The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, JULY 9, 1880.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3477, 9 July 1880, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, JULY 9, 1880.

The world is growing sick of Parliamentary Government, but as yet it hardly knows why. Only half a century ago to have breathed a word of disparagement of the famous British Constitution would have been accounted rank treason, and if any distinguished foreigner happened to say or write anything complimentary about it, the -iwspapers of the period were never ry of repeating them, and of gra]y admitting that next to the Press "'c British Constitution was the ■Jh i and the bulwark of British

freedom. The British Constitution grew out of the necessities of the times, and it has served its purpose admirably. Under the ever-growing influence of Parliamentary Government kings went down and commons came up, and the result is that to day we are free men, and can boast of belonging to the freest nation upon earth. Why then should we sneeringly point out that little more than a century ago Parliamentary Government in England was as corrupt on a grand scale as it is today in New Zealand in yetto ? Let us rather point to its latest development in which Members of Parliament are really representatives of the people, and not mere paid delegates ready to sacrifice friendship and principles in a ! general scramble for " place and pay j and plunder," and utterly regardless of those moral laws which men of principle are silly enough to think should accompany statesmanship. Then, too, Ministers of the Crown arc truly responsible, for in losing office which they have not sought for, and its paltry emoluments, they lose selfrespect, and sacrifice the confidence of the people in the principles of the great party whom they represent, by casting discredit upon them by their misconduct or mismanagement. Few, indeed, nowadays would miss the House of Lords if eliminated from the trinity of Kings, Lords, and Commons, but at any rate it is respectable, ornamental, and of some constitutional service, and contingencies might still arise to wake it up into a power for good in mediating between the sovereign and the people. Kings and princes everywhere are still possessed with a hankering after absolutism — sometimes expressed and always understood — but the House of Peers as now constituted is no more wedded to the sovereign than were the barons in the days of King John and of the Magna Charta, which was the foundation of our liberties. The worst that can be said against the British Constitution is that in these days of steam and electricity, and general culture — when the will of the sovereign people is to be found expressed in newspapers, with no uncertain sound, on every breakfast-table in the United Kingdom — its machinery is far too vast and cumbrous, and complicated and costly, both in time and money, for the work of legislation. The Privy Council, if elected by the people, could do it all and much more effectually, in a tenth part of the time. The very name of Parliament implies a convention of persons meeting together to talk over the grievances of the people, because they could neither read nor write, or do more than one or both of them imperfectly, and at a time, too, when communication between the capital and the provinces was of so impracticable a nature that it behoved them to make their wills before they set out. Times are changed, and it behoves us in the Colonies to change our form of government into something more consonant with their spirit than a tawdry, and emascutated imitation of the once famous British Constitution. It was the misfortune, not the fault, of the British Colonies that the gracious boon of responsible government was bestowed upon them in the form of a skeleton of the British • Constitution, which they were to fill up at their leisure, at a time when everybody was infatuated with the latter, and still believed that it was as nearly perfect as any human institution could possibly be. But there are now many thoughtful people at home who, beginning to perceive that the British Constitution is far from being so perfect as they thought, arc distracted between the " gunpowder and glory '.' Imperialism of Lord Beaconsfield, and the fussy, interfering, and revolutionary Liberalism of the *' people's William," and sigh to be at rest. And many of the leading organs of public opinion have lately confessed, mainly with reference to Australian experience of it, that Parliamentary government in the Colonies, has resulted in utter failure Colonies,' like individuals, have skeletons in their cupboards, and our skeleton in the cupboard is responsible Government by means of two Chambers. Need we ask where, in colonial experience, the existence of an Upper House — nominative or elective, paid or unpaid — has been of any use except to produce dead-locks and strife and needless expense. Is there any instance but one on record where an Upper House has pretended to make a Constitutional stand against the Lower, and not given way at the last moment ? Look at Victoria. Payment of members was forced upon the Council in the hope of making it subservient to the will of Graham Berry, and when he could not gain his point he threatened it with extinction ; and what does reform in the Constitution mean in the hands of Mr. Service except an attempt to assimilate the elements of the Upper j

