THE NELSON EXAMINER. Saturday, June 19, 1858.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XVII, Issue 49, 19 June 1858, Page 2

THE NELSON EXAMINER. Saturday, June 19, 1858.

Journals become more necessary as men become more equal »nil individualism mure to he feared. It would be to underrate their importance to suppose that the; serve only to secure liberty: they maintain civilisation. I>E ToCaUEVILLB, Of Democracy in America, vol. T.,p. 230 We once heard a remark made by a medical man who had grown old in the labours of his profession, that it was a great point of knowledge to know when to do nothing. The observation may be applied to many things besides the practice of physic. It holds good in the daily concerns of life, in politics, and, strange as it may seem, in editorial remarks also. It is no small part of a writer's labour, the part perhaps in which his judgment is most exercised and brought to the test — be he poet, politician, or merely " Able Editor " in the remotest antipodes — to know when and what to blot ; to determine what he shall not write ; j to make up his mind what things delay will j serve but to render more inveterate in ill, and what may be safely left to the slow but certain operation of time, for detection or for cure. The philosopher Fontenelle declared that if he had a whole handful of new truths, he would, from prudential motives, let them loose only by one at a time, finger by finger : with greater reason should " Able Editor," as Carlyle mockingly calls the poor journalist, proceed to unpack the budget of grievances he has all ready for distribution, or consider whether he shall give a wider circulation and greater prominence to those which are oblig-'ngly forwarded from all sides to increase his museum from private collections. Again, there are no social evils so glaring, there are no political arrangements so defective, but that some persons may always be found ready to defend what habit has endeared, custom authorized, or constant practice made necessary ; and others to .whom any proposal would come amiss, however recommended by the public advantage, that interfered with their occupations or affected their private interests. Thus, our inquiry into the question of how our gold-field might be made most useful to the province and most beneficial to the public at large, brought down upon us the anger of a correspondent, who assumed to speak in the name of a class, where class there is none ; for, apart from their common employment, we cannot conceive any body of men who, from the very nature of the case, can have fewer class characteristics, or whom it would be more absurd to describe as possessing any distinguishing faults or perfections, or as holding any given opinions in common. Their bond of union is neither social, moral, nor political; it is simply their common interest ; and it is creditable, not so much to them as to the nation of which they form a part, that the sudden assemblage of so many men, mostly without families, without visible ties of any kind, and mutually unknown to each other, from all classes, of all descriptions and every degree of information, from the most illiterate to the accomplished scholar or the skilled member of a learned profession, should take place so quietly, should proceed so regularly, should require so little interference with the self-organization which circumstances had j forced upon it, and which it has proved its competency to carry out. Again, a cursory remark upon education rouses some one whose weak point we have | unwittingly touched upon. A sentence produces a letter, that an article in explanation ; and that again a rejoinder of phenomenal dimensions. Here our concern for the public comes into play ; we cannot find in our hearts to inflict any more of our tediousness upon them ; but we are not suffered to leave our courteous opponent in possession of the last word unquestioned. Another correspondent, upon whom certain words used in the controversy appear to produce the effect of a red rag upon a mad bull, starts up, and calls upon us to define the meaning, of the words "priest" ancp' 1 religion." We think again that upon these words most of our readers have ideas sufficiently clear for common use; that the writer, if he is what his signature implies, a white - headed senior, can hardly have come so nearly to his journey's end without having arrived at some definite conclusions on the subjects therewith connected ; and that, if he has unfortunately failed in doing so, it is no office of ours, even if we laid claim to the requisite ability, to remove his doubts. We therefore decline "the proffered opening to theological controversy ; and advise him, if the oil in his lamp burns low, to go to those who deal in it, for we have none to spare. On another side we are asked, and that in a way which implies that the public will feel itself injured if the question is not answered to its satisfaction, whether we ever visit the country; and, if so, why the quagmire in Suburban South has remained unnoticed. Now, an "Editor" as such, is very improperly classed by grammarians among nouns personal. He feels anger, surprise, vexation, and astonishment, it is true, and sometimes, though rarely, satisfaction, admiration, and delight; but only on behalf of the public ; and, even supposing him to be of like affections with other men, capable of laughing when he is

