The Otago Daily Times. TUESDAY, JULY 14, 1885.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7294, 14 July 1885, Page 2

The Otago Daily Times. TUESDAY, JULY 14, 1885.

It is difficult at this distance for us. to estimate the real meaning of the Ministerial surrender. All depends upon the part which their supporters played in obtaining it, and the extent to which their retention of office was a graceful concession to their supporters' wishes. If, as we are inclined to believe, it was the latter, we do not think that the Government need have much to fear for the rest of their policy. If the section who objected to the tariff and to the borrowing powers proposed to be conferred 'on local bodies are pledged to support the Government over the million loan, the local government bills as they stand, and the Native Lands bill, wo cannot see how the Government can be turned out over them. It is difficult to believe tbat Ministers would have consented to retain office without such a pledge, for if they have not got it they will merely be tempting fate. Por a sure and certain security a Government may reasonably make large concessions, but we cannot suppose that Ministers would yield so much without somo quid pro quo, without at least making- sure that they will not 'be asked to yield

more. If this is so, the .demoralisation amongst the Ministerial supporters, ,of .which we .hQ,a,r sq n^o^, will ttttple to .noting If.. jJusy .ate pledged fo. support ,UibJ-est;pf the. policy, there is, no possibility ■of the Government .being turned out, ; and they haye consolidated instead of demoralised thpir'party.

. Ma-jpr Atkinson is known to be working hard tq obtain the refusal of the million loan. His grounds, as given ivhen speaking on the Financial Statement, are thai the Goveriim.e.nt , having speftt. tetf-a-miiiion ; I.Q-ss,on,jpHli,Ue :: AV fotk* i ,th'aii were authorised !s«#.-. tfoiisc hist October, had practically two millions in hand at the beginning of the present finnncial year, April Ist.. Are we to spend at tlie rate of a million or of a million and a-half per annum is, according to liim, the question involved in the granting of this million loan. But the Treasurer pointed out that "there was_ no question of spending the money before" tlie House next met. He merely asked for authority to raise the loan to prevent the possibility of being obliged to raise it next year whether the market is good or bad. He pointed to tlio fact tliat the Government had spent half-a-million less on publto works last year than wore authorised as a proof that thoyAvere in earnest in.thei._p ftrqfcssibn's of economy, aiid to )_h : trusted not to forestall tlie loan for wliich they asked authorisation. All thej'-asked, he said, wasto be placed in a position to be able to raise the ! loan if an emergency arose. If, for instance I a Avar were to break out with Russia early next year, we should be left in a pretty quandary. Tlie Government, he declared, were entitled to spend a million and a-half this year, being one fresh, million and the half-million wliich remained over from last year, the million now asked for being for $j-e jye'a'r ; i'B'B6. It seems to us that tlie Question is-reduced to one of confidence in .the Government. If the Treasurer is to be trusted not to spend more than he professes, and not to misuse the power he asks for, it is to the public advantage that he should be granted this power. If not, then he ought" not to be Treasurer, and the Government do not possess the confidence of the House. -

The way in which the Government have refrained from public works expenditure last year is not the only refutation of the charge of extravagance against "them. Whether it be desirable to -return to subsidies or not, it must be admitted that the proposal to charge roads and bridges to revenue instead of to loan is a step in the direction of economy and a reaction against the borrowing policy. We must confess that now that the subsidies have been limited to five years, and that local bodies are no longer to be empowered to borrow upon them, it is difficult' to fiHd any less objectionable ffi§ali§ bf jM-ch'l&hg roads and bridges. The Roads and' Bridges Act has been an extravagant ahd "idem'oraiising failure; It is better tliat we siioul^.pityfflr roads dhd bridges year by year on a fixed scale; instead of cpiist'rucVing tliem but Oi borrowed ni'oiiey allotted on principles, to say, the least of them, curious in their bearing upon tlie Sujipbit accorded to the GtovehiiMeiit by the representative of each district. To iriake eaiih district pay foiits o\vn roads ah'd bridges is unfair to the 'rtewet ahd p'obrer districts, and fatal to the ja'rbgress of the Colony. The method .of distributing the subsidies wiirhave to be altered; and there are several minor modificatiohfc required in the local government policy,, but its main principles are now acceptable, or at least as good as we are likely to get. . . 7