with those of the Lower House by enlarging the electoral basis, and to concilate tho former by permitting it to sit with the latter over the Appropriation Bill ? Is that any reform in the direction of making, as originally intended, the Upper House a better check upon the hasty and intemperate legislation of the Lower? Why not roll them up into one House at once, and have done with it ? That is the logical sequence of reform in Victoria. Meanwhile think how that unfortunate country is going to the bad in material wealth and prosperity, whilst the two Houses are squabbling over the broken bones of the skeleton constitution with which British statesmen gifted them some five-and-twenty years ago. It is high time that we looked this gift horse in the mouth, and tried to find out why. Whilst admitting the manifest failure, The Times still dogmatically asserts that two Houses are essential in the responsible Government of the Colonies. Ii has been said that "war is a game, which, were their subjects "wise, kings would not play at." We are no pessimists, and we believe in the future of New Zealand if wisely governed. But we say that if the people have a spark of common sense they will not allow any set of men to play and trifle with their welfare in the only way which is possible under the present form of Government. Let them always bear in mind that every man, woman, and child in the country has to pay a debt of between £5 and £6 annually before they can begin to put bread into their mouths. Tinkering with the salaries of Ministers, and Government clerks, and honorarium of Members of both Houses will not do anything for us. We must have either a radical reform of the Constitution or its suspension for a term. There is a Representation Bill now before the House, which if properly handled might turn our delegates now only fighting for local interests, into real representatives of the people, having only the welfare of the country, as a whole, at heart, and that would be going somewhere towards radical reform.

The s.s. Hawea leaves Nelson to-night's tide, is due in the roadstead at 11 a.m. tomorrow, and sails for Manukau in the afternoon. During the late gale the Cutty Sark, which has arrived at Waitara, carried away her bulworks, and lost the gear, Sec, overboard. The Falcon, from Greymouth, arrived in the Waitara yesterday. During the gale on Monday, the Captain reports she lost her square sails and yards. A meeting of the creditors in the estate of Jane Tucker was appointed to be held to-dayj but there not being a sufficient number of creditors present, the meeting lapsed. The assets in the estate are £425, and liabilities £472 ss. 10d., of which £200 is secured. A football match will be played on Poverty Flat to-morrow afternoon — play to commence at 2 o'clock — between 15 of Armed Constabulary and an equal number from Waitara and town teams combined. The following men will represent the locals : — Adams, Cornwall, Macallan, Webster, Wilkinson, Wilson, Norris, Carrington, Snowball, Mac Donald, and 5 from Waitara. Emergency men — Kirkby and Holmes. The s.s. Rangatira arrived in the roadstead at about noon yesterday. She left Taranaki at 0 p.m. on the Gth, arrived at Wanganui at 10 a.m. on the 7th, left again at 9 p.m. same date, and anchored in the roadstead at 11 a.mas above. She experienced moderate winds and fine weather throughout. The Rangatira had on board twenty passengers, seventeen of ' which were for the Manukau, and 2G head of cattle and 200 sheep for the same port. We have to thank Mr. li. E. Rawnsley for report and files of Wanganui papers. Notwithstanding the continued inclement weather, there was a fair house last night at the O.ld Fellows' Hall, to witness the Froliques. Miss Annie Ainsworth sang, with her usual taste and expression, " Minnie, hear the Bluebird Sing," and the waltz song. Miss Godfrey rendered, with much feeling, " Keep one little kiss, love," and " Alas ! those Chimes ;" whilst the two ladies' voices in the duett, " Sainted Mother," harmonised very sweetly. Miss Zitella appeared in new character songs, and was loudly applauded. Mr. I Osbornc sang, '• Though years may fade," and The Death of Nelson," with considerable expression ; and Mr. Thompson repeated the cornet solo, " De Beriot's Fifth Violin Concerto," in an artistic manner. Miss Lottie Elliott was as pleasing as ever in her skipping rope dance ; and Messrs. Gilbert, Reed, Cummings, and Harrington were as happy as usual in their comic business. Miss Lottie Elliott will take a benefit this evening, when a special programme will be prepared, including (by request) the duett, " Sainted Mother," by Misses Ainsworth and Godfrey ; cornet solo by Mr. Thompson, tf Do do Leigst" (Levy) which Mr. Thompson gained the prize medal for playing at the Sydney Exhibition ; Messrs. "Cummings and Harrington in their onginal tong and dance, " Oofty Gofty ;" Mr. Charley Reed's " Umbrella and Bootjack ;" and Mr. Gilbert's Sunlight Dancing on the Gridiron." The company take their departure to-morrow by the steamer, so that this will positively be their last appearance.

