MARRIAGE.

Malcolm—Holder. —On ; the 6th Oct., at Cameron Street Wesleyan Church, Ashburton, by the Rev. Wm. Keall, Frank Souter Malcolm, of Christchurch, to Alice Fanny, third surviving daughter of Thomas Riches Hodder. Nelson papers please copy.

The Ashburton Herald AND Borough and County Advertiser (With which is incorporated the “Evening Echo”). THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1880.

“ The Disruption.” —Our usual instal ment of the Disruption has been crowded tryout to-day by the demands on our space of the County Council report.

The Crusader. The Crusader has arrived at Lyttelton from London —95 days out.

... The San Francisco Mail. —The next English and European mail, via San Francisco, will close at the Ashburton rßost Office on Saturday, the 9th October, at 10 a.m.

Entertainment. —We remind our readers of tho entertainment to be given in |the Town Hall this evening by the Amateur Dramatic Club, in aid of the St. Stephen’s Church bazaar. Fire Brigade. —The monthly meeting of the Brigade wa3 held on Tuesday night, when beyond passing a few accounts, no thing of importance was transacted. Last night the usual drill took place on the section in Wills street, eighteen members being present.

CABLE NEWS.

LATEST FROM EUROPE

Per Keutei ’s Agency. Sculling Match. ' London, Oct. 5. The sculling match between Laycock and Blackman resulted in an easy victory for Laycock. Joined the Majority. The death of M. Offenbach, the well known French musician and composer, -was announced to-day. . Deceased was sixty one years of age. - --J The Australian Cricketers. The Australian cricketers left England to-day for the Continent, where they will 4 spend a few days. They then proceed to Suez, and will leave that port by the P. '“ and O. steamer on the 15th for Melbourne and Sydney. The Porte’s Proposals. Further details of the scheme proposed by the Porte to the Great Powei’s have now transpired. The Ottoman Govern ment offers to cede to Greece the frontier to South Janina in Epirus, and Larissa in Thessaly, hut the towns themselves not to be included in the ceded territory, as required by the supplementary Berlin Conference.

The Money Market. Four per Cent. New Zealand 10-40 Loan, 104 j ; Five per Cent. New Zealand 1889 Loan, 103. A Storm Brewing. October 6. •Y ■ The scheme for the settlement of thß Montenegrin question, which has been ; - proposed by the Porte, is considered an insult to Europe. The combined squad rons are now at Cattaro, and there are " rumours of an early display before ■ Stamboul. General Biddulph has de clared that it is not intended to withdraw from Cyprus.

AUSTRALIAN

{Per Reuter's Agency.') In Distress. Melbourne, Oc f . 6. The Albion has broken her shaft, about twenty miles from Wilson’s promontory. Assistance is required. : : Wool Sales. At Goldsbrough’s wool auction to-day there was a large attendance of foreign buyers, and good competition at 10 per cent, advance. , Sailed. Te Anau, for the Bluff. The Rotomahana. Arrived —The Union Company’s Roto mahana from the Bluff. The steam tug Rescue has gone to the assistance of the steamer Albion disabled off Wilson’s Promontory.

NEW ZEALAND

(Per Press Association.) Tattersall’s- Auckland. Oct. 0. The Tattersalls Club met last night and adopted rules. Our Dusky Brethren.

Tawhiao is keeping his people busily employed on large cultivations and bush between Hikurangi and Kawhia. The Kingites assume. an attitude of utmost indifference to what is passing in Taranaki. Some Maoris allied with the Waikato tribes have got into trouble there through their fencing proclivities, but Tawhiaos’ followers say that it serves them right, and that all this comes of their leaving their legitimate monarch and putting faitn in an usurper. Coal. The production of coal from the Waikato Company’s mine i 3 steadily increasing. The out-put last month was between 1,600 and 1,700 tons. The brigantine Clansman is now taking in a cargo of 160 tons for Oamaru. Taking Time by the Forelock. The Auckland merchants are making arrangements to develope a trade with the Waimate Plains when settled. Sir George Grey as a Cricketer. Sir George Grey has been elected patron of the Auckland Cricket Ciub. - ; • Can’t see it. At the Harbor Board meeting yesterday, a letter was received from Major Atkinson stating that a despatch had been received by the Admiralty, which stated that, look ing to the existing facilities for docking her Majesty’s ships on Australian stations, their Lordships were notpreparedto recom mend that assistance be given from the naval funds towards the construction of a new dock at Auckland, with a view to provision of further dock accommodation for the squadron. Complimentary. The members of the Auckland Presby tery gave a complimentarj’ breakfast to Mr S. Barton, the Rev. J. McKay, moderator, being President. He is the; first lay preacher licensed under the reso lution of last General Assembly of the; New Zealand Presbyterian Church.

