The Evening Star. FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4156, 23 June 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star. FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 1876.

The tactics of the junior members of the Opposition party are not calculated to create public confidence in their wisdom or ability. There is usually one bore in a representative Assembly who thinks it his special call to question everything done by the Ministry which he opposes, and to assume that every word uttered by them and every motion proposed have for their end personal advancement rather than the public good. Last session the member for Caversham held the office of Bore in Chief. In zeal in the prosecution of his self-assumed position he excelled the doting knight who is worthy of the party he leads. Not a motion was made in the House by the Ministry that his suspicious perception did not discern something sinister in. It is one of the penalties of office that a certain, and by no means small class of puny I politicians imagine that one of its attributes is the parting with all honesty and all desire for the public good. Having this leading idea they jump up on every opportunity, fired with ambition to expose such hypocrisy j they aim at random, stop public business, waste time in wordy disputations, and find that, instead of succeeding in their object, they have mainly managed to bring the party in whose interests they profess to have acted into disrepute. Our legal member for Dunedin is not, however, destined to share the honors of peddling opposition merely with Sir George Grey. A formidable competitor of his own craft has found a place in Parliament, and is evidently bent on distinguishing himself beyond all precedent. The Premier gave him a well-merited snubbing last night when he told him " he seemed to think he could teach the House a great deal, but would find he had more to learn than he could teach." It is hardly to be hoped that quibblers of Mr Rees's class will benefit by such home truths, especially if, in the words of Bbntham, their intellects have been " narrowed though sharpened " by the practice of the profession of the law. Should it be the fortune of the two legal rivals and Sir George Grey to remain in Wellington throughout the session it would be a curious calculation, and one that might bear future profit, to learn how much their risings to order, objections, idle amendments, and factious opposition cost the countrv. It must be remembered that time occupied m fruitless debate costs money. We do not condemn opposition conducted in a fair, straightforward, and honorable manner. The jealous eye of an Opposition is necessary to the wellbeing of the community. It would, in fact, be a bad day for New Zealand were, there no one in Parliament to watch the proceedings of men in power: who, in that case would be as absolute as the veriest despot. The debates on finance and general policy are educational as well as explanatory. They teach the people the principles and practice of Parliamentarv Government inform them of the reasons for adopting certain courses of procedure, and, prepare them for' cooperating with the Legislature in giving effect to measures calculated to forward the interests of the country. Were there no opposition, legislation would be the privilege of the few, instead of, as now, being shared in alike by rulers and people. The discussions which take place give a clue to the characters of the men who have been chosen to represent us; and opposition has a tendency to show their fitnesßor unfitnessfor their position. Even, therefore, when it is merely captions and puerile! as in the case of Sir George Grey and his Northern and Southern auxiliary bores, consequence will be, either their learning their true positions in Parliament ana understanding its duties, cr their being superseded by more able men at the next election. The chief evil is that this testing of character costs the country more than the experiment is worth. As for Mi Rees, we should recommend the House to ornament him with a cap and bells, as his ecoentrioities, like a coart jester's of old, are likely to amuse, however they may annoy. The present attitude of parties is without precedent. A week has passecTand not even a reply has been moved to the Governor's Speech, nor does one appear likely to be given for some time to come, for tho Piako Swamp debate can hardly be expected to be decided in a huvry. Nothing is more strange than the union of two sections of the House of tendencies so opposite as those of Auckland and Otago. We have Sir George Grey and the Northern men attacking the Government for selling 80,000 acres of swamp to Messrs Whittaker and Russell, and they are to be backed up by a party who proposed to sell, and attempted to coerce the Waste Land Board of Otago to sell, 64,000 acres of available land to some four 01 five individuals. The only person who can enter into*such a combination with clean hands is Mr Stout, who, to his credit, is known to have refused to be a party to the lastnamed transaction when proposed by the Provincial Executive. w e are aware of the quibbles that will be raised by the Grey party. We grant that it is of tho utmost importance that even a beneficial commercial operation by the Government should be conducted

