THE New Zealand Herald SPECTEMUR AGENDO. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1874.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XI, Issue 3997, 3 September 1874, Page 2

THE New Zealand Herald SPECTEMUR AGENDO. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1874.

If we had to decide which among the voluminous documents laid before the Assembly was the most able, we should award the palm to the statement of the Minister for Public Works. In arrangement it is admirably clear and in style simple and lucid. It gives exactly the information needed, and the reader is not under the disagreeable necessity, imposed ux>oii him by too many State documents, of keeping his attention perpetually on the stretch to read the hidden meaning couched under some ambiguous phrase or running between the linc3.

Mr. Richardson deals with no mean figures. The railways, of which the Assembly had authorised construction up to the 30th June last, were 1010 miles and were estimated to cost £5,575,400. Of these lines 90 miles were open to traffic and 58 miles ready to !,e opened. On 103 miles plate-laying t.\y: proceeding and 421 additional miles were under contract and in course of completion. Six hundred and seventy-three miles are thus accounted for, leaving a balance of 337 miles still to be let. The cost of the works finished and in hand, was £3,660,881, leaving £1,914,519 available for the untouched lines on which no liabilities had yet b: 311 incurred. The distribution of the expenditure was as follows :— £ s. d. Auckland .. .. 515,U34 10 1 llawke'a Bay .. .. 159.003 2 3 Wellington .. .. 325, SU2 12 9 Taranaki C 5,316 1 0 Westland 73,223 Hi 6 Nelson 108,302 <J 10 Marlborough .. .. 120,401 1(1 11 Canterbury .. .. 1 50,234 17 4 Otago 1,314,658 7 1 Material, &c., not yet apportionable.. .. 185,508 11 0 £3,6C0,851 1 9 • Auckland has thus received about oneseventh of the expenditure, and it will be seen at once how impoi iant is the change which made the intereston the cost of these railways 110 longer a local charge, but threw it upon the general revenue of the colony—to which Auckland contributes one-fifth. Had the expenditure been in a fair proportion we should have had £750,000 instead of £518,000. It is to be remembered also that both Canterbury and Otago have constructed a large amount of railway from funds provincially borrowed and from land sales, and that it is now proposed, and pretty sure to be carried, that they should be relieved of these lines as a provincial charge by their being purchased by the colony and the cost thus thrown 011 the Customs revenue. It is interosting also to trace the proportion which the actual outlay bears to the authorised expenditure. Auckland had £518,000 spent out of £934,500 appropriated ; Hawke's Bay, £160,000 out of £220,000 ; Marlborough, £120,000 out of a total of only £126,000 ; Canterbury, £786,000 out of £1,160,000 ; and Otago, £1,314,000 out of £2,065,000 appropriated. These figures require no comment. They shew for themselves the gross unfairness of the distribution added to the equally glaring unfairness of the original appropriation. Canterbury, contributing much less than Auckland to the general revenue, has not only her land fund, butis enabled to throw onthegeneral revenue the cost of lines to the amount of nearly a million and a quarter, while Auckland has less than a million. And of that million and. a quarter £786,000 is already expended, while our million has been doled out only to tlie extent of £518,000. Otago,' the open-mouthed and voracious, is a still more remarkable case. She has over two millions authorised, and has already secured a million and three hundred thousand of the -whole amount— more than two and a half times the suin expended in this province. Yet our revenue and that of Otago and our respective populations and contributions to the general revenue which has to bear the

cost of these railways were very near, each other in 1870 when this policy of public works began. Is it matter of surprise that we sh«uld since have lagged behind in the race or that we sihould lag still further if these gross disparities be permitted ? We shall be told of land purchases and roads in the North Island, but the amount they involve i 3 counterbalanced by North Otago loans and other specialities in those provinces, and will be put completely into the shade by the purchase of the "provincial lines" as they are called, although not one whit more so than the railway bridge and works which were handed over by the Provincial to the General Government in Auckland when the Waikato Railway was begun. Had not the Upper House thrown out the bill a million and a-half would have been added under this pretext to the three millions and a quarter already appropriated to those two lucky provinces. Four millions and three quarters out of seven millions ! Well may they be content with the policy and its results which would give them all this at tho colonial cost and stimulate their land sales so that their treasury is filled to repletion at the same time. But is it not rather ungracious in these two favoured provinces first to outwit Auckland, assist in draining us of our legitimate revenue and then reproach us, as they have both loudly done, with living on tho charity of the colony ?