More Changes. It is rumored here that changes are to take placi among the Constabulary. Sub- Inspector Pardy, Auckland, and Sub- Inspector Kenny, Thames, will be dis pensed with.

Land for the People. At a special meeting the Waste .Lands Board reconsidered their former decision, •and now agree to the sale of 17,600 acres of Te Aroha to Grant and Foster at the valuation of Percy Smith, Chief Surveyor, of 335. to 345. per acre, under stringent conditions as to the introduction of farmers, residence in and cultivation of the block. Criminal. At the Supreme Court to-day, Alex. Smith, seventeen years old, convicted for rape, was sentenced to three months im prisonment and three private whippings with the cat, twelve lashes each time. Cecilia Cassel and Eliza Harris, two girls, for stealing from a dwelling, got six months. Acquitted. Auckland, Oct. 7. At the Supreme Court, John Sainsbury, Whanganata, was acquitted on the charge of selling amunition to the Natives. Seamen’s Union. The Seaman’s Union last night elected a committee. The meeting was addressed by Langster, a delegate from Victoria. By Threes, Trot. A contingent of the Constabulary from Cambridge, at Alexandra, left yesterday for Wellington. Mediation. Grahamstown, Oct. 6. The Hon. Mr. Whitaker is here to ar range the difference between the natives of Hikutaia and the settler named Hal ley, over certain blocks of land. He will endeavor to overcome the objections of the Komato natives to constructing the main road. This business has been taken in hand by several Ministers of the Crown, but so far unsuccessfully. Arrest. Wellington, Oct. 6. The cook of the schooner Madeline has been arrested for attempting to use a knife against one of the seamen. Accused is a colored man. Practical Sympathy. Foxton, Oct. 6. The case against John Fredk. Rock straw, for a breach of the Medical Prac titioner’s Act, 1569, before the Resident Magistrate occupied the forenoon. De fendant conducted his own case, and made a good defence. He produced a letter from Ihe Government, showing that, although he was not legally registered, yet urged him to accept office as medical referee for Government insurance, and other posts. At the finish of defendant’s speech there was considerable applause. The Bench inflicted a fine of L'2s and costs. Several witnesses refused to take expenses (although subpoenaed for prosecu tion) when it was known that defendant had to paju The Kyeburn Murder. Dunedin, Oct. 7.

The trial of Ah Lee and Lee Guy, for the Kyeburn murder, commenced this morn ing. Mr. Rowlatt defends the former, and Mr. McDermott, the latter. Prisoner’s counsel challenged seven jurors, the Crown one. The trial is likely to extend into next week, as the interpretation pro ceeds slowly. Later. Counsel for defence having agreed to dispense -with interpretation, the case will be very much curtailed. Mr. Proctor, Invercargill, Oct. 7. Mr. Proctor’s lectures have been well attended." The third and final one will be given to-night, subject—“ The Sun.” Mr. Proctor leaves here for Dunedin to morrow. Land Sales. In the South-west district of Southland the acreage taken on deferred payments, for the quarter ended 30th September, was 10,158, and the annual receipts from same L 1,830. At the sale yesterday, of land on deferred payments, the upset price being 30s. per acre, the sections fetched from 38s. to L 4 ss. Lambing. Lambing is progressing favourably, and there is promise of a very high per centage.

Resident Magistrate’s Court

Thursday, October 7, 1880. (Before Mr. F. Guinness, R. M.) Police v. George Martin. This was an information brought under the Ashburton Bridge By-laws, clause three, accusing defendant of having ridden across the bridge at a greater pace than six miles an hour. Mr. Branson, for the accused, pleaded not guilty. Mullaney, bridge-keeper at South Ashburton, being sworn, said he gave defendant in custody for furious driving over the bridge. The defendant was coming from the north end at about fifteen to twenty miles an hour. The defendant gave in his name but not his address. A train was coming towards the bridge from Ashburton, and was about ton or twelve chains from the north gate. William Morse, gatekeeper at the north end of the bridge, said defendant was standing about three or four chains from the north gate. Witness saw a train coming down from the station, defendant being on the bridge at the time. Asked him to come off the bridge. As soon as defendant saw the train he went across the bridge. As far as witness could see, defendant was travelling from twelve to fifteen miles an hour. For the defence, accused and his brother were called, who swore that they were about a chain or two on the bridge when they saw the train coming from Ashbur ton. The bridge-keeper (Morse) motioned them to hurry across the bridge, and ac cused accordingly did so, only succeeding in getting across about a minute before the 1 train passed. Defendant’s brother swore that on coming off the bridge, he asked Morse if there would be time for defendant to get across, and the man replied in the affirmative. The defendant swore that when he heard the train ap preaching he turned his horse's head to : come off the bridge, and would have come off only that the gate-keeper (Morse) motioned to him to go across. His Worship said it was very clear that, defendant and his brother had mis-under-; stood the gate-keeper’s signals, and con sequently he would; not inflict any fine, but defendant would’have to pay for the livery of his horse from the time he (de fendant) was taken in custody, which would be 6s.

