THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1887.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7980, 19 September 1887, Page 2

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1887.

To enter upon fin election campaign witli a Imliof Uiiit defeat is inevitable, as the 'l.Ymnier lias done, is a wanton folly only explicable when wo remember Mint four months' additional salary wero secured by llin move, and that LI 00 i.s a consideration to most of the meinbera of the present (lovernment. But if tho knowledge that defeat is certain is not very uoi-dueive to its mitigation, neither i.s (lie knowledge that victory is certain likely to lead to its being very complete and ell'ectivo. We. are rejoiced to find Sir Julius Vogel dreaming at Papanui an Alnaaehar's dream of a strong reaction in favour of the Government. We seu no signs ourselves of anything of the sort; and the Evening Post of Wellington, which accords a general support to tho Government, admitted a few days ago that all their strenuous efforts to bring about such a reaction had entirely failed. The Treasurer's object of course was to inspirit his party who are inclined to give up the game, as well as to spread alarm and misgiving in tho camp of his opponents. .But such boasts are far more likely to rouse the energies of that large army of the worthy indolent who a'O inclined to exercise their votes upon private grounds in the comfortable assurance that the Government will be easily defeated without their ai-l. What wo would point out to these gentlemen is that the character of the victory, its effect upon the policy of the next Government and Parliament, depends very largely upon their showing at the poll that they are in earnest in their desire for retrenchment, and really determined to sweep away the traditions of extravagance, it is not suilicient to obtain a majority against tho Government. It must be a decisive majority—-one which is capable of carrying their successors through a policy of retrenchment, and will relentlessly upset them too if ths-y shrink from their duty in this matter. It is not enough that we have the roar of retrenchment. It i-i essential that the voice of the people should be clear as well as loud. The personal aspects of politics are best appreciated in Wellington, and it is worth taking notice o£ what the Evening Post says as to the reaction in Sir Julius Vogcl's favour, as well as to the absence of any such reaction in the favour of the Government as a whole. The Evening Post has always admired Sir Julius Yogel to an extent which gives a bias to its judgment upon what relates to him, but there is no denying that there is some truth in what it says. Seeing that the Treasurer is the policy-maker of the Government, it was only natural that the first burst of indignation at the policy should fall upon his head. But time has brought the reflection that the Premier, who allowed Sir Julius Vogel to play ducks and drakes with the finances, is really as much to blame as Sir Julius Vogel himself ; and the country has been disgusted by the painful display of Sir Robert Stout's incompetence and degradation which has been on view for the Jast three ' months. Sir Julius Vogel, on the other I hand, has exerted himself to the utmost to rehabili'.ate his position, and the background of his colleague's fatuity has been of considerable assistance to him in this task. Sneer though he does at retrenchment, this man, we are bound to admit, has a real grasp of the details of public affairs, and stands in point of ability a head and shoulders above any of his colleagues. All this is very true, but when the Post goes on to say that the country is showing a disposition to look upon Sir Julius Vogol as " the most trustworthy, as " well as the ablest of the lot," and to hint at the probability of his assuming the leadership of a party, it mistakes the character of tlie change of feeling which it notes. We do not care to discuss tho degrees of untrustworthiness of the Premier and Treasurer : indeed wo are inclined to believe that Mr Ballance would be more dangerous than either if he were given his head. Weakness in government is often worse than downright vice. But of this we feel confident, that whatever the country may think of Sir Julius Vogel's ability, it is as determined as ever to put and keep him out of oflic. Any heat that there may have he.en against him when he was felt to be powerful and people were frightened as ; to what he would do next has gone ; ' I but the change is merely from heat to light—-from righteous indignation to a ' cool determination to give him no more [ opportunities of mischief.

