The Waipawa Mail. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1879.

Waipawa Mail, Volume 2, Issue 135, 27 December 1879, Page 2

The Waipawa Mail. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1879.

When the Provinces were abolished, the principal difficulty of the Legislature was to provide an equitable and efficient system of local government. The County system was then, by the Government of the day, brought into existence, but many things came to light since the Counties Act passed into law showing the imperfection of the system. Of course, however well adapted a measure may be in outline to meet the requirements of a nation, experience show's that crotchets unforseen by the legislators may be met in carrying out the particulars. The County 8} stem has been peculiarly productive of these difficulties. Several of the counties throughout the colony are bankrupt, and therefore unable to carry on local works absolutely necessary for the requirements of the people. In other instances, the functions of County Councils so clashed with those of Road Boards as to demand a definite adjustment of relationship between the two bodies. This ought tc have been provided for in the Act to which the County system owes its origin, but it was not. How County Councils in other parts of the colony got over the difficulties (if at all) is extraneous to the point at issue ; but it is patent to all who may take the trouble to study the question, that the Waipawa County Council is still in the vortex of these complications. The North Ruataniwha Road Board calls a meeting of ratepayers to consider whether or not the Board is to retain its functions, or be abolished. The steps taken by the Board in this matter has a tangible connection with the taxation scheme* inaugurated by the late and the present Governments, and slho with the attitude which the County Council assumed towards the Road Boards. When the Grey Government imposed a land tax, land was liable to three different taxes, namely, the Government, the County, and the Road Board tax. Road Boards, in many instances, considered that land was too heavily taxed. The rate imposed by themselves w'as the only one over which they had control, and some, rather than be liable to pay three taxes, w'ished to do away with it altogether. The system of taxation proposed by the present Government is not likely to reassure Road Boards that they will be in a better position as regards taxation than they were before. Again, the County rate, except w'here palpable benefit was derived from local works, is by no means regarded with general favour, and, indeed, it must be confessed that the expenditure of County funds in some districts w r as so very meagre as to give grounds for discontent. Thus, the triple mode’, of levying taxes on land may be looked upon as the remote cause for any symptoms of disloyalty among Road Boards against their own existence. The Waipawa County Council lately passed a resolution taking over all the roads in the County. This measure, though not necessarily resulting in the abolition of Road Boards, may possibly relax the cords that hitherto connected them with local administration. It is at least probable that Boards desiring to escape taxation, and the responsibility of local w'orks, the resolution of the Council may have the effect of accelerating their dissolution. Notwithstanding that according to the intent of the resolution, Boards may still retain their function, and in conjunction with the Council pro mote local works, the resolution introduces an element of weakness into the constitution of the Boards. The Council, how’ever, did not drive them out of existence, but opened the gate for them to voluntarily march out into vacuity, or remain within their sphere under certain restrictions. We have on previous occasions expressed doubtß as to the expediency of the resolution, and our objections to it need not here be repeated. Our aim is to suggest harmonious cooperation on the part of the Council and the Boards, tor it is difficult to comprehend what positive good can result from taking advantage of a resolution which merely supplied a pretext for suicide when the finger of duty and the interest of the people pointed the other way. If the Boards

cm*M entertain a reasonable hope that the County Council would attend to the road*, the propriety of u merging into the CoUtity” would be apparent. But if it be found that the Council, owing to limited means, cannot overtake all the necessary works, and keep roads in proper state of repair, what benefit can be derived from merging into it ? To escape the only rate which they can convert to their own use is a small consolation for ratepayers. That they must pay other rates out of which they get no direct benefit, is a lame argument for doing aw'ay with the one the benefit of which j is direct and palpable. There is j another aspect of the question alto- i gether apart from pecuniary con- ; 6iderations. Road Boards are the unit of civil government in this colony. They afford the means of easy access for hearing and redressing grievances which perhaps would not receive due consideration in a higher assembly. Every settler can plead his own cause at a Road Board meeting, whereas the dignity surrounding higher courts forbids his approach except through the circuitous route of correspondence. Taking the case of the North Ruataniwha Road Board as a fair representative of all the Road Boards within the County, the impolicy of “ merging into the County” is not difficult to show. Storms and floods may render roads unfit for the purposes of general ! traffic ; the travelling public may be I inconvenienced; any one of * the j numerous casualties incidental to roads i may occur, and how, without organisa- j tion, funds, and authority, the damage j done is to be repaired ? An appeal to the County Council may involve greater delay than the interest of the public can conveniently bear. Using the ad hominem mode of argument, it may be suggested to the North Ruataniwha Board, and others similarly situated, that whereas through shortsighted legislation some of their roads have become private property, without some organisation to co-operate with the County Council in adjusting the differences between land owners and the public, they may possibly be guilty of a dereliction of duty. After making due allowance for the obnoxious taxes, we unhesitatingly recommend all Road Boards to retain their functions, at least until the County Council is able to take charge of all the roads. Passing a resolution to take over all the roads in the County does not necessarily imply the responsibility to keep them in good order for traffic. The responsibility is contingent upon the means available. Iu short, it is rather moral than legal.

