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Auckland Star, Volume X, Issue 2926, 30 August 1879, Page 2

Theee was one sentence in Mr Swanson a speech at .Newton which bears the stamp of his hard, practical, common sense : "He said he had various axes to grind for his constituents and the country, and the Grey Government being the one most likely to grant them, he would give it his support." It may strike the reader that this reason ia rather a narrow one for supporting a Government, but wheu the sentence is analysed there is a wonderful depth of meaning in it. What Mr Swanaon really says, in his own characteristic way, is that the present Government, having Auckland interests at heart, are more likely to be friendly to Auckland and carry out any work asked for than any set of successors. And is not this true? According to Mr Macassey any Ministry that will receive his sipport must have live out of the eight members Southern men, leaving three for the North Island. In the present Government we have two Aiiokland men, whose interest in the welfare of this part of the colony no one will doubt. The Government have always been accessible to the claims of Aucklaud and animated by friendly bias. If they have not done all we could expect, are not the people and their representatives more to blame than the Ministry? Some of the members have boasted of what they obtained for their constituents, but how would they have been received by a. Government unfriendly to thu Worth? llow were the claims of Auckland met by Dr. Pollen ? The moderate demand of the Board of Education for school buildings was treated v/ith disdain; the unemployed Thames miners were offered conveyance to the South • and in later t jraes that gentleman, by misleading the members of the Legislative Council, got the Pariieli. Reserve Hill rejected as a robbery of tlio S'oufti, ' yet, when the matter was fairly explained to the members, they restored and passed the bill. Mr Swanson reminded Jils hearers that there was a willingness on the part of the Government to assist reasonable requests. He niifflii !»«-,ve said that nothing really pressed for "has been withhold. The Kamo railway was undertaken (Uiiiost ill antagonism to the member for the district, the Kaipara railway extension has boon carried out according to the wishes of the settletti, .v.tnl against the recommendation of the'Puplie Worlsjß Department, the Qucenstroet station, the* T£ Awamutu extension, and the Hamilton ]jiid£ ; c have all been commenced; and tlio compjajuf, agums/; them re the Thames Valley Bailway is bf.cajjse they pledged the credit of the Colony for double the amount autlior- ! jißfid. "\Ve are aware that I this Auckland has not received unythma like her shawi. We have never received our fair proportio/j. from any Government, but wo have been better treated by this one tJmn by any set of predecessors. A good deal1 of the fault Ijcs not with the Goyenjment but the people, We have not taken our axes to fi rW ;if we had, fyo Northern Railway, which has only just Moeu .thought of when the borrowing policy is eight years old, would be well on its way to YVhangarcJ, The Ideas of the leaders of the people have been self-seeking and pettifogging— tlic uifliien,ce.of the proving a«itrPy 6 d» We want representatives who will work in one compact phalanx, and demand our rights, and we hayc iip reason'to1 b'plicvc

that Mr Swanson is mistaken iv asserting that the present Ministry arc ready to listen to reason. If they are not, why theu so much the worse for the Government. They, and not the people, will be to blame, and will be made answerable.

A QUESTION of considerable importance during the elections has been raised at Napier. The Returning Officer advertised certain dates for the nomination and poll for Clive, but subsequently issued another notification fixing later dates. To this Mr Ormond, a candidate for Clive, protested in a telegram to die Colonial Secretary, contending that there was no power in the Act to alter the notification. The question was submitted to the Law Officers, the Colonial Secretary pointing out, in reply to Mr Ormoud, that the objeut of the alteration was to have the nomination and poll on the same roll, some of the Returning Ollicers having fallen into the error of fixing the nomination on one roll and the poll on the new one, which comes into operation on the Ist September. Colonel AVhitmore also stated that the Returning Ollicer acts under penalties, and that the Governor-in-Council would probably validate this action if disputed. The Solicitor-General declined to advise the Returning Ollicer on the ground that he is personally charged with the conduct of elections, and is amenable to law if he does wrong.

