THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1875.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2123, 23 October 1875, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1875.

It would be a very good thing if those ■who give utterance to rash, ill-advised, and unsupported statements were always made to prove the truth of what they affirm after the manner of Mr Bridges. But perhaps the very decided, as well as very proper way in which he has been brought to book on the matter, and the example he affords of how eminently ridiculous and contemptible a man appears placed in a situation such as his, may act as a wholesome deterrent to all who choose to make injurious statements, careless of what injury they 'may cause, to gratify malice or jealousy, or simply from an almost innate love of- saying things of seeming importance. Mr Bridges' foun- j dation on which he built the injurious report he circulated is of a very sandy nature. It seems from his evidence that Sir Julius Vogel when in Wellington used frequently to overdraw the running account he had there until the overdraft amounted to £200, and settle the matter by a cheque for the full amount on the account which Sir Julius had at Auckland. This he was allowed to do by the Bank of New Zealand. Mr Murdock, the Inspector of the Bank, explains the affair thus :—" At the time Mr Bridges was in the Bank of New Zealand Sir Julius Vogel was resident in Auckland, where he had valuable mining and other interests, yielding considerable revenue. His Wellington account was for family expenses. While obliged to reside there, and at his request, instead of drawing each cheque on Auckland the balance was allowed to accumulate till it reached about £200, and he then drew a check on his Auckland account. In no way was the account treated in an exceptional manner. The imputation apparently meant by Mr Bridges is simply : -a wicked and malicious invention." That is, that Sir Julius Vogel having a large account (so we may infer) in Auckland, and a smaller one in Wellington, preferred when in Wellington, instead of transferring part of his Auckland account to Wellington, to draw upon the bank there for such small sums as he required until the amount- reached £200, and then settle it by one cheque for that sum. This he was allowed to do by the bank authorities, the whole being merely a simple and uncomplicated way by which Sir Julius could provide for the expenses of himself. Yet out of this mere nothing, as it seems, Mr Bridges has thought fit to found his serious charges. To most minds it would probably appear that the fact of a man in Sir Julius Vogel's position constantly overdrawing his account in this way and as constantly settling it in the same way—and that he was in the habit of doing so constantly, we gather from Mr Bridges' evidence, which says that this was done " much more than four or five 'times a year "—would have

been sufficient evidence that ho was not in the power of the Bank to such an extent that they could use him for their purposes. An overdraft of £200 constantly being settled, is not such a serious sum to a man, Premier of New Zealand, and possessed of valuable mining and other interests, yielding considerable revenue in Auckland. Yet Mr Bridges states that the accommodation was so excessive that the Bank would have great power over Sir Julius "Vogel! After this, further comment on the evidence is super fluous. If the mere fact of a man's making an arrangement with a bank, by which his expenses in a moderate way. may be met on terms convenient to himself—call it an overdraft if you please— which he can at any time, probably, satisfy if he feel so disposed, is sufficient to put that man in the power of the bank so that it may mould him to suit their purposes, then banks are the most powerful combinations that exist, The idea is perfectly childish, and if Mr Bridges really thought as his evidence would have us believe he thought, he must be one of 1 the most credulous and unsophisticated bank managers ever invented in work of fiction, or existing in real life.

It is pretty self-evident that one oF the most necessary things in a community like ours is a good local hospital; and it seems equally evident that money, and that too in a considerable sum, is required to keep this hospital in an efficient condition, and prevent it sinking from inanition—not of patients but of funds. "We have before noticed some of the methods by which it is proposed to supply these funds for which there is an immediate need, and we are glad to see that the propositions are likely to be carried out, and more than this, there is evidently a very general feeling prevalent among all classes to help towards the desirable object of keeping the hospital afloat by every means in their power. Thus we have an announcement that the committees appointed by the various Friendly Societies for the purpose of carrying out the demonstration spoken of by Mr Bagnall at a committee meeting of the Thames Hospital, are to meet at the office of the secretary, Mr Honiss, on Monday next; and it is, from what we have heard, almost certain that the proposed demonstration will be carried out, and it is to be hoped that the hospital funds will be much, benefited thereby. Then we have another aid to the same subject, newly started since we last wrote on this subject, in the shape of a concert to be given by the ladies and gentlemen who lately performed so successfully at the Academy of Music, aided by Mrs Harding, which if supported in the way it deserves to be by the community at large ought to lend material pecuniary aid. Even in little matters it is gratifying to see that the same desire to assist is manifest amongst us, and sums small in themselves tend to swell the amount which the hospital so much requires for its support. Mr Carpenter sent the fee paid for his services as a juryman at the recent sitting of the District Court as a contribution thereto, and Mr Spencer proposes to augment the sum thus sent by allowing the flowers in Parawai Gardens to be sold for the came purpose. A cricket match to be rendered as attractive as the resources of the Club will permit, is spoken of as if to take place at Parawai, the amount taken at the gates, if a satisfactory arrangement can be eflected with the lessee, to be handed over to the hospital committee, Every little helps on to make a respectable amount, and it is to be hoped that all who can in any way, however small, place either money or what may produce money in the hands of the committee will lose no time in doing so.

The Thames Advertiser, considers that the New Zealand Herald has found a mare's nest, because a writer has, in common with ourselves, denounced the conduct of the Government in making promises regarding the augmentation payments to be made to municipal bodies and road boards, and then deliberately breaking their promises. The Advertiser wishes to show that the Herald is wrong, because, as it says, the Provincial services are to be continued; and then proceeds to deal in probabilities as to what may be expected after the first four months of next year. Now, whether the Government have or have not yet got possession of the provincial revenue, is not the question. The question is one of breaking promises deliberately made ; and of this the Government through their Treasurer are guilty; for when the subject of abolition was under discussion, Major Atkinson unasked informed the House that the Government fully intended to keep faith with the House in the' matter of this payment of subsidies to local bodies ; and, although the Bill was not to come into operation then, would pay the proposed subsidies during the remaining portion of the financial year. This was the promise made by the Treasurer, and this promise has been wilfully broken by the declaration made at the last moment that only one third of the promised sum was to be paid.