PROVINCIAL SALARIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 720, 6 March 1866, Page 6

PROVINCIAL SALARIES.

To the Editor of the New- Zealand Heb "Sra, —The public is indebted to yon for your •-saraeat advocacy of economy and retrenchment in ■Provincial expenditure. The plain and business-like rmanner in which you have shown the comparative • cost of the machinery with the outlay cannot do ■ other than have a beneficial effect upon the minds of the gentlemen in the Council who have the power of -controlling the expenditure in the various departments. Will you permit me to point out one or vro instances in ~ which the outlay might be much - en than is proposed P I perceive that a fresh outlay is proposed in -connection with our costly gaol at Mount Eden; £100 are to be given this year to a Visiting Justice. This would be deemed a monstrosity in England, and I trust it will be so viewed by tho Council. A gaoler, where justice is properly meted out to criminals, should be endowed with ample powers to /punish refractory prisoners by tho stoppage of •" luxuries," by solitary confinement, or by harder .'labour, guarding, at the same time, against tho abuse - of power by giving to the prisoner'tlie privilege of •'appeal to Visiting Justices, who are invariably paid, and gentlemen. We have in Auckland and the • suburbs a ridiculous number of Justices of the Peace ■who might surely amongst them save this £100 to the Province. Mr. O'Neill bid boldly enough for the Speakership of tho Council—we will believe in lis disinterestednes if he will offer to do this necessary -work gratuitously. I believe the duties are now performed by tho Kesident Magistrate, who has more on his hands than he can well attend to. The small gratuity is not worth his consideration, and tho monoy ■would be dearly earned. As a Magistrate ought not to be required to visit the Stockade more than once or twice a week, the tax upon our J.P.'s time would he small indeed, and if they cannot perform a duty .like this, the sooner their names are struck off the iroll the better. There are honest, business-like men an the Council, and we commend this matter to their earnest attention. You have, Mr. Editor, properly referred to tho •contemplated reduction of the police force, —permit Die to point out an instance where the entire services •of one officer may be rendered available to tho distric-. As every one knows who is in tho habit of attending the Police Court, there is a policeman regularly cm. ployed as •' orderly," whose duties consist in the carrying of letters and running of errands for the officers of the Court. Now this would be all very correct were it not for the fact that a " messenger" is paid by the General Government for doing these very things. Fixed as the Province is, saving in any and every way, without impairing the efficiency of our institutions, ought to be the end and aim of our local legislators. _ Economist. February 27. To the Editor of the New Zealand Hebaxd. Sib,—Having read in the Cross of to-day's date an account of the discussion of the problem, " Is civilization conducive to the temporal happiness of man ?" by the gentlemen of the Mechanics' Institute, I bog you will favor me with a little space in tho columns of yonr valuable paper for the insertion of this letter. In discussing the above problem tho members of the above Institute, both in the affirmative and negative, seem to have taken a wrong view of the subject, fttid the word ''happiness, 1 ' which eeemß to be one of the principal points of the problem, was confined to such mean definitions as wore inconsistent to its pro • per meaning. In treating oil the above problem, it is essentially necessary to havo a literal definition of the word happiness; a standard by whioh all other degrees of conceived felicity might bo compared. For it will obviously appear that wordly happiness is of various characters, suited to the several constitutions by which they are enjoyed. The profligate might be thought happy in the prosecution of debauchery and revelry, yet such happiness to a covetous man or miser would be considered vulgar, foolish and selfdestructive. The miser would be happy in the realization of some unforeseen or unexpected gain, and liis heart would glory in tho increase of his riches ; yet suoh happiness would be considered morbid, par•imonious and corrupt by every benign and generous philanthropist. Again, the soldier feels happy in conquests, and in seeking honor on the battle-field; the orator in receiving the deafening applause of his audience; the inebriate in bacchanalian sports ar.d revelry; and the faithful Christian in close commu- ' aion with his God. These are a few of the different : characters of worldly happiness which are manifest ; in every civilized community. Might it not justly j bo stated that many of these characters are spurious, 1 and, like internal diseases, undermine the health of the soul, and ultimately bring: a perpetuation of sor- I rows without hope either in this life or in the world to coine. 1 Some standard of happiness should therefore be * Adopted by which all other characters might bo £ tested. To do this, the question naturally fojlows, c What is Happiness ? Is it tho indulgence of passions, s or cravings of anttJrsj habit or t-ic? ? or the a

