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Evening Star, Issue 3331, 23 October 1873, Page 2

We are inclined to think that far too little use is made during the Parliamentary recess of the Hansard reports. We cannot say they are very inviting reading. To render political debates interesting to general readers, there must be the excitement of party in a struggle for supremacy. But that is not the best time for forming sound opinions on the questions discussed. Passion is a bad reasoner. Its appeal is to the imagination, to prejudice, to personal antipathies. Under its influence wrong judgments are formed, which vary often lead to irreparable mischief. This frequently arises through questions being brought forward on which men are called to judge from very imperfect evidence, and in consequence many measures are passed that work imperfectly, and others are rejected that would have proved beneficial. Hansard is not of so much use in regard to measures adopted, as to motions and Bills rejected. Experience is the measure of value of that which is done; but reason must be called upon to decide upon what was proposed and not accepted. In social science, as in chemistry, very valuable material is often discovered in that which is usually thrown away. At any rate, if no other good results, examination of the residuum very often demonstrates the proper adaptation of the means employed to reach a desired end. These motions and Bills ignored are the key notes to the minds of the proposers: indices of their political capacity or of the notions prevalent in the class to which they belong. It will not be amiss, therefore, occasionally to dip into that generally neglected portion of political history, the rejected Bills and motions; for iu that Limbo of waste, there are some that will be again broughtfonvard, in one shape or another, and all the arguments repeated by which they were supported. After the rejection of the Provincial Loans Empowering Bill by the Council, Honorable members amused themselves by occasionally discussing questions bearing more or less immediately upon public works. The Hon, Mr Sewell, who appears to be the oracle iu whom the majority believe, had drawn a most appalling picture of the crash that the Public Works scheme must lead to. The Hon. Mr Miller, one of the lights of Otago, in the course of that anile oration, had a sudden inspiration. It flashed upon him that something ought to be done to avert the appalling consequences Mr Sewell predicted, and “ that the debate should be followed by some practical resolution.” Whether a “ resolution” of the Council, which must be at best suggestive, can with propriety be termed u practical, we will not discuss; our readers may judge for themselves whether they think the one proposed was such as Canterbury and Otago should be called upon to put in practice. The motion made and question proposed was : “That in view of the large sums of money accruing <uul available from the sales of laud in the Provinces of Canterbury ami Otago, the amount which the ('olonial liabilities have already readied, and the necessity vf fresh loans in order to complete the railway system throughout the Colony, it is the opinion of this Council that the public works policy should be modified to the following extent:—That the Provinces of Canterbury and Otago should be empowered to complete such railways as they may rerjuire over and above those alicady authorised by Parliament, whether main lines or branch lines, without any further assistance from the Colonial funds ; and that, if necessary, special Acts should be passed for this purpose,” This very kind proposal was made in a House that has iuvaiiably rejected every Bill having for its intention, the

