The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1886.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 241, 13 October 1886, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1886.

For the cauie that lacki aauat-hoe, For the WTOrig that _«-• re-iatanoe, For the future in the distance, An. the good that we can do.

" The matter must be referred to Wellington" is the reply that meets us on every hand when any proposal, application, or suggestion is made iv connection with any branch whatever of the public service. If a murderer is on the point of escaping the pursuit of justice, he cannot bo pursued without leave and license first obtained from Wellington. If a steamer arrives coastwise with a ease of measles •aboard, Wellington must bo " wired," and the astute officials of the Empire City placed iv possession of all the facts and necessities of the case beforo anything can possibly bo decided upon. Wo notice that his Honor Mr Justice Ward the other clay ventured to order a certain trap-door in the Supremo Court to bo closed on account of an ofl'ensivo smell which proceeded therefrom to the endangerni'ent of the health and comfort of the lieges frequenting the Court. If his Honor was daring enough to take the responsibility of making the order in question without first hiving obtained the sanction of "the authorities" further south, we admire his courage, but venture to predict that he will very soon receive, if he has not already received, a request from Wellington for ,an explanation. The • latest instanco wo havo of a reference to Wellington, with its attendant result, is contained in tho message from our Wellington correspondent published iv our last issue. Mr Joseph Newman, one of the Visiting Justices of tho Mount Eden Gaol, and widely : known as an enthusiastic bluo-ribboner, impressed doubtless with a sense of tho importance of bringing to bear every influence likely to benefit the unfortunate inmates of the prison, applied to " the authorities" of the capital for leavo for Mr Matthew Burnett to address tho prisoners on tho subject of temperance. Mr Burnett has been very successful for many years past in promoting temperance, especially amongst diggers, bushmen, and other classes somewhat addicted to drinking habits, and. as we have the unanimous and consentient tostimouy of judges, juries, and legislators, aud, indeed, of all other porsons whoso opinion is worth having, that " drink" is the cause of a very large proportion of the crime with the prevalence of which we are, unfortunately, but too familiar, tho proposal of Mr Newman would appear to most persons of ordinary intelligence to be singularly apropos, and likely to yield excellont and muchneeded fruit. "The authorities" in Wellington, however, are not persons of ordinary intelligence by any manner of means. They see objections not apparent to ordinary mortals in Mr Newman's proposals. Evidently they are of opinion that fallen as the inmates of Mount Eden Gaol may be, there is yet a lower depth they are in danger of reaching if the insidious advice of Mr Burnett is permitted access to their ears.

With regard to the Inspector of Prisons in particular, we are informed by our correspondent that he has no objection to Mr Burnett doing what he can to convert the convicts to tee totalism; but he does not think it would be right to allow that gentleman to try his luck, as it were, with the prisoners en masse— mysterious working of the official mind, this, gentlemen of the Jury! Mr Burnett may whispei into each individual ear those poisonous doctrines of self-denial and morality, which'it is his mission to preach, but the same message, when conveyed to -the, same .persons collectively, becomes i " :not right "—- ---in a word,,wrong and hurtful. Can it really be that the authorities in Wellington are indifferent to, and do not, desire the reformation of the miserable inmates of our public gaols 1 Loth, indeed, would we be to think so, but we cannotr but feel that this latest development of the "reference to Wellington " is a cruel wrong to these unfortunate creatures.. - : Our correspondent has, we imagine (reading between the lines of his message), been prepared in advance by " the authorities " with an answer to expected expressions of surprise that a leave granted to Mr Burnett at Wanganui is refused to the same gentleman

in Auckland. We are carefully informed that the leave granted at Wauganui was granted by a Visiting Justice —doubtless some -ignorant, stupid, surface-thinking fellow, who was incapable of seeing all the serious, deep, and fatal objections which are So apparent to the Inspector of Prisons. We are carefully warned that if such an application had been made to "the authorities here" it would certainly have been refused. We have not the least doubt in the world that it would, but then so much the worse for the " authorities here." The fact is that this ridiculous farce of referring the most trifling matters to Wellington is fast becoming intolerable. The people of New Zealand will not much longer submit to the indignities and misgovernment of central officialism. Its day has well nigh run, and some sufficient, efficient, and comprehensive system of local selfgovernment, by which matters of local concern and minor importance may be dealt with locally, has become a necessity. As we read the Prisons Act, 1882, the functions of the Governor are confined to the making of regulations and the appointment of officers; those of the Inspector of Prisons (section 22) to " enter into any prison from time to time and to examine and inspect the same in accordance, with any regulation made as hereinbefore provided." On the other hand; to the Visiting Justices is committed, in addition to other extensive power (section 19) the duty of " taking cognisance of matters | of pressing necessity, and regulating J I the same." The authority which by '

tlir, statu to is required for Mr Matthew Burnett's admission to tho Mount Eden Gaol is, wo believe, thato. the Visiting Justices, and.neither the Governor nor the Inspector of Prison, has the power or right of interference. Mv New Wan, with the consent of his fellow Justices, should now follow the example of the Visiting Justice at Wanganui and assert his rights by authorising Mr Burnett to " try hk luck, as it were, with the prisonc.'.-? en ma-umi," tho Inspector of I'risolis and " tho authorities h'oi'o" to 'the contrary iwtwithstan'ding.