Page 2 Advertisements Column 4

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4, 5 July 1894, Page 2

1 hat the motion for abolishing the falo of liquor in Bellumy s wan carried in tha House yestnrday e\ening need not surprise anyone. It afforded an excellent opportunity for some members to assume a garb of virtuo without any risk of having to relinquish the enjoyments of what it may be popular to call vice. They knew they were not in the slightest degree endangering their o«n creaturo comforts in voting that these should be curtailed. Bellamy's exists for the joint convenience of the members of both Chambers. Ihe resolution of one Chamber cannot aftect it. If it is to be abolished, it must be by a concurrence of the two Chambeis, either by resolution or act. There is not much chance of the Legislative Council agreeing to' its abolition, or to the prohibition of the sale of liqnor in the establishment. The Premier has done the right thing by promising to bring in a Bill to abolish Bellamy's altogether. This will test the sincerity of members, and will show that while there are a great many prepared to shed overy drop of their brothers' blood in the cmse of total abstinence, there are few who are propared to sacrifice an iota of their own personal convenience. Unless Bellamy's exists for the general convenience of members, there can bo no justification for its existence at all. Unless members who desire alcoholic refreshments can there procure what they want, thero is no good reason why the requirements of other members who desire non-alcoholic refreshments should be catered for. If one section of members have to give up their beer or whisky, the remainder should be required to give up their tea or coffee. Equality of sacrifice should bo demanded. Several members who voted with the majority last night are not exclusive consumers of tea and coffeo. We are inclined to doubt whether even the mover of the resolution is a thorough total abstainer. Mr. T. Mackenzie waa not far wrong when he characterised the motion as a cheap bid for popularity on tho part of many of those who supported it. Of course, some gave a thoroughly conscientious vote on the occasion, but not all. The division list recalls those divisions which used to take place on tho question of reducing tho honorarium, when many members used to wait to see a safe majority into the lobby against the motion before thoy wont the other way to vote for it. The Premier has threatened, if anything more is said about a connection of his by marriage being employed by the (Jovernment, to move for a return showing the relatives whom various Ministers have placed in tho Public Service. We hope he will be induced to carry out this throat, and to move for the return in question. The threat is simply a piece of bounce, intended to impress people who are not acquainted with the inner history of the colony, its Ministries, and Publio Service, with the idea that former Ministers havo been in the habit of corruptly and improperly filling the Service with their own rolatives and family connections. Possessing, as we do, a m '6t complete knowledgeof the facts, wo havo no hesitation in saying that any such impression would be utterly and entirely erroneous. New Zealand Ministers and Ministries in the past have been singularly and honourably free from all imputation of nepotism or abnse of patronage in this direction. By all means let the return be prepared, bnt let it include also the present Ministry. It will then be found to redound to the credit of former Ministries, who will Bhine with increased lustre by comparison with the present ocoupants of office in this matter. We are quite sure that the return would not supply a parallel case to that of tho Minister of Lands, who has provided his own son with a position as his Private Secretary, although not qualified according to law for appointment even as a cadet. Wool is looking up. The new series of sales have opened with a satisfactory, although small, all round advances, and row at lastT comes tho pleasing long-waited-for announcement that Congress has placed wool on the free li3t to American ports. For years this has been hoped for, and many a time tho hope has appeared on the eve of fulfilment only to result in fresh disappointment. The passage of the M'Kinley tariff* seemed to finally close the door of hope, but that extreme Protective measure quickly defeated its own ends, and produced a reaction which has now resulted in the triumph of Freetrade, so far as wool is concerned. A now and valuable market is thus opened to colonial wool-growers. Its extent can scarcely as yet be estimated, but no doubt every effort will be made to establish and develop a large trade. Nothing could have been more opportune in the interests of the Canadian- Pacific mail service than the strike on the States railways preventing the transmission of tho mails via San Francisco. The Monowai's mails will have to go to Vancouver, to find transit across the continent to probably a Canadian port. As this contretemps has arisen whilo the Conference is sitting at Ottawa to consider this very question of mail communication via, Canada, the effect is likely to bo considerable. If the Canadian line of railway had not been open the Monowai's mails would probably have had to come baok to the colonies, to be sent via Suez. The value of the alternative line has thus been shown in tho most striking manner, and the fact cannot fail to impress both the Conference and tbo Imperial Government. The industrial condition of America, the rotten stato of its railways, controlled as they are by rings and combinations