There will be no services at AshleyClinton, Takapau, or Middleton on Sunday.

Eccles ia sticali. — On Christmas i>ny the English and Catholic churches in Waipawa were, according to ecclesiastical custom, handsomely decorated. The Revs. J. C. Eccles and Father McGuiness conducted the service in their respective churches.

To Correspondents. Workman”—Your letter is too severe. It cannot therefore he inserted.

An Emphatic Denial.—A paragraph in the Hawke’s Bay Herald of the 25th instant states that Mr Wilson, of Waiprkurau, is to take the place of Mr Boole as editor of the Waipawa Mail. We give the statement an unqualified denial. It is not intended that Mr Wilson w'ill have any official connection whatever with the paper.

Art Union.—lt may be seen by advertisement in another column that the drawing for Wall and Co.’s art union will take place on Wednesday next.

Holiday. The storekeepers of Waipawa have kindly consented to close their places of business to-morrow, in order to accommodate the sports comini itee in their efforts to make the sports a success.

Gift Auction. —The gift auction sale in aid of the Presbyterian Church funds, Waipawa, intended to be held to-day, has been postponed until further noiice on account of the inclemency of the weather.

Correction. We are requested by Mr Black bourn, the Couniy Engineer, to state that there is no truth in the statement made in a recent issue of the Hawke’s Bay Herald, to the effect that he resolved to resign his appointment. Those of our readers who Karo ever enjoyed a sail or a pull Hatunm have doubtless heal ings of regret that dming tl and consequent floods, the used to be in and around tl came to grief, the large one damaged, and some of the being quite destroyed. No thanks to the liberality and of Mr Gov/, of the Tavii pleasure seekeis will find a roomy boat, capable of iakii eight or ten easily ami safeb of the shor es of ibis picture! : water. On a fine afte.noor s extiemely difficult to find a able way to pass an hour o > low or sail to the farther en :, and there go ashore aud xefr j just as the sun begins to ti] e and nearei hills with all s tints of a New Zealand stir if course needless to say ilia t, boathouse, and appliances > perty of Mr Gow, it is nece in permission from him befo n, in order to obviate disappoi “ The best laid schemes ot mice «,nd men gaug nfta’gley.” These significant words of the Scotch poet firci an ant illustration in be circumstances which led to the po .tenement of the Waioawa athlerY woo. is from yesterday till to-day. On Christmas night, Waipawa, after observing the day according to the usual forms, went to bed jubilant at the prospect of enjoying a good day’s snort on the following day. Rut, Ip ! during the night the rain descended,” and tie good “laid schemes” of the spoils courvmAee

went “a* gley.” Many expressed their disappointment in highly-emphasised terms, and scanned the clouds with imploring eyes. Meeting after meeting of the committee was held to arrange the matter, and to see if any thing could be done to fulfil the engagement, made by the committee, through advertisement, with the public. Torrent after torrent, however, carne down, and disconcerted the most sanguine of the committee men. The deliberations ultimately resulted in a postponement of the sports until to-day. Meanwhile, as the trains arrived, intending spectators of, and competitors for the sports, began to throng into the town. Among them was a piper in full regalia. This son of Scot l a soon found his way to the balcony of the Empire Hotel, and for a time attracted the attention of the rnis- ! cellaneous crowd below with the strains of his mountain home. Brave Rescue. —We are informed on reliable authority that during the thunderstorm which destroyed the house of Mr Sweeny at Blackhead, Mr J. Price, of Tamuinu, rescued a child under circumstances fraught with extreme peril to his own life. As the building was in flames, and the lightning dancing around it, Sweeny drew his attention to the fact that a child was inside. Price ran to the house and found the child creeping under a bed to escape the flames. The child having been rescued, Price returned to the house, and saved some articles of furniture.

A young lady, named Kate < diver, whose father was a commercial traveller, has died at Sheffield from hydrophobia. They had had in the family for sixteen yearß a large retriever, and a month ago, while Miss Oliver was kneeling down, the dog licked her mouth several times. The next day it showed symptoms of hydrophobia, and was poisoned. The young lady was taken ill, and has since died in great agony, having betrayed all the signs of having been poisoned.

