THE New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. MONDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1875.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4406, 27 December 1875, Page 2

THE New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. MONDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1875.

We publish to-day two letters. The one is from Mr. Robert Graham in which he states his experience as one of the first members of the Assembly and an observant politician for the last quarter of a century, as well as his views on the future course that should be adopted. The other is from Mr. Clark disavowing opposition to Sir George Grey, expressing a strong desire to turn out the present Ministry, and laying down certain principles as a basis on which he would support the construction of another in its place. Both letters agree that, if the colony ia to be under one Government, the land revenue must at the same time be made colonial. Neither of them touches upon the consideration —a very vital one for Auckland—that unless the representation be also in some»>way amended there will still be only thirty-fiye disunited Northern members against fifty-three from the South to appropriate this land revenue after we have got it. Both the letters disavow Separation, except as a, last resort, but neither gives us the least idea how Auckland is to be steered or what there is before her. Now we desire to call attention once more in this connection to the very peculiar position of Auckland in the New Zealand political world. With a large population she has all the needs of one, and is second only to Otago in her contribution to the revenue of the colony. OC the other Northern provinces, Taranaki looks to tha colony for her central prison and its attendant breakwater. Hawke's Bay is largely a sheep country, has a small population and not a bad land revenue. Wellington has the seat of Government, the great expenditure attending it, and also a land revenue if not inconsiderable amount when compared with her population. Turning to the South Island, Canterbury and Otago need not be mentioned. They, above all others, have the monopoly of the colonial land fund and education reserves. We are faced by the glaring injustice of Canterbury actually contributing; less to the revenue of the colony than Auckland, while the Provincial Treasury of the one is full to repletion, and of the other absolutely empty. If we look to parties as they are likely to exist in the next Assembly, we see the same peculiarity and the same isolation. The constitutional question will be traversed by the strife over this land fund, the strife over the future of the twelre or fourteen millions of acres to be re-let as they fall in from the present runholders, the strife over taxation, the strife over native lands, and very probably the stnfe over the finance of the whole colony. We have so often said that we need scarcely now repeat our own belief, that of all these the constitutional question is immeasurably the most important. By it will be determined for many generations the tone of our political and social world, the distribution of power, theland legislation, the social status and social progress of the mass of the people. By it, in short, will be determined whether the people of this colony shall govern themselves, preserve their present freedom from class rule, and their present political equality, or whether we shall enter on a ne«r career, in which power will be wielded only by those who can spare time to go to Wellington, and those who go there because they have either an axe to grind, or no business whatever to leave behind them. There can be no doubt that the choice of the electors will be very materially limited by this difficulty. There can be as little doubt that if, through its means, power fall into the hands of any particular set of men, they will soon learn to turn that power to their own account. Tho most ardent admirer of this system, as it has worked in England, cannot overlook the fact that this has been a prominent result of practically limiting the choice of electors to wealthy or landed classes there. The monopoly of the army and navy, of the Church, the civil and diplomatic services, and the creation of a very strong caste feeling has been the price paid in the old country. There are few who would be prepared to see a similar result in the new country in which their children are to dwell.

This is the political aspect of the position that we have repeatedly sought to impress upon the people. We are far from depreciating the importance of finance, but cannot see how it in the least degree affects the greater constitutional issues. So long as the public , burdens are " equitably adjusted" the financial question cannot bo affected by either the Abolition Bill or Separation. If they are not " equitably adjusted" it will be the fault of administration, aad not of the Constitution of the colony. The administration of the finances may and must vary from time to time, in accordance with the circumstances of the day. The Constitution should rest upon a more solid foundation. It should set bounds to the powers of the Legislature, and be a safeguard for the self-government and liberties of the people. It should secure for then; the direct control over their Government without which those liberties must be in constant peril. If it were possible to concentrate attention on the greater issue, we should see the way more clearly. With a Government earnest only for its settlement in the interests of tho people, and with an Assembly influenced by the same lofty views, the reasonable and common-sense course would be to pass an Act authorising election by the people of two or three delegates from each province, to be then appointed a Royal Commission to report on the settlement they consider most suitable in the interests of the whole colony. Eighteen or twenty gentlemen, sitting round a table and representing the views of all portions of the colony might devise some arrangement that would be suitable, and therefore permanent. If they could not, how can we expect it from a mixed Assembly consisting of men elected for all eorts of purposes—for railway extensions, colonialising land revenues and educational reserves, for fighting against this colonialisation, for altering flhe incidence of taxation and for resisting taxation altogether, forgetting all the public works they can for.their constituencies, for keeping in with the Government or for turning' it out, for keeping the runs, as they are, or for cutting, them up into-smaller blocks—and generally distracted ' by the hundred' and one. motives that rule Legislatures everywhere. "We cannotiratr feel that there is under this a strong bitter necessity for obtaining as perfect union as possible among Auckland members and are glad

to find. from Mr. Clark's letter that whether the electors' see fit to put in. Mm or Mr. Reea they hare a promise of loyal action under the only possible leader, Sir George Grey.

