The Timaru Herald. MONDAY, MARCH 23, 1885.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 3272, 23 March 1885, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. MONDAY, MARCH 23, 1885.

The Government, according to Sir 1 Julius Yogel, are distinctly of opinion that the Legislative Council needs reform. Mr Stout, we know, thinks it should be improved off the face of the earth ; Sir Julius is of opinion that it should be subject to "no severe or sensational treatment." The two views are difiicult to reconcile, and hence some sort of a compromise has to be ' agreed upon as m the case of ao many of the other Ministerial proposals. " An two men ride of a horse, one must ride behind," said Master Dogberry to good neighbour Verges. : The truth of this pregnant remark must often have forced itself upon the minds of the . present administration who seem to be pretty frequently trying to ride abreast on the same animal, usually with indifferent success. The result of the compromise m the present instance is that the Government think the appoint- ; ments to the Legislative Council should 1 be " less permanent than hitherto." The reformation of the augusfr body m question, however, is to be gone into m the most delicate manner. The Colonial Treasurer would handle

ithem as Izaak Walton did his ■worms, as" tenderly as if he loved them. They are, m fact, to be " invited " to reform themselves. During the last session it was rumored that Sir Julius, and m fact the other members of the Government, did not love the Upper House, because they dealt rather unkindly with some of the Ministerial policy measures. As regards the Colonial Treasurer, himself, however, we believe that that feeling, if it ever existed, has now worn away. He acknowledged frankly m his Christchurch speech, that although, as he said, he had often come into conflict with the Upper House, when he felt, as was only natural, very much annoyed at measures m which he took a great interest being thrown out, he was bound to say the Upper House had uniformly shown a desire to be of great benefit to the colony. On this ground, he believed that they would look at the proposed reform m a reasonable spirit, and not from any standpoint of dignity refuse to deal with it. It must bo admitted that the proposal is ingeniously framed so as to secure the greatest chance of being passed. Legislative Councillors are but human, and are not likely, even with the syren-like blandishments of Sir Julius, to accept the invitation, " Dilly, dilly, come and be killed." As the Government only ask them to shed somebody else's blood, they will at anyrate be free froru any personal motives iv the matter, and if they reject the proposal, will be able to say that they did so on grounds of public policy alone. Briefly, the Government intend, when Parliament meets, to invite the Council to adopt the principle that all appointments made after next session, instead of being appointments for life, shall only be for a term of years. There are, of course, many arguments which may be used m favor of a change of this kind. It may be said that under the present system members of the Upper House occasionally outlive their usefulness. This is undoubtedly true, but, on the other hand, many of them, from the ripened experience they are able to bear on the questions before the House, may be said to become more useful servants of the State every year that they live. Such unquestionably was Sir Frederick Whitaker, who, although one of the oldest members at his retirement, was admitted to be about the ablest, and certainly one of the most active and industrious. Again it may be urged that there are other members who are not likely to outlive their usefulness, for the simple reason that they have never possessed any. . At present it is practically impossible to get rid of them, and the proposed reform, it may be argued, should be adopted if only to provide these gentlemen with a happy despatch. We confess, however, we cannot see the matter m the same light. The real truth is that these members should never have been appointed, and then there would have been no necessity for getting rid of them. The true remedy is for the public to keep a more jealous watch over the nature of the appointments made, and to see that the Government does its duty m this respect. So far from the proposed reform tending to improve the personnel of the Council, we very much fear it is likely to have the opposite effect. The Government must, at present, feel a grave sense of responsibility m making an appointment, which they know is tenable for life ; whereas that consciousness would be very much lessened if it were known that the member could be got rid of at the end of five, seven, or even ten years. There would be a great temptation to flood the Council with unsuitable persons, especially m times of strong political excitement. The fact, however, would still have to be faced that an unfit nominee could do directly and