enjoyment of those advantages which birth, wealth, honor, or intellectual fame secure to us P No ! all all these blessings might be liberally _ heaped, on a person, and yet ho bo unacquainted with happiness. Happiness is the realization of that peaoo and contentment which is only acquired by devoutly, doing tho will or God. This is the standard by which all other characters of happinoss should he judged ; and in order that the above problem be beneficially and properly discussed it is essential that this standard or one of a liko naturo bo assumed by which all asguments could be considered. " Is civilization conducivo to tho temporal happiness of man I answer, it materially is. It is the most safo basis on which true religion can bo built. It nevertheless brings in ils trai'i its ovils and its good. Tlio benefits which wo derive from civilization in conjunction with true religion tend to elevate tho mind to God. It unfolds to our min£ tho omuipo- ' .nee and greatness of Jehovah, his love, this attrioutes and glory ;it shows man his relationship to his Creator, and inculcates love, morality, and humanity; it establishes organizations for mutual protection and benefit; property and lifo become socuro; tho family relation becomes established, and society frefrom all tho violence and outrage of barbarious corns munities grows firm in tlioso virtues and qualitie. which, as elements, will form tho national chara ctor It is aiss tho way by which wo havo access to tlio various departments of science and understand nature in all her mvsterics and enigmas. All these benefits are the offspring of civilization, but they in themaelves do not constitute happinoss. They principally teaoh us knowledge; but religion, with its revealed laws, tenches us the proper application of this knowledge, and converts it into a spiritual windom ; and we are told tliat tha ways of wisdom are ways of happiness and peace. If, in spite of civilization, crime exists, it is because it has been misapplied or outraged, aud not exorcised by that jurisprudence of holy writ which go hand in hand with civilization for tho everlasting happinoss of mankind. On the other hand, what degree of happiness does man in his barbarity enjoy independent of that of civilization ? What is it comprised off Those who aro conversant with tho manners, life, and characteristics of the heathon tell us that man in his barbarity is the slave of every sin that gross, wicked, and repulsive. Tho sacrifioo of wi lows and infants, the desertion of aged parents, the self-tortures of penance to oppeasa tho anger of a god of wood or Btone, the ignorance of everything that is moral, noblo, and religious, and the gross licontiousncss peculiar to themselves, and which is oven a shame for anyone to assort, form but a meagre account of tho crimes of man's barbarity. Man might, indeed, in the indulgence of the aliovo crimes and viciousnoss, find pleasure and a gratification of his senses, so in liko manner might ono of tho brute beasts bo gratified in tho indulgence of its vicious attributes. But it cannot be justly argued that this constitutes happiness. If it does, then it is of that character in which the children of Sodom and Gomorrah gloried when they met the condign judgment of Jehovah. Would you see where the happiness of civilization lies, go to the home of a pious and God-fearing family. A father and a mother living in conjugal fidelity and love ; children being instructed in all that is true, virtuous, and holy ; wliero benevolence and lovo are administered to the wretched and unfortunate portion of society; where contentment reigns and the benefits of civilization are converted to the praise and honor and glory of tho Giver of all good things. It ia a fallacious assertion to state that civilization is destitute of happiness. liet the man who vindicates the assertion resort to all the evils of barbarism and practically prove whether happiness is to be found in ignorance and crime, or in doing the will of He who made him. Religion and civilization must go band in hand to contribute true happiness to man, or the acquirement of knowledge alone will elate tho vanity of the mind, and instead of leading man to Christianity, may allure him along the paths of scepticism to the dark regions of atheism and despair. I am, &c., A Voice. Grey-street, March 2, 18G6. [We quite agree with the remarks of our correspondent, but must tako this opportunity of observing that discussions on abstract questions aro more suited to the discussion cla-s than to tho columns of a daily paper. —Ed. N.Z.H.]