The Otago Daily Times. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1881.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6114, 14 September 1881, Page 2

The Otago Daily Times. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1881.

The only practical result of the futile attempt to stonewu.ll the Representation Bill has been that it has passed ■' with all its imperfections on its head." The Government, according to the express statement of the Premier, would have been willing to consider any reasonable amendments which did not affect the principle of the measure; but the conduct of the obstructionists rendered any concession whatever impossible, and the bill has been forwarded to the Legislative Council in the form originally submitted to the House. Ie must now be a matter of very general interest to consider how this Provincial District will be affected, and what are the specific changes in regard to the electoral divisions. The House of Representatives at present consists of 88 members, including the four Maori members, and of these Otago returns 21, besides having the preponderating vote for the representation of the Southern Maori Electoral District. The bill provides for 95 members, and of these Otago, again counting in the Southern Maori member, will return 25. The Maori member may, however, for practical purposes be regarded as belonging to the North rather than the South, as the Maori vote is usually manipulated by JjTorfchem men. The adoption of the'system oi single' electorates' has necessitated alterations' mord or less

important in most of the present electoral divisions —-these we will note as briefly as possible consistently with making the new arrangements clearly understood. The town of-Oamaru ■ will be an electorate by itself. The northern

portion of .the present Waitaki district, exclusive of Oamaru, is formed into an electorate bearing the old name, and terminating at the Kakanui Elver ; and what remains has been added to Shag Valley and Palmerston, forming the electorate of Moeraki. Waikouaiti extends south of Pleasant River to Otago Heads, and inland by the summit of the hills to the main North road ; thence around the suburbs of Dunedin and the North Taieri road to Silverstream, and along the Silver PeakEange. Port Chalmers comprises the towns of Port Chalmers and Ravensbourne, with the western slope of Otago Harbour. Dunedin is divided into Dunedin West, Dunedin South, Dunedin East, and Central Dnnedin. Dunedin East and Dunedin West include between them the North-East Valley up to the Lower Junction. Roslyn is somewhat curtailed of its present area : the new electoral district includes only the western suburbs of Dunedin from the Water-of-Leith to Caversham borough. Caversham is also considerably altered in area, and includes the borough of that name, together with Green Island. Peninsula includes the Otago Peninsula and the townships of St. Kilda and South Dunedin. Taieri includes the plain of that name to the Waihola Gorge. Bruce remains nearly as it now is, with the exception of a portion at the Waihola Gorge being added to the Taieri. Clutha remains nearly the same as now, but the western boundary is made to agree with that of the county. The Goldfields lose one member. Wakatipu now includes Cromwell, and Dunstau is extended down the Clutha Valley to the Beaumont, also taking in Tapanui and district. Tuapeka and Mount Ida are not materially altered. Waikaia ceases to exist as a separate electorate: a portion of the present district is attached, as shown above, to the Dunstan; and the "Waikaia Valley is included in a new electorate named Hokonui, which extends west to the Wallace County boundary. The Mataura electoral district is confined principally to the country east of that river and west of the Clutha County; there is a narrow margin of country lying to the river on the west side of it which is also included. Wallace comprises the county of that name, and the uninhabited regions of the western sounds. Awarua, a new electorate, includes that portion of Southland lying between the Mataura and Wallace districts, but exclusive of Invercargill, which remains a separate constituency. It further takes in Stewart's and adjacent Islands. The difficulty which the Government have to contend against in the scheme of readjustment has been, as stated by the Premier on moving the second reading of the bill, the reconciling the principle of equal electoral districts with a preservation of existing territorial divisions, and of districts having a community of interests. Those who are acquainted with the interiorof Otago will no doubt discover certain anomalies of this character in the new electoral divisions, which in regard to population are fairly equalised. Wakatipu and Dunstan are instances where communities having little in common, commercially or socially, are grouped together in the respective constituencies. Others of the new electorates have arbitrary boundaries and possess at present no political entity—a defect, however, which time may perchance remedy. This would appear to be especially the case with regard to Hokonui, Awarua, and Mataura. Looking nearer home, with the exception of the division of the city into four separate electorates, the new arrangements appear satisfac-

tory. The Otago Peninsula groups well enough with the Flat boroughs, infusing a very desirable bucolic element into what would otherwise be a constituency of somewhat narrow views. Roslyn and Caversham, again, are well arranged as to boundaries. The present electoral district of Port Chalmers, it may be noted, is very materially altered : it loses Blueskin and the outlying district which is joined to it—Waikouaiti. The new district comprises the populous township of Eavensbourne and the whole borough of West Harbour. Tho complexion of the constituency is thus entirely changed, and the shellbacks of the Port are no longer likely to have it all their own way in the elections.

