The Evening Star FRIDAY, MAY 6, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2183, 6 May 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star FRIDAY, MAY 6, 1870.

There is a Bill before the Provincial Council for the purpose of re. dividing the Province into new electoral districts, and foi* reducing the number of members. Last session the question was mooted, and the matter was allowed to stand over until now. Perhaps the inhabitants of the Province have been too supine in not taking the question more earnestly into consideration ; for it is one that requires more care than is likely to be given to it. The Bill now before the Council affords no criterion as to the ground on which the districts have been altered, It does not inform us whether the new districts are mapped out on the principle of equality of population, or area, or wealth ; nor is there any reason given why the number of representatives is to be reduced to a comfortable little clique, who may set their heads togegether and do a little amicable log-roll-ing for their own or their friends’ interests at the expense of the Province. Mr Haughton’s manhood suffrage motion may tend to keep them straight, if carried, for it will give votes to many who have hitherto been excluded, and who from education and intelligence are better able to form a judgment on the questions of the day than the majority of those who have returned our representatives. But there are very grave objections to reducing the number of members, which we think have not been sufficiently considered. In the first place, it is much easier to find twenty - four men committed to a particular line of policy than thirty - eight, and in a community like that of Otago, that is a dangerous thing. It is plain, from the character of the House at present, that there would be great danger in the preponderance of any one class having a common interest. We have now two parties nearly equally balanced —the farmers or settlers as they choose to term themselves, and the squatters. To listen to the debates, these two consider themselves the only interests in the Province, and most of the long discussions are on subjects connected with one class interest or the other. To our thinking there is nothing more detrimental to progress than to place men in a position to legislate for the particular interests in which they themselves are concerned. The people as a mass are never fairly considered. They are looked upon just as so many aids to make the ruling classes rich, and every possible advantage is taken of power, to increase their contributions to that end. Thus every session witnesses some effort to affirm the policy of a duty on cereals, or to prevent the importation of cattle or sheep : and the people are gravely asked to believe that these special restrictions for particular classes are for their own good. We do not say that these gentlemen do not believe what they say—all that we do affirm is that, if they were neither farmers nor squatters, most of them would not believe it. They have the sense to see that no contractor ought to have power to vote on a contract in which he himself is personally concerned ; but they do not apply the principle to themselves, nor perceive that to all intents and purposes when they legislate on land laws, and import duties on corn and cattle, they are dictating the terms of the contract on which the people shall be supplied with food. Now amongst thirtyeight men, it is more than likely there may be some who are not of either of the two dominant interests, and who therefore do represent the majority of the electors whose interests it is to have all legislation based on a sound and equitable footing, and who will not bow to the dictates of a mere vestry. But there is a second objection which is move weighty because of'its being practically felt every session. The duties of the Executive are so onerous that their number cannot be reduced with due consideration for the public service. This gives the Government the advantage of five votes, if we include the Provincial Solicitor. Now this in any house, even the House of Commons, would be great advantage ground. In a house of thirty-eight members it is mere than one-eighth of the whole, but in a house of only twenty-four members it would be more than one-fifth. Let it be remembered one member in five would bo a member of the Executive. We have only to consider the state of parties at present to imagine the possible consequences of a house so constituted. By a majority of one, the land has been