In order to give the. employees of the Herald a holiday on Boxing Day, there will be no issue of this journal to-morrow (Tuesday) morning. It will be eeen by reference to our shipping columns that there is good ground for fears for the safety of the ship Darling Downs, bound from London to Sydney. She left London on the 30th Septemper, and the Downs three days after; making her SO days out up to last advices from Sydney. This in itself is not sufficient to cause alarm, but we received last week a letter from our Ahipara correspondent, stating that the stern-board of » large vessel, bearing the name of the "Darling Downs" had been washed ashore there. The gilding round the letters forming the name was fresh, and did not give the appearance of having been in the water long. We shall look with anxiety to hear tidings of this vessel. It is remarkable that the stern-beard of a vessel, 80 days Out from home, should have been washed ashore on our northern coast in the state in which it was found. Mr. James D. Clark, shipping reporter to the Daily Southern Cross, expired suddenly at his brother's residence, St. George's Bay Road, on Christmas Kve, The deceased was in the prime of life, being only 26 years of age, but a few days previously was attacked with an epileptic fit, at the foot of the wharf. He had a second attack at his brother's house on the same evening, but since that time, to all appearances, was recovering from | the effects, until his malady terminated fatally on Friday night last. His remains were conveyed to their last resting-place yesterday afternoon, followed by a number of friends to the grave. Mr. O'ark was a native of Hobart Town, and formerly acted as clerk to the "Resident Magistrate on the West Coast. During the past few years he has been connected with the Press in this city. The creditors of the Bright Smile Company met at the office of Mr. Macdonsld Scott, Grahamstown, on Friday, and the prospectus of a new company was submitted and agreed to, —Mr. W. Rowe signing the same as chairman. He was authorised to snbmit it for approval to the mortgagees, t,!terwards to take steps to secure the co-operation of the Queen of Beauty and City of London to form an Association for pumping purposes. The details of the prospectus need not _be gone into until the preliminary and most important part ie settled, meanwhile this step of the creditors may hasten the event much to be desired of resuming work on the "WaioKaraka. The season of Christmas has brought in a large number of miners and others to to the Thames, and many of them have taken their departure for Auckland. The usual dressing-up of shops and the presence of an uuusual number in our principal thoroughfares indicated well-to-do population, although, beneath the tide of apparent healthiness and comfort, there are numerous cases of penury, caused chiefly by the stoppage of our Waio-Karaka mines. But everybody likes to put on their best appearance at this evolution of time, and bid each, other a happy Christmas and merry New Year. On Friday night the Hibernian Band played through the town, Messrs. Reed and Company gave a entertainment at the Academy of Music, and the Cornish Singers serenaded the inhabitants with Christmas carols. On Saturday no display or amusements were attempted, the day being regarded as one for domestic comfort in family re-unions, and services in some of the churches, the sports being reserved for Monday and Tuesday. Excursion trips to Coromandel, Wakatiwai, Miranda, and Ohinemuri will taketheirper-centage ofpleasureseekers ; while the grand demonstration on behalf of the hospital will be joined in by all the various orders of friendly societies in the district, and march to Parawai on Monday, where a programme of sports will be gone through. On Tuesday the Tararu Tramway will have the trains going to convey pleasureseekers to that favourite place of resort, where races and other sports are to be provided. On Saturday, Ist January, races at Ohinemuri will take place. Protection to all mining interests is granted to the 4th January, and the usual closing days for Government offices, banks, and other businesses will take place.—[Thames Correspondent.]

