The Otago Daily Times. MONDAY, JUNE 25. 1883.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6664, 25 June 1883, Page 2

The Otago Daily Times. MONDAY, JUNE 25. 1883.

The bombshell which was thrown into the Ministerial c.\mp last weok by tho Ooutroller-general's memorandum proved, alter all, to be a mere brutum fnlmen. If, as some suppose, it was aimed, at tiie Treasurer l'roin spiteful motives on the part of Mr Fitzgerald, it has failed of its object. Mr Montgomery eagerly seized the projectile, and hurled it forward with till liastn at the Major's head; but that adroit political combatant was able to hurl it back into the Opposition, carap, and to inflict a severe defeat on his too eager adversary. A majority of 14 on a question upon which the Government could not guile rally ull their strength—Mr Hubsthouse, for inatance, voting againsb them—is a great triumph, and we suspect Mr Montgomery will not gain much credit with his party from his management of this affair. He showed altogether too great eagerness to snatch a victory, and the plea that his motion was not made as a party ouo was too transparent to deceive anyono. Wo must confess that we think he had a, very good case,. if hn had only known how to handle it properly. The i'acte are briefly these : The Colonial Treasurer, by the Public Revenues Act of last session—passed, wo presume, at his own instance, or at all events with his full consent —is precluded from issuing or paying money for a longer period than two months after the financial year has euded. He can, during that period, disburse unexpended balances of votes, or sums equal to onesixth part of recurrent items, such as salaries, wages, mail contracts, &c, at the same rates as voted for the preceding year. Any further payments require the express sanction of Parliament by resolution. But on tho last day on which it was legal for the Con-troller-general to certify for such issues —viz, on 31st May—the Government asked authority to'draw out £192,000 for objects which were doubtless duly specified. The Controller did not feel himself justified in refusing his sanction, as the demand was within the letter of the law; but he pointed out that it involved a "grave evasion" of the Act. Tf, as we presume is the case, some of these payments were for services rendered after 31st May, the Act was clearly broken in spirit as well as in letter ; if the £192,000 only included sums actually due for various services on 31st May, the letter only, and not tho spirit of the Act was broken. Tho money was not " paid " before the end of the two months as limited by the Act, but was issued for payment. We have not as yot, then, sufficient information to enable us to judge of the exae4; extent to which the Treasurer was to blame. The public servico had to be carried on, Parliament could not meet earlier because the buildings were not ready, and he may perhaps find excuse for stretching a point on such an occasion. He says he could have dons it in some other way, but preferred the direct plan, and that he was only exercising a proper discretionary power. It' this is tho case, we .shall bo inclined to agree with him that tho present syste.m of control is of very little use, while it involves an enormous amount of red tape and stationery. If the Controller could not stop the G-overnment from getting money which he considered they were drawing in opposition to the spirit and intention of tho Act, it seems that there is very little security in the system against far graver abuses than that involved in the rec.mt transaction, if only an unscrupulous Government were in power. We certainly think that the Government should institute a Parliamentary inquiry into the working of the system, more especially as it is pi-esided over by a Parliamentary officer, or at least by one who is irremovable except by vote of both Mouses. If Mr ."Fitzgerald is unnecessarily obstructive, he, and not thu Government, ought to be censured ; and Friday's vote ntay, indeed, be viewed as indirectly a consnro upon him, or at all events as a refusal to endorse his view of the matter. If, on the other hand, he has not sufficient control, his powers should ba increased. There is more behind than meets the eye iv this dispute, and it may be well that it should all come out. Mr Fitzgerald used (o be a strong politician, and perhaps is still ; but we certainly should not suspect him of doing anything that a highly conscientious, highminded man would shrink from. He doubtless wrote his now celebrated memorandum under a sense of duty, and, as far as tbefacta are known to us, he was right in his view, though he perhaps made too much of the " gravity" of the question, at issue. The House has at all events deliberately condoned^ the offence, such as it was, and has passed a vote extending the time for payments under the Act for another month—that is to say, till the end of June, by' which timu tho Estimates will be down, and an Imprest Supply Bill can be introduced.

