THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 1891.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9336, 29 January 1892, Page 2

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 1891.

The common belief is that the Governor will be advised by bis Ministers to nominate a large number of their supporters fo the Legislative Council, Mr Ballance has virtually said so moro than once, and the Minister of Lands declared the other day at Lawrence that it would be the duty of the Government to see that the Upper House cirried his Land Bill. Immediately after the prorogation of Parliament the Premier and his colleagues talked rather confidently about abolishing the Council, not a very proper thing for Ministers to do, especially just after carrying a measure for its reform. They found, however, that their threats raised no echo in the country, their attempt to get up an agitation against the nominated Chamber proving a dismal failure, and they are now credited with the humbler, but not less mischievous, design of rendering it subservient to their will. The Council was created for a particular purpose, which purpose, broadly stated, is the protection of the country from the rash or injurious legislation of a tyrannical majority in the other House. To degrade it then by destroying its independence would be even more objectionable than to abolish it; for the reason of its existence would be gone if it were converted, no matter by what means, into the creature of the Ministry for the time being. Our system of government is based on what is commonly called the British Constitution—not very correctly indeed, as political constitutions proper .belong to a later date. The .New Zealand Constitution is consfquently not a scientific contrivance, accurately and symmetrically constructed, ■ not a scheme fr.»med according to a preconceived theory of human rights, but rather a system of practical expedients, with checks and counterchecks, of which the very essence is compromise. Unless, therefore, it be worked witb care and discretion, it is jn constant danger of being overset, for though it is fairly well balanced, it lias no selfadjusting powers. Without forbearance and compromiso there can in fact be no such thing as popular government properly so called. The moment any party proceeds to carry its measures by mere brute force, in spite of the opposition or reclamation of the rest of the community, it is evident that a tyranny is being setup. Now, this is exactly what the present Government are endeavouring to do, whether consciously or uncon sciously. It is only fair to supposfthat they believe their policy would be beneficial to the country, but; it is none the less true that "they are taking, or threatening to take, unconstitutional means to carry it into effect. The Upper House, in rejecting or altering some of the Govern ment Bills last session, did nothing but what was quite legitimately within its power. It merely exercised the right conferred upou it—and doubtless considered it was performing a duty entrusted to it—by the Constftution. Why, then, should the members of the Government go about the country denouncing it, and declaring that it must be either abolished or degraded ? Why do they not recognise the independence and co-ordinate authority of the Upper Chamber? The answer is 'not far to seek. It is simply because they base their action on the assumption 'that their policy has the approval and support of tht; country at large. There, is nothing to show that this is the case. A'M'inistry may be in a large majority; in the House of .Representatives, and yet glaringly misrepresent the wishes and opinion of the public. This is true as a general proposition, and in the present case there is, to say the least, a strong presumption that the Government represent a class rather than the people, in the proper acceptation of that much abused word. It i? at any rate, a wild assumption that their policy is in all material respects what the country desires. The only part of it upon which a distinct opinion was expressed at the general election was the abolition of the property tax, which was rot disallowed by the Council. The Government have accordingly no ground whatever for demanding the subversion of that Chamber. Their duty, from the constitutional point of view, is most unquestionably to accept the action of the Council, and, if they please, brine forward their measures again. They m*y have the s'rongest possible conviction (hut the rejection of those measures was a blunder, but that is no reason for their vindictive clamour. The Legislative Council had as much right to reject the Bills in question as the Government had to bring them forward, and the difference which has arisen between the two Chambers is not to be settled by invoking the prerogative of (he Crown, but by an appeal to the country. Even although the measures should be rejected again and again, Ministeis would not be warranted in asking the Governor to make a kr<*e number of nominations, so long as the country had not given its ap. proval in a perfectly unequivocal manner. Nothing short of such a pronouncement by the electois at the polling booths would justify the resort to such an extreme measure. The appointment of a sufficient number of Councillors to carry a Government policy is probably in certain circumstances a constitutional right, but only when constitutionally exercised—that is, as a last resource, afler every means of accommodation has failed. Nothing could bo more absurd than the jaunty way j n w!lich talk of snuliing out the Legislative Council, as if it were the duty of that House to make ilself tie humble servant of the Government < f the clay

