The Waipawa Mail. Published Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Saturdays. Thursday, September 4, 1890.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 2501, 4 September 1890, Page 2

The Waipawa Mail. Published Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Saturdays. Thursday, September 4, 1890.

The country appears to have been subjected to a good deal of unnecessary expense in connection with the alleged case of dummy ism, which has been investigated by a Parliamentay Committee. There have been several references in our telegrams to a case at Woodville, in which there wore some sixty-five applicants for one section. We have been unable to kvirn why dummyism was suspected in this instance. Soon after the ballot was taken, it transpired that the section had been greatly under-valu and that the successful applicant ci’nld make about £2OO on his bargain b y re-selling the property. The only surprising feature in the case was that there was not a larger number of applic ants. Anybody who could get credit for £36 for a few days had a means of getting a free ticket in a lottery for £2OO. Of course, the knowing tines kept their knowledge to themselves and their particular friends. There is no evidence that any of the applicants acted in the interests of another. If the lucky drawer wished to keep the land, he could have borrowed on its security sufficient money to make the required improvements; hence a charge of dummyism could not be proved by showing that some of the applicants had not the capital to work the property. Each applicant signed a declaration that the application was l nade for his exclusive use and benei t ;|and there could not be, previously

to the allotment, any legal agreement for a re-sale. To bring a charge of dummyism, therefore, is really to accuse somebody of perjury. We have not learnt at whose instigation this enquiry was instituted, but it is a pity that be could not be made either to prove bis charges or pay the costs. There will always be occasional cases of this , kind until we revert to the auction system, instead of balloting, in order to decide simultaneous applications.

. It is reported that the body of Walton, the surveyor who was lost at the Manawatu Gorge, has been found in the river. The Town Board were unable to transact any business as there Was ho quorum, and the clerk adjourned the meeting.

George Soott, aged 101 years, died at Ponsonby, Auckland, on Tuesday night. He came to New Zealand in 184$, and retained good health till the last.

The. Postal Department have arranged with the coach proprietors at Woodville to ran continuous through mail services night and day between Napier and Wanganui and Woodville and Wellington via Wairarapa in the event of a railway strike.

The Secretary of the Waipawa District Hospital reports as follows for the week ending August 30th, 1890 in M 14; F 2. Received during the week, M 3 ; Fl. Discharged, M 6 ; FO. Died, MO ; FO. The examination of the Waipawa District School was begun this mOrmng by Mr Hill, the inspector, who expects to conclude his labors to-morrow. Notwithstanding the downpour, there was an excellent attendance.

At the adjourned meeting of the Waipawa Road Board last evening, in committee, the following tenders were received for the formation of |25 chains of Scrimgeour’s road :—S. McGreevy, jr.. 22s 6d per chain ( accepted) ; Butler and Brown, 23s ; Duncan, (informal) 265. Not one of the five members of the Waipawa Licensing Committee turned up at the quarterly meeting to-day, and it therefore stands adjourned from day to day. Mr Loughnan was in Napier, Mr Bibby at Wellington, and the three country members evidently thought it “ not good enough” to face the storm. The Empire Tea Company insert a change of advertisement, placing the prices of the various brands before the public. The Company haß become famous for the choice brands of tea they are turning out, and those ladies who so dearly love “ the cap that cheers, but does not inebriate,” are recommended, if they have not already done so, to give the Company’s brands a trial. We call the attention of our Ormondville and Norsewood readers to a change in the order of divine services. The services held by Rev. A. S. Webb have been found to clash with Rev. Mr Wallace’s fortnightly morning service at Ormondville, and in order to prevent this Rev. A. S. Webb has changed his services and will preach at Ormondvilie in the evening instead of 11 a.m. on Sunday next.

The Bank of New Zealand was incidentally mentioned at the Wellington City Council Thursday evening (says the Post)

in connection with the transmission of money to London to pay interest on the loan, and Councillor Petherick caused a roar of laughter by asking the following question : —Don’t you think that we should shift our account, as the Bank is going through such a peculiar ordeal ? Councillor Brown—We are on the wrong side of the ledger. No other bank might lend us £20,000. Councillor Petherick —As a member of this Council I say that I have no confidence in this Bank. (Laughter.) Councillor Chapman (to Councillor Petherick) —Do you think they will steal our overdraft ? (Renewed laughter.) Later on in the evening Councillor Petheriek informed our representative that in asking the question he quite forgot the fact that the Council had an overdraft at the Bank.

The London Standard says :— 11 New Zealand shippers of agricultural produce have acquired a reputation for dishonest tricks which they will find it hard to get rid of. Utter rubbish has been found inside their trusses of hay shipped to Australia, and loose salt in their kegs of butter sent to England, and now their new flax industry has been seriously injured through the packing of inferior fibe inside the bales. No doubt, the young people of New Zealand, as those of other countries, write 4 Honesty is the best policy ’ in their copy-books, and we should be sorry to believe that our fellowcountrymen in the colony, as a body, are less mindful of that adage than other people ; but a few rogues have power to do enormous amount of mischief to the export trade, and unless the colonial Government adopt special measures for stopping their malpractices the commercial reputation of the colony throughout the world will be irreparably injured.”