TOWN EDITION. The Daily Telegraph WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3261, 14 December 1881, Page 2

TOWN EDITION. The Daily Telegraph WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1881.

Following up the subject of the principle upon which representation should be based, and which we have endeavoured to show should have no connection with local interests, we naturally come to.the education of the people in politics. The North Otago Times takes up the subject, and says :—" Few people realise the importance of politics. In this colony, for example, many persons take no interest whatever in the public affairs of their adopted country. These may be divided into three classes—namely, persons of the very lowest order of intelligence, persons who assume that nothing can affect their interests save what they themselves do personally, and persons who, having been accustomed to hear and read about English statesmanship in England itself, cannot bring their lofty minds so low as to examine the petty affairs of a colony. The first are fools by nature, the second by mistake, and the third by choice. From them the country, politically, can derive nothing save taxes. It is grievous to have to add that those who do take an active interest in politics can scarcely in justice be spoken of in language a whit more complimentary. To jndge justly we must judge according to all the evideDce. All the evidence of the political intelligence of those who take an interest in public affairs consists in the character of the persons they return to Parliament, in the letters that are written to the newspapers by electors, the questions that are put to candidates, and the motives that palpably influence voters at the time of an election. The motives of the electors are the measure of the character of the persons returned to Parliament. The character depends upon the motives, and both are as a rule petty and contemptible in the extreme. Politics—that is, systematised thoughts and plans calculated to subserve the welfare of the whole colony—count for little with hole and corner communities and one-horse electorates ; politics, therefore, have but little to do with the return of members to Parliament, and members of Parliament are, with a few chance exceptions, seldom politicans in the true sense of the word. Properly speaking they are, as a class in this country, mere parish delegates, and are seldom aeked to do, or are capable of doing, iv Parliament anything higher than urging the cutting of a ditch here and the construction of a culvert yonder. They are blind to all the higher lights of statecraft, and there is no doubt a grim propriety in their becoming the leaders of persons blind to the iuterests of the common wealth, or so short-sighted &9 to deem it wise or even expedient to make the advocacy of local interests the first aud most imperative duty of their

representatives ia Parliament. This parochial localism pervades like a putrifying disease the entire body politic. Look at the letters which crowd the columns of the newspapers at the time of an election for the General Assembly. One would think they must refer to a contest for the election of church wardens in some factious village congregation, or of town councillors in some clique-divided borough. Seldom, if ever, do we find expressed in these precious epistles anything save personal preferences or antipathies, or parochial predilections. One might as successfully look for diamonds in a dungheap as for national politics, or, properly speaking, any politics at all, in the common run of these electioneering epistles, So with the questions put by the electors to the majority of candidates. If tney sound their man on the propriety of farther national borrowing it is not with the view to the money being spent on national undertakings, but in the building of a local courthouse, the fencing of a local common, or the deepening of some difeh which goes by the name of the local harbor. And the man who most vehemently undertakes to get public money spent on these objects is the man who gets their votes, anrt not by any means he whose policy is to do nothing for the people save to see that the public debt is reduced, taxation curtailed, the Civil Service pruned and weeded, the meddlesomeness of Government curbed, and the people left as much as possible in possession of their own means. The fact is that so far there has never been " no such person " as this in New Zealand politics. The country needs him greatly, jet the people appear to be in nowise anxious for bis advent. fie himself would seem to be a most retiring individual. We at least detect no token of his presence in the herd of lumpish localists who are now filliDg the country as it were with—let us say, the braying of trumpets.

Owing to pressure upon our space we are obliged to hold over the 'Frisco mail summary.

A meeting , of members of the Wesleyan body will be held this evening in Trinity Church to consider the question of holding a bazaar for the purpose of increasing the congregational funds.

Wo observe on view in the shop window of Mr W. E. WeodH, chemist, Hastingsstreet, a bottle of raw parraffine from the Poverty Bay oil springs. The color of the liquid is dark green, and it is considered by judges to be a good specimen.

