The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 1881.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 793, 14 June 1881, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 1881.

Last week we congratulated the Wairarapa on not sending delegates to the Conference of local bodies, and we can hardly, now the position is reveissd, felicitate it. on the fact that the CHAIRMAN of the' County and Councillor Phili/ts are appointed to represent the district at this gathering. Councillor Hawkins at the late Council meo: ing made a very good case in favor of such a movement, and by an eloquent appeal carried the Council with him. While admitting that the resolutions on which the Conference had been convened were impracticable, he pointed out that the meeting in Wellington had already eliminated them from their discussion, and had settled down to discussing questions on which there was likely to be .a general concensus of opinion, and which were lit and proper ones for deliberation in such an assemblage. Why not, lie argued, instead of throwing cold water

on such a movement, strengthen and guide it. So it was decided that the Chairman and Councillor Phillips should be sent c'owu for that purpose, and next Wednesday it is understood that these gentlemen will put in an appearance as delegates. While' we admit the force of Cr Hawkins' reasoning, we cannot get rid of" a foreboding that the result of the Conference will be unsatisfactory. Already a motion has been tabled to abolish the County system. Fortunately it lias been withdrawn, or otherwise before Councillors Phaiuzyn and Phillips appeared on the scene. Comities might liavo been abolished by the decision of some half-dozen gentlemen who are supposed to represent between four hundred and live hundred local bodies, Probably the casting vote of the Mayor of Wellington might have given the coup de grace to the Counties of New Zealand, But what weight would such a decision have had on the Ministers, on Parliament, and on the country? It would simply have been an object of ridicule. If the Conference could be what Cr Hawkins would have it to be, or make it, then its deliberations would be extremely valuable, But because it is not this, and cannot possibly be this we are less enthusiastic upon the subject than he is, We have, however, to thank Mr Hawkins for carrying a resolution in favor of a conference, between Counties East and West which may result in these two bodies being merged,—a policy we have long advocated. Cr Hawkins' ability and earnestness has infused almost new vigor into the Council of which he has but recently become a member, and,a question like that of the amalgamation of the Wairarapa Counties now appears to us to be more likely to bo decided than wo anticipated some months ago, In the Wairarapa West Council the feeling in its favor is evidently growing, and if in the East County there is no manifestation either for or against it, the reason is probably to be found in the almost trance-like state in which the latter division of the Wairarapa now is. One member never attends its sittings, another conies but rarely, a third is about to leave the district, and a fourth is newly-elected; and even the Chairman, though present in spirit, has been wont to be very absent in the flesh. It follows, therefore, that County East is very somnolent, and it is almost a matter of doubt whether it will raise a quorum to attend the proposed Conference, ■, Both Counties East and West, however, possess among their members very able men, who are quite capable of discussing such a question as that which is to be submitted to them on broad grounds',' and we sincerely trust that their deliberations will lead to .united action for the benefit of the Wairarapa as a whole*

The Wairarapa West Council.has 'to discuss at each meeting th'eMariawatiiPeify, and we hope at its next gathering it will satisfy the : publ.ic on a point; where there is now aelighi,feeling of dissatisfaction. .The Council through its ferryman.cbarges '2s 6d for each .vehicle which (Crosses the river, but provides no punt onwhichsuch conyeyances ;;can ; be vcarrledf :;|tf j^her;

words it charges for tiding certain work but dpes'iit do the work. Of cburen it will be necessary for the Council.to either provide a auitable'punt or waive'itschargeV. A punt will cost the Council a considerable sum of money but it is a necessary stock-in-trade for any'public body going into; the ferry business and its cost might be recouped by selling the privileges of the ferry, which, at the present time, are given awuy, Withouta punt these privileges are not a maiketable article with one they certainly should-be. The present boat, which is all the accommodation now .provided at tho ferry, is inadequate, and were it, as it may be, swept down'the river ■by'a flood, the sole duty of the ferryman -would'be to levy a'sort'of black mail on confiding and innocent passengers.

