The Daily Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3208, 28 October 1867, Page 3

The Daily Southern Cross.

LUGKO, NON URO. If I h«vt b**a unlninUhad, y«t tbtrt tii* A thotuiwd bMOOM from tba ipark I bora

MOWDAT, OCTOBER 28.

It is a pity that so much valuable time and good money should be annually wasted in making new, and tinkering old laws in this colony. But it does appear as if our legislators thought that this was the sole end and use of representative institutions. Laws are enacted one year to be amended the following. This is a speciality in New Zealand legislation ; another remarkable feature is, that since the Constitution Act was brought into operation, there never has been an original idea imported into our legislation. We have been content to borrow fiscal measures from Australia, and oiir ci*iminal code is annually enlarged by the wholesale enactment of English statutes. "Whenever our aspiriug legislators ape originality, they manifest their poverty of intellect by seizing on some principle or idea which they may have heard spoken of, or encountered in in their reading ; and this is embodied in the crudest possible shape in a bill, which is introduced with all proper solemnity, and after having been formally considered by the Legislature, in due time becomes law. It is soon after discovered, howevei*, that "the " Act will not work ;" and so an amendment bill is introduced. Experience soon after shows that further amendment is needed ; and thus it is that amendment Acts are piled upon amendment Acts, xmtil the New Zealand Statute Book has become a maze and a puzzle to gentlemen learned in the law. It has become absolutely impossible to understand on what principle our ' legislation is based, because the tendency of one year's enactments may be, in most material points, opposed to the policy of the succeeding year's laws. Now, this is a great evil. It is hardly possible to conceive a greater in any free country, where the laws ought to be permanent and well known, not ever-changing and uncertain. Of ninety Acts passed during the last session of the General Assembly, thirty-five were either amended Acts or in the nature of amending statutes — that is, old laws were superseded by new laws, embodying the same principles, but differing in some of the details. We do not propose entering upon a consideration of these laws, or of their effect upon the country, because we are convinced that next year will witness many of them altered, if not altogether repealed. Therefore, no good could result from their discussion. We allude to them chiefly to direct the minds of our readers to the apparent fact that the machinery for government provided by the Constitution Act has been oa too large and costly a scale for the country. We have got ahead of the legislative requirements of the colony for at least a century ; and by so doing have entailed miseries without stint upon posterity. It will be a huge undertaking, in after years, to reform our statute book in the teeth of the opposition of vested interests, and the passive force of conservatism. If it were possible to check the tendency to experimental legislation, it would be a salutary operation to do so ; but we fear this is perfectly hopeless. The "institutions," like the country, are a virgin field, to be worked to advantage hy the adventurous. What is the good in having free institutions unless we make free with them 1 Of course, it is just possible that the country would get on veiy much better if legislation were limited to objects which absolutely reqiured attention ; but then, that would not be making the most of the opportunity. Better make a bad or silly law than make no law at all : better pass an Act creating a new office or two this year, and amend it next year by creating two or three additional sinecures, than to go on in a rational and honest kind of way remedying abuses, and considering measures calculated to promote the material development and good government of the country in the cheapest and most effectual manner. At least, this would appear to be the principle of action. In the one case, the electors are imposed upon by the noise and show of work, and bear the increased burdens willingly; in the other case, they might inquire what was the use of electing representatives, if they simply met and considered domestic questions in a quiet businesslike way, after the model of a Road Board or Turnpike Trust. And no doubt, there is something in this. The " departments " would not have grown so rapidly, if it had not been for the necessity of keeping up appearances. Having a Parliament, we must have " departments," and having departments we must likewise have "responsible" and irresponsible ministers — that is, moveables and immoveables — and a numerous staff of officials and hangers-on. Having secured these, it was necessary to make laws to devise work for them, and provide them with pay. Hence, it has come to pass that owing to our miserable parody on the representative institutions and Parliamentary practice of England, in the General Assembly and Provincial Councils of the