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New Zealand Mail, Issue 849, 8 June 1888, Page 28

It is predicted by one cable message that the New Zealand loan would be ‘ ! beared, ” and another shows that the “bearing” process has begun. The notorious Financial News is at it again. In memory of previous performances on the part of that precious publication its utterances should carry little weight.

€3 There is one work to which the late Mr William Fitz Gerald devoted much of his too short life that calls for more than mere passing notice. We refer to his labours in connection with the Law Reports of the Colony from 1879 until his death. In the year just mentioned law reporting in New Zealand was falling hopelessly into arrear. The Court of Appeal Reports of Mr Justice Johnston had ceased, as had'also the publication of the New Zealand Jurist. There was no complete record of the more important decisions of tho Supremo Court or even of the Court of Appeal cases. The collision, uncertainty, and error consequent on this state of things bade fair to become very serious indeed. It was then that Mr Fitz Gerald, in company with Mr Ollivier and Mr H. D. Beli, stepped into the breach and prepayed and edited the collection of reports which now goes by their joint names. Two years filter Mr Fitz Gerald became editor-in-chief of the more elaborate New Zealand Law Report?, a position which lie continued to hold to the .entire satisfaction of the profession throughout tfip Colony, In tiffs post it was liis duty t,o direct reporters in the various judicial districts to revise and correct their work, and himself to take charge of the Wellington Courts. All this lie did with unfaffing diligence and ability, showing at the same time an amount of courtesy and consideration to his assistants which they have frequently been at pains to acknowledge. In the recorded cases of the last nine or ten years Mr Fitz Gerald leaves a solid and useful achievement behind him, while by the system lie set in working order ho has left the way easy for his successors.

Tiie fate of Mr Ormond’s resolutions was a foregone conclusion. When the Government and the Opposition had both determined to oppose them in toto it was merely a mat n.r form to go to a- division, and the_hi go majority of 53 to 22

by which the resolutions were negatived was no surprise. Mr Ormond, in moving them, made one of his customary effective and incisive speeches, and Mr Ballance was heard at his best on the other side, speaking very well and forcibly. But the debate was a hollow one, and narrowly escaped at an early stage tlio collapse which befell it later in tlie evening. We are glad that the proposal to fund the deficit was negatived, but we hope that the subjects of the other two resolutions —viz., the questions of school age and of local subsidies—will yet receive the careful consideration of the House in another shape.

It is not easy to understand upon what principle the Lambton Licensing Committee proceeded at their auuual meeting on Monday. A perusal of the report elsewhere would suggest the idea that they must have acted by the rule of contraries. It was proved that tlie accommodation of certain publichouses was grossly defective save for mere drinking purposes. Their licenses wore at once renewed. Some vague promises were made, it is true, of improvement at some indefinite future period, but that was slender ground to go upon. This is simply encouraging tlie multiplication of mere grog-shops in lieu of genuine hotels. Again, gambling was shown to have been permitted in one house. The Committee were very emphatic in declaring that this was a common offence, and must be sternly discouraged. By way of enforcing their views they instantly renewed tlie offender s license. Further, the hours of no fewer than a dozen houses in this one ward were extended to 11 p.m. In view of the satisfactory results which have accrued from compelling houses to close at 10, this is a most objectionable retrograde step. The action of the Committee affords another proof of the undesirableness of those bodies being elective. The elective principle as applied to them lias proved a very glaring failure.

The telegraphic report of a plot against the German Crown Prince and Prince Bismarck being hatched, and infernal machines for their destruction being constructed in England, is palpably an invention for the occasion. It occurs too opportunely, as it suits Prince Bismarck’s tortuous tactics to stir up illfeeling against the English-born Empress and the Liberal Party, for tho coincidence to be accidental. The trick is an old one. The late French Emperor Napoleon 111. always took care to have a plot against liis life discovered whenever he desired to carry any particular measure, and in this instance the object is manifestly to aid Prince Bismarck in defeating the Liberal Reforms desired by the Emperor and Empress. It is to be hoped that the result may not be to cause any serious coolness between Germany and England.

The petition of the citizens of Wellington against the juvenile prostitution of the city, presented by Mr George Woodward, came before the Public Petitions Committee on Tuesday. Evidence in its support was given by Mr Woodward, two clergymen, two officers of the Salvation Army, the writer of the article “ A Social Shame,” and the wife of a storekeeper in town. The matter was adjourned until 10 o’clock next morning. The evidence was of a startling nature, and revealed a depth of juvenie depravity existing in this city far worse than was made public in the article in our columns. We understand that a petition on the same subject will be presented from the citizens of Christchurch.

The citizens of Wellington are to be heartily congratulated on the fact that at last the electric lighting of this city appears in a fair way to be soon an accomplished fact. The Mayor may also be felicitated, on the success which has attended liis efforts in this important matter. It will be seen from our report in another column that the City Council has accepted a very favourable tender for this service.