THE OTOGO DAILY TIMES TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1899,

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11598, 5 December 1899, Page 4

THE OTOGO DAILY TIMES TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1899,

To-morrow the electors of the colony will be called upon to fulfil the duty of choosing their representatives in. Parliament for the ensuing term. Upon the manner in which they will discharge that duty . moincntojis consequences depend. The plain question to be decided at the ballot box is whether the administration of the, Seddon Ministry has been such as to entitle it .to the confidence of the electors for another period of three years. •Mr Seddon himself and his followers have been employing their utmost endeavours during the past few weeks to obscure the isfsue. They have been pleading with' the electors to support them because .the colony is prosperous, and they have been pleading with the electors to support them because the Seddon Ministry has carried progressive legislation. Each of these pleas is utterly specious, and will not bear investigation. The colony is progressing because Nature has been bountiful, and because the markets of the world—not merely that of New Zealand—have been1

flooded with cheap money. The agricultural and pastoral industries, which form the backbone of the colony, have benefited from the former of these causes, and the manufacturing and mining industries have benefited by the latter. Thus is the prosperity of the colony explained. The claim of the Government for. support on the ground of its legislation is equdly ridiculous. The candidates who advance this claim place- a singularly low appraisement on the intelligence of the constituencies to which they offer their services. The electors are not so ignorant as not to know that the colony had liberal factory laws, legislation to secure workmen's wages, laws denning the liability of employers in event of accident to their workmen, and laws for the protection of children long before Mr Seddon was heard of, and they kuow also that when the last Atkinson Government was defeated there were before the House a Truck Bill, a Building Lien Bill, and a Conciliation and Arbitration Bill emanating from that party which is now designated by Ministerial candidates as "Tory." All that the Seddon Government has done has been to continue legislation on the lines laid down by its predecessors. The opportunities were favourable to its securing the enactment of much of this legislation— not a little of it to the secret disappointment of Mr Seddon himself. The fact is that it is impossible to legislate in advance of public opinion.' The principle of all legislation, as Mr Scobie Mackenzie truly observed on one occasion, is that it should enact what is demanded by the sober public opinion of the hour. And it will not repeals any enactment which public opinion wishes to preserve. In the knowledge of this is revealed the hollowncss of the feverish cry of the Seddonites that if the Opposition is returned to power itwill repeal some of the legislation of the past few years. The electors are constantly the masters oft the political situation. The real questiou, therefore, to be decided at the ballot bos to-morrow is, not what the legislative policy of the future is to be, but what the administration of the future is to be! Is an administration of extravagance and corruption to be • continued ? Is an administration of deception and mystery to be continued? Some Seddonite supporters have, with an imperfect conception of the weight of the indictment they have framed against their political master, been - complaining that we have lately had, on an average, one scandal produced per session. Is an administration that is. so prolific of scandals to be continued? Is an administration that overrides the liberties of the peor>le by refusing to their parliamentary representatives full information respecting the expenditure of the public funds to be continued ? These are plain questions which the electors will have to answer to-morrow. ,

In the City of Diineclin the electors aye fortunate in that there are only two sets of candidates before them. " Mr Chapman's candidature may fairly he treated as, outside of the probability of success. When he is discarded there remain only the three Seddonite candidates and the .three who stand in avowed opposition, to the presents Administration. The electors can' make no mistake in deciding between the two sets of candidates. Those who desire to see the reign of misrule protracted over another three.years, those, who .desire to see the civil. seryice;,treated as a dumping ground for persons of the right colour irrespective of fitness,, and to "see the Legislative Council become more and more a refuge for the rejects of the constituencies, those who desire to see a system of political bribery and corruption extended, those who desire to see the political control of the colony's affairs centred in the hands of one individual, and those who desire to see the education system imperilled by the bolstering up of denominational schools with improperly-distributed public funds —electors who desire these things-will have no difficulty in deciding that it is their .duty to support Mr Arnold, Mr' Barclay, and. Mr Millar, each of whom has the imprimatur of Mr Seddon ;'nhis candidature. Those electors who desire a change of administration will have equally little difficulty in making up their minds to support Mr Scobie "Mackenzie, Mr Sligo, and Mr Hayne.s. By their voice and vote in Parliament Mr' Mackenzie and Mr Sligo have- already protested vigorously against the degradation which, in the name of Liberal-ism,'has-been heaped upon Parliament by the Seddon Ministry. Both are gentlemen who have done credit to his constituency. Mr Mackenzie is a statesman as distinguished from the mere politician, and the electorate does itself ■honour which secures him as 'its representative. It is unfortunate that illness has chained him to the house during portion of the campaign; but his oratorical gifts and his contempt for claptrap are, so highly esteemed that even the Sed-donit-es recognise that his seat is safe. Mr Sligo has been such a painstaking and altogether admirable representativein Parliament that it-would be an act -f the basest ingratitude on the part of the electors were they to reject him. on his seeking re-election. We should be doing tli em an injustice if we should believe them capable: of rewarding his service so ill. With Mr Mackenzie and Mr Sligo is associated Mr Haynes, who has a long record of useful work in municipal politics to recommend him to the notice of the electors. He has been prominently before the public for a great many years, and the ninny and important services which he has rendered ft certainly entitles him to look forward confidently to the result of to-morrow's polling. It lias been asserted that the City will return two Opposition candidates and one Seddonite. If, however, the Opposition can secure the election of two candidates it should be able to win the third seat as well. To accomplish that it is necessary that no one who wishes to see the present Government replaced by a pure Administration should split his votes. He should vote for the whole Opposition ticket. It is by splitting hh ro tes that he renders the complete success of the Opposition candidate* doubtful. His duty is manifestly to vote, not for two Opposition candidates only, but f or t j le three. This will be the more- apparent to him when *hu reflects that if Mr Seddon should not succeed m. getting n follower elected for Dunedin, that represents a gain, not r.iorcly of one vote, but of two votes for the Opposition on a division.