indirectly a great deal of mischief during even the most limited term for which he was likely to be appointed. Another argument which will probably be brought forward m favor of the change, is that it is necessary to impose some check on the power of tho Council, to prevent them from acting with impunity m defiance of the will of the people. As far as we know, the Council hitherto has shown itself exceedingly amenable to the force of public opinion, and is perfectly well aware "that its very existence depends on its honestly, endeavoring to act m accordance with the real interests and wishes of. the country. When it throws out an important measure passed by the Lower House, it does not necessarily follow that it is thereby setting itself m opposition to the desires of the country. It frequently happens that members of the Lower House feel constrained by various motives to vote for a Bill which m their hearts they do not approve, and so vote, hoping all the time that the Upper House will throw it out. The District Railway Bill introduced by the present Government last session was a notorious example. A large number of those who voted for it m the Lower House were heartily glad when it was thrown out by the Council, who certainly on this occasion represented the sentiments of the country. The real feeling of the " popular Chamber " was soon shown when the Government endeavored to enlist their aid to "bounce" the Upper House and failed to get the slightest sympathy or assistance m so doing. Apart from the question of whether the Upper House has or has not shown m the past that its powers need curbing, is the proposed measure, if passed, likely to have such an effect ? Suppose, m the first instance, that it is provided that no Councillor, after having once served, shall be re-appointed. Waiving the disadvantages of such a provision, it is evident that a Councillor thus appointed would, if he chose, be m just as independent a position as if he were appointed for life, and just as likely to defy the decisions of the Lower House. If there were a power of reappointment, this would be putting m the hands of the Government a weapon capable of the greatest abuse. We might find them intimating to Councillors whose term of office was expiring that their reappointment depended on the votes they gave on certain questions, and m this way there is no telling what scandals might arise. In any case the Government would be afforded the means of insulting honorable men, and purchasing the votes of those base enough to be open to such influences. This, we take it, is hardly a desirable " reform " for the colony to embark upon.

After having carefully considered the (juestion from various standpoints, we confess we do not see any advantages m the proposed change likely to justify our tinkering with the Constitution. There has been no important instance of the Council abasing its powers, and there has been no popular demand for a change. On the contrary, it is generally recognised, aa Sir Julius himself admits, that the Council has generally shown a desire to be of great benefit to the country, and, we may add, has frequently proved of great practical service. We believed there was an opportunity last session of effecting a really desirable reform m regard to the Chamber, but that was deliberately rejected by the Ministry. We refer to the Payment of Members Bill. The members of the Upper House are as a body, gentlemen of substantial means, and we certainly think it would be more to the credit of their dignity and patriotism if they received no pay for their services. The Government did not seize the golden opportunity, and the measure which they now propose is likely to be mischievous rather than beneficial. Until something arises which shows the need of reforming the Upper House, we would say to them m the words which a celebrated English statesman always used when it was proposed to interfere with the constitution, " Can't you let it alone ?" Borough CouNCit. — An ordinary meeting of this Council is to be held this evening al the Council Chambers at 7 o'clock. Tub Cklis.— Fivo males and one female, arre.-ted for drunkenness, occupied free quarters nt the Police Barracks yesterday, They will appear at the Court this morning. That well-known and Popular Front Bai of the Ship Hotel is now Selling Marshall and Copeland's Ales at 3d per Glosa and 9d pel Quart. — [Advt.] C Battery. — The members of the C Battery, N.Z.A., are notified that they will go into camp on Wednesday. Full particulars will slrortly be posted on the order board it the drill-shed. A.O.F. — A summoned meeting of Courl Southern Cross A.0.F., is to be held at th< Hall to-morrow evening at 7.30, for the pur pose of electing officers and transacting im portant business. Personal. — The Hon. the Colonia Treasurer, Sir Julius Yogel, passed through Timaru by special train on Saturday e> route for Dunedin. He was waited on at th< station by a deputation, and had a