THE Thames Advertiser. THURSDAY, APRIL 15,1875.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VIII, Issue 2020, 15 April 1875, Page 2

THE Thames Advertiser. THURSDAY, APRIL 15,1875.

■ ♦— The annual address of Sir Francis Dillon Bell to his constituents is one of the events of the recess, As Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sir Francis has a large amount .of business during the session, and his position in presiding over the debates might be supposed to have the effect of weakening his interest to some extent in political questions; It is not so, however, for annually Sir Francis deals with the position in a statesmanlike spirit, and his. addresses attract as much attention as if he were a Minister of. the Crown. Indeed, the present Speaker is in an exceptionally favourable position for taking a comprehensive view of the political situation. As one of the earliest colonists, he is thoroughly acquainted with the history of New Zealand; having held high office in the service of the colony, and been several times a minister, his knowledge is extensive and accurate, while his present position, which removes him from the heat and partisanship of political strife, enables him to speak as one who looks calmly at the contest of parties through " the loopholes of retreat." During the session he is prevented from taking part in the debates of the House, and to some extent he makes up for this by going over the whole political field in his address to his constituents. For these reasons his annual speech is invariably commented upon over the colony, and we have no doubt that the address, of which we published a telegraphic sum- - maiy yesterday, will attract great at: tention.

There will doubtless be some surprise at finding that on the subject of the" abolition of the provinces Sir Francis is so completely in accord with the present Ministers.. He has several times sharply criticised their acts, and on more than one occasion there has been something like personal feeling manifested between him and Mr Vogel. But Sir Francis, viewing the subject in a manner free from prejudice, sends forth opinions and arguments which, will have great influence throughout the colony. Firstly, he points out that the subject of provincial abolition was forced upon the Colonial Government by the question of finance. In his policy of borrowing, to the extent and manner of which we have always ob« jected, Mr Vogel had no more enthusiastic supporters that in Auckland, ' in the ardent provincialists of that city, who saw that the only chance of the Provincial Government getting money to spend was by the General Government having Bums to give away out of borrowed money. They did not seem to see that this system of keeping the province going out of what it could bully or coax out of the General Government must come to an end, and they are much surprised now when they are told that the General Government cannot carry on the system for ever. They now turn round and abuse the Premier. Mr Vogel to them was formerly a heaven-born Minister, having great enterprise, and large and comprehensive views ; now his Ministry is wasteful, extravagant, and corrupt, .The time has come when either the General-Government must go. or the provinces, and the people of Auckland City have set up Sir George Grey as their leader, who avows a purpose of destroying the General Government, or rendering it quite subservient to the Provincial Governments. It is quite impossible that the recent action in Auckland can. delay the fate of ! the provinces. The colony has borrowed to its limit, and cannot, afford to subsidise the provincial system any longer, If ruin overtakes the public works scheme, the cause will have to be. looked for in the existence of Provincial Governments which prevented the real wants of the colony from being looked to, and millions have been thrown away in managing the provinces. As for the notion of the Aucklanders that they can maintain the provinces and seize a portion of the land fund of Otago'and Canterbury, it is a mere dream of lunatics. Mr Vogel has pledged himself that lie will not countenance any attempt on the part' of Auckland to despoil Canterbury and Olago of the land fund which they now enjoy, and that pledge will v range behind him a phalanx far more powerful than anybody of followers which Sir George can muster. But at the same time Mr Vogel will succeed in hia object of destroying the proving by. securing the land fund to the districts instead of the provinces, while the extensive tracts oh confiscated land t and

