The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 1895. BOROUGH RATES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8558, 29 May 1895, Page 2

The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 1895.

BOROUGH RATES.

Is a former article we pointed out that on the Mayor's own showing there was no need to increase the general rate from Is, as first proposed by him, to 1b 2d as advocated by Mr Jackson when a redaction of 2d had been carried in the special rate for the current year. When the motion standing in Cr. Spurdle'a name came up last evening for discussion at the Council table, the mover, who had been, at some pains to get the necessary data for his argument,took ap the same line, and clearly proved that on , Hi» Worship's own showing lh«e was no necessity to increase the general rate from the Is first proposed, and on which amount the i estimates for the current year were framed, to Is 2d, merely to keep the total rating at the old figures of 2s 6d in the £, Crs, Bassett, Per- , rett, Parsons, Clapham, and Careoa. i endorsed this opinion and voted in ■ favour of the amendment, against which Ore. Liffiton, Hogg, Manson, and the Mayor recorded their votes. i That the reduction of even 2d in the . £in the general rate of the Borough b will be a welcome concession to the ratepaydra we have no doubt, as most of them have felt the present depres1 sion severely and have lost consider1 ably by the fall in the value of all fc kinds of property that has taken place since th© financial crisis set in which has done so much damage all J over the world, and which is only now beginning to pass away for a season. With even a shilling general rate there need be no starving of 1 municipal work thiß year, as the " estimates for it were, as before remarked, baßed on that enm, and »n- - eluded a large number of items' of expenditure, which would give employment to » large number of men, who are $n*ioqsly wajting for work, They are mostly residents who hare paid rates for years and who are entitled to any work of the kind so as to keep them in their homes, instead ? of forcing them to go away to look ■ for employment at a distance. Ah thete i» $4128 of loan money stilT

unexpended out of the £4500 allocated lot drainage, it would heas I well to push on, with #he sanitation. | of the Borough so ,that- before next, •ummer. the 4oW-lyingS>orfooi» oE the Borough, wh'ei* toe* fcwiathert© been a yearly vuutaat during the hottest months of the year owing to the absence of drains^ should be properly provide therewith,- and the. residents thu» enabled to properly dispose of their. Sewage. This wiU give, as before remarked, a considerable amount of employment, ana relieve the congested labour market of the Borough, where knots of men are now daily to be seen standing idle at the street corners vainly waiting for some one to come and offer them work. The shilliug rate will also allow of a considerable amount of Btreet and other work being done during the current year, and in no wise curtail the average yearly expenditure on such operations. For these reasons we are pleased that the majority o£ the Borough Councillors voted as they did and gave a small modicum of relief to the ratepayers.