always at war with labour, must make any mail service dependent on railway carriage through the Statos a very uncertain one. Of course a railway strike might occur on the Canadian line, but this is muoh less likely, nor would a strike there assume anything like tho proportions of such a movement in the States. The wholo relations between capital and labour in the States are in snch an antagonistic and dangerons state that although the proaent difficulty may bo got over, there will always be great risk of a recurrence on oven a larger scale. The mail interests of tho colonies and of the Empire undoubtedly doraand the maintenance and encouragement of an "all red" line of mail communication between England and Australia— a line over which the British flag will fly from start to finish. Added to all the other manifest disadvantage of the San Francisco service is now the danger of the interruption of tho trans-Continental railway service through industrial disturbances. The decision of Mr. Justice Williams in the Clutha licensing case is based entirely on the first paragraph of clause 14 of tho Alcoholic Liquors Salo Control Act, which reads as follows: -'' From and at any time " after the commencement of this Act, ex- " cept as provided in section 5, there fhall " not be grantod any increase in tho number " of licenses in any district until after the '' taking of the then next census." Section 5, alluded to, allows of an exception in certain cases where population has suddenly increased, and does not, therefore, affect the Clutha case. The wholesale licenses granted by Mr. Hawkins were now licenses, and, therefore, constituted an increase contrary to the provision above quoted. Had they been merely renewals, the ProhibitioifToto carried in the Clutba district would in no way havo prevented their being granted. Parliamentary news and report! of yesterday's proceedings at the Municipal Conference will bo found on the fourth page. As wo believe that the Act 8 and 9 Vie., cap. xliv., which gives power to summarily punish persons found mutilating or injuring books, periodicals, papers, &c, in any public library, is not in force ,in this colony, wo should suggest that its provisions in regard to such offences should be inserted in some of the Bills now before Parliament for amending the criminal law. Offences of the kind aro unfortunately rife in this colony, and provision for their prevention and punishment should be made. The Mayor of Dunedin moved at the Municipal Conference yesterday afternoon — " That this Conference, beforo closing its labours, desire to place on record its appreciation of the untiring skill, attention, knowledge, and ability displayed by the Secre tary (Mr. T. F. Martin) in the affairs of the Association." His Worship (Mr. H. S. Fieh) said that in Mr. Martin the Association had a regular opitome of Municipal law, and the attentioi he gave and the kindly way in which he furnished information were beyond all praise. .The Association was fortunate in having his services, and it was hoped the delegates would always have his assistance. Councillor Carson (Wanganui) in seconding the motion said that the Wanganui Borough Counoil had been in constant communication with Mr. Martin, and had received valuable ad vice >from him. Mr. Martin had been most courteous to the delegates, and they all felt how much they were indebted to him. The Mayors of Christohuroh (Mr. Gapes) and Nelson (Mr. F. Trask) also spoke highly of Mr. Martin's services, and the resolution was then agreed to. Mr. Martin briefly returned thanks. In reference to the paragraph in yesterday's issue aB to Mr. G. V. Hudson's opinion concerning the fly whioh has recently appeared in large numbers near Makiririki, that gentleman says his opinion was not accurately given, and he supplies the following correction : — " The ionneumon fly in question is no doubt allied to the genus pimpla, and ia in all probability parasitio in the caterpillar of a moth. The destructive '" grass grub" referred to is the larva nf a beetlo (odontria), and it is extremely improbable that the ichneumon fly has any parasitio connection with it." Mr. B. H. Pope has been placed in temporary chargo of tho organ at St. John's Presbyterian Church, pending tho appointment of a Bticceesor to Jho late Mr. Magnus, Peterson. Tho golf championship tournament to be played at Christohurch this month is the continuation of one whioh was inaugurated at Dunedin last year. Next year's matches will probably be played at the Hutt. His Excellenoy has signified his intention of opening the Poultry Show at the Skating Rink on the 19th inst. The Mayor of Wellington will also bo present at the ceremony.. Upon the Stipendiary Magistrate taking bis seat in the Magistrate's Court to-day, Mr. Tripp called his attention to the new rules for Magistrates' Courts, whioh came into force on Monday, and whioh he regarded as decidedly cumbrous and inconvenient to the legal profession This was particularly the case with rule 53, whioh requires a solicitor to bring a written order before he can obtain for a client moneys in the custody of the Court. He was concerned in a case which came from Dnnedin, and which his side had won, yet he was unable to withdraw the money until he received an order to do so from Dnnedin. The rule in question was going further than those of the Supreme Court. His Worship said he consid red that many of the new rules would prove to be ultra viret, whilst others would be utterly unworkable. With regard to tho particular clause referred to by Mr. Tripp, he would like to consider the matter, and would mention it again on Monday.