tickled, or of being pleased when he is flattered, for instance, he has no business to put his personal predilections or antipathies into print. But on this occasion we hope the public will excuse us for acknowledging, and we know our correspondent will be gratified at hearing, that we nearly stuck fast in the part he speaks of a few days ago ; that, rashly struggling to get free, and making for the side of the road, we were kindly warned that there our horse would go in up to his shoulder ; and that, a little further on, we came up to a cart drawn by four bullocks fairly stuck in the mud, the poor lad, their driver, 'staggering under the weight of the timber he was obliged, piece by piece, painfully to unload. The conclusion we came to was, that it was a practical illustration of the fable of "the belly and the members"— that the country districts had quarrelled with Nelson, and, led on by Stoke, were busily employed in cutting off the supplies and breaking up all communication between them. It was indeed suggested to us that some brickmaker or builder in pish had taken a contract, and had ingeniously hit upon this expedient for making the public puddle his clay ; in which case we might hope soon to have the material taken off again ; but we hold to the former opinion. Though rather a violent measure, it is patriotic and public spirited, and shows the country districts are up and doing, and will submit to the haughty and aristocratic domination of Nelson no longer. The latest reports since received from the scene of action state that a considerable body of men is still busily engaged breaking into the hill at fresh places and throwing it upon the road, so that, unless Nelson bestirs itself and detaches a strong corp3 of sappers and miners to the rescue, the roads will soon be made impassable, and our communications with the revolted districts cut off altogether. Then again we have complaints from the other side of the bay. The road bridges of Motueka a short time ago were reported to be in a most dangerous state ; so that any unwary traveller, a stranger to the place, ran an even risk of slipping his horse's shoulder, or having his own limbs broken in crossing them, especially after nightfall. The best remedy for I this state of things would be to find out how far the English law applies here. We know that at home the parish is liable for all loss and damage caused by the neglect of the parish authorities, and even to an indictment beforehand if the road is left in a dangerous state ; perhaps, vow we have mooted the question, some large-minded individual may be induced to put his limbs or life in jeopardy to clear up the question. In the same district, also, the constant detention of the steamer, caused by the very primitive arrangements for the landing and embarkation of goods and passengers, is a theme of general complaint, and of amusement to the lookers-on. The plan of going to sea in bullock-carts is original, without doubt. Looking, indeed, at the docility of the animals, and the kindly way in which they take to the water, we throw out a suggestion for the cousideration of the spirited and intelligent proprietor of these novel marine conveyances. The transfer of passengers, especially females, and heavy packages from the carts to the boats, and vice versa, is attended with much inconvenience and some risk : we think that if the carts were tightly caulked and the animals fitted with swimming belts, the boats might be dispensed with altogether ; and that, with a three-pronged goad for a trident, he might safely put out to sea, and deliver his freight alongside in a style which it would be worth going from Nelson to look at, and which would materially increase the general receipts of the Company". Such as it is, the idea is very much at his service. We might go on adding to the number of these instances almost indefinitely; since in every district there are local grievances, defective arrangements, mistakes in management, and matters of all kind calling or thought to call for correction, explanation, or censure; as, for example, the Forty-line bridge, the Moutere road board, the Aorere surveys, the Waitohi road, the Wairau , gorge cutting, the ferries, bridges, and so on ; but our columns are open, impartially open, to all — to the attack, the defence, and to all shades of opinion. We only ckim the privilege among this rich confusion of subjects, to select what may appear of the most permanent and general interest, and occasionally to remind enthusiastic disputants when we think the public is getting tired of them. But one subject remains : the answer to a question put very tersely, in only four words — What is public opinion ? It demands a separate investigation, a discussion to itself; which newer and more immediately pressing interests will perhaps prevent us from entering upon at present. We throw it out as a fit problem for the consideration of our readers. Meanwhile, if pushed for a speedy answer, we will for once do violence to our native modesty of disposition, and suggest, whilst waiting for a more suitable reply, that to ascertain, to announce, to assist, and even occasionally it may be to controvert, that public opinion, is the main object of the leading articles in the Nelson Examiner.

