Otago Daily Times. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3O, 1897.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10998, 30 December 1897, Page 2

Otago Daily Times. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1897.

Before leaving for England, Captain Eusselt., in. conversation -with our Wellington correspondent (as reported :in our issue ..of Saturday), pithily described the standpoint of the Opposition during the session just ended, -when he spoke of " the cause of righteous government for which we are striving." If this is the cause of Conservatism or Toryism, Messrs Seddon and M'Kehzie are -welcome to the contemptuous use of either word. The principle, not the word, is the important point. The cause of righteous government, as opposed to. its illiberal and unconstitutional travesties; the cause of justice for all as against insolent interference with the national judiciary; the cause of financial stability against a policy of eternal makeshift, —for this the leader of the Opposition and his followers have striven manfully and not altogether in vain. Captain K_ssbt.i. has earned his holiday. The patriotic party throughout the country is indebted to him for sagacious and unselfish service, and we trust that he will come back full of energy and zeal for a renewed struggle. Meanwhile we agree with him that the leadership of ■the good cause will be safe in Mr Kol:I,esto:!.?s hands, though perhaps he need hardly have condescended to refute the Premier's invention respecting Mr Eol-ESton's supposed hankering after the permanent leadership. •Mr Seddon'"has had his own little ex•perience of leadership-clutching, and ;he would persuade himself or others that ;the member for Kiceartoh belongs to the same school. To quote Captain Kusset.l: ;" Anyone who knows Mr Kolleston inrast recognise that two ot hiS most : prominent characteristics are that he ; always displays the strictest loyalty and generosity." The acting-leader of the Opposition will have able lieutenants in counsel and, if necessary, in fight, but Captain R _sse„l will be back, all being well, in time for the opening of the next session.

Captain Russell is confident of eventual and not distant success, and we are inclined to share his sanguine thought. We cannot doubt that many electors hate noted and appreciated the good work done by the Opposition during the last few months, — electors, we mean, who have hitherto clung to the t! Liberal " name, though the thin* which the name denotes was always withheld from them. Of course, there are very many people who never think of perusing a .Bill or sifting an argument or testing the value of a-catchword. They pin their .faith to the name of a proposal or a.policy. They accept the new Liberalism with the fond idea that it is the genuine article: Mr Sed-joi. tells them so, and it i 3 so much easier to take the .word, of a masterful, voluble man like Mr SeddO-" —a man who can speak at the top of his voice for four hours on stretch —than to study the various. Ministerial plane and judge them on their merits, -vo matter how crude or even perilous a Bill may he, only call it an Old Age Pensions' Hill, or an Eight -Hours Bill, or a Master and Apprentice Bill, or a Wages Protection Bill, or only convey a hint of class prejudice, the sentiment of the so-called masses against the so-called classes, — and the- Opposition will be abused if

they expose its fallacies and the Legislative Council menaced if they impede its passage. There are even people —- aye, and members, —who would be ready to support the Horowhenua Bill on no stronger testimony than Mr John-M'Kex-.e's, and if the Premier and his colleague agreed to frame a Bill to transfer Sir .AY-LTEb Buli-ek's bank balance to the State or the Liberal party, plenty of good Liberals would be eager to assent. Still Captain Russell has good ground for thinking that the number of the blind is a diminishing quantity and that the Ministerial exposing proceeds apace. Friends and foes have assured him that justice is being done to the patriotic labours of the Opposition: and what have those labours been? " We have given to the country an opportunity of considering measures that have been prepared apparently by an over-worked law draftsman, apparently not revised by the undersecretaries, and in some eases certainly not even read by Ministers."' The Premier, at his wit's end for an excuse, attributes his dismal failure to the "obstruction" of Captain Russet.,.. and his followers, but the accused plead not guilty, and there is no witness against them. "Of course, the Premier will, no doubt, adopt his usual tactics and blame the Opposition for obstruction. Witli the exception, however, of the determined stand we made in regard to our rights in the matter of the select committees there was no obstruction, but merely a careful consideration and criticism of some very ill-thought-out measures which were for the most part sprung upon tho House in the dying days of the session and were never properly explained to members." The Opposition did their clear duty, and happily they were more successful than Mr

SedDox bargained for

It: may suit the Premier to say, in his jaunty, irresponsible fashion, that ageneral election would bring about the defeat of 50 per cent, of his opponents : the notion pleases him and it cannot hurt the Opposition. If we remember right, the Conservative party, as he calls ifc, was to have been practically wiped out at the election of-last, year.The lesson then bestowed upon the Premier in the marked diminution of his majority has been, lost upon him. He has proceeded on his old evil way, taking the Minister for Lands along with him, and his utter failure as head of the Government and leader of the House during the recent session must hasten the day when the lesson shall be repeated in a far more imperious and conclusive fashion.

The Diily Times will be published as u.ual on Saturday moroiug (New Year's Day), bub there will be no publication on Monday, January 3.

. The Mariposa, with the inward mails, via San Francisco, reached Auckland lasfc evening. The southern portion was sent on by the Mahinapua to New Plymouth, and the mails -are expected to reach Wellington this evening. ThePukaki, leaving ab.ub'midnight, will take on the bags to Lyttelton.

