The Evening Star SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 1875.

Evening Star, Issue 3755, 6 March 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 1875.

The coming question of Provincialism or no Provincialism is giving rise to various phases of thought regarding the ulterior consequences of the change. We have advocated the abolition of Provincialism in the North Island on several grounds in the interests of both North and South, If ever the system was beneficial in the North, which is open to grave doubt, the work to which it was adapted is completed. The main'purpose to be effected by a merely local representative body is to administer or conserve local revenues, and so far as the Northern Provinces are concerned their revenues have ceased to exist so as to be effective for public good after payment of administrative expenses. It is idle now to inquire whether their landed estate his been wasted or parted with on terms that were beuefical to the Province. That the best has u®t been made of it is plain, because those institutions that should have represented the price of its alienation are not endowed or in a state of efficiency. Hospila’s, lunatic asylums, educational arrangements have be:; neglected; roads and hri 1 . ‘we vot m.*!.••. nor b.i; snt>N ■ merit ot the country usm mr.orwl It may 1 bo urged that the ' v ’auvc wa v iuter'Vrod \\i t aad prevented social development. Rut ! admitting this, it must not be forgotten that I the weight of the expense of the war wa« ■ borne by the I’rovino s of the South Island; | that extraordinary gv -,nts have been made to boater up tie rev i uea of th~ Nnithr-rn Provir. ant- that the result of ■•iii&g-.voi-e.ment auiing pud. years leads t.o ihe conclusion that the public in*crest has been made subservient to private speculation. Hie spirit manifested in the North has been one oi gre. d, t 'ompacLs deliberately cote- ed into are treated as so much vapor, when, by setting them aside, a few more thousands of •uthein pro t .B!-;y can be appropriated tivon m w ’••he dortvi ■ ■ is lai '■ down that the j'.vft Prov;ii;id i,having rendered I Ao.-klaJ-l W ■ I , y j poo.a.- -iC ..ii„ a.;,..: .>, ;unti y in years •••l a .! • dbnrehi Vp hitter exp •ricncc tv -i, ! ii.v 0.-anto;. .-uoo.aal in that direction, they are ;1 lining to ties--oil their own countryman and fellow colonists of their revenue, by repudiating an agreement forced by themselves upon the . mith in the days of its weakness. a short time ba"k wo drew attention to an article in a Northern paper openly advocating this course, and then expressed the opinion, which we believe to be well founded, that only by abolishing Provincialism in the North can we expect to preserve our land revenues for our own use. Every one does not coincide in that view in the Province, for a short time after expressing that opinion a gentleman of no small influence pronounced the doctrine of not allowing the North to share in our land revenue a “ weak ” one. “Do you know,” said he, “what fine tracts of country the Government have acquired in the North? And is it not plain that if Auckland and the Northern Provinces are allowed to share in our land revenue, we shall have a fair claim to share in the proceeds of the sale of those splendid tracts ?” This argument was further supported by his pointing out that our agricultural land is nearly alienated. We have waited some time for some statistics which were promised. which, ’however, have not been furnished, and which really do not affect the ease. We do not see, in fact, that the principle of the matter is at all altered, whether oiu' agricultural estate is parted with or not. The question presents itself to our minds thus : By the compact of 1856 land revenue was made Provincial revenue. The Northern Provinces ba-”o been allowed to apply the proceeds of the sale of their land to local purposes without interference by the South, and, the fund having been exhausted, they can have no further claim •Jpor. Pm estate then exiting. But m to that lal-oiy acquired ami lobe 0hi0:y..3.1 by n-:-oh*s .• in i i sc uuare, tho I -m-; of the compact nf IS AG do ;.ot apply. Whatever has since that time been obtained has been purchased hy the Colony with funds fr un tin common stock, ’and in, therefor v to all intents and purposes Colonial pro; eHy V- hi!e, in..ovfon, the reuth may. an : ought, frirly to chum a chore in the procee dof the sale of tho-e Imds :\s mirk and r cinr ably i 8 it entitled to the redo use of tho unseal poition of its Provincial estates. The fact tint tho North Island has pa. red wiih its early estate and appropriated the money lo ‘ally without remonstrance by the Bouth es aidishes the principle that the land revenue of ‘ Hugo belongs to the Province, and as a pa>ty to tho fresh purchase it lias an undoubted inter-at in the profits on the transaction. This simple business principle seems to have been overlooked our talented friend, who may perhaps n nv see that he did not lock far enough when hj« objected to our views on grounds so untenable.

The Registrar of the Supreme Court inonus us that an order in i 'ouncil was passed yesterday postponing the criminal sittings of the Supreme Court till the 12th of April. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Port ,’ha'iuers, this morning, before Mr T. A. vlansford, R. M., Char es Cannon was fined ’C or tvvvnty-four hours’, f r dumkenuess. :'r 'in i Mrs < use had another crowded

■ ■ use at. the Queen’s Theatre ; ast evening, •nd the va ious ite ns of the programme were received with the usual favor. This evening will be the last appearance of these talented performers in Dunedin, and a firstrate entertainment may be relied on. On Monday the Resident Magistrate’s ‘Joint will he relieved of police business, which in future will he attended to by the .1 notices or the Peace in the old Mayor’s out t, Maclaggan street. Mr Somerville, who .as been for abut fourteen years connected ■:th the Magistrate’s Court, will, for the nre.-ent, act as clerk of the Court-, aud will, probably, be permanently appointed n future, all examinations in criminal cases will be conducted in this t oui t. The increasing business of the Magistrate’s Court will be much relieved by this arrangement, Tiie Temperance Hall was again largely attended last evening, the performance being favorably received by the audience. A special entertainment was given this afternoon to suit the convenience of schools .and families, who were admitted at half-price to all parts of the house. The children mustered strongly, and evidently thoroughlj enjoyed themselves. The attendance at this olacc cf amusement increases nightly, and deservedly so, for it certainly is the best entertainment of the sort that baa been given in Dunedin.

