The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1883. The New Minister.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1093, 6 November 1883, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1883. The New Minister.

The result of the Premier’s visit to Auckland has been more disastrous than was expected by those who believed that its object was to give a portfolio to a Northern representative. The idea of according to Mr Peacock a seat in the Cabinet, simply on the grounds of his having been returned by an Auckland constituency and without regard to his fitness for the post of a Minister, was preposterous enough, but we were comforted by the reflection that he was not to occupy Mr Johnston’s place. If it was necessary to have provincial representation in the Government, then a member from the North might have held the position lately occupied by Mr Oliver, where he could have done little harm or good. This would probably have satisfied the Auckland malcontents, but the colony has beei\ astounded by the news that Mr E, Mitchelson, the member for Marsden, has been offered and has accepted the office of Minister of Public Works. Most people will naturally ask, who is Mr Mitchelson ? His name appears but seldom in the reports of Parliamentary debates, and he has assuredly never shown any special qualifications for what may be regarded as the most important post in the Government. Indeed, even those who may be fairly supposed to know most of the new Minister and to be chiefly interested in his appointment have little to say in his favor. In yesterday’s issue we reprinted an extract from the New Zealand Herald, the organ which was loudest in advocating the right of Auckland to be represented in the Government, and if what was said there is the best that can be urged in Mr Mitchelson’s favor, it is very plain that the choice of the Premier cannot be justified. Whatever merits the member for Marsden possesses seem to be of an entirely negative kind. “He has not shown himself ambitious of the fame of a glib talker, who delights to air his notions before the House on every occasion,” we are told, and this is presumably to be accepted as evidence of special wisdom. Beyond question our Parliament is preeminently a talking one, and many of the talkers are not particularly wise, but we never heard the logic of the sailor who believed the parrot he possessed to be “ a beggar to think,” simply because the bird said little, applied to human beings. Another reason for considering the choice of Major Atkinson to be a happy one put forward by our Auckland contemporary is that Mr Mitchelson was once an apprentice to a carpenter, and consequently has the advantage of having received a mechanical training. This is the most astonishing argument we ever happed upon, Mr Mitchelson will probably not make a worse Minister of Public Works because hewas once a carpenter, but he will certainly not on that account make a better one. Abraham Lincoln was in the early part of his life a splitter of rails, but surely it cannot be said that this had anything to do with his subsequently becoming the greatest President America ever had. If, therefore, Mr Mitchelson eclipses all his predecessors in office, it will not be because he was formerly a carpenter’s apprentice, but in spite of that fact. The appointment of an untried man was especially a mistake at the present juncture. The new Minister has a very heavy task before him ; large and important works are impending, and we have been promised that the civil service is to be reformed. It is in the last degree unlikely that Mr Mitchelson will be equal to what is required of him, and Major Atkinson will have cause to regret an action which at best only benefits Auckland at the expense of the whole colony.

The only case at the R.M. Court this morning was a breach of the Borough by-laws, for which a fine of 5s was inflicted. Mr Baddeley delivered his judgment in the case of O’iShea v. Dunn, tried on Friday last. Ho said that ho did not consider that the plaintiff in this action had proved his case sufficiently to justify judgment being given for a large amount. Certain items which amounted to 12a 9d wore proved, and judgment would therefore be for the plaintiff for that sum.

By the Penguin from Fiji, the following items of Fiji news has been received The schooner Energy, at Levnka, reports having been in s the islands as far aa the Banks’ Group. On arriving at Apia, one of the stations which belong to the owners of the schooner, it was found that a trader at the station named Edward McEwan had been shot the day before. The coast tribe say that a bushman fired, killing their chief and afterwards McEwan. In going north towards the Bank Group, the Energy touched at Aohau, where she heard that a Frenchman, Matthew Ferries, had been tomahawked in a small cutter belonging to the Company fcr which the Energy trades. He was killed while buying nuts. A Mallicolo boy and one Lifou boy swam ashore, and eventually saved the cutter, although she had been completely looted. At Rewa, a filtorer named Archibald Wilson, in the employment of the Colonial Sugar Company, was brutally murdered by some person or persons unknown.

Ashburton is about to be visited by an equestrian entertainment, Mr Sat Clair Jones, the advance agent of Woodyaar’s electric circus, having arrived here to make the necessary arrangements. The opening night is fixed for the 14th inat. Articles between Edwards |and J. M. O’Connor were signed last night for a 50miles match for L 25 a aide, LlO to be deposited, and Ll 5 to be paid on Friday. The match will begin on Saturday at 1.30 so as to end about 10 p.m. O’Connor runs at the Timaru sports on Friday. The Dunedin police last night made a raid on the City Tattersall’s a place where it is alleged a totalisator is worked. They arrested fifteen persons, who were in the room at the time. They were all bailed out. The police remain in possession of the premises, in which they found a registedng apparatus. The stewards of the Victorian Jockey Club, after careful consideration, have found that Archie’s running in the Derby was cue to an error of judgment on the part of Huxley, the jockey, in keeping behind so long, and although censuring him (Huxley) have dismissed tho charge.

The Christchurch Benevolent Association during the past year considered 1678 applications and relieved 270 cases, viz.: —Married men, 122 ; widows, 78 ; deserted wives, 25 ; single (chiefly aged and infirm), 46. The number of children dependent on the above was 990 The value of the relief afforded was L 1,038. A child two years old was found on Sunday in a well at Kaiapoi, and was pulled out at once apparently dead. Artificial respiration was resorted to, and animation was restored. Tho shock to the nervous system, however, was too great, and the child died in two hours. A man for vaulting the Inspector of Nuisances at Christchurch in the execution of his duty had to pay in fine and costs i-4 18s.

Mr Watt, R.M., held an impromptu Court at Oatram on Saturday under amusing circumstances. Two men turned out of an hotel indulged in some rowdy behaviour. Eventually one ran away, and Mr Watt, who had been standing quietly by, rolling a cigarette, stepped up to the other and there and then fined him 20s, or in default three days. Tho local constable collected the fine.

Captain A. J. Kuatel, a gentleman of Samoa, bougnt a vessel named the Vavau, and after it had been repaired Captain Kuatel told hia friends on shore he was going out in her in order to test her capabilities, and said she would return in two days, but nothing has since been heard of the vessel, although some months have elapsed since she left Samoa for her two days’ cruise. There is very little room for doubt as to the fate of the vessel and all on board

The trial of McGregor v. Boyd was continued at Wanganui for the fifth day, before the Justice yesterday. The principal evidence taken was that of the manager of the Bank where the deceased John McGregor kept his account, and two doctors who attended him ; all of whom considered him more or less mentally incapable of transacting important business. The plaintiff s case closed and Mr Travers, on behalf of the defendants, obtained an adjournment till to-day. It is understood that negotiations for a compromise are very likely to be brought to a successful issue before then.

At the Christchurch Orange demonstration yesterday afternoon, resolutions to ths following effect wore carried : —(1) Renewal of pledgj as Orangemen ; (2) Condemning the Irish Land League as responsible for the state of arnachy and frequent crimes and gene al demoralisation in Ireland; (3) Determination to maintain the present system of State education ; (4) Expressive of horror at the Phoenix Park murders ; (5) To pro test against the attempt by the Government of England to open diplomatic relations with the court of Romo.