The Evening Star THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 1871.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2652, 17 August 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 1871.

There are signs of a faction fight in the House of Representatives, in which apparently ouv Otago members are in-

tended to be used us tools to forward the ambition of the Superintendent of Auckland, So early in the session it is impossible that any notion can be formed of the real feeling of the House. With the exception of the Education scheme there seems little at present on which on any rational grounds parties could be formed. Whatever is done, then, in the way of division, for the time being, will be on the most unsatisfactory of all motives—personal. In the House of Representatives, for the present, at least, this will not form a very binding tie. Mon gathered together from different Provinces are not likely to be animated by those petty antipathies and sympathies which led to such unseemly conduct in our Provincial Council; nor in prospect of those wider subjects on which they are called to legislate are they so completely under local influence. But personal antagonism is not unknown in the Central Parliament, and able as we know the Superintendent of Auckland to be, he is not above allowing it to bias him. Men of his class, however, differ from many of our Otago representatives—they will not sacrifice a country’s interests to the gratification of personal antipathy. However they may gather about them tools like the Ore'Giitons, Browns, and other subservient faction followers, they will not risk their reputation for statesmanship, even for the sake of office, without some wellgrounded or, at least, plausible plea that there is something in the policy of the existing Government which requires alteration or amendment. Pending the cropping up of some such question, their object is to gather round them men of ability to take ollice and men of no ability blindly to vote as they are bidden. Supposing our Otago representatives to be fair specimens of the composition of the House, which, however, we doubt, there are not many able to lead amongst them, although several have proved themselves most faithful and unreasoning followers. It is therefore not at all unlikely that the Superintendent of Auckland may number, amongst his vassals, several from this Province, who, through his help anticipate carrying measures that on the fair ground of reason they could never hope to pass. It will not be the first time that coalitions have been formed between the extreme Northern and Southern Provinces, but we never knew them result in permanent cooperation. The Auckland men have ill variably stuck to ouch other, and stipulated for advantages which Otago could only concede up to a point; but at that point division took place. Thus on the separation question some years ago, the members of the two provinces were wonderfully agreed and worked cord ially, until Mr Stafford, adroitly, gave Auckland a bone to pick. It was quite enough. The Auckland men took the bait and found out that the separation asked for by Otago was not the separation meant by Auckland, and that in fact the only point on which they agreed was that “ Separation ” would be a good thing. We suppose this session it will be a question of lack-land against lancl-in-hand Provinces—the have nots and the haves. It will be seen how wonderfully easy it is for those members who are not bothered with commissions to support certain land resolutions, to deal with the lands of other Provinces; and how difficult it will be for our hand-tied Otago men to make a good stand up fight of it. We should not be at all surprised, even if some member, anxious to do something for his pound a day, suggests that as Otago cannot manage its own landed estate, the Colony should undertake to relieve the Provincial Council of that responsibility. Without doubt, whoever possesses control over the land wields immense power ; and as the Provinces of the North Island are almost without land-revenue, it may not bo inconvenient for the Northern members to identify themselves with the land agitators of this Province, under the idea that they are made of squeezable materials, and likely to consent to some sacrifice for the purpose of carrying out their pet ideas. Meantime there are ways of sapping the stability of the Executive by endeavoring to bring discredit upon their administration ; and the Superintendent of Auckland has taken the first step in the process by moving for papers in the Queen against Barton and Lemon : in other words, in the Telegraph Libel Case, We look upon this as an opposition move, although avg are very much inclined to think, Avhen the country is in possession of certain facts that did not come out in evidence, there will be less sympathy with the affair than has ever before been felt. Why did our Provincial Solicitor neglect this splendid opportunity 1 The game is taken out of his hands. Rumor, often unjust to that gentleman, is, Ave hope, absolutely malignant when it says he has been busier in aiding to counteract the carrying out of the Provincial Compulsory Laud Taking Ordinance, and bleeding the promoters of the Port Chalmers Railway, than in seeking to win laurels in the North,

The Mayoral Election. —We believe we are correctly informed that no proceedings will bo taken to disturb the late election of Mayor. Port Chalmers Graving Dock.— We hear that the contractors for the G raving Dock have to-day served the chairman of the Dock Trust with a writ for money due and damages amounting to L 22,000. This, at anyrate, must bring tins unfortunate affair either to a compromise or into Court. Princess Theatre.— Mr S. Wolfe will take a benefit at the theatre this evening ; the pieces selected being the first act of “Hamlet,” “ Raising the wind,” and the negro burlesque “ Beautiful tlaidee” ; further we are told, “to look nut for Wolfe ( s infant” ; the solution of this mystery must be left to time. We trust there will be a full house.

