The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 474, 8 February 1881, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8.

Tiik dairymen of the Peninsula are at present in a bad way. We know that it is an article of popular belief that the British fanner is a privileged being, and that one of his main privileges is a right to grumble ; but the Peninsula " cockatoo " does not exercise this privilege much. Asa rule, be is a contented being. During the season he works early and late, treats himself to very few pleasures or extravagancies, and, as a rule, is thankful if when he receives his final account sales he finds his store accouuls wiped uIY and has a pound or two in hand towards buying that twenty-acre section which he has set his heart on as the coping .sti'itu of his happiness in this world.

But it would be matter for surprise if this equanimity were not disturbed by the circnni.'.tances sniTonmlin_r hitn :;t the present time. The price of his staple produ-t has fallen .so low.as to ridtn-f' Ins income by one'half. We do not profess to be experts in dairy business, but it does not require much special.■ knowledge to discern that cheese at threepence per pound cm afford but very poor remuneration for the labor bestowed upon 'its production without taking into consideration rent, interest on capital,or that payable on land partly encumbered.

Under these circumstances the question naturally arises—What is to be done ? It is of no use to sit down and wring the hands ; neither is it of any avnil to complain of ihe action of individuals, storekeepers, merchants, or others. The plain fact of tho matter-is that tho market is glutted. The-pro-duction of-the commodity has increased here and elsewhere, and the quantity required for consumption is not materially greater than it was years ago, when the Peninsula was the chief source of supply for the colony at large.

Now, unless our dairy fanners are prepared to abandon the pursuit they have followed, on the whole successfully, for so long a period, they must put their heads together, stand .shoulder to shoulder, and seek out and discover fresh markets for their staple production. The Australian markets, besides being fairly supplied from within, are practically barred by protective duties. There remains, however, tho world's market— Great Britain. Her teeming millions of population can consume any conceivable quantities of provisions that can be sent them. Once tap this market, and a minimum price will at once be established, below which produce win -h can be landed in London and Liverpool cannot fall. It is not many years ago since the export of wheat to the Old C< it itry was established.'' The enormous development of grain growing which has followed this

enterprise is patent to the .most superficial observation.

At present the export of oats and oatmeal has been commenced. If that succeeds, we shall hear no more of this cereal being sold at the ruinous prices of last season. We might .multiply instances, but it is not necessary to do so. We contend that the dairy farmers (f the Peninsula must do for themselves wh it has been done by and for their brethren of the Plains.

In attempting to strike out a new line s-ucli as we have indicated, it is always possible that the first steps may iiot be attended with success. Many of the great successes of modern times have been erected on foundations which have been cemented by the losses incurred by those who have initiated the proceedings, and by whose experience subsequent adventmers have profitid. In a matter affecting the welfare-of all dairy fanners, therefore, it would not be •fair to expect one or two to take on themselves all the trouble and risk which would attend a venture of the kind. Where all are likely to be benefited, all shouM assist in the initiatory steps.

What we would suggest is that the dairy farmers should form an association for the purpose of making a trial shipment of cheese to England. If twenty or thirty tons could be collected together, it would be quite sufficient as an experiment. If care were taken to distinguish the different kinds, the shippers would learn by the reports which kind was most suitable or otherwise for the English market. Should the first shipment prove a failure, the loss to any individual would be inconsiderable, and in any case the knowledge and experience gained would be extremely valuable.

As being intimately bound up with the prosperity or otherwise ol the district, we consider wo have done our duty in throwing out the above suggestions. It is for those directly interrested to act upon them. We think tha', on consider; tion, they cannot fail to acquiesce in their reasonableness.

'* No time like the present " is an adage of gnat value in general. But in the case-under review it becomes exceedingly applicable. The steamship Norfolk left Plymouth on the first of this month for Lyttelton direct. She will probably be ready to sail on her return voyage in six weeks or thereabouts. There could not be a bettor opportunity for shippers. They would be able to receive returns in time to furnish them with a guide as to this season's cheese.

