North Otago Times.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 6535, 28 December 1887, Page 2

North Otago Times.

rVBLXSBU BTCET MORNIK«.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1187.

It is not only through the wholesale sacrifice of the public estate to railway syndicate* that New Zealand ia likely to suffer grievously at the hands ef the Atkinson Government. To us it seems that unless they are closely and severely watched the members of that hemonymous Ministry will, before they have run their ministerial race, do irreparable injury to tome of tbe moat cherished rights of the free born British colonists of New Zealand. We speak more or leas oonjecturally of eovrso, yet it seems to us there is ample foundation for our assumption that they have it in view to undermine even the freedom of elections aa it is now cherished and utilised by us, the people of this great country. At any rate, at * pretty early period of the late session —we quote from that classic and unquestionable authority Hansard—

Mr Pearson aiked the Gorarament If they would amend the Cjrrnpt Practices Ac», with a view of introducing more stringent legislation to prevent eandldatea and members of the House from being subject to iniuit and annoyance by persons when addressing or abont to address, pnblie meeting*. He thought some strlngeat filiation shou!4 be * ffjoted la order to prevent a reonrr«noe of tbe dUgraetfulsoenes at the late elections, when the right of free speech had freqa»nt|y bsen prevented. Far very obvions reasons oaadidates had to take the law into their owa hands, and during the election aft KaUpol one of the o»ndidatea waa rery aaeh lli-u-ed. fie thought thai the Qoreromiat ■huuld give Instructions to the fcoiios to prosecute In tbe*e matte a.

afftjor Atkioioa said that of oourse there w«s T«ry ooatide able diffioalk/ la later-f-rlag with what was known aa the freedom of eJeoiiona ; Lat be mnat oonfesa that ssvsrai of tbe acenu which took placi wars a dUgraoe to the places in which they ocourred. Be thought lnsti notions should be girca tc the police to pat down rowdyism and tbe throwing of oats. An Hon. Member : Wonld yon limit It to eats?

M»j-.r Atkinaon : No ; I would extend muoh further — to dogs.

Now, we take leave to say that far more is meant here than meets the ear or the eye. Major Atkinson thinks that instructions should be given to the police to pat down rowdyism, and te prevent the throwing of eats and dogs at parliamentary elections; but he obviouslj means far more than he says. We are inclined to think that his real intention in the matter is somewhat comprehensive, and that he has in bis mind's eve legislation which would place a heavj interdict not only en general rowdyism aod the throwing of cats aad dogs at elections, but on the ke»piag open of pubJiebouaes on polling day, and on the slightest interference on the part of any person in the least degree under the influence of drink, in any branch of electioneering buaineas. Now if that were done with even a tithe of the thoroughness which distinguishes Major Atkinson when he is handing the lands of the people over to foreign syndicates, what might not be the result! Why, a majority of men of inflexible uprightness — of downright! devotion to their own honorable oonsiatencj and to the public interest, might even be elected to manage tbe country's affairs in P*rlia» ment. Would that not lie a somewhat violent change! Would it not presuppose that a great many noticeable if not Botabl* cit'zana bad been prevented from influencing tbe elections directly and indiwetiy in their own characteristic fashion, and that tho actual work of voting had been left to a lot of sober-sided fellows with no compassion for political axe-grinders, humbugs, windbags, and weathercocks 1 We fear it would, and surely suoh a chaDge would be cruelly depriving a great many worthy men of the influence which they now exercise te their own particular deligbt and the general delectableneae of New Zealand polities. Aa against this bitter prospect, there is, however, one large and radiant hope. It is, that the selfiah considerations which sometimes influence other public men may influence even Major Atkinson in this matter. If he will but reflect that in a Parliament elected in the way we are suppoaiog ho — the great Major Atkinson— would be likely to have particularly few followers, ha I may pause long before finally deciding to introduce electoral reforms calculated to lead to a result that is barrowing even in anticipation.

The work of repairing the breakwater was resumed yesterday.

It Is rsporttd that oaa of the orew of tbe ship Orari la missing. Nothing Is known aa to his whereabonla.

Mr T. W. Hlslop la at present la Oaraam, havlsg retnrned by the exoareloa traia paiaiag through to Dnnedla on Satarday night.

We have been atk«d to mention that Misa«a Power and M'Kellar took fir»l and seooitd prlsM respsotively in the reoltation e->nte»t, for girl* under 16 years, at the Garrison Band pionlo,

The Donedln Star, In de«orlbl»g the »xeuralon trip by the Oh*a to Port Moeraki on Monday la»l, tays . " The exoariioaliti were mek an the pier by the Hampd[«>n Br«M Band, who ttraok np i Hrely tone." Thle la too lirely a tuae altogether.