. The one important point upon AA'hich the Ministerial supporters have a right to bring pressure to bear xipon the Government is with regard to their proposal to issue Treasury bills for two years for Major Atkinson's deficit. We. notice that it has been urged that this is no time to, pay up old debts. We cannot agree with this contention at all. It is reasonable that we should desire to spread the payment of this deficit over three years. But to postpone t]ie whole question for two years is .neither souiid finance nor common honesty. This deficit is already a year and a-half old. Does anyone really believe that we shall be more ready to meet it two years hence? The present postponement means nothing less than' an addition of this £150,000 to our permanent debt, or in other Avords borrowing to defray current expenses.

Although the Premier failed in getting his barmaid clause inserted in Mr Bradshaw's bill, another piece of goody-goody legislation has been more successful. -We refer to Mr Hobbs' bill-.to prohibit the publication of consultation advertisements, which has passed its second reading in the House of Representatives? It is scarcely necessary to compare the division-lists to discover that the barmaid's foes are all supporters of. Mr Hobbs. These gentlemen seem to look upon Parliament as an agent for the promotion of morality—a sort of -schoolmaster to whip the naughty " and tell everybody what they are to do to be saved.. We fully admit that the attitude of Parliament towards the gambling": question needs reconsideration. For at least, two years past-we have lost no opportunity of 'urging that the House should license that which it cannot prevent. A high ideal is a very excellent thing, but it is the business of the Legislature to make laws . for men as they are, and not as they ought to be. We colonists are by .force of circumstance a gambling people. This vice is the correlative of the virtue of enterprise, which, applied to: industrial channels, has made New Zealand what it is. Parliament may to some extent change the methods of gambling, but it is useless for it to try and kick against the pricks. We can see no _ reason why gambling should not be treated" like drinking, put under proper control aiid made to contribute to the revenue. The law may put down consultations by advertisement, but does Mr Hobbs imagine that he will thereby sensibly reduce the amount of gambling? The result in Melbourne lias been the enormous increase of sweepstakes. You may drive nature. out by the door, but it will return by the back window. If the State would protect the public from being swindled by fraudulent consultations, make it compulsory for them tobe held above board, and charge 10 per cent, for the privilege of holding tbem, it would be far more to the point. Nor should the jockey clubs be allowed to wax fat upon the proceeds of the totalisator. Let 10 per cent.^be put upon the moneys passing through that machine, and a very considerable addition would be made to the revenue. Why drinking should be the only pleasant vice to contribute to the revenue we cannot see. Gambling is not nearly so innocent; and yet, though we alter its channels, we allow it to go on without stint or let. At a time when the Treasurer is badly in need of a fresh source of revenue, gambling ought to be most useful to him. There is some £20,000 a year to be got out of it without much difficulty. As ■ for Mr Hobbs' bill, the Legislative Council needs only to remember that the last Gaming and Lotteries Act, which was passed with the most virtuous intentions, has resulted in a considerable increase of gambling, to make it pause before passing another. Whilst- the totalisator flourishes under the express sanction of the law, it is the rankest hypocrisy to prohibit consultations. If Parliament is going to have a virtuous fit, let it at least prohibit the big sins, instead of reserving all its punishment for peccadilloes. There is a great deal more gambling goes on through the totalisator than through consultations, and by what possible arguments it is intended to damn the one whilst taking the other under the protection of the law we cannot conceive. Gobtiie has well said that the best Government is that which teaches self-government; but nothing is more mischievous than a law which is in advance of the public conscience—a law which the most respected citizens break day after day, and without any consciousness of doing wrong.