A " Parent " pugeests that the balance of the proceeds of the late entertainment in aid of the prize fund for the Napier district school should, instead of being spent in the purchase of an organ, go towards giving the children a pic-nic in the country.

A meeting of the Union Rowing Club was held at the Provincial Hotel last evening at 8 o'clock, Mr S. E. Cooper in the ohair. Five members were proposed and duly elected. The remaining portion of the business was of an unimportant character.

Mr G. Vesey Stewart is not elected after all for Tauranga, the complete returns from the polling places giving Captain Morris a majority of 10. Captain Morris represented the Fast Coast district in the Parlia ment before last, and his return to the House will be welcomed by his old associates.

No two newspapers appear to agree as to the result of the general election. The Christchurch Press, a staunch Ministerial journal, gives the Government a good working majority. The Wanganui Herald makes out that only 38 Government supporters are elected, while the Wanganui Chronicle gives the Ministry 47, and doubtfuls 5.

His Honor Mr Justice Richmond dropped a good wrinkle for housewives when suramins up yesterday in tho second case against Rendle. He remarked that, although housekeepers were very much in the habit of stuffing a grate full of paper to light a fire, there was scarcely anything which could be used for that purpose which burnt so badly or more slowly than paper.

Cary's " Babies," as this energetic impressario's juvenile troupe is called, are earning for themselves a high reputation in Wellington. The papers there gave the children the highest praise for their performance of " Chilperic," which is drawing crowded houses. ' Mr Gary opens here on Boxing night with the " Pirates of Penzance," and brings with him an excellent orchestra, new scenery, and his brilliant troupe of fifty juveniles.

In returning thanks at the declaration of the poll yesterday at Auckland for his election, Sir George Grey referred to the defeat of his former colleagues, Messrs Ballance, Fisher, and De Lautour. The impression here was that the last named gentleman had been re-elected for his old district of Mount Ida. It will be remembered, however, that in our Saturday's issue the returns showed De Lautour, 205; McKenzie, 177, and five more returns to come in, so that there was plenty of room for a defeat.

Professor Fraser again lectured at the Protestant Hall last evening. The subject of the lecture " Our Young Folks, ,, was treated in an interesting manner, numerous valuable hints on the rearing and management of children being afforded. The usual examination of heads concluded the programme, four nominees ascending the platform for the purpose of hearing their traits of character read. A third lecture on " How to Succeed in Life " will be given to-morrow (Thursday) evening.

A correspondent sends us the following : —" It is time that the proceedings of Mr Lascelles in the R. M. Court are brought before the Bar of public opinion, since no other tribunal known in Hawke's Bay, except, possibly, the Supreme Court, seems to be powerful enough to curb him. Yesterday one of the most respectable of Hawke's Bay farmers gave evidence in a case in which his recollection of the facts slightly differed from that of Mr Lascelles , client. The latter was plaintiff in the action, the other was an absolutely disinterested witnes, yet Mr Lascelles charged the witness with deliberate perjury, and the insult was allowed to pass unrebuked."

In some of tho Southern papers we observe Mr Buchanan is classed amongst Ministeral supporters of the new Parliament. We ranked him amongst the " doubtf uls," and others claim him to be Opposition. However this may be, it is impossible to say with any degree of certainty how the members will range themselves until the leader of the Opposition is chosen. If Sir George Grey is chosen, and " Separation '' is included in his policy, as well as the reversal of the present native policy, then we do not think Mr Buchanan will bo found to be in Opposition ; if ho be ho will have stultified himself in the complete contradiction of his address to the electors.

The usual meeting of the Napier School Committee was held last evening. Present —Messrs Dobson (chairman), Williams, McVay, Fielder, and Craig. Mr Hill's report on the recent examination was received and read. The report showed that good progrese had been made in the school by both teachers and pupils, the greater part of the children having passed the late examination successfully. A number of applications for the position of mistress to the infant school, rendered vacant by Miss Mann's resignation, were considered. It was ultimately decided to recommend the appointment of Mrs Doar, of Riverton. Miss Mann received a cordial vote of thanks for her past services, and after some unimportant routine business the committee adjourned.