HOSPITAL BOARD. The monthly meeting of the Hospital Board was held on Wednesday. Present : Mr. T. King (in the chair). Veil. Archdeacon Govett, and Messrs. Richmond and Davidson. Supply of Drugs. — A letter was received from Dr. Bord, Surgeon of the Nelson Hospital, stating that the supply of drugs for the use of the Nelson Hospital has for the last twelve years been imported direct from England at an immense saving, the Government allowing the drugs to pass free of duty. A price list of a wholesale druggist in England was also forwarded. — The Steward was instructed to compare the price-list of the English druggist with those of local druggists, and to report the result to the Board. Admission to Hospital. — Dr. Bord also stated the practice of the Nelson Hospital respecting the admission of patients. Before a patient can be treated either as an in or out patient, application must be made to a member of the Hospital Committee, who enquires into the circumstances of the patient whether he is able to pay or not. He then gives the applicant a certificate for examination by the medical officer, who judges of the propriety or otherwise of 'admission. The charge is not less than £1 Is. per week, and in special cases a higher sum is charged, which is recoverable in the Resident Magistrate's Court by a person appointed by the Committee. The Committee of the Nelson Hospital has not yet had occasioi* to sue for payment. — It was resolved on the 'motion of Archdeacon Govett, " That the method of admitting patients into the Nelson Hospital be adopted in the New Plymouth Hospital." Charitable Aid Patients. — A letter was read from Mr. Snell, Relieving Officer, complaining that the dispenser at the Hospital had refused to make up preemptions given by the surgeon to charitable aid patients. One patient named Savage had received a prescription from Dr. Gibbes, aud presented it to the Hospital Dispenser early in the morning, and did not get the medicine until nine o'clock at night. — Mr. Davidson moved {; That in future the dispensing of medicine to charitable aid patients be made on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, between the hours of 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. ; aud that prescriptions marked urgent shall be made up when required." — The motion was seconded by Archdeacon Govett, and carried. Fencing the Hospital Grounds. — A letter was received from Mr. Nicoll with reference to the fencing of the Hospital section. — The writer was referred to the Board of School Commissioners. Tenders. — The following tenders for Hospital supplies were accepted : — Groceries, Messrs. Humphries and Son ; bread, Mr. Callaghan ; meat, Mr. Bayly ; firewood, Mr. Hawke. Hospital Cook. — On the motion of Mr. Davidsox, seconded by Archdeacon Govett, it was resolved, " That for the purposes of economy the services of Hospital cook be dispensed with, ar.d the duties be in future performed by the matron and orderly." Visiting Governors, — The Yen. Archdeacon Govett and Mr. T. King were appointed Visiting Governors for the month of July. The Prosecution of James Hill. — A letter was read from Mr. C. W. Govett asking for for instructions with reference to the prosecution of James Hill for embezzlement of Hospital stores. The writer stated that he understood it was the wish of the Board or the Government that Mr. Fitzherbert, of Wanganui, should act as prosecuting counsel, but he was not sure whether it was intended that he (Mr. Govett) should act as solicitor in the case. The following letter, addressed to Inspector Bullen, was read :—: — " I am in receipt of your letter of the 18th instant, covering newspaper with the report of the prosecution of James Hill. Having received my instructions originally from Mr. Govett, he no doubt will forward me a copy of the depositions with further instructions as to conducting the case in the Supreme Court. — (Signed) S. T. Fitzherbert." — It was agreed that the Chairman be authorised to make the necessary arrangements for the prosecution. The Board then adjourned.