Looking further over Mr. Richardson's report we see that Wellington has not clone badly in tlio railway business. Her contribution to the colonial revenue is comparatively small, but she has managed to get £644,000 appropriated, and out of this to have £325,000 actually expended. She too was in for a fair little slice of further appropriation if the Lords had not thrown out the bill. But it is in the architectural line that Wellington most flourishes. £50,000 is being expended on General Government olHces in that fortunate city. £S,OOO is being expended in a chief entrance to the Houses of Parliament, whatever that may mean, and £11,500 have already been spent in enlarging the said Houses with a further snv ll sum of £350 for alterations, which we presume must have been the scarlet hangings of whicli we heard so much during the debates. Then she has £325 for a "barrel drain in Sydney-street," and £860 6s 9d for "erecting laundry, fencing, pigsties, &c.," at Lowry Bay. Additions to the Museum figure for £471 0s 7d ; but the happiest possession for Wellington is evidently the Ministers themselves. The " Ministerial Residence in Moles worth-street"—wherever that may be—figures for £2,483, while the mere additions to another Minister's residence in Tinakori-road cost £2,855, with a further addition of £502 for a " concrete tank," from which wo infer that wells are scarce in that blissful locality. When we add to this list nearly £4,000 expended in reclaiming a portion of the harbour as a site for the Government offices to which the '£50,000 is to be devoted, we see that Wellington is not doing badly. We may see how lavishly is being wasted the money which we so much need in this province, and we see also the impropriety of permanently locating the Government in a city where its acts are practically beyond the public ken, and where it lias none to watch or criticise it except its own stall' of paid officials and the small crowd of contractors and others to whom this expenditure must be sweet as the dew from Heaven. We are not surprised at their ready and eager endorsement in public meeting the oilier day of the resolutions which were to endow the city with tho privilege of having colonial Ministers permanently located and colonial money so freely and continuously expended for the benefit of its people. However, our quarrel is not so much with poor Wellington, who lias only in her comparatively small way done the best she cr.n for herself. It is rather with Canterbury and with Otago, who never tire of reproaching us for the comparative poverty to which we have foolishly allowed ourselves to be r; 'uced. Do any of our members read Sh"k--pe-re ? If not, let us commend " King Lear" to their notice, and let them ponder a little over the conduct of his two thankless daughters. The world has grown older, but the hedge-sparrow still feeds the cuckoo so long 1 ' that its head is bit off by the beak of its young." Goneril and Regan may still be seen in political as in social "life, and the world is not changed one whit in this respect since those two "Pelican Daughters" were so vividly pourtrayed.

The Highways Empowering Amendment Bill, and sale of lands for non-payment of rates, which was drafted and introduced by Mr. Sheehan, had for its object the giving power to Provincial Councils to raise the present rating power Id to 2d in the £, and the repeal of the special rate clause in the Act of 1872. These latter clauses had remained a dead letter. Mr. Sheehan's b'll passed through the Lower House, but was rejected in the Legislative Council, tliemaiu opposition coming from the Auckland members of the Council. The fate of the measure will cause great regret in country districts. The present rating power is ridiculously low, and was made so from a fear which the large landowners—who compose the great majority ef the Upper House —had of the acreage rate. But this objection was removed in 1573, when the acreage rate was finally abolished. More especially in this province has the present low limit worked prejudicially. It is well known that the provincial revenue is not sufficient to make proper provision for public works ; and yet the Colonial Legislature •« 111 not allow the resident settlers, who are willing to tax themselves, to make roads and bridges. The amount which the present rate produces is barely sufficient in some country districts to pay expenses of levy and collection. We hope that Mr. Sheehan will take the matter up again next session, and that the country districts will back him up and bestir themselves in such a manner as will shew liow public opinion runs on tlie question. The country districts require increased rating power, and must have it. The important question of selling land for non-payment of rates was also brought before Parliament by Mr. Sheehan, in a motion which seated that the present law on the subject was inefficient and unsatisfactory, and required that Government should take the matter in hand with a view to provide a more cheap, speedy, and efficacious remedy against laud upon which rates become due. In moving the resolution Mr. Sheehan called upon the Government to state whether they would take the matter up during the recess, as if they wore not willing to do so he would bring in a bill himself. The motion was supported by a number of other members, and Sir Donald McLean promised that the Government would deal with the matter next session. We hope this pledge will be redeemed. Such a measure will go a greatway to remove the evils of absenteeism, and to secure bona fide settlement. In Canada and other countries the law on this question is simple and inexpensive, and recourse will doubtless be had to the Acts in force in those countries.