in a strictly constitutional manner; and if it is proved they have gone beyond or fallen short of the requisite procedure, to that extent be censured. Bat the country must in Some degree blame itself for sales of that character. It would have been more profitable for the Government to have made the road of twenty-five miles across the swamp, if by so doing land available for pasture of agriculture was reclaimed and public safety added to. But had the Government proposed to do so it is very doubtful whether they would have been supported in such a scheme. There would have been the usual objections to interfering with private enterprise and long speeches about the uselessness of the work. and waste of public money. - -The country has not yet, arrived at the idea of profitable management of the public estate. : ** .*

By cable we are informed that the Suez mail arrived at Adelaide yesterday. • The tender of Mr John Hollick for.Ll,7i)o 2s lid for wayside stations on the Tokomairiro Lawrence railway has been accepted.

The attendance at the Princess's Theatre last night being very small, owing to the inclement weather, the entertainment announced for Mr Goold's benefit did not take place.

" Behind the Curtain " was only passably, played at the Queen's Theatre last evening; some of the company not being very well up in their parts. " Camille " will be produoed to-night. The various Friendly Societies in Auckt land have held several meetings to consider the new Bill, and they have forwarded to other societies throughout the Colony printed copies of the amendments they consider advisable, to the number cf thirteen,

During the heavy rain of last evening a drunken woman fell into the gutter in Maclaggan street, and was swept a long way down by the torrent of water till stopped by a foot-bridge. She was then helped out of her awkward position f by some bystanders and taken to the lock-up. BThe Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, after-considering the proposed Friendly Societies Bill, have determined to oppose several of its clauses, and therefore have elected.' Messrs William Bragg, James Malcolm, and L. W. Clark to represent the society at the conference of delegates at the Oddfellows' Hall.

The Cromwell 'Argus' understands that the local Town Council have received from the Provincial Government a reply to the memorial, praying that a Warden might be appointed for the Cromwell district. The decision arrived at is that, ia-view of the present unsettled position of things in connection with the government of the country, the Executive do not deem it advisable to make any alteration in the administrative department of the Province.

The «Times' reports that a shocking accident occurred on Wednesday to a man named John Maloney, who is employed at Mr Nelson's coal mine, Balclutha. He was in the act of letting off a blast, and after oharging the hole, set fire to the fuse. and. as he now believes, dropped the lighted match into a keg of powder. The keg contained 71bs, and stood behind him. A loud explosion immediately followed, and, blinded with the flash, he was thrown on his back, His elothes were all ablaze, and he just had time to reach the pit mouth before the blast occurred. His comrades stripped, him, and he was conveyed ttfthe Dunedin Hospital by the evening train. His right hand and the-right side of his. face have been burnt and T>lackehed with the powder, and an eye hurt, but 'hopes are entertained that the injury to his eye will be ; a permanent one. Gn inquiry tprday we find that Mahoney is progressing fairly, and that he is not likely to loße his sight. Referring to the recent murder and suicide at Timaru the 'Lyttelton Times' of the 21st .says:—"On Monday Mr M'Gregoi, accountant, formerly of Christchurch, bought -five shillings' worth of strychnine, ostensibly for'the purpose 0 f poisoning rats. The milkman called at 9 a.m. yesterday, and Mrs M'Gregor asked him :to, call in a neighbor. When the latter came M'Gregor was found to be dying, and his wife was ill from the effects of poison which had been mixed with bitters and given to her by her husband shortly after he had taken strychnine himself. M 'Gregor died at a quarter-past nine and his wife.* quarter of an hour later. Strychnine was found in M'Gregor's pocket, along with a letter written by him on Friday night, explaining his reasons to his wife for-commit-ting suicide, but not his intention to poison her. He was threatened with a prosecution for obtaining money under false pretences and f of embezzlement unless the money was refunded on Tuesday morning. A ■pott m.rtem examination waß held yesterday, and the inquest will take place td-day."

