The Daily Telegraph. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3782, 29 August 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1883.

~ Replying tbe other day in the LegislatiA-e J Council to a question on the subject of the prorogation, the Premier stated that ho thought the session ivould come to an end r on AVednesday, September sth. It has not L been made quite clear why the session should come to an end this day week. The difficulty of keeping the House together seems the only reason why Parliament should be prorogued. AVo hear that the attendance of members has for some time past been most scanty, and it is evident that they are all heartily tired of their legislative duties. A short three months' session , seems to us as much as they can stand. The House is wearied out by useless and often senseless debates upon nothing of any importance to the real welfare of the colony, to the neglect, year after year, of urgent * public business. It is only but a few days ago that the Order Paper presented a list of sixty-eight Bills, and but very few of these ' will havo-a chance of being oven considered, much less passed. Tho Bills that will bo thus alloAved to perish will probably form the materials for a " resurrection pie " next session, but only to meet with the same inconsiderate slaughter when honorable members become tired of AVellington. Govern--2 ment measures arc treated no better than private Bills at this point of tho session. Everything is sacrificed for the con- _• veniencc of members, whoso increased i numbers since the last general elections have had no beneficial effect on the business capacity of the House. Speaking of the _• approaching prorogation the Christchurch Telegraph says the reports of several special , committees are only just coming in, and time is needed to prepare measures giving 5 effect to their suggestions. Nothing has been done with reference to the management of railways or the special taxation of 3 lands specially benefited by railway construction as foreshadowed iv the Public , AVorks Statement. In fact, things aro very far from being- ripe for prorogation. But members arc not likely to suffer themselves to be detained in AVellington on that account. . They are heartily sick of their work, and are anxious to got away to their homes at any price, and after the experience of last year we may be sure they will not stop short at anything. This is the natural corollary to the obstruction and waste of time that characterised the earlier part of l the session. Days and nights ivere consumed in tho discussion of motions ivhich could not result in anything, and in asking all sorts of foolish questions, and now when thero is a lot of real business to bo done no one has the patience to wait. Tho Settled Land Bill is a fine example of tho way tho ' "innocents" are led to the slaughter. It is introduced at the eleventh hour just to ventilate the subject with which it deals, and has no show of being passed. It docs not make much difference whether it passes this session or not, for there is no immediate hurry for it, though we believe its provisions to be good. But if it cannot bo passed this session why introduce it at all and add to the confusion of the already overloaded Order Paper ? Instead of surcharging- the Order Paper in this way somo process of selection would be advisable to sift out the necessary measures from the unnecessary ones, so that those which the country wants might be persisted in and the others dropped. If the House takes a fit of indecent haste it would be well if there was method iv it, and that the slaughter should not bo indiscriminate. Out of the hub-bub thero has arisen the old question of the suitability of AA 7 ellington for being the seat of Parliament. Members complain that it takes so long to go to and fro that they aro precluded from attending to their business. If Parliament met at some more accessible place, Southern members would bo able to repair to their homes weekly, and it ivould cause them no inconvenience if the session were prolonged. Whatever may be the force of tho arguments in favor of a change of the scat of ; Government on other grounds—the ground, say, that the change must come sooner or later —we cannot see that there is any force ! in this particular argument of Southern ; members. They cannot put up with long 1 sessions at AVellington, they say, therefore 1 Parliament must come somewhere nearer to ' them. The electors, we fancy, will feel in- \ clined to retort, that they must put up with /. long sessions if they, of their own act, make them long, no matter where Parliament h may bo held. It is not that the time occupied by the meeting of Parliament is too j short, it is quite long enough if properly applied. The fault we find is, that tho £ weeks arc wasted at tho beginning of tho * session, and then there is a scramble at the close; a great deal of work being badly done, and a groat deal more not done at all. So long as the business of the House is con- b ducted as it has-been, both last session and h this, tho business done will be unsatis- ft factory, no matter whero the House happens n to meet. 8