It is a hopeful sign that no less a personage than M. Gambbtta, President of the Chamber of Deputies, and who is looked upon as the future President of the Fronchj Republic, and is probably the most popular man in France, has declared himself in favour of Freetrade principles. There has, since the days of M. Chevalier, been a school of staunch Freetraders in Franco, to whose influence with tho late Emperor Napoleon the French Treaty of Commerce is due. But their numbers

and the pressure of manufacturing interests has lately almost prevented a renewal of the Commercial Treaty which ia about to expire. Negotiations were absolutely for a time broken off, and it is only within the paat week or two that thero seems a better hope of an understanding. M. Tirard, Minister of Agriculture and Commerce, was reported in a recent cablegram to be in conference with Sir Charles Dim, British Under-Secre-tary for Foreign Affairs, in regard to the treaty ; and the same French official is stated in a subsequent cablegram to have announced his belief that the French Government "wsmld shortly be in a position to conclude satisfactory treaties of commerce with most foreign nations." There is therefore a fair prospect that the difficulties which had previously arisen, aud which threatened a rupture of the commercial relations between England and France which have subsisted since 1800, will bo overcome. Though it has been contended that com mercial treaties are themselves an infringement of strictly Freetrade principles, it is an undoubted fact that the French Treaty was an important atop in the direction' of Free Trade. M. Gamis eita's recent expression ot opinion would seem to indicate that the advantages of freo interchange are boginning to be appreciated by the people at large, though thero are always some interests strongly opposed to it. A republic is supposed to care for the interests of the many rather than for those of the few, though it has not been the case in America in the matter of Protection, to which the interests of tho many have been sacrificed. Wo trust that the .Republic of Franca will lead the way in onlightoned fiscal legislation, and not Besk to bolster up a system of Protection which is condomnod by all her leading economists, and in fact by nearly all economists throughout the world.

A little cloud has arisen in Egypt which may be the portent of a coming storm. Tho young Khedive has been compelled by tho intervention of his troopa and their officers to dismiss his Ministers, and, a8 if in auticipationiof serious commotion, all the bullion held by the Treasury haa been sent from Cairo to Alexandria, and placed under speoial guard. Meanwhile an Anglo-French intervention is talked of, and the prospect of British troops being sent to Egypt has been discussed in the Press at Home, the general verdict of public opinion being unfavourable to intervention on the part of European Powers. It is quite possible, however, that such a state of insecurity may be brought about by the unruly soldiery of

