THE Otago Daily Times. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER. 12, 1874.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3923, 12 September 1874, Page 2

THE Otago Daily Times. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER. 12, 1874.

The Moinington Sunday Labour Case which has just been tried is worth noting for several reasons. Probably the first impulse of a great many people will be to l'egard the issue as a victory to the Sabbatarians, and to a certain extent a blow to those who are inclined to advocate greater freedom for the Sunday. We have not any reason whatever to urge against the first lialf of the preposition, but for ourselves, as representing those who have always urged the abolition of restrictive rules unnecessarily restrictive in their character—for oui"selves, we can only say that we are heartily pleased at the sentence. Perhaps no incident could have been more happily contrived to point out the deep drawn line of demarcation for which we have always contended between what ought and ought not to be allowed on the day of rest. To confuseSuuday trainsand theopeningof the Athenaeum, with the parrying on contract work by a carpenter, is to confuse two entirely distinct matters together, to make just the same error the Sabbatarian party have made all along. If the freedom for healthful relaxation for which we have always contended was really, as it has been absurdly called f <j blethering demagogues, « the thin edge of the wedge," then we should only bft grieved that the progress of the wedge had been rudely stopped. If the steps that have been taken to provide innocent enioyment for the citizens were in reality the first gradations of a skilful plot to secularise Sunday and make it like other days, we should only be grieved that we had been met with so decided a checkmate. As it is, we, in common with all who desire to see Sunday used to the best advantage, are inclined to rejoice at the decision arrived at upon Thursday by Mr Bathgate. We have considerable doubts, indeed, whether the law as laid down by him will hold water at present. We have no doubt that if it is not already in that condition the sooner it is altered the better. We have been always among the first to maintain the necessity of preserving intact the personal liberty of the individual, at the same time, as was very ably remarked by Mr Bathgate, "Every man cannot do as he likes in society. He surrenders up his liberty in order that he may enjoy a greater liberty. . . • It ought always to be the policy of the law to restrain selfish feeling-"_ Between opening a reading-room, running an excursion train, and building a house, there is a difference which cannot well be stated too decidedly. The two former operations entail, indeed, the labour of some few at their ordinary avocations. We regret it very much, and should be glad to see such arrangements made as would put the matter upon a better footing-, but at the same time it should be remembered that the truest principle of rest is retained, and that very few have to work, while very many enjoy themselves.

Frederick Hopcraft, working at the tenement he had contracted to erect within a given time, was giving satisfaction to very few indeed; the guard on the Port Chalmers Railway gives satisfaction to very many. It is quite impossible fco lay down a rule of division which will separate all possible cases into two classes only. At the same time, the distinction is "by no means a difficult one in practice, and the common sense of most people is quite sufficient to enable them to make the division. We should Ye exceedingly sorry to see any real attempt made to treat Sunday like any other day. There can be no doubt that " physiologically a man could not work 365 days in the year, and that it is positively necessary, in order for proper working during the six days, that the seventh should be a day of rest." Then come the other questions— what is rest? and how can it be best attained for the greatest number? Certainly not by carpenters building honses. driving nails, sawing boards, and so forth. The perusal of useful and interesting literature may be the best rest for oue man ; the going into the country in the railway may be the very thing for another. Some day we trust that the Museum will be thrown open for inspection on Sunday here as in Christchurch ; but we trust the day will never come when the day of rest is blotted out, and an engagement to work entails seven days' toil in every week. Mr Bath gate's decision is a real protection to workmen just whr-re they required it and have a right to expect it most. There are other tradesmen beside carpenters towards whom "we would direct the attention of the Police --other businesses which are carried on 365 days in the year in defiance of the law (as given us), and without the justification of that pressure which was alleged in the case before us. "We do not allude to the licensed victuallers. Of them, as of the railway employes, it may be said that the necessities of the multitude may lawfully be urged in order that they may be compelled to work for a short time at least on Sunday. When at the most a very few reap an advantage, the rule of rest, perfect and entire, may reasonably be invoked ; when the numbers of those gratified and benefited by innocent satisfaction is very large, then some must work in order that many may rest. Of course, we are very well aware that this kind of rule will by no means satisfy those who regard absolute cessation from all kinds of work as obligatory. We are distinctly at issue with them, because we think that they entirely misapprehend the meaning of "rest" in its entirety, and are too much inclined to legislate, for everybody after their own preconceived ideas of what is good for themselves. We will content ourselves with pointing out to these that in the eyes of thoee whom they are apt to regard as opponents, there is an enormous gap between catering for the enjoyment and rational gratification of large numbers on the first day of the week, and allowing" Sunday to be secularised by using it for gainful labour.

