SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1894.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8083, 22 September 1894, Page 2

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1894.

Tiik humiliation of Now Zealand is nearly accomplished. In tho old days it used to bo said of ruthless conquerors that they wero raised up by Providouco to scourge corrupt or rebellious nations. In thoso days of revolutionary ethics it would porhaps bo rash to assort that tho Seddon Government hove boen divinely raised for this special purpose, but there can bo no risk in saying that they aro scourging Now Zealand (to use a Scriptural expresbion) with scorpions. Tho colonists will yet curse tho day that saw thorn placed in oflico, and that too before long. They have completely bolied their liberal professions, and aro now playing the tyrant for the tyrant's ends. It is impossible to place thorn in any other category. They aro noithor Liborals, Radicals, nor ConBorvatives, but simply a ging of reckless and unscrupulous political advonturors, who have had tho luck to get into power, and who aro shamelessly iwng it for their own corrupt party purposes. For a good while they traded on their sham policy of self-reliance, but lately they have advanced a long stage in their headlong course towards tho collapso of their imposture a^d tho temporary ruin of tho colony. They hayo (entirely abandoned oven tho pretence to self -w#»n(jo, and aro now figuring in the character of politicaf jubilee plungers, aa M.r Bryco aptly called them at tho Rollostou banquet. Everybody knows that they have long boon borrowing on the sly, but this Hosision their borrowing is less concealed, though it m still noticeable that thoy do not propose a loan pure and simple liko all previous Now Zealand Governments. There is no longor any question aa to tho fact of their borrowing, but they still do it in a more or loss underhand manner. In tho dobato on tho Consols Bill on i Thursday night Sir Robert Htout said that their borrowing proposals amounted to L 5,250,000 for this year, and L2,2C»0,000 for next yoar. No other Government would over have dreamed of 'anything of the sort, and Sir Robert Stout might well add that ifc pained him to see the easy jaunty way in which t)ip Government proposals to boirow njany millions of money had boon received by tho House. This is certainly tho most painful feature of tho case. If tho House woro faithful in tho discharge of its duties to tho country the Ministry could do little harm, but such a Houso was never seen in the colony before. The ovorwhelming Government majority is absolutely subservient to tho wishes of the Premier. It would indeed bo a complete misnomer to call the House a deliberative Assembly. Tho Ministerialists aro simply abject tools in tho hands of thejr masters, and would vote black white afc tj>oir bidding. On Thursday night they showed that thoy hovo not ovon a particle of roapecc for their pledgos. Ministers did not deny that the Consols Bill was a borrowing Bill. This was admitted both by tho Troasuror himself and by Mr Reeves, who in his impudent omnipotence told hon. members if they did not pass tho moasuro tho f'Jovornment would raise the money some other way. A nice thing for a Minister to toll tho representatives of tho people, but it proyes what we have just eaid about* tho tyranny of tho Seddon party. But this is by tho way. The Government, wo ropoat, did not dony that their purpoao wax to borrow through the Consols Bill. Tho Bill was thorofore a distinct departure not only from their professed policy but also from tho policy carried by tho people at the elections. Captain Russell accordingly did tho right thing when ho moved his amendment "That it was not desirable, by a Now Zealand Consols Bill, to extend tho policy of borrowing in direct contravention of the will of the peoplo aa declared at tho last general election." This amendment was strictly in accord with tho decision of tho country in November last. We may indeed say that the no borrowing question was tho only one that was unanimously afijrmed by tho electors. Nearly overy one of tho Government followors was pledged to opposo a loan iv any shapo or form. How then did thoy vote on Captain Russell's amendmont? Why, almost to a man against it. These lino Liberal mombers voted in direct opposition to thoir pledges, and of course in direct contra- J

vontion of the will of fcho people. It is to bo hoped tho omnipotent peoplo will relish tho action of their representatives.