Mr. Bryce and Wiremu King.

Wellington, Oct. 6,

A letter has been addressed by the Hon. Mr. Bryce to Wiremu Kingi, the chief who was arrested with other native prisoners, and who was liberated with them on Monday last. Mr, Bryce reminds Wiremu Kingi of a promise made by Government to deal justly with the natives, and to settle their grievances on the West Coast as far as possible. He then points out that this promise has been fulfilled by the appointment of a Royal Commission, and proceeding on that Commission’s recommendations that cer tain natives’ claims should be settled, and ample reserves made for natives, Parliament has passed an Act empowering the Governor to give effect to these recom mendations, but at the same time Parlia ment has said that all acts of lawlessness must cease, and that any Natives who obstruct Government in giving effect to its plans will be punished as law directs. Mr. Bryce goes on to say that Govern ment has done, and is prepared to do, its part. Large and ample pieces of- land will be set apart for those Natives who desire that trouble should cease. Roads, which will benefit both Maori and Pakcha, have been made; and arrangements have also been made for friendly occupation of land by both races, side by side. Go vernment has said that it desires peace, not war, and its words have been proved. Even the arrests which have been made were to prevent foolish obstruction to settlement, obstruction which might have brought on war, —causing death to the Maori people. It only re mains for the Natives to accept what is offered ere it is too late, and Government has decided to set Wi Kingi and his com panions free, to prove the truth of the Governor’s words, that he did not wish to retain the prisoners longer than was ne cessary. In the interests of both races, Mr. Bryce adds that the desire of Govern ment is to release the rest of the prisoners, and this will be done if the proposals now made to the natives be accepted. The let ter concluded with an earnest appeal to Wi Kingi to help Government in causing confusion to cease, and promoting the real interests of his people.

Ashburton Town Hall Company (Limited).

The annual general meeting o he shareholders in this Company was held in the upper room of the Town Hail on Tuesday evening. There were fifteen shareholders present. Thomas Bullock, Esq., Chairman of Directors, presided, and after reading the advertisement calling the meeting, called upon the Secretary to read the report of the Directors.

The Secretary, Mr. Charles Braddoil, then read the following report :

In presenting their annual report, your Directors think they have good grounds for congratulating the shareholders on the year’s transactions as a whole, while the great commercial depression which has been felt throughout the year has prevented the returns being quite so good as they otherwise would have been' Since the last annual meeting, a loan from a building society was obtained to meet pressing liabilities, but it was found impossible then to raise a sufficient sum to make certain very desirable alterations and additions to the hall, and which, therefore, had to be postponed for some months, when your Directors made temporary ar rangements for the necessary-funds, and carried out the required alterations, which they think have given general satisfaction, and led to greatly increased busi ness, and will eventually amply repay the amount ex pended on them. The alterations made include two front shops, with a verandah, outside staircase, with lobby connecting with dressing rooms and with the body of the hall. The gallery has also been divided into a most convenient room for meetings, and a hand some dress circle. The stage has also been entirely remodelled and decorated, . and gas has been laid on throughout the building. It will, however, now be ne cessary to make permanent arrangements lor a suffi cient sum to pay off all liabilities, and from the present state of the money market, _ your Directors think there will be little difficulty in raising sufficient sum for the above purpose, if security be provided to the satisfaction of the lender. They therefore recommend a special general meeting being called for amending the articles of association, and enlarging the nominal value of the shares, so as to cover all risk to the lender. But it is not supposed to call up that capital or to issue the re mainderof the original 750 shares, but merely to enable a loan to be obtained on more favorable terms than otherwise could be done, by making the security to the lender undeniable. Your Directors think that a fixed loan of ;£i6oo at 8 per cent, may then be obtained, which will' effect a saving some £6O per annum on the existing loan of in the Building Society. All the Directors will this year retire, as, owing to a slight informality in the articles of association the proper rotation has not been provided for, and it is thought desirable to take the opportunity of rectifying this when considering the alterations as suggested above. The annua! statement of accounts has been printed and distributed among the shareholders, which we trust will be found satisfactory and approved.