No inquest wil be held upon the body of Mr. John Williams, whose sudden death was reported in cur issue of Saturday last. The deceased, who was a native of Sweden, had been for a long time under the care of Dr. Philson. He had suffered from paralysis of the brain, caused by excessive drinking. At the time he fell dead he was in the Greyhound Hotel, but as the persons in whose company he was arc prepared to swear he was sober, and as the cause of death is -well known, an inquest is not considered necessary. A youth met with gu accident yesterday evening, on the Devonport Wharf, which it is believed will necessitate the amputation of his arm. He was a passenger by the steamer for Auckland, and foolishly attempted to get on board before the gangway was placed, by jumping across. Unfortunately his arm, up to the elbow, was jammed between one of the wharf piles and the steamer's sponson. His arm was very severely crushed in consequence, and it became necessary on arrival of the boat in Auckland, to send him to the hospital. The lad's name is Patrick Moore. Succe3S has attended the recent crusade which Mr. Smith Harrison led against impure tea. A scheme has been produced by means of which it is hopedand believed that the importation of worthless tea will be very materially checked, if not prevented altogether. An order has been issued by the Board of Customs, setting forth the details of the arrangements which have been made, and giving general instructions for the carrying into operation of the scheme resolved upon. To attain the object which they have in view, the Commissioners of Customs have ordered that there shall be three inspectors, two assistant-inspectors (who will perform the necessary duty during the absence of the inspectors), and one analyst to whom will be entrusted the functions connected with examination. On Christmas evening, between the hours of 8 and 10 o'clock, about 300 people of both, sexei were congregated on the end of the Queen-street wharf listening entrancedly to the dulcet sounds of music wafted on the breeze from off the sea. On inquiry, we learnt the musicians who were delighting the public ear were a portion of the Hobson Band, under the leadership of Herr Christopher. In accordance with the unanimons consent of the owners of horses already entered for the steeplechase to be run at the forthcoming meeting, it has been agreed to receive the nomination of Mr. Bobbett's The Arrow. The weight at which he will run, har, however, not reached ui. The California correspondent of the Sydney Mail, referring to the fire in Virginia City, sa ya : "The New Zealand Insurance Company had fortunately no risks in Virginia affected by the fire, but all the local companies have been badly hit." A patient at the Lunatic Asylum died suddenly yesterday. An inquest -will be held on the body early this morning, before Dr. Goldsbro'. Owing to some inadvertence the n*me of the deceased was not reported to the police. Two or three cases of -sunstroke are reported to have occurred in the city during the past week. It behoves parents to warn their children not to venture in the sun with their heads uncovered. Seventeen names of offenders graced the charge-sheet at the Police Station last evening. Of these, two were for larceny and the remainder for indulging too freely in Christmas cheer. 'An English master is required for the College and Grammar School. Particulars- may be ascertained on reference to our advertising columns.

The New Zealand Times has some sensible remarks upon the position of the Government and the land fund. Wβ quote -—Let us consider what the Govercmentpolicyainounts to. Already, by the Public Revenues Act, the ] land fund of the colony is made provincial revenue. Some provinces derive large sums annually by the sale of the colonial estate The Crown lands of the colony; other I provinces have no euch source of income. Theselast are " the impecunious proTinoes ;" that is, they are-not rich through the sale of the public lands; but, affluent or impecunious, they contribute in like proportion to the consolidated revenue raised for purely colonial purposes. It is clear, therefore, thai under the provincial system of finance the burden of taxation in reality is heaviest upon the province which is without a land fund ; because, although the general taxation falls upon all alike, one province recoups its contribution to the colonial treasury by the sale of colonial laad, while another does not. This is certainly bad enough, and it has been a standing grievance iu the North for many years; but the Government propose, according to Mr, Richardson, to intensify the .evil under what we may style the provincial district system of finance, by returning out of consolidated "revenue, to the provincial disricts which enjoy the special advantage of a land fund, an amount equal to the land revenue for the year, to be applied to local purposes beyond the control of Parliament. This is the plain meaning of the proposal, and it is one which, in the interest of the public, we must protest against. We did so when the Abolition Bill was introduced ; we do so now while the country has time to consider the fiuancial policy which forms part and parcel of that measure, but which the new Parliament must certainly deal with. How anything approaching an equalization of taxation is possible, under such a system of finance, we are unable to comprehend. Of course, we are well aware that this is a taking election cry in many parts of the country, more especially when a Minister of Mr. Richardson's reputation declares that he believes the Colonial Treasurer will have available funds to pay the promised subsidies. Let us eay it candidly and honesbly, we do not believe the Treasury will at all respond to the enormous demands that will be made upon it ; but if it did, it would simply show that the time had come when taxatiou might be prudently reduced. We are very far, however, from desiring to divert the land revenue from its legitimate purpose, namely, the construction of public works for the promotion of settlement, but we altogether dissent from the doctrine that a district which is fortunate iu possessing a land fund should receive in addition an equal amount from the general taxes of the colony. This is not a policy calculated to destroy provincial feeling, or cement the unity of the colony. The first step towards colonial unity is to establish a system of colonial finance; but the provincial district system of finance contemplated by the Government would render a colonial system impossible.