By confusing the two things, we know that the Sabbatarian party succeeded in gaining many to their side who, but for the fear of worse behind, were inclined to support the use of the railway on Sunday. Human nature is but weak, and by skilfully working the ovine iynolum pro tei-ribile sentiment, which is so powerful a one, many were misled to oppose the more liberal notion

for fear of what might happen if any change were made.

Among the Provincial Ordinances referred to by us on Thursday as having been either assented to, or left to their operation, by Bis Excellency the Governor, and which have now therefore the full force of law, is the Dunedin School Site Ordinance. The full title of this Ordinance is " An Ordinance to enable the Superintendent of the Province of Otago' to exchange Block numbered lifty-four on the .Record Map of the City of Dunedin for Section numbered tliirtyone, Block seventeen, on the Record Map of the said City." Th« block referred to is the one on which the Fire Brigade Station now stands, aud the section named is the one on which the long-talked-of Normal School is to stand. Now, therefore, that full power has been given by local legislation and allowed by the Governor to make the above exchange, we hope no time will be lost in duly executing whatever may be necessary in the shaj c of formal conveyances, so that the city authorities may be put in actual aud full possession. This done, we quote from the Ordinance itself —" It shall be lawful for the said Corporation of the city of Dunedin to manage the said parcel of land (described in the said tint schedule), when the same shall be so conveyed to them as aforesaid, in such manner and in every respect as to them shall seem fit;" and so we hope that the actual powers to manage will be at once signalised by the speedy removal of the most inelegant cluster of timber erections, which has been too long allowed to encumber and disfigure the block. By the way, it is a somewhat sin gular circumstance that the Government, having been consenting parties to the passing of the Ordinance providing for the exchange, and being, moreover, for all useful purposes, put in actual j>ossession of the quid pro quo, should, nevertheless, have recently added yet one other of these disreputable structures to those previously existing on the spot. We trust, however, shortly to see the whole demolished and removed, so that free, open, and convenient access may be had to the railway station and Rattray street Jetty and Wharf.

Unless something is done, and done quickly, to extend the present platform for passengers at the railway station, we fear some serious accident will result from the neglect.- As matters now stand, it almost invariably happens, upon the departure of the mail steamers, that the platform is both inconveniently and dangerously crowded. Indeed, we have often admired the dexterity and celerity of the officials in despatching the trains under such circumstances, so as to avoid injury to life or limb. We should be sorry to advocate a too stringent adherence to the rules adopted at some of the Home, and also at some of the other Colonial Stations, but unless very much more standing room can be provided without delay upon the platform, steps must be taken to clear it of all except intending passengers a few minutes before the actual departure of the trains. There is another matter we maA T notice while upon the subject. The practice of issuing tickets only within a few minutes before the departure of the trains is very objectionable, and in many places has been entirely discontinued. Indeed we are told that in some places they are sold at various shops throughout the town—just as postage stamps are sold — and thus the hurry, and the bustle, and confusion ; the struggle, and the puffing and blowing, too often attendant upon the effort to obtain tickets through the sti-aight passage provided, and the small window opened, just upon the departure of the trains only, are wholly avoided. Some effort might with good effect be made to lessen the inconvenience and discomforc of railway travelling in this respect also.

Our Wellington correspondent telegraphed last night as follows :—" It is reported that a seat in the Cabinet and Legislative Council as Minister of Justice has been offered to Mr Bowen, Jlesident Magistrate atChristchurch, but was refused by him. The Colonial Prize Firing this year will be at the Thames, in the month of January. Mr Vogel will leave for Auckland, en route to Sydney, tomorrow."

A deputation from the property holders in London street waited on the Public Works Committee yesterday, and laid their grievance before them. The steps which the Committee proposed to take were regarded by the deputation.as satisfactory.

