The Evening Star SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 1871.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2511, 4 March 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 1871.

Wb are glad that the coming of the Governor amongst us will remind ns all of the common duties we owe to each other, to sink political and party differences in a joint social effort. Wo do not know what the Committee of the City Council propose to do, nor the character of the demonstrations they suggest; but ' whatever is done we trust will be characterised by a ;kindly spirit of tending to show that while each man is prepared to

rights, he is prelike privilege to dineroucoof opinion to disturb neighborly cordiality. We should be sorry to see tameness in politics. Mon must be in earnest if they mean to succeed ; and if they arc in earnest, they will feel strongly and speak strongly. But when the straggle is over, and the battle is won or lost, the victors should cense to triumph and the unsuccessful to chafe and fret. It is no small advance towards this, that the ballot throws a veil over each man’s vote. The father cannot reproach the son with contumacy, nor a brother his brother with antagonism. The raking up old sores by curious peering into j poll lists is done away, and true independence has been secured for every one. It is therefore clearly a man’s own fault if he provokes a friend by telling him how he has thwarted him at the hustings. The leaders are, of course, marked men, but they seldom allow their feelings to lead them into permanent hostility to those opposed to thefu. When his Excellency arrives, we hope to see every one unite to give him a cordial and rational welcome. Of the demonstrations by Friendly Societies there never can be a doubt. They arc usually what their name imports : organisations by friends for a common benefit, and through their peculiar social condition, Colonies are their strongholds. We are glad to say that no British Colony has to mourn over one in ten of its population receiving parochial relief. Their charitable institutes are for the most part voluntary associations designed to meet the immediate needs of the sick or the accidentally,destitute. There needs no permanent legal provision for the poor ; and we trust that as the Colony increases in population, such sound social arrangements will be devised as will render such provision unnecessary. It must be with a proud feeling that the Governor of a British Colony surveys the evidences of advance in wealth and material comfort among the people. Sir George Bowen will not, like his predecessor, be able to contrast the Dunedin of to-day with the of twenty years ago. He will view it in its transition state, where buildings of wood are rising up alternately with more substantial structures of brick or stone. Ho will see in the banks, public offices, and large and roomy warehouses, evidences of trade and enterprise that mark for it an advancing and prosperous population. Those are the outward signs of a well-to-do people. Wc observe our Horticultural Society intend holding a flower show. This will tend to demonstrate the attention paid to gardening. Perhaps the best agricultural evidence will bo given to his Excellency during his tour through the Province, in the course of which he will see the large and productive farms in the interior—we wish we could add, and the advanced system of farming, nlthuiigh in certain instances this is not absent. Having no Agri-

cultural Society, we cannot bring together into one focus a show of field ami dairy produce, nor exhibit specimens of stock, apart from the consideration that at this season of the year it would be impossible to do so, as farmers arc busy with harvesting operations. We should have Jikcd the students at the School of Art to have shewn the result of one year’s braining; for a more wonderful change' has never been witnessed in twelve, months than has taken place in that branch of education. A few years ago it was comparatively neglected. Now not only are large classes taught, but talent has been developed that was previously unsuspected. In one branch of refinement we fall short, ■ We shall not be able to give his Excellency even a tolerable concert. Strange as it may appear, Dunedin has no musical society. It is not because there is no musical ability. Several attempts have been made, but the failure in each instance proves that either the organising talent has been wanting, or that they have been instituted before society was prepared to support them. A Christy’s Minstrel affair, intermixed with recitation and dancing, is as far as we can reach just now. Cut although we may fall short in a display of the refinements of society, there is sufficient of the substantial to create a favorable impression in the mind of the Governor; and w« have no feav but the importance of exhibiting it will bo sufficiently plain to lead to a cordial co-operation with tho Corporation in their preparations.