The Chairman alluded to the proceed ings of the Company during the past year, and spoke hopefully of a dividend being declared next year. Owing to the im provements and alterations that had been made in the Hall during the past year, it was found impossible to declare any dividend at the present time. From the report before chem, the shareholders would see that the expenditure incurred had been advantageously laid out. Mr. Hugo Frielander said he was sorry, though a director, to saj’ that the com pany" had not been so successful as lie had wished. He saw by the balance sheet of last year as well as this year, that the com pany had made a loss of some L6OO. This was no doubt caused by want of sufficient capital, and being obliged to change the mortgagees. He would ask the Chairman whether the receipt would be sufficient to cover expenditure. The Chairman explained that in his esti mate the expenses would be about L3lO, while the revenue would amount to about L 450. This would allow a dividend of about 8 per cent., and also a sum to be carried to a reserve fund. The permanent improvements had cost a large sum, and this would not occur again. In reply to Mr. Purnell, the Chairman said that the reason of the item “ charges” being so high was because it included several old outstanding accounts and law costs, architect fees, &c. The Chairman then moved the adoption of the report, which was seconded by Mr. Purnell and carried. The Chairman drew the attention of the shareholders to the fact that owing to the informality connected with the articles of association, as stated in the report, the whole of the directors would retire, but were eligible for re-election. Mr. St. Hill moved that all the retiring directors be re-elected. Mr. R. Elston seconded the resolution, which was carried.

The Chairman, on behalf of the direc tors, thanked the shareholders for the honor they had done them in re-electing them, and hoped that next year they would show such a profit as would enable them to declare a dividend. Messrs. W. H. Zouch and W. H. Grundy were re elected Auditors of the Company for the ensuing year. The Chairman then brought forward the question of increasing the nominal value of the shares, and suggested the advisability of calling a special general

meeting of shareholders, in order to discuss this question, at as early a date as possible." Mr. St. Hill moved, and Mr. Roberts seconded, that a cordial vote of thanks be accorded to Mr. Cox and the other directors, 'which was carried unanimously. Mr. C. P. Cox suitably replied, and the meeting terminated. » . The directors then met, and Mr. Bullock was re-elected Chairman for the ensuing year. -•

Ashburton County Council.

The usual monthly meeting of the County Council was held in the Chambers yesterday. Present—Messrs. W. C. Walker (Chairman), E. G. Wright, Alfred Saunders, Thomas Bullock, Duncan Cameron, E. S. Coster, John Grigg, and Julian Jackson. MINUTES. Referring to an item in the minutes regarding an allocation amongst the Road Boards of L6OO odds, Mr. E. G. Wright said the resolution was informal, as notice of the resolution should have been given as required by standing order No. 5. The Chairman said the minutes ought to be passed first, and then any resolution could afterwards be rescinded. The ques tion of rescinding the resolution could be brought up at a later period. In the course of a discussion that fol lowed, Mr. Saunders said that, in refer ence to a remark by tire Chairman, that the rule had often been broken, it would greatly facilitate business aad ensure notices of motion being taken up at the meeting at which, it was intended they should be discussed, if the Standing Orders were revised and the position on the order paper of notices of motion were altered so that they could be heard at an earlier period in the day. The minutes having been read and con firmed, the ENGINEER’S ; REPORT was read as follows : 1. Approaches South Ashburton River Bridge, Mount Somers. —The contractor is making good progress with the earthwork of these ap proaches, the embankment on south side of river being nearly completed, and the cutting on north side has been commenced. As I stated previously, the bridge having been shortened at south end, some protective works will now be necessary to prevent the flood water being carried down by the branch of the river, passing the end of the bridge, from injur ing or carrying away the embankment. This, in my opinion, will be best done by stopping it near its junction with the main stream, at a point about 17 chains distant from the bridge, and the cost should not exceed L4O. As it is important that this work should be finished as soon as the work of the approaches, I shall be obliged by receiving the Council’s authority to put it in hand. 2. Approaches Nath Ashburton River, Pud ding Hill. —Some small matters of finishing are required here, otherwise the work of the approaches is complete. With a view to pre vent the Pudding Hill stream encroaching on this road, I have, as requested, called for tenders for protective work there. These will be placed before you to-day. 3. Taylor's Stream. - I obseive the current is setting in strongly towards the southern end of the bridge, and though there is no immediate danger, it seems advisable to have a few tons of boulders placed on the upper side, in such a manner as will lead the water into its original course. The expense of this would be trifling, as the boulders arc obtainable within a few yards of the spot. 4. Dam, Pudding Hill.- The concrete work, both for the dam and outlet, is now almost complete, and a few days more will suffice to finish the boulder slopes at weir. I have carefully examined the course of Chapman’s Creek, with a view of ascertaining how far it might be suitable as a carrying medium for the proposed water supply, and find that, by cleansing and regulating the channel, more or less, it might be utilised for a distance of miles. The quantity of earthwork requiring to be removed over that length would scarcely be more than the space the new concrete channel would occupy. There is a considerabe amount of absorption in a part of this creek near Mr. Chapman’s house, for a distance of about half a mile, but I have no doubt that this portion could be made watertight at small expense.