The Senate of Canada has gone a step beyond the Fox party in New Zealand and rejected the Supply Hill. A special cable message to-day announces that the Upper Chamber at Quebec has adopted this extraordinary course, and has even gone so far as to demand from the Governor a change of Ministers. Except in this matter of a property qualification the Constitution of the Canadian .Senate is analogous to that of the Legislative Council of New Zealand. The Senators are chosen by the Governor-General and hold ollice for life, but] amongst other qualifications the senator must possess real property to the value of 4000 dollars, and must be resident in the province for which he is appointed. The dictatorial attitude assumed by the Canadian Senate is another striking example of the general tendency of the Upper Chambers throughout the British colonies possessing representative institutions to encroach upon the constitutional functions of the popular Assemblies, and can only culminate, as in Victoria, iv a struggle for ascendency. In such a struggle the will of the] sovereign} people must triumph through the representative and elective Chamber.

Eighty Yorkshire farmers have sold out and emigrated to Texas. So says ii cable message from our London correspondent yesterday. Where was our Ageut-Cieueral and his army of assistants ? If emigrants of this class can be found for the wastes of the most distant and uninviting State of the Union, is it not discreditable that New Zealand lauds remain a. wilderness, and we have topay passages to obtain immigration of an unsuitable class ? We would again impress upon the Government the paramount duty of securing for this colony those English farmers who are being driven from the Mother country by iniquitous laud laws. And we further demand that Auckland shall not be ignored as it has been by the Ageut-Geueral in making selections.

On our fourth page to-day appear a number of testimonials to the healing virtues ot the acetic acid process.

There was a considerable gathering at the St. Matthew's practice last evening in the church, preparatory to the performance of the now service of song. Mr Thos. H. Webb presided at the organ. The last practice will be held on Tuesday next. The children's monthly service will be held to-morrow afternoon iv St. Thomas's Church.

Sonic credit is sought to be given to Sir William Fox for introducing Sir Julius Vogel into political life. The credit is rather due to Sir Julius for maintaining Sir William in political life for three years ; otherwise we should have had .mother " Cleau Shirt Ministry." It is reported that Sir William Fox spoke very contemptuously of Mr Vogcl, in something like these words, " I suppose we must do something for Vogel." When the true mettle of the two men was discovered, John Evans Brown was selected to " bell the cat," and tell Sir William that his party thought him an incumbrance, and that he should retire. He retired accordingly.and sat as the heavy father of the Ministry until this piece of business also failed him.

The old lady of Cook's Straits is in grievous perturbation of mind lest from Auckland and Otago a strong party should be returned pledged to insist upon federation, with its consequent diminution of patronage and expenditure in the immediate vicinage of her ancient seat. One of the popular Liberal candidates is reported to have saitl recently that "if the unity of the colony w:is to bo preserved, and Wellington was to continue as the sent of Government, vro should have to use our best endeavours to prevent the extreme north and tin; extreme south from obtaining a preponderance of political power. The moment districts in the neighbourhood of Wellington wore swamped by the others having a preponderance of power they would be of no use to Wellington. He counselled his friends not to do anything which would lead to insular separation.

The Auckland Tonic Sol-Fa Choral Uuiou celebrated their sixth anniversary by a tea and musical entertainment in the Alexandrastreet school-room yesterday evening. At seven o'clock a large number of the friends of the Sol-Fa sat down to an excellent tea, the tables being presided over by Misses Rose, Osborne (2), LeKoy, Rogers, Shove, and Reynold. After tea, Mi W. G. Dorrington took the chair, and introduced a tolerably long programme, comprising pieces sacred and secular, choruses, solos, and quartettes, interspersed with readings, which was very creditably gone through by the choir and others. Miss £, Osborne ably presided at the pianoforte. Mr Doull, on behalf of the Union, performed the pleasing ceremony of presenting Mr Crauwell with a handsome marble clock, supplied by Mr Kohn, ot Queen-street, and having this inscription engraved upon it: "Presented to Mr Thomaa Cranwell by the Auckland Tonic Sol-Fn Choral Union, in token of their appreciation of his services as Conductor. Auckland, 29th August 1879." Mr Cranwell feelingly acknowledged the gift. A very pleasant evening was brought to a close by a vote of thanks to the Chairman, followed by the National Anthem.