Reports of yesterday's local Courts and our Australian letter appear on our fourth page.

The peaceful tone which has characterised our cablegrams of late is now changed, and the various rumours rogarding Russian preparations are again bringing the Afghan frontier question into prominence. -This morning the intelligence of considerable Russian reinforcements continuing to advance on Sarraklis is confirmed by Router, and we are also informed of Russians flogging a clerk in the employ of tho British consul at Kesh, a town some distance south of Samarcand, iv the Bokhara district of Turkestan. ■ This outrage is stated to have been caused by a refusal to divulge information regarding English agents on the Afghan frontier. A largenumber of guns are being sent for the fortification of Horat, aud the town will bo garrisoned by 15,000 men armud with breechloaders. The

British GpvernmonKhavo .resolved. to i extend ■thqlra-ilAvay.tb the Kojuk Pass in the direction of-. Candahar, ;....-.,

• .We publish this morning, under the title of ."■The Land of tbe Golden Fleece," the first of a series of papers by Mr Georgo Augustus Sala, the distinguished journalist and traveller. These articles are published by special arrangement, and tho first two: will be devoted to the voyage across the Pacific from San Franoisco to Sydney, iwhilo the remainder will deal chiefly with his tout.through (die Colonies. , . : . .~- -

I.i-Shortly after midnight a-fire broke out in'a large,two-storey gooden house in Cargill street. The alarm was given from the tower, and the Fire Brigade, followed by the Salvage Corps, were soon on tho spot. The house was unoccupied, the late tenants having left it nbout a week ago. The house is owned by Mr M'Kechnie, who resides in Leith street, and was. insured in the Norwich Union for £350. Owing to the pressure of water not being very great, the fire w^as not overcome until the building had been gutted. No clue cau as yot be given as to the origin of the fire. Fortunately the wind was not blowing strong, otherwise tho houses in the vicinity would havo been more or less injured. As it was the adjoining house lldd a narrow escape,

Mr Thomas Bracken has received a requisition from .electors at Milt.on.and lOi'itangaki. request iij'g. him toicpntest the election for the Bruce _\tsnt, Mr Bracken has been compelled through business engagements to decline the request, and has informed the requisitionists of his regret at not being able to .comply with their wish.

News has 311 st beeu received (telegraphs our AVellington correspondent) that .-Mr M'Kerrow, Surveyor-general of New Zealand, has, on the motion of Colonel Tupman, been unanimously elected a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. It will, be remembered that Colonel Tupman was in charge of the English transit of Venus observation party in New Zealand in 1882, and Mr M'Kerrow was in charge of the New Zealand Government observation party.

Our AVellington correspondent telegraphs that several distinguished astronomers are likely to visit New Zealand to view the great solar eclipse next September. Among these will, it is understood, he MrEllery,Government astronomer of Victoria, and Mr Russell, Government astronomer for New South Wales.

The Stella exploring expedition (telegraphs our Wellington correspondent), which went out to search for the shoal on which the lonic was said to have struck, returned ■ this, afternoon, and reports that at the spot indicated by Captain Babot, who was on board, they found a heavy break, and a rapid'shoaling to 12 fathoms where, there ought to have been deep water. The rough weather prevented a complete examination. -.'■•;.. There Avas some discussion at the City Council last evening regarding two df the Government measures now befdi-e parliament— viz., the Local Finance and Powers Bill, and the Charitable Aid Bill. The Mayor went into a statement condemning both measures as very unfair to largo towns, and the council were unanimous in referring the tiiatter to the Finance Committee, with ihe view of getting the city representatives to oppose the measures.

The weekly meeting pf the journeymen butchers last evening was well attended, and several sdngs and recitations were given by some of the members, a very pleasant evening being spent. It was resolved to ende.Hvour to make the union a means of providing infdrma"tion both to employers and ehiployed; so that members of the trade tfoiiid know where t6 seek any information required, and also td endeavour td secure as members all belonging to tlie trade.

