Talk of the Week.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 221, 4 December 1875, Page 14

Talk of the Week.

There is a fifth candidate for the representation of the City of Wellington, and one whom it will be useless for those who may think too much of themselves to ignore. Mr. Moody publishes a very plain, straightforward, and in many respects sensible address; an address that is quite worthy of consideration, and which will, without doubt, receive no small sharo of consideration. We are far from saying that Mr. Moody will be elected, or that we should desire to see him elected. We have already sufficiently taken our ground in the present contest, but we can fairly aver that of the five candidates Mr. Moody is not the worst.

The Advocate, the organ of the Catholics in Victoria,has the following in reference to their action during the recent elections there:—The Catholic vote. The determination of the Catholic body to vote only for those Parliamentary candidates in favor of an amendment of the Education Act has excited considerable vexation in certain quarters. These candid critics are well aware that some sections of the community always vote in a body at elections. No one is found to complain of the Reehabites or liceused victuallers wheu giviug their unani-

mous support to their chosen candidates. But it is simply shocking that Catholics should combine to resist an invasion of their political and religious liberty, and to procure redress. Such a course tends to keep before the eyes of the public the working of the Education Act. But this is not desired by certain candid critics who have lauded that measure to the skies. Sooner or later a large part of the community will see that the opposition of the Catholic body has been a common advantage by directing general attention to its working, despite the desire of some journals to blink the question. Having failed to create disseution amongst the Catholic body they are somewhat vexed. All this, however, will only encourage and embolden faithful Catholics to pursue the end they have in view. When struggling for emancipation the following lines of a wellknown poet were often cited by O’Connell— Who would be free, themselves must strike the blow. The telegram in another column which gives a positive statement as to how the infection of scarlet fever was introduced into Dunedin, is a confirmation of a warning uttered by the New Zealand Times some weeks ago, and of an utter neglect on the part of the authorities to take the precautions necessary to prevent the introduction of scarlatina from Victoria. We then pointed’out that it was a disease which does not make itself immediately apparent, and it can also be communicated by means of clothes and wearing apparel, so that there is no reason why at any time a passenger may not most innocently step on board a vessel or steamer at Melbourne without being conscious that he has already caught scarlet fever, and owing to the shortness of the passage between Victoria and New Zealand, it would be quite possible for him to land in a state of illness, certainly, but without knowing the particular form of illness from which he was suffering. We drew attention to the fact that too many of our New Zealand towns are neither more nor less than favorable hotbeds, into which disease once introduced is bound to spread. There is in all our townships an utter disregard of sanitary precautions, a total want of an organised system of proper drainage, and altogether a complete want of those provisions which prevent infectious disease from spreading. And finally we suggested that some precautionary measures should be exercised with regard to vessels coming from Victoria ; yet nothing was done ; and now a steamer from Victoria has brought the disease into this colony, where it can spread at its will.

Mr. Moody has obtained one element of success, and has obtained it from those who least wish him success. It will not result in his election, for of that there is little chance, but it will unquestionably secure him several votes. The element of success has been given by making too much of him. He put forward what we are bound to say is not the least sensible of the addresses to the Wellington electors, but we did not consider Mr. Moody’s candidature on that account the most important, at the same time that it deserved more consideration than some would be likely to accord it. But we never fancied that in Mr. Moody was to be found the deus ex machina who was to make or mar the coming contest for the respective contestants. Nor were we aware of the deep sagacity with which this journal and the candidates whom it has chosen to support had in Mr. Moody found a weapon, the use of which would secure an easy victory. But it i 3 evident that others are not so ignorant as we are, and hence a syntactical hailstorm has been rained upon Mr. Moody, which should be accepted by him in gratitude, for it will add to his claims to be a public and representative man, a very just claim indeed, namely, the reception of personal abuse from some who do not believe in him. We do not propose to constitute ourselves defenders of Mr. Moody as a politician, for as such we do not believe in him, but had matters been the reverse, and had he been the stamp of candidate whom we should have most wished to see refurned we should not have defended him from an attack which has been a real benefit to his prospects. His is one of those cases in which a very long argument is tolerable evidence that there is something to answer; when, therefore, a prolonged tirade is deemed necessary to show that he has no political merit, people are very likely to argue that he must have some, or such pains would not be taken to prove that he had not any. And this is exactly how Mr. Moody will be affected, for his political benefit, by the exceedingly gratifying prominence he has attained as a candidate. At such a result we cannot express regret. We do not desire his return. But for the very clear and straightforward manner in which he has placed his views before the electors, and because he has been rather unfairly abused, we shall be glad to see him receiving the confidence of some portion of the electors, though it will be the confidence of a minority. It is only fair to say, however, in reference to a personal attack on Mr. Moody, that the report of an impartial accountant quite justified him in reference to his connection with the co-operative society.

An advertisement appeared on Monday contained a legal notice, according to Act of Parliament, indicating the streets in the city of Wellington whore tramways are to be laid down (authority for which has been already granted by the City Council). It will be seen they will extend from the Railway Station, along Lambton-quay, Manners-street, the Cricket Ground, to the City Boundary, to the Adelaide-road, and other parts of the city. From notices we have from time to time observed, street tramways have paid well in Europe and America, ranging up to a dividend of 2G per cent, on the outlay in St. Petersburgh. Messrs. O’Neill and Henderson, civil engineers, the promoters of the scheme, have been busy acquiring the best information with regard to the most recent appliances and improvements in tramways and tramway carriages, with the intention of adopting the newest and most approved system for the sue-

cessful carrying out of the Wellington tramways. In a commercial point of view, the veuture seems to us as likely to turn out a most lucrative investment, and we wish the undertaking every success, as it will be of the greatest benefit and convenience to the public generally.