Anything less would mean the nul fication of all the opinions expressi during the last three months. S Julius Vogel openly andavowedlyVepi sents a belief that retrenchmsnt is n wanted, and that the Colony is pc fectly able to bear a quarter of a in: lion of new taxation. In any Clover: ment in which he might be place he would always be the stronge force, and it would be a for< making for extravagance. His sai guine character cannot be change by the direst misfortunes. He alway believes that things are going tolerabl well and are about to go a great dei better. To leave him in office to carr out a policy of retrenchment and stop page of borrowing is, on the face c it, ridiculous. A man with Si Julius Vogel's strong natural bias fo extravagance and speculation canno change his nature. He has done al the harm he could during the las three years, and it is imperative to put it out of his power to d< any more mischief. The police which the Evening Post advocate1! now is pretty much tha which we favoured at lasi election, and which was popular!} known as " Vogel with the break on.' It is true that owing to one cause anc another that policy has never yet beer tried, but the condition of the Colony has got very much worse since 1881. We look in vain for any sufficiently strong " break," and we have to bear in mind the effect of Sir Julius Vogel's English reputation upon the credit of the Colony. To the world at large he represents the policy which has brought New Zealand into such disrepute, and no protestations would alter the construction which would be put, and .justly put, upon his replacement in oili.ee in any combination. Every word that we predicted as to the absurdity of putting forward Sir Robert Stout as a break upon !Sir Julius Vogel has come true ; but if Sir Julius Vogel had been combined with our mos1; steady and sober public men we doubt whether they cculd have possibly kept him from breaking out into schemes and loans, district railways, and travelling expenses. But whether or not the experiment was worth trying in 1884, it is out of the question now. To keep Sir Julius Vogel in office