Should the Governor then be asked to nominate 12 or more supporters of the Ministry to the Upper Chamber he would as a matter of course decline to do anything of the sort. No Governor would dare to abuse (ho preroga tive of the Crown for such a purpose. Tlio proposal is simply-prepos-terous. His Excellency could not possibly nffirm that the Council had resisted tbo will of the country. Indeed, if the press is au index of public opinion, the country as a whole has no great partiality for the policy of the Government. It i s simply impossible to imagine his Excellency acceding to the request which, ib is understood, is about to be made by his advisers, as by doing so he would be taking part with (he Government against the Council, and possibly, nay, probably, also against the public. The independence of the Upper House must be maintained—so long at least as it cannot be charged with a course of factious obstruction— or the spirit of the Constitution is violated. Had the Ministry proposed to ask his Excellency to appoint six or seven Councillors to fill up the gaps made by death and resignation since the last nominations, he could scarcely have refused. We would go the length of saying that they are in a manner entitled to make such a moderate addition to the Council, although we opposed the Atkinson appointments as being both unnecessary and inadvisable, and still think the Upper Chamber out of proportion to the reduced House of Kepresentatives.

We are informed that the city corporation have found temporary employment for a few of the men seeking engagement through the Government Labour Bureau. Mr Farnie recently visited Balclutha to see if work' could be obtained there for any of the unemployed, but returned disappointed. He found that for the contracts a 10 per cent, deposit was required, which, of course, the men for whom he wished to secure employment could not furnish. On further inquiry he also found that there were labourers in the district seeking work, and was informed that the work which, had not been tendered for was similar to some that had previously been taken at rates that would involve actual loss; hence it was deemed useless to tender. At the present time the bureau could supply a number of men who are anxious and able to undertake labourers' work in any part of Otago.

At the meeting of the Harbour Board yesterday, Mr Allen mooted the desirability of providing a cool chamber for dairy produce. He stated that he was' informed that such a chamber was very much wanted, and that it was being provided in other places. The dairy produce trade was increasing, and there was no doubt it would continue to increase. No action was taken by the board, as it had been decided to adjourn till this afternoon, but the matter will be again brought up. t »

The following tenders have been accepted in connection with the building of No. 1 pavilion at the north end of the hospital :—For erecting the building, with the exception of the verandah—Robert Meikle, L 6463 ; for heating apparatus, hydraulic lift, gasfitting, and plumbing work—Anderson and Morrison, LH62. The time allowed the builders is 12 months. The inmates of the Benevolent Institution, to the number of about 100, were conveyed to the Maori Kaik in the steamer Brunner yesterday morning for their annual outing. Several of the trustees accompanied them, and the outing proved an enjoyable one. Mr Garstiii, traffic manager at luvercargill, has been transferred to Napier. The committee of the Dunedin Jockey Club had under consideration last evening the subject of the appointment of office-bearers for the ensuing 12 months. With two exceptions the various offices were filled by the reappointmeut of the gentlemen who have been associated with them foi-the-year that has just closed. The position of starter was again offered to MrDriver, but was not accepted by that gentleman, and it was decided to advertise for applications from persons willing to fill the office at a remuneration which was fixed at L 7 7s for each day of a race meeting!' Mr A. W. Bremner was appointed to the office of clerk of the scales, which has bden held for some years by Mr S G. Smith. '"■ It is doubtful whether or not the Christ church election petition will be heard next week. His Honor Mr Justice Denniston not having yeb returned to the colony, the hearing of that case may be postponed, in which event there will probably be several sittings during the week of tiie Supreme Court at Dunedin. Two old and well-known Rangitikei settlers died on Wednesday, in the persons of Mr John Bryce, of Fern Flat (father of the Hon. John Bryce), and Mr Alexander Cockburn, of Porewa. Mr Tregear, inspector of factories, is to visit Auckland shortly to open a labour bureau there. Our Auckland correspondent telegraphs that T. Sullivan, the well-known sculler, has gone to Sydney, where he will claim the title of champion sculler of the world unless Stansbury accepts his challenge. According to one of the rules under which the title is held the holder must accept any challenge within six months of its issue, failing which he forfeits the championship. Sullivan's challenge was issued on the 29th July last, and as the six months expire to-day without eliciting a reply Sullivan is fully entitled to claim the proud title of champion.

Mr Lublow, a flaxmiller, was fined LlO at

Ashburton for a breach of " The Inspection of Machinery Act 1882," section 50, in not giving notice to the inspector of an accident. Defendant's solicitor notified that the Governor would be petitioned to mitigate the penalty. The Victorian Government statist, in his report on friendly societies, remarks that many corrections and alterations have to be made in numerical and financial returns sent in to render thorn suitable for publication. The inference to be deduced from this is that the system barely holds its own, and that were it not for constant and skilled official supervision enforced by law, chaos would soon reign supreme. Appended to tho report is a statement of the numerical and financial strength of friendly societies in the Australasian colonies, the figures running thus:—Victoria, 88,13* members, funds L 909,504; New South

Wales, 53,795 — L 394.620; Queensland, 15,165 — L 102,194 ; South -Australia, 30,289 —L 24-9.832 ; West Australia, 771 — L 9301 ■ Tasmania, 8692 — L 59.523; New Zealand,' 26,013—L4-30,54<k The capital per member thus ranges from L 6 15s 9d in Queensland to Ll6 11s in New Zealand.

