FIFTY YEARS AGO

Evening Post, Issue 28, 1 August 1936, Page 17

FIFTY YEARS AGO

ITEMS FROM "THE POST"

A NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION

"It has lately become the fashion in the circus business to introduce a dummy clown. The fashion is also being followed in politics, where every session we now have one or more dummy leaders of the Opposition thrust into the arena," remarks "The Post" of this date fifty years ago. "Seriously speaking, we object altogether to this growing practice of putting up private members to move votes of want of confidence in the leaders, who fear to take the proper responsibility of their position, so that they may by some chance be: enabled to sneak back into office. They know that the front door would be slammed in their faces if they knocked at it, and they, therefore, under cover of the c6attails of some more presentable 'pal,' seem to think that they may possibly get in through the area gate. ... We are not at one with the mover of last night's. motion in holding that, the existing railways should be completed to a paying point before new lines are commenced. We agree with him that the lines Tophouse to Blenheim and Westport to Inangahua should not be provided for out of the present loan, "and that more money should be devoted to the north of Auckland, Otago Central, and. Napier-Palmerston lines. There, however, our agreement ends. It is absurd to suppose that with a limited,population such as ours, the works necessary to open up the country can be provided for out of revenue. The Premier is altogether wrong in the attitude he has assumed on the question of the completion of the Napier-Palmerston line. A more monstrous proposition that this should be delayed until the completion of the Maste'rton-Woodville line we never listened to. Evidently the Premier has been incorrectly briefed on the. facts of the case. The Wairarapa route will never be the main line between Wellington and Napier. The Gorge line; as we have frequently pointed out, would not only pay in- itself, but would enormously increase the receipts over some hundreds of miles of Government railways which it would unite. With regard to the objection which has been taken to buying native lands along the North Island trunk line out of the proceeds of the million loan, we do not think that the Premier by any .means made .the best of his case: The facts are that the million loan will not nearly pay for the completion of the line. The line,when completed will not pay unless there is settlement along it. The million loan when raised will.not all be expended for a year or two in the works. The unrequ'ired balance can x therefore be fairly appropriated to buying native land of good quality along the line, which land, as the railway progresses, can be out up, sold at a profit, and settled; the proceeds, including profits, • remaining available for the purposes of construction, and the operation also providing profitable traffic for the railway when made. The bad tactics which provoked and afforded an opening for the want-of-confidence motion: were continued until early this morning without any good cause, and such conduct is not likely to improve the temper of the House." • .'..•■"■.. MORE ALARMING THAN TRUE. "When the Aorangi arrived at Cape Town on her last trip out to New Zealand, news of the volcanic eruption in New Zealand had just been received there, and 'extras-'..were being' distributed ',by 'a local' newspaper.- These 'extras' contained the startling' Intelligence that the Taranaki Province had blown tip or subsided. This news naturally created' no little anxiety amongst the passengers who were on the way to Taranaki. One of them wenVto the newspaper office and, explaining that he had a peculiar interest in finding Taranaki still in existence, asked -to be favoured with a sight of the telegram which had prompted the 'extra.' On reading it he saw that the eruption had occurred at Tarawera. He pointed this out to the newspaper man, who replied that as he could find no such place on his maps he concluded that the name had been 'hashed up* in transmission and was really intended for Taranaki, where he knew there was a famous extinct volcano. On the visitor explaining the true situation, another 'extra' was issued correcting the mistake in the first." THE NIGHT-WATCHMAN. "The well-known Harbour Board night-watchman, Mr. James Brown, whose features have been familiar to all who. have had business on the Queen's Wharf, during the last nine years, has determined to try his fortune on the Kimberley goldfield,l and will proceed there at an early date. While engaged in his duty of patrolling the wharf, he has directly and indirectly been the means of saving the lives of about sixteen men and women who have been in imminent danger of drowning, and in numerous instances he has given the first intimation of an outbreak of fire in the city. Another fact upon which he prides himself is that he was the first person, in Wellington who discovered the comet which was visible in the colony in September, 1882. While in the public service Mr. Brown has proved himself to be;courteous and obliging to those with whom he came in contact, and his genial face vtfll be greatly missed." ; RETIRING INSPECTOR. "People all over the colony will regret to learn that Mr. J. Nancarrow, the Inspector of Steamers and Machinery, is about to retire from the public service. The necessary notice as to his pension was yesterday laid on the table-of the House of Representatives. The retiring allowance to which he is entitled is £250. He has- well earned this, not only by length of service, but by the admirably efficient manner in which he has always discharged his important duties. Considering the vast extent of the machinery, the large fleet of steamers, and the number of land and marine boilers which have'been, for years under his supervision, the' immunity from preventable accidents which has been enjoyed is something wonderful. Mr. Nancarrow arrived in the colony, we believe, as engineer on boa/d the first steamer that ever traded in New Zealand waters. There is scarcely a better known man than he is in all the colony, and all who know him will, we are sure, join in hoping that he will enjoy his pension for many years to come."