West Coast Times. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1875.

West Coast Times, Issue 3183, 17 December 1875, Page 2

West Coast Times. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1875.

A letter, the insinuative spirit of which is distinguishable, and which might therefore be' beneath remark, appears in another column, signed "Elector." It purports to deal principally with a subject which had scarcely been raised by this journal, and to which it was our intention to have referred in what we had hoped would have proved fair comment, the subject being a fair one for comment at the present moment, but it contains some subsidiary insinuations which it may be suitable at once to notice. The subject which it is the apparent purpose of the letter to deal with is the present position of the Provincial Executive. " Without assuming the position of champion of the Executive," the writer has so carefully read an article of ours on the complaint of the Italian immigrants as to get to its last sentence — a compliment by which we feel gratified — and, having got there, he finds in it, the last sentence aforesaid, an indication of a change of tone in this journal on the subjects of Executives and thja Superintendent. He is undoubtedly a clever fellow to discover this, but unfortunately he has done only what many have done before him — "discovered a' mare's nest." Referring , to the necessity of the Superintendent representing to the Government, when in Wellington, the mistake that is being made in the selection of immigrants for Westland, we said :—": — " Lest he forget, it woulxl be well were the Provincial Secretary or the Provincial Treasurer to remind him of the necessity, and perhaps this might be done if the Provincial Secretary were not somewhere, and the Provincial Treasurer somewhere else — neither of which place is Hokitika — enjoying the remunerated license and public scandal of their perfect sinecures." Too hastily by half, our co-respondent assumes that this is altogether an abandonment of past opinions on the propriety of the Provincial Council having responsible officers. His assumption is by no means correct, and, so long as Provincial Councils stood, the propriety of the same would have been supported. Neither would we say now, even though the responsibility of the Executive — the very ingredient of tbeir existence — has ceased, that they should retire from office, much as they may be mistaken as occupying the position of pensioners of the Slate. We are quite aware that it is becoming in them to discharge the duties they undertook to their sweet or bitter end, and are equally aware that, if the present members were to resign to-morrow, the Superintendent might find it necessary to surround himself with others, since it is incumbent on him to act only, in many matters legislated upon, " with the advice and consent of the Executive." Such a contingency might arise, and if for no practical purpose, at least for a technical one, the institution may require to exist. We recognise also fully the fact that the members of the Executive were understood only " to give such time to their office duties as those duties cjemand, and no more. ' Admitting all this, the circumstances do not alter in one iota our statement that, by their absence, while the Superintendent is also absent, "the - members, of the Executive are enjoying the 'remunerated license and public scandal of their perfect sinecures." Or, if'tiur correspondent would prefer to put it another way, they are if giving such time to their office duties as those duties demand, and no more." Their ' business-afreet is blank. They have no policy- "to propound; no Bills to ■ prepare ;no Council to meet. Doing* , sff is demanded of them, how much is that"? ' Nothing — absolutely nothing. Under the altered circumstances of the case, their offices, in a political or literal • sensed - are sinecures — " perfect sinecures." But, if for a moment ' it ' might be otherwise, that moment 1 surely" would be when the Superintendent is absent; and where jyif| how are the members of the Executive employed? If there is a time at wh'reh common remark — ;or call it,if yo.u like, " public scandal" —

might be subdued by even the affectation of attending ' to duty, it is now. Nevertheless, it J is not done, while it is tnosh-&beßt known to our corresponu4nt>— that excuse pas been found for xte^em^loyinedf B pf extra clerical assistance, withoujfany knowledge that it is paid for by the Executive, but with the strong presumption that it is acknowledged and paid for by the Superintendent. " Whether this is attributable to an alteration in that gentleman's nature, or" is the effect of a better understanding between the parties" we know not. Were we equally evil-minded with our correspondent, we should say, " it is needless to ask."

