DR LEKS ON VICTORIA.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 6535, 28 December 1887, Page 3

DR LEKS ON VICTORIA.

In one of his )ae«* letter* to the Scotsman, tbe R»v. Dr C moron Lots expresses opinions about V.ctorUn tDstitutione which will create some comment in Melbourne. Hia opinion of th« legislator* In tbe popular chamber ia not complimentary. Nt lorg since, he states, many of them were commercisl travellers, who used their railway passes to push their business, and " when not engaged in ' heir legislative dutUa travelled about with ibeir samples at the cost «f tbe country." Msmbors are now, he says, drawn from a slightly higher class, viz., "boss cockles, village shopkeepers, and petty solicitors." Dr Lees evidently agrees with the Chief Justice of Victoria, that 'parish veßtry 1 ' politics are the order of the day. " The debates," he says, " are of a somewhat local character, and the atmosphere of the whole plaoa is very paroohial. Men cannot rise to hjgb flights of eloquence in the discussion of abattoirs, tha merit* of a swing gate for oountry sheep, or the state of a suburban highway ;' and ye», ■aya the reverend oritlc, "a. oh are the suhjaotß frrqutntly under discuaslon." Tbe Premier is hit off bs " a little, rubicund, dapper man, of cold exterior, and evidently very considerable belief In himself." Mr Daakiu seems to have made a more favorable Impression : but Mr Pearßon is heM up as the eon spicoous figure in the House, " the only man that bears on him the evident stamp of high culture and refinement." It ia scarcely fnar of Dr Ldes to quote a long extract In which Mr GUnnaon fulls fo»l of the Premier and th« A^ent'Q-neral bs " a fair sample" of how Victorian Parliamentary debates ar* conducted. " The sight best worth seeing in Melbourne," (■ anld to be the Public Library, to wbioh Dc Leas dfivotes cousldertble space. lie pronounces the metropolitan tr«tnw»y« simply splendid. Tbe people are described as "very polite and civil to strangers. " The working classes struck him aa «rave, even in thoir pleasures. The sobriety of youpg Australians impressed him much. Ihe gende mannar* of the better classes •re noted. Dr Lees thinks mo>e of the Ausralian girl than the Australian boy. j " She is charming in manner, and has a frankness and absence of prudery that are very takiog."

Ia view of the present menaoing attitude of Kusfcla, the following uotituata of the strength of her army last ye»r wl 1 be of interest: Active army, 824 762; r««*>r^e, 1,600,000 ; firnt band of tbe polteohente. 2,160,000 There are, besides, 30 655 officer*— giving a grand tut 1 of abutit four and a-half million men. Tho Co^mcks at the same date numbered 2200 officers and 51 194 men. " Thia arc.y," says the Moscow Gazette " is bnfc tho vanguard of innatnerable Amatlo contingent <. Farther* more, the raeerve might be donb!sd by redaoing the period of service with tbe colors from fire to two years This face, well known to tha other Powers, will enable Rmala to resist any imaginable coalition ."

From the remotest tlmws a wolf and a she wolf have been kept in the Cspitol at Rome, at the cost of the municipality, at a symbol of the legendary foundation of the Eternal City by Romulus. List year t c she wolf died, leaving her spouse tc regret the loes of his companion. The widowed beast fell into a deplorable condition. He took the de&th of his batter half so keenly to heart that be began to sicken, and ehowed a dieinclinntion to food. On a noem Sunday he died, as tbe Roman populnce believe, of & broken heart. The Mayor of Rome haa ordered a yew pair of lire wolves to supply the plaoe of tbia romantic couple.

OAMARU HARBOR BOARD LOAN

BILL.