shori interview m reference to the defence o; Timaru. News at Last. — Our Waimate corres pondent writes : — I am glad to report thai the Rev. J. H. Gray, of Waimate, has re ceived news from a friend m Dunedin thai his son, who had so mysteriously disappeared from Oamaru on the 6th instant, had beer hoard of m tho neighborhood of Dunedin. Resident Magistrates' Court, Tihabu — At this Court on Saturday a first offender charged with being drunk, was cautioned anc discharged. His Worship the Mayor occu pied the Bench. — For this Court to-morrov a long list of civil cases are set down fo: hearing. ; Cbicket. — On Saturday the following members of the Timaru Cricket Club left foi Akaroa by the s.s. Wanaka : — Messrs F Jones, J. and W. Hughes, M. J. Godby Raymond, Pitt, M. J. Knubley, C. S. Fraser T. Khodes, W. W. King and J. Mullin. The match will be played to-day at Akaroa. Mi T. S. Baker will captain the home team, and Mr M. J. Godby, the visitors. Hakatebamea Licensing District. — A meeting of the newly-elected Licensing Conr mittee for this district was held m the Court' house, Waimate, on Saturday last, to elect a Chairman of Committee. Present — Messrt L. Price, G. Oliver and R. Stewart. Mi Price was elected Chairman, and the Com/ mittee adjourned. Show op Winter Goods. — Most of the drapors innde a splendid display of then winter goods on Saturday, and the evening being a fine one the streets were rather inconveniently crowded at times with people anxious to see the various goods exposed to view. We can say, without egotism, thai we now possess some of the finest looking business establishments m the particular line mentioned to be found m the colony. The Weather. — Another sudden change for the worse m the weather took place about half-past eleven o'clock yesterday morning when a drizzling mist came up from the south-west. This gradually turned into rait whicli increased till it became one of the heaviest downpours experienced for some time past. As the crops are now nearly all m and well stacked there is not much fear of farmers suffering noteworthy loss, unless the rait should continue for any length of timo. Fibe at Waimate. — An unoccupied four^ roomed house belonging to Mr Thos. Sherifl at Bushtown, near Waimate, was burned down on the night of the 20th inst. About 1 a.m. tho fire-bell was rung, and the members of the Fire Brigade, the police, and othei persons at once proceeded to the fire, but at the time tho alarm was raised the fire was entirely beyond control. The night being very culm and tbehou9B detached there was nodangei of injury to any buildings m the vicinity. The house had been unocoupied for some timo, and no clue could be discovered as to the origin of the fire. Tho house was insured m the London and Lancashire Office for £80. Benefit Concert. — We remind the people of Timaru that the grand benefit concert m aid of the widow and children of the late Mi Boyce takes place m the Theatre Royal this evening. In order to prevent any mistake, we may mention that the prices of admission are— Dress circle 3s, stalls 2s, and pit Is. Bj advertisement m another column the officen of the Friendly Societies request members to assemble at their respective halls m time tc take part m tho procession, which leaves the Hall at seven o'clock. The route for the procession will be as follows : — From Oddfellows' Hall, Barnard street, down Woollcombe street, along Main South Road tc Shepherd's corner, along North stroet tc Bank street, down Bank street to O street, along Main North road and on to the Theatre. The programme for the concert, which ie published elsewhere, speaks for itself. Inquest at GebaiiSHi-b. — An inquest was held on Saturday at Waitui, before H. 0. S, Baddeley, Esq., Coroner, and a jury, of whom Mr E. Hardcastle was Foreman, on the bodj of Lydia Beckett. Mrs Macdonold deposed that deceased had been m her employ as nurso and laundrywoman since 1877. That on the 19th deceased was ill, and at half -past two witness went off for a doctor. When she returned with Dr Fish, within an hour's time, Miss Bookott was dead. Robert Fish, a duly qualified medical practitioner, residing at Geraldine, deposed that he was fetohed by Mrs Macdonald to see deceased. On arriving ho found her dead. He held a, post mortem examination on the 20th, and found nothing unusual about the stomach. On oponing the chest he found signs of old disease, pleurisy, on the left side, and the heart large and extremely flabby. He believed heart disease to bo the cause of death. The jury found a verdict m accordance with the medical testimony. Agbicumubai, Statistics. —In the Oamaru Mail of Saturday, are published the comparative agricultural statistics for the County of Waimate for the years 1884 and 1885. From it we notice that the number of freehold holdings show a decrease this year o{ 39 over that of the previous year, and the number of holdings " rented," and " part froehold and part rented," an inorease of 8 for the same periods respectively. The land under crop of wheat is this year given as 14,749 acres, a decrease as compared with the previous year of 8981 acres. In "oats for feed," an increase this year is shown of 374 acres, whilst m " oats for grasp," the increase is so largo as 3122 acres. A slight increase ie shown m land under crop of barley ; on the othor hand, however, the decrease of land under potatoes is slight. The estimated wheat produce this year is 401,203 bushels, a decrease of no less than 242,977 bushels on the estimate for last year. As against this, oate show an increase for 1885 of 180,139 bueheli on the estimate for 1884, this year's estimate being 669,043 bushels. Barley is estimated

