THE VICTORIAN ELECTIONS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5437, 29 March 1889, Page 2

THE VICTORIAN ELECTIONS.

It is rarely safe to draw definite conclusions from telegrams. In a previous issue a cable message from Australia announced that the Victorian Ministry proposed to grant bonuses to producing industries to the extent of a quarter of a million. The farmers were clamoring for export bounties on wheat and other agricultural produce, and we inferred that tlvj bounties proposal was a "sop to Cerberus." Later information to hand shows that Mr Gillies docs not propose to doubly tax consumers for the benefit of the farming community. An increase on the import, duty , on wheat junl other agricultural produce and ] a large bounty on the export of the same ar- ' tides is the modest demand of tho farmers. ' t The increase of the obnoxious stock tax was another thing wanted by both thepastoral and agricultural settlers. Mr Gillies has not ' yielded on a single point. The quarter of a. ( million which he purposes as available for ' bounties is to be devoted to the development ' of viniculture aud industries nore or less ' novel to the ordinary run of British set- ' tiers. There is a great future before Austra- ' lia as a wine-making country, that is, if * teetotalism does not obtain sway over the nations of the earth. The other week we ' published an extract from the Melbourne Ar- s gus.in which the writer showed the possibilities of wine production were immense. ALon- i don paper recently stated that it regarded - Australia, when properly irrigated, as the i future frujt producing .region of the earth, c The Chaffy Bros, by their Irrigation works < on the banks of the Murray, have made a 1 start in rearing up the infant industry which i promises to be a giant yet, and it is for the i encouragement of such potentialities for In- 1 creased wealth that Mr Gillies has promul- 'j gated a scheme of bounties, and not for t the purpose of increasing the price of bread i to the Victorian people in order that the > farmers of that colony may carry on thafc o which must really bo an unprofitable business 1 for the community as a whole. The general t election hag developed into a light between £ lown aud country. The Premier, who £ had represented Rodney for over a quar- 1

:er of a century, Ims been forced to ibandon his old electorate and seek the suf"rai'esof a Melbourne suburban constituency. Che reason is given that he has not the timo :o canvass a large country district, and no loubt that has something to do with fors.ikng his old electorate, but he was most proKibly influenced by the idea that Rodicy might forsake him in favor of v supporter of the stock tax and export bounties on wheat and other farm produce, riiere is good reason to hope that the billies Ministry will be retained in power. Melbourne and suburbs contain about half the population of Victoria, and tho constituencies of the capital are opposed to the increase of the stock tax, or of anything else which would materially increase the cost of living. The mining population, which form ii large portion of the Victorian people, are not at all likely to vote for a policy which would increase the price of two principal necessaries of life— bread and wheat. Altogether, tho prospect of the Gillies Government remaining in power is exceedingly good. If the extreme Protectionists had their way a fiscal wall would be built round the colony, and other countries would be forced to retaliate. New South Wales feels particularly sore over the existing stock tav, and the principal reason of the increased return of Protectionists to the Parliament of that colony was in no small measure owing to a feeling that the time had arrived for making reprisals against Victoria. New Zoahnd purchases little of Vi torian production, and consequently is n '•'. in a position to retaliate. In Tuesday's i le a cablegram appeared giving tho view i of the Sydney Telegraph on the Dunedin Exhibition. The writer, in condemning the show, made a glaring mistake when he stated that although New South Wales was the best customer of New Zealand, the latter's treatment of the former by the deliberate exclusion of its only export— coal — showed that in the near future the Newcastle article is pretty certain to be shut out of New Zealand altogether in favor of Westport or Russell coal. There is no special duty on coal imported into New Zealand, nor is there any prospect of such a duty being imposed. A pnmage j duty of one per cent, is now being levied on all imports, but it was put on solely for revenue purposes. It docs not amount to three halfpence per ton, und surely a small revenue tax like that would not seriously interfere with tho coul trade between Newcastle and New Zealand. The primage duty on imports was a temporary expedient to tide over a financial difficulty, and was only to be imposed for two years. In a war of tariffs with New South Wales, New Zealand would have far the most to lose, and it is not likely the insane policy would be adopted of putting a duty on imported coal— a tax which would be aimed at Newcastle solely. If Victoria had anything like tho oal resources of New Zealand, not a ton of the product of Newcastle mines would be allowed to be landed in Melbourne. The duty would

he raised to an extmt to completely abolish importations of the article. Victoria is the colony which has taken the lead in federation, but the protective policy of that colony is the greatest bar to carr y ing out the idea. It is generally thought there aro bad times ahead for Victoria, owing to tho recent overspeculation and losses through drought. The depression would certainly be intensified if the Government of the country got into the hands of the ultra-protectionist party among the fanners.