A truly wonderful case has just been placed on record by a surgeon (says the London, correspondent of the Manchester Guardian). A boy was shot with a revolver, the bullet entering the forehead just above the left eye, and he was believed to have been killed. However, the surgeon on being summoned probed the wound, and detected plainly the presence of the bullet. As soon as the latter was touched it could be felt to move backwards. This was followed by a twitching of the limbs, respiration, and sigus generally of returning life. The third day afterwards the boy became conscious, but he had no recollection of what had happened. Within throe months he was able to be up, and some paralytic symptoms which had resulted from the accident had to a large extent disappeared. Before the injury he had been able to read, write, and do ordinary sums in arithmetic, but on recovery he had lost all recollection of the alphabet, and had to learn it over "gain. Remarkable, however, as it may seem, his capacity for calculation had increased tenfold. Ultimately he made a perfect recovery, his health being completely restored. Ho lived for nine years and a half with the bullet thus lodged in his brain, and then died in consequence of a blow received on tho opposite side of tho head to that of the original accident. On examination after death the bullet was found embedded in his brain.

Mr E. K. Smith informs us that the Palmerston North <j;is Company has been successfully floated

The Rev. Dr Vauglmn, Superior of thy KedL-inptorisl, Fathers in Australasia, is at pn> snub in Wellington on his way to Dnuedin,

The Oaniaru Mail learns that as far as the eventuality of wind is concerned, the crops on the Papakaio plain, Duntroon, Otiake, Kurow, and Hakateramea aro safe, and that, in all probability, within a fortnight or threo weeks ; nearly tlio whole of the crops will be in stack. The yields, in many instances, promise to be beyond anticipations. In one case it is believed , that upwards of 50 bushels to the acre will be the result, in another between 30 and 40, and (So on. An Ashburton telegram of yesterday states that a nor'-wester had sot in, which it is feared may damage the ripe grain. ' :

There was a capital downstairs attendance at the Princess Theatre last evening, when Miss Amy Vaughan's Burlesque Pantomime Company gave another performance of the'pantomime "Little Bill and His Ship Amazon" The efforts of the different members of the company met with the same success that characterised their acting on the previous nights of their stay here, and the audience was kept in a perpetual state of merriment throughout the whole of the evening. Several new songs and dances were introduced, and the singing of '< Killarncy " by Miss Amy Vaughan was especially well received. The same programme will be presented this evening On : Saturday night the burlesque "Little Monte Christo " will be produced for the first time in Dunedin. The music is composed by Mr E J Burke, the company's pianist, and the words are by Mr Travers Vale.

A Chnstchurch telegram states that the sale of tickets for Stanley's last lecture had to be stopped half an hour before the lecture commenced. The Earl and Countess of Heath were present in the stage box with Mrs Stanley When Mr Stanley came on the stage a little boy presented him with a gold watch charm with a Welsh inscription, from Mr Richard fcvans, of Kaiapoi, as it was his birthday He was greeted with continuous cheers, and the audience sang "For he's a jolly good

M. Leon Driver, a pupil of Liszt, who has met-with much success as a solo pianist, will make his appearance in Dunedin shortly for a season of three nights. Judged by the Australian press criticism, a musical treat is m store for the Dunedin public.

day J°hllS WiU Sdl hollseh' oW furniture to-

We have received a specimen copy of the Youne colony, then-goods the best, and theif prieS the lowest. Inspection mvited.-[ADVT 1 Important to Tourists.-Brown,Ewing and tion, c a Madln- g,feature of coio°«l producfSy e h9nii <cd nn t [Advt ] inspection invited.John Hislop,. Watchmaker and Jeweller 74 Prmces street. The oldest established house in wltches^FCt °f £ ind?i Good assortment Established over a quarter of a century Of h^rr UT nrt and t ha* Prank A- Coxhead, assisted by Mr John Beauchamp, is now taking enamelled Eden George and Co. (Limited), the leadinc photographers of Dunedin, who produce by So best work in New Zealand, take one dozen biS fully enaanelledcabmeta in any position or style for 15s. One price list adopted, and no extra [Am?] arU W t0 visitor* from the count**.-