The Evening Star TUESDAY, MAY 30, 1871.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2584, 30 May 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star TUESDAY, MAY 30, 1871.

However gratifying the proceedings in the Provincial Council may be to the party who have placed Mr. Reid at their head, we doubt much whether their constituents will feel equal pleasure. We certainly have known parties at Home move amendments on the reply to the address when some distinctive policy was to be attained ; but there can be no analogy between circumstances there and the first meeting of a new Council with an Executive who accepted office purely to prevent public affairs falling into confusion. Whenever an amendment in the address has been moved at Home, some great question deeply agitating the public mind has been under discussion ; but in comparing Mr. Reid’s proposed amendment with Mr, McGlashan’s motion, the only material difference appears to be the clause respecting the Hundred’s Regulation Act. With regard to this clause, too, the Council is asked to affirm that for which there is no foundation, lie does not asx the Council to affirm that the Act is «injurious to the interests of this (i Province,” and therefore ought to be repealed. That would have been a distinct and tangible issue. But the House is called upon to express regret that his Honor’s advisers “ hj ive failed “to perceive ” this to be the case —a pure assumption, which may or may not he true, but most certainly of which neither the House nor the country, has any evidence. We were not surprised last session to find tins class of persons who linked themselves together under Mr Reid’s banner, satisfied with the flimsiest excuses for the grossest waste of time. Many of them are no longer members of the Council, and have been replaced by men superior to them in education, and more experienced in public business. We cannot but express our surprise, therefore, that they have allowed themselves to become parties to one of the most disreputable moves that faction ever devised. We must confess too, to feeling some little regret in witnessing the position of Mr Reid, for he seems to fancy himself the leader, when, in truth, he is but a tool in the hands of men, many of whom are more able than he is to take the lead, and who, he may rest assured, will only use fiim as a stepping stone to office. The haste with which the whole affair has been conducted, evinces a restlessness to attain to power, only equalled by the hypocrisy of resigning office “ to give “ opportunity to his Honor to select an “ Executive in whom he could place “ confidence." In the last Council Mr Reid was a leader of a factious party who sacrificed the best interests of the Province to a fruitless opposition to the General Government, He cannot calculate upon finding such blind followers in this Council. Both be and Mr Duncan will have to deal with men equally ambitious and more able than themselves. They will, therefore, have to be humble followers or willing instruments in their hands; a position which we should judge neither will accept after having been accustomed to be toadied by admiring nobodies. And now that the faction fight is over, it must be matter for serious disappointment for the hungry office-seekers with which Mr Reid has become associated, that the prize has slipped through their fingers, and that the courtesy of inviting Mr Reid to form a Ministry need not necessarily be observed, since it was on the rejection of a more formal motion involving no policy that the Executive chose to base their non-continuance in office. Whatever feeling may exist within the Council, but one prevails outside its walls, and that is, that the Executive have been treated most unfairly. They accepted an office from which, apparently under a sense of disappointment, the office-bearers had retired. Mr Reid need not bo no very thinskinned about the matter. f£s JD a y try to hide it from himself but everybody can. understand that he could not well have done otherwise than he did. During the short period that the Oargill Executive have held office, they have been honestly engaged in investigating the true position of affairs; and unless rumor is an enormous liar, they have become aware of an amount of mismanagement particulars of which must come out sooner or later, and which cannot but point to the incapacity of their predecessors. If this be true—and the failing laud revenue and inability to initiate certain works point to it as probable —the public will not be satisfied to allow the management of Provincial affairs to lapse into incompetent hands. Whether the Ministry just outvoted deserved the confidence of the Province or not has not transpired, as they have not been allowed to enunciate a policy. With curiosity mixed with disgust the public awaits the further development qf this scramble for the loaves and fishes.