Court of Appeal. — ln the Canterbury Supreme Court a few days ago, Mr Justice Gresson stated that in all probability the next session of the Court of Appeal would not he held until May, 1872. Tho Judges were in communication with the Government, and it was probable that after the present year t' ere would be two sittings —namely, in May and November. His Honor also stated that it was likely the printing of tho cases sent up to the Judges would be resorted to in most instances, so ns to save the expense of copying. The Council Chamber. —We believe that two architects in tbe City have been consulted by the House Committee as to the proposed improvements to bo made in the Provincial Council Chamber. The feeling that prevailed during the late ses-ion in favor of cross benches is likely to be carried out. Eumor has it that a suggestion was made to the Government to divide the chamber into two compartments, one to be used as the Resident Magistrate’s Court ; but the suggestion did not receive the attention that its author expected for it. A Complaint.—We have been asked to bring under public notice the fact that for some three mouths past the bell which used to be rung at the New Post Oflico at 8, 12, 1, and 5 o’clock, has not been sounded. Workmen complain that its silence has been made the means of exacting work to tbe extent of a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes daily beyond the usual hour of lab ox This ought not to be. It is not fair to workmen nortocon-ci iitimis employers. The first are made to give from one to two hours’ labor weekly beyond what they bargain for, and honest contractors are made to compete with unscrupulous men, who, by grinding down a workman, are able to do work at less than its fair value. For all classes, therefore, it is only fair that the ringing of the boll should bo resumed, on public grounds. Export op Gold, —Tho General Government Gazette of August 5 contains particulars of the quantity and value of gold exported from the different provinces of Now Zealand for the half year ending June 30 as follows :—From Auckland. 149,235 oz., vahie L 529,398 (cor. espondiug half year of 1870, 53,342 oz., value L 191.446). Mariborough, 992 oz , value L 3 963 (correspondin'.; period 1879, 837 Vz., L 3 348). Nel-o i, 40,308 on, vnlnu L 107,072 (corresponding period of 1879, 75,056 os., value L 3 )l, 118). Westland, 65,693 oz . value L 262,780 (corresponding period of 1870, 74.252 oz., value L 297.083). Otago and Southland 89,740 oz , value L 358.960 (corresponding period of 1870, 76,533 oz., value L 306.218. Total 355,0600z., value Ti1,352,698 (corresponding period of 1870, 280,050 oz , value L 1,009,333). The total qnanrity of gold exported from New Zealand from April Ist 1857, to June 30, 1871, is 5,987,909 oz., valued at L 22,918,177. Hew Zealand Flax in America. —The San i'rancisco Mail Service,,if it had served no other end, would have conferred great benefits on the colony by the attention it has caused to be drawn throughout the United States to New Zealand and its productions. Mr S, M. Southwark in the South Carolinian, describes the valuable qualities possessed by the phormium tenax, and recommends its cultivation in the Southern States of Am riea. The article was copied into the Scientific American, and quoted by Californian and other papers. Amongst other qua!/.ties enumerated by the winter, he says, • 1 Tim stalks are very light and pithy, and are used by the natives to make their canoes more buoyant, by binding bundles along tho sides. These stalks, split or chopped flue, if used in stuffing the furniture of vessels and steamers, would make each piece a life-buoy.” Ho also states that he has seen ropes made from it aboard several American vessels, and the captains expressed a very high opinion of it, and wished to see it introduced into the United States. Captain Friend, of the barqueutine ‘ Adclo,’ of San Francisco, bad informed him that he had some canvass made from it, which he had obtained in Melbourne.

Earthquakes in New Zealand.— In the mctcoro igical statistics for the year 1870 in the third volume of the “Transactions of the New Zealand Institute,” arc some valuable tables, one of which we may have some remarks to make upon at a future time. The table we shall uotics at present is No. 5, which shows that earthquakes in New Z aland in 1870, recorded at the Government meteorological stations. It appears there were in all 40 earthquakes recorded during the year ; of these 22 were in the North Island, .and 18 in the South Island. There arc 1 1 meteorological stations, aud only three Mougonui, Auckland, and Southland escaped without a quake, Wellington, of course figures the highest in this line, scoring no fewer than nine, while Taranaki follows with seven, and Napier with six. August seems to have been the month most prolific in these earth-quakings, there being no fewer than seven shocks recorded for that month. Of the whole number ten are described as “smart” shocks, by one of which (31st August) property was destroyed in Christchurch. Another feature is observable, and that is the comparative regularity with whieh quakes visit Wellington. Out of the twelve months, there were seven when earthquakes wore felt, and on each of two months—May aud November—that town was twice visited with th. sc pheno nena. Those numbers are different from those recorded in 18G9. In that year there was a total of 30, Wellington and Taranaki recording eight each, while Southland had then five. Both last year and in 1809 no shock further north than Napier has occurred.