The Evening Post SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 1872.

Evening Post, Volume VII, Issue 339, 16 March 1872, Page 2

The Evening Post SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 1872.

ConoNKit;; within the Piovince of Wellington have succeeded lately in staining an uncnvrnMe notoriety. Tt lihs U'cn onr duty to c-ill attention to tho i: ways that s\ro dark and tricks that nro vain of more than one of those Govern niftnfc official?, nofc with the intention of holding up for cmsum Wellington Coroners particularly, but to ex])o-o the system under which the whole of tho Colony suffers Tho appointments in thi;-; Province we havo noticed simply because the facts proving their inappropriateness have come under our immediate knowledge. And we have still another instance before v- 1 , showing unmistakably that there is one move gentleman holding an office for which he has proved liis utter un fitness. Our readers will remember the death of a son of the liev. Mr. Mmr of Wellington, by drowning. Mr. Batman Smith, of Manawatu, held an inquest, which we have no hesitation in suying presented fbatlli'es move disgvacefnl thnn evpn any of those which we have previouslynoticed. We have .seen in some the faults consequent on inexperience, in others peculiarities savoring strongly of an utter disregard for decency and the feelings of the relatives of the deceased ; while conduct that bore the appearance of a desire to hold inquests solely for the sake of the fees to be obtained thereby,. lias been noticeable in others. But it remained for Mr. Batman Rmith, of Manawatu, to so disgrace himself as to s-hock the sense of prop" : ety of even the Maoris who were pivsenr, and to throw discredit on the office ho held, by attempting to hold an inquest when in such a state of drunkenness as to be utterly incompetent. There is planted in most men's minds a respect for tho d earl, and particularly for those whose death has occurred under distressing circumstances, that would lead even the most dissipated to shrink from entering the presence of the dead when drunk. But neither Mr. Batman Smith's sense of his own self-respect, of what was due to liis office, nor yet of regard for the dead, were sufficient to keep him sober on an occasion when he had to hold an inquest on the death of Mr. Moir. Tho scandal caused by his conduct was so great that it was reported by the constable of the district, and the result was that an enquiry, ordered by the Colonial Secretary was held by Major Willis, R.M., on tha 6th instant, at which it was proved on the evidence of tbe brother of the deceased, five of the jurymen, and two oi the constable* present at the inquest, that Mr. Batman Smith was intoxicated when he held it, and incapable of doing his duty. He is said to have been unable to walk, and the scene is described as so disgraceful that even tho Maori* present were enraged. We are further informed that the interpretation for tbe Maoris was imperfect ; that the evidence was not read over to the witnesses ; that the evidence of a man named Templeton, who was in MoiYs company, and standing on the river bank at the. time ho was drowned, was not taken. In fact, the course which was taken was diametrically opposed to what should have been adopted, and tho cause of this was not ignorauce, or one upon which the authorities could look leniently, but onewbich perhaps more than any other should be visited most severely. What action has been taken by the Government in consequence of the evidence which the investigation ordered has brought to Ifaht we have not heard, but the result should be the immediate removal of Mr. Batman Smith from a position for which he has shewn himself to be unfitted.

Dr. Buhner reported yesterday of th» ship Englr nil's passengers, as follows :— r " The Cliairmnn of the Bnarrl of Health. Sir. — According to instructions I make another report although I forwarded tw« yesterday, with also a memo of the number of rations required for both camps. Decided improvement, both in appearance and spirits. &c, pervades the whole passengers, and the officers and captain are anxious to carry out my views, and aid in every way in improving the sanitary condition of both ship and passengers. I have thoroughly ventilated every part and caused disinfectants to be freely used wherever I thought it ncessary. Every corner of the ship has been examined, and v/ith the exception of sulphuretted hydrogen and other noxious vapours passing up from tho bilge water in tho sailors' compartments, everything appears clean. I at once caused Condy's and other disinfectants to be ponred down between the lining of the ship. This smell, I was informed, often comes up nnlesss the snip is on the S3a, when the fresh water entering intermingles with the bilge or stagnant water, and is pumped away daily. The boats have visited us twice or thrice to-day officially. I visit all the passengers three times a day; as well as observing the arrangements of cooking, &c. I have visited patients to-day, including the case of' fractured arm, ani find everything progressing favorably. On the 13th inst., I examined every onefrr the vaccine mark, and found in every case, with two exceptions (vaccinated 25 years ago) that vaccination had been properly performed witbin 7 or 14 years ; no eruption of any kind has been foaml'on the patient,