The meeting of the dlrcelora of the Caledoalan Society, called fer la«t might, Upied for wa»t ef a quorum. The meeting wii adjooroa 1 till this evening, at 8 o'olook, when a fall attendance ie rcqneeted, aa thle will be the laat v eetlag previous to the

On Cbrirtmae Ere the City Band playae! a aamber of sacred leleotlona and oarols at the north aad of the town, to the treat j»lea»nre of thoea residing there. The Ktulo was oontlnaad till am early hour In tbe morninf . On New Yetr't Era tha band will pl»y afc the eonth end of the town.

j In oar reperfc of the Nf apara Otledoalan •ports, (m desoriblne the qaeltfag eentest. we ■•i 4 that "Smlfca beat Niraa-> by 21 lo 17, Uook beat Smith by 21 to 14," These frames afcoald have ••em reversed, for Nlano beat Smith, and Smith beat Oook. The tag of war reialted as follow*: Ifaheao Bta»e Band, firat) local team, seooad; Nf apara Ceotligfni ef Keith Otage Kiisars, IkW. 1

r ?• i? tH ! Tly ra «««og of tht Alfred Lod«e. No 6 1.0.0. F., |.ke, pl.ot this evening, (a the Oddfellows' Hall, al f

"Tim Doolan," who was well koewn U uamaro a year or two ago as a writer ef amusing verse, k«s oootribtUd to ths Auck. ? 1. «X« X * boot * oolnma en •• The Admirers Beoeptioa."

Entries for the Caledonian S.oUty'. sport, oleaed last night, but owiig to a number rf Sffl fc 0 !?^ I*l^1 * 1^ t ? I B<kad . tbronghthe Post Office holiday, the list ceuld not be completed last night. The leoretary received Jfl«ir«"« wllfc refereooe to the noralnatlens. We may state that the list of entrlet Is a very large eae.

A plearaat hoar or Iwo wts spent yester. «» Y •ff # inlB«i nlB « h y Emmannel Chareh in tatsitaiaiag tbe .-eamen of the vessels In 90 \*T T T ry •»J 1 7«»ble programme was 1 !!? • hr£mßh:h r£ mBh :/ Mled • MrTloe of itu{ *> obUiy the gift of Mr Ferric. The pastor at the ooasjasion t«.4er«d the gnests be>t wishes for the Mew Tear, and Mr Grant, of the Orarl, w «de a suitable response on behalf of the seamea present. A man named William Johnson, a earler in the employ of Mr John Reid, ef Klderelle, was fenad near the Walareka charoh, on Snnday erenlnc about Mvm o'clock, lying hart under the dray be had been driving. Mr James Stirling discovered Job«son, and al onoe tent for D* Garland, who was speedily In attendance, and ordered the •offerer's removal to the Ho.p.Ul. There It was f >aod that Johnsen's baok had bee* brokea. and from tho in|ary he died al half past five yesterday njorning. Johuon wet unmarried, wee an Irlsh-Amerloan, had no relatives in tbe - elony, and was 42 years af age. He was said to be of Intvmperate habits. An inqaeit will be held at the Hospital at 11.30 thle Banning, The angling competition, whloh tiok plaos en the Waitaki ye>terday was In all respects, lave ia the number of fiih oaught, a suooess. There waa splendid weather, and 30 fisherman ef the 34 entered competed for the prizu offered by Messrs Wilkle and Co, and Mr Henry Watwn, The rirer waa high and muddy, however, and not a trout waa booked till towards nightfall. By agreement the competitors were to meet at Mr Johnson's hotel, Waitaki South, at nine o-olook, for tho pnrposo ot weighing np. Only fire t f the anglers brought fish. Mr P. Waterworth. senior, leonred firat prfzt— a rod pieseated by Me?an Wilkle and Co.— with three trout weighlDg lt£tbs. Mr H. Aitkeo won Mr Watson' ■ line with a fi«h of

51 bs weight, and Mr J. Everett with a 4}lb fUh the sweepstake. Ihe other auooessfn! fishermen were Mr T. Doooan and Master Wat »r worth, each with one fiih of ilbi

weight, Mr Dnnc«n having been veted to the ohair presented the rod to the mo«t sac« aessful angler for the day. and Mr Waterworth's health waa enthasisstloally drnok. Other toasts having been made and reapt nded to, a atari waa Mad* for (limira, wheh waa reached shortly before midnight. All the fishermen enjoyed tha day'a onting, and it shonld be mentioned that throng* the liberal h osf leallty of Mr Alexandtr Ihomvon, of Kakanal, mnoh was added Ie the ettjoyablenesi of the day by the excellent lnnebeen he had prepared for all.