A subsidiary point of our correspondent's ' letter — though we suspect we are complimenting him too much in calling it subsidiary — is where he drags in the name of the publisher of this paper and that of Mr E. T. Robinson as candidates during the coming election. While we write we are not yet assured that Mr Robinson is a candidate, but, whether he is or not, and whatever the candidate who is publisher of this paper may have said, we have not the slightest doubt that what he said is correct. His quarter-century's acquaintance with those in conduct of this paper has probably enabled him to assume that public questions' aud public men will, in the face of an intelligent public, be commented upon according to their apparent merits. Plainly, it has been urged against Mr Woolcock — and it may be urged against Mr Robinson— that, while holding paid political office, they are seeking to become superior political representatives with adventitiously acquired advantages, in income, influence, and position which others do not enjoy. Whatever sound reason there may be in the objections taken to this as a general principle, the opinion of this paper does not side with such objections in these particular instances. There have been precedents numerous, iv the cases of Superintendents, Secretaries, and Treasurers ; there are parallel cases in other Provinces at the present moment ; and until tbe time come for such anomalies ceasing, it is not fair (< to make fish of one and flesh of another." The field is open to members of Executives, as to other men, with disadvantages, not less than advantages, attaching to their position.

Now is the time for the friends of the miner, and the approvers of the unregistered miner's right franchise, to pome forward, and, by affording every facility for investigation, aid in affirming that the franchise is one which is not egregiously abused— not made the vehicle of the vilest practices at elections, never has been, and is never likely to be. Now is the time especially for the population of that important and politically active district — Arahura or Waimea — to show that, even should there be defaulters among them, the common desire of every class and faction of which it is the highly calorified conservatory, is to maintain political purity — to elevate, by the honest exercise of the miner's right, every voter into a man, instead of, by its dishonest exercise, degrading him into a mean cheat. Now is not the time to stifle inquiry — to muzzle the truth — or even to bear the appearance of doing 1 so. At least on the part of those who are uot personally interested. ' Such a condition as that materially alters cases, and ii is to be supposed that it is only because of such a condition existing 1 that an information has been laid, or a summons issued, dulj signed by the Magistrate, against Mr Richard Seddon for a miscarriage of his duties as Returning Officer and Chief Scrutineer at the recent Road Board electiou. It is the privilege .of everyone who is personally interested, or who may have a friend who is interested, to raioe every possible legal or technical objection to any use that may have been made, right or wrong, of the scrutineer's office. But those who can afford

to be indifferent owe it to themselves and the community to let it be thoroughly illustrated, with due regard to the true principles of the ballot, whether or not the exercise of the minor's right is often a subversion of its proper purpose, or always otherwise. With that plain issue, who that is politically sincere would not sympathise, aud who is there in the Arahura district who is not politically sincere ?

Shocking statements, it is true, have been made to the contrary. There are statements of a few persons, at the late election, having been paid to vote, which some people call bribery. It is said also that the scrutineer detected some ten cases of personation and six cases of double voting on the Electoral Roll. But that, bad as it may be, is not the point. The question is can double voting be done to any extent by persons voting on the roll at one place and the miner's right at another ; and if this can be done, how many did it at the late election ? Suppose it were said that twenty-five did it, would that not be a serious reflection on a community, on a system, and on a law which can permit such to be done without being scrutinised 1 Would it not sap the whole political fabric to its centre, and subdue any man from seeking to be a representative, as it has undoubtedly made men representatives who might never have been.

If there can be legal objection takeu to the course said to be pursued by tlie scrutineer in comparing the votes by miner's rights and by ordinary qualification, let us have it. If it is not sustained, most distinctly things are as they should be — it does not deserve to be sustained, in point of principle. If it is sustained, then let the law at once be altered, or blot the miner's fight from 1 off the atatute-book, where

it never should have been as a voting power, except by process of registration. The question is worthy of being raised, but not for. the protection of the double' voter, but for the protection of £b.§ jmbjjc'againgif him ahd"sft'jnjji[i

The rush near the Teremakau lias set in on a terrace known as " Hayes's " fronting the Teremakau river on the Greenstone' side and close to the punt. At present -there are four parties at work, and two or three others are to set in Bhortly. The ground so far as is at present known is shallow sinking with heavy boulders. The two parties have been sinking in the neighborhood, chiefly prospecting for some weeks past, and it somehow leaked out that they were on payable ground. There is nothing yet known to justify a rush. Those who have set in are chiefly prospecting and they are men whose claims have been either wonted out or were not paying very well. Should the ground be ultimately found payable a great drawback will be the want of water, but it is said that a race taking its source in a creek four or five' miles away could be brought in.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court at Stafford, on Wednesday last, a few unimportant civil cases were disposed of, and one was adjourned till the middle of January. There was no other business, and the Court t he adjourned.