would bo to admit that the retrenchment cry is "a. .sham ;iik! ;i Jnmiliii^," to allow ourselves to In! taxed up to the eyes, to borrow as inucJi us the London market will allow and liivl fresh ways of sly borrowing through syndicates, to confirm our reputation for recklessness, and to postpone indefinitely the return of prosperity, if not to march open-eyed into ruin. There can Ijc no mistake about this. That Hir Julius Vogel has made it plain to the electors that he is a man of great ability is not surprising. We never doubted it; indeed, it is just because he is so able that lie is so dangerous. Tliis is no time to make terms with the genius of extravagance, and to attempt to bind him with the sloii'ier withers of well-meaning colleagues. The wholcstrengthof the (joiony should lie put forth to keep lain out of ollioe under any and every condition. A rew Zealand has no spoon long enough to sup with Kir Julius Vognl. A report of the Hunt Club races held at Forlmry Park on Saturday, and a telegraphic account of the firsb day's races of tho Australian Jockey Club's Spring meeting, with tho budget of mail news l)y the Zealaiidin (which arrived at Auckland on Saturday), will bo found on our fourth pnge. Tho Wannlta, with the Southern portion of tho San Francisco mail, left Wellington for Lyttelton at 8.15 last evening. About half-past 9 o'clock last night a firo broke out in the stables 1 clongiug to Mr B. Kingston!, and situated at (he rear of Hie Parksido Hotel, at Ciiver.-ihnin. When the alarm was given the Dunedin Brigade and llio Salvage Corps turned out, but only the latter proceeded to the scene of the fire, ami rendered all the assistance they could. The names, however, had then got a considerable hold on the. building; and although the Caversham Brigade were present somewhat earlier, the stable was almost completely destroyed before the fire could be thoroughly extinguished. Eight of the horsee were, however, got out in safety beforehand, but ono poor animal succumbed to tho flames The stable, which contained 26 stalls, was uninsured. A man named William Thomas Newman died in the hospital last night about 10 o'clock from an apoplectic fit. He was only admitted on Saturday night about half-past 10, and gradually grew worse until the time of his death. He had been out boating in the harbour with some friends on Saturday, and as they were returning a change was observed in his appearance. Hw was landed at the boat house at the foot of Frederick street, and could neither walk nor speak. Drs Copland and Coughtrey wore sent for, and he was then removed to the hospital, every attention being paid to him by Dr Roberts and the other two medical men, but he died yesterday. Tho deceased was 29 years of ago, was a plumber by trade, and resided in Elm row. A fisherman between 60 and 70 years of age named Alexander Moore, who has been a resident in Dunedin for some time, dropped down dead on Sunday in Police street while carrying home a bag of cockles. It is supposed that death resulted from heart disease, but an inquest will be held this morning. Mr T. Fergus and Mr R. Reeves have the honour of being the two first European members elected to the new Parliament. The former was returned unopposed for Wakatipu and the latte for lnangahua. The Jewish new year 5618 commences to-day. Mr James Wyllie, tho champion draughts player, paid a visit to Riverton on Thursday when he played against a number of local players The result of the play (says the local paper) showed that even the best local players were mere novices as compared with the champion Occasionally there was no little amusement at the sudden collapse of Mr Wyllie's opponents when to all appearance they were on the verge, if not of victory, at anyrate of a drawn game. The following are the notices of motion on thu City Comic:! ur.iir paper fur Weilai-sdai evening:—Couiiciilov Dawson—" That a tp-cia committee be appointed for the purpose of tek'm; into consideration the best menus of establishim a free public library and reading rooms for ih city of Duncrfiu, a:ul report to council." Ooun cillor Barron—" That the Baths and Sanitary Legisliiiivu and Market, Fire Brigade, Train ways and Vehicles Committees be amalgamated and named the General Committee, said com mil Up to crani.-t of fmj r/icojbcrs." Tho per miiuent committees for the ensuing mmiicipa year will be appointed. The Taieri Advocate learns that a splendii seam of coal has been opened out at Brighton oi Mr John Graham's property. The coal is sai. to bo equal to that obtained at Walton Park. A dreadful occurrence is reported as havin; occurred at Tinkers on Monday last, resulting ii the death of tho youngest child of Mr Jon: Martin, miner. It appears (says The Dunstan Times) Ihu child, who is tivo years and nin months of age, was left in the house by itself fo about an hour, during which timo, by .'-onie ur known means, its clothes caught firo and it wa burned to death, the body, with life extinci being found in tho garden. Mr Martin is widower, his wife having oniy died recently. Mr A. H. Ross has been making inquiries wit reference to long-service medals for volunteers and has received tho following communicatio: from Major Gudgeon.—" In reply to your lette of the l)lh inst., I beg to inform you that a! claims for long-service medals which have bee: sent into tho Defence ofiice are now iv cours of investigation, and the medals are being issue to those er.tit.led to them. Those who in,claims should forward the same to the Under secretary for Defence with tho least possible <'c lay." A GreymoHth telegram states that a gren many men on thu Midland railway line are stil out of work aud looking anxiously forward ti some new contracts being let. The Antwerp Opinion of July 4 contains ai account of the opening of tho operations for tbi conservation and disposal of frozen meat in tha city, upon which occasion an interesting addresi was delivered by Mr Stephenson, of Nelsot Brothers aud Co., who will bo remembered a: having paid a visit to New Zealand two yean ago. Mr Stephenson seems to have made him' self extremely popular in Antwerp, for in a kinc of Passing Notes in L'Opinion we find him thu.l alluded to—"We had almost forgotten thai good fellow Stephenson, the cold meat man, tit importer. It would bs very ungracious on oui part not to congratulate this honest American who, in French slightly Yankeefied but perfectlj intelligible, sang the epic of tho sheep from the exporter's standpoint." The experiment of planting the Ninety-mile Dcwrt, in tho south-east of South Australia, with cereals, vegetables, fruits, and wattles, has been such a groat success that the Government have changed the name of the territory to Mimosa Land. Mr Pym has received the following letter from Mrs Nevill:—" Mrs Nevill wishes to return her sincere thanks to Mr Pym for the very handsome sum of £80 5s 3.1 received for tho funds of the Orphanage, and she would fee] much obliged to him if he would thank most heartily for her all those who so kindly assisted to make' lolantho' a success. Perhaps Mr Pym may think it advisable to thank those kind friends through the paper. Mrs Nevill leaves that for him as he may think best." We are informed by Captain HoiJge, of tho South Sea Oil Company, that Mr Harris, of Dunedin, has been appointed its business manager, and that active preparations are being :nado to despatch a vessel to the cruising jrounds. The Hugo Minstrels drew another crowded louse at the Princess Theatre on Saturday light, and tho performance, which was very iimilar to that given on the previous evening, passed off very successfully, many items on the irogramme being encored. To-night there will >o a change of programme and a number of lovelties will be given. Judging from the number of tickets already j lisposed of, the complimentary concert tendered o Mr Chas. Normau on Tuesday evening will In; me of the most successful of the season. Mr Gorman will give a farewell organ recital at St. •aui's Church on Thursday eveuiiite.