colony, we have, as a community, been plunged into some seven million pounds sterling of debt, and are ground down by taxation to the very earth. , New Zealand has paid very dear for her whistle. " Responsible Government," which practically means "licensed to job," has been our whistle ; and there has been no want of skilful players, who "blew in " power" with a vengeance. Let it not be supposed that we are opposed to free institutions. On the contrary, we esteem free institutions as highly as any one ; but we are opposed to their abuse, which is an every-day occurrence in the Australasian colonies at least. It may not be generally known, but it is a fact nevertheless, that the constitutional rights of fceeborn British subjects are not in all respects recognised by law in this colony. Step by step, and without a murmur from the people, our liberties are inraded, and precedents created which willi in 1 #er/ y^ars; bear the ripe fruit of.j

[ oppression and wrong. How long this state of things will continue we do not pretend to know ; bufc we suppose the people will not be roused to a true sense of their position until a season of general depression renders it impossible for them to stagger on under the fiscal burdens which will have been placed upon them by General and Provinoial Legislatures. That time may be distant or it may be near at hand ; but when it comes, there will be a shaking of the uppermost branches such as few now anticipate. It is true there is now great distress and depression, but the causes do not lie so deep as to affect the whole body politic. The causes are •hiefly local, and may be partially removed by judicious conduct and prudent forethought. But the tendency of our legislation, the necessity for keeping up appearances and maintaining great state when decent respectability would be more becoming and in keeping with our progress and development as a new country, will in the long run bring about a general collapse of the whole system. In fact, like all other shams, it will end ignobly. We admit that the immense resources of the country may stave off the evil day; but these are not inexhaustible. And it nrast be borne in mind that there are other new countries starting in the race, possessing greater natural advantages than our own. The rich lands of South America are attracting Anglo-Saxon energy and Anglo-Saxon capital. Already the British subjects in the Argentine Eepublio number 30,000, and their fleece has monopolised the French and German markets to the exclusion of Cape wool. Gi'adually their numbers and produce will increase, and at no distant day Buenos Ayres will send its fleece to the English market also. English capital has completed three lines of railway in various directions, the Argentine Government guaranteeing 7 per cent, on the expenditure. Brazil is likewise in the field, with its marvellous fertility and still more marvellous water-ways. Every encouragement is given to British settlers in Brazil. And Anglo-Saxon energy, pressing down the Gulf of California and the Mexican Gulf, and influencing the mongrel inhabitants of Central America, is opening those fertile regions, the seat of ancient empire and civilisation, to the enterprising. With such lusty competitors, who are in the highway of the world's commerce, we say it would be a wise thing for the inhabitants of this country to pause in time, and if possible stay the reckless extravagance which " the development " of free institutions" has brought about. The marvellous elasticity of the country, its immense resources, its genial climate, and connection with England and English commerce, have tended to keep it afloat heretofore ; but unless a halt be called, and that speedily, we shall find ourselves as a country dead beat, weighted by an overwhelming public debt and local taxes, from which there will be no escape but in emigration.

We have pleasure ia noticing the arrival of another large parcel of gold — 700oz.— from the Thame3 goldfield, which has been forwarded from Hunt's and Kellys claims, for shipment to Sydney per the mail steamer at the commencement of next month. The B.s. 'Midge,' Captain Stuart, arrived at the wharf at 2 o'clock this morning from Kauwaeranga, Thames, with 56 passengers. She reports that Thomas Munro, a -waterman, had been drowned in a creek. We have to acknowledge the receipt of the September number, being part 27, of the AusCralian Journal, a weekly record of literature, science, and the art 3, published by Clarson, Massing, and Co., Melbourne. This is a well-edited weekly illustrated j.eriodica], and would bear favourable comparison with English and American publications of the same class. The leading tale appears to be original. The selections in prose and poetry are well made. As a further inducement to the circulation of this periodical, the publishers announce a free distribution of four sewing machines to the purchaser? of the fiist monthly part of the new volume. The fortunate numbers will be published in future issues. We have been favoured with a pamphlet, printed in Sydney, and which is in its fourth edition, entitled "The