Wanganui Herald.

Wanganui Herald, Volume X, Issue 2766, 28 April 1876, Page 2

Wanganui Herald.

[published daily.]

FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 187G

When Martin Luther, after listening; with undisguised impatience and irritation to various arguments against the doctrine of the Real Presence, wished to clinch the arguments on his own side, and so settle the quest : on, he seized the table cover and shook it at his opponents, after he had written on

it with a piece of chalk the wouls i( hoc est corpus meum." Doubtless the great Reformer intended this as a hint that Theological controversy generally consists in throwing dust into the eyes of one's opponents, and the remark is ! equally true of political discussion. As the champion of Otago Provincialism, Mr Macandivw, Ims shaken his table cover— vde his first letter to the Premier— but the text inscribed on it would have been to us what that abovequoted will bo to those of our readers who don't know Latin, if we were not fortunate enough to have an interpreter in tho Southland Daily News. _ Onr contemporary undertakes to enlighten the ignoranco of Abolitionists on the subject of the " Political Communism " alluded to in Mr Macandrew's letter, and he does so by declaring that "an essential feature of tho Abolition scheme is the equalisation of provincial incomes, by throwing the land rcvonne into one common purse." In explana tion of this startling announcement the News proceeds as follows ; "No other reasonable interpretation of clause 17 — (of the Abolition Act)— is, we maintain, possible. That clause runs thus — ' If in any case it shall happen that the land revenue raised within any Provincial district for any one year shall be insufficient to meet the charges imposed thereon (via., interest on debts and other liabilities, .cost of surveys and administration, and with the annual payment to Road Boards of .£1 for every Jl\ raised by rates) it shall be lawful for the Colonial Treasurer to borrow and raise such a sum as shall be sufficient to make up the deficiency in the land revenue of such provincial district for any such year.' Now, it is quite certain, to begin with, that a majority of the provinces will be in the position of not having " sufficient land revenue," and therefore recourse to borrowing will be at once necessary. The Act says that tho money so raised shall be ' a charge upon the future land revenue' of the province receiving it, but it is well known that some of them will not have any to speak of for all time to come, so that although ' charged to their account ' ifc might as well be written off as a bad debt. The Treasury Bills will fall due, however, and have to be paid. From what source ? The land fund as a matter of course. We are told that under abolition the land fund will be secured to the districts in which it is raised, but those who say so, either do not understand plain English or practice wilful deception. If it were really intended to localise it in a more equitable manner than hitherto, what need would there be for 'colonialising' it in the first instance ? What should we say of a person holding land iv foe simple who should convey it to another under the impression that his tenure would bo improved 1"

With regard to the last two questions we must remark, in justice to our contemporary, that they were asked before there was anything more than rumour for the charge made against the Otago Provincial Government, in reference to its late shameful attempt to job away a larg« portion of the public estate. We would also remind him that ifc is a change of trustees, not a change of pro2)rietors, that is contemplated by tho Abolition Act. The lands of Otago, the pvopcity of its people, are to be entrusted to other trustees than those at present in charge of them ; and whether the change is necessary let the late attempt at spoliation, by no means a solitary instance of its kind, bear witness. But perhaps this is an instance of our contemporary's inability to " understand plain English," — ■vrc would not for the world accuse him of practising "wilful deception," — and, if so, it is not the only one to be met with in the above extract. Anyone who did not read clause 17 of the Abolition Act through a pair of Provincialist spec taclcs, would perceive at onco th.it tho loans authorised are intended to meet two classes of liabilities and two only, namely, the cost of extinguishing the native title, and the cost of settlement, the latter including, of course, expenditure incurred in governing tho newly settled districts. The absurdity of contemplating any other liabilitits as charges on the land revenue exclusively must strike all persons except those who " do not understand plain English." Consequently, if a Province has no landed estate and no land revenue, it cannot want a loan of the kind contemplated in tho Act. In short, our contemporary is like that famous Irishman who got astride on tho branch of a tree, and sawed it across between the trunk and his own person. A better answer to his argument than that which his own words supply could not be de siied, and as we should be sorry to charge him with "toilful deception," wo can only conclude that he began the art of deception by practising it on himself, and herein he is, we fear, the representative of a laiv-e class of Provincialists.