or if so, even then a great modifier-lion hnd j taUftu place. Again, in Spring's and ML-.S Tee's case, where • vaccination had nev- r been performed, the disease v, 7a37 a3 virulent. Tho captain of the ship wa3 present at . the vaccination, and was convinced of the efficacy of vaccination. Thus it was positively shown that both measles and smallpox, where vaccination had. been properly done, were innocuous or nearly so ; or mnch ameliorated. The captain farther feels so satisfied of the result that with all future emigrant passengers he will compel j vaccination before they go on board. Tn onn sper-ial case, which I pointed out on the ship's side to a medical officer of. the board, no vaccination had ever been peri formed," ! The Government appears to be thoI roughly determined to demoralise the public service. Is is reported, says the Wanganui Jlerald, that Major Edwards has received orders to discbarge the duties of Resident Magistrate at Patea, vice Major Noake. Major Edwards was the Commissioner appointed- to investigate the charges against Major Noako, and having, it is to be presumed, reported unfavorably, he steps into the office vacated by the person upon whom he has been sitting in judice. The Herald adds "There will soon be no honour 2ef6 in the public service. As we have shown, the Defence Minister has been encouraging a, system of espionage at Patea, Captains Blake and Forster having been proved to be corresponding privately with the Government. We now h'nd that one servant of the Government is constituted judge over another, and as the result cf the judgment the office of the accused is filled by the judge !" It is now more than a week since the City Council, in consequence of Mr. G. S. Cooper drawing attention to the danger caused by furze being allowed to grow in close proximity to the Government Buildings^lecided that the city bye-laws respecting this dangerons nuisance should be strictly enforced, and yet there appeals to have been nothing done ia the matter. The particular plantation referred to still exists Along the side of tha Terrace road gorse flourishes, and in the event of a firo on the beach, it would be found to be a most effectual means of spreading conflagration. On the reclaimed land, the property of the City Council, a plentiful crop is to be seen, and in various parts of the city hedges that have long been strangers to any bill hook may be found in dangerons luxuriance. Are the Council's b\elavvs ever "strictly enforced," or are resolutions to that effect merely shams ? Again we would remind our readers that the time for registering their claims to vote expires at the end of thi3 month. It should not be necessary to urge upon householders to perform what is so distinctly a duty. Every session the legislation of our Parliament becomes of deeper personal inferest to taxpayers, and if they will not take the means ab their hand for controlling thai; legislation they certainly L have no right to complain if they suffer by their negligence. The Wellington correspondent of! the Ofcago Times states that Mr. Bnrne, the Chair-man of the N.Z.S.S. Co., went home by the last San Francisco steamer, and it is understood that his object is to purchase some London liners, with the view of disturbing the very pi ofi table monopoly which Messrs. Shaw, Saville, ami Co. have for years enjoyed of the direct passenger and cargo traffic between this and London. It is also probable that when at home, Mr. Burno will arrange for the purchase ofanither steamer, or perhaps have one built tpecially for the company. Writing upon the proposed SolicitorIreneral, the Colonist says : — Otago has too jften displayed far more regard for Oiago nerely than is consistent with justice t'i her sister provinces, and one of her members, Mr. Batbgate, only the other day leclared that he would look on all colonial affairs from an Ofcago point of view. It *as this peculiar doctrine that helped to force on the costly and mistaken course oi bringing the large San Francisco steaniertlown the coast ; and it seems to be still further to carry out this view that this suggestion for a new and we think totally unnecessary officer is made. We do not helieve Ministers will seriously consider a such proposition, in which the country is not at all likely to concur. If the Attorney. General with the assistance at his command cannot accomplish all the law busin '.S3 of the Government, then people will be apt to conclude that the law business is too great, anil ought to be diminished.. To. have an Attorney- General and a SolicitorGeneral in a small colony like this, seems to us a preposterous plethora of legal dignitaries. The loud riuging of the fire bells alarmed tbe city last evening about seven o'clock, and the Brigades turned oub with praijseworthy alacrity. Fortunately their services were not required, as the fire was a small gorse one at the top of Nairn-street, and was extinguished before they appeared on the scene. The Wellington correspondent of the Otago Times writes:— "Our Provincial Council is to meet next month, and we may then expect that the Superintendent will tell a very different story to what he did ksfc time as to the. state of the province. In fact, Messrs. Fitzherbert and Bunny did j remarkably well for Wellington in the last session of Assembly, and when the Council 1 meets they will have an- opportunity, or claiming the credit due to their successful exertions." A detachment of the Constabulary went to-day by the Eangatira to Napier, en route for Wairoa. A prospectus and introductory chapter of "Xew Zealand as a home-planting Emigration Field." by Mr. Charles Hursthouse, bas reached us. It is intended to be the

