THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 1888.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9075, 8 June 1888, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 1888.

The question of the Midland Railway is in some respects one of the most remarkable that have engaged political attention in New Zealand. It has as many colours as the chameleon, as many forms as the old seagod Proteus. From every change of party it takes a now shade, and from the hand of any Ministry that grapples it, it escapes in a new shape. What it is, or whither it tends, or what it will turn to, must be a puzzle to nine-tenths of the people of New Zealand, or of so many of them as have given any attention to the subject ; and we seriously question whether the Government of the colony know what it is, or if it is clearly defined to the understanding of the Midland Railway people themselves. The AttorneyGeneral on Wednesday night, when endeavouring to induce the Legislative Council to deal with the matter again, said, " What they had to consider was which contract the Government were now under? The whole matter had been in great confusion ; the Company wanted one thing, and the Government another, and neither party appeared willing to give way." This exactly expresses the impression in the public mind. There have been so many contracts amended, altered, and modified, that the public mustbeexcusedfor being bewildered with the confusion. In the ordinary business of life, when an agreement is made, business proceeds on that basis ; but from the time of that extraordinary jubilation at Christchurch over the acceptance by the syndicate in London of the terms of the Government, the arrangement has been in a chronic state of transition, each step taken being a further demand, and obtaining a further concession from the Government. What kind of a contract the original agreement may have been that could bind the parties to it, and yet permit so prolonged negotiations, and so numerous modifications, might be puzzling, did we not know that the whole strength of the Canterbury party in the House, combined with that of the West Coast, has been bearing with a steady pressure on the Governments, and that successive concession on the part of the Governments appear to have been the price of that party's support. Outside of the two districts immediately concerned the whole of the colony will experience a sense of satisfaction at seeing that the Legislative Council have at last taken a stand on the subject, and by a majority of 19 to 4 resolved to refer the matter to a select committee, the domi nant feeling in the Council evidently being, as expressed by a prominent member, that " it would be a fine thing for the colony if the railway died a natural death."

The whole history of this enterprise has been eminently unsatisfactory. When the scheme was first mooted in Parliament there was a strong disinclination to transferring large areas of the public lands to the hands of a foreign syndicate, but this feeling was overcome by the general belief, as expressed by the late Premier, that the lands being a succession of wild . mountain-ranges, through which the railway was to run, and which would be so transferred, were valueless ; though a nominal value of 10s per acre was put on them, merely for computation purposes. But whatever effect that supposition had on Parliament in obtaining the original concession, the company, through the Canterbury contingent, has been able to turn the nominal into an actual value ; and last session obtained the valuable concession empowering them to select within an authorised area such further lands as would make the grand total up to the bona fide value of £1,250,000. In its new form the concession, which, before that, was considered valueless, was at one bound made equivalent to a gift

from the State of a million and a quarter pounds sterling in cash. In the face of one such modification as this on the original contract it is needless to speak of others, and folly to doubt that, after this, the Canterbury phalanx have been able to get anything they desired. The last Ministry was kept in power mainly by the Midland Railway party, and that interest, therefore, dominated the course of political events in New Zealand for several years; and now that that Ministry has passed away from power, the same baleful influence seems to have been exercised over its successors ; and, as we have seen, the Midland Railway party obtained last year, and from the present Ministry, a more valuable concession than anything preceding. But what do we find now 1 Why, that the company are still unsatisfied, and have demanded a further concession, and such a one as is intended to alter the character of the whole railway. For however objectionable the granting of a million and a quarter pound's sterling worth of land may be, the colony has at least the right to demand that something of worth should be obtained in return ; and it was expected and stipulated that a line, practicable for traffic, and capable of conveying produce and passengers, coals and other mineral products, and timber and general merchandise between the East and West Coast should be constructed. With this object in view it was agreed that the track should not exceed a certain maximum gradient; and for attaining this, that the mountain ranges, which are in places very lofty the Southern Alps—should be pierced by extensive tunnels. And now the request is that these tunnels should be waived, and that the line should be carried over the summit of the mountains, with a kind of flying railway of any steepness, wholly unfit for heavy traffic, and capable only of carrying such passengers as are willing to commit themselves to an engineering freak for scaling mountain summits. The device, it appears, is called the "Abt System," and has been found effectual for coping with the stupendous difficulties of some of the alpine heights of Europe, that challenge the daring of aspiring tourists; and the request of the company for an alteration from a heavy traffic line, to one of these aerial engineering flights, is innocently spoken of by the Government as a request to have the contract altered so as to enable the company "to take the railway over some hills instead of through tunnels."