A South Australian newspaper has ihe following article commenting on a decision given by the Snrremo Court of S\dney some short time ago, by which the judges of that colony inflicted what was intended for a crushing fineupon an unfortunate newspaper man who had dared to criticise one of their number. The curious thing about the matter is that while the Press in Sydney is muzzled on the subject, a journal published in a neighboring colony can comment on the New South Wales Bench in a much more severe manner than that which produced the penalty referred to. There is no doubt that the position is a most illogical one. To be consistent, only two courses are open to the judges. One is that they abandon what we consider the dangerous .and inordinate powers they now claim of acting as accusers, judge and jury in cases affecting themselves, and be willing to come before a jury of their countrymen for redress when they feel themselves

aggrieved

Another would be to establish a censorship such as exists, say in and by means of overhauling the postoffice prevent the entries of newspapers containing dangerous matter from places beyond their jurisdiction. It would be taking too optimist a view of human nature to hope that men endowed with arbitrary power will voluntarily resign any portion of it, and therefore we have little hope of the first alternative being adopted ; and, much enduring as British colonists are, we hardly think they would submit to the second. We make a present of the problem to their Honors the Judges of the various Australian Colonies. The following is the. article referred to :—

The judges in Sydney are unfortunately afflicted with a desire to become vindictive, unpopular, and uivj-st. Temporary Judge Windeyer opened the ball by pitching into a reportrr and {recusing him of being drunk. . The reporter has rather an < ccentrie and excitable manner, but he happens to be an exceedingly temperate man. Mr Windeyer ought, therefore, to have apologised for the language he made use of when he accused the reporter (f being tinder the influence of liquor boili when acting as a reporter and as a witness. If a judge were to treat some men in this shameful manner lie would roc. ivo a elmllenerf*, jind should he refuse to accept it he would be publicly braie'ed as a coward as well as a liar. Temporary Judge Windeyer deserves a little rou_di handling, and this he has received from the Press. A Sydney paper severely commented on his unfairness, and he retaliated by accusing the proprietors of contempt of court. Tho three other judges, acting as a<. elisors, judge, and jury, condemned the pro| rietors 11 pay a line of ±'250, and thus outraged every colonist's sense of justice. The Oovernment can return the fine, and thus pass a vote of censure on the judges, or the colonists can raise the money by private subscription, and thus administer a severe rebuke on the heads

of the law. These sons of the law and servants of the peopb lake too much upon themselves, and it is time they were taught a lesson. The people make their own laws, and employ certain men to see they are properly carried out. From the Attorney-General to the policeman, and from the judge to the hangman, we expect all to do their duty and no more.

A judge is not a king. He is merely a man who is handsomely paid by tiie Government to preside over one of the departments of the Civil Service. If he misbehave himself, he must expect his conduct to he criticised by the Press. There is no special odntir of divinity about him. lie is certainly far from infallible, for his decisions are often contradictory, sometimes unfair, nnd not nt;frequently opposed to the views of another judge. Had Mr Windeyer been accused of being corrupt, which he was not, he should have prosecuted his accusers, and left the verdict to a jury of twelve. It might happen that the Press were obliged to expose a corrupt judge, i.nd to allow him to -muzzle the Press is an absurdity the people will refuse to sanction. Tho Sydney judges, like our colonial Conservatives, must be very short-sighted men, or they would recognise the fact that those who are placed in authority should care'ully avoid exercising arbitrary power. The-.-have simply created, by their undignified action, a strong public opinion in favor of clipping their wings, and rendered themselves ridiculous as well as obnoxious. As for that pitiable bundle of imbecility, 'Mr Windeyer, he has proved the truth of the old p-overb about putting a beggar on horseback. The sooner he is removed the better for himself aiuL everybody else. How he ever managed to obtain the appointment is a mystery to us, and we can only suppose that he is one of the numerous creditors of a leading member of the Cabinet, or a former tool of some unscrupuluous politician.

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