The Eoturninsr Officer for tho Ha wire's Bay electorate officially declared the state of thepoJl at noon yesterday at Hustings. The

numbers polled by the respective candidates were as follow:—Mr Sutton, -198 ; OapUin Russell, 488; being , a majority of 10 votes in favor of Mr Sutton Both gentlemen weres present, and delivered brief addresses. Captain Russell returned thanks to his supporters, and expressed his intention of coming forward again when opportunity offers. Mr Sutton thanked the electors for the honorable position in which they had placed him. He said that in so far as the present Government (who he believed would do their best for the country) went in the diiection which his judgment might consider right he would support them. ( heera for Mr Sutton, Captain Russell, and the Returning Officers, terminated the proceedings.

At the criminal sitting of the Supreme Court to-day four hours were taken up in examining and cross-examining Mr Stevens, the principal witness for the prosecution in the cattle-stealing case against Peddle. Mr Lee occupied two hours of this time in cross-examination. His Honor after submitting patiently for a long time, had at length occasion to reg test that MrLee would put no more questions in crossexamination than were of absolute importance to the case, otherwise a week would, be required to hear all the witnesses. The second witness was being examined at the time of our going to press.

The marriage of Mr J. T. Carr, Ensrineer of Public Works for the district of Hawke's Bay, with the eldest daughter of F. Sutton, Esq., M.H.R., attracted this morning a crowded congregation at St. Paul's Presbyterian Church. The bridegroom, attended by Messrs J. E. Fulton, 0. A. Evven, R. C. McKay, and J. Bostock, took up a position in front of tbe choir rails at five rninuces to eleven, during- which time a " Biide's March" was played on the organ by Mr Aplin, the organist. Punctually at eleven o'clock the bride, led by her father, accompanied by Mrs Sutton, and followed by the two Miss Suttons, Miss Ellison, and Miss Miller, bridesmaids, entered the church, and the marriaire ceremony was performed by the Rev. D. Sidey. "The " Wedding March" struck up at the close of the proceedings, and after the necessary forms had been gone through in the vestry room the bride and hridegroom drove to Royston, Mr Sutton's residence, followed by a string of carriages.

"A stich in time saves nine-" is a common proverb, with an equally common applicability to every phase and circumstance and transaction of human life. Auinitiat ry step or action often saves much subsequent trouble and inconvenience. If those who are threatened with gout, irravel, dyspepsia, indigestion, nervous debility, flatulence, nausea, or kidney complaints, would only use Udolpho Wolfe's Schiedam Aeouati Schnapps, they would, if not suppressing any decided development, at least prevent any aggravation of ther disorders.—j_Advt.]

Meeting of Trinity Church congregation this evening at 7.30. Declaration of polls for Napier and Waipawa districts to-morrow at noon. Mr Lyndon holds a sale of valuable suburban sections at his rooms to-morrow at 2 p.m. Distribution of prizes at Port district school and examination of scholars at Meanee College to-morrow. Mr Ormond returns thanks to the electors who strove to return him to Parliament. Distribution of: prizes at the district school, Napier, on Friday at 2.30 p.m. Tenders are invited for alterations to the teacher's residence Kaikora. Plans, &c, at the offices of Mr W. A. Duglebj, architeeb to the hducation Board. The poll for the Eastern Maori electoral district will ho declared at noon on Thursday. Professor Fnser at the Protestant Hall tomorrow night. Vocal and instrumental concert at the Theatre on Tuesday. Poison will belaid on all paddocks belonging to Mr J. N. Williams adjoining Hastings after this elate. All debts due to the estate of W. H. Chappoll must be paid to Mr it. OK Graham on or before December 31, to prevent legal proceedings. Mont-eith's usual stock and produce sale at the Horse Bazaar on Saturday. Ruddock and Fryer have now landing horse rakes in various sizes. Annual meeting t»t. John's Branch H.A.C.8.5., on Wednesday next. Captain Russell inserts a notice to the electors of Hawke's Bay. A number of new advertisements will be found in our " Wanted " column.