It; would be well if prompt steps were taken to do away with the lagoon in front of the Railway goods shed. It is a disgrace to the city.

A man named Nicholson was ran over by a cab yesterday afternoon, and removed to the Hospital, where his injuries were found not to be very seriou3. A wheel of the vehicle passed over his chest.

M'Landress, Hepburn, and Co. will offer for sale to-day, at their rooms, Manse street, under instructions from Messrs Proudfoot and Oliver, a large extension of the townßhip of St. Leonards, fronting ihe Otago Harbour, and adjoining the Dunedin and Port Chalmers Railway, at the St. Leonards Station. The land to be sold consists of fiftythree allotments, of from one-quarter of an acre to three acres each. The low upset price of £5 per quarter acre has been fixed, and the sections will be offered with the option of the buyer taking as many contiguous sections as he may choose. These sections have special advantages, and will no doubt sell readily. The proprietors have made arrangements with the authorities of the Dunedin and Port Chalmers Railway to issue to every householder in the township a free ticket for one year ; and building materials will be conveyed to the St. Leonards station at half fares. Plans of the ground are now ready, and can be obtained at the rooms of the Auctioneers.

; A musical entertainment, comprising a concert and dance, was given in the Temperance Hall last evening, for the aid of Mr G. Renton, a plasterer, who met with serious injury in October last, through a fall from some scaffolding. There was a numerous attendance, and each of the items in the programme was applauded. Mr Si'kes presided at the piano, and rendered good service to the devotees of Terpsichore.

We are informed that Government has accepted the tender of Messrs Kirby and O'Kane, for road works at Popotunoa Gorge, for the sum of £5396 I7s 7t'. This will open employment for over 100 of the newarrivals, several of whom, have been already engaged. The Government are behaving liberally in the matter—paying 10s towards coach fare, and providing tents and accommodation for them at Tokomairiro, while on the road up, the other portion of the fare being paid by the contractors. We may also add that they are engaged at the highest rate of wages, and those who have already been secured, are, we are assured by the contractors, men of the right sort

A general meeting of the Press Amateur Dramatic Club is convened for 7 o'clock this evening, at Bayley's Hotel. A full atteudance is desirable, as the- half-yearly report and balance sheet will be brought forward. The election of officers and cominitteemen will also take place.

The brick walls of Messrs Guthrie and Larnach's premises that remained standing after the fire, are being pulled down.

A meeting of gentlemen favourable to the project of forming a railway to the Ocean Beach and Peninsula, was held at the Provincial Hotel yesterday. Our reporter being informed that the proceedings were not to be

open to the Press left the room before the meeting commenced ; but it was not the intention of all the gentlemen concerned that the proceedings were to be private, on the contrary, the fullest publicity was desired. We therefore publish elsewhere information which we subsequently collected in regard to what was said and done at the meeting, and which we believe to be quite accurate.

His Honour the Superintendent opened the second annual Show of the Canary and Poultry Association yesterday afternoon, in the Head-Quarters Drill Shed. About 1500 persons were present during the day, and all appeared highly pleased with the excellent arrangements that had been made. The Committee may well be congratulated upon the marked success that has attended their labours. The Exhibition will be continued to-day. A report of the proceedings appears in our Supplement.

The Custom House yesterday was visited by a number of Chinamen, intending passengers by the ship Caroline for Hong Kong. They attended with an interpreter and agent, for the purpose of payiue; duty on the various parcels of gold they desired to take with them to the "Flowery Land." The quantity of gold on which the Chinese paid duty was 19870z. 15dwfc., of the value of £7444. The duty amounted to £198 15s 6d. Thirty-one Chinese had £5000 worth of gold amongat them.

We noticed a couple of tolerably weary men arrive in Milton a few days ago, after an evident tramp of some length (says the Bruce Herald). On enquiries, we found that they were the heads of two families who arrived in Dunedin last Saturday. They are potters by trade, and found ready employment with Mr White, of the local pottery, who has since procured the services of two more men, also potters, who arrived by the same vessel. It does seem strange that the immigration authorities did not take some steps to put these men in connection with work that was waiting for them, instead of letting them tramp around the country in search for it.

