The Evening Star FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1871.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2713, 27 October 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1871.

Notwithstanding the growing conviction that the extinction of Provincialism is only a matter of time, there are journals in Otago hardy enough to stand forward in its defence. The Bruce Herald of this week, foi instance, contains two arnicies biistling with statistics : one endeavoring to prove that the Provincial Government has been economical in its expenditure, compared with the work performed ; and the other, finding fault with every proposition of the General Government, especially if made by Mr Vogel. It is very likely that the sophisms with which both those articles abound may be very acceptable to the class of readers for whom they were intended. The people of the district in which the journal circulates have not shown themselves remarkable for political sagacity, judging by the representatives they send ; and are not very likely to look behind the figures put forward with such an appearance of research. But correct as the statistics may be, the inferences drawn from them are veiy wide of the truth, when it is intended to shew that the cost of legislation, public works, and supervision of expenditure by the Provinces has been, and would be, less than by the General Government. The Bruce Herald gives tables of departmental expenditure and the cost of public works for every year since 1854, and infers that whereas in that year the relation of works done to revenue, was as 0.8 to 13.34, and in 1871 W 24.5 to 10, Provincial Governments are not expensive. But there are many other considerations besides the proportion of work done to cost of legislation and supervision. The chief fault of Provincialism is that while during the past years of the Colony, no other form of government was possible, it is fast becoming unsuited to the requirements of the day: that the public works performed by it have too much reference to purely local interests : that many of them are exclusive in their character, and that where it has been necessary to borrow money, it has only been obtained at an extravagant rate of interest. The Bruce Herald enumerates the roads made under the Provincial Government, the bridges constructed, the wharves and jetties built, and the public buildings, gaols, itc., erected. We suppose its readers are asked to conclude that none of these things would have been done under any other system. But there are persons illnatured enough to say that our roads might have been made much more cheaply and with better gradients : our bridges are mostly so constructed as to invite destruction, and our jetties have been swept away because of faults of position or workmanship. It is not likely that this would have been the case under General Government supervision, because those local considerations, that have had such powerful influence upon Provincial administrations, would have had comparatively little weight. The Bruce Herald also amusingly affirms that what railroads exist have been made and worked by provincial Governments, but seems totally to forget that no other mode has hitherto been possible, and that the little that has been done in that direction gives no encouragement to trust Provincial Governments witli then - future construction and management. Blind indeed must be the faith of the editor of the Bruce Herald in Provincialism, to advocate such a course with the evidence of the working of the Lyttelton and Christchurch Bailway before him, the breakdown in the construction of the Southland line, the blind bargain made by the Eeid Administration fer the Port Chalmers Bailway, and the willingness of the same Provincial Ministry to give <£400,000 for the Clutha line at 8 per cent, when it will be done for £300,000, at 5| per cent. Blindly infatuated must he be to advocate such a course, with the evidence given of local jealousies anxious to set district against district in the scrambling recommendation of lines of rail”

way by the Provincial Council las session. The interests of the Province as a whole were sacrificed to a desire to > set Oatnaru or Waikonaiti, or some other village against Port Chalmers, Provincialism has not even proved the barrier to unjust appropriations of revenue by the General Government that would have redeemed it as a system. Under Mr Staffords administration it was powerless to resist the expenditure of Southern money on Northern interests. In theory it is a pretty system ; in practice it had its advantages; but now that settlement has progressed so as to unite interests that were originally separate, it is desirable that uniformity of laws, and, in Colonial works, unity of design, should take the place of purely local considerations. We should . have preferred separate purses for the two Islands, but the time has gone by even for that.

Inquest. —An inquest will be held at the Port to-morrow on the bo ly of Mr J. A. Keens, a saloon passenger by the Alhambra, who died on the 25th inst., while on the passage from Melbourne. Sporting.—Three additional entires have been received for the Canterbury J.C. handicap, viz :—Peeress 10st. 2ib. ; Laccnfeed, 9st., and Catapult, 7st. Gib. The horses previously entered were Knott ingly, Yattariua, Malice, Envy, Exile, Malabar, Septimus, aud Defamation, A Change. —Six months ago Mr Donald Reid and his colleagues were the adored of the Mount Bungerites ; now they are regarded there with unenviable feelings. According to the local correspondent of the Tuapcka Times “a subscription Ist has been started with a view to producing funds to purchase six halters, to be manufactured of New Zea'and flax grown at Moa Flat, said halters with suitable inscriptions to be presented to Messrs Donald Reid, and four others, iu recognition of their recent services. ”

Princess Theatre.—There was a good house last evening, when Miss Green took a benefit. “ The Angel of Midnight, the principal piece, was of a semi-sensational kind, and depends on scenic effects (for success. Considering the drawbacks of a small company, and limited appliances, it was very well played, Miss Green personating the angel of midnight in her various guises. She was ably supported fey Miss Nye, and Messrs Wolfe and Musgrave. The afterpeice was “How to settle accounts with your Laundress.” Both pieces will be repeated to-night. Dtago Dock Trust.— The trustees ,of tbe Port Chalmers Graving Dock met this afternoon at the office of the secretary, Mr j. S. Webb. There were present—Messrs Ri. B. Martin (chairman), Cutten, Fish, Hill, RoLfe, Tayler, aud Thomson. On the motion of Mr Fish, seconded by Mr Hill, it was resolved that the sum of L 7144 12s 4d, as recommended by the report of Mr Garnithers, be offered to the contractors iu final settlement of their claim, without prejudice, and if this is accepted, the Board shall forego any claim they may have against the contractors for the leakage iu the Dock. The motion was carried with two dissentients. The bye-laws for regulating the use of the Dock were then passed, and the meeting adjourned.