The margin between the strennth of the Government and that of the Opposition at the dose of last session was very slender. On the last tost division the .Ministry had a majority 'of sis votes only. It will b e seeD; therefore, that if a net mm of four seats is mndn lw the

Opposition to-morrow the Ministry will b3 in a minority. It rests with the Opposition electors to say whether those seats are to be wrested from the Ministry. In Otago alone, if the electors who desire a change of Administration vote unitedly against tkq Seddonite candidates, it is possible that those seats may be won for the Opposition. A number of the constituencies in Otago and Southland are represented by typical examples of thick-and-thin followers of Mr Seddon. • A Prime Minister of Great Britain once declared'that he did not care for the support of members who only went into the lobby with him when they knew he was' right: what he wanted was members who would support him when they knew he was wrong. That i-; the sort of support—blind, unreasoning support—that many members have given to Mr Seddon.' The electors have the remedy in their own hands. The strength of the .electors, who are favourable to the Opposition in each district is sufficient, if "fully exercised, to effect the return of the candidate who is opposed to Sedclonism.. Let no elector suppose that ib is hopeless to look for the, emancipation of his constituency from the fetters which Seddonism has placed upon it. Let each elector make conscience of voting, and there is every ground for the belief that Seddonism will receive its death-blow. It is the simple duty of every elector to exercise the franchise— a duty "to be solved,, not by the mere preferences.of party or personal feeling, but on the highest principle of regard for the general good." If .that duty he observed by every elector ; who thinks that' a change of administration would be beneficial, then some of Mr Seddon's slavish followers will, by to-morrow niVht, have quplifiecV/for appointment' to tire "Upper House. Mr Carneross, who seeks re-election for the Taieri, is a "Liberal"' of a different stamp, for he has on occasion risked Mr Seddon's displeasure by voting against the Government. It is not open to him, for instance, to beg for support on the absurd plea that the Opposition would repeal the . Old-age I Pensions Act, for did he not himself oppose that Act ? Does anyone suggest, however, that because he disapproves of the lines on which .- that ■ measure is framed ho ; is. wanting in charity and in the finer feelings ? No one would do liim such an injustice. It is left for his party colleagues to indulge in cheap insinuations of that sort against those inwhose company he voted on the third reading of that Bill. In some respects Mr Carneross has proved a good member. He has, however, never failed!to: support the Ministry on test divisions, although on., some occasions his Vote must have been given against his better judgment. On the present occasion, he "is hard beset in his candidature ;:by; the Opposition; "of Mr A. C. :33egg.. How sorely pressed he is can be judged from, "his attempt to make capital out} of the presence of extra policemen at Mr Begg's meeting at Mosgiel on Saturday night last. It had been rumoured during the week that the meeting, would be a, disorderly one, and there were > present, at the meeting all the elements of. disorder. It is hardly fair to blame' Mr Begg for the steps which had been taken by the authorities to preserve order. Mr Begg himself states .that he did ;not secure the attendance of the policemen, and, notwithstanding, assertions to the contrary, we have no hesitation in accepting his statement. In the Bruce and Wakatipu districts strenuous ■• efforts are being made to,defeat the,tried representatives of those , districts. It is impossible to credit,.. however, that, the electors of Bruce.'will' prefer Mr Crawford Anderson, who has already been, found grievously wanting as their representative, to an able and experienced politician like Mr James Allen, or that the electors of Wakatipu will reject such a solid and capable representative as Mr Wf Fraser has proved •in favour of a political neophyte like Mr Jam^s Kelly. In the Clutha the; contest is complicated by the appearance in the field of Mr Malcolm, just as that in Tuapeka is by the candidature of a second "liberal" candidate, but the good sense.of the majority of the electors in both cases should be proof against the inducements which the Premier has held out to them to reject their present representatives. On the whole, it will be surprising if Otago does not make its contribution to the scale which will turn the balance of power aga.nst- the Ministry.'