The Welliugton Evening Post has the following :—Brother Mackune came out expressly from America to organise Templar lodges all over New Zealand, got into trouble with the Wellington lodges, and ultimately went to Havelock, where the brethren took him by the hand and installed him as General Manager of the Good Templars Co-operative Hotel and Store in that place. Mr. Mackune, however, soon got into hot water. He wouldn't obey orders or conform to rules. He bought goods which the Templars didn't want, and left unbought what they did want; while, finally, he set up an opposition body of Tenrplars, thereby creating great dissension and ill-feeling in the Order, the members of which were so disgusted that the Hotel was deserted, the members reduced from 100 to about 40, and many left the Order altogether and went back to drinking habits. As the result of all this, the Templars summarily cast out Mr. Mackune, whereupon the latter sued them in the Law Courts for £80, and the case is still pending. All this is very sad, but sadder still it is to learn, that when Mr. Maekune called a public meeting to explain and justify his conduct, it resulted in something very like a gathering o": bedlamites. The Good Templars sung tre National Authem in a score of different ways, each brother finishing up his stave with a prolonged and hideous howl, and in short, the proceedings are described "as being a disgrace to a civilized community." This is inexpressibly sad, and we mourn and wonder over the grievous backsliding. If the people at the meeting had been, we will say, "moderate drinkers," one could have understood all this scandalous riot, but such conduct *n the part of those who " shun the flowing bowl" is absolutely inexplicable.

The following judgment has been given by Mr. Justice Williams, in the Supreme Court at Dunedin, in a case (the Shotover Terrace Mining Company) appellants, and Armstrong, respondent:—The only meaning I can give to section 52 of the Mining Companies Act, is that it affords a summary remedy for calls by the manager of a company, if proceedings are taken within 14 days. The Sth section makes the company a corporation; the 52nd makes calls a debt to the company. It cannot be inferred that the ordinary remedy of the company to recover debts due to it is taken away, because a special remedy is given under certain corditions. The latter part of the section—that payment of any number of calls may be enforced in one and the same proceeding—is insensible in any case. The section only enables the manager to sue if proceedings be taken within 14 days after a call becomea due, and by the 50th and 51st sections, only one call can be made each month. The contention that calls can be recovered by the manager, but without interest or costs, notwithstanding proceedings are not commenced within 14 days, cannot be sustained by the language of the section. As it was agreed on the argument that the proceedings in the Court below are to be considered as having been iaken, not in the name of t-±e Company, but in the name of the manager, the appeal must be dismissed with, costs.

The Argue has the following on the Guibord case :—The Boman Catholic Bishop of Montreal, feeling that it would be useless for him to attempt to enter into a contest with the Privy Council of Great Britain, haa resolved to terminate the controversy which has arisen over the unburied remains of Joseph Guibord by the perpetration of a splendid joke. The Canadian prelate has come to the decision of unconsecrating the small allotment of ground in the cemetery in which the body is to be laid. On the 12th of September, the vicar-general of the diocese read from the pulpit of the cathedral in that city a pastoral letter, in which the congregation were informed that by virtue of a Divine power held in the name "of the Lord of Lords, the place where the body of this rebellious child of the Church shall be buried, will be not only cut off from the consecrated cemetery, but shall be for the present accursed." But there is one very serious oversight in this comical document. It omits to state how many feet deep the malediction extends. At the bottom of the grave lie the remains of Madame Guibord, who died in full communion with the Church ; and, of course, the Bishop never intended that the mouldering away of her ashes should be accelerated or retarded— as the case may be—by the operation of the episcopal curse. After the funeral of the contumacious printer, and when the malediction shall have had sufficient time allowed it to thoroughly penetrate the soil, we believe it is the intention of the Canadian Institute to submit a shovelful of the consecrated, and another of the accursed mould to a careful chemical analysis, with a view to ascertain if there is any appreciable difference between the two. Garibaldi has addressed the following letter to Madame Edgar Quinet:-r My very dear lady, Yes; I shall read the immortal pages of the great Quiaet on Michael Angelo in face of the sea and of the infinite iu which we imperceptible atoms roll, changing our form by the transformation of material which is called death. 'L'dme immortelle' of Edgar Quinet corresponds without transforming itself with fthe soul of those who love it as do you and I. Your devoted G. Gartbaldi, Caprera, Sept. 27, 1575."'-