The debate was nob in any way remarkable, except for one or two amusing episodes such as Mr M. W. Green's dream, and Major Atkinson's gentle snub to one of his colleagues iv saying that had lie been in Wellington he would not bave promised to lay the Controller's memorandum on the table as Mr Dick had done, but would have left him to report direct to the Housp. The Opposition had it pretty much their own way as far as speaking went, after the Msijorhad once madehis explanation, and some of them evidently did not very clearly understand the point ft issue. But it was a speedy vote which the Government wanted, not a long debate, and in that they were gratified. It is said that if the 22 members who were absent from the House had been present the Government would have ■had a majority of 1G instead of 14. That, however, is to a certain extent guesswork. It seems clear that they have won over live or six Oppositionists to their side, including Messrs Siiephakd and Levestam, of Nelson, and the* Major is now disposed to cany everything with a high baud. Certainly the Opposition are lamentably weak, but nevertheless the Treasurer would bo wiser if he showed lews disposition to crow over them and to make a free use of hin power. If he makes himself too obnoxious in tliis respect, he may yet find that somo of his now converts are not so safe ass he thinks. Let him lead the House by all means, but this ■can be done with due courtesy and consideration for his opponents, and without raising unnecessarily bitter feelings of animosity. This, we think, is now the Major's greatest, danger. He is strong, but let him use his strength with moderation.

Mr Biur;(it's political creed i 3 a v>>ry simplo one—the Libarala are all right and tho Tories all wrong. Probably no Knglialiman ever before made such a namo in politico who was at tlio aarao timo so narrow a politician. _Mr Beight co.n hardly bo called ft statesman ;ho is rather a political agitator, whose high personal charaoter has preserved him from tho usual fate of hia class, and whom ago has happily sobered down into something short of the advanced Liberalism of the

day. The John Bright who headed the democratic prucesaion in Glasgow some 13 or 14.■ years ago in not quite tho same John Bright who tho other day addressed the University Btudenta of the same city ai Lord K.ctor. Ho hau nor,' indeed, recanted his principles, liko Sic Francis Bcjudetx and othor agitators of former clayi), but his Liberalism has of lato scarcely kopb paco with the times. It has not " advanced," for iuatance, like Mr Gladstone's. The Premier is a gwat deal more Liberal thai). ho was when Mr Bjuaui' niarchod in triumph through tho streets of Glasgow ; whoreas the member for Birmingham is a good deal more Conservative, or, lo speak more corroctly, a good deal leas Radical. But there is one respect in which Mr Bright never changes, and that is in his de toatation of the Tories and all thoir worka. Tho old hidebound Toryism of thu days of hia youth, which stood up uublushiugly for privilege, and the corn laws,. and other outrageous wrongs and abuseß, still sticks in his gizz ird ; and ho is not philo sophictil enough to aeo that Conservatism, of which ho ia now himself in some degree an unconscious representative, ia quite as necessary-as Liberalism to the progress and tho ordered liberty of v constitutional country iike GJreat Uritain. There could bo no party government unless tliere were a perpetual, though it may be amicable, or at least not •hostile, conflict of principles—not to say that tha quality of tho Liberalism "of the ctay dclevmiaes the quality of ;.ho Uoiiservaf-kni. These commonplaces of what may be called the- Jiiglioi* politics lire, ho.rover, bayond Me BivlGUi'k speculation. He can SO9 nothing but goodness and progress in the one sat of princi pits, nothing but evil aad obstruction in the other. Hence the contumelious terms in which ho habitually assails hia political opponents. There ia nothing too bad to say of the House of Lords, which i3 of course, and naturally mid rightly, the Conservative Chamber — nothing ton opprobrious wherewith to stigmatise the Conservatives as a whole. They are the '' stupid party." as ho ones declared will) unwarrantable iuaolouco, and with an equally unwarrantable assumptiuu of superiority for his own side. If tho sn.ying had boon endorsed by tho Liberals, their subsequent exclusion from office for over six long years, while tho " ttupi-.l party" reigned supreme, might have boon considered a righteous retribution. But it wa3 as distasteful to all sober-minded Liberals as it could possibly have been to Mr Disraeli and his followers, and wo should have thought that Mr Bright would have learned to measure his words by the respect which one great political party owes to another, and not by hia own uncontrollable feelings. JT« c;umot, hoivever, ket-p his tongue off his opponents. His Lord Rectorship, aud tho high jinks which have been going on for a whole week at Birmingham, are perhaps somewhat to blame. But hia latent outburst very nearly got him into trouble. During those Birmingham festivities ho charged the Tories with being in alliauco with the Irish rebel:). In this lie certainly over stepped the bounds of fair criticism, and on Monday night List Sir Stafford Noktiicotb moved in tho Dome of 'J ,m----mons a resolution to tho tffoct that the Ilon. John Bright had committed a breach of privilege. The motion was lost by a majority of 34 ; but Mr Bright admitted that his accusation was tuo general, which was practically a confoasion that he hud at any rate committed a breach of courtesy. It i-j lamantab'e thai so great and good a man Bhould cherish such an implacable animosity against hie political opponent?. If the whole Conservative party were swept out of existence to-morrow, it is as certain as anything can well b. that Mr Bright would be one of the first to take a otaiiu against tho advanced Radicalism over which ho at present throws the protectior of hia honourable muni?. But the gtvat Tory-hater docs not pHilojophUo.