At the usual meeting of.the Young Men's Societies' Union last evening, Mr Darling read an excellent paper on " Secret Societies," which elicited some discussion. A vote of thanks was passed to the essayist. Mr J. B. Thomson occupied the chair, and announced that the annual meeting of the society would take place to-morrow evening. -....,.-...._.

The second exhibition of Mr Lingard's Diorama of Scotland and the Soudan AVar was given at the Lyceum Hall last evening. The exhibition is really one of the finest of the kind that has visited Dunediu, the paintings relating to Scotland being particularly good; and as they were unfolded to the gaze of the audience, manifestations of approval were both very frequent and pronounced. . The exhibition, as on the previous evening, was varied bythe introduction of vocal selections by Mrs Lingard, Miss Coates, and Mr Denovan, the latter also filling the role of lecturer. The next exhibition will be given on AA'ednosday evening, there' will be a reduction in the prices of admission to all parts of the hall.

The regular half-yearly meeting of the Leith Lodge, 1.0.0. F., was held in the Albany street Hall last evening, when there was a large attendance. D.D.G.M. Bro. H. Gourley attended, with his Grand Lodge officers, and installed the following for the ensuing term: —J.P.G., Bro. J. W. Thompson; N.G., Bro. David Miller; V.G., Bro. R. M'Gregor; treasurer, Bro. Charles M'Peake; secretary, Bro. H. Maedonald; trustees, Bros. AY. Pteid, J. S. Alexander, and AY. A. W. Wathen ; organist, Bro. Wathen ; R.S. to N.G., Bro. J. Orr; L.S. to N.G., Bro. J. H. Richardson; R.S.S., Bro. J. M. Wilson, jun.; L.S.S., Bro. A. Scott; R.S. to V.G., Bro. B. Krull; L.S. to V.G., Bro. J. M.Wilson; warden, Bro. L. Beresford; chaplain, Bro. Wathen; conductor, Bro. J. S. M'Peake. Votes of thanks were passed to the installing oflicers, retiring officers, and visiting brethren. It was resolved '.'..That P.G. Bro. Wathen's name be placed on the respect board."

The ordinary meeting of the Athenaeum Committee was held last evening. There were present: Messrs' Barr, Sinclair, Morris, Harlow, Moodie, MAdam, Logan, and Dr Colquhouu. The secretary reported tbat the sale of old books and periodicals had resulted in a sum of £40, which would be laid out in the purchaso of new books. It was further reported that a consignment of 400 new books would arrive next day per Melbourne steamer. Accounts amounting to £268 5s were passed for payment. The committee noted with pleasure the: fact that the number pf subscribers to the Athelneum had largely increased during the past mouth; and further, that a consignment of new books from London were on the way out, which would bring up the total number of new books added to the library within the past four months to nearly 1500. The suggestion-book was considered, after whicli the meeting adjourned.

The Buffalo Ministrels in their new programme again attracted a large audience at the' Princess Theatre last evening. The change proved quite as acceptable as the previous programme, and the various items were heartily applauded, many of them securing a recall. Miss -Kingsley, Miss Verne, and Messrs Sautlcy and Hugo were very, successful in the first part, and the Irish jig by Mr Gregory, and the song and dance by the Hugo brothers were equally so. Bliss Verne in her serio-comic song was very pleasing, and her rendering-of the pathetic recitative '.' The Little Hero," came quite as a surprise on the audience. The dancing of the triple hornpipe, by the Misses Hugo.Olive, and Clifford, secured a recall, which was well deserved. The sketches of " The Crushed Tragedian" and "Cupid's Artful Dodge" were very mirth-provoking, aud kept the audience in almost continuous roars of laughter. A word must be said regarding the dresses worn by tho ladies, as the selection of colours made a most offectivu setting in the opening part of the performance. The same programme will be given this evening.