the Khedive as to necessitate European intervention to protect life and property. In such a case England can hardly hold aloof and allow France to interfere. There is, it seems, at; present a good understanding between the two countries on the subject, which it is much to be hoped may be maintained. The recent action of France in Tunis, however, throws a certain amount of suspicion on her motives, and interference in the affairs of Egypt might foreshadow on her part an attempt to establish her power over the whole of Northern Africa. British interests in Egypt, as the highway to her Eastern possessions, are too vastly important to permit of any other European Power obtaining preponderating influence in the affairs of that country. Egypt has long been under European tutelage, and apparently with but little result. It is becoming more than doubtful whether the Khedive is able, even if he be willing, to maintain good government within the dominions over which he nominally rules. Meanwhile the Arabs in Tunis seem to be goading the French by repeated reprisals to an absolute conquest of the country in detail. Altogether the affairs of Northern Africa are likely to play a great part in the foreign politics of the next few months. __^_____ — __„ On our fourth page will be found our Auckland letter and report of Port Chalmers Town UouDcil. The Representation Bill was read a third time and passed in the Legislative Council yesterday. A warm debate took plaoe over a motion for the censure of Mr Wood in the matter of his honorarium sale, but it was adjourned until to-day without any decision being come to. A good doal of business wsb done in the Lower Houbb. After a large number )f questions had been answered, Mr Hall vigorously defended the Speaker and the Chairman of Committees against an insinuation by the Auckland Herald that the Government had influenced tbelr deoision re the stonewalling. Mr Macandrew moved resolutions in favour of a direct steam service, but Mr Ruader Wood carried an amendment hanging the thiog up till next session. The Estimates wore then proceeded witb, Mr Bryce's motion to reduce them in the lump by L 30.000 boiug carried- Mr Audrews, of Chrißtchurch, tried ia vain to getjja number of items reduced, and, nottled at his failure, walked out of the ChamberWe understand that Mr Horace Bastings will bo a candidate at the forthcoming general election to represent the Bell Wnrd division of Duaedin in the House of Representatives, and that a request that he should be nominated is in course of signature. The tempestuous weather which sat in on Monday continued with unabated violence during the whole of yesterday, the wind blowing a perfect gale in intermittent gusts, and rendering podestrianism a matter of infinite discomfort and difficulty. No tidings of any casualty at sea are, fortunately, to hand, although the weather on the coast surpasses in violence any that has been experionced for a long time, and has occasioned much anxiety. A cable message from Melbourne published in a contemporary states that the Imperial authorities have decided in favour of the Colonies being represented in the English House of Parliament- The authority for thia statement is not given. By our Australian files we find that Monmouth actually started for the A.J.C Darby, though the cablegram sent over here stated thut only Whoatear, Sardonyx, and The Gem ran. Sionmouth started at even money, and got avsay first, but collapsed on reaching the straight run in, and finiahod a bad fourth out of five runners. The time was vory slow, being 2 mm. 52 sec. In. pursuance of a determination arrived at some time ago, the headquarters of the Property Tax Office were yesterday shifted from Dunedin to Wellington, where business will for the future be transacted. The books, official documents, &c were despatched by the evening trainThera was but a short fitting of the City Police Court yesterday before W- L. Simpson, Esq., R-M. Martha Rose, on a charge of making nee of obscene language, was fined 40s ; in default seven days' imprisonment, with hard labour. Sußannah Phillips, charged with vagrancy, was discharged. There wa3 a lively meeting of the St. Kilda Council last evening, the business being repeatedly interrupted by one of the councillore, who would uot submit to tho ruling of the Mayor. It is but justice to the Mayor to say that he did all that |lay ia his power to go through tke work in a businesslike manner. A meeting of the British-Israel Association was held last evening, Mr W. G. Jenkins in the chair. An address on " Some of our opponents" waa delivered by Mr R- N. Adams, who devoted his attention specially to a review of a pamphlet issued by the Rev, John Wilkinson, entitled "Englishmen not Israelites," which he charged with being false in its conception of the question, dishonest in its quotations from the Bible as well as from Hine's book, and illogical in nrgament, Tho address was subjected to the criticism of those present, and in the debate several visitors and members took part. It will be interesting to many to know that the Rev. Thomas M'Kenzie Fraser, formerly of Gealong, who recently visited this city, has neen inducted to tho pastoral charge of St. David's Church, Auckland, The Rev. Mr Fraser is a brother-in-law of the late Hugh Miller, and published a volume of able oermona to colonists some years since. The Rev. John Wood, M.A,, recently appointed by the Cobnial Committee of the Free Church of Scotland, arrived in Dunedin, via Brisbane and Wellington, on Saturday last. The Rev. Mr Wood will preach on Sunday next at the Presbyterian Church, South Oamaru. The monthly inspection of the City Guard a was hald on Monday evening- There were present—l lieutenant, 1 sub-lieutenant, 3 -ergaeints, 1 bugler, and 19 rank and file- Tho company waa inspected by Lieutenant M'Gregor. After the inspection the monthly meeting of tho company was held, the principal budnesg of which was the election of non-com mis* sionod officers- Ths Volunteers nominated as sergeants were Corporals Scott and Hawkes, Bugler Black, and ex-3ergeaat Provo. There were tsvo vacaacies to be filled. Previous to the voting being taken Lieutenant M'Gregor said he would take good care that If one of the men on the list was elected his election should not be confirmed, but notwithstanding this in* timation the election reaulted as follows : — Bugler Black, 13; Corporal Hawkes, 11; exSergeant Provo, 11. Tho Chairman gave his casting vote in favour of Corporal Hawkta. Four members were nominated as corporals, and Volunteers Crawford and Wright elected. A-t the meeting it waß arranged that the first match Officers v. Men should take pkco at the North Dunedin range at 5 a-m- on Saturday next.