On our fourth page will be found a report of Professor Saimond's lecture at tho V.M.C.A. rooms the other evening, several other reports, letters to tho editor, &c.

The Gaol Commission will resume its sitting to-day. It is notified that persons wishing to communicate, with the Commissioners should apply to tho secretary, at the Criterion Hotel. ■

According to time - table date, the mail steamer is due at Auckland to-day, but it will be remembered that sho loft San Francisco eight days behind time.

Mr Donald Borrie, an old resident of the West Taieri district, died on Saturday last. The deceased gentleman, who was 73 years of ago, had been ailing for some time past, the cause of his death being paralysis. He came from the neighbourhood of Dunkeld, Scotland, and landed in Dunedm about the year 1852. He took up a small holding at tho Tainri, and gradually added to his property, from which nearly half tho sections in tho township of Outram were taken. Though not mixing in a prominent way in politics, he was always ready to take an active interest in anything promoting the welfaro of the district. or of those around him, tho result being that he was greatly esteemed by a large number of friends. He leaves a widow and two daughters.

Strong efforts are to be made by the South Molyneux settlers to have the section of the Catlin's Kiror railway as far as the main road completed for traflio at an early date. The Railway Committee of the district have forwarded a letter to the Minister of Public Worka urging that this should be done. A copy of the letter is given elsewhere.

The special servicos held at Momington Presbyterian Church yesterday were largely attended. Rev. C. S. Ross, of Anderson's Bay, preached in the forenoon, and Rev. Dr Stuart in tho evening. The collection, which was for the purpose of defraying- the cost of supplying gasfittings to the church, amounted to £10 Ss.

The nomination for the Bruce seat took place at Milton on Saturday. Throe candidates were nominated —viz., Messrs \V. A. Mosley, Itobert Gillies, and James M'Donald. After the contestants had briefly addressed the assembled electors a show of hands was taken, and resulted ia favour of Mr M'Donald by a majority of three over Mr Gillies. Mr Mosley demanded a poll, which will take place on Friday next.

The steamer lonic was crowded with visitors both on Saturday and Sunday, the officers of the vessel showing them every attention. The Railway Department put on a special train yesterday afternoon, and both that and the ordinary ones were crowded with passongers. It is estimated that at least 900 persons visited her on Saturday, while there were fully 3000 persons yesterday.

The goods train which should arrive in Dunedin at 5.10 p.m. roach«d its destination about an hour after that timo on Saturday. The cause of the delay, we understand, was the breaking down of a goods train at Burnsida wliioh loaves Mosgiel a little after midday.

Mr J. Anderson, of Chriatchurch, was the successful tenderer (£10,004) for the supply of water-pipes to the Oamaru borough. Tho other tenders were:—A. and T. Burt, £10,042; M'Callum and Co., Oamaru, £IO,SIS ; Belgian Hxport Company, Melbourne, £10,995; Guthrie and Larnach, £11,277.