Messrs Tewsley and Davie, as representing the Harbor Board, interviewed his Wor ship the Mayor on business connected with the Board at the City Council Chambers at noon to-day. . Mr DaVie said the price proposed to be charged the Board for lighting the lamps (LlO each) on Rattray street wharf, was considerably too much. The Mayor replied that lihe Corporation as wholesale purchasers had themselves to pay LlO per lamp, and were consequently treating most liberally with the Harbor Board. The Corporation wished to conduct all transactions with the. Bo«rd in a friendly spirit, notwithstanding the •' grab-all" accusation made against them ;by a member of the Board. Mr Tewsley disavowed anything of the 'sort, and maintained that the Board had always shown a liberal spirit in its dealings with the Corporation. Mr Pavie thought the Board had been treated discourteously by the Corporation in not receiving an -official reply to their former application before finding an answer in the newspapers. The Mayor explained that when the Lighting Committee's report ' came before the Council it was public property, so it frequently happened that replies were found in the newspapers before being forwarded to the parties most directly interested. Mr Tewsley said that according to their engineer's calculation the Corporation made a profit of 100 per c«mt. on the gas supplied, taking it at 12s 6d per thousand. His Worship promised that the question referred to should be brought before the Lighting Committee at the earliest opportunity. Mr Tewsley asked what arrangements would be made to have the road at Rattray street wharf extension improved. Mr Davie said there was a combination of three interested in the work. The expense should be borne by the Havbor Board, the Corporation, and the Government. The Harbor Board was willing to bear its share of the expense, and he would bring the' matter under the notice of the Executive. The Mayor promised to bring it under the notice of the Works Committee. This being all the business, his Worship wished to correct some misapprehension regarding the Wharves and Quays Reserve ;, but as this matter had not been relegated to the deputation they .declined to receive the profejwd informatipij, i

On the Auckland wharf eu day tat week a crane, supposed to be able to tip ft weight of five tons, broke while lifting a ton and a-half, It had been bought in Wellington, and was thought cheap at L 126.

The members of the School Committee visited the Middle District School this afternoon, and dismissed the pupils forTthe mid* winter week's vacation. Mr Fitzgerald, rector of the Normal School, who has had command of the Middle School since Mr Halliwell's resignation, terminated his engagement with the school. On resuming, Mr Barrett will take charge of it.

Wellington must be as badly off for a theatre as Christchurch, for the ' Post' says a window at the back of the dress circle, m which a pain had been broken for a week, allowed a perfect hurricane to blow through on the ©ooupants of During one night's performance the wind and rain drove right through on to the poople in the seats facing the stage, some of whom,had to change Weue^^ilaic^'ltt\4HutiJ sequence. . The Qufienstowtt correspondent of the 1 Cromwell Argus,' writing in* referen26?to: Comnussioner Weldon's recent report on the* working of in thus Province, complains of "the absurdity of depriving iQueenstown of the" use of a suitable gacV and adds benefit. dei*eecH>y prison labor is an item that we cannot allow to be so easily token from us, and I have no doubt that- the action of the Town Council will have the desired-effect-^findingf&t- ---: least a suitable, and, a» is* well known, a much required gaol for this populous portion of the district. The old shanty at present used is a disgrace to humanity, a«d should; have been removed long ago."

In a recent number of the 'Australasian' iEgles remarks :—"The auctioueer r s advertised reasons for selling are ordinarily simple enough, The furniture is usually the furniture of a gentleman about to visit Europe, or giving up housekeeping. No one ever announces that he is Selling his property because he wants the.money. T3iat 1 is a contingency too absurd to contemplated In this week's papers there is, howeveryanl example of real candor. The advertiser takes the world fully into his confidence; He throws open the closet and introduces you to -his mother-in-law: This itf hbw he prefaces his desire to sell his-brewery and malt-house:-' The Owner being about to 'Leave the. Colony, on"Account of the Es?trangemeht in his Home that has : beehV Caused by"theCbntlSnts .of'>"letter."Addressed to .his|;\lYife'' ,^d:^ti[enV'lmt9! r "'lu%,.! Hands, as also to get rid of a Mosher-in-law and her family.'" ' : j