; Wo would remind ownora of horses that nominations for tho North Otago Jockey Club races closo to-night with tho hon. secretary (Mr G. R. Hislop). Tho Papakaio ploughing match will this year be held in a paddock on the farm of Mr H. Stewart, Peebles. The event takes place on Thursday next. At the Police Court yesterday, before Mesbis Craig and Cagney, J.P.s, Robeit Bates was fined 53, with tho alternative of 24 hours, for drunkenness. In this district tho bot fly is claiming Us victims. A horse died at K&kanut recently, and on being opened its stomach was found to be partly eaten away by bots. An old two- roomed cottage at Hampikn, the property of Mary Cooper, was destroyed by (ire on Thursday. J'ho building was of little value, was unoccupied, and there was no insurance. Mails for Australian colonies, United Kingdom, and Europe, also Aden, Sue/. India, Colombo, China, Japan, and Straits' Settlement, per Hauroto (via Hobart), clom> at Bluff on Friday, tho 28th instant, at noon. Mails for Australian colonies (via Sydney), United Kingdom, and Europe, also India, China, Japan, and Straits' Settlements, for specially addressed correspondence, closo at Wellington, per Manapouri, on Thursday, the 27th instant, at 10 a.m. The insurance on Messrs Hoisburgh and Searle's stock is L3OO, and on the building, the property of Mr T. Kennedy, L5OO-— both in the South Biitish. This building has been peculiarly unfortunate in the matter of fires, as we believe this is the third time it has been on fire since its erection. Just before going to press a fire broke out in a five-roomed house in Till street, occupied by Mr Sandford. Tho* lire Brigade promptly turned out, but li»foie they reached the scene of the fire tho hou^o was completely destroyed. We were unable to ascertain if the place was insured. Tho children attending (he Kakanui School have presented Miss Burnside, who has, after four years as mistre.ss of the Kakanui School, been transferred to Noith East Valley, with a handsome writing desk and costly gold brooch as a token or their appreciation and regard for their late teacher. Tho presents weie procured through Mi Joseph Moss. Captain Russell says that by the strange irony of fate the Premier, who has beon always abusing the banks and financial institutions, has bolstered up the banking Institutions, has fostered byndieates, and has brought about amalgamations mou , than any Minister that ever occupied the ' Tieasury benches. With the approach of the wool season wt may look for a spurt in shipping matters and very shortly we expect thy first ship U. put in an appearance. The National Mort gage and Agency Company look for tin clipper ship Pleiades to ariive early next month as their first vessel, she having lefl South Afiica on the 7th instant. The. Pleiades loaded hero last year, and took Home one of the largest wool cargoes thai ever left Oamaru, equal to close on GOOC bales of dumped wool. The Pleiades will probably be followed by the Glenloia, ahc one of the Shaw-Savill and Albion Com- , pauy's clipper fleet. St. Paul's Literary and Debating Society met last evening. Mr B. Mollibon occupied ' the chair. The minutes of the previous: meeting were read and confirmed. The evening was occupied with a mock election. 1 Two candidates were heard, each taking uj an indepondent position, and making good defences. Both wore proposed and seconded, but an amendment was pioposod and seconded that neither candidate was fit tv represent the constituency. To the great amusement of the members this wai carried by a majority. Next meeting will be the last of tho session, when a paper on " Milton " will be read by Mr S. Macdonald. The Thursday following a social will be hold as a fitting ending to the woik of the Society for tho year. Attention is directed to an advertisement calling upon women willing to join themselves to a benefit society in connection with the Ancient Order of Foresters to attend a meeting on Wednesday evening, In every direction woman is asserting hoijust right to bo rogarded as man's equal. The Ancient Order of Foresters is the fii.st great friendly society to acknowledge their right, and to open its doors for the admission of women on the same footing as men, with separate courts and self-government. Though it is only a short timo since this new departure was imuigmated, over 30 courts for -women have been already opened, Queen Victoria becoming patroness, and many notable ladies assisting. Seven or eigho cmutfj have now been opened in Now Zealand, and so far they have fulfilled tho lno-st sanguine expectations This court, if successful in opening in Oamaru, will havo at its back an accumulated fund of over L 4300 for funeral purposes. The committee appointed by Couit Prido of Oamaru will be in attendance at St. Andrew's Hall on Wednesday to give all information. Here is a sI-ip in the face for tho Government; wftli thpir cheap money fiasco. An Auckland telegram In this issuo Informs us that a petition is being got up, promoted chiefly by farmers, for presentation to the Logisjeliyo Council, asking that body to throw out the Advances to Settlors JJill, Even tho settlors are not to be taken in by the speoiousness of this gilded pill. What settler is going to bind himself down for 36 J years as tho debtor of tho Government? far jf during the currency of the loan he wibhes to pay a greater sum ofl" the principal than is provided fqr in the deed ho iv al« lowed a iebato of 4. per cent on the money so paid off, and has to continue paying tho fixed rato of 5 per cent, or one per cent for nothing. The money istoo oheap altogether, so cheap that even settlers do not want it ; for even if it were cheap ono v/ay it would be made dear in another way by taxation, for tho expenses will be something enormous. Fancy a cheap money scheme for which L 1,500,000 are borrowed, the interest at 3^ per cent of L 500,000 of which is re. quired to pay the salaries of 20 officials, all of the " color " prescribed by latter day politics ! If the Government burlesqued f.ho thine*, and engaged Charlie Hugo to I train tlfoin \n their respeotivj parts they would make a fqrtuno out of tho farce of " cheap money " if they toured tho colony with it. At the meeting of tho Education Board, hold on Thursday, a resolution from the Oamaru Noith School Committee, opposing Mr Hamsay's proposal for tho appointment of an advisory committee was received, and consideration deferred. Tho Middle Dis. tricb School (Oamaru) wrote calling attention to the prolonged absence on leave of one of itj» female teachers, and asking for their future guidance if in such cases leave j could be obtained without tho consent of tho Committee. Mr Cohtn said ho had been given to understand that this was not tho first occurrence of the kind in conuec tion with this particular school, and tho Conimittee appeared anxious to obtain a definite ruling on the point from the Board, There could be no question that in case of leave beyond the month allowed by tho regulations, committees were entitled to be consulted regarding such absences. Tho secretary explained that whon the application for leave reached him ho had not noticed that more than a month's leavo was askod, and the fact had also escaped tho notice of tho iiccing-clminnan, whom ho had consulted. He therefore took on himself the blame for the oversight, but for which tho Committee would havo been consulted in terms of tho regulations. The Board consideiing this explanation (already made to the oiuua.ru coinmjtto) quite satisfactory, ordered the letter to be nunutod as received, Au application for a now school at Awakino was referred to the inspector for report. Mina Margaret Ford was appointed to the Wharekuri School, vice 1>1i33 Baxter re, sigucd. '