AYe arc glad to hear that Mr 11. C. Robjohns has consented to come forward as a candidate for tho representation of the \ North AVard at the ensuing municipal * elections. His AA'orship Captain Preece reserved judgment until Thursday in the civil case Jones v. Douglas, heard in the R.M. Court yesterday. The particulars of the claim ivere o-iven in our issue of last evening. The Union Company's steamerTakapmia Avas advertised to sail from the Clyde on the 7th August for Dunedin via the Cape of Good Hope and Hobart. She should arrive in the colony in good timo for tho hobday season. The adjourned meeting of settlers to receive tho report of the HaAA'ke's Bay committee on the rabbit question will be hold to-morrow morning at 11 o'clock in the > rooms of the Agricultural and Pastoral * Society. Tho annual moetingof the Napier Rowing Club will be held to-morrow evening at the Criterion Hotel at S o'clock, when, in addition to the election of officers for the ensuing year, business of importance to tho club will be discussed. It is probable that Mrs Dr. Anna M. L. Polls, whose lectures have been received with such favor all over Ncav Zealand, will open for a season of five nights at tho Theatre Royal on October Ist. Mrs Dr. Potts is at present lecturing to crowded and fashionable audiences in Christchurch, and we have no doubt she will bo equally successful in Napier. The recent concert given in tho Church of England schoolroom at Taradale in aid of 1110" Meanee district school gymnasium fund realised a net sum of over £20. This should be very gratifying to the promoters of the entertainment, as well as to those avlio so energetically pushed the sale of tickets, and in other ways contributed to the general success. It is expected that a library in connection with tho school will be opened next month, a sjood deal of support in tho shape both of books and money having been already promised. The Gisborne Football Club's secretary telegraphs that, owing to the Ringarooma not leaving that port till Saturday, tho match must be postponed for a week. An endeavour is, however, being made to in--1 duce them to reconsider their plans, as tho Omapere could take them home on Tuesday should they come by the Ringarooma, as at first proposed. No doubt the day's rest before the match would be a great advan--3 tn go to the players, and the date of the match ivould not then interfere with the business day of the tradespeople of Napier. On and after Saturday, the Ist proximo, it is the intention of the Corporation to - strictly enforce the bye-law relating to the 1 removal of night soil, &c, from premises within the pan system district. This byelaw gives the night soil contractor tho power to cuter upon all premises within a specified radius, and to remove therefrom - any night soil, offal, &c. Aveekly, charging the cost to the householders. It speaks ill for tho cleanliness of a good proportion of our citizens that compulsion in a matter of this kind should be found to be an absolute necessity. A lecture on ( ' Memory will.be delivered by tho Rev. E. 0. Perry iv the United • Methodist Free Church school-room this, C evening at 8 o'clock. No charge will bo 1 mado for admission, but a collection will bo taken up in aid of the church funds. Mr Perry's lecture will be more than ordinarily interesting, as that gentleman is in 1 possession of a system of mnemonics imparted 1 to him by a professional teacher of tho art, and it his intention to-night to explain something of the principle by which that invaluable boon—a good memory—may be cultivated and improved. The lecture will no doubt be largely attended. A meeting was held last Saturday by tho members of the Porangahau Rabbit Com- ' mittee for the purpose of considering the best line of direction for carrying the pro- , posed rabbit proof fence from AVaimata . towards AVoodville. After considering the subject in all its bearings an unanimous conclusion ivas arrived at which was cmc bodied in .1 report to be submitted to the 0 meeting of settlers to be held to-morrow in 0 town. There can be no doubt but what i this report will be of the utmost value to (. tho meeting, for one of the members of the i Porangahau committc is thoroughly ac- __^ ? quainted with the whole of the country, r The Union Steamship Company arc dropt ping back into the old practice of milking 3 Sunday "the day of call for their vessels at 3 this port. Last Sunday the Northern and t Southern steamers were both in the bay, 3 and the same thing will in all probability 1 occur next Sunday, the Ringarooma, from 3 Auckland, being in fact already announced 1 to leave thero a day late. AVith a line of . cargo boats running weekly along the whole , length of the coast it is difficult to see tho t necessity for these irregularities in tho . passenger and mail services, and in tho E interest of all concerned it is to be hoped 3 efforts will be made in the future to ensure ( something like exactness in tho dates of 3 sailing. 