Owing to heavy floods in the Waikaka the south express did not arrive last night. Between Wairuna and Waipahi a portion of tho line was washed a-,vay, and a further difficult jr. was caused by a, heavy slip. At two places it was necessary to trolly the passengers over the line, and eventually the up train left Clinton at 11.30 p.m., arriving in Dunedin about 2 o'clock this morning.

Correspondents should note that letters referring to the s general election or the local option poll will not be published in to-mor-row's issue. This rule will be strictly adhered to, and the only exception made will bo to allow of a- correction of any material misstatement in any of the numerous letters which appear this morning.

The Hon. J. M'Kenzie, the Minister for .Lands, arrived-in town last evening from his residence, Heathfield, and will remain at the Grand Hotel for several days- His present visit is mainly in connection with matters affecting the Lands department here.

A sitting of the Supreme Court was held yesterday, at which two cases were mentioned that had been settled between the parties, and in each case judgment was recorded upon the terms mentioned to the court. A special jury case, Scott (of Dunedin) v. Stout (of Birmingham), an action for damages arising out of the sale and purchase of bicycles, was taken, and was not concluded when the court adjourned.

During the hearing of a case at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, the plaintiff in which sought to recover a sum on a judgment summons, a point was raised on defendant's part of. a somewhat unusual character. Defendant admitted that he received 35s a week, but his work.was not always constant, and that he had liquidated some of his debts by the payment of small sums weekly. Mr Solomon, on. behalf of plaintiff, argued that this was evidence of ability to pay, and asked for an order of, say, 5s a week. His Worship appeared to be in favour of this course, when Mr J. MacGregor, as an amicus curia;, pointed out that to make an order under the circumstances would be in contravention of an act passed in 1695 forbidding the attachment of workmen's wages which do not exceed £2 per week. Mr Solomon observed that lie was very thankful to his learned friend, but the court did not want to discuss this matter from a political standpoint. The bearing of polities on the matter did not seem (o be quite clear to those in court, but Mr MacGregor contented himself by merely replying that ho was quite within his rights. After some little further argument, his-Wor-ship, .who .did not think the point applied, adjourned the case till January 7, with a view, it was understood, of enabling the defendant to do something towards liquidating his debt. In reply to a question subsequently, Mr MacGregor observed that the spirit of the act was to protect workmen's wages ud to £2.

The quarterly sitting of the Dunedin Licensing Committee was held yesterday, and attended by Messrs C. C. Graham, S.M. (chairman), C. R. Chapman, W., Dickson, and the Hons. D. Pinkerton and H. Gourley. The following applications for transfers (in support "of. which Mr James appeared) were granted:—John Barlow to Alexander Owen, Club Hotel,' Maclaggan street; John Outred to William Reuben Cooksley, Scotia Hotel. A temporary transfer of the license of the Southern Hotel from Thos. Murray to William Collie was also granted.

The bankruptcy business which was set down to come before the Supreme Court yesterday was adjourned until this (Tuesday) morning, when it, will be taken at half-past 10, the civil sitting being resumed at 11 o'clock. In the Otago District Synod of the Wes-< leyan Church, held last week in Invercargill, tlie following resolution was moved by Rev. J. J. Lewis, seconded by Mr E. Rossvear, and carried unanimously:—" In order to give the Word of God its due place in the public day schools of the colony, the conference is recommended to do what it can to secure such an amendment of the Education Act as shall provide for the daily opening of, the schools with Bible-reading under the supervision of the teachers, and .with the Lord's Prayer, along with a conscience clause."