Tho Gi'eytown school committee meets this evening, The. ,Fea(herston Debating Society meets this evening. ; Mr Olliyior, the well-known solicitor, is about to visit England.

We need hardly remind oddfellows of the banquet at. the Empire Hotel'this evening.

A meeting is to be held this evening at the Institute, Greytown, for the purpose of forming a chess club, Mr Charles B, 0. Rees-Mogg announces the first of a series of lectures on " Rhetoric,' 1 for Friday evening next. The contractors for the improvement of Church-st., Masterton, commenced work yesterday.

The Masterton School Committee met yesterday at the now school site, and fixed the ground on which the new building is to be erected,

The usual monthly meeting of the Masterton hospital committee will be held this afternoon,'

The Loyal Masterton Lodge, 1.0.0. F. meets at the Empire Hotel this evening,

The Wairarnpa members waited on the Government on Saturday last, to urge upon it the necessity of introducing the fencing bill as early as possible, in the interest of county settlers, •

A tea-meeting in the Oddfellows' Hall, Featherston, on Friday evening realised the handsome sum of ±'l7, which is to be expended in planting tho schoolgrounds with trees,

Applications are invited for the appointment of Clerk and Treasurer to the Wairarapa County Council, with which will bo combined the Clerkship to the Tara-tahi-Carterton Highway Board, and Carterton Local Board, at a salary of £250 per annum.

A public meeting is convened in the Town Hull, Carterton, for Monday, the 20th inar., to consider the advisability of forming a Cavalry Volunteer Corps in the Wah'arapa, It is proposed to enrol names at tho meeting, and we trust the attendance at it will be of an encouraging character,

We understand that Mr Faber, of Featherston, has taken a lease of tho Roynl Hotel, and will enter into possession of his new premises today Mr Faber is an old settler now in this district, and we wish him every success in his new venture,

Mr Jonas Woodward died suddenly from appoplexyat his Wellington rosidonee yesterday morning, in the 71st year of his age, The deceased arrived in the colony in 1842, and has filled for a long series of years a host of publia positions, Messrs J, lorns & Co,, notify two important sales for Siturday next, one of ploughs, harrows, carts, and ironmongery, in an ironmongery estate, and the other a sale of a splendid assortment of fruit trees, shrubs, &a , which will inoludo stock from Mr McOardle's well-known nursery, and a consignment from ono of the best nurseries in the.middle island,

Tho death of Paora Potangaroa, the To Oro Oro prophet, has caused quite an exodus of Maoris from Greytown. The eclipse of the moon on Sunday eveiiin<r caused a profound sensation anioiu; tho natives, who attributed it to the death of the prophet by saying the moon was in mournimi for him. The remains were conveyed yesterday from Ngature's pah, near the Black Bridge, to Cashpoint for interment,

A minister of religion in the Wairarapa has wo understand, taken a straight course to put a stop to the objectionable practice of putting threcrpemiy piece bits in his collection plate. On a recent occasion, after pointing out in plain unvarnished terms how inadequate euch contributions were to support religious institutions, he sent the plate round his congregation a second time, to enable sinners to condone their sbor.tjjivings by a fresh, donation.

Croskery ffnaejl and Co;, report for last week, the following Wellington prices:—Flour, sacks, LlO'lOs to £\l; oatmeal, Ml 10s: pollard, £5 10s; bran, L310.i; potatoes, £2los to £2lss; chaff, 1410s per ton ; oats, 2s 3d to 2s Gd; wheat, 3s 6d; barley, 2s Gd; maize, 3s Get por bushel; hams and bacon, 9d, cheese, 4d to 4£ per lb; onions, Gs per cwt; eggs, 2s Gd per dozen; butter, fresh, Is 2d to Is 3d per lb ; apples, 8s Gd; poars, 10s ; lemons, 20s per case. At their mutton sales prices averaged 3s Gd per carcase, with plenty of buyers,

A rumor has reached us, for which there seems to be some foundation, to the effect that Mr Herbert Williams, of the Royal Hotel, Featherston, is shortly about to leave that town. Should this report prove true, his numerous Featherston friends will sincerely regret losing from their number one, who, during the peried he has dwelt among them, has taken a most acliyo interest in local matters, and has shown himself worthy of their high eateeni. As a mason, and a member of ?he School Committee, Vestry, and other Committees, he has done good work for the town.

