Talk of the Week.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 214, 16 October 1875, Page 13

Talk of the Week.

Considerable objections have hitherto been taken, particularly in the country districts, to tlie mode in which the various" local school committees have been nominated by the Education Board, instead of being elected by tlie settlers themselves; and we are now glad to learn that the Board, at their late meeting, decided that for the future every school district shall elect its own committee, to consist of not less than three or more than five members, to be elected by the parents of children attending each school and by tlie ratepayers residing within three miles of the school, no one to have the right of exercising a vote for more than one school within each educational district. The Board have also decided that the committee shall have a voice in the appointment of their respective teachers, out of a list to be supplied by the Board, and subject to their final approval. The whole of tlie rules and regulations of the Board have been codified, and are now being printed in pamphlet form for circulation, and as soon as this is done steps will be taken for holding the elections for local committees in each school district.

A return has been published of the quantity and value of gold exported from Hew Zealand from the Ist of April, 1857, to the 30tli of September, 1575. The total thus exported was 7,875,ff760z5., of a value of £30,672,834. The quantities and values from the different centres of export were:—From Auckland, 986,7500z5., value £3,520,782 ; Wellington, 300z5., value £l2O ; Picton, 44,2370z5., value £171,660 ; Nelson, W estport, and Greymoutli, 1,464,6430z5., value £5,813,323 ; Greymouth aud Hokitika, 1,940,2600z5., value £7,668,398 ; Dunedin and Invercargill, 3,439,756, value £13,498,551. The total quantity exported during the quarter ended 30th September, 1875, was 99,0640z5., value £391,425. Of this Auckland exported 26,5590z5., value £100,535 ; Picton, 4680z5., value £IB7O ; Nelson, Westport, and Greymouth, 24,0620z5., value £96,751 ; Greymouth and Hokitika, 16,2800z5., value £65,129 ; and Dunedin and Invercargill, 31,6950z5., value £127,140. The places to which this was exported were Great Britain, 42,8770z5. ; New South Wales, 3516 ozs. ; Victoria, 52,1290z5.; China, 5410z5.; and to other parts, loz. The return of the quantity and value of gold exported from the several provinces of New Zealand, for the quarter ended 30th September, 1574, was 86,7530z5., value £349,494. This shows an increase for the quarter just expired. The figures stand:— Quarter Ended 30th September, 1875.

fl HE Registrar-General’s report on tlie vital statistics of the boroughs of Auckland, Thames, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Hokitika shows the deaths (‘OVD,or the month of September to have been [ avi( l the births 274. There were 21 deaths _ births in Wellington ; 26 and 23 bu 0 ”® f l^iaiiies 1 ;"8' l u'ei?i.fk a i! lß 15 births, d - 27 deaths aud 52 births, at Christchurch ; 27 deaths and 78 births, at Dunedin; and 8 deaths and 7 births, at Hokitika. The highest deathrate was at Christchurch, 2'53 per 1000 ; the lowest at the Thames, POB per 1000. The deaths were 2 fewer iu number than the deaths in August. Of tho deaths, males contributed 81 ; females, 45. 40 of the deaths were of children under 5 years of age, bein«' 3i’75 pet cent, of the whole lumber j 27 of

these were of children under 1 year of age. Hieie were 15 deaths of persons of 65 years of age and over, viz., 9 males and 6 females, oldest male was 78; he died at Wellington. The oldest female was 80; she died at Dunedin. The deaths from zymotic diseases were 25 iu September to 19 in August. Among the causes of death iu this class there was an increase in the number of cases of typhoid fever from 5 to 8 ; and there were 3 deaths fiom alcoholism. Tlie deaths from constitutional diseases were by 3 less numerous than m August ; and the deaths from local diseases showed a decrease of 8 in number. In the last class there was a marked diil'eronce between the number of deaths from disc 11HLLS of the respiratory system in the two months, the number having been 33 in August, and 22 in September. The mortality last month compared favorably with that in September 1874, when, with a less population, the number of deaths was only 5 less than in September 1875. There was a larger mortality iu September 1874, from zymotic diseases (33) than in September 1875 (25). Influenza caused 12 deaths in tlie former period, but does uot appear among the causes of death in September 1875. 1

Seeing that Napier lias everything to gain by tlie new Representation Bill, it would naturally be supposed that the Napier papers would be inclined to say the best they could of it. But it is evident that the glaring injustice of the measure is admitted even at Hawke’s Bay. The Telegraph says of the measure :—“ We do not think any of our readers will be satisfied with it. While it provides for increasing the number of members of the Lower House to eiglity-six in all, the glaring inconsistencies in the present distribution of representation are maintained, to a very great extent. Napier, it will be seen, is to have another member. Tho two electoral districts of tho City of Auckland are to be made one, and tlie City of Christchurch is to be treated in the same manner. The following districts are to have each an additional representative :—Thames, Napier, Grey Valley, Timaru, Hokitika, Waitaki, Dunedin, and Christchurch. The little province of Taranaki is to retain the power of sending three members of Parliament, while the immense district of the East Coast, extending from _ Tauranga to the border of Hawke’s Bay, is to have hut its one representative. It would be difficult to guess at the arguments in favor of the Bill that Ministers will be able to advance.”

