The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1879.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 337, 11 December 1879, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1879.

We trust that the five million loan, which is now apparently secure, will be regarded as the last railway loan to be raised for many years to come. Two months ago we expressed an opinion that the loan would be raised, but not without difficulty. New Zealand's indebtedness is now much larger than that of any other of the Australian Colonies, and it is not safe to venture further, We hope tho Government will spend this loan to the best advantage, but already there are indications of it being wasted, The WellingtonFoxton line is to come out of it—a line that must necessarily be a loss to the colony. There is already rapid communication by sea between these two ports, and there will be equally rapid communication by the railway line via Masterton and Woodville. The traffic between Wellington and Manawatu will not feed two lines of railway, and almost every pound taken on the Foxton and Wellington line will be a pound deducted from the receipts of the Wellington and Woodville line, The local traffic from Pahautanui, Otaki, and Waikanae will never amount to much, It is not till the line reaches Manawatu itself that it will command much support, and then the main trunk line is available. The Foxton and Wellington line is essentially a political railway, and one which has been conceded to benefit a district at the expense of the colony. Probably when political support was required to be bought pledges were given for the Wellington-Foxton railway which cannot now be broken, We can only hope that, if such be the case, the line will be the last political railway constructed in New Zealand. It would be far better to spend our loan in subsidies to local bodies than to waste it on unprofitable railways. The credit of New Zealand has been exhausted in bringing its produce through the first stage towards a market, No provision has been made for carrying it any further. Produce can be moved about New Zealand at a cheaper rate than formerly, but there the benefit ceases, The settlement of a population to consume a portion of the produce and the development of an outsido market to receive another portion of it, were of equal importance and should have gone hand in hand with railway construction. As it is, all our resources have been concentrated on public works only, and hence our railways are less profitable to the colony than they were expected to be,

The Hon, Mr Oliver made his Public Works Statement on Tuesday last, and it was admitted by his predecessor, Mr Macandrew, to be clear and concise. Speaking of the Wellington and Woodville railway, he stated that the works were being pushed on vigorously, and that the lino might be expected to be open to Greytown early in February. On the general question of railway management, he reported that the sleepers imported from America had been found less durable than those made from colonial timber. The gross traffic returns up to the end of the past year of the railways in use amounted to £1,729,955; tho working expenses and maintenance amounted to £1,250,897; leaving £479,057 for interest, or a percentage of about 5| on the cost of the same, which was £8,690,410. Last year the proportion of profit available for interest was 2.054 per cent., or rather less than half the amount to be paid annually, viz., 5 per cent. Our railways require, therefore, nearly £300,000 to be drawn annually out of the pockets of the taxpayers to keep thorn going. After a while possibly the oxtra taxation devolving upon us through our railway system will bo half a million per annum. In time the lines may become remunerative, but it will probably be many years honce. The Hon, Mr Oliver intimated that it might be necessary on unprofitable railways to rate the districts through which they pass for their maintenance. Should this come to pass, Sir Julius Vogel will probably be burnt in effigy throughout the colony. Of the five million loan the Colonial Treasurer holds that £2,559,082 is already forestalled, and that the balance available after the current year for appropriation for railways ia only £1,872,040. He also stated that we shall be precluded from applying again to the money market for a period of three years. Were this term extended to five there would be a brighter future for the colony. Among the lines to be completed during the current year is the WellingtonWoodvillo railway as far as Masterton only. Surveys for the extension of the line beyond Masterton will, however, be proceeded with

The Masterton Rifle Volunteers parade in the Hall to-morrow evening. The prorogation of Parliament is expected to take place on Tuesday next, The Greytown Horticultural Society's spring show will be held to-day. Tenders close to-morrow for leasing the Pastoral Society's grounds at Carterton. The Greytown Cricket Club have ordered a 25 cwt. iron-roller for Club use, Mr R. E. Chinchen announces that he is opening up new goods for Ohristmra presents. Tenders are invited in another column for the supply of stores, provisions, &c, for the year ending Dec. 31,1880, to the Masterton Hospital. To-day the election of a lay member of the general synod of the Church of England will take place at the respective schoolhouses of Lower Hutt, Greytown, and Masterton. The Masterton Lodge, E. 0., announce a bull on Monday, 22nd December, to celebrate the festival of St. John the Evangelist, consecration of the Lodge and election of officers. The Government has declined to provide for subsidies to local bodies after March 31st next. Next Bession, however, a proposition will be made for some provision for them. Harry Brand and Richard Webb were charged yesterday, before A. W. Renall and J. V. Smith, Esq. : s J.P.'s, with passing a valueless cheque for £l, purporting to be drawn by'Kuku, a Maori, on Messrs Gillett AMence. After a good deal of evidence had been taken, they were sentenced to two months' imprisonment each, with hard labor,