of land reoently purchased from the natives, will form a substantial endow- ■ Bent for the districts of the North. As Sir Francis says, the necessities of Auckland must be met, but they would not give the money "to be scrambled for by the Provincial Council." Sir Francis, like all men of note who have spoken lately on the subject, thinks it " impossible to abolish the provinces in the North Island and not those in the South." Again he says, "What Mr Yogel means to do, and what will certainly be done whether we like if or not, is to abolish the provinces North and South." Sir George Grey will find that amongst the principal men of the South he will obtain few allies in standing up for the provinces, and indeed they will be repelled from him en masse by his determination to get hold of the land revenue. Sir Francis out that in strengthening local v Sfoards we should only be following the tendency of the age. Provincial Governments have never been anything, else than examples of the worst kind of Centralism, whilst the legislative powers of the Councils are now anomalous and absurd. Sir Francis is of opinion that the change will not be completed next session, and in all probability he is right. Mr Vogel will play his card in bringing before the House his, plan, while the Opposition will put forward their plan, and then the country will decide. The real fighting next session is likely to be On the, subject of the division of districts, in'view of the all-important general election. The claim of this district for increased representation cannot be ignored any longer, and we ' have no doubt that many -of the Southern representatives will interest themselves in seeing that justice is done to us.

It will be seen from the telegrams of oar Auckland correspondent that.his Honor the Superintendent will visit the Thames and Ohinemuri goldfields next week, in order to make himself personally acquainted with the districts, and form some idea of the nature of the works necessary to assist in their development. The statement that Pir George ia to receive with the delegated powers the control of an expenditure of £15,000 is confirmed, and this will enable his Honor to assume the con. trol of goldfie'ds works with some hope of doing good service to the community. We will not point, at present, to more than the great necessity for roads and tracks, so as to assist the efforts of the prospector. Evidence is not wanting of the auriferous character of the interior, and it is only by means of such assistance that some permanent addition may be made to the district now maintaining a numerous quartz mining population. It will be seen from our telegrams that an effort is being made to divert the traffic to Tairu* by way of tbe East Coast, so as to avoid the Thames, but this is no't likely to be successful it some small amount is secured for road works via Knikiri, where it is believed an easy track can be surveyed at little cost,

It will be seen from our telegrams that Mr Patrick Dignan, an old and respected representative of the City West Electoral District, has once more been returned by a large majority over an opponent, The Jatter was Mr J. M. Bargaville, and the voting was as follows:— Dignan, 565'; Dargaville, 386.

The improvement of Queen-street, Auck. land, appears to be a work upon which the moneyed men of the place are at present concentrating their attention. In addition to the numerous large buildings in course of erection and just completed, Mr Somervell has bad the block of buildings commencing at the corner of Vulcan-lane demolished, preparatory to building a number of brick and stone shop?. The premises are already anxiously inquired after, ad arrangements hate be<in made for their occupancy by highly respectable tradesmen. Besides this, the block of wooden buildings between the Bank of >'ew Zealand and Wyndham-stteet, the only remaining eyegore in this the most central part of the city, is to be removed to make room for an enlargement of the head offices of the Bank of New Zealand, and for other brick and stone buildings, which will add materially to the high character of the street architecture of the city, The latter iB to be undertaken, we believe, by the Auckland Loan and Mercantile Agency Company.

It would almost seem as if the authorities — whether General Government ■or Proviucial Government, we cannot 83y—desire to shunt the inquiry into how certain miners' rights were obtained, at Ohinemuri from the office' before the reading of the proclamation. In the first place, we do not think that Major Keddell, the Warden at Coromandel, was the best man to make the investigation. Tue inquiry involves'a tcrutiny into the conduct of the issuing of the miners' rights by the War.!en at Ohinemuri and the General Government

Agent, and the inquiry ought to have been made by a Judge of the Supreme Court or of the District Court, or by some person of position, unconnected with the goldfields administration. But further, it seems' that Major Keddell is not armed with the powers necessary

to enable him to come to BDy conclusion, or to

to make any report The fullest possible powers will be required in this instance, for if Major Keddell will have to be content with snob information as parties choose to give, he ■will return about as wise as he cime.

