WLmi Coast fees, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11, 1880.

West Coast Times, Issue 3544, 11 August 1880, Page 2

West Coast Times WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11, 1880.

It is evident as session after session goes by, that the work of administering the affairs of the Colony is too much for any Ministry, unless better provision be made for local government. The House undertakes too much, and as a consequence, its legitimate business is neglected for the discussion of matters which are often of a purely local character. Thus we find that the Premier has been compelled to abandon a large number of necessary measures, and though he promised that the Government would ask the House to pass certain bills, which he named, it is evident, from the tone of his remarks, that these will be dropped immediately there is any opposition to them. The Government desire to stifle discussion as far as they can. They recognise their incapacity to grapple with the pressing difficulties which beset them, and all they want is to get supplies voted and the session ended. They did make an attempt to shift a share of their burden en to Royal Commissions, but even when these Commiseoners reported, their reports were ignored. We have already said that we believe the work is beyond the powers even of an administration of " still, strong men," and still more then must a Ministry composed of such second rate politicians as Messrs Oliver and Hall, fail to do justice to the wants of the country. Not only do the Central Government encroach too far on the domain of local government, and thereby attempt, unsucessfully, work which local bodies could easily and quietly accomplish, but they undertake the administration ©f vailwayß, in -which they have skown the utmost extravagance and carelessness. Instead of being a blessing to the Coloay, the railways are in fact a curse. There is an enormous loss annually from them, which the people are taxed to remedy. And this deficit is due net only to the pious partiality and want of discretion shown in the original selection of the lines to be undertaken, but in a far greater degree to the shameful and wanton extravagance of the management. The impeachment by Mr Saunders, Chairman of the late Civil Service Commission, of the Commissioner of Middle Island railways, should be at once investigated by the House, if the Government dare not or will not undertake the duty. Is it not monstrous that the people ef New Zealand should be taxed to support a number ef incapable and highly-paid officials, men who seem actually unable to superintend the building of a few railway waggons ? The whole system is rotten, and from the highest to the lowest, the staff of railway officials are charged in distinct terms with incapacity. We are told they are overpaid, badly superintended, and of very little service t« the Colony. Under these circumstances, the incompetent gentleman who fills the position of Minister of Public Works, proposes, in order to remedy matters, to increase the cost of traffic. That is to say, the public are to be still further taxed in order to Bupport the highly-paid " drones " of whom Mr Saunders speaks so contemptuously. The only remedy is for Government to sell or lease the

railways. They have failed, dismally and lamentably failed, to make them remunerative or even self-supporting. The Government ef New Zealand have undertaken in this respect what they never can accomplish. Until these lines are leased the disgraceful jobbery which is now so patent will continue. Even if salaries are reduced, they will be gradually raised again, and the hig'hlypaid " drones," whom it is hopeless to get rid of apparently, will flourish on the earnings of the unfortunate taxpayers. Such disclosures as those made by Mr Saunders are almost enough to disgust the people with representative institutions and popular Government.

The Dunedin Echo has, we observe, commented also on the desirability of leasing our railway 3, a course which has been repeatedly advocated in these columns. Our contemperary says od the subject "what, then, steps the way ? We do not know of any thing. In our opinion the only chance of reducing Governmental expenditure lies in reducing the number of things about which the Government has to concern itself. Were these reduced, Minister's work, Civil Service work, and Legislative work would be lessened and this means a saving of expenditure. No doubt it is difficult to obtain this. The people in the Colony have been so trained as to look upon the Government as a machine fitted for any kind of work, that any alteration of Government functions would be resisted. But let it once be seen that the only hope ef reducing expenditure, and lessening taxation, lies in this direction, and we believe the people would consent to the Government's functions being limited. A year or two of direct taxes will, we hope, be useful in paring the way for the reform we point out. If the experience of direct taxes does not point out the necessity of moderating Government expenditure nothing else will."

The diamond drill machine was landed on the wharf yesterday, from the Waipara, to which vessel it was transhipped at Greymouth from the Graf ton. As the Couucil meets to-day, the destination of the drill will be sit once decidel upon.

There will be a meeting of the Hokitika School Committee at the Chairman's offices, Wharf street, at half-past seven this evening.

We regret to have to announce the death of Mrs Ellip, wife of Mr John Ellis of the Newmarket Hotel, Arahura, after a protracted illness. The funeral will take place t'.j-morrow at 2.30 p.m.

The following civil business was transacted at the Magistrate's Court yesterday: — Meyer v. Heinz, £4 ss, judgment for plaintiff ; Hyndman v. Russell, no appearance; Allen v. Treloar, adjourned; Churches v. Carter, adjourned ; aud Hitchmough v. Macintosh, judgment for plaintiff for £2 16s 6.1.

The usual monthly meeting of the County Couucil will take place at 2 p.m. this day.

The benefit of Madame Carandini drew a crowded house at the Town Hall last evening. The programme was a good one, the singing was capital, and the encores were numerous, too numerous almost for the comfort of the singers. This evening the company will appear at Kumara, where we hope they will meet with the success they deserve.

We are requested to remind contractors that tenders for the bridge on the German Gully track; for the widening of theKanieri Lake track (1 mile) ; for the road from Chriatchurch road to Spencers; and for metal supply, Arahura road, close this day at the County Council Chambers, at 12 noon, after which hour no tender will be received.

The Eiuance Committee of the County Council meet this forenoon at 11 o'clock, to revise the accounts for July services and supplies. We understand that the Council have a credit balance of over £1160 after paying the accounts passed at last meeting, amounting to £1700.

Ab inquiry is to be held into the late mysterious fire on Mawhera Quay, Greymouth.