tern] ing morar that shall lead people to . buy i r> the com ug book with avidity ; the sprat to catch a mackerel, Mr. Hursthous and his • /ritings are so well known j that -c need sa ' little about either. Ifc is perh -»s chara teri3tic that the "pro- j spec* .z" we re "er to contains a copy of a ¦ re3ol lion pass.d ia the Legislative Conn- » cil, 1 it "forgo*. ben" by the Lower House, to th • effect tl at Mr, Hursthouse's continur is exertio- 3 " entitle him (with a big H ) ti the favoi rable consideration of the Colo ial Cover iment." The contents of the 1 >ok are st. ted to be 12 chapters, one of w' ich is on the question of " How to j get to New Zealand." We fear if the pro- 1 sent system be continued much longer the question we shall all be asking with great earnestness will be " How to get out of New Zealand." We understand that Mr. Haughton, the member for the Lakes, has this clay resigned his seat in the Provincial Council of Otago. The English mail per Nebraska close 3 j to-morrow evening at 5 o'clock. | The anniversary services iv connection with the Congregational Church will be held to-morrow. The Rev. W. A West will preach morning and evening, and Mr. Woodward will deliver an address to the children of the school and io Die covgvega- | tion. The St. Patrick's dinner committee are reminded that a meeting will be held this evening at Ur win's Post Office Hotel, at eight o'clock. The case Regina v. Trustees of the Wellington Hospital still drags its weary length along. The whole day has been occupied by the discussion of small points, and the perennial treaty of Waitaugi has played its usual important part. Professor Haselmayer, the prestidigitafceur, announces hi 3 first appearance for Wednesday evening next. The American newspapers concur in placing this gentleman far above Anderson, Heller, or Herrmau,. and state that his tricks are performed iv a manner neater, more finished and cleaver fiom clap-trap than that of any other artiste. The mere enumeration of the tricks performed by the professor's trained canaries is sufneiert to show the immense amount of care that has been bestowed upon their education. A few of these arc :— •'Henry" standing on his head; "Moris. Bloiniin" and pupil on J the tight rope ; "Baby" in tho cradle; "Grandpa" in the arm chair ; " Signor Carlo" rolling a barrel ; " Biddy" and " Baby" in the rocking chair ; "General Sherman" under five; "Unck John" in the swing ; " Francis' 7 the obedient bird, and a grand, cavalry raid, during which the little birds appear dressed in uniform, riding on horses. Altogether the entertainment bids fair to bs oas of the 'inosi; popular that has visited Wellington for some, considerable time, Aii American newspaper, - entitled the People's Pictorial Taxpayer, is really quite a curiosity of literature. The paper is tht size of a small table-cloth, and. jthe. ifane; side of the sheet is occupied with a caricature of Horace Greeiey, around which are grouped pictorial iliustiations of the fact that the American farmer rises up ia thimorning and puts od his flannel shirt taxed at sixty per cent.-; then his tro-vsers, taxed at sixty per cent ; vest, sixty per cent ; overcoat, sixty per cent ; draws oa his boots, taxed at thirty-five per cent ; places coals, taxed at sixty per cent, in a stove taxed at fifty-five per cent, to. cook his breakfast; eats his meal from' ' a plate taxed at forty-five per cent, ' with , a knife and fork taxed at thirty-five per cent. ; seasons his food with salt taxed at 10S per cent, and pepper 120 per cent ; puts on his hat, taxed at 70 per cent, &c. ; and finally, "This is his end: his fate is recorded on marble taxed at 70' per cent, and he goes where there are no tariffs, the inscription on hia tombstone being, ' Here lies the American farmer, taxed ,to death by monopolists." This is merely an adaptation of Sydney Smith's vacticination oi the future oi America, of what the pursuit of "glory" would entail upon JBrothet Jonathan. Public works administered by a Fox Government, and five million loans fingered by a Vogel.Treasurer, are likely to produce similar results in New Zealand. Straw mattra3ses, water, and stores of various kinds, were sent over by the Board ¦ of Health this morning to Soaines' Island for the people in quarantine, who, we understand, will be put on shore to-niorrow morning if all the preparations for their reception on the Island -are complete. .Tlib' buildings erected "include separate houses fully a quarter of a mile apart for the sick and convalescent, and also .separate build- ' ings for the single men and women, cooking houses, and other conveniences. Tanks for water have been sent over, and as tar as possible on so short a notice, the health and comfort of the unfortunate people have been regarded. The reduction of the subsidy voted by the Provincial Council of Ofcago.to country municipalities has had the effect of crippling ' the efforts of the Oamaru municipality. That body now asks the Government to relieve it 3 necessities (1) by assuming its , debt, paying the interest on debentures, ' and the annual sinking fund amount, (2) by ; enabling it, under the usual enactments, to, collect all licenses and impose a tax of 3d 1 . per bale on wool and Id on grain, altogether yielding an annual revenue of £1035 ; or ; (3) to continue -for five years' more thej! usual subsidy. , . , . ? , j The'absufdcensorahir>of X the drama ex-j ercised by the Lord Chamberlain has pro- ! duced rintoward results in London. The ; pantomimes are deprived s>i their most; piquant features. Allpoliticat allusions have j been cub out ! Ifc is difficult to believe the ¦, possibility of such a thing in England, bub -j so ifc is. The Government are so keenly • conscious of their weakness, so keenly aave to ridicule that the innumerable allusions to

Mr Lowe's match tax, to Zslr. Brace's licensing j bill, to Mr.- Gladstone's illegal promotion of Sir Fx. Collier, and to tbe loss of the Mtegers, have been struck out. It is quite expected that Pur-eh and the other comic papers will i receive a warning that any further allusions 1 to Ministerial doiugs viA be punished by j iastant suspension. J — — — . >