A gkntlbman" informs us thai he has strong reasons to believe that if vaccination were not compulsory in the Colony, a stream of immigration would set in of a desirable ciass from tho mother country who view tho Vaccination laws as into'erable to a free people. This idea, we believe, is perfectly new, but we are not prepared to say how far it may bo true. It might be stated in reply that it would be better to do without immigration than permit small pox to decimate our population. We cauno 1 -, however, but sympathise with the victims of vaccination, tl.o proof being over-whelming that vile diseases are often convoyed with tho vaccine lymph to otherwise healthy subjects. Mr Bright h;\s offered his protest against compulsory vacciuatiou, and entirely irrespective of immigration results, wo concur wi h those who hold that i t is oppressive to farce parents if) submit their children to so very dubious an opsration. Whe:i Lady Mary Moi.tigu introduced inoculation of tho small pox

itself, the English people rushed into it umler the advice of the doctors of that day, and wero carried off in great numbers. But upon Jenner's discovery, Parliament made inoculation, which had previously been so fashionable, criminal, and Society— infallible Society— went in for the " curdling of the young blood " by means of cow-pox. There are many observant physicians who have already set their faces against it, relying entirely on isolation to remove the scourge. With respect to the possibility of a change in the law, it is the hardest thing in the world to provont a colonial legislature from imitating the English, and the law of compulsory vaccination will probably remain in force in New Zealand until it it is repealed at home.

A Gazette has been published giving a return of the Customs Revenue for the quarter ending 31st March. We regret to see that it falls below expectations, and even does not come up to that of the corresponding quarter of last year. It stands thus : for the quarter ending March 1876, £317,743 ; for the quarter ending March 1875, £320,523. The falling off is principally in ad valorem goods. The duty on spirits shows an increase this year on the corresponding quarter of last of £3,504. We need an explanation of the following facts : Goods hy weight yielded £14,225 in the March quarter of 1875, and £17,376 in the corresponding quarter of 1876. But the ad valorem, ten per cent dutieß declined, from £111,919 in 1875 to £95,923 in 1876. The Customs Revenue will fall short this year of that anticipated by the Colonial Treasurer by about £90,000. '

At the B.M. Court this (Friday) morning, before Dr Giles, a case of assault in which James Spoor was the plaintiff and Mary Timmins the defendant was dismissed. On the civil list there was only one caso set down for hearing,, viz., that of John Ballance against Montague Mosloy, claiming £7, for cish lent. Judgment was given for the plaintiff, for amount and costs 14s.

The improvements that arc now being cairied out on Taupo Quay by way of widening that street, certaiuly call forth voluntary expressions of commendation. Drays are constantly depositing sand in those hollows on the river side of the cart road, which are being rapidly raised on a level with the rest. - While these oper.Uious are going on the withdrawal of the sand from Eidgway Street is producing an improved state of things there. On the Quay several drains arc undergoing a cleaning process preparatory to the insertion of pipes. The noxious effluvia which rises at times from these drains, has long been au admitted fact, but we may now expect to have heard the last complaints, and that the Quay will in future present a far better appearance.

The Wanganui Court House, and all that it contains, is made up of a conglomeration of defects which besides offending the eye, are very trying to the flesh. Eor a witness who £is exerting all ike lung-power with which nature has endowed him, to be constantly addressed like a '• driving ' dog, and told to "speak up !" is au ordeal, which if he is a timid man, makes him as nervous as a bride at. her first altar, and if he be the reverse, aud has rebellious blood in his veins, he feels inclinod to pitch himself at bis tormentor. In any case he returns to more cougenial haunts with the fixed couviction that Bench, -Bar, aud Police are all iv a state of chronic deafness. But besides acoustioal short-coniiugs the temple of justice was so full of dust the other day that the jury were nearly choked, the bar "dashed their wigs"' and luspector Atcheson, spotting the first harmless looking ofUcial that came within optical range, addressed him with that characteristic mildness which preserved all the dignity of pomp and power Last night there was an attempt by way of diversion, and to relieve thenronotony of " points "of law constantly bristling "like quills upon the fretful porcupine," to enact the foolish virgius on a limited and economical scale, but tho judge ordered them to pub more oil in their lamps aud the Court was saved from tho most dismal of Egyptian plagues. We cannot speak for the seats throughout the building, but the varnish on that especial one set apart for the representatives of the Press is rather affectionately tenacious and we must protest against being forcibly detained longer than necessary. In the meantime wo leave the Court-house to develop sonic new and. startling i>haze in the history of its existencr.