A few days since we had a leader on the report of the Foreign Loans Committee of the British House of Commons. In it we stated that the report had disclosed swindles on the part of English Stock Exchange rings, besides which those of local interest were trifling. We also pointed out that Sir Julius Vogel, by’acting independently of the English Stock Exchange rings, had raised the last New Zealand loan without swindling borrower or lender. Onr leader was intended for our subscribers aud general readers, who are people of some intelligence, but seems to have fallen into the bands of some amiable gentleman who cannot understand English when it is written, and cannot write it when he tries to do so. Under tlie circumstances, we are sorry that we travelled into a subject beyond his comprehension. . There are people whose range of vision is limited to the ends of their noses, and who suffer from the fact that the limit to their vision has never gone far from home. These gentlemen can readily apprehend the profits to be derived from a contract for the removal of nightsoil, or the gain to be obtained by . filching official information, but the affairs of the world at large possess no possible interest for them. We should have reflected before presenting for their possible criticism such a subject as the report of the Committee on Foreign Loans. We should have confined ourselves to such little incidents as the procuring of false testimony, the subjection to insult, the imperviousness to contempt which form the lessons that lives passed in a limited sphere of bad practices alone can learn. There would then at least have been no fear of our being mistaken or misunderstood. We should, of course, have been treated to similar abuse, but we should have had the satisfaction of knowing that our critic understood his subject thoroughly, and was writing from actual experience. Fully aware of this, we never intend to offend again. We never again intend to go beyond the depths of our critic’s information. We shall content ourselves by inviting discussion on questions which even the veriest pothouse politician can fathom, and which can therefore lie no puzzle to gentlemen whose education in the world’s affairs has commenced, perhaps, in punching bullocks, and terminated in a Provincial Council.

There is an institution common in Europe, and also in America, which might with great advantage be generally introduced into New Zealand. We allude to the convenient and comfortable street tramway. It is a positive matter of surprise that so usoful an invention should never have found stout sponsors in this country. In Loudon, two great systems are in full operation, one in the north connecting Highgate, Islington, &c., with the City-road, and one in tlie south connecting the various southern suburbs togethor, and with the various bridges, Street tramways are also to be seen in many continental cities, wficro they succeed well, and meet with general approval. The country, however, for street tramways is America imamne very backwoo(ls township, as soon as it no'larger merging into cityhood, though its dS?, Tl JSnglwh vindicates its di o mty by the construction of a street trnmway, while the_ large towns are pervaded y i _ network of lines passing along all the fl th ° r l oUghfares ' a,ul ovea extending into the country. By rendering conveyance convenient, cheap, and certain, tljey enable people to live at a greater distance from their p aces of business than they otherwise would, relieve the congestion of population iu the

centre of tlie town, and finally raise the value of outlying land. Why then should wo in Wellington not have tramways ? Few would deny tho utility of a line from tho railway-station, or a little beyond, to tlie extreme end of To Aro, with cars running at reasonable intervals. Such a line would bo of tho greatest convenience to an immensu number of poople, by enabling them to go to and from their business expeditiously and comfortably at a low cost. The line might be single, with occasionally short sidings, to enable ears to pass, and if tho rails were constructed as they are iu England they would not be iu the way of traffic. Such a line would pass near all tlie principal hotels, the banks, aud the whole business quarter of the town, and might easily be extended; and if such lines can be made to pay iu a small town in America, with a population of under 4000, as is tlie case, surely in Wellington they could be made profitable undertakings.

Ihe editor of the Timaru Herald looks upon some of the speeches made liy the Opposition leaders against the Abolition Bill as “ concentrated essence of humbug.” This is a free country, where each man is entitled to tlie fair expression of his opinion, and tho editor of tho Timaru Herald had an inalienable right to express his. He will therefore not deny the right to a free expression of opinion on tho part of some of the Opposition leaders, who have been credited with saying that his leaders have generally been characterised by a fine contempt for fact, aud an equally fine opinion of Mr. Stafford. As between the editor and some of the Opposition leaders, it is worth observing how differently different men look at different things.

A certain class of people should have good memories. Those who deny that to their efforts ivas largely due the charge of perjury against the girl Smith, have not good memories, or they would not deny facts which were stated recently. In the issue of a Wellington evening paper of J tine 14th, the evidence in the charge against Cameron at the Resident Magistrate s Court is given in full except in the case of such revolting details as no one would dare to print, and these, it is true, are omitted, witli the words, “The details, of course, are unfit for publication.” In its issue of July 14tli, commmentmg on Mr. Justice Prendergast’s sentence upon Cameron, the same paper throws doubt upon the sworn evidence in the case by saying • “ When the facts and circumstances proved in evidence are considered, they in no way justify the sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and two floggings of twenty-five lashes each.” And further doubt is thrown on the character and veracity of the girl Smith by saying the offence “ was committed under circumstances which showed that the girl offered no very earnest resistance.” This gave the cue for those who trumped up a charge °f. perjury; and the beginning of what might be called a case of conspiracy was duly recorded in the issue of the paper under notice, of July the 22nd, giving, in fact, a statement of the prosecution against the girl Smith, whilst that case was as it were sub judicc. Now that a disgraceful sttempt to swear away the girl’s veracity and liberty have failed, of course “ everything was done for justice ” and so forth. But this kind of writing will not answer when what was previously written is remembered. No more need be said on this affair, though much might be said of individual and personal exertion iu a bad cause on the part of some who now profess to have merely ventilated matters in the cause of justice. One thing however may be affirmed, that not a line of tin* evidence has appeared in the columns of the New Zealand Times that could do more than merely record briefly the fact that such a case as Cameron’s existed.