It is unnecessary to say that such a :oncession as this would be the worst )f all the unreasonable concessions fielded to the company, for it would wholly alter the character of the work which the company was to give in return for a grant of what is virtually a million and a quarter sterling in cash, with vast contingent advantages. That such a request should be submitted irgues the unbroken influence of the Canterbury and West Coast phalanx, is a power dominating the politics of the colony ; and this is one occasion at least in which we may parody the famous words, and say, "Thank Heaven we have a Legislative Council." It will be seen from our telegraphic columns that last night in replying to Mr. Macartliur in the House, the Premier distinctly refused to give an opportunity to the House for discussing the terms of the concession demanded by the Midland Railway Company. He said he would neither invite the House to take it into consideration, nor would he give facilities to a private member to bring a motion on the subject before the House. This he said, no doubt, in virtue of the powers which vest in the Governor-in-Council for amending the contract, under which " the Company shall not without the consent of the Governor first had and obtained, deviate from the line of railway as surveyed, or alter any gradients upon the said railway as the same are shown upon the plans." It is certain that such a radical alteration of the whole scheme as is involved in the present proposed concession was never contemplated by Parliament as a thing to be left to the mere fiat of Ministers ; and it is a fortunate thing that the Legislative Council has been enabled to step in and compel the full elucidation of this most important concession, when inquiry has been so arbitrarily refused by the Government. The whole history of this Midland Railway, its Acts and contracts, its amendments and intrigues, has exhibited the seamy side of our politics ; and though it would perhaps be regretable if the a flair, having gone so far, were to come to nought, it would be a righteous retribution on political chicanery if the Legislative Council were to sit on it.

To-day at two o'clock, the meeting of fruitgrowers, convened by His Worship the Mayor, • takes place in the Industrial Association Buildings, Wynd-ham-street. The meeting is called for the purpose of considering the Codlin Moth Bill now before Parliament. The Bill we published on Monday last, and from its terms no one can fail to see that it provides for an enormous amount of expensive officialism, for which the fruitgrowers are to be specially taxed. 1 hese officers are not to assist in clearing the trees of the codlin moth, but merely to examine and give orders, which if not. carried out within twenty- four hours, a heavy fine and Court costs will be incurred. To those who intelligently and impartially examine this question, one thing cannot fail to occur, and that is the utter uselessness of attempting to keep orchards clean of this, or any other insect, so long as the Government permit such insects to be imported by the ship-load. The first thing to do is to cease importing these orchard pests from abroad, by ceasing to import foreign-grown fruit. If that source of supply were cut off, we believe the clearing of orchard trees would be readily and willingly undertaken by fruitgrowers for their own profit without any official interference. Reference in this discussion is sometimes made to California, but California takes the precaution of excluding all kinds of fruit pests by a protective import duty, and the appointment of a skilled entomologist at the port _ of entry to carefully examine all entries, so as to guard against such infection. Let the supply of the codlin moth and other orchard pests from abroad be cut off, the sale or transport of infected fruit prevented, the carriage of old fruit boxes from place to place within the colony prevented, and we have no fear that, with the care of our fruitgrowers, and the natural action of our i

wet and windy climate, the codlinmoth will soon cease to trouble any one The money which the Bill before Parliament proposes to maintain an army of officials can be far better employed by the fruit-growers themselves in paying f or labour and insecticides necessary to keep the frees clean and healthy. If th e meeting resolve upon some such course as this, rejecting the present Codlin Moth Bill entirely, they will act beneficially for the interests of allgrowers and consumers alike. It is absurd to suppose that any paid official can take a greater interest in the welfare of anv fruit-trees than the owner himself whose living probably is depending upon the fruit he obtains from then? The fact that the great majority of the fruit-growers of the colony have declared against the Codlin Moth Bill should be sufficient to secure its rejection.

