I saw one woman at Melbourne with a good sized portmanteau, which was evidently a strain on ber strength, 61)9 ,

Those who were present in the Council Chamber in November last, when Mr Corkill brought forward^ a series of resolutions advocating retrenchment iv Borough affairs, and witnessed Mr Bellringer's excitement when denounc ing them, must oertainly have been very amused at his apparently sudden conversion on Friday night. The mantle of the retrenchment reformer, however, does not sit well on the shoulders of a man like Mr Bellringer. He is not of that class who oau see any advantage to be derived in reducing expenditure, When he has the ratepayers' money to play ducks and drakes with; as ia evident from the wasteful expenditure that has been going on in this town since he has been Chairman of the Publio Works Committee. He had, however, the egotism on Friday night to claim what credit there was in bringing about the retrenchment, when rtally the rate, payers are indebted to others in the. Council, who, although, their names do not -figure prominently in print as the originators of the scheme, were the ones who aotually forced the matter on, muoh to Mr Bellringer's chagrin. However, there is a substantial reduotion in the rates, and the retrenchment will in no way effeot the efficiency of the services, If, however, the system of tender was introduced for the publio works required, and day labour abolished, the money at the Council's command would be more than sufficient to keep oar roads in a far better state than they have been for the last three or four years. The revenue of the Borough shows a decrease of £952. This is owing to a reduction in the rates, as well as to the i General Government ceaßing to pay a subsidy towards the Hospital and Charitable Aid Fund.. The total amount estimated to be expended during the present year, of which two months will have to be paid for at the present wasteful outlay, ~is £4696. With regard to the estimates, when the items come to be disseoted, the reductions, are- not so very large after all. Take the streets, for instance. There is an apparent. saving of £283, whereas the actual redactions only amount to about £178,uotwithstanding there is a cart and horse and two men to be knocked off. 