The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1883. A Colonial Disgrace.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1039, 4 September 1883, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1883. A Colonial Disgrace.

There was a time when we could boast that the manner in which Parliamentary proceedings were carried on in New Zealand formed an example which might be followed with advantage by neighboring colonies. The unseemly squabbles and strong language which were so frequently reported as having occurred in the deliberative assemblies of Victoria and New South Wales were unknown here, but what has taken place during the present session of our Parliament is sufficient to show that we have no longer any right to consider our representatives to be any better than thpse pf our neighbors. At frequent intervals during the past few months time has been wasted over the discussion of trivial personal' matters possessing no public importance, and the dignity which we were accustomed to point to. as exemplary seems to have utterly departed from the House of Representatives. We have heard members slang-whanging each other like the famed fishwives of Billingsgate, and recklessly throwing out imputations of personal dishonor and corruption. Far be it from us to say that the great majority of our representatives do not still possess the qualifications of gentlemen, and the fact that our Parliament has sunk so low in the estimation of everyone who has the interests of the colony at heart is due to the conduct of a few refractory members. We know upon the best authority that “ a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump,” and in like manner it is the presence of such men as Messrs Fish, Dargaville and one or two more of the same kind that has brought the House to its present undignified position. But unquestionably the most disgraceful scene that has taken place during the session happened on Saturday evening. A Ipcal Bill dealing with the constitution of the Otago Harbor Board was being discussed, and the occasion was used by the Dunedin members to vent their personal spleen against each Ever since Mr M. W. Green removed himself and his conscience from the Opposition to the Ministerial side of the House he has been subject to the abuse of his whilom friends, Mr Fish and Mr Bracken having made themselves specially noticeable in this direction. We are sorry to couple the name of the member for Dunedin Central with that, of his fellow representative, and to dp the former gentleman justice he rarely oversteps the bounds of good taste even in his most heated moments. He has, too, the redeeming feature in his character of being witty, and his sallies are often marked with decided humor. Mr Fish’s mnaner, on the other hand, is simply brutal, and his abuse of everything and everybody not agreeing with him is so virulent that even the party to which he belongs must be (ashamed of him. The epithet applied to him by Mr Seddon albeit coming from the source it did, it reminded one forcibly of Satan reproving sin—fits the member for Dunedin South like a glove. He is nothing more nor less than a “ political blatherskite.” On Saturday evening he managed to fall foul of the Canterbury members, especially selecting Mr E. G. Wright as an object for vituperation of the coarsest kind. It is not likely that the member for Ashburton will be affected in the slightest degree by this, and most people will come to the conclusion that the disapproval of such a man as Mr Fish is a recommendation rather than otherwise. There cannot be two opinions concerning the latest exhibition of the Parliamentary degradation which this colony has reached, and as there is always the chance of a recurrence of such scenes we certainly think that the sooner the House separates the better.

Mails for the United Kingdom, etc., via San Francisco, will close at the Ashburton post-office on Saturday morning, at 10 o’clock. f*,*. '

The Salvation Army opened a campaign at Oamaru on Sunday. In the evening the Volunteer Hall was crowded, but the audience was rowdy in the extreme. Singing, whistling, and talking were indulged in. This led Major Pollard to remark that Oamaru had less regard for religion than any other town in New Zealand he had been in.

That portion of the Ashburton population which finds a resting-place during certain hours of the day in the R.M. Court had an opportunity of learning one, of those “things not generally known ”! that the antiquarian Mr Timbs used to write about. In the course of evidence taken in an assault case it was stated that it is the practice in newspaper offices to whistle that doleful melody the Dead March in “ Saul ” whilst the formes are carried to the machine. This musical ceremony is, we suppose, intended to commemorate the death of the day’s work, but at any rate the custom is a curious one and worthy of comment as one of the humors of a somewhat dreary profession. The half-yearly report of the Foresters showed that there were eighteen Courts in the United Otago district, numbering 1,316 members, with funds to the amount of L 16,160 3s B£d, the most of which was placed on mortgage realising 8 per cent on an average. During the past halfyear the Courts had paid away in sick pay L 325 15s; for doctors and medicine, LBl6 9s 4d; and LBO for funeral claims. It was resolved—That the question of establishing a branch of the Juvenile Foresters for lads under eighteen years of age be left in the hands of the officers to make the necessary enquiries, and to brin, up a scheme at the next half-yearly meeting in February, 1884 ; also to bring up a scheme for the life assurance for members similar to that adopted by the Foresters in England. A sad accident occurred at the Thames on Saturday afternoon. The brigantine Seabird arriving from Auckland, Mr Bayldon (Harbor-master) put off for the purpose of piloting her up the river. Among the crew was a young man named Henry Harris, engineer of the dredge. Upon reaching the vessel a rope was thrown from on board, to which Harris and another man held. The brigantine was travelling at the rate of three knots. The men were ordered to let go, but Harris did not appear to hear, and continued his hold. He was drawn overboard, and after continuing at the end of the rope about 200 yards, sank, and did not re-appear. Dragging operations have since been carried on, but without success. Harris had not been long at the Thames, and was formerly employed on the s s. Kennedy.