The debates at Auckland, so far as they have hitherto come to our notice, do not lead us to believe in the aboslute wisdom of the General Assembly. We have already noticed the ingenious tour de force, or logical legerdemain, by which it was proposed to elude or nullify their own fundamental regulations ; we now have to chronicle one or two other specimens of reasoning and senatorial acumen. A Mr. East of Taranaki, as choice in phrase, as he is correct in his conclusions and just in his proposals, " does not see why they should wait for members who shirk their duty." True— Mr. East of Taranaki— hut what right have you to assume that they mean to "shirk" it, as you classically express yourself; or what pre-eminent claims have you on the confidence of the people of Nelson, Wellington, or Canterbury, that you thus push yourself forward as ready to legislate for them at a minute's notice, before they have the opportunity of making known their own wishes on the subject? If our members had resigned six months earlier than they did,

their resignation would not have enabled us to supply their places one day earlier than we have done ; and until it was known that we did intend to do this, and either our members or our refusal had arrived in Auckland, your legislation for our interests would be a gross violation of our representative rights, if it were not an absurd farce. The mockery of the Auckland members pretending to make laws for the whole of New Zealand, would not be less glaring or nugatory, even if it were backed by the powerful approbation and support of Mr. East, member for Taranaki. Then, again, we have Mr. Cargill, the Nestor of the House, who leaves his ancestral domains, and relinquishes for a season the exercise of a " paternal despotism " at Otago, to pat the ministers on the back ; and thinks that they have had so much trouble, and taken so much pains in preparing their Bills, that the House had better pass them at once, and quietly disperse again as soon as possible, each to look after his own little Satrapy. He takes as his motto, quieta non movere, and is willing to let all things roll on in their course undisturbed, so that they approach not the sacred precincts of Dunedin, nor violate the territorial immunities of Invercargill or Balclutha. Now, we confess to much sympathy with Mr. Cargill. To have conclusions worked out for us, and have nothing but the credit of adopting them — to be saved the trouble of thinking for ourselves, and of weighiug all the diverse considerations and varying interests affected by changes- iv our laws — is matter for gratitude, and we are or ought to be duly grateful to those who will do all this for us ; but, we have hitherto been under the impression that this was the duty of our Representatives ; and if they again delegate this office to the ministers, we do not see how our present Constitution differs from the state of things under Sir George Grey ; and with the encouragement thus held out to them, we should not feel much astonished at our people in office following his example; who, iv a discussion on some finance measure, told a Councillor who was so superfluous as to require an explanation, that if he did not understand it without, he had better leave it to those who did, and not interfere with the progress of business. No ! no ! let our Ministers labour hard in their vocation of preparing matters for the consideration of the { House; in digesting and bringing to bear > upon our condition the various laws and regulations which have been adopted elsewhere ; but then let them undergo the ordeal of full and free discussion, so that they may embody the matured conviclionsof themajority; and come recommended to us by the assent of our own Representatives, instead of containing merely the unsifted conclusions of any one or two individuals, however acute or in themselves worthy of confidence : and we remark upon the speeches of Messrs. East and Cargill , because they are at variance with the fundamental idea of all Representative Institutions ; and assume their own competency to legislate : for U3, before they know whether we do or do not choose to have a voice in the matter ourselves.

A correspondent called our attention a few days since to the state of the trunk line of road leading from the town of Nelson, and complained in no very measured terras of the proceedings of the Stoke Road Board, who had undertaken to expend the public money, not only in a manner which should be productive of no benefit to the community, but in a way to inflict upon it the greatest possible injury. When we first read the letter of " An Indignant Bullock Driver," we thought our correspondent might possibly have met with some slight accident on the road, which caused him to lose his temper, and that thereupon be had set to work to abuse Road Board and Government. To accept his statements as literal facts, was more than we could do. What! believe that our wise and prudent Government would hand over a considerable sum of money to a local Board for expenditure on our great artery of traffic, and neither concern itself whether the money was usefully laid out, or expended detrimentally to the public interest? Impossible. The road, probably, was not as good as it might be ; the Stoke Road Board might not have exhibited very great engineering skill in their undertakings ; and the Government might have been a little remiss in seeing that the public funds were properly laid out; but beyond this we could not believe there was any just cause of complaint. A ride over the road has since shown us how mistaken we were ; and we can now sympathize with our correspondent, and endorse every one of his statements. And what seems most remarkable of all is, that the work of destroying the road, by burying it beneath a mass of loose soil, is still pursued, although, from the season of the year, the road thus covered must inevitably, for the next three months, be little better than a bog. If any of our readers suppose that we are exaggerating the mischief the gentlemen of Stoke are inflicting upon both town and country, we pray them to take a ride as far as Greig's Hill, and judge for themselves ; and it especially behoves the Superintendent to make himself acquainted with what is being done, as his Honour supplies funds for the work. If the matter was not so serious, it would be laughable to contemplate the gross blunders which the gentlemen who compose the Stoke Road Board have committed. But it is no laughing affair when the carriage on this road, the great feeder of the town, is enhanced 40 per cent, in cost. It is no sport to see on our main road, cattle sink to their bellies in mire, drays stick fast, loads thrown off, and all this caused not by the necessary bad condition of the road itself, but created iy an expenditure of the public funds. Well might our correspondent rail at the Government which has furnished inexperienced men with the means to commit so great a mischief, and neither troubles itself to see that the money it supplies is beneficially laid out, nor to restrain the proceedings of the Board when it is shown that the expenditure of the money in their ftands is a public curse instead of a benefit. What are the duties of the Government? Have they no administrative functions? Is the money voted by the Council for repairing the roads to be expended in destroying them ?