At the committee meeting of the Liberal? Labour candidates last evening feeling re r ference was made to the! death .'of "Mr Joyce, late member for Lyttelton, by Mr Millar. 4. motion was carried, instructing the secretary to write to the relations of the late Mr Joyce, conveying the sorrow of the people of Dunedin on account of the death of that gentleman. The motion was carried in silence, those present standing while the chairman put the motion. Later on in the evening feeling reference was also made to the untimely death of Mr Taylor, the Government candidate for Rangitikei. ■ ;

The Portobello Road Board, at their meeting on Saturday, approved of plans for .widening the Beach rdad^ from near its junction at Anderson's Bay and fronting the properties of Judge Williams and Messrs Cutten and Eaggitt. The work is to be put in hand almost at once: The road is verynarrow at the pbee indicated, and urgently needs widening. ' ;

Although the war expenditure in South Africa will inevitably mean a heavy charge upon the Imperial Exchequer, the revenue returns give proof of such an elasticity that the Chancellor may- be excused for looking out on the immediate future with confidence. For the whole of the current financial year 'Sir! Michael Hicks-Beach estimated that he would receive £2,321,000 more than in the previous 12 months. But up to the end of September, the close of the first half of the fiscal year, the receipts had already amounted' to £3,495,303 more than in the corresponding period last year.

A no-license meeting was held last evening in the Kaikorai Presbyterian Church, under the auspices of the Council of Christian Churches, the Rev. R. R..M. Sutherland presiding. The speakers were Messrs P. Graham and J. Butler, whose addresses were well received. A set of 36 temperance slides was shown on the screen, descriptive of the evils of the liquor traffic. The church choir, led by MrT. C. Strachan, conducted the musical pat-t of the meeting. Instructions how to vote no license were illustrated by means of the lantern, and " Strike out the top line" was sung as a solo by Mr T. C. Strachan.

The.usual monthly meeting of the Dunedin and District Christian Endeavour Union was held lest night, Mr M'Leod (vice-presi- ' : dent) in the chair. Several'reports of Visits to different societies were received, and nominations of officers for the ensuing year were1' made. The offer pFsipace in. the Outlook was gratefully accepted, and secretaries of societies are requested to forward reports," etc., to the secretary of the union.' Votes of thanks were accorded to the various churches, and peisons who assisted at the late convention, - and the next meeting was agreed, to be held .-.' on Januarys, 1800..' " ".

Japan files 'by tte Eastern contain par'ticu- : lars of a disastrous typhoon, followed by'a i tidal wave, in Shizuoka Prefecture. One f account says:—"Heavy rain, accompanied by a strong wind, was experienced from about 11 a.m. on the 7th ult., gradually increasing in fury till about 2 p.m. The waves seemed .■ mountains high, appearing to rise Bft or 9ft above the tops of the matsu trees planted along the road by the sea- coast; themselves over 80ft above sea-level. The water rushed into the fields, and made a vast lake, engulfing crops and houses. At Shinhamamaru 28 people were • drowned, 16 are missing, and over 50 were injured more or less. Nonertjf the people of the 90 houses in the .village escaped unhurt', and all their houses and furniture suffered destruction. At Mayeda Shinden 23 persons \vere killed, 11 are missing, 18 are severely injured, and some 10 slightly injured. The saddest case was at Shihhama, where the family of a man named Tokita, Heiyemon, six in all, were, with the exception of a girl 12 years of age, carried away : by the water and drowned. The surviving - child is very severely injured, and her re- ' covery is said to be doubtful." The typhoon swept over Yokohama Harbour, and.played great havoc among'the shipping.

Mr H. W. Lucy recently wrote to the.Sydney Morning Herald with respect to Mr Ismay, whose death was announced a few days ago:—With characteristic modesty, Mr Ismay shrinks from what he calls fuss being made in the papers about his illness. I have there-, fore refrained from alluding to a subject which created profund concern over ati unusually., wide circle. The telegram of.the German. Emperor to Mrs Ismay making friendly in: quiry as to the condition of the patient has inevitably brought the subject into the line of the newspapers. The personal acquaintance'between the Emperor William and the founder of the White Star line date's backsome years. During the Jubilee of 1887 the Teutonic, then recently added to the White Star float, was anchored off Spitheaii when the Queen reviewed the fleet. The EmperoP expressed a desire to see the ship, and, accompanied by the Prince of Wales, came on board and made minute inspection. I chanced to be standing near one of the quick-firing guns with which the Teutonic was furnished in her capacity as an armed cruiser. The Emperc-;1 was instantly struck with what at the date was still a, novelty. Turning to the aide-de-camp, who stood at his right elbow, he said in sharp, peremptory tones, "We must have some like that, and quick, too." Like everyone who came in contact, with him, the Emperor was struck by the manly, honest bearing of Mr Ismay. The two have, I believe, not since met. A dozen years later his host and guide on the Teutonic being stricken down with grievous illness, the Emperor sends a kindly message to Mrs Ismay. This shows that with all his wayward manndr he has. a good heart.

