Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 715, 7 September 1870, Page 2

Local and General.

The Railway. — The General Manager has issued a notice that on and after Monday next the " down train " at 2.30., and the " up train " at 3.30 will stop at Hillsborough instead of the evening trains. —It is announced by the Immigration Officer, that the immigrants by the ship Monarch will be engaged according to priority of application at the Immigration Barracks on and after Friday next. Champion Ploughing Match. — The rules of this match, fixed to come off on Tuesday next, will be found in our advertising columns. It will be seen that the committee are in a position to offer liberal prizes. Colonists' Society.— The Lyttelton Amateur performance, in aid of the funds of this society, will take place this evening in the Colonists' Hall. A good programme will be given. £*Christchuec:i Artillery. — Last night Colonel Packe inspected the Christchurch Artillery, and there was a very large attendance. The gun drill was gone through in a highly satisfactory manner, calling forth very complimentary remarks. There were a large number of new recruits in attendance, and Colonel Packe referred to this in pleasurable terms, noting that it appeared something like " old times," and promising to use hia . best endeavour to procure another gun for the battery. Rifle Association. — The monthly meet • ing of the council was held ai; White's Hotel last night. Present — Messrs Thompson, Pavitt, Glassford, Barnes, Bishop, and Alport (hon. sec). The committee appointed to solicit subscriptions for the new range handed in the amount collected, which was very satisfactory. A letter was read from Col. Packe relative to various improve- 1 ments desirable on the new range, and the Range Committee reported that they had obtained a promise from the Provincial Sec retary that a sum should be placed upon the estimates to be laid before the next sitting of the Provincial Council to assist in defraying the cost of such alterations. The hon. sec. was instructed to advertise, cautioning the puhlic not to approach the range when the red flag is hoisted. The meeting then adjourned. Eyreton Road Board. — The monthly meeting of tbis Board was held at the usual place on Saturday last. Present: Messrs Dixon, Clark, and Bradley; theformer was voted to the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, the surveyor's report was read and approved. The clerk informed the Board that the property in the district had been assessed by the assessors appointed by the Board at their last meeting. He then laid upon the table copies of the new rate roll, one of which was ordered to be forwarded to the Secretary for Public Works, and another to be left at the Eyreton schoolroom, for inspection by the ratepayers during the time named in the Ordinance. A circular was receive! from the Secretary for Public Works, requesting information as to the most central place wherein to hold a Revision Court for revising the ratepayers' roll. The clerk was directed to reply, stating that they Board were of opinion that the Eyreton/ schoolroom was the most convenient place' in the district. Mr Clark presented a/ petition from the inhabitants of Sneyd's street, praying that certain repairs should be made to that street, as it was almost impassable. A subscription list was also handed in, which showed promises to the amount of £14 10s on account of the work. It was resolved that tenders be invited for the work, and that Mr Clark be empowered to accept one as soon as the subscriptions are guaranteed. It was resolved that timber be eiven to Mr White for a culvert in Goostree's Road, the culvert to be laid down subject to the surveyor's approval. Mr Dixon directed the attention of the Board to the fact that certain obstructions had been placed on the Eyre main drain reserve and catch-water drain, near sections 3598 and 9955. The surveyor was directed to give notice to Messrs T. Burgess, Chilton, and Lord, that the same would have to be removed at once ; also to Mr T. Burgees, informing him that willows and other obstructions were to be removed from the water-course by section 2786. The surveyor was also .directed to have a small culvert placed on the North Road near section 401. The Board requested Mr Dixon to communicate with the Government relative to the dangerous state of the North Road, caused by the encroachment of the river, opposite sections 406 and 413, and request them to purchase land for a road, or protect it from further injury. The rate collector reported that he bad collected £23 16s 3d for rates during the month, and hai placed it in the bank to the credit of the Co.rd. Accounts amounting to £70 18s 3d were passed for payment, and tlie Board adjo.iui'd lill tha lfrt proximo.