locked up from settlement, the revenue has been reduced one hundred thousand pounds, the expenditure on improvements of the country has been stopped, more wide spread ruin than was ever yet known has consequently accrued, and the industry of the province in many branches has been almost brought to a standstill, fit is questionable whether we have even yet seen the worst of the matter. It may be replied that in this particular instance the Executive were divided, and this is true : but they still commanded a certain number of expectants as was proved by the retractation of one member whose hopes were only disappointed through the expose that took place. These considerations should be carefully weighed before deciding to reduce the number of members. The Escort. The south escort arrived in town last evening. The coach was detained at the Pomahawk, in consequence of the had weather. We give the complete returns in another column. Pedestrianis.m. —We notice that W. H. Money’s challenge to run 150 yards for LlO, has been accepted by T. Lafevre, and the event will take place at the South Recreation Ground to-morrow, at 3 p.m. Boat-race.—A boat-race will take place to-morrow afternoon between the Naval Brigades’ pinnace and Mr Gibb’s Annie. The start will be made from Stuart street Jetty at 2.33 p.m. Inquest.—An inquest will be held to-morrow on the body of Benjamin Travers, a patient in the Lunatic Asylum, who was confined there some two months back, after having been charged with an attempt at sticking-up in the Taieri. Accident. —-This morning, as a man named Cunningham was driving a horse and cart along Rattray street, a child of Mr Dixon, cabinet maker, aged eighteen months, ran across the road, and by some means got underneath one of the wheels. The wheel passed over his left arm, hut fortunately did nob break any hones. No blame is attributable to the driver. New Style of Advertising.—Mr Small, of Thatcher’s company, advertises in an original manner. He has a retriever, which he sends down the various claims, on the goldfields, he visits where men are working, with hills announcing that 1 hatcher plays at that place that night. At the Teviot, this proceeding caused much amusement. Estimates. —ln the Provincial Council, this afternoon, the Provincial Treasurer stated that the estimates would be laid on the table during the next week. We would call attention to an omission which occurred during the last general session, viz.—That there was no “Financial Statement ” printed and published in accordance with the usual custom. We hope the Council will this session recur to the ordinary rule, as it is always of much importance and of great convenience to have such a statement to refer to. The Representation. The new Representation Ordinance, the second reading of which comes on this evening, provides hat after the date of the dissolution of the present Council, the province shall be divided into fourteen districts, which shall return 24 memhets as follows :—Dunedin 4 ; Oamaru 2 ; Waikouaiti 1 ; North Harbor 1 ; Roslyn 1 ; Caversham 1 ; Taieri 2 ; Tokomairiro 2: Glutha 2 ; Tnapeka 2 ; Mount Benger I ; Mount Ida 2 ; Dunstau 2 ; Wakatip 1, Masonic Hall.— This really good entertainment is, as it deserves to do, drawing crowded audiences. The programme of last evening was new ami attentive, avid if we judge by the applause awarded, was highly appreciated. The humorous passage between Messrs Kainford and Bent in the comic act of “Insult and Apology,” was especially good, and convulsed the audience. We notice that this little comic scena is to he repeated this evening, and, apart from the high character of the entertainment as a whole, this should prove sufficient to draw a good house. The Gas Question. Councillor Walter has given notice of his intention to move at the next meeting of the City Council :—That in order to come to a definite and satisfactory conclusion as to the course which this Council should pursue in the matter of supplying the City with gas for the future, it is desirable, and is therefore resolved, that a plebiscite be taken of all those ratepayers who paid their rates for 1860, and that the following queries be put to them :—l. Are you iu,.favor of building gas works ? 2. Are you iu'favor of purchasing the present works (if obtainable), at the sum of L 22.000 ? 3. Are you in -.favor of a continuance of the present systeto ? , . The Ministry. —The near approach of the General Assembly session is giving rise to all sorts of idle rumours about the - Ministry and the position. In Wellington, •it is reported that if the Ministry breaks down Mr Stafford will form a Government, of which he will not be even a member. He is to marshall the forces, it is said, bpt not to charge at their head. Mr Fitzherhert will be Premier, and the other members of the Government will be the Hem. J. Hall, Colonel Whitmore, ami Mr Stevens. The Greymouth evening paper, on “ very reliable information received from head quarters at Wellington,” boldly announces that the Fox Ministry is “doomed;” that Mr Stafford has already, by private influence, and a judicious canvass, secured a majority in his favor; and that the first business of the General Assembly will be to turn the present Ministry out of office, and replace, with only a few changes, the old members. The members of the Government must be exceedingly gratified to know that they are the objects of so much solicitude. Bridging the Waitaki. —The report of the Engineer of Roads and Works in the merits of the proposed sit, s of the Waitaki bridge, has been published. He recommends the adoption of the lower one—the one where the main road, through Block 8, Popakia district, meets the river—as being cheaper, more direct, and equally safe with the upper one. Mr Barr docs not consider the work at either place one of any great difficulty, as the depth of water, even in the highest Hood, is very inconsiderable when compared with such rivers as the Molyneux and the Taieri, but the length of the bridge is the greatest evil to be encountered, and is of course, the cause of the great

cost it will be necessary incur in the work, but not more, it is b--li veil, (baa the Provinces of Otago and Southland can afford for a work ensuring so much facility for communication and safety to travellers. Several schemes are set forth by Mr Barr, and he considers that if their merits are viewed from an engineering point alone, there could be no hesitation in pronouncing for au iron structure, with a roadway 21 feet wide at the lower site, at a cost of L 42,834 ; but “bearing in mind that a new country, with its lines of communication in coarse of development, must of necessity choose what is sufficient for present requirements, even though there may b v slight inconveniences at intervals still to be borne, ’ he recommends the scheme of bridging the present channels at the lower site, letting the traffic go along with the intermediate islands, which it could do with safety on all occasions except two or three days per annum, and of planting the islands with willow or bent, so as to secure them against all danger of being disturbed by floods. Such a work if carried out of iron, and of 14 feet breadth of roadway, would cost 1.27,075. Iron is recommended in preference to timber, though its present cost would be LSII2 greater, principally because if the traffic ever came to increase so much as to require a wider bridge, the structure even twenty years after this would be so valuable as to be worth the additional cost of widening. If this sum is considered too great for the present capabilities of the Province, a timber bridge with a roadway 14 feet wide, to be constiucted at once at a cost of L 21,963, is recommended. In the above estimates Mr Barr has calculated upon the Government getting the ironwork in Britain, and contracting for the timber and erection. It is further recommended that the piers of the proposed bridge be built of stone, as the difficulty of constructing the foundation would be very great and of proportionate expense.

We hj ave received a set of photographs of Colonel Harrington and the suecesaful volunteer representatives at the late firing from Messrs Burton and Co. They are capital photographs, and will, we doubt not, be eagerly sought after by the friends of the men.