To the Editor: Sir,—[ would like to inform you and, through your columns, the public of a gross piece of tyranny and oppression that is about to he inflicted on the laboring men employed on the reclamation for the now, railway station, viz., that Mr Dempscy, the contractor, lias had the men informed that lie ■will only pay them monthly. Now sir, at first, sight this may appear hut a small matter to you, but 1 can assure you it is a matter of great importance to them, many of whom have boon unable to get employment for the last two or three months, so that what few pounds were saved in summer is gone, their labour already mortgaged to storekeepers :m<l b,utchers for weeks to come, and now when they do get work they are coolly told they must work a month before they gefc any money or they needn't start. What are the poor men to do V Why did not the contractor start his work two months ago, then the men would have been more able tost ami a month without pay ? But no, lie waited until knew they would be compelled to accept his or any terms to get work. Surely some of our Liberal candidates will take this matter up and sec if there is not a clause compelling contractors to pay their men "fortnightly" in the "general conditions" of public works. If not, would the candidates who arc about to address us state whether they will advocate such a clause being added in all contracts for the future, n.iid so confer a groat boon on the working JliOU. — i^AyVY f'OH. The uuijiiiil meeting of the shareholders of the Caledonian Gold Mining Company, which lapsed yesterday for want of a quorum, fell through again to-day fioni the same cause. Those who cherish a fond remembrance of the palmy days of the mine may well exclaim, "Oh! what a falling-oil'lß here." For the benefit of the public we may give a few particulars respecting the present pij'ition of the Company : The report of the lirduloM states that during the past year 232 ozi of gold, realising £9JS, have been won from the mine. A disagreement had arisen during the year with the Golden Crown Gold Mining Company' in respect to the drive [to have been put in at the 640----foet level of the United Pumping As ociafion.' lv consequence of the stoppage of the " liig Pump," the operations of tiie Company have been confined to the upper levels. Aii arrangement, however, has been made witli. the Thames Borough Couucil ami the various consumes interested, whereby pumping baa been resumed under the control of the Moanatairi Company, the Caledoman Company contributing £30 per mouth. '1 ho water in fifi shaft has been reduced to below the 300-fcct fevei, and the directors hone again to commence work: in tl)o lower leVbls.1 Tlio receipts from gold (£008), tributes '(£53(5), anil tallingti (£6O), amount to £1,004 15s 2d i mvcstinent returns, £1,000 j interest on the samo, £43 18a 8d i WBfltagi £239; baiauce from July, 1878, £190 j and Sjonte small sums, the whole amounting to £2 974 13s 2d. "I'lie expenditure of all kinds has amounted to £2,952 J6s_ 10c],

A performance will take place at the Theatre Royal this evening for tho bciielit of Mr A, Herman, commencing with Claules Matthews two-act comedy of " Satanella," or "Who Killed Cock Robin." Tho entertainment will conclude with "Perfection or the Cork Leg." In the interlude the Artillery Band will play several fine selections.

Two lessons for forty girls at Mies Fidler's cookery lessons have been subscribed for. Mistresses should therefore allow their domestics to attend on Monday evening, giving them a note to certify that they are in service. Girls iv excess of the number will be admitted on moderate terms.

Miss Maria L. Porter, aged 27, daughter of Mr Porter, of Lornc-street, died yesterday. This young person had been long associated with the Primitive Methodist Church in Alexandra-street, and was remarkable for her unassuming piety and exemplary conduct. She took much interest in the Sunday-school, in which she was a teacher. She will be Irnried to-morrow afternoon, and it is desired that parents of scholars attending the school will permit their children to attend the funeral at tho hour stated in the notice elsewhere. The Rev. Joseph Lour will conduct the funeral service.