On Friday night last natives residing at Mangakutari obstructed the Government survey party under Mr Cussens, who are laying off a Government road through that country. The natives came down to where the Europeans were working in the evening, and ordered them to desist at once. The Europeans immediately complied with the request until they should hear from head quarters. 'Cussens went out on Saturday morning and explained matters to the natives, who it appears are divided amongst themselves, and have fought with' each other over the question at issue. Cussens has been successful in arranging the difficulty for the present. Had the natives not conceded, or had they offered any further obstruction, the Constabulary stationed at Cambridge were under orders to proceed to the scene of the disturbance.

The Dunedin Gaol Commission have issued their report, and make the following recommendationsTo the Government: —l. That the late gaoler of Dunedin prison, Mr Jas. Caldwell, be required to retire! from the service upon the pension; to which, we understand, he is entitled. 2. That the services of the Medical Officer, -Dr Burns, be dispensed with. 3. That Warders Flannery, Watson, and Noonan be removed from the service. 4. That all warders in Dunedin Prison who have served therein for more than three years be exchanged to other pri-ons at the earliest opportunity; 5. That all prison officers, including gaolers, should in future be appointed subject to the condition of periodical removal to other prisons. 6. That all charges against warders shall, if required by the accused officers, be heard by a Resident Magistrate, together with one or more Yisiting Justices. 7. That the powers and duties of the Inspector of Prisons be clearly defined by the Act. 8. That every fresh offence of malingering should be dealt with by an R.M., and that the evidence of two qualified medical men should be required for conviction. 9. That the power of punishment of prison offences by additional imprisonment now entrusted to Visiting Justices should be vested in a R. M. after hearing in open Court. 10. That a monthly return of all punishment for prison offences be furnished by each gaoler to the Inspector of Prisons. 11. That stringent regulations should be framed to provide for the safety of prison armouries. 12. That, as regards firstclass prisons, during the absence of the matron, either on leave of absence or from other cause, the gaol should not be left without a female officer in attendance on the female prisoners. The following account of the death of Carey, the Irish informer, is to hand by the mail which arrived by the Tarawera at the Bluff yesterday Carey, bis wife, and seven children, the eldest fifteen, joined the Kinfauna Caatle at Dartmouth under the assumed name of Power, in the third class cabin. Carey and wife indulged freely in liquor during the voyage. His identity was wormed out of the children by two passengers, who told O’Donnell. The latter practised revolver shooting at Table Bay, until the chief officer ordered him to desist, when he said Power was no other than Carey, adding if he were satisfied of his identity he would “ d soon let daylight into his vile carcase." It seems probable that O’Donnell took indefatigable measures by conversation with the children to assure himself of Carey’s identity. Both were transhipped at Capetown to the steamer Melrose, a coasting steamer, auxiliary to the Union line. She left on the 28th July. Everything went well until the 29th when about a quarter to four in the after noon cries of murder wore heard forward. Carey was standing near the cabin on the starboard side, and O’Donnell fired a shot at him, hitting Carey in the neck. O’Donnell fired two more shots, taking effect in the back of the loins. Carey ran to his wife’s arms, crying “ Maggie, I am shot. O’Donnell shot me.” James Parish, an officer’s servant, put his finger to the bullet hole in the neck to try and stop the bleeding. Dr Everett attended, but Carey died in three-quarters of an hour after being shot. Captain Rosa, of the Melrose, gave orders to have O’Donnell put in irons, which was done immediately. He made a search in O’Donnell’s cabin, and found a large revolver and a box of caps, also a suspicious looking case, measuring 9in by 9in and 7in deep. On being carefully opened it was proved to be some sort of an electric machine. It was deemed prudent to heave it overboard, which was accordingly done.

Mother Swan’s Worm Syrup.—lnfallible, tasteless, harmless, cathartic ; for feverishness, restlessness, wotmsy constipation, is at druggists. Moses, Moss and Co., Sydney, General Agents. 2

“Rough on Rats.” —Clears out rats, mice, roaches, flies, ants, bed-bugs, beetles, insects, skunks, jack-rabbits, gophers. Druggists. Moses, Moss and Co., Sydney, General Agents. 8