Mr Hackworth, the collector of Customs, will leave Diuiedin during tho week for Wellington, at which port he is to remain in charge of tho Customs Department during stocktaking for throe weeks or a month. During the same period Mr Rose, of Christohnrch, will take charge of the Customs Departmont at Dunedin, and Mr Hill, of Wellington, will tako tho department now under tho management of Mr lluse.

Tho moot of the Hunt Club on Saturday was at Mr Hungcrford'a property at Wakari, and resulted in one of tho most enjoyable runs of the season. The attendance was very largo; 40 or 50 horsemen being present, and a number of carriagesalso appearing on the ground. Tho drag was tiiken across a tolerably stiff lino of country in tho direction of Maori Hill, and a good number, of gentlemen followed the hounds right out. The usual "spills" occurred, as might be expected in so large a field, but no one was seriously injured, and all wero thoroughly well satisfied with tho afternoon's sport.

The sixth annual meeting of tho Educational Institute of Otago will be held in tho Odd. Fellows' Hall, Kattray street, during the present week. The session will commence at 11 o'clock to-morrow (Tuesday) morning, the business for tho first sitting being the consideration of the annual report, and tho election of officebearers and members of the coinnijlteo of management. In tho evening" tho address of the president (Dr Mocdonald) is to bo do!ivorod. On Wednesday papers are to bo read as follow:—" Litoraturo as a School Subject," by Mr A. Wilson, M,A. (High School, Dim-

Odin); "Universal Culture," by Mr W. Darley (representative of the Oamaru branch) ; "Science /Teaching in Schools," by , Professor T. Jeffery Parker; and " Larrikinisrn," by Mr R, Stout. Three questions of great importance to teachers—viz., the system of compiling the working average, scholarship regulations, and the constitution of the New Zealand Institute — will bo considered; and, as usual, there will be a concert and conversazidne on tho evening of the last day of the session. ■ '

Our Lumsdon correspondent writing on the 19th Bays : " Information lias been received hsre to tho affect that Mr. Charles Palmer, who carried the mail' between this township and Mararoa, has been drowned near Mararoa Plains Station, in a creek known as VVashdyke Creek. His body was found on tho bank, with the mail-bags round his neck. His horse has not yet been found. From what I can learn, the unfortunate man left Mr R. Murrell's Tnkitimo Hotel on Monday morning as usual, and has not sinco been seen alive. It would appear tiie creek was very high, and it issupposed the poor fellow was washed off his horse, but managed to swim with the mails to the bank of the creek, exhausted. It is likely an inquest will bo held. The deceased was highly respected throughout the whole district, and was a most obliging man. His loss will be keenly felt. I may add that he was a splendid swimmer."

The Tuapeka Times states that tho nightclasses oponed lately in. Trinity Church Sun-day-school, Lawrence, under the tutorship of Yen. Archdeacon Beaumont and Messrs Pope, Alhiutt, Capos, and Howard, are getting or* most successfully. The pupils are taking a marked decree of interest in their studies, and ura improving in a manner characteristic of those, who are determined to take every chance of in-proving thoir classical knowledge. Thero are now 30 pupils on tho roll, tho attendance averaging about 30.

The Hospital returns for the past week are as follow : — Remaining from tho previous week, 113 ; admitted during the week, 19 ; discharged during the week, 17; deaths (Thomas Griffiths, Alf, Nicholas Cross, and John Symonds), 3; total remaining, 112.

In the course of hh speech on tho Legal Practitioners Bill, Sir George Grey devoted some attention to what he was pleased to term "shams." Not only (says the New Zealand Times) did ho onco more denounco the Governor's Speech as a sham, but the whole ceremonial of opening Parliament was a sham. We had to import a Governor at much expense, and having got him, we had to dress him in clothes of great splendour, costing at least £200, for tho mere purpose of opening Parlialiament by reading a sham Speech which sham Ministers had composed for him. The expense and the sham did not end there, for we also had to draw out lines of Volunteers, and post Artillery on the reclamation to blow oil so much expensive gunpowder, to attract and amuao those particular pets whom Sir George usually calls the people, but who in this con. uection were described as " those fools."