The adult European population of New Zealand is taxed at the rate of 4s 61 per head per week to pay the interest on the public debt, besides the ordinary cost of government,

In future licenses under the Arms Act will issued by the police authorities instead of at the Customs. A notification particularising the fact and containing information on the subject should be at once issued.

"Slipped Between Cup and Lip." — The House of Representatives has declined t» reward Messrs Kelly Trimble, and Bunny. The gratuities of £100 each to these members kave been struck out. Cruel House and niggardly Opposition 1

The correspondent of the Lyttelton Timeß relates a curious episode about the Education Eeport. Hearing that it had been issued and that the gentleman who performs the quadruple iunctions of editor of the Post an I special correspondent of the Otag.) Daily Times, the Press (Christchurcb), and the Morning Herald (Dunedin), had received a copy, ha applied for one. He was told there was none for him, but he could see the printer. He went to the printing office, but that department had seat them to the binder, and where the binder lived he could not find out. Nothing daunted he found the binder, but it was too late to wire a summary to the Times. He next applied for leave to send it after hours, a permission often given before, but Mr Hall, would not give the requisite permission. Not a single complaint of this kind was ever made against the Grey Ministration. All correspondents used to be treated alike bub now only special papers are favored with information.

Throat Affections and Hoarseness.— All suffering from irritation of the throat and hoarseness will be agreeably surnrised at the almost immediate relief afforded by the use of " Brown's Bronchial Troches." These famous "lozenges" are now sold by most respectable chemists in this country at Is lid per box. People troubled with a " hacking cough," a " slight cold," or bronchial affections, cannot try them too soon, as similar troubles, if allowed to progress, result in serious Pulmonary and asthmatic affections. See that the words '• Brown's Bronchial Troches" are on the Government Stamp around each box. — Manufactured by John I. Brown and Sons, Boston, United {States, Depot, 493 Oxford street, London.— Adyx.

Apropos of the missing training-ship Atalanta, tbe London Weekly Times of June 6tb received by the. Garonne, says :—: — " Captain Sturrock, of the Scotia's Queen, from Demerara, arrived at Queenstown, reports that on April 30th he passed a raft, which bad apparently been made on board a man-of-war or first-class steamer, as it was bolted together and not lashed with chain. Two days afterwards he passed several dead bodies, with white jumpers on. A vessel just arrived at Queenßtown reports a circumstance which tenda to show that the raft recently discovered in the Atlantic had been made an board the Atalanta. The vessel in question passed apparently the same raft, and soon afterwards the bodies of two young men were seen iv the water, who from their dress and general appearance might have belonged to a mau»of-war."

A very remarkable commercial "operation" is according to the British Medical Journal, now going on. An Anglo-American Synrdicate, controlling very large funds, is purchasing all the medicinal opium in the world. Aboat 4000 cases are known to be in existence, of which . the Syndicate have bought half ; aud they intend to buy the coming short crop from Turkey, estimated at 3000 cases more, As opium is an article of prime necessity in medicine, and is consumed at the rate of 6000 cases a year, they calculate on raising the price from 18s a pound to 483 and indeed have raised it already in New York to 26a. The profit, if they succeed, will be enormous ; but they run one or two serious risks, of which one is that a high price may check the consumption of laudanum for purposes other than medicine, and another ia that ecience may utilise Indian opium. That drug is at present too refined and too weak in narcocio properties for niedieiae ; but if the doctors want it, a second and much stronger extract could be made and forwarded to Europe. The trick however, is constantly played with quinine, and occasionally succeeds, the speculators getting double prices.

Valuable Discovery for the Hair.— lf your hair is turning grey or white, or falling off, use " The Mexican Hair Renewer," for it will positively restore in every case grey or white hair to its original color, without leaving tbe disagreeable smell of most "Restorers." It makes the hair charmingly beautiful, as well as promoting the groth of the hair on bald spots, where the glands are not decayed. Ask your Chemist for "The Mexican B.air Renewer," prepared by Henry C. Gallup, 493 Oxford street, London, and sold by Chemists and Jferf utners everywhere at 3s 6d per bottle. — Advt,

Tbe following description of Candahar will be read with interest at the present moment. Candahar (or Kandahar), the capital of Central or Southern Afghanistan, is situated about 200 miles to the south-west of Cabul, in lat. 32 deg. 37 nut:. N. an 1 ! long. 66 deg. 20 mm. E., and at an elevation of 3484 feet above the level of the sea. It is in the form of an oblong square, while all the Btreets run straight, aud cut one another at right angles. At the point of intersection there is a large dome (eharsu), 50 yards iv diameter. The population is variously estimated at from 25,000 to 100,000 . It is a place of great commerce, trading with Bombay, Herat, Bokhara, Satuaicand &c. Among its permanent residents there is a larger proportion of Afgans, chiefly of the Dooraanee tribe, than in any other city of Afghanistan. About two miles to the northward rises a precipitous rock, crowned by a fortress impregnable to everything but heavy artillery. Here, amid all the disasters of the Afghan War, the British maintained their ground.

Advice to Mothers ! — Are you broken i' your rest by a 6ick child suffering the pui •• of cutting teeth ? Go at once to a chemist and get a bottle of Mrs Winslow's Southing Syrup. It will relieve the -poor sufferer im mediately. It is perfectly harmless and pleasant to the taste, it produces natural, quiet sleep, by relieving the pain, and the little cherub awakes " as bright as a button. " It soothes the child, it softens the gums, allays all pain, relieves wind, regulates the bowels, and is the best known remedy for dysentery and diarrhoea, whether arising from teething or other causes. Mrs Winslow's Soothing Syrup is pold by Medicino dealers everywhere at Is l£d per bottle. Manu« factured at 493 Oxford streetj London. — Ai>.