Mr W- 8. Dnstin is the success ful caterer for the Alexandra Cavalry Ball on sth July in tho Drill Hall. . . The barquentine St. Kilda started this morning discharging her cargo of coals, eto., from Kewoastle, the usual promptitude being observed. At the Borough Counoil meetimg last nighW 'tenders were opened and considered for the weighbridge, and that of Mr F Barle's wm accepted. The Marquis of Queenrterry and his two aons, Lord Alfred Douglas and lord DoMglaa of Hawjok, werepxwenfc at the clow of the tri»l of "Wilde and Taylor. An aocident happened to one of the stewards of theStormbird while fishing outBide the Seed* jast prenoat to making port this afternoon. A fish hook entered hi» arm, making an ugly gash, medioal attendance being necessary whenhoJeaohed town. Colonel Fox will be in Wanganui shortly —probably at the end of the week— to disouai with the oflloeri matters conoerning the Naval Artillery. It ,i« hoped that i all interested will etrain every point to keep this (well disciplined oorps amongst the Colony's Volunteer Companies. One of oar most popular looal mnioißtn — Miss Bearer— announoes that she i» prepared to receive pupils for the pianoforte, and may be communicated with ab her addreu in Guyton-street Miss Bearer studied under a pupil of Sir Charles Halle, which shoold be sufficient guarantee aa to her ability as a musical instructress. I Ms J. DumbtU, auditing inspeotor, is at present in Wanganni engaged in auditing tho Borough OounoiVs books. Owing to the large amount of inspecting work neoen»ary in this district, the Department hare found it neoessary to permanently ,looate Mr Dumbell in Wanganui, and he has aocordingly taken up his residenoe here. MUs Blythe and her assistant teaohers are promoting a tea meeting and entertainment in aid of the prize funds at the Girls Sohool, to be held in the Drill Hall on the evening of Friday next. Foil particulars are pnblishsd by advertisement elsewhere, and from the number of tickets sold the gathering promises to be most enjoyable. Cat worship is being revived and in Christian England. London society is just now prostrated at the feline shrine. The Princess of Wales adores blue Persians ; the Ducheis of Bedford nerer travels without her idols in luxuriantly lined baskets ; Mm Millionaire Winans has her eats driven out in a kind of glorified bath ohair! The complete Australian gold returns for 189* show the total- output to be 2,196,000 ounces, an increase of 819,000 ounoas on the previous year The increase in New South Wales amounted to 146,500 ounces, Western Australia 96,200 I ounces, and Tasmania 20,800 ounces. The other colonies, with the exception of 1 Hr«w- Zealand, showed small increases. She terms of the convention which, has bean set up with zegarcl to the seizure of the barque Costa Bica, proviie that Great Britain and Holland shall invite a third power to nominate juries to consult and arbitrate as to tie amount of damage to be paid to the captain, officers, crew and owners of the vessel, consequent on the preventive detention of ths captain. The Auckland .Trade and Labour Council passed a resolution in favour of taking steps to publish a labour paper at Weilington. Also a vote of thanks to the ■ Premier for deciding on the erection of the Auxiliary Asylmm on the 00-operative principle. It was decided to write to the Minister of Labour regarding the continued practice of some of the employers deducting from wages money to pay insurance. Inventor Edison is now 47 years old and more in love with his work than ever. He puts in 15 hours a day. " Work," he says, " will never kill a man, My great grandfather died at 102, my grandfather at 108, my father is alive at 90, and they ail worked in their way as hard as I do." Bight yom are Thomas. It is want of work that kills. Bat would yon care to graft so hard for any other firm than Self and Co. P A ooirespondent of the Hawke's Bay Herald writes that he has noticed of late a strange bird swooping down on his garden whose mission appears to be death to snails. The bird appeared not unlike a hawk, bnt smaller, and is also like a hawk in his flight. He swoops down, seizes the snail in his claws, and after rising some distance is seen to pluok the molluek from its shell, which is dropped on tho ground again. The Bey. J. Thome, who is at present in New Zealand, is the fon of the Bey. James Thome; one of the founders of the Bible Christian denominations. Mr Thome's ministerial career, both in the old country and South Australia, has been attended with great suocess. He is en route for England with his sister, Miss Thorne, in order to be 1 present at the oelebration of his late father's centenary. i With regard to a letter appearing in our i last impression enquiring as to the salary of the Assistant Sanitary Inspector, it may be stated that Mr Copeland is in receipt of £150 per year, of which £100 is oharged to sanitary purposes and £60 to nuisances — he being the inspector of the latter. Mr Hawke is consulting yeterinary surgeon t o the Borough, for whioh he receives IS guineas per year. For the information of ratepayers it may ba mentioned that any available information on Borough matters will at all times be supplied on application to the Town Clerk. Firms with large capital have speoial ad* vantages denied to others whose oapital is restricted. When trade is dull and prioes low the business houses with large balanoos to tbeir credit in the bank can practically get goods at their own price. Messrs B. Hannah and Co., holding such a commanding position in tho boot market, have taken advantage lately of an opportunity offered tbem, and made what may be called a huge purchase of boots and shoes at very muoh lower rates than is usual, and having the lead in the New Zealand boot trade are determined to keep it by selling at lower prioes than anyone else, this being the only way to maintain first place. , At a meeting of the committee of tbe Wanganui Chess and Draughts Club held last week the following rule* for the annual tournament were adopted:— (l) The entrance fee will be one shilling and must be paid before the commencement of the tourneys (2) the knock out system will be adopted ; (3) each player will have to be defeated twice before being knocked out ; (4) players *ill be paired by lot and each player must play two games with his opponent, the player defeated losing one life ; (5) in xhe event of each player j winning one game, or both games being I drawn, no life will be lost j , (6) the pairing in each round will be by lot j (7) the odds table for chass will ba given as soon as the list of competitors is complate.and & sealed handicap for draughts will be placed in the hands of the Sacratiry. Entries can be wade forthwith, suwUlose on Friday evening, 7thJfwn.e, The club's room, just recently removed, is, situated in St. Bill street jusfc above the borough offices. Nights for practice are Tuesday and Friday from 7.80. The secretary would be glad to receive tbe names of any intending members at once, bo that arrangements can be made tor them to join in ths approaching contest.

•.port of laat night?" Jn»«*inß »* *>» ow>4*b. Council, «b which* longducuim took place on the Borough rates, and was ultimately decided to reduce the snesairate to one .billing. CBie «>«*«»• on rf the case-Alfred Evans*. Major iemp— tried in the Oowt yesterday also ppear. on the same page. Captain Bdwin wires :-Indioation« for jrong north to west and sonthweit winds fter 16 houw from now, »nd gluw faU, i l»A?pi^oWi 8 ::; n anticipation of an « wa .f 6 .°^ n^» md that the doctor wm qnite right m ». Eaaing to allow appliances and whnU Jto^ »ken to the oouwe or other pnbho amneement grounds. That most popular of^eatoioal ageata, Mfr L. J. Lohr, is to raymt Hew Zealand at once with a new attraotion in tee ihape of Mr Livingston Hopkin., the able oartooniit »nd caricaturist of the Sydney Bulletin, who is reported to be as able and witty • lecturer and entertainer as he a with lv pencil. Mr Hopkins' lectntes wdl be iUns ; teased by his own .ketches, "lightning" and otherwise. He will uoproye the shining hour sketching our own public ounointies.—Post. Mr B. H.Martin,managor for the Dreiden Piano Company (Wanganui Branch), has on hand a consignment of Violins, Double Basses, Banjoes, Zithers, Flutes, Clarionets, Brass Band Instruments, and Musical instruments of every description, with latest novelties, to sell from 10 to 16 per cent above London prices. Pianos from ererf maker in the world can be purchased on the Dresden hire purchase system «°m Mi monthly. Pianos from £85 to £300, American Organs f torn £15 to £80. Tamng and repairing, in. town or country at reduced oharge*. Inspection invited. ■ Dresden Piano Company, Yellow Shop, Tiotoni Avenue.— Adti.