As Miss LciU Adair, •• tho pluckiest w°" man in Australia," as ehe is universally termed over on tho other b'iclp, is going to givo her only exposition in this district at the Oamaru Show Grounds thin afternoon, a brief summary of her trials and triumphs will be interesting to our readers. At Auckland the wronaut roso about 35,000 feet, and dropped into tho R.wgitoto channel, a mile and a quarter from the shoro, and was rescued after being after 20 minutes m the water by the Nautilus At tho Thames the daring young lady, through the carelessness of the sparkeater, who left the damper off the furnace, rose through a sheet of ILime 40 feet high and three feet in circumference. Fortunately, she escaped with a very few burns. The next place was To Aroha, where, through one side of tho parachute catching on a treo, Miss Adair was precipittted head foremost into tho river, but owing to her wonderful presence of mind she was soon extricated from whad would have infallibly been another's death. We mentioned in yesterday's issue about the wrecked balloon at Hamilton. At Cambridge, two days after, she ascended to .i height of a mile and three-quarters, and landed on a poplar tree, 75 feet high, and was let down by ladders and ropes. At Wanganui MHs Adair leached an altitude of two miles, ceitilied to by a surveyor. At Palmornton North tho young girl a3« cended a mile and threequartets ; at Blenheim, one mile and a-half ; at Petone, sho landed in the hca ; at Greymouth she wi .severely hurt, but rode ; at Hokitika, a week afterwatds, to an altitude of two miles. There is certainly much daring about the performance. According to Mr G, W. Ruysell, tho Cheap Money Scheme will aither make or bieak New Zealand and the Liberal Party. Mr Russell supports the measure, but hi<3 speech in its favor afforded no indie ition as to whether the making or the breaking of the colony h more probable. We are inclined to think that the odds are about 100 to lin favor of tho breaking. Even if tho chances were equal, however, wo do not think that a making or breaking speculation is one which a prudent Legislature should sanction. Even the prospect of breaking tho pi cent Liberal Party will not reconcile u«s to a similar fate for the country. That the Cheap Money Scheme will bring ita authors into discredit and the country into the most .serious financial difficulties if ib p vyses in anything like its present shape is, we think, beyond doubt. That it will break the country by compelling it to repudiate its jVt debts we greatly fear. By tho time ten or twelve millions has been lent under the scheme, the mortgagors will corn* maud such political influence That it will be impossible to continue to make them pay interest. The power of a numerous body of Crown debtors is always dangerous to the financial honor of a State. This is be* ginning to bo felt in New South Wales, where there are arrears of rents due to the extent of some LO'oo,ooo, which the Government is quite powerless to collect. Under a, State mortgage scheme, such as proposed hi'ie, tho duiger will be intensified. Mr Russell's epigiummatie way of putting tho alternative will probably become historic, and when the colony is broken ho will havo the satisfaction of Baying— •" I told you so."— Wellington Post. James Goimmj, invites inspection of his first winter consignment of Scotch and English uitings, coatings, and trouserings, ex Tekoa, A choice selection of exclusive novelties ; albo (Jamaru and other Colonial goods of tho best quality. This Establishmeut has long been noted for the first-clasi character of its productions. Suits from 7Cs upwards. Waterproof overcoats to order and ready made at lowest current] rates.— Jamj;s Gkmmell, Thames Street, Oamaru.