FROM THE STAR FILES 44 YEARS AGO TO-DAY

Evening Star, Issue 15240, 19 July 1913, Page 12

FROM THE STAR FILES 44 YEARS AGO TO-DAY

The Maoris in arms have hitherto been treated as enemies entitled to all the privileges of wnr. Now it is proposed to treat thorn as Fenians or worse. Jf the Maoris have hilled tens we have killed hundreds; if they have "destroyed a few farms our troop's have destroyed villages. Their atrocities have been characterised as murders; the retribution inflicted on them by us is termed victory. '• . . Unbiassed by the indignation that every colonist feels at the inhuman barbarities of the savage, Ear! Granville considers that the Maoris' aro entitled to belligerent rights. But now by a fiat of the General Assembly these hostile relations are to bo changed. Courts-martial are to bo established,"and it is to be decided by them who shall and who shall not be deemed rebels, and to what punishment they shall be subjected. . . . Tt is a very innocent way of suppressing the Maori war. . . . Fighting the Maoris by Acts af Parliament seems very like the Pone issuing Bulls against England. and will no doubt prove equally effective! But that is not the only view to be taken of the matter. It is abundantly evident that officialism gives to the General Government a vast amount of patronage. Bnd gains support in the North Island.' . . . Money may not be spent in powder and shot, but it. will still bo be:wanted: and that influence will still be Becurcd in the North Island bv an existing Government that, haj always proved so detrimental to Southern interests.

She Post Office—We have heard load complaints as to the st;;ie of the approaches to the delivery windows at the Post Office. Not only is the footwav in.a disgracefuL state, but the verandah is in a most dangerous condition. The. sooner the thing is attended to the-better.

The Pitt Street AVorks.—The candidates for the office of Mayor have, in their election addresses, dwelt at considerable length upon this subject, and in each case the work has been condemned on account of its expensive character. The work having been executed by prisxri labov. the gaol authorities have been greatly blamed, and a great outcry has been raised against the employment of convicts in the construction of city works in future. AVhilst so much has been said 0:1 the subject, there has been nothing said as to the causes of the alleged extravagance. Some of the candidates had the manliness to acknowledge ' that the City Council themselves are blamable for the expensive character of the works. AAhcn they were commenced, the horses and drays were supplied by the City Inspector of AVorks. Then a dispute arose as to the employment of Mr Barnes's horses and carts, and they were evcntuallv taken off, the consequence being that the works came to a standstill. All the time, however, the pay of three warders at 9s a clay was running on. . . . The wages of the warders will be found to be the heaviest items in the expenditure.

Colonial Bank Notes.—His Honor. Air Justice Richmond, in the course of a recent trial for larecnv. at Nelson, is reported to have said that the bank notes issued iu this colony were not fit to bo handled, except with a pair of tongs; they wore a perfect disgrace to the banks and were calculated to spread all kinds of loathsome diseases. Anything so beastly as the paper currency here issued could not be found in ;;ny other country in (he world. The remedy v.-as in the hands of the public, who, when such filthy rubbish was handed over the counter, should refuse to take if, and should demand either clean notes or goid.