The Evening Herald. FRIDAY, SEPT. 3, 1869.

Wanganui Herald, Volume III, Issue 643, 3 September 1869, Page 2

The Evening Herald. FRIDAY, SEPT. 3, 1869.

Fiji Prospect?.—Accounts recently received from the Fijis are not of a very favorable character. From a gentleman who recently visited Sydney we learn that there he saw several New Zealand people who had returned from the islands greatly disappointed, and giving a poor account of the prospectn of those who still remained.

Judicial.—A Justice of Peace in the Mataura district is reported to have raid, •when passing judgment on a well-known ■settler, who was prosecuted by a neighbor for sheep worrying by his dog:—" You deserve to be horse-whipped, and I'm d d sorry I cannot give you eighty lashes,"

"Demilitarising":—The Post says, Various explanations of the proper meaning of the term " demilitarizing," as applied to the men of the Colonial forces have been given. \\ c imagined that we had hit on the ritrht one, when a few days ago, we described it as a process for changing those men from inefficient soldiers into efficient civil police; but the report brought up by the Select Committee, on small arms throws a new light on the matter. The Colonial soldiers are recommended by this report to be converted into " breech-loafiers," and as it is a fact that such a result cnnnot be achieved by any known process, people imagine that " detmlitarizina:" is the mode by which it will be effected. • The portion of report alluded to, is as follows:—"After conversion, they (Enfield rifles) would still be medium rifles, more available for use behiud earth works or other defences than* in the field, and would be nearly as serviceable as muzzle loaders, more particularly with reference to the fact that if employed against an enemy it would be in many cases by men who had not met an enemy before, and who would only get rid of their ammunition all the sooner if they were converted into breech-loaders. The conversion would involve the use of another size of cartridge, from which confusion and perhaps disaster would sometimes arise."

Lecturing from Personal Experience. —One of the greatest pieces of ■what in colonial parlance would be called "cheek," has been related in Geelong, says the Advertiser, by a gentleman lately returned from Fiji. His story is that while he was at the Islands, a Mr Wilson was announced to give a lecture on "Commercial Immorality and Venality." Being curious to hear what the lecturer had to say on this subject we went to hear, and was no less amused than surprised to find in the lechirer •no other than Whalley, the soi disant absconding manager of the Geelong Gas Company. The idea-of this individual lecttUong on immorality was highly ludicrous to those who knew his history, but they might have consoled themselves with the reflection that no one was more able, from practical experience, to speak of roguexy in ils various branches.

The End of *he Session. —The prorogation of the Assembly is expected to take place on Tuesday next.

The LkgislatiVe Council. — The Lyttelton Times, 'in an article on the constitution ana1 functions of the Upper House, says': —The Legislative Council is tod dignified to indulge in rows. Its members, for the most part, sit in solemn silence, while those who do speak, with one or two exceptions, steadily maintain a dead level of twaddle. Happily, nature has not gifted them with the power of expressing themselves at any length, and their speeches have the grace of brevity. Tndeed, the council shines in negative virtues. Its chief title to respect is", that it does very little mischief, but the mere abstinence from evil is not sufficient to secure the permanence, or even to justify the existence, of a political institution * • * * * * * The principle on which, the Legislative Council has been constituted has been to choose the richest, or presumed richest men, irrespective of any other qualification, provided.they were tolerably presentable. Of course there have been exceptions to this rule. The men appointed by the Government from time to time, to represent them, have been necessarily men of some rank, but we speak of the general body of members. Riches and legislative capacity, in the Colonies especially, by no means run together. Men who have given their whole minds to acquiring wealth, and few indeed become rich who do not do so, will naturally have come to regard their own pockets as the chief object, and will view their legislative functions as subsidiary to their private interests. Men of this temper of mind will steadily legislate for their class, and will probably job if it is worth their while to do so. There is no more da- gerous fallacy than to suppose that, because a man has done well for himself he will therefore do well for the public. The capacity for acquiring wealth frequently exists entirely apart from education,intelligenceorstatesmanship. and if it did not, if aman who had acquired great wealth had the capacity for legislation, we may be sure that he did not get his riches by that sacrifice of private interests which a political career demands. Experience, intellect, education—these are the qualities that are absolutely in members of the Legislative Council, if the Council is to fulfil its proper functions. At present the Council contains one or two able men, one or two more passable ones, and the rest rich or supposed rich dummies, some of whom can't even speak the Queen's English correctly.