Cr Barnes has stili to put up with'a good deal of banter about his pet steam roller. He moved last night iv the City Council that the steam roller be laid up for a few months, and this gave Cr Murray an opportunity of indulging in a little mild chaff at Cr Barnes' expense. He said he would like to know what was the matter with the baby that *it required to be laid uphad it a cold ?—to which Cr Barnes replied that he was going to buy-some lollies from Cr Murray for him. Cr Murray retaliated by stating that he would move . that the baby be committed to the care of his parent. He said he knew the baby was a regular crusher, aud sometimes made a noise like its parent, therefore he judged that it would be better under his paternal care.

It has been pointed out to us that the paragraph which appeared in our yesterday's issue respecting, the dissatisfaction amongst certain Dunedin firms at the delay in judging the goods they have sent to the Wellington Exhibition may be construed to reflect on the local secretary and committee. It is scarcely necessary for us to say that tbis was not intended, for we are quite well aware that the local committee and the secretary (Mr Eunson) have done all they possibly could to ma Ice matters run smoothly, and have performed their part of tho work in a thoroughly satisfactory maimer.

Nine bands are said to have entered for the Exhibition contest. They are: Invorcargill, Dun-e-lin, Timaru, Christchurch, Nelson, Wellington, Wanganui, Oamaru, and Auckland Artillery.

; 'A prisoner named' James 'Eastwood, who is undergoing a sentence of four years' penal servitude in the Dunedin gaol, was charged at the City Police Court yesterday with having on the previous Monday attempted to effect his escape by means of a rope which he had made from a blanket belonging to the prison.-Eastwood, it appears, along with soveh other prisonors, occupied ,: a cell which contains a window afew- feet from anothor Window, at.an angle in the wall, at the ; southern eiid.of the.gaol. .Between 5 and 6^ oclook.on Monday morning, whenHhe prisoners ' had. been mustered, .Eastwood asked to be allowed.to return t6 his cell for his,"tuckerbag," winch he had forgotten. He was accordingly sent back in charge of a warder. Shortly afterwards he asked if he might go back for his slate and pencil, and was again escorted by a warder. Subsequently a rope made out of a blanket was discovered % one of the warders attached to one of the bars of the cell window, which had previously escaped observation through Eastwood's bunk being on a level with the window. It was evidently the intention of the prisoner, if the opportunity wore-afforded him, to throw tho rope out of the window, gain the yard as quickly as possible, mid liaul himself up tb the Wiiidd^sill; ffdm which he could, in the darkness of the early morning, step unobserved on to.the,window-sill inJjhe. angle of the opposite wall, and,thereby gain access to a parapet, from .which he could, easily have escaped. This of course he was prevented from doing through his design having been discovered before he could put it into execution. Eastwood belongs to a, gang of prisoners who work at the Heads during the week and are only confined m gaol during Saturday night till Monday morning. It would appear from this that Eastwood had made the rope during Sunday night,' and that the other prisoners in his cell had connived at his escape. He had taken the precaution to ascertain exactly the length of rope that would be required by means of'a line made of boot-laces and string with a piece of slate pencil attached to the end of it. The angle of the wall at which the prisoner intended to escape affords great facilities for anyone wishing to.regain his liberty from the prison; and Eastwood, who is a young sailor of 20, would no doubt have made that very anparent if he had not been thwarted in his design.

The usual monthly meeting of the Otago Institute will be held this evening, when Professor Black will deliver the first of two lectures on "Explosives." As this lecture will be illustrated by numerous experiments, it has been decided to. give it in the chemical lecture-room at tho university instead of at the museum. The lecture will begin at 8 o'clock, the council meeting as usual at 7.30.

Stephen Stamp Hutchison was yesterday committed for trial on one of the charges preferred against him of fraudulent bankruptcy. The hearing of a second charge was adjourned Until Tuesday' week-. The accused obtained bail: ' •" .