A meeting of the members of the different Highway Boards was to Lave been held last *■ evening at the offices of the Borough Council for the purpose of considering what steps the highway boards ought to take in reference to the handing over of the foreshore. The meeting was cal'ed by the Waiotahi Highway Board, Owing to the smallness of the attendance, however, nothing was done. For our own part, we think that any difficulty might be easily fettled. The proceeds of the foreshore, for very many years to come, can be most profitably spent in harbour work?. Let the foreshore be handed over for that purpose, and no one will have any reason to be discontented. Detective Qrace was not able to give evidence in a case in the Police Court yesterday (which had in consequence to be postponed), as he had been urgently sent for by the settlers in Upper ' Wairoa. It appears that a lunatic named Edward McAdam, who had been tried some time ago for manslaughter, and sentencod to a - short term of imprisonment, has beeo, since his liberation from gaol, drinking to excess, the result being that he has relapsed into his lunacy, and by bis violence caused universal terror in the district of Wairoa,— Cross. A meeting of the members of the Cemetery Committee, formed from the municipality and the highway boards, was held yesterday at the Cemetery. There were present—His Worship - the Mayor, Councillors Benshaw and Butt, and Messrs Spencer and Bagnall. It was decided to . lay off and use the upper portion of the ground lately pii' chased as an addition to the Cemetery, and to let the lower portion, the rent of which will be devoted to planting and otherwise em.bellishing the Cemetery, The water-race passes through the newly-acquired portion, and it is expected that a good sum will be obtained as compensation, which will also be devoted to the improvement of the Cemetery. • We understand that the Kauwaeransja and Parawai Highway Boards have taken steps, for tyia improvement of the road

There were no cases for hearing at the Police Court yesterday.'

We would call the attention of our readers t* the fact that an attractive theatrical and musical performance will be held at the Academy of Music to-night, and the object to which the funds accruing from the entertainment are to be devoted must commend itself to the sympathy of the public. Our readers are acquainted with the melancholy fate of a miner named Bobert Fox, who, from injuries accidentally received while working in the Queen of Beauty mine, first suffered amputation of an arm and leg, and subsequently died from the effects of his injuries, fox's widow has been left without relatives in the country, and is totally unprovided for, and one of the means by which to raise some funds for her support is this benefit peiformance. Theleadingamateurs of the Thames' ladies and gentlemen have readily given their services. The programme will be found in our advertising columns, and the whole will wind up with a dance, to which all holding front seat tickets will be admitted. We have no doubt there will be a large audience.

The Rev J. Buller contributes to the Ntw Zealand Weskyan an interesting account of his trip overland from Tauranga to Wellington, during which he visited Momahana and other interesting spots in the Lake country.

The case of the man Schukar, who wag brought up from Napier in the' Southern Cross, 1 on the way to A uckland gaol, shows how curiously our provincial system operates. This man was, about three years ago, sentenced to imprisonment for life at Napier, for having, in au acceßs of fury, tomahawked a Mrs Banly and her servant at Poverty Bay. He was tried at Napier, and committed to the gaol there, hut the place where he committed the crime being within the province of Auckland, the cost of his maintenance was charged against that province. The Auckland provincial authorities, however, grumb'ed at the bill; they could keep this criminal at Auckland for a few coppers a day less. The Napier people thereupon bundled him off to Auckland. Mr Bullen had a constable waiting the arrival of the' Southern Cross' at Tararu, who took the convict, brought him to Grahamstown, and locked him up till the vessel was about to sail again,

The Rev J. J. lewis, Wesleyan minister, who has been labouring in Wellington lately, has obtained a twelvemonths' leave of absence, and is to take a trip home for the re-establish-ment of bis health. He was presented with a purse of forty-one sovereigns by the congrega. tion.