Late Commercial Crisis; an ExposS of the Theory and Practice of Swindling by Machinery, with characteristic illustrations, by 0. Ceoil." If the statements contained in this brochure be true, we are not at all surprised at the numerous trade failures which were reported in Sydney last year, nor that commercial stagnation should succeed. That a great deal of distress should exist amongst the working classes is not to be wondered at either. Allowing for exaggeration, we should say that there must be a good deal of truth at the bottom of the statements contained in this pamphlet, or it would not have passed through so many editions. We understand that Mr. Eodgers, solicitor, is engaged in compiling a hand-book of co3ts, which will enable all who are disposed to go into court to form a pretty accurate notion beforehand of what they will have to pay. Such a hand-book would be invaluable, as by it* means a suitor would be able to tax his lawyer's bill, or check it after the form of taxing had been gone through. We apprehend that it is ignorance of the cost of litigation that has led to so much Court business of late. We should add that Mr. Eodgers is in every respect well qualified to compile a hand-book of costs from his recent English and Auckland experience. A deputation attended at the Superintendent's office at ten o'clock on Saturday morning, agreeably to previous appointment, to confer with his Honor the Superintendent on the subject of the education grant, but, his Honor not having arrived, the interview was postponed. The Provincial Secretary could not state when the Superintendent would return, , not having heard from him for several days. The only business at the Police Court on Saturday was the punishment of a solitary inebriate of the female sex. A robbery was discovered to have been committed on Saturday evening, or early yesterday morning, on the premises of Captain Williams, H.M. Customs, Smaies's Point, it appears that on the servant proceeding to the larder yesterday morning it was found to have been stripped of its contents, nothing remaining except the empty dishes. Information of the robbery was given to the police. The Nathan Juvenile Troupe gave another of their interesting performances at the Prince of Wales Theatre on Saturday eveniDg, and were well patronised. The pieces performed were *' The Irish Tutor," in which little Marion appeared as Dr. O'Toole ; "Quiet Lodgings;" and Boucicault's sparkling comedy of "Andy Blake, or the Irish Diamond." The troupe will remain in Auckland one week longer. To-night the programme comprises ' ' The Irish Tutor j" a musical interlude, in which little Marion will sing (& la Lady Don) "My johnny was a Shoemaker ;" and the laughable farce of " Slasher and Crasher." To-morrow night little Selma -will take her benefit, under the patronage of Captain Lyons and officers of H.M. s. 'Charybdii,' and present her catte-de-visite as the "Colonial Servant." An old offender named Greorge Wilson was apprehended on Saturday morning by detective Ternahan, on a charge of stealing a sovereign from the till of Mr. ; Rbsie's grocery store, in JFreeman's Bay. It appears the prisoner entered the store, abstracted the money from the till, and ran off. Mr. Eoaie pursued shortly afterwards, but was unsuccessful in overtaking his man, and gave information of the robbery to detective Ternahan, who apprehended prisoner as he was about to start for the Thames, in a vessel which left on Saturday. John Tackabury was also apprehended on Saturday morning by constable Gamble, charged with stealing a cap, value 45., the property of John Wainwright. The annual general meeting of the shareholders of the Otahuhu Public Hall will be held on Wednesday evening n«xt f at half.pail) seven p'olocfy. in the

Yesterday afternoon, a small cottage on the Onehunga Road was discovered to be on tire, happily in time to prevent a loss b yond what £5 or £10 will cover. There are two four-roomed house* under one roof, and both ate empty. Jn the oue in question some dissolute character has been in the habit of sleeping. A quantity of fern was used as a bed in the room where the fire broke out. The roof was burnt through. The membera of No. 0 Company Auckland Rifle Volanteera are requested to parade this morning, at nine o'clock, at the top of Fitt-street, foe target practice. A cricket match was played on Saturday between the third eleven of Wesley College »nd third eleven of the High School, the former proving victorious by 53 run*. The anniversary of the opening of the Ocehunga Congregational Chapel, Princes-street, will be celebrated on Sunday, the 10th proximo, when the Rev. J. Warren will preach in the moraine; at 11 o'clock, and the Rev. G. Brown will officiate in the evening at 6 o'clock. Collections will be made at the close of each service. On the succeeding Wednesday evening, a tea meeting will be held, in the schoolroom, at G o'clock ; followed by a public meeting, at 7 o'clock, when addresses will be delivered by several clergymen and other friends, and a selection of sacred music performed. The monthly parade of the Auckland Rifle Volunteers