The young man James Day, who was severely injured on Tuesday last in the .stables of Mr Crowther, died yesterday at the housoof his father in Coburg-streot, after Buffering severoly from internal injury. He was in his 19th year. The immediate cause of the accident is not known, further than that deceased was beside the horse in the stall, and it is supposed got injured by being pressed by a portion of the harness, lie did not complain much'at first, but from that time nothing passed through him, but every kind of food which ho took returned In vomiting, lie will be buried to-morrow, tho funeral .starting from Cobuig-street at four o'clock.

The September number of the " Presbyterian Church News" is well stored with readable papers and general Church intelligence of special interest to those Christian people which this monthly magazine so ably serves. Its pages are devoted to "Scholarships for Students," "Julianmid Jerusalem," a well-written ami thoughtful essay; thecontinuation of Professor Watt's lecture on the " Now Apologetic and its Claims to Scriptural Authority," delivered at Belfast in April last; also reports of the Hebrides Mission, General Assembly of tho Free Church, news of the Auckland churches, poetry, and finance. Altogether an excellent number.

To the Editor : Sir,—At the Grafton Road meeting Mr Whitakor said that should n readjustment of the Parliamentary representation bo made Auckland will be entitled on the basis of population to only sixteen and a half members. 'Ibis reminds me of one of Mark Twain's stories. He viuited a city where he learned amongst other things that the vital statistics showed that one man there died daily. "Is he dead?" anxiously in. quired Mark. "Who?" asked his informant. "Why, the man for to-day?" returned the American humourist, " Because if he isn't, I'm going to travel to the next place." What I want to kiiow, Mr Editor, w thin. By what process of adjustment will Auckland get in half a member, and which end of him! Again,who is to accept the risk of being the seventeenth man in the present election, with th* prospect of being cut in two? In not this another argument for Separation ? Perhaps the difficulty will be overcome by electing Mr Tole, who is only a "boy," and therefore only half a man, but in any case it will be more advantageous to Auckland to return such " hoys" than some of the "half members" who represented Auckland in the last Parliament.—l am &c, IXQUIKEK.

Sunday services are announced in another column. Anniversary services at St. Sepulchre's ; sermon in the morning by Xcv It. T. Dudley, and in the evening by Bishop Cowie. The .evening service for the people in]the Theatre ltoyal at the usual hour.

The New North Road Independent Sun-day-school will be opened on to-morrow (Sunday), August 30th. There will be three sermons preached, as follows :—Morning, at 11, byllevJ. Uobortson; afternoon,at2.3o, by Uev .1. Long; evening, at 6.30, by Uev Win. Applcby. There will be, on Tuesday, the opening tea-meeting, at which will be speeches from members and friends. On Monday evening next the luce Templars will hold their animal entertainment and ball in the Lome-street Hall. A number of ladies and gentlemen will sing ballads, with musical accompaniments. Mr Warburton will deliver the inaugural address. A humourous sketch of "Miss Culinary Smith's visit to Miss Fidler's School of Cookery " will also be recited.

A notice in our advertising columns indicates that the drawing for the Auckland Art Union prizes will take place on Monday, at four p.m. The rapid manner in which the tickets for this enterprise have been disposed of shows that we have many art patrons iv our community, and the very handsome pictures imported by Mr llaslctt will prove a source of lasting pleasure to t!ie fortunate winners.

The Victoria Band programme for the entertainment on Tuesday evening next iv the Lome-street Hall is specially interesting. Among the singers and performers we notice the names of the Misses Peace, Gribbio, Howard {2), Barton (2), and Robinpon, also Messrs Dean, Bertie, Uicc, Sheehan, Tongue, Ryan, Nelson, Swailes, and others. A rehearsal will he held in the Temperance Hall on Monday evening next, at 7.30.