B ii •c o ;r il n id st za 11----id 'S y x\ y )- >f r r t il fc c 3 7 A mcotiiif ii coiiiK-uL'on with t.lin Pnitfclion Li;:is;ue "'ill he, Ih-M iit G'CSii Islilii'l Iliii evening. A pciil.iim tn be iiiljiidgi'd a 1. tnkrm.L Ji.xs 1.c./n Ii .-.] l>v William Olh-rrnsliaw, nf Oiivirslinm. C!u:iliioi-s muutoiiTJiurstlav. Tlio slmre Hat of tho Warentca Gold Mining Comliiiny will close on the 30th inst. A mcetinß of members of the Protection Logueof Otiigo will he held »v Tuesday evening: in the lower /Uliclin-umlinll. Messrs Wright, Steplienson, and Co. will sell tlio trotting mnre Eileen and the steopleehaser Punic today. Jteesrs James Samson and Co. will sell household furniture, horses, and harness today on premises, Ooffkk I'alack.—Visitors, 4s 6d per day; permanent boarders, from 22a 6d per weak.—[Advt.l

K;i«h and ell of us should rememlicr that to he out i.fileU is I In: Ires!, K uiimiit,ci! lor eoiit.untaiuiit mill Jiappliicss. 1/iilurtuniil.ely, Ijcinff n ;,«>-.-ilirai<l Mhw. Iliis ia mil. in)- lot. To g.'l, II,,; cash 1.0 liccp the pot ImiUng, I ddl Hid primal. lir K s of inuttou at ad per lb for cash, and supply a,)ll, of lmilin X hcef ill as lid, also of 1,1.v very brat quality. Smiaiifjea made hnt.im youruyi'M all iliiv li,ii(<.-A. IJiillNWl'.i.l.. -[Anvr ] Ciontlenu'ii.-'l'r.v ilailnv and Co.'s alo iroii'fnrs. OiitiiK"" (m.'xl, Al,licn:i'iiiii), niim-iliii. Sue suits Iron. i:l Ida ; quality anil lit (.uimiiilw.l.- [Auvr.J The (hand Hotel, IJunniin. 'I'd lamillM and others. Special tariff during the whiter and spring montlia. .uinns aecordini; to roouia, h:ni»th of residence, &!>.—fAUVT.]

Tlin JVinci! iif SiiniiiKir Drlnks.-'lhe While Cross lirauil of (iiiijjiT X'K nmv imi'ld by TlIi..MSi>N ANI>O , lliuKtlhi, (Miruil oil' tlic<;illwrtSl>iilli llitei-ii.-il.iiiiial lUnnpcLiMnn mi'diil n^iinbl, 7ii umnpcl.iLors in l.umlon. Consumers lire r«|iieiiti:cl to compare with other brands mill jml;'ii lor l.hcnuclviii.-Tioi.MsuN and Co., Crawford and JJonil tfrcete, IJiiuuMn. Teleplume No. 187.-[AI,VT ]