at 47,810 bushek, aa against 48,068 for 1884, i a doorcase of 258 bushels. I I

GBrriyo Mabiubd bs: Proxy. — One can do a good maoj things by proxy j bub the lino must be drawn somewhere, and it is obviously incorrect to get married by proxy. It is singular indeed that a young woman, on the day when the most momentous event m a woman's life is on the point of being accomplished, would dream of delegating another to represent her, and hardly less strange that, having acted m tUis manner, she would believe the union contracted under such abnormal conditions to be a legal one. It was by proxy, however, that a young girl choße to be married m a West Prussian town, and she has now made the unpleasant discovery that her marriage under these circumstances is no marriage at all m the eyes of tho law. On the day fixed for the civil ceremony the bride, being anxious to superintend the preparations for the wedding breakfast, instead of going m person to the Town Hall with the bridegroom, sent her sister m her place. None of the relatives appear to have perceived the impropriety of the proceeding, and the Mayor pronounced the wrong woman married to the right man. The following day the real bride went to church with' her husband, and the marriage was solemnised. Immediately afterwards, however, tho couple were informed not only that, owing to the substitution of one person for another before the Mayor, it was null and void, but that they will be prosecuted for making a false declaration to the civil registrar. A Wise Dbacon. — "Deacon Wilder, I want you to tell me how you kept yourself and family so well the past season, when all tho rest of us have been sick so much, and have had the dootors running to us so often." " Brother Taylor, the answer is very easy. I used Hop Bitters m time, and kept my family well, and saved large doctor's bills. Four shillings' worth of it kept us all well and able to work all the time, and I will warrant it has cost you and most of the neighbors £10 to £100 apiece to keep sick the same time. I fancy you'll take my medicine hereafter." See [Adyt.] We bbIiIBVK that if every one would use American Go's Hop Bitters freely there would be much less sickness and misery m the world, and people are fast finding this out, whole families keeping well at a trifling coat by its use. We advise you to try it. Read [Advt.] The Bad and Wobthless are never imitated or counterfeited. This is especially true of a family medicine, and it is positive proof that the remedy imitated is of the highest value. As soon as it had been tested and proved by the whole world that Hop Bitters was the purest, best and most -valuable family medicine on earth, -many imitations sprung up and began to steal the notices m which the press and the people of tho country had expressed the merits of H. 8., and m every way trying to induce suffering invalids to use their stun instead, expecting to make money on the credit and good -name "of H. B. Many, others started' nostrums put up m similar style to Hi 8., with variously devised names m which- the word " Hop," or " Hops "were used m a way to induce people to believe they were the same as Hop Bitters. All such pretended remedies or cures, no matter what their style orV name is, and especially those with the " word -" Hop""" or "Hops" m their name or' m any- way connected with them or .their ■ name, are imitations or counterfeits. Beware of them. Touch none of them. Use nothing but genuine American Hop Bitters, with a cluster of green Hops on the white label, and Dr Soule'e name blown m the glass. Trust nothing else. 835" Druggists and Chemists are warned against dealing m imitations or counterfeits.— [AdvtJ - SYNOPSIS OF NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. Jonas and Bourn— Will sell a baker's business at Waimate on Wednesday, K. F. Gray— Holds a sale of live and dead stock, furniture and sundries, on Thursday; sheep and cattle on Friday. C Batter}* — Notice to members re camp. U.A.O.D.— Members are requested to take part m the procession to-night. R. R. Taylor— Has a hotel to let. James Granger — Has a farm to lease. A.0.F., Court Southern Cross— Members are requested to attend the procession to-night ; also . summoned meeting- to-morrow. In Bankruptcy— He R. L. Wilson.