Mr Paulin telephoned at 2.15 this morning:—" Squally to light S.W. to N.W. and N. winds; rain showers Within 16 hours, indications becoming stormy and, electrical after the above lime."

i While Constable Cowan was on duly afc 3 15 a.m. yesterday he saw a light coming from a right-of-way alongside the shop of Hr J. Simpson, fruiterer, Princes stree!-, and on investigation found that a ca.e containing, ashes was on fire, while another case had been burnt. The flames had spread to the bannister* ojthe stairs, anji in a few minutes thie whole shop would have been on ute. The constable extinguished the flames with a few tubsful of water aud then called Mr Simpson, who resides •on tha premises. The fire originated in a wooden keg containing hot ashes wbioh had been left on the stairs'. Mr Simpson's furniture and stock are insured in fche National office for £200.

The Government have decided to is.us free railway passes to volunteers taking part in 'ride matches if the offi.er commanding the district recommends their issue.

"The Sunday Labour in Mines Prevention Act, 1887," whioh comes into force on New Year's Day. has been passed to prevent unnec.ssary labour iv or aboufc mines of all descriptions. Ifc is now unlawful for any persou to work On Sundays for wages at any mine except in c».es of breakage or other special emergency involring danger to lift or damage to property, but an inspector of miues may give written authority for the employment of persons whose services are really necessary on Sundays. Ifc wonld be well for all owners or managers of mines where a certain amount of Sunday "labour cannot be avoided to make their arrangements with fche inspsefcor'afc once.

. Viscount.Hampden (Governor of New South Wales) and party, consisting of the Hon., Dorothy Brand, Miss Darley, andC_ptain Feilden (aide-de-camp), arrived by the north express from Winchester last night, aud took up their quarters at the Gaud . Hoi el. Viscount Hampden has besu touring New Zealand, and expresses hiimeif as being charmed with the country through which he has travelled. Hit Excellency's future movements are nofc absolutely settled, but after, a stay of two or three days in town the party intend proceeding to Queenstown and the lakes. They return to Sydney, via Hobart, on January 11.

Freezing operations have been resumed afc fche New Zealand Rs.rigeTat.ing Company's works at Oamaru, and the Burnside works will b. Open aboufc the middle of January. The rates for freezing, bugs, and odsan freights are as follow :—Summer months (De.ember to May) : Mutton, l-2.d per lb; lamb, l-35d per lb. Winter months (June to November) : Mutton, 0-97J per lb; lamb, 108 d per lb. Should shippers pish ifc the company is also prepared to quote the following eonsolidat.d rates, covering all charges from delivery at the works to receipt of London account sales :—Summer months: Mutton, l-65d per lb; lamb, l-75d per ib. Winter months : Mutton, 1-Wd per lb; lamb, l-50d per lb. .'. ' ;.'"

A special meeting of fche Arthur street School Committee, attended by Messrs Strut-era (ia the chair), Mason, Crawford, Simpson, Burt, M'Gregor, Smith, and Edgar, was held last eveuing to consider the applications for the vacancy on the etaff caused by the resignation of Miss M'Lsod. After lenEtby consideration it was unaniniou-ly resolved fco recommond the Education Board to appoint Mis» M. Thomson, of Oamaru, as secoud fenul. assistant.

■ Barrie Marscbel's new drama of New Zealand life will be positively produced afc the Agricultural Hall ou New Year's Night.

The Al-srt Lucas Company will product. «' The Sixth Commaudmenfc, or a Kivrr Mystery," on New Year's Night.

Strangers visiting Dunedin are often afc a loss to know which i<i the best establishment at which to puvchi.se drapery, door-coven sirs, household linens, clothing, _c. lleuhbrt, Hay.m-.s, and Co. otfer special advantages to the puiMio. that can be met with nowhere else in tbe city. They keep at all times the largest and best assorted stork of every class of goods imported direct from the leading manufacturers of the world, and being bought entirely upon cash terms, they are enabled to givu such sterling value as cannot be equalled by any ether house in the trade. • livery article in stock is marked at a fixed price, from wliir-h no abatement is made, so that the most inexperienced buy their goods at the same price as tlie host judges. A further description of ths stock will be found nn another page of this paper., Messrs Williamson and"M.usgrove announce the removal ot the box offic?. which from this daywilt be at C. U.gg and Co.'s music warehouse, Princes street. -~._- _ - The directors of the Enterprise Com Dredging Company have declared the fifteenth dividend of Is per share. Aitchmson- patent self-raising port-iere-rod will he on view at Messrs Park, lUrynold.., and (~."s rooms 10-day and to-morrow. Thf s.s. Invercargiil will make excursion" tn the Manri Kaik and outside the heads on Isew .'Year _ Day

Messrs Donald Rsid and Co. will hold their next Taieri horse and stock fair on Thursday, January fi.

Messrs James Simson and Cj. will sell household furniture aad effects on Friday.

John Hisi.oe, obtest established Watchmaker and Jeweller, 7-1 Princes street. Good assortment Watches, Clocks, and Jewellery. Spectacles suit all sights.—Advt.

A very pretty lot of tray cloth*, in hemstitch, Mountiiiellick, and R miaii "embroidery. Ac, can be seen at Mollison AND Co.'s, 195, 197 G.orge slreet. Th* most suitable thing for a Christmas lire—nt. —Advt.. Christmas and New Year Presents —G. and T. You.no, Jewellers, SS Princes slreet, bave opened out this month 30 cues of the ne/rest goods obtainable in the Home mnkets. Impaction invited. G. ANO T. Young's' is the place to get choice and value for your money.—Advt. For Punctual Time .'—Peter Dick most reliable Watchwaker and Jeweller, opposite C»n_e Palace, Moray place1, Dunediu, Charges strictly modei ate.—Advt.