formed to work the old Union Beach, waited upon the Hon. Mr Larnach in Auckland, — (1), to urge that the Government should contribute something towards the further development of the Telephone Company's ground, and (2) to ask for protection until a company had been formed which was being floated in London for the purpose of thoroughly working all the ground, of which the Telephone was a part. Mr Larnach said that he held out no hope of monetary assisance, but promised to grant four month's protection to the company on the stipulation that tributers were not to be debarred from working the surface of the ground.

Mb Russell, foreman to Mr Wiggins, saddler (says the Wellington Press) has a grisly relic in his popaassion which has much grim interest. Mr Wiggins has the Gtovernmont contract for military belting, &c, and recently a number of regulation belts were sent down from the Government stores for a'teration. Whilst examining one of these, Mr Russell discovered, sewed inside the ballpouch, a small leather containing a Maori scalp in perfect preservation. The scalp is small and the hair short, but the skin has been well cured, and the hair is still firmly fixed. There is nothing in the belt to show to what regiment the owner belonged, but the large majority of the belts which pass through Mr Russell's hands bears the stamp of the 57th regiment. The scalp is evidently the spoil of some soldier in the Maori war, who meant to keep a relic of signal revenge on one of the enemy. Mr Russell intends to present it to the Museum, where it will doubtle?s be an object of considerable interest.

TO'MOebow, Mr James Crai», actiDg under instructions from Mr Sobert Bryson, will sell at Paeroa allotments with house, stables, sheds, &c, held under lease at the nominal rent of £1 per annum. -Also horses, cows, pigs, poultry, waggon, drays, harness, furniture, and farming requisites. Such an opportunity to obtain a well appointed property should not be lost.

The researches of science are daily developing useful and wonderful results. Safety is henceforth to be ensured on railroads. According to the Paris Gaulois, an apparatus has just been invented which is simply astounding, for with it the traveller need no longer fear any accident. This appjaratus permits the employe charged with the duty to see in a mirror the entire section of the road he is to control, with all the trains in motion, and he knows at every instant just exactly where each train is. When one of them approaches another at a distance which is dangerous, he can immediately signal the menaced train. The apparatus consists of a sheet of opaque glass, oh which rails are indicated by horizontal lines and the stations by vertical ones, numbered. Little arrows, representing the trains, move along the horizontal lines. They are put iv motion by aid of electricity, developed by the contact of metallic brushes attached to the locomotives with zinc bandi placed along the rails. The train thus continually traces its trajectory on the glass indicator. The apparatus was exhibited a few weeks ago in Ger» many to a commission of Berlin scientists,

"Staying" Power.-X will be m toregting to athletes, and to all who value the power of physical endurance, to know that at " home " and in the sister colonies an article has of late years come into general me, which is verj strongly recommended as being an exceedingly pleasant beverage, and which yet imparts, in an unusually large degree, what is expressively termed " staying power "—in other words, nutriment and strength, We wfer to CMbury's « Cocoa Eeieace,"

Thehe are still 105 men engaged on the defence works at Dunedin and Port Chalmers. The magazines at Forbury and at Lawyers' Head are completed, and the earthwork par»» pet is well advanced at Taiaroa II ad. It is proposed to allow the lighthouse to remain for some months, and proceed with the erection of barracks to accommodate thirty men. A dray road and a lauding are aleo being formed.

Considerable interest is being taken in | tbe Waimea (Nelson) eleciion, and at tbe | nomination to-day six candidates were proposed. Tho show of hando gave—W. N. Franklin, 22 ; W. Watkey, 14 5 J. Kerr, 12; C. Dencker, 12 j W. White, 10; W. Piper, 4. A poll was demanded, and will take place next Wednesday, there being polling places in twelve centres. W Mit D. McMiman aaWreWed his constitu fnts at Sheffield (Canterbury), on Tuesday night, and received a vote of confidence. Ho said he would accord a general support to the present Goverciment. Ye6TßE»ay afternoon the detectives made a raid on a tobacconiat'e shop in Willie etreefc Wellington, and seized a number of articles which they alleged were being u.-sed on the principal of tho totilisalor, and tbat tho investments were on the Grand National Steepl chase 1 and Hurdle Race, at Christ" church. Among the articles seized were two large sheets of cardboard, on which were the name of the race and the horses engaged in it, while under the name of the racehorse was the total number of investors on that particular horse, the total number of investors on each race being at the top of the sheet. India-rubber stamps and a number of tickets having horaes nr.mes, and about £50 in cheques and no es were also taken poescssion of. The natn.fs of all the persons in the shop were taken, and it is understood the police will lay an information, under the Gaming and Lotteries Act, against Mr Mandell, who occupies the premises. Two of the Volunteers who fired their rifles from the Wellington train window on Monday havo-been placed under arrest by order of tbe adjutant, as they are not commissioned officers, A GIRL, 15 yeara of age, named Isabella Brown, died suddenly in Dunedin yesterday. She was taken by an epileptic fit, and died in a few minute?.