It will be a source of great gratification to many Northern settlements to learn that at last the extension of the Kaipara and Riverheacl Railway to tlie city is to be undertaken. It will be remembered that in 1572 an amount was placed on the schedule to the Railways Bill for this work. Surveys were then made and plans prepared. The Immigration and Public Works Act require that the Engineer-in-Chief shall be satisfied that any line intended to be constructed is

likely to be payable. Mr. Carruthere cape up here some time ago, and after travelling along the line, he that it would not be payable. This_ report was made without sufficient enquiry, and entirely left out of consideration the whole of the extensive country abutting on the Kaipara and Wairoa rivers, the outlet of which tlie new line will certainly be. The Engineer's report put an end to all furtner proceedings on the part of the Colonial Government. The Provincial Government and many Northern settlers were not inclined to let the matter fall through. was taken up in the last session of Council, and a very comprehensive report upon the probable traffic of the line was drawn up. This was submitted to the Colonial Government. In the Public W»rks Statement of last session it was iutimated that the Govern- ■ ment would most likely ask the House to sauction tlie work. However, in the Railways Bill submitted no] provision whatever was made, and AI r. Sheelian called the attention of the Premier to the fact. The Premier said he would have a clause prepared and introduced in committee. This was done, and power was taken to go on with the line, although it should not appear to be payable, and it was placed on the footing of a trunk railway. When the Railways Bill was thrown out by the Upper House the Ka'para line went with the others, but it was subscquen tly inserted and carried in the new bill, which is now law. We presume that no delay will now take place before the line is under contract.

In another column we publish a letter written by Mr. W. J. Hunting, lion, secretary of tho South Melbourne Cricket Club, to a gentleman in Dunedin, which has appeared inthe Olago Daily Times. It has reference to a suggestion that a Victorian team should, or a report that they would visit New Zealand about the end of the present year, playing a series of matches in the various centres. As the annual general meeting of the Auckland Cricket Club is to be held today, the letter comes to hand opportunely for discussion. In the first place, Mr. Hunting points out that if such a team is to visit New Zealand the offer "must come from your side," at the same time stating that tlie Victorian cricketers he had seen upon the subject were pleased with the idea. The writer then makes various suggestions as to the centres in which the matches should be held, pointing out that in arranging the programme due regard mutt be paid, to the time occupied in travelling, &c. It is this portion of the letter we would particularly draw the attention of the Auckland cricketers to. He says, '' 1 cannot see how a match can be played at Auckland, on account of the time that it would take to get there and back to catch a steamer, unless Wellington and Nelson be leftout of the programme. . . It must, of course, be a matter for your discretion whether it would be better to play three matches— say, at Dunedin, Christchurch, and Auckland ; or four matches—say, at Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, and Nelson." Now, we can just see the possibility of AucHaud bei?3 left out of such a programme if our •.epic er .ative cricketers are not active iu arrange uents for the Dunedin, Clnistchurcli, and Auckland course. It would be r/diculous for and Nekon to be taken in to the exclusion of Auckland, remembering that the Auckland cricketers are far and away the " champions" of tlie colony, as satisfactorily determined last year. Wo would therefore suggest that our crickcters immediately confer with Dunedin and Christchurch on the subject, and arrange with those clubs, if possible, to bring over a team to play at Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin. It might possibly be also arranged that both or either of these clubs could arrauge to run up the coast about the same time, or at an earlier date, to take their '' revenge " in the return matches that are due to the Auckland men.

