The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News
MONDAY, JULY 27, 1874.
For the cause that lacks assistance. For the wrong that needs resistance, For the future in th- distance, And the good that -we can do.
Men of Waitemata ! to-morrow you are to elect a representative in Parliament. Yon are to decide whether the name of Waitemata shall be respected in the House, or whether the very mention of its name will produce a laugh and shaking of the head in derision. We should not even hint at the possibility of a defeat of Mr Yon der Heyde were it not that in common with all who have a lingering faith in honourable principles we shrink from the calamity involved in the failure of Mr Yon der Heyde to head the poll. That in this year of grace Auckland should so far revert to the principles of days gone by as to raise Mr John Sangster Macfarlane to a seat in an Assembly for making laws is a thing we can ; hardly credit. But those who say they know Auckland better than we do, and who have vivid recollection of the ways that were dark and tricks that were vain in other days, and who can speak of the terrible and baleful effect of money [and cruel pressure, tell us that little we reck of this dark power when it is roused to activity by great interests of self to be attained. Men of Waitemata ! will it be on you that this experiment will be made? will it be for you, cowering beneath the scorn of the whole colony to exhibit yourselves to be pointed at by the finger of mockery as the only constituency that does not require even the thin veil of honorable profession in an aspirant for its confidence ? It has been boasted that constituents, like juries and benches, dare not act in Auckland contrary to orders, but the boast which was true enough in days of open voting is idle now. Men of Waitemata ! use the protection which a wise law has given you for cases precisely «uch as this.^§You whofare under.no one's thumb, and who do not fear any one's vengeance, quit you like men, and glory in your independence ; and not only vote but speak and strive to save the province from humiliation. And although our soul shrinks from counseling what seems like meanness, in the circum- • stances of public emergency we do not hesitate to advise those who dare not opeDly vote against the man of logs for fear of being ruined, or of missing the reward of political corruption to talk and even bluster as they will, but in the secret compartment of the booth to act from conscience only and to utterly efface the name that should never appear on the roll of those who make laws for New Zealand. Our telegrams from the Thames
the Thames to-rlay lifts up a little of tbe veil. Fven the Steam Packet Company—and it is rot the first time that the interests of shareholders have been prostituted to one man's purposes — lias been forced into the service, and free passages pre beins? offered to the Thames roughs to come up and crush* the honest vote of the independent electors of Waitemata. We call on every honest man whose name appears on the electoral roll of Waitemata to come forward to the pnllinff-liooth to-morrow and let this electorate declaje with voice of, thunder that the reign of barefaced corruption and tyranny is at an end. We call on every man in Auckland who has any respect for political decency, every man who desires that the institutions under which we and our children must live, shall not be dragged through the mire of political infamy, every man who loves the country of his adoption, and would not see her future political story more dirty than the dirty past, to unite and use his every effort to prevent the return of Mr John Sanester Macfarlane to Parliament. We see thnthoththe morning papers arc struck dumb. ] This is as we expected, and as everyone expected. Little as we ever feel disposed to flatter cur local contemporaries we feel confident that they both feel that Mr J. S. Mscfarlane's return would be a calamity. We shall not therefore deal hardly with them. They would oppose him if they dared. They would, denounce his candidature with all the vigour inspired by a horror of the possible degradation of the province, but it would be dangerous. We are confident that both the one and the other feel that Mr Yon der TTeyde would reflect credit on the constituency and the province as a man, as a gentleman, and as a, legislator, and we are sure they would support him if they dared. But supporting him would be opposing Mr John Sangster Macfarlane, and so they fay a word for neither. The seal of silence is on their lips, their tongues are paralysed their ink is dried up. We do not blame them. If we were afraid of this dark dread power that moves in secret we should be silent too. But because we are not, because we feel it our duty to awaken the public to the possibility of impending disgrace call on Waitemata to spring to its feet as one man, and hurl back the insult that is offered to'its honor and its political indepen, dence. The rejected of the Superintendencvthe rejected of the Bay of Islands, and the would-be rejected of any electorate in New Zealand, saving the most venal and corrupt, hopes without even tho pretence of the motives that are snpposed to inspire public mot', to walk ovr-r the recks of the people of ( Waitemata to roll his logs in Wellington. Waitemata ! give him answer !
.Some time apo when the question of Sunrlay trains was being discussed we advocated .the cause of the Sabbatarians, as they were called, mainly on the social ground that one day's rest out of every seven is necessary to humanity. The religious nspect of the subject was ably dealt with by various clergymen who took an active part in the movement. We then pointed ont to the working classes the dangerous princinle underlying the employment of labour by Government on Sunday, and the probability there was of the example thusjset being followed by private employers of labour, ending possibly in a demand for seven days' work for a week's wages. It might appear to some that such a prospect was at least a distant one, but then it must ever be remembered that great abuses are usually of slow growth, and are proportionately difficult to eradicate. -A lettor appears in another column relative to the unnecessary employment of workmen at Barnabiis Point yesterday, and, upon inquiry, we find that the statements made by our correspondent are correct. A very erreat scandal was caused by the running of the ballastwagons with earth throughout the day. As we have the interest of the working classes sincerely at heart we cannot pass the matter over -without pointing out whither all this disregard of the Sunday rest is leading, and if labouring men quietly acquiesce in the destruction of their greatest privilege the sin will be on their own heads, and on those of their children. For the sake of the com munity at large we trust that yesterday's proceedings will not be repeated.
The want of party organisation in the House of Representatives, says the the Tribune, is very striking, and by no means favourable to the despatch of business. We refer not only to the Opposition, which is headless, and in other respects not unlike Burns' description of Death, with "its shanks, thin and sharp and ama'," but to those who more or less indicate that they are supporters of the Government.
It affords us much pleasure to notify that another Auckland youth has lately' distinguished himself in the old country. Five hundred candidates competed for commission* in Her Majesty's service, and out of the ninety-five who passed we are glad to notice the name of Mr Lionel Grafton Beckham, the eldest son of our worthy and respected RM. The achievement of this youus gentleman is the more creditable from the fact that he was attacked with paralysis in the hands, and his eye-sight failed him through hard study only a few months before the examination. Sir William Jenner waa consulted, and ordered entire cessation from study for some time ; but for this Mr Beckham would no doubt have taken a very high place on the list. We heartily congratulate his parents, and trust that a brilliant career is in store for their promising son.
We understand that the question of compensating Captain Casey for the assistance rendered to the MiHtiades, by the p.s. Lady Bowen, has been placed by Captain Perrit and Messrs Owen and Graham, the agent? of the vessel, in the hands of Mr T.H.Mabin. It is probable, that that gentleman will call a meeting of consignees on the subject. Meanwhile, Captain Casey has not made any ormal claim, alihough he makes no secret of his intention to do so.
With regard to the collision between the Fannie and the Augusta, at Wangapoa, alluded to in our Saturday's edition, we now learn that Captain Bend ell, of the Augusta has arrived in town, with the object of bringing a claim against Mr C. A. Harris for damages committed by some of the crew of the Fannie in cutting the Augusta's stern lines. The care will make another pretty little offshoot of the endless Wangapoa squabble.
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Bibliographic details
Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1391, 27 July 1874, Page 2
Word Count
1,611The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News MONDAY, JULY 27, 1874. Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1391, 27 July 1874, Page 2
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