Tlie Bideford Accommodation House is announced for sale in another column. Mr H, Bentloy advertises the store lately in the occupation of Mr J, Wilton to let.

Mr Charlewood, late of Bidford, Taueru, announces, in the N. Z, Times, the opening of a school for boys. A man named John Hemponstall, suffering from abscess in the throat, has been admitted as a patient in the Masterton Hospital. In addition to the prizes already published for the Greytown Horticultural Show, there will be one valued at 15s for mapping by boy attending Greytown School, 5s .additional for best hand boquet, C pot plants for best hand boquet mado in the room by girl under sixteen. Several special exhibits of needlework, curios, etc,, will be made, We expect to be able to report the most successful Show ever held in Greytown. The chargo against J. Watson for assault w.i 3 heard before S, Revans and R, Wakelin, Bsq.'s, J.P.'s, at the Courthouse, Greytown, yesterday. The charge was partly acknowledged by the accused. Dr Smith's evidence went to prove that the blows inflicted were with a blunt instrument, and tho cut on the head was about 1-i inches in length, and to the bone. Also that the large bone of the arm was broken. After taking evidence from several witnesses, the bench inflicted a fine of £2 and costs. Some little excitement was occasioned at the Greytown Volunteer parade on Tuesday night, Corporal Eonaldson and Private Gregg were ordered by Captain Macara to fall out and give up their arms to Sergeant Jackson, and consider themselves suspended until they had been before the commanding officer of the district for their mutinous conduct, The men were rathor taken by surprise, but did not ask for a definition of the charge or when it was to be heard. The Captain then left without further remarks, and Lieutenant Porter stepped forward and gave notice that Captain Macara had been granted six months' leave of absence, and had handed the company over to his charge, and in a few well-chosen words said he hoped that the company would obey orders, and while at drill consider themselves under his command. The men then pave three hearty cheers for Lieutenant Porter, and upon someone outside the ranks calling for three groans for Captain Macara the call was responded to, notwithstanding the efforts of the officers to prevent it, After parade three hearty cheers were given by the men for their suspended comrades, and altogether the proceedings were pretty warm,

Mr Kennedy Brown, insurance agent for the Government, accompanied by Dr Smith, one of the medical officer's of the department, have just completed a long and arduous journey down the Wairarapa Valley to the Perry, thence round the coast to Castle Point, and across country via Tiiuu to Maatevton. We are glad to learn that they were thoroughly successful in their mission to provide for the widows and orphans! The travellers are loud in their praises of the uniform kindness and hospitality of the settlers along their route, for, as is well-known, there is no accommodation house or hotel between the Ferry and Castle Point. At the latter place they were agreeably surprised to find such a well-appointed and thoroughly comfortable hotel, under the careful inanase'ment of Mr Rogers. If the roads were somewhat improved the " Point" would soon become the favorite resort of tourists, and as a sanatorium is hardly equalled in New Zealand. The roads, if such they may be called, where 1 ever art rather than nature had anything to do with them were simply execrabledangerous alike to man and beast, A trifling outlay by the several Iload Boards interested would suffice at least to render them passable. The only officers of such Boards who lavish their attentions upon the settlers in such out of the way places —at least so they say—are the rate collectors. No obstacle daunts the energies of those conscientious and painstaking officials—nor bogs, nor dangerous crossings, nor tracks half washed away round dangerous headlands, presenting the possibility of a perpendicular descent some hundreds of feet amidst the rocks and roaring surf below, How earnestly they must long for a live bishop to make the adventurous journey with the chances of his coining to grief and their getting such dangerous places repaired. At least, all who venture upon such roads should be careful beforehand to insure their lives! Mr Brown lectures at Masterton this evening

A seaman belonging to the Hermione has been sentenced to 10 weeks' imprisonment for broaching cargo with a naked light, and another four weeks' for disobedience.