5. Fencing Approach to the Rakaia Gorge Bridge. —The materials for the fencing of No. 2 Contract are all on the ground, and are erected over about one-third of the required length. 6. Filter Basin, Belmont, Methuen. —This work is progressing satisfactorily, and about half the quantity of the excavation specified has been removed.

7. Tinioald Drainage. —The excavation of main drain, and also the bridge for Maronan Road, are now complete. The work remain ing to be done here, is the dressing of flood banks between the drain and the railway, and the clearing out of Mr. Carter’s creek, below the railway, as specified. 8. Water ton Drainage. —As requested, I have drawn up specifications for this work, in three contracts, and tenders for the work will be placed in your hands to-day. In order to pre vent damage to cropping the owner's on )a portion of The upper end, having consented to trim the gorse fence and remove the gorse cuttings, and also to do all the clearing out required opposite their own sections, at the rate of ss. per chain, they are now putting the work in hand as authorised by you. The question of field crossings, etc., will be arranged as the work proceeds. 9. Mount Harding Creek Extension. — Tenders for this work, on alternative lines, will be laid before you to-day. The object of this cut is, as you are aware, to connect the Mount Harding creek with the line of drainage recently executed, having its outfall into the North Ashburton river. This creek, in reality, forms the source of said line of drainage, but running out on to the surface as it does near the upper end of R.S. 24404, the flood water arising from it does much damage over the unconnected portion of the line drainage there, which extends over a distance of a mile and a half. So far as the floodwater from the creek itself is concerned, the blue line would serve the purpose equally as well as the other, but,{taking into account the damage liable to be done on Clunes farm and the district lower down the adoption of the line shown in red would, on the whole, probably prove more beneficial and this line, no doubt, more properly repre sents the true line of the creek, inasmuch as its course is clearly traceable for some distance down the line. Mr. Cameron, of Clunes, in consideration of the benefit which he would derive from the diain if taken through his land, is agreeable to give the necessary right of-way, and consents also to the severance of five or six acres of land which the new cut would entail. If it is found therefore that the tenders for work on that line are only slightly in excess of those by the other route, I should certainly recommend its adoption.

10. Diversion Chapman's Creek. —In com pliance with the instructions of Council, ten ders have been called for the formation of a new cut leading into Dry Creek, but since last meeting of Council it appears there has been such a mass of opposition raised to the carry ing out of this drain, that it will be for the Council to consider, whether it may not be better now to abandon it altogether. At a pojnt ftbove half a mile from Mount Harding,

Chapman’s Creek, which, higher up, runs in a gully from four to six feet in depth, spreads out on to the surface here, its natural course being across the West Coast Road, at a point on that road about half-a-mile north of cross roads at Methven township, and further down the plains its course is clearly enough defined. It crosses road and passes through Mr. Hender son’s R. S. 2828810 Cairnbrae station, at which, in order to prevent injury io the line of rail way, provision has been made for leading great part .of it into a large ballast pit near the station, which will no doubt prove to be a very beneficial step towards averting the damages which might arise from this source lower -down | the plains The existing gully past Devery’s old stable, on the line of an old watercourse, having its source near the Dry Creek, above the line of the West Coast Road, in the general direction of this course, it appears that a large volume of water finds it .way in times of flood ; but it is partially filled up in places, and is, besides, so very tortuous that it is of comparatively little service as a waterway. It joins the natural outlet from Chapman’s Creek, in R. 8. 28,288, already mentioned, and so flows on, in two separate courses, to Cairnbrae. The two lines refeired to are undoubtedly both natural courses, but without a large outlay they cannot now be made efficient as flood channels ; and in these circumstances it is questionable whether the owners generally in the district referred to are not liable to suffer more from overflow from so many points along inefficient lines of drainage than from the larger streams flowing in a tolerably well defined course, in the same gene ral direction from the Dry Creek.

At all events it is clear that nothing has con tributed more to render the original water courses referred to unserviceable, than the man ner in which obstructions have been raised, by the erection of turf and gorse fences for roads and fields, and from the want of suitable fords for leading the water across the road at the proper points. This is notably the case in the line of natural depression on West Coast Pvoad, half-a-mile from Methven, which repre sents the outlet from Chapman’s Creek, and as there is neither lord nor openings in gorse fence there, the effect is to lead right on to the tbwrship of Me 1 liven, a large portion of the flood water which should flow directly down the plains. The plough furrows leading across the paddocks above the West Coast Road have also the same effect. The silting up near where Chapman’s Creek runs out has also a tendency to throw the flood water towards Mount I lard ing Creek, but this latter is unmistakably a distinct line of drainage from that represented by Chapman’s Creek, and on no account should they be joined. The junction of the two would have the effect of rendering useless the drainage which has been nearly completed from Methven to the North Ashburton River, and of leading floodvvater altogether from its natural line, and from a district where it is comparatively soon lost in the shingle, to a district which is already well watered at all times, and all the more liable therefore to be overcharged in times of flood. It would appear that several of the owners are prepared to do the work necessary to lead the floodvvater through their own sections, and in that case the main point to be observed is the keeping clear of obstructing the lines of watercourses, and natural depressions all over the plains.

