JUDGE RICHMOND ON SOCIAL LIFE.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1803, 2 May 1874, Page 3

JUDGE RICHMOND ON SOCIAL LIFE.

The following charge was delivered by Judge ttichnund at Hokitika lately: — " I might be allowed to congratulate you ; upon the concession to the district of a' Provincial Constitution. Practically, there may not be much difference between the power of local self-government which you recently enjoyed and tuose whicn belong to you under the new order' of thiugs. The powers and functions of' your County Chairmau were pretty nearly those of a Superintendent. But words and names go for a good deal in this world; and I cm well understand that the political weight of the district will bo increased, by the change. At the least the alteration may be taken to indicate the opinion of those who should be best able to judge of the matter that the settlement of the coast is now established on a permanent basis,' and had now prop jrty, and not mere nomads unlit to be charged with, because uninterested in, the permanent welfare of the district, in a social point of view, the permanence of these settlements is a subject of unmixed rejoicing. It is a sorry schema of life under which men pass their best years in ■ a place to which they are bound by no social tie, and in which they are charged with no political obligation. Aly own connection with this distriot has now existed seven years, and lam addressing many whose residence here must have extended close upon ten years, tiuoh periods as these are substantial parts of a man's activo life. Our powers of work apd enjoyment rarely extend with anything like vigour beyond four suoh periods, but it is a oommon thing to .see men devoting the whole of this lime to a mere provisional existence, selfimly ab-. sorbed in tlie effort to accumulate wealth for future enjoyaunt at a period wuen perhaps the poiver of onjoym-mt will be , past, aud neglecting in themeantiiuto take up the enjoyments and tne duties of social life; remaining without interest ia their place of abode, or in tne. welfare of the people in whose midst they are spend* iug their best days. Tlie creation of the provinoe of Wostland should mirk tho termination amongst us of sucb a provi- • sioual state of life, and call upon all the inhabitants of this district to take upon themselves the full aud complete, obligations of citizens of New Zealand. In the important matter of oonduotin particular, ; you will no doubt be looked to not to r : fall below the general standard of. the .colony. The province which shall allow , its larrikins to develop into full-fledged criminals, will be justly blamed as naving neglected those means of prevention and reformation which lie within tho poworof the legislators, i'ho calendars will be looked to affording some test of the extent to which the several provinces fulfil their duties in this respeot.-: y