localisation of expenditure : that has for the past three years persistently refused to recognise the principle that branch railways should be made, and the interest secured on the property of those who would reap the benefit of their construction. We should like to give an outline of the reasons by which this brilliant emanation of genius was supported ; but confess we cannot clearly gather them from the report. Tho idea of Mr Miller seems to be that our public works already begun cannot be completed, and that lest the UG miles authorised in Otago and Canterbury should have gaps in them, “those wealthy Provinces,” said Mr Miller should come forward and say, “We have got money now ; we can alibi’d to make these railways ourselves, and we will relieve the Colony from the great pressure which is thrust upon it for these works.” It is really refreshing to.find such noble philanthropy on recoid—so generous a mode of dealing with other people’s money ! Few would be disposed to imagine that a gentleman, who very willingly voted against the estates of his class being prospectively assessed for balance of interest on the cost of branch railways, by which they would have been multiplied many times in value, would be so liberal as to permit them to be made at the public expense. But this surpassing munificence was not solely his own. True : not many of the Lower House shared in it; but some did. We must attribute the non-concurrence of the dissentients to inability to comprehend the lofty thought ; because to understand the teachings of genius, kindred genius is required. Mr Miller had viewed tiie question' not only inside but outside, and had discovered that— If we could only take an outside view of our condition, it would appear to us simply preposterous and ridiculous in the extreme that the Colony should be borrowing money to make railways for those rich Provinces, when they could do it perfectly well themselves, and he was “ in a position to say that several members of influence from the Provinces of Canterbury and Otago ” carefully mark that word “ influence ” —he “ would not say many members,” because “ he ” had not spoken to a great many—had expressed their decided approval of the resolution; and one honorable gentlemen of great influence said he would be quite prepared to adopt it, and would be glad if such a course wore taken.” The manner in which Honorablos dealt with the matter will let a little further light into the notions that men of influence have of treating Provincial property. Of that hereafter, — 1 A daily mail will fa# between Dunedin and Palmerston on and after the Ist of January. At a meeting of the Palmerston Cricket Club last week it was stated that a match is in contemplation during the ensuing season with the Citizens* CJqb, Dunedin. In future the officers fit tJie various departments of the Civil Service wjll he expected to attend at their duties from3o a m- to 5 p.m. daily, Saturdays excepted. Fiv/ft frppcifd jurymen—Messrs John Armstrong,’ Afth#r beyerly, Thomas Fordyce, David Proud foot, jarrifi® Spoular—were fined two guineas each for nqn-fttejida^qc. The usual vernal delicacy—whitebait—has already made its appearance at Chrisoh.urch. The price of these fish of undefinable species was 3s a quart about a week ago. In Oreymouth they sell at 6d a quart. Last week Messrs Stoddart and Culling safely deposited a thousand young trout in Trotter’s Creek, Big and Utile Kuri. and Murcott’s Creek. ft is intended to place some fish in the Otepopo and Rookery rivers. Mr O’Conor, M.H.R., has already given bis constituents a history of the doings of the fata session of Parliament. He declared his readiness to contest the election for the Superiijtejidjenfty of the Province of Nelson. The ninth anniversary of the Loyft Albion Lodge, M. U.1.0.0.F., was celebrated last evening at St. George’s Half by a ball, Mr Bailey’s band supplied the musical portion of the entertainment, Mr Donaldson providing the refreshments. There were neatly 200 people pnsent, and dancing was kept up till an early hour. We have been requested by Mr D. Miller, jim,, to state that the Immigration Barrack buildings were designed by the Colonial Architect, from whose drawings the plans for the reconstruction of the washhouse described yesterday were executed by him. The alterations made were necessary for the rearrangement of the wash-boilers and brickwork in connection with them. Mr Lowtbcr Broad, the Resident Magistrate at Nelson, writes to the local papers denying that he has any intention of coming forward as a candidate for the representation of Nelson city in the Provincial Council, He adds that, should be at Any future time interest himself in Provincial politics, he should most probably seek the suffrages of a mining constituency, Mr John Williamson, M. FT.TL, has been proposed as a member of the Star of Newcastle Lodge of Good Templars in.Auckland, but declines to be initiated until after the election for the Superintendeucy. A correspondent of an Auckland paper says Mr Williamson ha» for some time past been a firm and consistent friend of the temperance cause, and is a member fit the Auckland Total Abstinence Society. During the consideration of a case at the sitting of tho Waste Land Board to-day, tho Utago Waste Lauds Act of 1872 came in for a large amount of obloquy from some of the members of that body. Mr Clark thought same of its sections were absurd ; Mr Strode agreed with him in that opinion; while Mr Bastings considered the Act defective ; it was, in fact, a perfect abortion, and would yet necessitate the Board’s retaining the whole of the legal Bar to administer its provisions. The special jury case, the Otago and Southland Investment Company y. A. J. Burns, which is a claim for L 225 interest, was commenced in the Supreme Court this morning. In almost every particular it is the same as the case heard before Mr Strode, 11. M., in February, 1872, when the company recovered L7«7, being one quarter's interest on a loan of L 3,0 '() obtained by Mr Burns from the company when in England in December, 1870. The defence now. as in February of last year, is that the plaintiff’s manager, elected to be dissatisfied with the security which defendant agreed to give by way of mortgage, and that by terms of the agreement under , which the loan was obtained defendant ten ' dered, payment of the loan, with interest to

date when the bill foT'L3,OOO given by him matured. Our report is unavoidably held over till to-morrow. The anniversary social meeting of St. Andrew’s Church congregation was held in the hall beneath that church last evening, the follow clergymen bdng pftSent, and assisting at the proceedings; —The Rev. Messrs Gow, pastor of the church, Bmnerman, Blake, Bowie (from Canada), Fleming, M'Nanghton, M'Kenzie from Victoria), Rigg, and Dr Stuart. After a tea, supplied by Mr R. K. Murray, an adjournment was made up-stairs to the church, when addresses were given by most of the reverend gentlemen present, interspersed with singing. There was a large attendance, and a most agreeable evening was spent. A special meeting of the Otago Acclimatisation Society was held in the Council Chambers this afternoon, '1 here were present Messrs W. D. Murison (in the chair), J. T. Thomson, Hepburn, and J. Reid (secretary). The Chairman read a telegram from Dr Smith, Molyneux, stating he wanted 5()0 trout for the Waiwera ponds, and agreeing to pay half expenses. He (the Chairman) thought that if the Association were to give the fish it was not to be expected that they were to contribute towards defraying the expenses of their transportation. It was agreed that in all future cases those receiving the fish should pay all expenses. Messrs Hepburn, M’Glashan, and Murison were elected a committee to arrange for the distribution of the trout now at Palmerston and in tho society’s grounds. The annual meeting of the socety was fixed for November 6. The Chairman said by the incoming mail he expected that they would have definite instructions from Mr Ewen ; and he might state that young Bills, who was her-justnow. was shortiygoing to Melbourne where his father was and that if the society desired he would send over some magpies, Australian crows, and mina for them. Ihe Secretary said that hj - had sent to San Francisco for L7O worth of Californian seeds. They would consist of :—Primis Insignis, Wellingtonea gigantea, Macrccarpa, Larabertiana, Sabiniana, Benthamiana, M’Nabiaua, Minicata, Abus Douglassii, and Cupressus Goveniana. They will be disturbed amongst the members as soon as received. Mr Hepburn asked what was to be done with the trees in the old Botanical Gardens, and the Chairman said that he blisved they were to be kept for reserves and other municipal purposes. Mr Thomson mentioned that yel Lwhnmmcrs, chaffinches, andlinnets were to he heard of a morning near his place (Caversham), and that he was very glad.to notice this, as also were the children, who soon distinguished the difference between the old and new bifds. Tbhi being all the business the meeting adjourned.