Therois a " special provision" in the Hospital and Charitable Aids Bill that the. Governor in Oounoil may vest tho control of any hospital or charitable institution in a voluntary association of persons who shall signify their willingness to undertake the charge, such association thereupon being placed on the same footing as to subsidies, fa., as a Board elected in the usual way, but subject to such special terms as may be imposed by Order in Council. This provision is evidently framed to enable such hospitals as those which have been established at Greytown and Masterton, and conducted with success for a .number of years, to continue on the same footing as heretofore. - In the good old clays of Masterton, when storekeepers Were scarce and money was plentiful, large profits and exorbitant prices were obtained, but now times are different, money is scarce, and r store, keepers are plentiful. Schroder, Hooper & Co., Hall of Commerce, have taken this iutoj consideration, and have cuttUe prices and profits down to such an extent .that hey completely baffle all competition. Their stock is very large, and beautifully assorted: in every department, with all.tbe latest fashions, for ,winter. i weai , . ; '_.,Ordei , s. from the country,are' executed ;with','des.patch, I ;aiicV as "carefully, as. if'selected in' person. Purchasers of drapery andcloth-i tog will do well to inspct their stock" Their. ! ; adyei*tisemeut- wiPe' found 6n ; tlie frojitpage,;of M]papßrjan4'deßOTWCbn«... isiderationrMiwr;! ':&*• SW&H&&h&

•'Mr Wvlorns invites tenders for falling a line light, of • bush, ~i ■. ;•. iv ,V'\. ;,. .

;' : At the ; '()ohference yesterday,* It was reaqlved ( " That tho 11th clause of the .Land Aot Amendment Act, 1879, shouldjbe ,repoaled;Sd'that the whole of the half-yearly-instalments on deferred payment lands ahould be handed over to the. County''Council,' for road-making within the block,dealt with, as provided in. the Land Act, 1877, clause 59." ■News has been received from Liverpool of the dastardly,attempt^tOrtdestroy:the town hall in that city. An explosion occurred last night in the building, and caused some destruction in its neighborhood, but the evident attempt to blow up the hall was unsuccessful/ . It is supposed that dynamite was the explosive material used, and it is believed that it was laid by Fenians, Tho police have already arrested two armed American Irishmen' on suspicion of being concerned in the outrage. . - v --- •'■■''- •'• ■■■'". '--■■

Mr Bunny, M.H.R., moves to-day that a return be laid before Hie House giving the names of.those,members of the. Civil Service whoje services have been' dispensed with,since the Ist of January, 1880 : .stating ; the department's ';. they severally belonged to, the salary paid to each, also the compensation received by; each. Also a return giving the names of allpersons appointed to the Public Service from the same date, showing the de: partment to which each is appointed and the salary payable to each,.and if the services of any so appointed had previously, been dispensed with. This return to show' whether the compensation received was. repaid to, the Treasury, pr.in what manner the same was dealt with, A certain ex-Councillor of the" Borough of Masterton, who will be 'easily recognised—like a Scotchman—by his kilts, as well as by his ■ trustfulness in human nature, and last (but not least) by his large-hearted liberality and broadness of views, is at the present time deserving of the especial attention of our Inspector of Nuisances, as the said ox-Councillor is hawking (without a license) a petition. The petition—which is,a;masterpiece of composition—prays for a; dissolution of the Borough (on the ground of cruelty, .we imagine, and the petitioners want a " decree nisi" with costs, and permission to return to the maternal embrace of the Eoad Board. This would be progression a la- Erin, and we scarcely know whether to bo amused at the practical joke, or to get up a counter petition for a commission de lunatico euquirendo.