It is nothing very unusual in perusing that portion of history which has reference to frreat political changes, to find how much tho opinions o£ the statesmen of to-day have changed upon the very question they had expressed quite opposite views only a short time previously. The charge can be preferred alike against Sir Robert Peel, Gladstone, Palmerston, and other men of eminence. It -will, therefore, we may pre- ! suuie, not be looked upon as any serious reflection if we shew how in ISG9, when the Hon. Julius Vogel accepted office as Treasurer that, upon a motion submitted to the House by Mr. Stevens for abolishing the provinces, the now Premier gave utterance to the following words: —"New Zealand is a peculiar country. You cannot go over its geographical configuration. You cannot bring the two ends nearer than they are. There will always be a certain amount of isolation in different parts, until the iron horse runs through the two islands. If lion, members have no inducement to be economical in their on u district what would be the result ? Year after year you would find recommendations pressed on the General Government to increase the officers of the province, or what were j'rovinces, and increase their salaries. You can have control in large provinces. The House (if the provinces were abolished) would be representatives of small districts, and the first thing they would do would be to vote portions of the consolidated revenue for their district. This is no theory ; it would necessarily be the case. Some districts would be rolling in wealth, and others would be destitute. The effect of the scheme would be to throw the whole weight of the local taxation on the Customs. I should like to know whether the colony would be beiter able to resist seventy hungry applicants than seven or eight. Thus I dispose of the clap-trap argument that by abolishing the provinces, you Tvould be able to reduce taxation."

By a Parliamentary paper received from the Government printer, at Wellington, we learn that for the year ending June 30, IS7-1, no less than fitly-eight wrecks occurred on the coasts of the colony, of an aggregate tonnage of 7703 tons, being thirty-four wrecks, of 4I!S i tons, more than occurred last year. Of tnese wrecks, twenty-seven, of 5074 tons, were total, and thirty, of 2629 tons, were partial. Twenty lives were lost, the number for the previous year being thirteeen. Eight were lost in the Flora Macdonald on the Manukau bar; live in the Cyrus, and two in the "Wellington, near Sinclair's Head; tla-co in the Agnes, between Waikato and Raglan ; one in the liedcliff, and one washed overboard from the Elizabeth, ofT Wellington Heads. In very few of these cases is fault attributed to defective limits, but in many instances to currents, the force and precise direction of which have not been accurately ascertained ; to some unascertained extent magnetic power acting on the compass, and to placing vessels in a wrong position on the chart by mistaking one headland from the other. Fiftythree wracks in a year, or rather more than one in each week, are a greater number than should have to be chronicled, and out of proportion to the inter-colonial and interprovincial shipping trade carried on to and from the ports of the colony.

The system of boarding out orphan and destitute children, instead of rearing them in barracks, as we have been doing m Auckland, has long met with our advocacy. We have from time to time published the results where it has been adopted in the sister colonies, in the hope of seeing whether the committee of our Orphan Homes would not try the system, by way of experiment, even on a small scale. We have now before us the first annual report of the Victorian Asylum for Orphan Children. Nothing ean be more satisfactory to those who feel an interest in such institutions. In nine months of last year homes were found for 650 eliildren, who are now incorporated in family life, and who are visited regularly by friends in the shape of the conscientious women by whom this task has been undertaken. . Of this number the ladies report that CSO are " clean," that 650 are well clothed, that 647 are healthy, that G4l are well behaved, that only 7, who are sick, are absent from regular attendance at day schools. These children are'growing up now amid the ordinary conditions of life.

They are under the nearest approach obtainable to paternal care, and in the institutions they were as far removed from this as possible. They will now receive insensibly that training of the affections which comes from a mutual intercourse of young and old. ;n the barrack school affection is crushed out by machinery, and charity children are proverbially characterised by a total absence of gratitude and love. The one system directly encourages the growth of human relations, and the other obliterates them. Children want sffection ; they want personal care; they want household duties ; they want everything that can train them to honour the bodies and keep pure the souls that God has given them; these influences are to be found in a home, and unless modem society is a sham, they are to be found in a home only. \Ve would that we could by any fair persuasion induce those having the control of our Orphan Homes and school for neglected ami destitute children to consider and ponder upon what is being done elsewhere with such a large measure of success.