The Hokitika Savings Bank will be closed from next Thursday, the 23rd, till the Bth January, 1876, for the yearly balance. The Manager requests depositors to leave their books at the Bank before the 27th instant.

)he Lyttelton Government buildings are now finished and ready for occupancy, and Captain Gibsjn, the harbor master, has already taken possession of his portion of the building. The yard at the, back is nearly enclosed. The fittings thoroughout are said to be excellent, the convenience of the publio and officers having been veil studied.

At a recent meeeting of the Nelson Central Board of Education, the Inspector's recommendations that the present school-buildings at Westport should be sold and that new rooms to accomodate 200 children should be erected on a more suitable site, were adopted. It was resolved, ou the motion of Mr Simmons, that the Inspector's recommendation as to a site for a new school at Lower JBrunnerton be adopted, aud that Mr Taylor's 1 offer of section No. 5 be accepted with thanks; £10 being allowed for purchase of No. 14, the adjoining section. It was resolved, that the Permanent Sub-Comnaitfcee be authorised to have plans for a a&\r school -building ac Lower Brunnerton prepared, with a view to their being submitted for approval to the district engineer, VVestland. The Inspector having reported in favor of constituting Eeefton an education district, it was resolved that the question of making Reefton and other centres of population on the West Coast education districts be referred to the Permanent Sub-Committee, with a view to their reporting to the Board at next meeting. From the Inangahua Times of Monday we glean the following mining items : — At a meeting of the shareholders of the Invincible Company, held at Mr Hankin's office on Saturday, it was decided to place the affairs of the company in voluntary liquidation. It was stated that a hut, situated on the mine, and belonging to the company, had been broken into and the whole of the stores and tools belonging to the company stolen. We are informed that sinse the company ceased operations the mines have beeu plundered of every portable article di value, the last articles removed being a set of truck wheels. — The Independent Company, of which such good things have been so often predicted, promises to speedily come up to the most sanguine expectations. Up to Friday last about 12900zs of amalgam was taken from the plates alone, >and to this quantity has yet to be added about 300ozs or 400ozs as the product of the tables, &c.

A gentleman lately lost £128 in notes in Taranaki-street Wellington. Unaware of his loss he picked up a £10 note, and whilst looking for any others that might be lying about — having in the meantime discovered that he himself was a loser — he was asked by some lad 9if he had lost anything. On answering in the affirmative he was referred to their mother, srho held £80 which had been picked up by her sons, to whom he gave £15. He also found £12 more near the spot himself.

Dr Day, of Geelong, having been very successful in treating cases of scarlet fever by the application of ozonic ether and lard, has communicated with the City Council on the subject. The council has ordered Dr Day's paper to be printed, and forwarded to local boards of health and medical practitioners throughout the colony.

An Alexandra telegram says: — " The floods have committed great havoc amongst the Kingite settlements. A large amount of cultivation has been destroyed, and wharea aud personal property lost. Their owners are absent at Tawhaio's meeting at Hikurangi. The meeting is over, and messengers leave for all parts with instructions as to the new religion. STo political questions were discussed. Spirits are forbiddeu in future, all Kingitea to be Good Templars."

The Home News says: — "An interesting experiment is being made in the shipment of two nests of humble bees, which have jusi, left Plymouth for Canterbury, New Zealand. The principal object aimed at in the introduction of these insects into the colony is the fertilisation of the .common clover, the pollen of which the common bee ia generally unable to collect, while the ' humble bee,' having si larger proboscis and beiug much stronger, is able to reach sufficiently deep into the flower to collect the fertilising dust. It is hoped that by this means the plant will be more generally fertilised, Jand its cultivation largely extended in the colony. The bees which have just left England for the Antipodes were iv two separate nests, which had been procured by Mr Prank Buckland, and packed in a suitable box, where they were supplied with everything necessary for the voyage, including honey, farina, water, &c. They are very fine specimens of the humble bee. The exact number is not known, as many of the eggs are not yet hatcheJ. They are placed under the care of Mr John Hall, a member of the Council of New Zealand, who takes a stock of ice for the purpose of keeping down the temperature of the nests while passing through the tropics."

The Volunteers lately assembled at Aldershot came in for a novel and unpleasant experience. Owing to the intense solar heat and glare, many of them suffered from swollen faces, while others became blind. To protect their visages from injury, some of them donned paper masks, and others powdered their faces with starch, which is raid to have given them a singular and ghastly appearance.