We have received intimation from Wellington that the cablegrams in yesterday morning's paper were mutilated in transmission between Adelaide and Wellington. One should have read " that the last New South AVales loan was declined at 93£ per cent."; and the other, relating to the Federation Enabling Bill, " that Mr Goschen moves the omission of the 31st clause'," and not the 30th;

The Southland News learns that the party of gold prospectors who left Invercargill under the direction of Mr Keneally about a month ago for the district west of tlie Waiau are meeting with encouraging results and are sanguine of sue-

The following Adelaide telegram ap])ears in the Hobart Mercury of the 9th inst.:—" Fiftyfive unemployed men were desj.iritdlled to the Hergott railway works to-day, making 265 unemployed for whom work has been found during the last 10 days. . One of the unemployed who recently, went to Sydney writes that there is no work to be had there, and hundreds are unem. ployed. Men who have gone over to work on the" Goulburn railway find that they have been deceived, as the contractors do not want them.''

The Tasmanian police have arrested a man named Edward O'Keefe in connection with the Beaconsfield bank robbery. O'Keefe is the sanle nlan Who was arrested in July last year' as one of a batch of six, and he > subsequently received £175 from the bank as damages for false imprisonment, his case having been one of those compromised after the other verdicts were given against the bank. .Another man named Rice has also been' arrested, but he was not concerned in the first apprehensions made by the police.

Messrs Fletcher and Co., of Dunedin, have made an offer to the Wellington Harbour Board to place- a light on the Queen's Wharf during the Exhibition for £60, provided water was supplied free. The chairman remarked that he supposed the electric light was to be placed on the wharf on the same principle that Sam Slick adopted when he asked permission to leave his clocks on the farmers' mantelpieces— that being once there the people would not like to part with them.

The German steamer Samoa has arrived at Cooktown with Dr Finsch, who was appointed to visit the German settlement in New Guinea as a passenger.- An attempt to establish a settlement for the Germany Trading Company six miles west of East Cape, and in British territory, has been abandoned.

~ The London correspondent of the Argus gives the followinginformation regarding two New Zealand shipments of frozen meat:—The frozen meat market exhibits little animation, but prices are fairly well maintained. The large consignments received from New Zealand by the s.s. Ruapehu and Tainui are now on sale. The former shipment is not in good condition, though it was at first reported to be excellent. On examination a good deal of the meat has been found to be soft and spotty. It is reported in the market that from 2000 to 4000 carcasses have been condemned, but it is doubtful if this is correct. On the voyage Home the pistoii of the refrigerating engine broke down, and it is-'thought that this affected the condition of the cargoThe mutton is selling at'from 3id to sd, according to condition. The Tainui's cargo is in good order, and is realising from 5d to sjd.

A first and linal dividend of 20s in tho pound is now payable on all proved claims in the estate of F. W. Beiehelt.

Messrs William Inglis and Co. will hold their annual sale of thoroughbred and draught stock at Sydney ou August 25 and 26.

Mr Lionel -Douglas Cox has sent us a copy of "The Old Flag," set to music composed by "him when the Pollard Juvenile Opera Company visited Dunedin.

We have received a copy of the Melbourne Journal, a weekly record of science, literature, and art, published by Messrs Cameron, Laing, and Co., of Flinders street, Melbourne, -and for which Mr Santley. of the Buffalo Ministrels, has been entrusted to form agencies throughout the New Zealand provinces.

Oystehs! Oystf.us! Oysters!— Grand Hotel Restaurant.—An oyster stall has been opened iv above rooms. Open till 8 p.m. Oysters in every style of cooking. Plate of Oysters with bread and butter, •Is.—J. and J. Watson:—[Advt.]

I am the friend of the working man, and anxious for his welfare, hence I advise him to pay cash for all his purchases, and if he finds himself able to save money to put some by for a rainy day. It is better to take a little less wage and constant employment than earn sufficient in a week to keep them two in idleness, for the or somebody else always finds mischief for idle hands to do. Buy your prime meat wherever cheapest for cash, and lie-sure it is no where cheaper and better than at A. Douxwell's.— [Advt.]