for inspection of arms, &c. , will take place to-morrow morning, at half.past 6 o'clock, in the drill-shed, A public meeting of the ratepayers of the Pukekohe Highway District is advertised to be held this afternoon, at one o'clock, at the School-house, Pukekohe, for the purpose of considering the advisability of extending the district. Tha annual general meeting of the shareholders of the Kapanga Gold Mining Company (limited) is fixed to be held this afternoon, at 3 o'clock, at Cochranes Buildings, Fort -street, for the purpose of receiving the report of the directors and auditors for the year ending the 30th September, electing three directors and two auditors in the place of those retiring, and transacting any other business which may be brought before the meeting. A meeting of the City Board will be held to-day, at 2 o'clock, at the City Board Office, Queen-street, when the only bu«iness to be considered will be the usual correspondence and accounts. Three yenrs ago a gentleman introduced the ailanthus silkworm into San Jose, California. The experiment has proved so successful that there are now over four hundred silk plantations in the State, and it is confidently expected that in a few years California will be able to rival, and perhaps undersell, the French market. In the great case — great only because of the large sum of money involved — of the Overend and Gurney shareholders, the appeal to the highest tribunal has simply affirmed the common-sense view of the lavr, which view happens, for once, to be law also. The shareholders, very naturally, sought to escape from liability to the creditors, on the ground that the former had been oheated by the promoters of the company. The Lord Chancellor, of course, tells them that the creditors have nothing to do with that. It is a sharebuyer's business to look after his own interest. An attempt has been made to plead extenuating circumstances for the origin&l devisers of the scheme, on the ground that they thought they were cheating the public for the public's good, and also they themselves entered into the speculation; but this curious phase of ethics is rather thought to be due to this languid and careless time of year than to any deliberate intention to assail the principles of commercial morality. — Home Neivs. Saturday afternoon some of our native friends, hailing from the Hutfc it is believed, were brought into contact in % rather unpleasant manner with the Customs authorities of this port. While passing down the Queen's Wharf some time during the middle of the day, Mr. Hackworth, whose vigilance in these matters was not long ago rewarded by a successful capture, noticed lying in the bottom of a large whale-boat, owned by some Maoris, an object which drew his attention. On further investigation it turned out to be a copper boiler with all appurtenances fixed for distilling purposes. The boiler was removed in custody of the authorities, and a summons will be issued against its late possessors, with a view of eliciting further information in the matter. — New Zealand Times, October 7. Mr. Blake, of Darebin Creek, writes to the Atistralasian :—": — " I tender this advice to some of my brother farmers, whose constant queries I have noticed in your valuable paper. It is concerning the cure of blight on apple trees, cabbages, &c. Now, I hare suffered much from the effects of blight for the last six years ; 1 have lost do? ens of apple trees, and acres of cabbages through the same. After many resources, lat last hit upon the right one. It is this : — I had an acre of fine early York just about becoming white, when the blight attacked it ; I had previously tried lime, soapsuds, and various other remedies, but without avail. I then tried potatowater, and put abovo a pint of kerosine to three gallons of it. Strange to state, the blight disappeared, and I have used this cure ever since, and found it the best of any I have ever seen or heard of." The inhabitants of New South Wales are rather tired of the present name of the colony, they want something more euphonious, and think the visit of H.R.H. Prince Alfred affords a good opportunity for making the change, the Prince standing sponsor. Alfred*, Alfredland, Albertland, andEdina, have all been proposed ; and one correspondent of the Empire asks— What more appropriate name for the fairest of Australia's lands — for the brightest gem in the Southern seas— than "Albion?" Among the plans proposed for welcoming hisßoyal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh to our colony is one which would be peculiarly in the power of the young men of our city to carry out well, and which, too, would present a very graceful appearance. This scheme, as yet only mooted, is to muster all the eight, six, four, and pair-oared gigs belonging to the various clubs in Wellington, and the crews being each dressed in their particular colours, on the arrival of the ' Galatea' in harbour, to put off to the ship and await, in a double line extending from the gangway, with poised oars, the Prince's entering his gig, then, at a respectful distance, escort him ashore, and, en