I A warm newspaper controversy is being carried on atNew. Hymquth, Taran&ki, concerning the running of -Sunday trains thelfy, and a long letter on that; subject from: the Rev. F. W. Isitt ftppeairfi[ Wthe 'Budget ,'. pi the 7th inst. Having been subjected to some severe strictures for protesting against the running o^rainaand the opening of th* Literary Institute on Sundays,- the writer felt compelled to reply through the columns of the local Press. In the course of his letter Mr jaitt remarks :*-'* Am Ito believa tnat this community will subject to averse criticism any man, be he u new-comer or old 'resident, who dares to express his conscientious conviction in the discharge of what he believes to be his duty ? If so, I shall wish myself speedily back in Otago, where (what-', ever may be said of its physical climate)' its intellectual atmosphere is at least such that a man may breathe freely in it, *nd where 4n honest expression of opinion does not involve social ostracism."

The following clipping from the 'Wisconsin State Journal' will prove; interesting to many of bur readers:«—" At the Congregational Church, on Sunday, Rev. Anketef M. Hendersbu, pastor of a large Congregational Church at Melbourne; Australia, visiting this place, in company with' Hon. : S. D. Hastings, addressed the congregation. He. has been an invalid for some eight months, and is travelling for his health, and did notr feel able to preach yesterday.. As the congregation had been lei to expect him, how--he yielded to the persuasions of M# Hastings and Mr Richards, and in a very familiar Way, sitting instead of standing in the pulpit, gave a simple and beautiful discourse, of an expository nature from the Ist epistle of John, sth chap., 10-12 verses. He clearly set forth of the truth thus received, the substance of the testimony, and how the higher life when it enters into the soul exalts, purifies, and fills it with peace and : joy; how he thatfhath/ eternal life in the Son rests in the smile of* God, and how believers in all parts ;of the earth clasp hands in faith and love.

| On Monday evening Mr and Mrs Hoskinsj took a farewell benefit at the Chnstchttrclr I Theatre Royal, when the house was full to j overflowing. The ' Lyttelton Times' reports I that during the" l performance Mr Hoskins gave a short address to theaudiencfe, eaying that although the season had extended over 240 nights,, and that during the whole of | that time they had had to encounter very strong opposition,' the company had' been very successful. ; In aU ;) probabiiity it was the last time they would meet together s in' that When they next met it would be in a temple of the drama worthy of ttie City olChristchurch, and of the intelligence and position of the people. The preliminaries had been all arranged, the tenders accepted,' and the contract^would be signed on the following day, and therefore the present occasion must be looked; upon as trie farewell night of the old building, in November next they would meet .together, he trusted, .in the new theatre. ' He was now in treaty with the best stars in Australia, and'hoped he Would have the pleasure of introducing them to the Christchurch public. He trusted that on his return they would continue their, patronage to him ; and on the part of himselrand his wife he nowfor threpjteseht bade them farewell.—[Mr Hoskins arrived by the Phoebe yesterday, .and will T re-open the Princess's' Theatre to-morrow evening with a strong company, including many old Dunedin faces. , Shakespeare's pleasing'comedy,. "Much Ado aboWt Nothing-'' will be played,' the leading characters being sustained by Mr and; Mrs Hoskins, assisted .by Miss Lizzie Lawrence, Messrs Douglas, Burford, &c. Mr G. W. Geddes accompanies Vthe troupe as business manager. ; Mr Williams has .been engaged painting new scenery for some timelpast.]- : . •■■• .-'.

The half-yearly meeting of the H. A <"!. B. Society -will be.held in the large hall of the. Athenaeum oh Monday evening, at 7 o'clock. We have received from Mr Geo. Matthews, seedsman Moray place, a copy of his neaty printed "Garden Calendar" for the yenr. which contains a quantity of very useful information. :