The Evening Star MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2305, 26 September 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1870.

In view of the very strange telegrams so frequently published by our daily contemporary, we are tempted to ask, What is his Wellington correspondent paid for doing 1 We can understand an occasional mistake being made. No man, nor no journal, however careful, can avoid that. But when one falsehood after another is telegraphed, which the slightest care, or the most cursory examination, might prevent, in spite of the most extended charity, it is impossible to avoid suspecting a hidden motive. This suspicion becomes the more grave, because all the mis-state-ments tend in one direction. Each has not been supplemented by exulting editorial comment; but even this has not been withheld whenever the FoxVogel Ministry and their majority in Parliament might be damaged. The first canard received by electric telegraph, and published by our contemporary, informed Dunedin that Tito ICowaru intended attending the Native meeting. We forget how this was treated, but believe we are right in stating that in a high-toned moral leader the Daily Times professed itself horrified that such a wretch should be permitted to meet with honest Natives. But all this beautiful morality was wasted, Tito Kowauu gave the lie to the Times’s telegram, and never ventured within gun-shot. Whether the ominous article frightened the dark-skinned murderer or not, we know not: wo hardly think its in fluence, whatever it may be, travels so far. Not having a file of the Times before us, we will not bind ourselves to the order in which the next broad-

sides at the Ministry appeared, but their number was three, and had reference to three different important Bdls —the Representation Bill, the Gold Duties Bill, and the Land Transfer Bill. The Representation Act was stated to be so incomplete in its details as to render necessary the re-assem-bling of Parliament to correct it. "VV e took occasion to make a few remarks on the tone of the article that took this mis-statement as a text, and also telegraphed to know the truth of the matter. Our correspondent replied it was without foundation ; and since that time we have received further information on the subject, which proves incontestibly that so far from an ovcisi'dit having been committed, the contingency denounced by the Tunes s correspondent was foreseen and provided against. The canard was based upon an alteration that took place in the Cheviot district, parts of which were in Canterbury and Nelson, but were recommended by the Select Committee to be attached solely to the Province of Nelson, We need not trouble our readers with naming the boundaries, which are ♦however defined, more or less correctly, in the Bill ; but for their satisfaction we will transcribe the 7th clause, in order that they may judge how far it is true tint Parliament will be re-called for the purpose specified :

New Electoral Rolls shall not he formed for such of the Electoral Districts defined in the said Schedule as are sot f rth in the First Part thereof, hut the roll which hut for the reconstitution of the last-named districts hy this Act would at the time of such Dissolution aforesaid be in force under the provisions of “ The Hcgi-stratioii of Electors Act, 1566," for that Electoral District as constituted immediately before the passing of this Act, and bearing a like name to some one of the districts set forth in the said First Part of the said Schedule, shall he the roll of that one of the said Electoral Districts, as constituted by this Act, which hears such like name, without any re-formation or publication under this Act; and such rod shall he the roll to he used for such district for all purposes until a Revised Electoral boil for tire same shall he in force under the provisions of the law for the time being in force for the registration of electors.

Another great blunder with which the Daily Times startled the public was the Gold Duties Act, 1870.” The history of this Act is simply that New Zealand gold varies so much in quality, that to charge one uniform duty upon it would be an act of injustice. To remedy this, the duty by the new Act is to be assessed according to its purity. Gold of 20 carats duo is to pay 2s 0d per- ounce ; 18 to 20 carats, 2s .Id ; 10 to 18 carats, 2s; 14 to 16 carats, Is 0d ; 12 to 14 carats, Is Cd; 10 to 12 carats, Is 3d 10 carats, Is. On Saturday morning our contemporary astomidod tho public by the announcement of “another serious blunder in “ legislation,” which is stated to be—- “ The Gold Duties Act Amendment “ Act repeals the previous Act from “ the Ist of October, but does not “ itself come into operation until the “ Ist January. It is doubtful if any “ gold duty can be collected in the “ interim.” Having the Bill before us, we cannot but feel astounded at the grave impudence of such a statement. The two clauses bearing upon this point are as follows : Clause 2. —“The Gold Duty Act, 2558, ” shall he repealed on and after the date on which this Act shall come into operation. Clause 3- —Op and after the first day of October, one thousand eight hundred and seventy, there shall he levied, rjoUegted, and paid, &c. (the duties previously enumerated, )

The third misrepresentation of which our contemporary's correspondent has been guilty is with regard to the “ Land Transfer ” Act. Respecting it the public were informed a blank had been left in the pjause regarding the appointment of surveyor, and that therefore a great portion of the Act was “ found to be ” unworkable. Nqy two circumstances are worthy of remark in this canard. In the first place, leaving a blank does not necessarily invalidate an Act of Parliament, so long as its meaning is precise and clear ; and, secondly, we are not aware that in any part of the arrangement the services of a surveyor would be needed for the purposes of the Act. The Land Transfer Act is merely for registration and transfer of titles, and does not deal with survey. But, apart from these obvious considerations, we have loeked carefully through the Act, and have invited others to do so too, but none of us was able to detect a blank in it. Had these matters been of less importance, we should not have thought it necessary to notice them, and only do so now that the public may not be misled.