The protests which were lodged on Saturday lftut at Forbury against Kona in the Maidou Hunters' Steeplechase, and Adalßasia in tbe Consolation Race, wevs considered yesterday and disallowed,

Fire Ayrahira cowa, from Metiers A. and J. M'Farlano'a woll-known herd, left per train last wook for the North, having boen purchased by a (Janturbnry firm. Sftveral of these cows, which :«e excellent specimens of tho breod, hava already mr.de n nams for faomsolves, having carrisd off a goodly number of prizes at local ahowfl. They hava excellent pedigvaoa, and it is a pHy they were allowed to leave tho district. Peore39 by Scotty, dam Lily, and Ck-mcnline b? Uatterfly, d:im AAikida, &ieo two very fico fcut-ysar-oMG; whilo Fancy, who is by Scotty, dam Qaeoa of the Meadow, aud Dhiuy by Bir Badman 11/ out of Violet, are tbrea-ioitv-lde that -.vill 2:0 doubt givo a good i,coouut of themselves in Canterbury,

A meeting of Gaslio-apeakiag Highlanders wi'.a held in the Carriers' Anna Hotel, Palmerstun, on Friday evoniug, 9ih mot. There were over 30 persona present, and Mr IC. Cameron, sen., was voted to the chair. The Chairman having briefly explained the object o! tha meeting, culled upon Mr D. Kos3, Inch Valley, who explained tha result of his mission aa a deputy to a meeting of tha parent Society reoently held in Duuedio. After iioms discussion, it waa unanimously roaolved—" That a branch Bociaty be forme:l ftt Palmeraton forthwith," aa it waa ascertained that about 30 membors were enrolled. Tho election of office-bearers was then proceeded with, when Mr John M'K r,zie, Dunbaok, was elected president jMr D maid M'Leod, Pakeiviti, vicopreaideut; Mesara D- Koas and D. Munro, secretary and treasurer. The following gentlemen were elected members of committee", rrfth power to add to their number—viz., Messrs John M'D..nald (PalmerstoD), Walter Murray, Alex. M'Danald.Divid Boss, Hugh M'Donald (Meadowbank), John Coutta, Neil Brown, and Kenneth Cameron. Afterwards, Mr-John

M'Donald (Palmerston) delivered an excellent Gaelic address, and was followed by the Chairman, Messrs Jas- Ross (Moeraki), Hugh M'Leod and John M'Kay (Dnnback), D. Ross (Meadotvbank), D. Boss (Inch Valley), Donald M'Leod, and Donald Murray, who each sang a Gaelic song in a very happy and effective style. The proceedings were further enlivened by the Btraiua of Mr Robert Munro's bagpipes, and a Bpecial vote of th&nku was accorded him. The meeting was altogether a very enthusiastic one, and the number enrolled bids fair in a very short time to bo doubled. Amyateriouarobbery(BaystheLytteltonTlnies) took place the other morning from the guard's van of the North train, when between Shag Point and Oamaru. The stationinastor at the former place put about L2O (takiDgß of the pre vioub day) into one of the official money-bogs, locked it securely, and placed it as usual in the guard's van. On arrival at Oamara the bog and its contents were missing, although several similar bags containing cash from other stations were found to be all right. How the thief gained access to the van, and managed to make off with the booty, are problems which the Oamaru police have not yet been able to solve. The American Agriculturist says: —"We notice in the English papers occasionally some very hard cases of excessiva working of labourers. Recently a farm labourer was brought before a magistrate on a charge by his employer of refusing to work. He had been to work from 5 in the morning, when he fed his horsaß, to 7.30 in the evening, when he refused to draw two more loads of hay. The magistrate wisely discharged the man, thinking that he had done a fair day's work. Tha man'a wages were 13s GJ a week, with house free." The Home correspondent of a contemporary writes that the life of the Russian Imperial family amidst the constant succession of hesitation, anxieties, and danger is described by eye-wit. nesses as utterly miserable. Tne Czarina's health has givsD way under the pressure of grief and terror, as the programme of the party which has undertaken by suah extreme measures to procure the poli tioal emancipation of the country is known to threaten the life of every Czir, from father to son, and from eaoh Imperial heir to the next in succession, until the demand for reform is granted. She knows, therefore, that the assassination of her husband, Bhould it take place, will be followed by that of her eldeßt son, and of all her other sons, one after another, unless a change of government !b inaugurated. And she foresees that this change, involving a renunciation of the autocracy of the Czir, which the party in power regards as the cornor-stone of Russia's greatnasa, will probably not be brought about until every mem ber of her immediate family Bhall have been sacrified to the obatinata blindness of the advisers of the Czar.