The question has become serious, for were it possible to estimate the loss which the Stoke Road Board has inflicted on the province, it would be found that it has already exceeded many times the amount of the sum of money j expended by them. All carriers on the road have been driven by their improvements (?) to reduce their loads nearly one-half, and «yen then they find it difficult to reach town at all. If ever there was a case for an inquiry by the Legislature into a misappropriation of public money by the Executive, this will afford one, And we have no doubt but that the Provincial Council will look to it next session. But supposing, as we expect will be the case, that our Government will at length direct the Stoke Road Board to desist from further injuring the trunk line of traffic, how is the evil already^ committed to be remedied? Unless the loose soil heaped upon the road at the public cost is removed, a wet winter or spring will cause the road to become absolutely impassable, for, as our correspondent who called our attention to the matter justly remarked, a mass of wet soil lying on a road where the traffic is so great, will quickly destroy the crutrc beneath, and then carriage traffic will become an impossibility. We are apprehensive that this will be the result of the experimentalizing of these amateur road makers, and if such should be the case the injury inflicted on the province will be serious indeed. The Government is responsible to the public for the efficient maintenance of the trunk road, and no doubt will hereafter be called to account both for the money wastefully expended, and for the injury inflicted on the public; but we should like also to see the gentlemen who have perpetrated this mischief called to accouut, and, if the law would reach them, we should like to see them indicted at the coming sessions of the Supreme Court. We could have excused the original blunder of undertaking to repair a road at a wrong season of the year, but persisting in their mischievous work when the consequences had been demonstrated, is wholly inexcusable. The schooner William Alfred, from Sydney, arrived in harbour yesterday morning, and we are indebted to Captain Tinley for files of papers to the 2nd instant. There is no later European and but little Sydney news. A large public meeting had been held for the purpose of raising subscriptions for the relief of the peasants of Donegal, who are in great distress. Upwards of «6200 was subscribed at the meeting ; and there is little doubt, from the part the Sydney people have always taken in the cause of phila"thropy, that a good round sum will be raised for those suffering Irish. The convict Wilkes, who bad been sentenced to death, for the murder of his wife and children, had been reprieved at the last moment, and his sentence has been commuted into imprisonment for life. Wilkes had been convicted upon purely circumstantial evidence, and he had always (even during the preparations for his execution) protested his innocence. The account of the first day's Homebush Races, which we give in another column, will no doubt be read with interest, although accompanied by a feeling of disappointment at the but partial success of the Nelson horses. Before our next publication, however, we hope to have the result of the second and third days' sport, and perhaps we may then have better news to record. The non-arrival of the steamer Tasmanian Maid from Wellington is causing considerable anxiety. The steamer left Nelson on Sunday morning last, and was expected to return by the following Wednesday, but up to the time of our going to press last night there were no tidings of her. The bad weather recently prevailing in the Straits may have caused the detention of the vessel, or possibly she may be waiting to bring on the Judge to Nelson ; but we trust by the time this paper is in the hands of our readers, the signal, announcing that she is in sight, will be hoisted.