Assaults on the police continue, and today Thomas Fogarty was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment with hard labor for assaulting Constable Doran while endeavoring to convey him to the lock-up. The presiding Justices, in sentencing him to the full terra, said that they had determined not to accept of a fine, as prisoner must have been sensible of the enormity of the offence, hav-

ing on a previous occasion got a month for a similiar charge, binclair, the ringleader in the disturbance outside the Princess Theatre on Wednesday night, paid his fine (L 10), During the last three days no less than four cases of accidents have occurred at Port Chalmers, all of them of a serious nature. The last one ws have to record happened this morning to a man named George Buchanan, who was working at the cutting in George street. A portion of earth suddenly slipped and buried the unfortunate man, who was quickly dug out, and carried to the George Hotel, and attended by Dr Van Heimert. It was then discovered that the right leg had sustained what is commonly known as a >Vv, ■ froctur.-, and there is little doubt but

that Buchanan has received severe internal injuries. Dr Van Heimert immediately bandaged the injured leg, and the sufferer was conveyed to the Hospital by thell a.m, train. A man was charged at Christchurch the

•dhci- day with id-treating his wife. It ap •.*esri-.d hit tb-.-y bad been married thirty-six yeirq and ab ur- (•wi year; ago the woman had been so hj aum that she was compelled to leave her husband, but they had since come together again In ans- er to certain question-;, the woman said :—“I won't take moredrink than what I require. 1 certainly had two sixpenny worths of old tom yesterday, but what’s that? I do take my beer at dutcer every day, bat I don’t often try old tom I have v-rkd ray bust to punch my •• -iu;t wish to pity 1. ‘had been Ptroc m./: do xo. f’'(t. : k v-‘ V. ail my oi .rt. i oiJ ••aka up a ’ out•.*. bu•; ; throw it at iuin. ‘ i dkk : .■ bur •yd 1 , ;i ■ weight, i b.i-.v * •! t would Cry rnd p.-u-na hj v. \ was;,;';, a;;, aid of my I c;d;. : uly !;;■ vc ;•. t,iupm my tr.-mu*" items ■" ppcAv in the last is.su : f ‘ in- • Oromwr-d Argus.’ The tar of tne East Company at the Garrick Uauge have stiuck the oid reef, which gives good indications. The reef hj s been driven along about 40ft, and yielded good prospects. The lode is about 2£it thick. The manager rep rts lhat the reef has been found to run 390 ft in length by about Isofc in height, and it is calculated that the whole extent of stoae in that distance will yield handsomely. The mill is expected to start in a fortnight, with every prospect of being able to continue steadily crushing, so that a good cake may shortly be expected from this claim. The Cromwell Company’s reef is looking splendid. Owing to the absence of the manager (Mr Logan), no retorting has taken place since Christmas, and a very large pile of amalgam has accumulated, which accounts for the absence of the usual contribution from this company to last month’s escort. However, 2,0000z3 next time will help to make up the deficit, and this amount is rumored to be the yield from one battery since the New Year.

The ‘ Sunday Newsman ’ is very rarely the receptacle of anything that can with decency be quoted from its columns ; but in a recent issue there is from the pen of Frank Weston a very feelingly written “In memonam of the late Joseph Small, from which we make the following extract:—“ Before many of us had left school, Joe had won his spurs in the battle of life. We know little of ms history, but he was a gentleman, and CTi carefully reared, Wedo know, however, that no inconsiderable portion of his earnings went to support one at least who was dependent upon him at a very early age, though he never acknowledged that he was burdened by the obligation. Of his talents it is hardly necessary to speak ; most of our readers will have assigned him his place in —is one great song The Unfortunate Man,” will—so long as it can be lememnered—keep his memory green as an artist, and f w people will dare essay singing it while his rendition can be recollected. After many ups and downs, .lr Smail, or Joe, as we love to call him, was un .;ho ove ;.f securing a perennial stream ot easa By indomitable industry and strict ■ 1 cap f'i', re) his mi -vs-i was insured—sicr\: death - tcu;d in between him a.d iho ease and Iru purity which be had fairly wrested from fortune. From a lad he was always trying honorably, and without greed <»r parsimony, to better himself, and just as he had almost succeeded the cup of sweet reward for toil was dashed from his li is. How’ it fares with th re he loved and coerisbed we know not—it is not our business—and wo can only hope they fare w'ell, and that their bread - winner won enough to keep from want the willow and children of a man who relived many a score of needy ones.” • Tbuiedin Band of Hope held its usual fortnightly meeting last night in the lower Tempennce Hall, Mr Cameron in the chair. There •was an average attendance, with a varied programme of songs and recitations, Messrs Jago and Morris addressed the meeting. Three books presented by a lady friend as prizes for the best recitations were awarded to Miss Jane Uoh, Miss Selby, and Joseph M‘George. The meeting was brought to a close by singing a temperance melody. 6 S