When Sir Harry Atkinson, in opening the debate on the Customs and Excise Duties Bill, said that the Government would be very glad to accept any suggestions on the tariff, he did not of course, mean his words to be taken in a literal sense; but the invitation conveyed in his courteous remark has been very freely accepted, and the suggestions resulting have been many and varied. Indeed it may be accepted that every member feels it due to himself and to his constituents to give expression to his views on this absorbing subject, and as the Tariff Bill covers many hundred items, each of which involves many _ arguments pro and contra there is no lack of material for a prolonged discussion more or less interesting or important. As each item of taxation also suggests other sources of revenue that might have been adopted as a substitute, this naturally opens up a further wide field for dissertation, while the distinctive policies of Freetrade and Protection to home industries, being certainly involved in this tariff are of themselves sufficient to warrant the members in ventilating their opinions to a considerable extent. Properly speaking the discussion of this, the principle of the Bill, should have been the main if not the only discussion at this stage; but apparently members are going over the whole of the ground that will have to be subsequently traversed again in committee. It is possible, however, that the full discussion on the second reading may expedite the business of committee and facilitate the passage of the tariff substantially as it is. For, so far, the principal speaking has been on the part of Freetraders who not unreasonably feel rather sore at a tariff so distinctly Protective emanating from a Government which they had generally supported. The fact that all the money that the Customs Bill will raise is required for expenses of Government and keeping faith with the public creditor, does not wholly reconcile them to the Protective character of the tariff', and the secession resulting has for the time at least wholly altered the constitution of parties. However, notwithstanding the general sense of regret that so severe taxation should be necessary—a taxation more severe in its Protective character than that submitted by the Stout-Vogel Government, on which that Government was hurlea from power—it is becoming evident that in all substantial particulars the tariff will be accepted as it is. Strong exception is taken by different speakers to different items ; there is considerable repugnance to the universal primage duty, but a strong and a very honourable desire generally expressed that the object for which it is intended, the removal of the deficit of £158,000. must be met by taxation; the increase on the duty on tea comes in for a good deal of criticism, as also the question of the raising of the school age ; in fact, it is a singular thing that the items involved in Mr. Ormond's resolutions appear to still possess the minds of members, and continue to invite discussion though his resolutions themselves have been negatived.

The preparedness of England to successfully re pulse an attempted invasion continues to afford public men at Home a fruitful source of controversy. Lord George Hamilton having ventured to refer to the "silver streak" as providing England's best security against foreign attack—an argument which by reason of its antiquity may well be described as historicalLord Wolseley has again assumed the functions of an alarmist, and, as our cablegram informs us, has " combated" this view of the First Lord of the Admiralty, at the same time pointing out that there are at the present time sufficient shipping in French ports to land 100,000 men in England. We presume, however, that the gallant General in making this assertion is going upon the assumption that such a force could only be landed in the event of the British army and navy being wrapped in a Rip Van Winkle slumber.

The " little war" in Zululand turns out to have been, so far, merely an attack upon the police by some of Dinizulu's followers. As, however, the attitude of that chief towards the British is distinctly hostile, and as his following is estimated at two thousand, the authorities have deemed it prudent to despatch a small military forco to Zululand in order to bring him to his senses.

The Emperor of Russia has accorded an interview to the editor of the Pall Mall Gazette, who is at present on a visit to St. Petersburg. It would have been a matter of surprise had he not. Mr. Stead is the only English journalist of any note who has in and out of season constituted himself the zealous and uncompromising advocate of Russian policy in the East, and the signal service which he rendered to that country at the time of the Pendjeh incident by placing the columns of his widely-read journal at the disposal of the .Russian Government, deserved some recognition. It has now been accorded. The Czar has submitted to be interviewed by the author of the "Maiden's Tribute," and has, it is stated, explained to him his views on the European situation. It is interesting, no doubt, to know this much, but the interest would have been much greater had we been vouchsafed some inkling of what His Majesty, the Czar of all the Russias, told his enterprising interviewer about the state of affairs in Europe.

The want of a catalogue of the pictures in the Art Gallery has been felt for some time, but the need is now about to be met through the agency of Mr. C. D. hitcombe. That gentleman wrote to the City Council yesterday evening, stating that having almost completed a catalogue, which will include the pictures in the Art Gallery and Mackelvie collections, with biographical notices of all the principal artists, notes on every painter represented that he could trace, and an introductory historical sketch of the different schools 01 art, with chronological lists of the principal masters in each, he requested the sanction of the Council to his publication of the work by authority, and as the official handbook to the Art Gallery. The scheme on which he had prepared the boot would make it equally available for the Art Gallery and Mackelvie collections, and he had the authority of the trustees of the latter to issue it as official, so far as their collection was concerned He had given much time and labour to th handbook, and claimed that it would be as complete as it was possible to make it, an even useful from an educational point view. Of 80 artiste, ancient and modern, represented in the two galleries, he completed notices of 54, nine more verification on some minor points, . there remained but 17 whom asyet j l ® been unable to trace. The handbook be sold at 6d. If the Council awards wished to assume the control of logue, they could secure the copyng five years purchase. Mr. nmtcow letter was referred to the Legal Gommittaa Constable McGovern arreted on warrant a man named Gordon tter in£, Cowan, on a charge of forging and ottering a cheque at PukeUo, on tfay 27, on «». Bank of New South Wales for £25.