The works upon which the hard labour gang has been engaged in the town of Port Chalmers are about completed, and have added substantial improvement to the localities in which they are situated. The piece of road in Beach street forming the approach to the railway station is the product of prison labour, and has been so admirably constructed as to challenge competitiou. Quite a metamorphosis has been effected in the appearance of the Graving Dock enclosure by the sane gang. Unsightly hollows have been filled up, and a metalled road made up to and round the new workshop, whilst the floor of the latter has been levelled and made ready for the reception of machinery. In compliance with the request of the Town Board the labour men were to have been employed in making up Beach street, but :when the Sergeant in charge of the gang came to investigate the affair he ascertained that the work asked for constituted part of the new pier contract. Hence it is not to be proceeded with, by the prisoners at least. They it is likely will very shortly resume operations on the road round the harbour and for a month or two will find employmet metalling and otherwise rendering fit for use the section already formed.

The "Intelligent Vagrant," in the Brace Herald, tells the following story, which must, of course, be taken cum grano: —"l do not think the simple-minded gentleman, who did what I am about to tell of, was the first who had done such a thing, but I cannot help that. He is a good country clergyman, and his parish is between the Waitaki and Martin's Bay, so that I expect everyone will know him pretty well. He was recently the proprietor of a horse, about which, as an article of exchange or barter, he was as innocent as the Vicar of Wakefield. Latterly, he .got dissatisfied with the appearance of his horse, as being too shaggy and heavy, so he sold it, and waited to buy another. And he presently came upon quite an airy-looking steed, with such short hair that its skin looked like cotton velvet, and he bought it. And now he has found out that he is possessed again of his former horse, with its hair clipped; and the clipping has cost him, indirectly, a matter of £7 10s."

A settler in the Southern district (says the Bruce Herald), who engaged one of the immigrants ex Caroline as domestic servant, speaks of her as one of the most useless and well-behaved girls that could possibly be. She can be strongly recommended to a place in a house where the work is put out.

The Coloured Opera Troupe, who have not appeared for a considerable period, have recommenced practice for two concerts to be given at the end of this month. Hearing tint the Troupe were in practice, Mr H. S. Fim wrote to the Secretary, asking if the company would perform in aid of the Sailors' Home Fund, and we understand they have consented to give the first concert in aid of that object. The Troupe will be unusually strong at the proposed concerts, as many of its;old members have consented, to occupy their old poeitions on the occasion. A number bf novelties are in preparation, a full programme of which will he shortly issued. The concerts will probably be given in the Queen's Theatre.

The fact of last evening being advertised as a grand fashionable night appeared to act as a hint to the public to muster in unusual strength at the Princess Theatre, to witness the performances of Smith's Combination Company.' A considerable number of people were brought from Port Chalmers by the steamer Golden Age, and circle, stalls, and pit, were more than comfortably crowded. The first item on the programme, given by Mr St. Vincent and Mdlle. Montebello, entitled " Love Making v. Heart Breaking," introducing a number of favourite airs, was splendidly rendered, and fully maintained the reputation of these two talented character singers. Young England and Alberto followed with their dangerous performances on the trapeze, in which they were as successful as on any previous occasion. Professor Sauriders's harp solo was loudly applauded, but the audience appeared to be impatiently awaiting the appearance of Aircc, who had'undertaken the perilous feat of walking across the Ceiling of the Theatre, head downwards; which feat, no matter how often seen, cannot fail to excite the wonder of the onlookers, and suggesting the thought that spreading a net to break the fall, °in cjwe of accident, is a wise precaution. The firefc part was brought to a conclusion by a series of gymnastic performances in which the whole De Castro family took part. Perhnps the «flost wonderful, and certainly the mrst amusing, part of the programme, was Val Vose's display of hi 3 wonderful yen trilnquial powers—his con versation with the two figures, Robin Roughead and Granny Chatterbox, with the lar^e number of puns caused no end of amusement. Mr St. Vincent in his two songs, "Castles in. the air" and ''Rehiud the scenes'," and Airec, in another of lis displays of gynnastift skill, brought the performance to a successful conclusion. The second mid day performance is announced to take place thid afternoon.