MISCELLANEOUS.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, 17 May 1880, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

Mr Bohem's etatae of tho late Prince Louis Napoleon is ready for removal to ! Westminister Abbey. Since the passing of Ine Land Act, I 1877, there have been 38,608 acres of « land in the Provincial District of OtagO taken up on the Deferred Payment Bjß--£137,468, bong a little over £3 11s per ' acre. The North Otago Time, i By B that the \ names of Messrs John Beid of Elderlie, W.H.S.Eober»s, and W.L. Eeesare mentioned as probable candidates for the seat just vacated by Mr Hislop. The Mai! adds the names of Messrs J. 8. Holmes, D. Sutherland and J. M'Leai. A case of considerable public interest is about to be heard at Ca?*frtOß. A little boy named Robinson, it is stated, was severely beaten by a school teacher for an alleged act of larrikinism. The little fellow was afterwards adzed with a ' fatal illness, and has since died. Although the illness is not said to be attributable in any way to the beating a criminal infermation has been laid against the teacher by the father. Mr Stratford, Rggfdest Magistrate at Queenstowu. has given a decision that will startle publicans. A local hotel k&eper who had been summoned for keeping bis bonse open after 10 p.m., proved that bis bar was closed, but the restaurant portion of the house, some distance away from the bar, and in the rear of it, was open to admit his boarders. Mr Stratford holds that ifTs not sufficient to lock the bur, but all parts of the house to which the public have access ordinarily must be shut up. He imposed a nominal fine of 10s. The Sydney Morning Herald mentions that the Commissioner for the Japense Empire on March 24 presented to the Colony of New South Wales a magnificent collection of Japanese works of art, comprising vases, cabinets, incense* burners, &c. As an evidence of the friendly feeling existing between the Go vernment of Japan and that of this Co'ony, the presentation is one of eon* siderable importance. Mr Haruo Sakata, in a letter which accompanied the presen* tation. remarks :—>' l hope that the people will not need to admire this collection long as a curiosity and antiquity of Jspan, because my desire is that every part of New South Wales may be filled up with our natural and manufactured articles soon in future, and under the same view, about 40,000,000 friends in Japan will always lore and use the articles used and manufactured here, so that the products of fhe two countries will soon become familiar to each other. As eyery one knows, the distance be* tween the two countries is not very far, and if special arrangements be made through the direct ronfe, the mutual communication can be effected in about three weeks, and consequently the national intercourse between the two countries will be increased more and more hereafter.' It is stated that some of the vases and cabinets presented bare a very high price placed upon them, varying from £25 to £75. The Post, speaking of unprofitable railways, makes the following remarks s —A few days ago we analysed the last railway returns, and showed that, while the main trunk lines of the colony al- I ready yielded a respectable revenue, and j paid a fair proportion of the interest on j their cost, the branches and * political * j railways either yielded nothing orerandj sbove working expenses, or else wejM worked at a loss of from 6 to 143^^J cent., the current expenses on some Otago and Canterbury branch linea^^^J half aocrown for every shilling We expressed our surprise that^^^H these hard facts before us we shot^^^H tenders invited for other branch ltn^^H Canterbury and Otago, almost pree^j^J similar in their nature, and contracts^! being entered tnto for continuation of J , such unprofitable lines as those from Nel* I son and Pieton. We are glad to see, however, that the Public Works Depart ment in the South Island has been in' structed to decline the tenders received for a number of these new lines and < branches, includioe the Balclutha Catlin's Hirer, LumsdenoMararoa, and Canter* bury Interior railways, pending the report of the Royal Commission on New Zealand railways, it is needless to repeat ' our oft expressed opinion that the Government should have had the moral , courage to refuse point blank to entertain ■ the idea of proceeding at present with these railways of doubtful value, until at least the main trunk lines in the North '■ Island were completed, and that they should not have conceded even the reference to a Royal Commission; in fact, that the Commission itself was a grave mistake. We hope that as the matter has been referred to the Commission it will be dealt with purely on its merits, without reference to locaH pressure and iuflaence. At the same time we must ' frankly confess that we are not excessively sanguine in this direction. Even Eoyal Commissioners are but mortal, ani irreverent, as our fears may seem, we are much troubled with doubts whether such a thing as • log-rolling ' may not intrude even into the sanctum sanctorum of a Bailway Commission. We hope not, but yet we fear. In any case, however, and whatever may be the report of the Com* missioners, we earnestly hope that Ministers will stand firm, and positively refuse J!

to waste the small remaining balance of the last loan on any new lines as to th« profitableness of which they are not absolutely assured. Catholic priests in Russia are instructed by the Pope not to mix in the political agitation there. The Auckland Star of Monday sa?« :-• We are informed by Captain W. Parqaliar that when the Gleneljr was tearing Tauranga on Saturday evening, th« Taupo was six feet abore water and rest* ing on blocks. The men had been oortr* tog the holes with canvas on Saturday. It will thus be seen that the effort! of Mr Self, the contractor, bare been partially crowned with success, and, should the weather hold good doling the present week, il is bettered the vessel will b« railed, A Titnaru paper has it on tolerably good authority that Mr Spertev, eon* tnissioner under the property, tax baa is* sued instrnetions to the assessors that is casei where they bare any doubt as to the property coming within the scope of tk» Act, which fixes a limit of £500, they ere> to fix an excessive valuation, a&d a)U W the persons aggrieved to appeal and pro?* that the value of their property it ItM than the amount estimated* The value of gold exported front Kew* Zealand daring 1879 was , £1,134.641, Wool figures for £3,126,439, Wheat the next most valuable export, amount* ing to £520,896. The total value of i exports daring last year is pal down at £5,473,126. Mr Stout, in the Dunedin Echo. gives the following reasons for the non* imposition of the Property fax r— Let as in conclusion state the reasons why the Property Tax has not bees enforced. We believe the reasons are-»first be* canse direct taxes are unpopular* and the Ministry believe that were it eu« forced sach a storm would be raised at wonld sweep them from the benebet. Hence they delay it until Parliament is about to meet. Second, some of their supporters an* opposed to all direct taxes. Third— >they wish to make the Assembly believe that the finaaeae aw in such a muddle that a change of Ministry would be moat inopportune. Fourth, because they are now beginning , to see difficulties -of levying an ali round property tar. #