Mr. Vincent Pyke, M.H.R., is a gentleman who is not careful in criticising the action of others, and can be virtuously indignant at any conduct to which lie objects. His criticism of Mr. Vogel, re the mail contract the other night, was trenchant. Mr. Vogel has been Premier, and may be so again. Mr. Pyke has not been Minister for Mines, and the knowledge that he never will be has not produced a depressing effect upon the national finances, though the realisation of that knowledge might be depressing to Mr. Pyke, who considers that the guiding hand of providence will be recognised when a portfolio of mines is created and he is placed in possession of it. Because these things are so, however, should not be an objection to Mr. Pylce’s criticising Mr. Vogel, or anybody or anything else, except the sale of the Port Chalmers railway, and of course to All. Pyke that sale should not he criticised further. But whilst Mr. Pyke is thus entitled to his pleasure in criticising others, it is scarcely fair that he should quarrel with tlie criticisms of others on himself. And yot he does so. Ha recently wrote to the Town Clerk of Queenstown, the chief town of his district, and having promised to do his best to get a courthouse and gaol for that place, he went on to say: “ I may add that it affords lint slight encouragement to a representative, and must inevitably weaken his influence with the Government, when discontented, capricious individuals and a hostile Press parade such ill-feeling and unfair comments, and indulge in such unjustifiable remarks as appear in tho report of the meeting and the columns of the Wakatip Mail. I shall do my duty. It is only right that the people and tho Press should do tho same.” It is but fair to suppose that what Mr. Pyke complains of was written out of a sense of duty, anil seems unfair and unjustifiable only to Mr. Pyke himself. He would probably be very much surprised if he were accused of parading ill-feeling, and of being unfair and unjust, and yet there is no doubt but that in tho minds of many ho has been all three. Indeed, this is the case, not only as regards his speeches, but his writings. By “ starring” his name as editor under the heading of a Dunedin weekly paper, he of his own accord deprived himself of anonymity in connection with that journal, aud the opinion was very prevalent at the

time that Mr. Pyke printed his name conspicuously as editor of the Southern Mercury , that it was a journal rather remarkable for illfeeling and unfair and unjustifiable comment. Mr. Pyke should really not be so sensitive to a little gentle chastening. The adage is old, but apt, “Those who live in glasshouses should not throw stones.”

It must be admitted that Mr. Bridges as matters at present stand is in neither a pleasant nor a creditable position. He has acted the part of the man who would a tale unfold, and when the opportunity was given had no story to tell. His evidence before the select committee of the House was not of an indefinite character. Standing upon the apex of that pyramidical morality which upholds a hank director, he asserted positively that a bank with which he is not now connected had done damage to the colony by the influence which it was capable of exercising upon Government. He did not hesitate to mention an instance illustrative of that damage, and withheld statements in proof of his assertion merely because he feared the legal consequences, in a civil sense, which might accrue from the making of such statements. When brought to the bar of the House, and in the face of a promised indemnity from the legal consequences which ho dreaded, Mr. Bridges adopted a lino of conduct which cannot be better described than by the Americanism * caving-in,” and alleged, in effect, that after having been for years convinced of the truth of what he had said, a single Saturday had sufficed to convince him that he was totally wrong, and ought to read a palinodia —which he accordingly did. From a statement made with characteristic modesty by Mr. Luckie, it appeared that Mr. Bridges owed the enlightenment as to his error entirely to Mr. Buckie’s having kindly reasoned him out of his faith in a few minutes. Despite the anxiety of Messrs. Macandrew and Reid to let the matter terminate here, the country will approve, as the House has approved, of the determination of Government to insist upon the affair being gone into fully, so that it shall not be permitted to Mr. Bridges to make most serious charges against members of the Legislature, and to calmly turn round, when asked for confirmation, and say he was mistaken.

Auckland Marlborough Kelson Westland Otago .. 20,559 ounces 408 ,, .. 24,002 „ .. 10,280 ,, .. 31,095 ,, £100,535 1,870 90,751 05,129 127,140 Total Quarter Ended Auckland Marlborough Nelson Westland Otago .. 90,004 OOtii September, .. 19,414 ounces 058 ,, .. 20,435 „ .. 19,734 „ .. 20,542 „ £391,425 1874. £79,823 2,590 SI,095 78,933 100,453 Total .. SO, 783 £349,494