Mrs Colclough, better known to Aucklanders as "Polly Plum," still continues her peregrinations through the streets and suburbs of Melbourne in search of female misery. She is always getting near to what she wants, but never quite. Her first effort was directed to advocating the rights of down-trodden women, but the women of Melbourne would not acknowledge that they were'down-trodden, or wanted larger rights than they at present possessed. Then our lady advocated a ''home" for needlewomen, which was to be supported by a benevolent public. But it w-<s dissevered that poor needlewomen, for the verv much greater number lived at home with tboir fathers and mothers or their friends, while those who did not, scorned to come under the head of" chari'ably assisted, Once more Mrs Colclough sought for misery, and got it amongst servant girls, and desired to establish a home for them in the shape of sixpenny and threepenny breakfasts, but this also failed. More woman's misery was sought out, and now our lady advocate of women's rights has come across "destitute ladies." "We are told," sajs the Melbourne Aryus, " by Mrs Colclough that 'ladies, elegant, refined, and educated, are in this city daily reduced to the verge of self-destruction for want of the means to buy bread.' After drawing a highly f nciful picture of the fearful alternatives to which these mjthical persons are reduced, and the choice of 'death to dishonour,' which they invariably make, the writer exel .ims, ' Blame them.njit. Think of a girl reduced for weeks to supporting herself on one shilling per week. This kind of writing would doubtless be very well Fuited to the pages of 'penny dreadfuls' and the exciting novels which impart a pungent spice to the lowest class of magazines. But when it is given' as an appeal tor help towards a practical object, it is quite fair to demand on what evidence all these lurid statements are made. How many cases of this kind have come under Mrs Colelough's knowledge? Rare instances of the serb which escape the notice of all charitable agencies for their relief may, perhaps, exist in all large communities, but what are the causes which produce them here in such large numbers as Mrs Colclough observes them? To all extravagant misrepresentation of this description there is one answer. In Melbourne women need never be reduced to the choice of 'death before dishonour,' unless they prefer either to work. This talk has really no meaning, unless the 'dishonour' alluded to is the acceptance of work as a domestic servant, at very high wages. It is mere nonsense to argue that culture and refinement, while fitting one for higher work, at the same time render one absolutely unfit for the lower, And if it does not, on what grounds are we asked to weep ove' the melodramatic misery of this lady's protegees, when they can escape thera at once by the simple means of undertaking the work which is always present in such abundance."

There has been a good deal of discussion in Auckland lately about Orangeism, in the course of which the disturbances at the Thames during the election contest between Mr Williamson and Mr Gillies were alluded to. "W, J. Napier" writes as follows on the subject to the Evening Star :—" Mr Dargaville attributes the present peaceful state of the Thames in election times to the existence of au Orange lodge there, and contrasts the conduct of the voters there now with that of those who were there five years ago. Now, that is all ' bunkum'—excuse the term. At the Thames five years ago, when the contest took place between Messrs Williamson and Gillies, there were a lot of men from Australia and the West Coast—real devildaribg fellows, who, when they ' had a drop in,' invariably gave vent to that proverbial delight and amusement of Mr Dargaville's countrymen, which lies in the breaking of beads. But there really were no disturbances there at the time woflh talking about, and the noise which has been frequentlymade by Mr Dargaville's fellow-Urangemen about the conduct of the election at that time, was altogether unwarrantable," As to whether Orangeism has a good or a bad influence, we will say nothing, but as to the conduct of Mr Williamson's supporters on the occasion of the polling, nothing too strong can be said. Kver since, a number oi persons, who ought to know better, and who do know better, have attempted to confuse that' affair with the contest of two factions. It was not that, but an organised and successful attempt to take possession of a polling booth, and to prevent voters from recording their votes. We should not have thought it worth while to correct W. J. Napier, but the matter has been frequently attempted to be put in a false light in iuckla ;d.

The Masonic Ball Company has received very great encouragement, and their object will Boon be an accomplished fact. Sir Masonic Lodges out of seven in this city have each subscribed by vote for a certain number of shares, and paid tno deposits thereon Tt is to the interest of all Masons to assist in the matter, so that a- hall suited to the requirements of the place may be erected without loss of time, There have already been over a thoufand shares taken in the company, and there is a prospect of many more being rapidly subscribed for. As soon as a number more bhares have been taken, it is intended to offer a premium for the best design for a Masonic Hall, upon the site purchased by the company.— N.Z. Herald,

According to the San Francisco papers Califoroia will soon become a competitor of Spain and Italy in the American raisin market. White Muscat grapes aro grown for the purpose, and this year the quantity converted into raisins will be large.

A dressing case containing jewellery of the value of £50,000, belonging to the Countess of Dudley, was lost at the PHaddington Station on December 12.