Messrs Graham, Pitt u,t»4 Bennett hold two land sales to-morrow. An European was lodged in gaol this afternoon charged with robbing a Maori's swag. The City Rink is being gaily decorated for the ball this evening, which is expected to be a great suouc-uq. The schooner (Jisborne (Captain Skinner) sails for Auckland via coas this evening ports with a general cargo and 300 sacks of barley and 50 sacks of wheat. A Napier public meeting pronounced in favor of diverting the Tutaekuri river, so as to bring it round the southern boundary of the town. There will bo no meeting at the Tent tonight. Two important subjects will be advertised for Sund-iy. Theso will cslose the 'font meetings in (jisborne. Three intending settlers arrived by the Australia this morning from Wellington. They came to Now Zealand in the Aorangi, ■uid are tha first immigrants who have been induced to v;qt these shores through Mr Uee3 : present efforts in the wqrL. of colonization. Professor Black, who has returned to Inveroiirgill from Tasmania, s;iy3 that he inspected most of tho tinHelds iliore, and he is of opinion that, with the exception of Mount Hischoff. they have nothing thoro to o<|»al the Pegasus discovery. He has brought with him four experienced minors. Mi- O'Connor, of the Public Work* Department, is ui<der orders to proceed to Westport to enquire into the administration of the works tljere by the Harbor Board. The inspection is simply a departmental one. He will also, if he sees his way without interfering with the contractor, endeavor to settle the Capo Foul wind strike. A gCHHlainan in Sydney writes to a friend hero :— ?'l think [t would be advisable if the Xew Zealand shareholders sent over ;i delegate to the South Pacific meeting, to be held on April lGth — one or certainly not more than two gentlemen — and let us get at the bottom of this unfortunate affair, and force on the Board some policy for future operations." Mr Jopling, Secretary to the South Pacific Petroleum Company, writes to Mr Picsse, local agent, that he has boon in the Herald that at a meeting in Gisborne Captain Clirisp insinuated that the directors were in receipt of a large honorarium. Mr Jopling says ; — " You can tell him they have not received anything at all since the directorate was removed from Gisborne to Sydney." The dinner given last night in the Masonic Hotel to the Napier representative rowing crew was a great success, though the attendance was not as large as might have been desired. Numerous toasts were given, and sotnctinjc aftpr e}even o'clock the merry party broke up, all having thoroughly enjoyed themselves, the visitors' especially. The spread was a capital one, served in the best style. The balance-sheet of the Manawatu Railway Company shows that the gross earnings j during last year were £55,240, an increase of £7702 on the previous year. During the year 7571 acres of land have been sold, realising £14,123 10s, the total since the company was formed being 40,393 acres, realising £79,563. At Wairoa on Wednesday the well-known chief and native assessor Toha Parurahu, was fined £5 for contempt of Court, or a weeks' imprisonment in default, by Mr Wilson, Native Land Court Judge. Toha was dissatisfied with a judgment given in the Whakapau block, and rather too freely gave expression to his feelings. The Western Star is informed that the Government boat on Lake Te Anau was completely smashed a few days ago. A party of excursionists landed on an island and made the boat fast, but nuxt morning found the craft a wreck. The party were kept prisoners on the island some three or four days, and as may be imagined suffered privations. It is stated that an electric boat will be shortly placed on the lake. A heavy sea running in the bay to-day interfered greatly with the tendering of the throe steamers in port. The Maitai and Australia arrived early in tho morning, and with usual good weather would have got away before noon. The Maitai, however, was detained till 4 o'clock, and the Australia will not leave for the Coast and Auckland till this evening. Tho Te Anau's movements will not be interfered with, and the last launch takes the outward passengers from shore at ."> o'clock. At Oamaru Duncan Gilchrist was committed for trial for shooting at John M'Donald with intent. From the evidence it appears that M'Donald went to the house of accused's father and demanded the return Df some photographs which he said accused had taken out of his pocket on the previous night, borne words followed, and M'Donald says Gilchrist, sen., struck him, and in turn lie struck Gilchrist and knocked him down, riic aon (accused) came out of the house and told his mother to bring the gun. The mother brought the gun, and M'Donald walked away, and when about 88 yards from iccused the latter fired at him and missed. He fire again, and one of the shots passed :hrough M' Donald's coat and shirt and grazed his skin. Accused's father said the *un was fired into a hedge just to frighten M' Donald.

A Hokitika paper says: — Mr J. Shriinpton, who has been Chief Postmaster here for the last two or three years, will shortly leave the district. He has obtained three months' leave of absence, and at its expiration will sever his connection with the service, retiring on a pension. He will then have completed a quarter of a century in the service of the Postal Department, during which period he has filled many important positions, having been in charge of the offices at Westport, Greymouth, and Gisborne before he was promoted to the Chief Postmastership of Hokitika. Mr Shrimptou is a most courteous and obliging, iis well as efficient, Postmaster, and has given satisfaction in all tilings except in his determination not to sort on Sunday the East (.'oast and other mails, which are sometimes detained by floods and obstructions on the road until that day, thus causing considerable inconvenience. With this exception, which we understand is based on conscientious reasons, Mr Shriinpton has given every satisfaction to the public. Privately, his departure will be very much felt, especially amongst the Presbyterian body, his labors in that Church having been many and onerous. It is Mr Slirimpton's intention to reside permanently in Nelson. Presbyterian Church services on Sunday — Matawhcro 2.30, St. Andrew's 11 and 7, Rev. J. McAra ; Wuercnga-u-hika 7, Mr Scott.— Advt. Wcsleyan Church services next Sunday — Morning Mr Herbert, evening Rev/R. J. Murray, Waimata 11, Rev. R. J. Murray. — Advt.