Mr J. M'Kenzie, M.H.R. for Mosraki, waxing warm on the rabbit question during his speech oh the Address-iu-Roply, went so far as to say that " he would not bo surprised if this rabbit question had the effect of turning out the Government,"—an expression of opinion at which Ministers .ara reported to have laughed merrily.

Mr William Prascr, r>f Earnscleugh Station, has been elected to Vincent Comity Council for Dunstan riding.

At the annual general meeting of the Router's Telegram Company (Limited), held in London on April 2oth, a dividend of o per cent, was declared. This, tho Chairman (Colonel James Holland) explained, would have been larger but for the war in Egypt, and an attempt at competition iv South Africa, which had been successfully put down. The war in Egypt excited so great an interest in England that daily, and sometimes hourly, telegrams had beon sent, involving a co3t of £3000 beyond the ordinary expenditure, in addition to which £1000 had been disbursed for special correspondents and agents. The sub. scriptions aud commissions had increased by about £900, and tho business of the Company was stated to be iv a most satisfactory state.

Mr M. W. Green's Shopkeepers' Closing Bill comes in for caustic criticism from the. Timaru Herald. That journal says its worst feature is that tho bill goe3 straight for compulsion, by which it contends the shops doing a good trade, and which are therefore needed to bs kept open later to supply their customers, are to be shut in order that inferior, badlyuiannged, and poorly-stocked shops may get some of tho trade. It proceeds: " The fact that this idiotic measure met with a very unfavourable reception, even on its first reading, is an indication that all common sense has not yet absolutely departed from the House of Representatives. It is sure to be kicked out ignominiously at .a later stage, and in any case the much-abused Legislative Council can safely bo depended on to send it to the waste-paper basket. But for all that it must ba regarded, we fear, as a sign of tho times when oven Mr M. W. Green, who seems to be a .singularly foolish parson, ventures to stand up iivthe House and seriously invite the attention of the Parliament of the Colony to .such a pack of rubbish as that."

A general all-round change in the Sheep and Rabbit Department (says tho Dunstan Times)is shortly to take place. Mr W. G. Roes, inspector of the Dunstan district, relieves Mr M'Donald, of Timaru ; and Mr Charles Shaw, assistant inspector of the Dunstan district, is promoted to inspector, and changes with Mr Miles, of Na.seby, who will take tho place of Mr Reos.

The New Zaalaud Times says r " It may interest our readers to know that in- Canterbury so great is the desire amongst breeders to send frozen meat to England, that those who have been fortunate enough to book space in the vessels about to sail have been offered 2s premium per carcass for it." Tiie figure here mentioned was given at 253 in the telegram which was forwarded on tho subject."

The Hon. Colonel Brett, who intends to resist any change in tho constituticm of the Legislative Council whilst he has breath in his body, holds that he has a legal right to his seat in that body equal to tlio right of the Queen to her neat upon her throne.

Mr T. M. MacDermott (says the Argus), in his letter of explanation as to what he did and did not say with regard to the "justices' justice" at Brunswick in a recent case, stated that ho had been informed by a solicitor that a perusal of the- " cause-book " would at once show the Brunswick justices to be a very illiterate class of men. On a recent court day, a gentleman with an inquiring turn of mind took an opportunity, we are tod, of examining the record for the day. . Five cases had been determined, and in four of them the magistrate who signed tho book displayed illiteracy. In No. 2, " gunoa" costs were allowed ; iv No. 2, "guncce" costs, or seven days in "goal"; in No. 4, "ginea" costs, default " distres." No. 5 case was dismissed without "predgrus."