StrpREMB Cobrt. —In the case against Mawha, a Maori, for perjury, -v^nd that against Daniel Simpson, for assault with intent to commit a rape, the Grand ' Jury found true bills yesterday.,^ The Grand Jury was thereupon discharged from further attendance. The sitting of the Court was resumed at 10 o'clock this 'morning, and ' it is not expected that the Criminal Session will terminate before Friday evening. Heathcote Rowing Club. — A meeting was held in the schoolroom, Ferry Road, on Monday evening, for the purpose of forming a Rowing Club on the river Heathcote. There was a fair attendance, in spite of the inclemency of the weather. Mr J. S. Williams occupied the chair, and briefly stated the object of the meeting. It was decided that the name of the club be the " Heathcote Rowing Club," and that the annual subscription be, for working members, one pound five shillings, for honorary members, one guinea. Messrs Pavitt, Bamford, Clark, and Davis, were appointed a committee to frame rules, collect subscriptions, canvass for members, &c. Mr H. A. Bamford was appointed Hon. Sec. pro tern, and Mr Lea Hon. Treasurer. Those present having entered their names as members, a vote ef thanks was passed to the chairman, and the meeting then separated. Mr Cracroft Wilson and his Pen-ion. — The following letter appears in the Wellington Daily Advertiser ot Sept. 1: — Sir. — In your issue of this moraing there is a leading article on the Disqualification Bill, now before the House. I find the following: — We are not quite sure tbat this Bill ought not to go a step farther still, and exclude persons in receipt of Imperial pensions; but then we should lose the hon. member for Coleridge, who, having been a Government servant for years, and still a Government pensioner, ought, we think, to be a little more modeiate in expressing his views, lest there be foand people cruel enough to object to his presence as a paid servant of the Crown." If my being the possessor of an annuity from tbe Crown did affect in any way my views and the mode of expressing them, I think that I ought to be disqualified from holding a seat in the House of Representatives. But I deny that it has any effect whatever. Let us see the nature of this annuity. When I accepted in the year 1828 an appointment in the Bengal Civil Service, I entered into a covenant with the East India Company to the following effect : — I consented that the East India Company ehould, through the Indian Government, deduct 4 per centum per annum from my pay and allowance and retain the same, allowing me 6 per centum per annum for all moneys so deducted together with compound interest ; that after I had been twenty -five years in the service and twentytwo years in India, and an annuity became available for me (only nine annuitants were allowed to retire each year), the aggregate accumulation of deductions with interest aud compound interest should be ascertained, and if the sum total was sufficient for the purchase from an Insurance Company of an annuity of £500 per annum, that the East India Company would, in addition to paying me that sum, annually add to it another £500 as pension. If the accumulations did not amount to a sufficient sum to purchase an annuity of £500 per annum, the deficiency was to be made good by me ; but any excess waa to lapse to the East India Company; and, in the event of my death, at any date previous to an annuity becoming available, the whole accumulation lapsed to the East India Company. I think that I had been thirty years in the service before an annuity became available for me — that is to say in the autumn of 1858. On examining theae counts, it was found that the sum at my credit in the Annuity Fund was £7000 ; and as this sum was sufficient for the purchase of an annuity (the Queen had now taken charge of India), the Government took my £7000 and gave me an annuity of £500 per annum, and then added an additional £500 as pension. But this £500 pension comes no more from the coffers of the State in reality than than does the other sum of £500 for which I paid the State £7000. In the year 1850, when the accounts of the Annuity Fund for the preceding twenty-five years were closed the sum of 50 lacs of rupees (I am writing from memory) lapsed to the East India Company ; and in the years 1857 and 1858 there were about 174 members of the Bengal Civil Service located in the upper Provinces of India and in the Punjab. Of these, about 74 were killed or died in consequence of exposure and disease resulting therefrom. All these 74 persons had to their credit in the Annuity Fund accounts from £12,000 to £300 each, and at their death the whole of their deposits lapsed to the State ; and it is from the proceeds of these lapsed annuity funds of my dead brethren that my so called pension of £500 is defrayed. If my annuity of £1080 per annum (I am sorry to say that Her Majesty has thought it necessary to deduct 3£ per cent, under the denomination of Income Tax and Exchange follows suit), derived as above detailed, interferes in any way with my freedom of action as a member, then my exclusion from the House of Representatives would be not only justifiable, but just and proper. But, is any one bold enough to assert that such is the case ?— I am, &c, J. Cracroft Wilson, C.B, Member for Coleridge. Wellington Club, 30th Aug., 1870.