It is not often that the publicare pririleeed to penetrate into the secret recesses of the bank parlor, but when occasionally a glimpse IB afforded of that mysterious region, it is apt to prcrre what our American cousins wonld call an "eye-opener." Such a sensation lias been afforded by a letter wfiich Mr. John Robson, late manager of the Ballarat branch: of the National Bank, has published in vindication of his conduct in connection with certain transactions betwceD the bank and the Hand and Band Mining Company, which resulted in his abrupt dismissal from the service of the bankafter sixteen years' service. It would appear that the mining company had become indebted to the bank to the amount of £15,000, of which there leemed to be little probability of the recovery, seeing that the company-a no liability one-had ceased to make the necessary calls to Leep affairs going. By one of the smart legal pro cesses well-known to the banks on the gol diielos, the bank became the aole owner of the mine, and worked it to such good purpose that they not only recovered tb° whole of tbeirdebt with 10 per cent, interest, but made a clear profit over and above of £25C3. Suddenly Mr. Robson recieved orders from, the head office to sell the miae, and in consequence of his strong remonstrances he was instructed to proceed to Melbourne to confer with the board on the subject. His account of the interview which he had with the board is curious to say the least of it. "It would not be a k>vd thing to go in. for," Mr. Wilson is represented as remarking at the board room " Well," said Mr. Robson, " there are certainly £2000 or £3000 profit, if all goes well." "Upon my word it's worth considering," said Mr. W' , - son. "Well," said a brother director, "I"' make one to pass your note for £6000. What do you say ? Will you take it ?" Yes' I will," said Mr. Wilson, "if Mr. Robson will join me." At last the baak ordered Mr. Robson to sell for £6000 within three days, which he did, and an outcry having been raised against the bank for not allowing the company a chance of re-possessnig themselves of their old property, Mr. Robson was made, as he alleges, the scapegoat, and dismissed in order to call indignation away from the bank. Putting aside the question a3 to the propriety or otherwise of publishing confidential communications, it must not be forgotten that Mr. Robson's' statement is intirely an ex parte one, nor that it was pretty freely rumored that he had sold the mine for £6000 to a relative of his own, while other parties were willing to pay £SOOO. About this portion of the proceedings his explanation was rather lame, and he wi'l require to clear up this matter before he can be regarded as the injured innocent which he would fain have the public believe him to be. At the same time there can be no doubt that the conduct of the bank has been harsh and mean, both towards Mr. Robson and the mining company.— Leader, Dec. 4. Those who are interested in, British shipping would do well to keep a watchful eye on I American proceedings in the Pacific. Our Sydney correspondent informs us that as they have for the present lost all hope of maritime supremacy or even equality on the Atlantic, they are turning their attention with great earnestness to the other great inter-conti-nental ocean, where they find a field for enterprise which has hitherto been comparatively neglected by our own countrymen. As our readers are doubtless aware, the Pacific Mail Company, which is we believe, to a great extent an American corporation, has entered into contract with the Governments of New South Wales and New Zealand to carry the mails between these colonies and San Francisco. " The last new idea," we are told, "is to amalgamate the North, "and South Pacific services, and work them in conjunction. The Pacific M?il Company has already the contract from Sai Francisco to Honolulu, Japan, and China, and it has now the control of the contract from San Francisco to Sydney." Our correspondent points out that if there were a subsidised line between Hongkong and Sydney, there would be steamers making the entire circuit of the ocean under very favourable condition. Congress is to be asked to supx>ly this link, and it is not at all unlikely that the applications may be favourable received. The idea which it is sought to realise is as follows:—A vessel to start from Sydney cleaned and coaled, and to proceed via Fiji, Hololulu, San Francisco, Japan and China, 3nd thenua back to the port of departure. "During the same month another vessel would leave Sydney for Hong Kong, and perform the same circle the reverse way." The great advantages which Sydney offers for carrying you snch an enterprise cannot be mentioned. Coals are cheap and dock dues low; and it is thought that suitable vessels with compound engines might make the entire voyage without coaling anywhere on the round. Th Pacific trade is now of considerable value, and we may safely look for its rapid development. We are by no means adverse to the Americans reaping the reward of the enterprise in this direction, but we should be sorry to see all the main lines of communication monopolised by our very dear cousins. British activity is always seeking fresh outlets, and surely one be found in the islandstudded ocean wh'cb. rolls between Aeian and American shores.— Argus. _^__________