The following is an extract from the report of a Fenian Convention held in Pennsylvania:—" Thebreechloading guns with which the Zulus are armed have been furnished and paid for by the-pa triotic Irish of America, and while the policy of the organisation is to defer a formidable attack upon the English by the Irish patriots, yet they will never cease to harass her, and the Zulu surprise is only one of the many they have in store for her.

Wellington must be a delightful place to live in. After the Hon. Mr Whitaker had made his Ministerial statement in the Legislative Council, the Hon, Col. Brett moved that the Council should adjourn for a week, and urged the following reasons for doing so :—" I want to go into the country, and see the nakedness of the surroundings of Wellington. It is necessary for the sake of our health that we should go away from the stinks and smells of this abominable city. I should like to renovate my health by going into the country." Colonel Brett, however, did not get-his week's holiday,

A novel method has been adopted by Mr Paul, draper, of Wellington, to confute the popular idea that there is no money in Wellington just now. Mr Paul, who purchased the stock of Mr Lewis Moss, commenced a sale of " bargains" on Saturday, and the rush of customers was so great that the doors had to be closed several times to prevent the shop from being over-crowded, On Monday morning Mr Paul had a pile of notes,gold, silver, and copper in his window, labelled "llesultof Saturday's shop-takings." Several cases of persons being poisoned by the bite of a spider known as the katipo have occurred of late. The Taranaki Herald of a recent date gives the latest instance, A person was sitting in thevicinity of the sandhills when he was bitten by a spider on the ancle. He shortly afterwards suffered intense pain, which continued without abatement for soveral days. He was taken to the Hospital and while there his suffering was so great as to cause delirium, and his body began-to swell. The case required the utmost care and attention ; but the patient is now out of danger, and progressing towards recovery.

We trust a good house will assemble to hear the lecture given by Mr Kennedy Brown in the Town Hall, this evening. About 1000 bales of wool from the East Coast were landed on the warf, says tho New Zealander on Monday, the value at present prices being about £20,000. Good news for the unemployed appears in our advertising columns Mr Stuckey wants some men to cut and harvest rye grass. A meeting of Directors of the Wairarapa Caledonian Society is convened at the Prince of Wales Hotel for Monday next, H. Tilly Browne and Co. sell at Messrs lorns and Fergusson's yards on Monday next, 90 head of store bullocks in forward condition, The Groytown Nigger Opera Company are in activo practice for Maritana, with a new dialogue. The entertainment bids fair to be a grand success MrG. Thomas h»s been instructed to sell without reserve by auction, on the Gladstone farm, on Tuesday next, cattle, pigs, furniture and farming implements,

Tho examination of the Masterton School by Mr Lee, the Inspector, was concluded yesterday, It is understood that the result is not of a very satisfactory character. The entertainment in aid of the Greytown school is fixed for the 22nd inst. Wo understand several pieces will be added to the programme by the school children, and it has been proposed that the prize recitation should bo given. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Masterton School Committee was held yesterday afternoon. Present-.—Messrs Feist (Chairman), McKee, Wrigley, Brown and Payton. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. It was decided that the Chairman, the Treasurer and Mr Payton be appointed a sub-committee to draft the annual report. It was resolved that Mr R. Wilsone be asked to act as auditor. Messrs Wrigley and Vile were appointed visiting members for the ensuing month. Several householders in Greytown seem to have got quite out of patience, waiting for the Borough Council to instruct their overseer to clear the main street of weeds, and have set the example to their neighbors by clearing those portions of the footway fronting their own premises, We would suggest that the Council should make a bye-law to to the effect that every householder in the main street should keep the footway in front of his own premises clear of weeds. Half an hour occasionally would abate the nuisance in a measure, and the Council should keep the rest clean. Certainly they should encourage those who do take the trouble, by compelling those who do not.