When slight differences of opinion occur among City Councillors, these gentlemen do not always display that calmness, dignity, and perhaps charity which should distinguish persons holding positions so elevated as theirs. Yesterday evening Councillors Dransfield and Gillon had a slight difference of opinion, a notice of which may illustrate the meaning of the above remarks. Councillor Dransfield expressed the opinion that the various appeals should be referred to the representatives of each ward to report upon, alleging as his reason that such a course had been adopted with satisfactory results in previous years, and that it would facilitate the progress of business. Councillor Gillon was averse to this, and on his part alleged that the appeals would be disposed of in a hole-and-corner manner. Now, we have no desire to deny to Mr. Gillon or any other Councillor the credit they may consider due to a practical acquaintance with the hole-and-corner principle of doing things, but it seems scarcely fair to gratuitously invest other gentlemen with a special aptitude for conducting business in such a way. The proposal made by Councillor Dransfield was one with which we might not be inclined to agree, but that would not prevent our giving that gentleman credit for sincerity in proposing it. Councillor Dransfield made no response to the remarks of Councillor Gillon, probably being content to acknowledge the latter gentleman’s superior knowledge of “ ways that are dark,” and trusting to the confidence of the public in his own desire to act as an honorable gentleman should.

Many persons in Wellington are interested in the goldmining industry, and for the information of these it may be stated that there are not wanting certain indications of a revival of prosperity on the Thames goldfield, which is at the present moment one of the most important mining centres in New Zealand. From late reports in the local newspapers we gather that the nature of the country through which the United Pumping Association’s shaft is sinking is of a character exceedingly promising. Some little time ago the association were cutting through an immense reef with a considerable dip, and the process of sinking is naturally slow, as the quartz, being almost pure silica, was very hard. Now, however, the association have come upon a new strata of country interlaminated by what are technically known as fine stringers, in other words, fine quartz leaders, which have very often proved to be offshoots of a large and well-defined reef, to which they bear the same, relation as do small tributary streams to a river. These stringers are regarded as important finds, as they carry gold ore to the extent of 6dwts. to the ton, and exist at a depth greater than that at which mining operations have been pursued on any part of the field. The United Pumping Association’s is the deepest shaft on the Thames, which, it may be stated, comprises an immense area of country. Originally this association was formed for the purpose of draining the mines within a certain area, and the pump, than which there is not a larger south of the equator, has more than answered the expectations of the promoters. But there was a double purpose in view at the time the association was formed. It became evident that while sinking the shaft for drainage purposes the association would be enabled to investigate a country as yet totally unexplored, and thus be the means of settling a question upon which eminent scientists from all parts of the world, and local mining authorities, held widely different and conflicting opinions. As the work proceeded various tests were made of the quartz found in the shaft. At one time the result seemed in a small degree probable; at auother the quartz proved quite barren, and opinion still remained undivided as it does at the present time, no definite result having been arrived at; but there still remained room to hope, and the sinking of the shaft was proceeded with and is still proceeding. At the present time the indications as stated above, are of a decidedly favorable character, and there is a prospect of payable quartz being discovered in the deeper levels. To the uninitiated the importance of this question may not appear to be so great as it in reality is. The fact is, should gold be discovered below the present tried levels, every mine in the district would obtain an additional value, as their prospects would be increased. In some cases, as- in that of the Caledonian which gave such tremendous yields at one time, the mines have been completely worked out down to a certain level, and the most determined “foasieker” will find nothing to repay him for his trouble. Unless, therefore, the mine holders have anything to hope from deeper levels, such mines may fairly be considered to have been worked out, and they will be abandoned. To decide this deep level question is the work of the United Pumping Association, and as its success or failure is a matter of the greatest importance, the result is naturally looked forward to with much anxiety.

We publish in another column a telegraphic report of the Wairarapa Pastoral and Agricultural Society’s show, from our special reporter. It is gratifying to find so much interest taken in the exhibition and improvement of stock in this province, and we have no doubt that should the same spirit continue, a few years hence the Wairarapa cattle show will rival most shows of the kind in the colony. It is held in a large agricultural and pastoral district, admirably adapted for the breeding and rearing of stock, and for the cultivation of root crops and dereals. The want of cheap and rapid transit, however, is the great drawback at present; but on the opening of the railway connecting Wairarapa with Wellington, a new era will begin for the interior

settlements. Notwithstanding the difficulty, risk, and expense, of sending valuable animals from this district to Masterton, Mr. Hunter, M.11.R., sent up some very valuable young stock, reared on his own farm ; and his public spirit was rewarded by the honors which fell to him. Out of a total of fourteen exhibits, he secured eleven first prizes and two second prizes. This result should encourage other gentlemen to devote attention to the selection of stock for breeding purposes. Too much care cannot be bestowed on this. We may mention that last year Mr. Hunter sent seventeen exhibits to the Wairarapa Show, when seven first prizes, five second, and three third prizes were awarded him. These exhibits were all imported stock ; this year, as we have said, his exhibits were young stock reared by himself.

Commenting on Mr. Reid’s Taieri speech, the Daily Times says it was a little too diffuse. Notwithstanding this fault, our contemporary praises the substance of his speech. The following is its criticism on the Local Government Bill of last session:—“ Then, again, in pointing one more shaft of ridicule and contempt at the Local Self-Government Bill of last session, Mr. Reid carries every impartial elector with him. The Ministry are on the horns of this dilemma. Either their Local Government Bill expressed their real meaning and future intentions or it did not. If it did, it is obviously absurd to call that local government which was simply a proposal to diminish the powers formerly possessed by road boards. If it did not express their mind, then they are open to the charge of pulling down without any definite policy at all about building up. In either case their position is humiliating, and it is as well plainly to point it out.”