his nearino; the landing place, to shoot ahead and take up position in two lines stretching from the steps with poised oars, leaving 'room for his gig to reach the landing-place between the two lines. It is believed that Wellington can turn out lix or eight gigs, and we understand the clubs of Canterbury and Nelson will be invited to come up and assist. Thus sixteen or eighteen boats could be mustered, and with a little care, a very pleasing ceremony might b« successfully carried out. A meeting of the various clubs of Wellington, to consider the steps necessary to be taken, will shortly be held, at which it is proposed to elect a committee, a% it is desired that the action of all should be combined, and that it shoald be » movement of all, and not merely one club. — New Zealand Times. It is understood that, whatever turn the pending mail-contract negotiations may take, the local steamship companies are bestirring themselves to get a share of the traffic. There can be no doubt about the desirability of getting the service between the Australian colonies and Galle performed by our own boats. That we have steamers already here fit, in every respect, for the service, is the general belief of nautical men, and the belief is not unsupported by experience. Some years ago the ' City of Sydney ' made a very successful trip to and ftom Galle, beating, in the return voyage, the regular contract steamer ; and we have other steamers quite as good as the ' City of Sydney.' The fact of the P. and 0. Company declaring no dividend at their last meeting does not deter our local shipmasters from preparing to bid for at least a portion of the contract. It is perfectly well understood in- the city that the P. and O. Company never divide " up to the hilt," and that the object of - their balance sheets is sometime* to conceal, not to reveal, the amount of profits, which, instead of being divided, are partly re-invested, though it might' not be easy to detecb that fact from even a very careful scrutiny of published accounts. This is one way in which, according to the Indian papers, the mystification is effected. Ten per cent, is annually written off the cost of steamers for wear and tear, so that at the end of ten years every vessel is supposed to be worth nothing ; but they are in fact, by frequent repairs, maintained in a serviceable state for twice ten years, the money spent in reparation being so entered as to represent current expenses, not additions to the company's tangible property. In like manner, so it is: affirmed, extensive improvements are made to docks and other fixed properties of the company, said improvements appearing as outlay for working expenses. We do not vouch that such is the mode of book-keeping adopted by the company, but such is the belief in circles presumedly well-informed ; and the esteem in which the company's shares are held on the Stock Exchange somewhat countenances the supposition, for, though the company's last report showed a loss on the half-year's working, the. prices Of ihjtref by ltffc aclvioea trtrt ityur.—ArgM,

r The Irish paper* quofcp, as explaining the late " mysterious Fenian lauding at I)ung«van," a paragraph from the New York Herald, which professes to furnish an account of the voyage across the j Atlantic of the Fenian barque 'Plato,' 500 tons, which had just returned to America after sailing round the | the Irish coast, successfully eluding British cruisers. This vessel, according tj the story, carried a crew of 40 men, two 12-poundera, and 350 Fenian soldiers, and the object was to test the practicability of landing in Ireland. The • Plato' escaped detection near Newfoundland by hoisting the American flag. She reached Ireland in 23 days, and her leading Fenians landed at various places and had conferences with Fenians on shore. She only set off on her return voyage when provisions ran hhort. The men landed at Helvic-head, Dungarvan, were bolder than the rest, and numbered, by the HeralcPs account, six, bufcin reality they were over 20, and the story is so far in disagreement with facts. The landing of suspicious persons, and one arrest of two men on the beach near Sligo, took place, it will be remembered, about the time when an American ship was seen in the Irish Channel. When the * Plato' reappeared in New York, having solved the problem, as the American wtiter thinks, her armament wa9 taken from her and stored up. Each man on board had been armed with a Springfield rifle, and she carried about a thousand stand of arms. How much of this story should be taken as true it is impossible to say. Messrs. W. Hunter and "Co. will sell by public auction, to-day, at 1 o'clock, at the Newmarket Sale Yards, fat and store cattle, sheep, heifers, steers, dairy cows, fat and store pigs, dairy utensils, &c. Mr. George Sibbin has received instructions to sell to-day, at 2 o'clock, at the offices of Mr. T. H. Mabin, Queen-street, the whole of the office furniture, fittings, safes, &c. Me 39«. S. Cochrane and Son advertise that they will sell to-day, at 12 o'clock, at their land mart, allotments in Ponsonby Road, Oncaru, Opoliki, Waikare, &o.