11. Cattle and Sheep Yards. —The con tractors are making steady progress with these yards, and will have them completed during this month. The pig pens are already finished. 12. Certificates. —I have granted certificates for all work done under my charge during the month. William Baxter County Engineer. DOG COLLARS. The Clerk laid the return on the table of dog collars sold within the County. hood’s crossing bridge. The Engineer was instructed to call for tenders for protective works at Hood’s Crossing Bridge. TINWALD DRAINAGE. On the motion of Mr. Wright, it was decided that the banks be harrowed down and sown with white clover. chapman’s creek drainage. On the motion of Mr. Wright, it was decided that no further action be taken regarding the drainage of Chapman’s dry creek, except proclaiming the distinctly defined watercourses, and instructing the Engineer to have all obstructions across these watercourses removed, notice being given to owners. This resolution was passed after a large amount of correspondence had been read, the tenor of which ivas an urgent protest against the plan proposed by the Council for draining Chapman’s creek by turning the storm-water into the dry creek. THE HOSPITAL. Messrs. Fooks and Son reported that the additions and alterations to the hospital had been satisfactorily completed. Several extra works had been done, but the amount would not greatly exceed the original estimate, The work of dressing the walls with silicate paint and pointing the stone work would now be proceeded with, having been delayed till the walls were dry, and the spring weather had set in. The relaying of the pipes had been delayed for the purpose of sub mitting to the Council a proposal by Dr. Trevor for the sinking of a concrete tank to receive liquid refuse, from which a tank barrow could be filled so that the refuse could be utilised for gai'den purposes. The extra cost would be about Ll 5. The report suggested the protection of the apparatus, cocks, etc., of the windmill from the weather, by the erection of a wooden framework over the lower portion of the mill, which erection would also supply a tool-house. The post and wire fencing had been completed at a cost of only 3s. 6d. per chain, and the grounds were now completely enclosed. The report was adopted, and the sug gestions made ordered to be acted upon.' THE SEVERANCE OF THE LONGBEACH ROAD BOARD. The Colonial Secretary wrote, enclosing correspondence on the subject of the pro posed severance of the Tinwald-Winslow district from the Longbeach Road Board, included in which was a petition from ratepayers in the first-named district, and letters from the Longbeach Road Board, giving reasons why the proposed division should not take place.

Mr. John Grigg, in supporting the Board in its opposition to the proposed separation, gave a lengthy and detailed explanation of tho following letter sent by him to the Colonial Secretary : Winslow, 9UI September, 1880. Sir, —I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the numbers and date quoted in the margin, enclosing a copy of the petition demanding a severance of a portion of this district, to be constituted a separate road district, and to thank you for the same. And in reply to three reasons given in that petition why severance is desirable, and in op position to the prayer of the same, this Board desires me to say Ist. The rateable value at which land is assessed is not a question for either his Excellency the Governor or a road board to decide, ratepayers having the redress in thrir own hands at the Assessment Court. As a matter of fact, however, the land referred to in the petitiou as being of a “ poorer and lighter quality ” has this year been valued at ss. and ss. 6d. per acre, and the swamp land at 12s. and

13s. per acre; also, there was not a single objection to any assessment of the property belonging to those persons who signed the petition. 2nd. A former Ashburtcnjboard did refuse to form a portion of the road which would form the eastern boundary of the severed portion, because that piece of road would cost a great deal to form, and in the board’s opinion was not much needed. The Long beach Road Board would still oppose the for mation of that piece of road just now. As for the reads in Tinwald township, they are streets laid out by Messrs. Wilkin and Car ter on their private land, and are still un dedicated to the use of the public, consequently the Board have not the power to spend the pnblic money on them. 3rd. As an answer to the third reason, I beg to submit the following statistics to you, which I may explain in this way : Taking the part of the district proposed to be severed, and said to contain about 11,000 acres as one block, I compare the length of metalled, formed, and unformed roads in it with consecutive blocks of 11,000 acres each, the whole district being about SB,ooo acres in extent, and the respective estimated costs of each :

In the foregoing table the part to be severed is No. 1 block, and half the length of roads which form boundaries of blocks are charged to each of the blocks they bound.

