The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, JULY 20, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 719, 30 July 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, JULY 20, 1878.

Has anybody over failed to notice how awe-inspiring are tike Regulations issued by the Government, and placarded on the walls of Government property / There is at the top the insignia, of the British Empire—the Roys! Anns—and beneath a conspieuo'l3 ht-adline '•'Regulations," the result of a great d**al of labour on the part of somebody. Then at the frot there is the Government Printer's imprint. What affects us most are the coat of arms, the imprint, and the superfine «"_ laiitjof the printing. The intermediate matter is not worth much, although we •ire If' 1 * to say it. In support of our v; we will tak-3 tin- ■*lll.i.-;-,fors" s't.iier wfiica to- Govtmmen* ■ dopteJ legal miaaijres some months ago because William Bikok forced his way ovor .he Waitaki Bridgo with a heavy piece of machinery, and the late Government action again3t Mr. Meek for alleged detention of railway trucks. In both caaei there waj all the pageantry of a Court trinl, but that is all. The persons that contravened the railway regulations

it. •. ' tv-t'ca the two actions arose were :»i>iiu u<» worse for arrai-'ii.uent, as tite Government was beaten. So that it will bi seen that these terrible-looking •>fii'*ial announcements ufo not »o dreadfnl after all. The question iiaturally arises, WJiat are they intended to do.' They are not good law, for Mr. Hi.si.oy, the solicitor for the defendants in the ; cases inentioned, upset them, and they bave failed t« frighten anybody into ob»d>ence. We may then eoiwliid'j that, notwithstanding the austerity of their appearance, their bark is worse than their bite. Who drew them I We know that they were drawn during the reign of the Atkinso>" Government ; but we should also like to know whether tha artists have survived the loss of mental powers which must have been suffered in their preparation. We would suggest that these regulations would be none the worse for amendment j but that the original drriKjhrsiuen, if they have had the "ond fortune to outlive their last i vjf'.-rr. should not be employed in the I

.. .rk ..£ ajUvuJi..vLil. it > o:iid ik- cruel u> them, -:. i r'-' ; '?l* « ,l, «ld probably be as far otf as t-ver fro::! understanding w!w.r they mean and what they are iiiK-uUi.M to do.