1 In another column will bo found tho t prospectus of tho Kelly's Terrace Gold ■ Mining and AVater-race Company. As its ■ name implies this company is being formed • for the purpose of Avorking Kelly's terrace, 1 near tho toivnship of Stafford, a little to tho • north of Hokitika. Liko a good deal of tho ■ country in that district mining operations I are greatly impeded by uuder-flow water, 5 ivhich can only be dealt with at a cost of 3 considerable outlay. Tho enterprise of in- ' dividual miners is paralysed too often by 1 want of capital, and though in tho midst of 1 rich ground find that thoy have to abandon I their claims for want of funds to drain their . laud. It is asserted that good _gold ifr~ s known to exist on Kelly's terrace, and that __ nothing but inability to keep the water ? down prevented it from being worked long ago. Tho new company proposes to start j ' with a capital of £15,000, in shares of £1 ' ' each. Mr AY. G. Motley is the local < broker, from whom all further information > can bo obtained. The usual fortnightly meeting of tho Napier School Committee was held last _ evening, when the following correspondence ' was read ;—From Mr Garner, withdrawing his resignation as a member of the committee. From Mr Dobson, declining to servo on the committee. It was decided to elect Mr H. Williams instead. From the secretary to .tho Education Board, enclosing a resolution passed by tho Board asking the committee to reconsider their recommendation that Miss Gilroy be appointed headmistress, and requesting the committee to state- any special reasons for Miss Gilroy's selection. Tho secretary ivas instructed to supply the desired information, and to inform the Board that the committee could see no reason to alter their previous recommendation. It was also resolved to ask the Board to call a special meeting to consider the matter, as the school was placed at a disadvantage in consequence of the absence of a mistress. A letter from the Toavu Clerk, asking the committee to take steps to prevent the destruction by the school children of trees planted in Clive Square, was referred to the head master. Oil the motion of Mr Large, seconded by Mr Garner, it was agreed to ask the Education Board to vote a sum of £70 for painting and distempering the school rooms. The remaining business ivas unimportant. The Auckland Noavs says : —Sydney Tuiwhanga has forwarded to"us the following letter, ivhich we subjoin as nearly impossible verbatim el literatim :—Libel and Defamation . —Sir, —Ever since I Ligally married to Mrs Morar. in the year 1877. Nearly the whole of the New Zealand newspapers ridiculous my private character without proved or foundation contrary t» the Provisions of both Acts Libel and Defamation of character. By reading a paragraph in tho Poverty Bay Herald of tho 19th July 18S3 from the New Zealand Herald stating that my AVife going to lay a chargo against me for wife Desertion —I am perfect will satisfied at the same time I am sorry for this ever happen for the sake of my ivifo and Her Children as it is I am ready to appear to any Court of Law of ivhich my wife may take Proceeding against me tho sooner she do it the better for all parties concerning in this matter including private individuals 3fA News papers proprietors—And I do also hope that these Individual and Proprietors support Mrs Moran for her future wcllfare —as for my part the Law will have to force me to inatain my wife before I do it as I have made up my mind that I would not suffers any longer. It is quite bad enough for men to get D But it is thousand times worse for women to do so—S, D. TaiWHANGA. A recent visitor to Fiji, in v private letter to a friend in Dunedin, supplies the following:— "AVhile at Suva I was very much amused to see the prisoners; it quite reminded me of the old stories of the Dunedin gaol, Avhere the prisoners used to go out a*

fishing and be locked ou if they stayed too late. I saw about twenty natives branded «S G' on tho ivaistcloth (the only clothing A the natives wear as a rule), in charge of one native warder, who carries no anus _ I hey all came down to the steamer after finishing their day's work, and talked away to tho men of the vessel, lending a hand at any work that was going on ; after a time the warder started uway to tho gaol, leaving them to follow as they hked They went nloiio- at their own pace, and some would stop and mako a call at somo of the native houses, and then trot on again after the Avarder. On the Avay they picked up some European prisoners working at a bridge, and they followed in the same manner. The police aro all natives Avith tho exception of the Inspector, and perhaps one sergeant. At Levuka ex-Dcteetivo Farrell occupies the latter billet, /''Terribly damaging to the system arc those fiery compounds of cheap unrectified spirits, surcharged ivith fusel oil, which their nefarious vendors and importers either insinuate or openly declare to be equal to AVolfe's Schnapps.—[Auvt.j