A brutal assault was committed on Wed desttoy evening near the railway station upon a young lady named Miss Mary Finucane, by a ru^an loitering near. Miss Finucane was passing along the footpath in front of the station, when suddenly a man threw his arm round her neck. Miss Finuc, as soon as she recovered from the surprise at the attack, broke loose and struck at the man her umbrella. Upon this the fellow struck her on the mouth with his clenched fist. The blow cut her lip, and knocked her against the wall. She called for help, when a number of persons near came to the scene, but none of them, however, seems to have interfered with the man) who made off. Miss Finucane informed Constable Graham, on duty near, but he was unable to meet with the man described, and reported the case at the Police Station. From this description Detective Herbert early yesterday morning jested a man named Peter Hardy, and conveyed him to the lock-up, charging him with the assault. _ Hardy did not admit the assault on Miss Finucane, but told Detective Herbert he had been struck Tft woman with her umbrella. The case come before the Police Court this morning, and it is to be hoped that some of those who witnessed the assault will bo present and aid the police to sheet home the assault to tho guilty party. When at the police-station yesterday Miss Finucano recognised a prisoner who had been apprehended that morning as having been in Hardy's company at the time of the assault. This was a man named Jeremiah pi-iscoll, who was subsequently sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment as a roguo and vagabond. It was stated in Court, that be had had eighteen previous convictions recorded against him. Messrs. D. Goldie and E. Withy, M.H.R.'s. have addressed letters to tho Financial Reform Association, in reference to requests forwarded to these gentlemen to move * or a return of the pensioners of New Zealand, and explaining that they would have done so, but that Mr. Taylor, M.H. R. for Sydenham, had in point of fact done so a fortnight ago. Mr. Withy had, however, been to the Premier privately, to get the trope of the return enlarged, so as to include all that the Association wanted. Mr. Withv also asked a question in the House on Wednesday, when the return will be readv ? The Premier replied that the delay had arisen from the department being so busy over the Financial Statement.

It if stated that- trouble is impending at the Newmarket Railway shops. According to report wages are to be reduced all round, unil that three of the foremen are to be discharged, and their places filled by three men'from Christ-church, Napier, and the West Coast. It is also stated that, a number of new regulations have been issued, and that if any of them are broken the cfender is to be instantly dismissed.

At a meeting of the City Council yesterday evening, Mr. C. Callis' letter respecting exhibiting at the forthcoming International Exhibition at Melbourne, view of the principal buildings in the city, and which has been published in the Hkrald, was read. A specimen of the views proposed to be exhibited was laid on the table—a large and handsome photograph of Queen-street, looking from a point at the junction of Queen and Custom streets. Twenty-four pictures are to be forwarded, and these will cost 2os each, or a total of £30.

John Jackson, a labourer employed by the officers of the Arawa, yesterday afternoon hurt himself severely by falling off the orlop deck of the ship into the hold. He was placed in a cart, and, attended by Constable McDonald, was conveyed to the Hospital, where he was examined No bones were found broken, but his back is hurt badlv, and he will be some time before he mil be able to get out.

Our Thames correspondent writes :—Mr. A. Brodie, in his official capacity as mayor, has received from the General Survey Office, Wellington, the following letter, dated June 1, re the proposed survey of the Thames borough : —" Referring to your telegram of tie ISth ult., addressed to me, I have now the honour to inform you that the Government has agreed to make a standard survey of the Thames borough on the terms named by you—that is to say, the estimated costbeing £400, the Government will pay half that sum conditionally on the Council providing the other half, £200. An account will be sent to the Council at the end of every month for half the actual cost of the surveyor and party. Instructions have been given for a surveyor to undertake the work. —I have, &c., James McKerrow, SurveyorGeneral,"

Several volumes of consular reports of the United States have been presented to the Free Library by Mr. J. P. Campbell, United States Consul in Auckland, on behalf of the Government which he represents. The gift has been accepted by the City Council, with thanks to the donors.