The annual break-up of the sewing class held by Miss H. Brown anoc lie- many willing assistants at the Young Women's Christian. Association was helu in the rooms last week, when between 60 and 70 girls were present. Mrs H. Wilson took the chair, in the absence of Mrs North (president), who, together with several of the committee, was suffering from the prevailing epidemic, and in a few appropriate remarks introduced Sister Ruth, who gave a most helpful address, which was listened to with great interest. After refreshments, prizes were given to the exhibitors of best work of different kinds, some of which was so excellently executed that the judges had a very difficult task in awarding the prizes. .All the work was much admired by the visitors present, and, if possible, was even better than that exhibited last year. Mesdames Duke, Wheeler, Eunson, Wilson, and Hercus kindly provided handsome prizes of different kinds. The teachers are to be again congratulated on the results of their selfdenying labours. The class will reopen (d.V$ on the first Monday in March, 1900.

Another very large house assembled at the Aliiambra Theatre last night to view Fuller's Waxworks and witness the performance of the Vaudeville Company. Mr John Fuller got a great reception for his rendering of the song " Doreen."

Mr D. M-. Spedding wilt hold a sale of bedsteads and overmantels oil Thursday nest at 2.30 p.^ --

Messrs Park, Reynolds, and Co. will hold a Bale.of Maori relics, rare curios, objects of art, etc., at their rooms, on Tuesday and "Wednesday, 12tk and 13th inai. On Thursday, 14th inst., they Will sell paintings, etchings, engravings, and rare pictures, also at their rooms.

A notice to consignees of goods by the ship Akaroa, from Liverpool, is published in another column.

Tho District Land Registrar notifies that, ho will issue a. certificate oi title for section 31, block I, town of Opoho, in lieu of a lost certificate, at the expiration of 11 days from the date of publication.

Consignees of goods by the Matatua are requested to pass entries and present bills of lading to Messrs Dalgety and Co. without delay.

" All persons having claims against the Craig Flat Dredging Company are requested to send in particulars on or before Saturday, 9th inst.; and. those indebted to the company are requested to pay the amount due by the same date.

In our advertising columns will be found a "denial, signed by four hotelkeepers in Milton, to a report circulated that.they have coin-lMned-to further the interests of one of the candidates for the Bruce seat.

- The publishers of Stones' Otago and Southland Directory invite, particulars of new businesses forming and changes in addresses decided upon and to take effect shortly, for free insertion in the directory for 1!X)O, to be published tins month.

. The attention of executors, administrators, and others.w.ho have trust moneys to invest, or those who wish to invest their savings, is directed to the Ashburton Borough Council's debentures. Tenders close on the 11th inst., and particulars of security, with forms of application, can be had at the office of the Ota^o Daily Times.

The nomination-of Alexander Gilmour, jun., for the Waihemo seat, rejected as being too late, by the returning officer, was made .by D. Rankin and Francis King Caverhill (not Churchill, as previously published). We have received from Messrs Whi tcombe and Tombs two of Bacon's large-print, up-to-date maps of the seat.of war, which are the best yet. offered to the public. The one shows the ■Transy.aal,. Cape Colony, etc.,'and the other the Transvaal, Orange Free Gtate, and frontiers of British territories. • They are in • paper covers, in book form, but can be obtained on cloth and in cloth cases.

John Hislop, oldest established Watchmaker and Jeweller, 74 Princes street. Good assortment Watckes, Clocks, and Jewellery. Spectacles suit all sights.—Advi. ' Bowling Green Bowls.—G. and T. Young have just received their stock for the season. A full selection of Taylor's prize and ordinary bowls .at lowest'prices.—Advt. Who. is Peter Dick?— The most reliable "Watchmaker and Jeweller, opposite Coffee Palace, Moray place, Dunedin. Charges strictly moderate.—Advt. 1 Carteb and Co. have now landed the (bulk of their season's shipments, and have full stocks in all departments. Reliable goods at lowest cash prices. Try Carter and Co. Treatment by: massage and electricity for, rheumatism, paralysis,; nervous, and joint troubles. Mr and Mrs Edwin Booth, Stuart atr'eet. Under medical patronage.—Adyt ST. GEORGE- JAM.—Best in the market.— All Grocers.