In the Houae of Representatives, on the Bth inst. Mr Hislop moved, That the House

For Continuation see page 4

Seoratary.

wmmm ■ Hote ol X- presence.; Hie i»«r'ion W ° r EJ The alterations mad, in ibe 5" .ringMbe while of the ioaaa coueoUssss r ooasib c. There was, however, one chu«e which dealt with a power oi rating. should omtiuae/o exist » and ibueou if should "oe tetauseci m th.s Bill, KM.en, iriih re*»rd »o .ho provmon .hat ih. B)urd should po to the r»trp*>era befoio borr «iop, J.omUUt poinr out thit. as tiu Bviaul l)'i«i airui-ly gone to thent'epay«rs, it was umirccswy thai they should repea 1 th.' o; oration, and be pat to alla 1 1 *.»" irnu !•- "■'' f x;ie^s-> which i* would entail. As'/c!.-:-.' 6 'he Upper Hoa*a, nnilsrft iv ir i p .hu>.siim us w the tsisci g !;; lV > In--! hi' -i c! heworr) "annual!?." Th cQsot wou ■> »• ill .r. losteal nf 1« vy«n<r :h«> ra-i^n! •'<-, im"he'o-uj whio-i w«s i cv'j'n oidir^o give she p-o-ei » eu*i s, 'i.i. 11.I 1 . >-ird wuul hive o levy v n , ,r ',! , •■ r •■» \ear, and thah v.a* v.con she'h c'. 1 i h tho provisions oi .he II i io. Ac . f 1 332 Mr E. Richar-Ino'i ackei we •er w w >ii (1 o t.- m-ce-s-ry 'o ha«< mu.e wore 1 ■ i v vi in ih.ee v.f thue win- h >.er< etriuk ou . Mr His'op ft oui,-' 1 ' that vrouli »'••[ he nr« jh n, aj it -.v;,s cmeiei t-y tlie .'.c of 1882. " n . t ,\ir iMe c.id he foard som > d-flicuUT with r fereaceto tliie< ma' er. He hum «• ])er-o ftf.lfio :a'h-r «!}" fnl. purport of tin . ex;ti»u', io-i olfir-fl, a 8 th- 1.0tH.-rab^ten-tiinj'n'a rcnuirks «tr soirc^iy cv '.ibsf H. ghoiifd like t-o know c eirly w- . t txcpi.o the honorable geii leia *n u>ot to the amendments una .v by ti.e Upper Hon^e S>r J. Vi-gel asl-ecl whether the consent of thb iiP! avera hud already bice »iven to the L4O 000. Jlrllislopsuid io 30,000. Theanthn-i'y oi the ratepnpers was taLt-n tor aecessar) wort-s, which were ts'icnarei to coac about L 30.000. Sir J. Voiel said it seemed to him tha tilt H upc wae asked to break through ali precedent. Mr UiJop eaid t? c honorable gxnt'--.na' was iu'ly informed bi h,m Ihb sis. ion o1o 1 Hie ixitMnu uu we of the su hori y : ivui by (he *a tpi.eis, ai.d 'he hotv-rsb c «t.ntiCi an »t hh 1 ' unie went very carcuty tfirou^'T «h, Bill. ' Sir J. V-.g i s_>id he rena>ni' ered having n lnf'jj couveisa iou win the ho ■ i ii-c gen lemii as >o 'im appsreui gvksi >n ot the c duses of 'lie Hirin-.- Ac v , srnl Uu. hot\"rab c p n km n thuu umierook tv make the utotv s s.iry a"^n<!nient. Flo uniors ootl dja thai the B ard was a-^kiug for a iMijjti' Jo 'H. Mr *ii3'"p said i - was at the i-.sraoce i of th • horiuiab'e lemau's own C4've:nmeut anil the abacnt was takcu lrum i be raUpfcyer- 5 , nnd atttrwuds the uia>ier was furlhei- di:cu.scd between the bouoraOlt j geirhinm aiid hitnf^if, }«nd they buuBtiiut. ci 1.35,(J00 iorL3o,ooo. Su J. Vo^el said his Government me's e.i thvt iho asdent. or tue iaepa)Lis should ut tuk.tn, aud he understood ihai the hunorablj was vow asking for borrowing power iliau the ra epayers iaJ as eait^d io. He was not rr a Jaiug i he qius ion as to whether it w,ib necias i> << cjnsutc 'ho r<i epayers to fur as i he L3U 000 wu-ui ; hm. it ad_i im il amouui v,jjo v be >t-iitd ior, ii Wus utes« sary l r a cuch aiictiaoual an.uu:it bhuiiid bave '.he stsent ot .h> ra.tptycfe. It me hoi oruiiie geadbtiiau tvoula ui^-ko aa aiifciattou io tljdi i he i-i epipeis ajuuld aeaeui to ibe audi