Detective Herbert did good service on Wednesday in clearing the streets of objectionable choracters, by arresting three notoriously bad characters —named Jeremiah Driscoll, Joseph McNamara, and Edwin Neale, for having no lawful visible means of support, and with being rogues and vagabonds. The evidence proved them to be thieves and the associates of thieves, and both Detectives Herbert and Tuohy gave them very bad characters.

The Financial Reform Association advertise a meeting to be held this afternoon, at the Victoria Arcade, No. 316, at 3.30 p.m., to which the public as well as members of the Association are invited. A report prepared by the committee will be read on the question of the proposed increase of taxation.

The additions to St. Mary's Church, Parnell, being completed, it was formally opened last evening. There was a crowded congregation, the church being filled in every part, and there were no fewer than twenty-four clergymen present to take part in the services. In the absence of the Primate and Bishop Cowie, tho Ven. Archdeacon Dudley preached, and in the course of an appropriate sermon he made special reference to the history of the Parnell Church. A report of the proceedings appears elsewhere in this issue.

At least one splendid specimen of New Zealand timber made up is to find its way to the Melbourne Exhibition. This is a large dining table of mottled kauri, belonging to Miss J. Gebbie, which is being forwarded for exhibition by Messrs. Scoullar and Chisholm. The tree was purchased in Auckland years ago by a gentleman resident in Dunedin, who brought it down to Wellington, where it was manufactured. The table as it now stands is a most unique and valuable piece of furniture, especially attractive by reason of the very peculiar appearance of the beautifully mottled wood. It is as curious as it is handsome, and will be certain to command admiration from connoisseurs.

Yesterday forenoon, whilst Constable Coughlan was on duty in Upper Queenstreet, a boy named Robert Kelly came to him and told him there was a parcel in a vacant allotment in Rokeby-stree't, with what looked like a small child wrapped in it. The constable proceeded to the spot, and found, about four yards inside the fence, a parcel wrapped in a newspaper of tie sth inst. The parcel consisted of part of a checked garment that looked like part of a Bkirt, with a. dark blue border near the bottom. There wore also articles of female underclothing, amongst which was a white twilled chemise, without sleeves. The Ewcel contained the body of a prematurely orn male child. The constable took the parcel to the Police Station, where Dr. I'hilson examined it, pronouncing the body to be about three months old. The police have the matter in hand.

A copy of the petition of the residents of Christchurch, praying for the abolition of the totalizator, and which has already been re•®rre( to in the Herald, was presented to •he City Council yesterday evening. His "orahip the Mayor said that the matter in the hands of the Legislature, and joey might rely upon their representatives loing what was right. The letter and the accompanying petition were received.

According to the Wellington Press a lumber of capitalists, recognising the difficulty of getting large supplies of bricks and in the city on short notice, and the exonerative character of the brickmaking ®du«try, are on the eve of forming a comply to work the business in an extensive y. The have submitted an offer for the Purchase of several acres of first-class clay Newtown, and we understand it is contoplated to order a quantity of machinery ofm America and London for the purposes <« Hie manufacture.

We understand that Captain A. MoGregor has resigned the position of managing director of the Northern Steamship Company.

The first meeting of Mr. Oswald's Shaksperian Society was held on Wednesday evening, at Granville House, and was a great success. The parts for " Richard II." were allotted to, and read with considerable spirit by the members. Mr. Q.ueere was specially good as Bolingbroke. During the evening readings were given from Dickens and Mark Twain by Miss Herbert and Mr. Warren, and a recitation by Mr. Oswald. The parts for " Tho Merchant of Venice," the play arranged for Wednesday, 20th, were allotted.

In the Foresters' Hall this evening a grand panorama of the world is to be presented. A mirror of New Zealand will also bo presented, including a trip to the Hot Lakes and Terraces before and after the eruption. The opening of the Calliope Dock will be shown, together with views of the Sydney and Melbourne Docks. It is also intended to givo similar exhibitions on each Monday and Friday evening.

In another column appears an advertisement setting forth the merits of the " Palace " brand of kerosene oil, which is said to give a pure and brilliant light, without risk of _ explosion or annoyance from smoke. This brand can be obtained at Messrs. J. and J. Dickey's, '234, Queen-street. << Next Monday and Tuesday evenings Borealis, or the Seaman's Star" is to be repeated as a benefit in aid of the funds of the Ladies' Benovolent Society. The entertainment will be under the patronage of the officers and men of tho volunteer corps, Naval and Fire Brigades.