Taking particular items, three miles of the road on the eastern boundary of block No. 1 and half a mile of road through the middle of it were the most expensive roads formed in the district, with the exception of one mile on the southern side of the Hinds river, and which is miles away from this No. I block. This Board gave the matter their most care ful consideration at the time they were asked to have the whole district divided into wards, and would point out that if this portion is severed from the district, the remaining portion of the district would still be petitioned to be divided into five sub-divisions.

In conclusion, the Board would respectfully suggest that the question of severance or sub division be referred to the Ashburton County Council for their opinion or recommendation, that body being composed of gentlemen having local knowledge, and being capable of coming to a just and impartial decision.—l have, &c., John Grigg, Chairman Longbeach Road Board.

Mr. E. G. Wright thought the return submitted by the Chairman of the Long beach Board was not worth the paper he had written it on, seeing that it was founded on a most erroneous basis. In a conversation with the Longbeach Riad Board clerk, the latter had told Mr. Wright that the estimates for metalling had been made at 2s. fid per yard for all the roads, while they were all aware that metalling of roads was the most expensive part of the work, and that the price paid for shingle varied from Is. 3d. to 4s. per yard, or even 53. That portion of the estimate was thus valueless. In one part of the return twenty odd miles were re ferred to, but they included the Great South Road, which was common to the whole Longbeach district. The Chairman of the Longbeach Read Board was very inconsistent, for, while he said that any part of the district that wished might separate itself from the main district, he had been at great pains to make out a case against such severance. He would counsel waiting for the deputation who were coming, and the Council had heard what they had to say. Ho would then advise adjourning the matter for further consideration. The Chairman was averse to the es tablishment of a bad precedent, which he thought the division of the new Road Board would be. He thought a block of land comprising 11,000 acres was too small to form an independent road dis trict, and if this secession were allowed, there was no saying where the movement would stop, but probably blocks of 5,000 or 6,000 acres would want independent positions. The Council ought to discour age secessions of this kind. Mr. Saunders was not opposed to a portion of a Road Board being erected intc a separate Board if it was to their ad vantage, bub he thought the Council ought to have in view the general interests of.the whole district, and that each Board have care of sufficient length of road to enable them to work for the general in terests. The Council ought also to dis courage the increase of expenditure that was unprofitable, such as the additional officers that would be necessary by adding to the number of existing Road Boards. The matter was adjourned till half-past two, when a deputation waited on the Counci re separation of the Tinwald-Win slow district from the Longbeach Road Board. The deputation consisted of Messrs. Graham, Carter, Beggs, Scott, Jephson, Davison, and Houston. The Chairman read the letter on the subject, from the Colonial Secretary, en closing a copy of the statement (given above) by the Chairman of the Longbeach Road Board, showing why the prayer of the petitioners should not be granted. Mr. Graham said he was much taken by surprise at the statement just made, as they understood there would be no diffi culty about the matter, and Mr. Grigg had stated to Mr. Carter that the only difficulty would be the apportioning of the value of some buildings. Mr. Grigg, in reply to a statement made by Mr. Graham as to the figures he had given, said they were correct as regarded the main facts. There had been one or two unimportant omissions, but the figures given for roads actually formed were taken from the returns of work actually done. They had been compiled by the Surveyor To the Board, and had been submitted to a former Surveyor under whom the work had been done, and both were satisfied of their fairness’jas an estimate. He could thoroughly realise the disappointment the gentlemen must feel when they heard 1

those figures read, buthe was quite sure that they could only have signed the petition in ignorance of the facts. The figures, he could assure them, were a fair representa tion of the position, even though the document had been compiled hurriedly, most of the members of the Board hfiilW

unaware of any movement on the part of those whom the deputation represented to procure severance. He had no idea until very recently that such was their intention, and it was only a short time ago that a movement to divide the district into wards had been set on foot.

Mr. Wright did not advocate the cause of the deputation, but would only point out the errors that had been made. Mr. Grigg had stated that the statement which he sent to the Colonial Secretary was one intended to bias that officer’s mind against the division, and Mr. Grigg had no right to send to Government a statement which was hurriedly got up. Mr. Wright then pointed out that the figures given by Mr. Grigg were founded on an erroneous basis, and he was sure that a strict examination would bring these figures out in an inverse ratio to what they appeared on the state ment. In regard to blocks 6,7, and 8, they were also seeking separation.

Mr. Graham said that he had seen in the Lyttelton Times a statement of the financial condition of the Road Boards, and the only one shown to be in debt was the Longbeach Board. This had since - been said to have been a clerical error. If this were so'there was a chance that the Avhole affairs of the Board were full of clerical errors. He hoped that he would k have a chance to look into the books of the Board and verify these figures. Rate payers did not feel confidence in the Board, which had only been eighteen months in existence, and yet the chairman, in defining its position, went away back to 1886. If the Board had been composed of business men, they would have .seen that they were in a proper position to start with a clean sheet.