iocai LIO,<JUO, u<ai would be Bufficitu". Hd >>a 9 bure the honorable gca kniau nmcc se^ the iairuesa ot thai courte. Mr Turnbull hnd understood tha Colonial fckcrciiiry to tay tiiat there wad uo nectsijiiy ior ukuig a Ir^sh poll ot (he raepaytrr, ttr ihe poll lor ra mciiioti of o'ie ot me ioju. baa olready bet-n iaKeu. He mua--, huwtver, have ruisuutieia ojd the houofabic gtniiiuioQ, as it cud uoi appear wbe-her n b*d beeu lakea upcu tbe coti% Eolidat' d loau or on the single ioau an vow ailtntl ; aljj v.heihtr ihero were two die. iiicc lutes or ouiy one. Air Hisl( ptnijjhi expiaiti, with reference to tbfthe rmu rks vi the houor^bie member firFoii Caa.meis, thai oue alteratiou wbich v wan eu ;o make was in the resioiiiiiun oi claut-e 8, wmca dealt wiib the porttr oi rtvjng ibe balance ot iue ra-e puthorised l-.y the Ac of 1882. I. was coub ed «h«.iher Hicre waa (juwer to au In. t ibe he tais.ng of .he ( a auce ol the rate; md ttiis cav e wnuli gve ihn powti. As 0 olaus 5 what took pidce be vie- u be houvr.blcni iuiitr lot C idolchuicti N'Hkti and hiuiaell w.i? ti.ih : L\n<y did no coi.uue btui^oivea io an> particular sum; t-iut .h y a^rted ihat au es im-ne ahuuid be uiude oy a Government eagio«,ei BB to tue p.ohab t- eos.ol the woiks. The es ima c wa8L30,000; but evtrjoua tnusi recoguise the iac ih^t ttie woika uiigu< poasibl) cost uaorr thanoriginallytBtimated A cur.u'ar v. as then sent round by ihe Board to all the raiepayerp, asking them whe her tbe v/orks shi uld be pioCtedeu xviih on .be en lma.e supplied, upon wlich it was intended to levy tbe rate au hoiis-'ii by seenn 6. T'uar was : assented to by a great aisjorl.y of the ra epnye«B i^a tha honorable member tor Cf.rivcliUich N> rih was no Goubi aw-ru, the amount o! L3B,0 fl o w r .s placed In <.he Bill ( t last ss-si».ij. Thai wa« adver.Ued ' in ihe pap is circulating- in the dis'ric, and no- i.v)y tha bir i' vv;.s nlso referred to in locii'b *nd in discuss'ona in tne newspaper, uitd th<-re was not a single or jsctiun made to i , Then, with regard to taking a poll {)<■ pu'imited (hat it would be exceedin^l' ncnveoient f hat -i poll sfioulrt be takcu .Jt-i.iu f>»r iLeLIOOOO cqsitdd to comple c the work. Tiie L3B 000 was ioeerred iv t.<c Bill of last ocppjou ; but af thr pu -, es ion of rhe I'onorabie member io< Dn- e<l n Spilth it h&d been aheied io L 40.000 in ti.e H'.use. 1 He submitted tba , us ihei.v.piyerv had been cousultcd as to 'hy workH fjc-usrally, and hud bad fully i pptruni y ol o'-jse i.ig to .hem, io was noi iKcta-ar}-, for tbe sake p/ euch a email cu m, tha* they should beonsuUed again, the Governm-n' had advinctid part of the muni^y to cmiple'e the works, it was nectary that .his bill s'lould paas in or.ier thar they might be recouped. Thd works vere oi very ereat irnporauce, and be ihju^h- tijere ought nut to be auy un-necesa-ry delay, or any quessiou of goiaw to the rat pay^ra aj-aiu. He need only add tha , il the c wa^ any very j>reat objec ion i-. atiother place to these amendments, inasmuch as the rafepiyera could be consulted a^ain and would -no doubt Consent, i< would be tor the honorable gentleman iv cb-irgeot tue Bill 'o ousider whether he wo.ild s'iii resist tba anundmeotß. Wih r. card t> the word "annuillv," he bad explainarl ihat the Act of 1882 made provision for that. Mo ion agreed to, and M> Hislop, Mr J. McXi zie, ani Air Dmoan appoto'ed Mauageis to draw up reasons for disagreemeat.