Accidents. The country papers chronic e quite a chapter of accidents. At Tuapcka there were three accidents in the week, the first being that which resulted in the death of Mr David Taylor, an old settler of Tuapcka Mouth ; the next being one to Mr Goldsmith, of Wethcrstoncs, who, while leading a horse, was suddenly palled off the one he was riding, and fell on his shoulder, receiving some severe contusions. He is still suffering great p in from the fall, but there arc no bones broken. The othe •• accident is one to Mr Matthew Hay’s youngest boy, who fell into the fire-place, and got his hand and arm severely burnt. The poor little fellow is recovering slowly.— The Cromwell Argus gives the following account of an accident, which was very nearly being attended with fatal consequences, and which occurred at Cromwell Bridge ou the afternoon of the 23rd inst. Two boys—one of whom was the eldest sou of Sergeant Casfells--were gathering watercress on the brink of the precipice which forms the eastern abutment of the bridge, when by some means the boy Cassels got too near the brink, arid rolled down the rocky slop© with fearful rapidity towards the edge of tbe river for a . distance of about eighty feet, to a point where the slope terminates abruptly, and thence fell in an obJjnim direction twelve or fourteen feet further till he was caught on a shelf of rock within a few feet ot tlip pier, and ou to the very edge of the river. The boy must have been stunned by the fall for he lay motionless, face downwards, in aboutsix inches of water until rescued from his perilous position by another boy —Richard Whetter—who happened to be crossing the bridge at the time, and who promptly gave the alarm. Mr F. Frennesson, an employe of the Road Department, heard the cry. aud went without a moment’s delay to tbe assistance of tbe drowning boy, Mr Frennesou took the ap patently lifeless form in his arms, and succeeded, with great difficulty, in regaining the top of the bank. By that time the boy had shown some sjgps of life, and was carried with all possible speed to the Bridge Hotel. Dr Corse was summoned, apd the usual means were adopted to restore animation, —happily with success. It was then found that the boy had sustained severe concussion of the brain, the surface of the skull showing two depressions—one on the frontal bone, and the other at the base of the occiput. The little fellow still lies in a precarious condition, evidently suffering great pain. Dr Corse entertains but slight hope of his recovery. The rescue of the boy from the river’s brink was performed with an amount of promptitude and courage deserving of the highest commendation.

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT

This Day. (Before James Fulton, Esq., R.M.) Civil Cases. Lees v. Scott.—Ll Gs Bd. This was a claim by a schoolmaster for one quarter’s school fees for teaching three children. The defendant said he refused to pay the money as he had taken his children from the school on account of one of them having been severely punished. The boy was not in attendance, and judgment was given for the amount with costs.

Lees v. Fort.—l9s 7d. The defendant admitted owing 12s 4d. The children were removed before tbe end of the quarter, and the objection made was that the plaintiff agreed to be paid by the week or the quarter as best suited the defendant. No agreement was made, and he bad paid quarterly on a previous occasion. Judgment for the plaintiff for the amount with costs.

Keast and Another v. Wood,—Ls 11s 4d. Mr Stewart for the plaintiff; Mr Stout for the defendant. The action was brought to recover the value of certain goods scut to be sold by auction, but which the defendant, it was alleged, sold by private contract. The plaintiff said that there was a sale of stock by auction by the defendant, and in order to dispose of certain goods, he sent them to the store some of which were sold at half the value. He did not see Wood until after the sale. He (Wood) informed plamtiff that he had sold them with the rest of his goods to a Mr White, and would pay for them. Hyman Cohen said Wood came into possession of the stock at the store. A sale was advertised by auction, and on looking over the stock, he as agent for Keast saw some goods belonging to him. Wood told him the whole of the stock was sold by private contract, aud he would pay for the goods. Wood said the goods had been sold by Mr Milner at public auction for 255, and be would pay no more. Jas. Milner was employed to sell the goods iu Wood’s store ; but they were privately sold the night before. He received commission ou the affair, and signed the agreement between White and Wood as witness. To the best of his belief, the goods were valued by him at 255, and sold at that price to close the transaction. For the defence it was alleged that there was no contract with Wood ; they were never in his possession, and the goods wore sold by auction. If the plaintiffs were willing to accept 255, it would be paid ; if not, M r Stout would ask that the plaintiff should be nonsuited. Neman Wood was a creditor of Pope’s, and bought the stock. He knew nothing about Keast’s goods. itneeses were called to prove the statements of the defendant. Pope, who received the goods into the store, said the goods were sent for sale by auction without reserve, and that Wood knew nothing of their being there. His Worship gave judgment for the amount for which tbe goods were sold, 255, and costs. He thought Wood’s statements were perfectly borne out by tbe evidence, and that bis conduct had been perfectly straightforward. Burrows v. Foster,—The plaintiff did not appear, and the case was struck out. Several cases were called, and dismissed for non-appearance of the parties.