Mr. Grigg desired to know if the depu tation had made themselves acquainted with the facts of the case before they signed the petition ? Had they made an effort to discover whether the swamp landl' been valued at a high figure and the.dry land at a low one 1 . Mr. Graham said that he had examined the roll, and he had found his own*light land -valued at 12s. per acre, while Mr. Grigg’s swamp land was valued at Bs. fid. The deputation having withdrawn, Mr. Saunders moved that the applica tion for the separation of the Tinwald District from the Longbeach Road Board be considered at a future meeting of the Council, and that the petitioners in the - meantime be requested to inquire into the accuracy of the statistics furnished to the - Colonial Secretary by the Longbeach Road Borrd. Mr. E. G. Wright seconded the motion,' which was carried. MORTUARY CHAPEL. efi ' The Council having no funds available for the purpose, declined an application for aid in the erection of a mortuary chapel at the cemetery. CLOSING A ROAD. - The Mount Hutt Road Board forwarded a resolution passed at a meeting of rate- • payers, to the effect that a road running through sections No. 15380, 7325, 26j303, 1324, and 7345 should be closed, as it wSB'~" of no public benefit. • ' The Clerk was instructed to ascertain how much of the Act of 1880 had been complied with.

THE BOROUGH’S SHARE OF THE LAKH FUND.' The Mayor and Mr. Williamson waited on the Council as a deputation from the Borough Council, and the Mayor again urged the claim of the town for a share of the land fund accrued previous to the separation of the township from the Road Board. Mr. Williamson as an old member of the Board, stated that the old Ashburton Boad Board had promised to pay the municipality the share of the land fund that was due to it, as soon as the money was paid by the Government. There were members of the old Board present who would bear out his statement, and he had just seen Mr. Hunt, another old member, who had remembered the promise given. Mr. Wright said it was always an un pleasant thing for public bodies to disgorge ■' money that had been paid them, but there was something of more value to the mem bers of public bodies than simply the ac quisition of funds—that was the principle of equity and fair play. He was quite aware that the Borough was entitled to the money they claimed, for the simple reason that at the time it accrued it was a portion of the Ashburton Road Board, and he thought the difficulty had occurred through the delay that had taken place in settlement. The matter he believed was simply an oversight, and he thought 'as the sum was but a small one, that in future allocations the Borough should, be .in cluded in the Wakanui and Longbeach Road districts, with a view to refunding the money. He would give notice of a motion on the subject. Mr. Bullock having spoken in support of the Borough’s claim, Mr. Grigg said there had been no over sight in the matter as Mr. Wright had said, and the difficulty was just simply that parties did not understand their position in the matter. When the town ship became a municipality, it relinquished its claim to the land fund, Government having made special provision for muni cipal bodies, and the County Council had voted L 5 ,000 towards a water supply for the municipality. It was a question whether that sum was not a vote in satis faction of all the claims of the Borough upon thme. The Borough was entitled to lb per cent, of all the reserves within it, and when it became a Borough, it came into possession of these. This he looked upon as a provision made by Government for placing the Borough in an independent position. It was to no purpose to say that the Wakanui Road Board had paid their share of the money, because they did it in ignorance. Mr. Coster was of opinion that the Borough’s claim was well founded, and spoke in favor of its being paid by the County Council. / The Chairman said he fully recognised * the right of the Borough to their share of the money at the time it accrued. But why it had not got its share was owing to the delay that had taken place in the pay ment of it by the Government. He would remind them, however, that all the money that belonged to the Road Boards - had been allocated by the Commissioner, and the land fund that accrued was really and truly County revenue, ard the Borough had no more claim upon it than he had. He would not speak in this strain unless

THE ASHBURTON HERALD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1880.



Blocks Length of road metalled. Average cost per chain. Length only formed. Average cost per chain. t5 " S £/> k 55 « 1 Total lengths of road line in each block. 1 Totalamounts of money ■ spent on roads in each block. No. M. Chn. £ s. d. M. Chn. £ s. d. M. Ch. M. Ch. £ s. d. i 21 36 5 5 3 5 66 2 6 0 4 12 31 34 10,102 5 0 2 ii 79 7 4 9 4 33 3 2 6 19 6 35 43 8,059 10 3 3 15 17 4 16 1 2 12 1 5 0 12 10 29 39 6,061 13 5 4 7 3i 3 15 0 7 46 1 3 6 12 72 27 69 2,928 6 0 S i 60 389 1 78 2 5 0 21 0 24 58 836 15 0 6 i 14 3 10 0 2 72 3 1 6 11 0 15 6 1,042 8 0 7 46 220 2 62 6 9 0 28 42 3i 7o 1,528 10 0 8 3 68 670 2 7S 4 17 6 20 58 27 44 3,116 1 0 Totals <53 3i 30 52 129 40 223 43