True to the promises conveyed in the annual circular, the members of the Choral Society will give their subscribers and other mußical patrons an entertainment of moro than usual excellence this evening. The attendance at the rehearsals for the past three months has been quite up to the average, despite the pre valent sickness during winter, and several old and valued members having returned to Dunedin are again resuming their connection with the Socioty, which, it maybe noted, is now passing into the twelfth year of Its existence. The principal item of interest on the programme is, of course, Niels Gade's "Brl King's Daughter," which, together with Dr Stainer's sacred cantata, "The Daughter of Jairus," is now performed for the first time here, as is also the Spinning Chorus from Wagner's " Flying Dutchman." The other items are Mendelssohn's delightful motet, "Hear my Prayer," and the orchestral selections, Haydn's Surprise Symphony and a gavotte in F by Reyloff. As usual, Herr dcharek will wield the baton, and Madame Scherek take her place as the honorary pianist of the Society. Judging from the number of tiokets iasued to subscribing members nlone^ the attendance! should be satisfactory; rad from the published names of the performing members, the performance itself should be an unqualified success.

With regard to the infernal machines recently shipped from the United States of America to England, a correspondent of a San

Francisco paper reported a3 follows from Peoria, Illinois, on July 28th :—" The director of the association of United Irishmen lives here, and is supposed to know all about the matter. There were 10 of tha machines made here and shipped to New York, where they were loaded with dynamite, and shipped to London- The manufactory is on South Washington Btroot." On the following day the same correspondent observed : —" The report that the Fenian infernal machines were made here creates great excitement, and is generally believed. P. W. Crowe, who was supposed to be implicated in their manufacture, denies it, but he says he knows who did make them. He states that they were made at O'Bourke's foundry on South Washington Btreet, They were of iron and zinc, in sections. The machinery and dynamite were supplied in New York."

There wag another full house at the Princess Theatre last evening, when the grand spec tacular play " Antony acd Cleopatra" was produced for the third time. As previously, the approbation of the audience waa frequently

expressed, and Mibs Poineroy and tha leading

members of the company were several times called before the curtain. This evening the play will be repeated for the last time, and to. morrow Boucicault's play " Led Astray" will be placed on the boards.

Hilly Park, Port Molyneux, August Ist, 18S0.—Mr G. E. ticrraer.—Sir,— I have much pleasuro in testifying to the ellicacy of your Rheumatic Mixture Aftor suffering from severe attacks of rheumatism, extending over a period of five years, I was induced to try your remedy, which, I am most happy to say, has effected a. complete cure —I am, yours sincerely, Geo. Hay.-[Advt.]

On Saturday Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co. will osll tho Clydesdale colt Glengarry.

A special train goes to Outram to-niuht for the convenience of viaitoiß to tho Princess Theatre.

The practice of tho Mußical Union takos place on Friday evening.

Messrs J. A. Duthie and Co. will sell horses at Tokomairiro on tho 16th inst.; and on the 27th inst. a valuable farm.

Messrs M'Landress, Hepburn, and Co. sell furniture in Cumberland street on Friday ; contractor's plant at the railway yards to-morrow; and Nelson hops on Fri:lay.

A number of Clydesdalo and thoroughbred entires are advertised to be sold by Messrs Wright, Stephanson, and Co. after the Walking Show on Tuesday next.

Stessrs Maclean and Co. advertiso two Clydesdales for sale aftor the Walking Show.

S. H. Carter and Co., 02 George stroot (opposite A. and T. Inglis), aro tho only ready-money drapers of that name in Dunedin, and aro not connected with any other flrin. Note tho address :62 Goorgo street. -[Advt.]

John Harborow, professod Shlrtcutter, Manse street, Dunedin, and Hereford street, Chrlstchurch.— A Sample Shirt, to measure, in 24 houra it required. Shirts ro-fronted, &c; flannel drawers, pants, and nightshirts made to order. Jackets, pj'gamas, or Bleeping Buitß In auy material. Collars and cuffs, newest shapes and styles. N.B.—Gentlemen waited upon at iheir private residences if required.— [ADVT.]

PUBLIC NOTICE.—This is no novel advertisement, but simply inserted for the purpose of directing tho attention of tho working men and the unemployed to the fact that I am now selling; prime roasting beef from 2Jd per In., boiling beef from ljd, mutton from 2d por lb. for cii3h.—S. G. Smith, City Company, High utroot.—[Advt.]