To-night (Friday) the Camelias will give their second and last performance, and as the expenses in connection with the Hall considerably reduce tho net proceeds of the entertainment.the public will see the necessity of exercising au enlightened liberality, especially when we inform them that a charge is made for the use of the Hall during rc-hear-sals. But then it is the property, or is under the management of odd fellows. To quote from a Bones whom we once knew in the flesh we have every faith in our "sweetsceufced friends " agaiu provoking an ovation.

The sale which Mr Arthur Beauchamp advertises for to-morrow (Saturday), at Mr C. Tester's Victoria Avenue, is well worthy the attention of those who require anything in the way of furniture, or the other ct cetera «, which go to make up the necessary adjuncts of a well planished establishment. Everything to be offered, wo believe, is in excellent condition.

The Westport Times of the 2lst inst . says : " The s s Wallabi crossed the Grey bar, on her last visit there, by a fluke. It is customary to take a low iv from the harbor steadier, but tho break was too rough for the Despatch to venture cut. Seeing this and noticing signs of worse weather approaching, Captain Leys put his boat to her best and by dint of hard steaming, got her safely across the bar.

The Now Zealand Herald statos that a man named Smilb, who has been living for many yoawimsUt Xliurjore, and who is married to a native woman, has received a letter stating that ho is entitled to £iOO,OOO if he |.rov.-s h-.s relationship (which he believes he can u\>) with a late merchant in LudgateEill, Loiulou. Tho Smith's in New Zealand must be in luck now.

The noxfc Licensing Courts for the Town of Wanganui, and the Wangaehu district will be held on Tuesday the 6th day of June 12 o'clock, the former at tho R.M. Court here, and the latter at the Court House, Mart on. Applications, in duplicate, are to be lodged with the clerks of the respective courts on or before the 16th day o£ May.

Many of the settlers complniu grieviously of the Government system of fencing off railways, and their complaintß are closely conneoted with tho public safety. Wo know many landowners who are prepared to supply hawthorn quicks if tho Government will plant them, but it seems preference is given to a perishable and unprotective kind of open fence. Small as the question is however it must bo reviewed. It will be observed tha-, tho hou. secretary

gives notice that in co:>seqnence oi the inclemency of the weather, the Brunswick sports are postponed. This is a sensible decision and is in the interests of trutli,(is it will save people saving they enjoyed themselves, while their looks give the lie to their words.

Doubts having arisen whether tho seat of John Hall, Esq., of Christchurch, in|the Legislative Council of New Zealand, bus not beeu vacated in consequence of the permission of the Governor relieving him from giving his attendance in the said Legislative Council during the year 187-1 having been omitted to be signified by the Governor to the Legislative Couucil — as provided by tho 3Gth section of the Constitution Act — his Excellency has, in her Majesty's name, re-summoned John Hal), Esq.., to the Legislative Council of New Zealand. — Evening Argus.

A new novel, " Sir Gilbert Leigh," by Mr W. L. Kces, an Auckland barrister, and a member of the Assemblj, is about to be published.

To-morrow (Saturday) night will see the consummation of the Great Bulkely Drawing and show to what extent " man is man and master of his fate," when he enlists under the banner of the variable goddess. To such as have not yet secured tickets, an opportunity is still afforded for doiug so, which to prevent disappointment had botter be embraced without delay.

It is not at all improbable, judging from the amount of rain we hare had lately, and the violent meteorological indications at present prevailing, that we shall hear of floods from other parts of the province. Last night it blew a perfect gale, and it is just as well that there were no steamers to come iv. Captain Harvey was right the other evening when he prognosticated the advent of heavy weather.