Privy Councillor Dr Werner Siemens, of Berlin, brother of Dr William Siemens, of London, arid equally celebrated as an electrician, has sent to tho National Zeitung a letter containing the following remarks on the question of electricity as a source of danger from firs :—" It is not at all impossible that the fire in the Parliament House at Quebec was caused by the electric light. The steamengines and their boilers or tho gas-engines necessary for the production of the electric current may very likely have produced the fire. But besides this possible source, the special apparatus requisite for electric lighting are quite capable of producing fire unless they are constructed with the greatest care and knowledge. If the strength of tho wires has been wrongly calculated, they may, under certain contingencies, grow red-hot. lamps themselves, too, if improperly cd, aro likewise capable of being a source of dangor. Thero aro numerous companies now ongnged in tho oxtenaion of electric lighting which are without tho necessary knowlodgo or experience. They are only mining to mnko electric lighting as cheap as possiblo, and aro overstepping tho limits which aro necessary to safety. Still, when tho necessary precautions are observed, electricity is certainly much less dangerous than any other niodo of illumination."

A handsome face is not without its draw backs, even when tho " gift of beauty " is not " fatal." Tho people of Belfast, according to a Homo paper, have almost gone mad over tho pure Greek faco, with its artistically arched' brow, the classically pillared throat, and exquisite complexion of a young- Irish girl born in Blackrpck, County Cork, and a worker in Carter's milU in the city of fine linen. She is describod as eclipsing any female which the liritmh Isles or Ireland havo produced in all tho elements of sui passing loveliness. So groat are the crowds that surround tho mills to soo her, that tho proprietors allow her to depart a half-hour before tho other oporativos in order to got rid of the polite mob. Lately alia visited a sliooshop in North stroet, Belfast, • kept by one Maprinnis, and was followed by several hundred people. Tho crowd increased to such

an extent that policemen were called into requisition, and tho besieged beauty was compelled to beat a retreat through a rear door. Ireland gave birth to tho three Sheridan sisters, called tho " Three Graces'.' in consequence of their extreme beauty, and here is a Hebo who seems to eclipse all.

' The Paris correspondent of the New York Herald says that the observance of Sunday is increasing in Paris, He says: "A few years ago, if you walked down the leading streets and avenues you would see tho shop-windows all glittering and bright as usual, while buying and sellitii; seemed to go on not only on fully as large a scale an during the week, but even on a larger one. Now all this is altered. Three-fourths of the wholesale stores and respectable tradespeople in the centre of the city close their shutters for 24 hours on the .Sabbath. After dark on Saturday night till Monday morning you might go from end to end of tho Kite de In Paix without being able to buy a bottle of scent or a watch-chain. The Rue dv 4 Septembre also becomes a howling desert; and in tho Avenue de l'Opera, or between the Madeleino and the Rug Vivienne (the most m*ving of all the oorners of Paris) barely half of tho shops are open, and these are neglected."

By special request "The Grand Duchess" will be repeated at the P/hicess Theatre this evening. On Saturday thero was a full house, and the performance passed off as successfully as hitherto. Miss Graupner, however, being a little hoarse, was heard at a disadvantage Tho company at present is preparing for the production of "Tho Pirates of Penzanoe" on Tuesday night. llossrs James A. Pai-k ami Co. w 11 so.l toots, &c. to-day. The Last Shot Quartznm;in;,' Company meet on Gdi July. Slessra Maclean and Co. will soil a shorthorn bull at Biirnside o;i Wednesday. llr O. 41. Speddi.-rg will soil shirts on Thursday. Mr Adaim will addro=s Tort Chalmers ratepayers on Tuesday evening. llr William Gnrislb »i!l sell grain at Oamaru en Thursday. Mr l>. Mronach will soil s' ecp at Burnjide on Wediioeduy. Alt 11. i'yra will soil furniluro at hia rooms toJlcsara Donald Kci.J and Co. will seil bulter and grain fci-diiy. Tho Uiiitid Victory C-jmpauy meet on Thursday, Will July. Now is tho lime for our M.H.KV. to hand their uaiiiiii duwn to posterity by iiuroUucin;- a national (ire insurance scheme. £300,00;) losses by lire in ouo year! Consider tho lo;s to every honejt.citizen. Are "tackle" thia question '! "if I were.'not a' butcher, selling tho bust of meat chopper than any oilier in the tr.uie, I would heroine a Minister or editor, and write and agitate until such ado-.imble object w<u> achieved. A. DOKX\VISUi.--[;iPVT.]