A rather amusing incident happened recently on the New Plymouth-In-glewood line. The railway guard, seeing a lady waiting at one of the signal stations, as if wishing to be taken up, accordingly gave the signal for stopping the train. Much, however, to his surprise, he found (says the Taranaki Herald) that the lady was not an intending passenger, but merely wished to know if he could oblige her with change for a pound note! We wonder if the guard gave her the change ? The average acreage of holdings in the United Kingdom is 56 acres. Of the tenant farmers, 560,006 in number, 70 per cent, occupy farms under 50 acres each, 12 per cent, between 50 and UK) acres, 18 per cent, farms of more than 100 acres each.

The Pas de Calais publishes the following particulars about the proposed submarine tunnel between England and France. The engineers who lmve been engaged in the work have not yet commenced the tunnel itselt ; all that they have done .at present being to sink a shaft near Sangatte, in order to ascertain the depth and currents of the water. When these preliminary experiments are concluded the work of making the tunnel itself will begin. The shaft now being sunk has a diameter of about 9ft., and is to go a depth of 260 ft. Work in the shaft has been suspended for the last three months, as the water comes in so rapidly that it has been necessary to construct a machine which will extract 600 gallons per minute, or double what the machine at first used could remove. The shaft has already been sunk to half the proposed depth, and work will be resumed before the end of the year. The Avails of the shaft are being lined witli small oak planks, with a backing of concrete.

The Otago Daily Times says : —-It takes a good deal of knocking about to kill a healthy colonial boy. On Sunday morning, us a youth of about 15 was returning from church, he beheld a building in course of erection, and was immediately seized with an idea that a little gymnastic exercise would improve his appetite for dinner. Acting on the impulse of the moment lie mounted the scaffolding and was soon running at the rate of five miles an hour along the top of an unfinished brick wall, a bible in one band and his hat in the other. Unhappily he made a false step and fell heavily to the ground, a distance of about 20 feet. Fortunately, he alighted on his head, which appeared to be composed of tolerably substantial material, for, after crawling to a log and seeking the consolations of religion by the perusal of the sacred book, to which be had held fast in his sudden descent, lie arose and walked brisklj’ homewards. There has come to light in San Francisco au exceedingly curious apparatus, which is designed to facilitate cheating at cards. The contrivance consists of an arrangement of springs in a frame, which passes round the player’s arm beneath his coat sleeves, and contains the cards designed to be used in cheating. Attached to the apparatus is a stringy which passes round the player’s body to his left hand. By means of the string the player can throw out the cards so as to “ stock” his hand, and withdraw those he does not consider strong enough to play against his opponents. A machine of this kind would quickly empty the pockets of greenhorns.

A return showing the expenditure and liabilities in the various Provincial districts, on account of the Public Works and Immigration Loans, has been published. The following are the totals :—Otago, £4,267,916 ; Canterbury, £2,737,247 ; Wellington, £2.369,698 ; Auckland, £2,295,530 ; Nelson, £807,676 ; Hawke’s Bay, £771,817; Westland, £736,272 ; Taranaki, £435,509 ; Marlborough, £249,789.

Glasgow Bank*—A London paper received by the last mail says :—An auction has been raised in the First Division of the Court of Session, Edinburgh, at the instance of the liquidators of the City of Glasgow Bank, against the directors and managers of the Bank. The summons concludes for payment to the liquidators of a sum of £6.231,000, being the amount due by the defendants on the 22nd of October, 1878, with interest at 5 per cent the object of the auction is to obtain a decree so that the liquidators may rank on the bankrupt ©states of the directors and managers.

The horse St. Julian, at the race £iven for General Grant in California just before his departure, trotted a mile, without skip or break, in the extlßordin&iy time of 2m. 12*s. Goldsmith Maid did it in 2m. 155., and Rarus in 2m. 14s, but the California horse has beaten both.

A paragraph in the Paris papers states that a young man in that city was in the habit of clearing out the stem and mouthpiece of his pipe with a common knitting needle, which he neglected to wipe and purify after each of these applications. One day, on hastily picking up the instrument the point run into his finder, and the result of the wound, which was at first neglected, is that he will have to lose his arm, and may be considered luckly if even by this rneaus he can save his life. The hand and arm swelled gradually, owing to the poisonous effects of the nicotine, until two days after the accident occurred he found it necessary to go to a surgeon. Remedies were applied, but with no effect, and numerous abscesses began to form upon the hand and wrist* This case may be added to others which have already shown that even the smallest injection of nicotine is capable of producing the greavest injury. _