Political. —Although there can be no doubt that the Ministry will resign their seats, their resignations were not received by his Honor to-day. Lecture. —We hear that the Bishop of Nelson will deliver a lecture in the Masonic Hall on Friday evening, in aid of tho funds of St. Paul’s church. Subject : “Persons, periods, and points, and present prospects of contact between Presbyterianism and Episcopacy.” Mayor’s Court. — At this this morning, a neglected child named Alice Bass, was sent to the Industrial School for seven years ; to be brought up in the Church of England religion. Inquest.—An inquest was held at Port Chalmers to-day, before tbo District Coroner, Dr O’Donoghue, on the body of John Stark, and a verdict in with the evidence was returned. A Strange Waif from the Sea.— Yesterday, while some young men ivcre taking the fresh air under the cliffs behind the Green Island Bush, they found a live penguin tied to a walking stick with a pocket handkerchief. From the appearance of the stick it is evident that the bird must have been dragging it through the sea for some time. The Unemployed Movement. —Wo have no wish to do anything to damage any man’s reputation, especially where the interest of the working men is concerned ; and for this reason, for their own salces, arc should recommend them to inquire whether in accepting M‘Laren as their leader, they arc doing that avhich is the best ca’culated t> secure those interests. If they will inquire respecting his standing in Wellington and Wanganui, they avill be quite satisfied that any man of known respectability avould be more likely to be listened to by the Government. For ourselves, we feel always glad to support them in all things reasonable. Immigration.— We notice from the correspondence presented to the Provincial Council, that on April 15, tho Home Agent avas instructed to coniine the assisted emigration to this Province to female scivants for town and country, p’oughmen, farm servants, and shepherds ; there being quite enough of mechanics. Mr Auld is also informed chat the Province wili participate in the General Go\ r ernment scheme for immigration, and that in future the passage moneys of emigrants for Ctago will be paid by the Agent General of the Colony. Princess Theatre. —We notice that M r Barlow' —a gentleman avell known and a deserved favorite, intends, in conjunction with Messrs Bromley, Buckley, Hollis, and Christie, to give a series of entertainments at the Princess Theatre. The first is announced for to-morrow, (Wednesday) evening. Of Mr Barlow as an artist of a high order little need be said, excepting that he promises some novelties to the public; but from the high opinion expressed in the Melbourne papers of the other members of the troupe, avc are le I to expect great things in the forthcoming entertainments. There is little doubt that during their stay here the troupe will receia'e substantial support at the hands of the public. Maerewhenua. —The quartz-crush-ing battery at tlie Otekaike reefs, Macrewiienua, is now ’in full working older, apd about ten or twelve tons of stone are crushed in the twenty-four hours—ouly one battery being able to be kept going in consequence of the continued want of quicksilver, which it is expected will arrive in about a fortnight. The reef is looking well, aud large quantities of stone are being taken out w'hich show very nice prospects. Seven men are employed raising stun?, but as they are busily engaged putting in iinderdrivea, not much of the good stone has jeeen lifted, and that being crushed is mostly the surface stuff, which is not so near so rich in metal as that found deeper. The result of the crushing is anxi ously looked forward to, and the shareholders are sanguipe q,s to the ultjniate success of the undertaking. fila Oh o: nice.

The Reid Government, —The correspondence relative to the resignation of the Reid Government has been presented to the Provincial Council. Mr Reid, in submitting the resignation of himself and colleagues, points out that under the Executive Coun dl Ordinance of 1863 it is provided the Executive shall not consist of not lessthan four mem hers, who shall also be members of the Provincial Council; and the Government at the time of writing (March la t) consisting only of three members, it became necessary that they should either retire from office or seek Othey ’colleagues from members of the new Council. 'I he latter course they were not disposed to adojpt, being aware that although they possessed the confidence of a majority of tho kite Council, they were not so fortunate a*? to secure that of his Honor, Mp Reid fhen goes op'to defend his Government from tjia charge of “ intentioutionally thwarting" his Hopor, they being unconscious of ever having so acted; and suggests that from the new' Council his Honor could select “another Executive who will possess your confidence, give effect to your views, aud at the same the same time command the confidence of a majority of the Provincial Council.” His Honor, in accepting the resignation, thanks, Mr Reid and his colleagues for their courtsey towards him personally ; and hopes that in the fqfnre they may be led to such unity of action as shalf pouduce most to that progress all are doubtless y.'ishing to attain. In reference to hjg statement that tho Executive “intentionally ’thwarted biin,” his Rpnor says :—“ If I did op one occasion say that I had been “ intentionally thwarted ” by my executive, it must have been in allusion to ths difference of opinion which subsisted between ns, wjth respect to immigration, the construction of the Clntba Railway, and the opening up of lauds for settlement and revenue, by proclamation of additional hundreds, These were questions which in my opinion vitally affected the interests of the Province, and are the points chiefly on which I felt that my views had been thwarted. I should be sorry to say “thwarted intentionally ami if in tbo excitement of the moment I did make use of tbo latter term, it must have arisen from the circumstanoe that when the Government, of winch you were tho head, was being formed, one of its members was heard to say, that amongst other considerations which weighed with him in taking office, was that of being ateeto “thwart the Superintendent.”

T'HEUii wg,s a l&rge attendance at the Laiicl Sale pf Town Aliotmeute held hj Mr,

Frederick H. Evan’s Rooms, Princes-street, this day. Tne bidding was brisk and most of the lots were disposed of at from L3o to L4O each. A. few were withdrawn, not meeting the proprietor’s limit.

A public meeting under the auspices of the Dunedin Union, will bo held at the Congregational Hall, Moray Place tomorrow (Wednesday) evening at 8 o’clock, when songs, recitations, and readings will be given.