The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 1907.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2021, 5 March 1907, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 1907.

As an inset to-day we publish a power £ul indictment against the Land Bill by a writer who evidently knows what ho is writing about 1 . This dissertation we commend to tho careful perusal of every settler in the district, and by the time the reador has carefully digested it ii ho is not convinced of the crudity and erroneous tenet's of the Bill he will be a difficult one to convince. So complete is tho reply to every argument used by tho Ministers who hare spoken publicly upon the subject that we need add nothing more were it not for tho fact that the original Bill is not tho one now before tho country, and that tho Government, finding that their proposals will not b 3 tolerated by tho country, havo already altered the Bill once and have threatened to alter it again, and perhaps again, until they discover what the country will swallow. Coxtld thoy but discover this to be anything short of the granting of tho absolute freehold it is almost a certainty that tho Bill would ho altered accordingly in order to save the fate of tho Government which is willing to sacrifice every principle in order to retain office. Already we have boon told by one Minister that in all probability t'he Bill would bo dropped, and that wo may take as a very sure indication that rather than risk their billets the Government is willing to forego the task of trying to force the Bill through Parliament. This spineless attitude! of a Government) that has made the boast that it would stand or fall by the measure can only be interpreted by the country as showing that the party in power has really no opinions of its own, and is merely trying to find out' what will please the electors of tlio country. In the good old days it was the custom in this colony, as it is now in all Other parts of His Majesty’s dominions where responsible government obtains, for a Government to submit its policy to the House or to the people, and to nail its colors to the mast, and if it found itself in a minority on any leading issue, to at once sub- ’ mit its resignation to His Excellency, the Governor. By that simple and .straightforward plan tho voice of the people was always dominant in the selection of a Cabinet-, but to-day the portfolios of State are held by men who will hold on to them until the country is almost prepared to rise up in rebellion against them. It is not deemed sufficient for those men to know that their policy is not tho one that meets with public approval, for when they are plainly told, as thoy have been told by tho House and the country alike over the Land Bill, that their proposals do not meet with public approval, they at once begin to trim and wriggle and change fronti at some other turn instead of manfully facing tho position and acknowledging their defeat. By refusing to adopt the manly course the people of the colony are robbed of tho privilege of exercising that control of the public affairs of the counry which is their due, and which true democratic principle entitles them to wield over the actions of their representatives who compose the Cabinet and Parliament of tho colouy. When will the public realise- that they are being l't-bhed of their birthright in that way, and that no ' Government (especially one that) professes to be a democratic ono), has the right to retain control of tho affairs of the country after the country has plainly.

indicated its disapproval of the only policy measure which that Government has to advanco. Until tlio country roalises this and firmly indicates its unwillingness to ho governed by proxy and against its wishes, then, and not rill tlion will the spirit of true democracy rise to its proper standard and assume its truo placo in tho councils of tlio people. As at present practised democracy is but a sham, a more, misnomer for Government by syndicate, and a ‘worse form of government than that does not obtain in the most Conservative conn, try on earth.. Homo may say that tliis statement is an exaggeration; but, a moment’s honest reflection will suflico to establish tlio fact that it is not' so, for oven despised Russian officialdom is guilty of no worso crime than trying to onforco laws upon tlio pooplo against their will, and compelling them to pay taxes that are misspent, and that is precisely what syndicate government is doing and has been doing in this country, only in a milder degree because the people bore have not fiorecly resented their troatmont- 'l’bo payment-,-' ol taxes hero is as compulsory as it is in Russia when the pooplo arc farmed out upon tho Czar’s vast estates, and where tho freehold is roserved lor the aristocracy, as the Land Bill proposes practically to make it, here, But hero tho pooplo are better able to pay and do nob rosont tho impost-, t-ion so much, and that is all tlio difference, for in neither case aro the people consulted as to how much thoy should pay, and they have no control whatever over tho expenditure. Yot this condition of things wo aro want to call domocracy in this; country, wlioro wc continue to per-" mit a Government to retain control of our public affairs whoso policy is opposed to tlio will of tho people—a Government- that has tacitly acknowledged its opposition by its abandonment of its only policy Bill, and ono that has notwithstanding dono nothing to conform to thepublic desire in tlio constitutional, manly, and truly democratic way abovo related.

A practice, and meeting of tho Gisborno City Band will bo held to-night at tlio usual time.

Tho Gisborno Hospital Trustees invito applications for tlio position of medical superintendent.

A demonstration lesson in cookery will be given at tlio Technical School on Thursday evening.

Several piecos of household furniture are offered for private sale by C. B. Knight, Wuinui Road, Kaiti. Information lias boon received that a sitting of the Arbitration Court will be hold at Gisborne on the 27th inst.

Sergeant Williams, who has been sufforing from an attack of enteric fever, is progressing favorably and is now nearly convalescent. Tho Mayor of Gisborno is at present on a visit to tlio Now Zealand Exhibition, having left for Christchurch on Sunday night. Tho following judgment summonses were dealt with by Mr Barton, S.M., yesterday morning. Ellen Smith r. W. Mcßeynolds, 18s; and Ellon Smith v. H. Simpkins, £1 16s, for the amount claimed and Gs each costs.

The adjourned meeting of the Harbor Board, to have been held yesterday, lapsed for want of a quorum, those who attended being Messrs W. D. Lysnar, J. Wliinray, and G. Alatthewson. Those who had attended went round and inspected tho works in progress.

On Wednesday afternoon there will be a splendid opportunity afforded to tlioso in search of household furniture, when Messrs Miller, and Craig will sell on behalf of G. Wellstcd, Esq., stationmaster, who is leaving on an extended visit to tlio Old Country. The sale commences at 1.30 sharp. A conversazione will be held in the Masonic Hall oil Thursday night in connection with tho Gisborne Debating Society. A first-class programme has been arranged for. Members can obtain tickets for themselves and friends, each member being allowed throe tickets, including one for himself.

The Chief Postmaster lias received advice that owing' to continued disarrangement of the Sail Francisco mail service, no mails for Great Britain, will be sent or received by that route for the present-. Every opportunity, via Suez, will be availed of. Subsidised connecting steamers to Sydney leave Wellington on tho Stli inst. and fortnightly thereafter.

Tlio well-known vessel, the Noko, now used as a coal hulk, was sunk at tho wharf, near the bridge, on Sunday ovening, having a cargo of coal on board. Tlio cause is ascribed to tho low depth of water at that portion of tlio wharf, tho vessel being held fast by tlio suction of the mud until the water submerged her. The bulk was partly raised last evening.

Tlio telegrams between tho Harbor Board and Mr Wilson (whose opinion on Mr Marcliant’s report is sought) were read at the informal meeting of the Harbor Board yesterday, but are not to be made public during tlio negotiations as to terms. That gent lonian’s credentials were shown to bo of a high class, and it was mentioned that his services could only be obtained with the sanction of the Lyttelton Harbor Board, by whom he bad been specially engaged. The secretary stated that if necessary the Chairman would interview members of that Board during liis visit there this week. Mr Wilson, it appears, has completed the work for which lie was engaged, and is awaiting the departure of the San Francisco steamer to return to England. Mr Wliinray considered the sum asked for such a report was altogether too much. “Why,” he added jocularly, “I’d give my opinion for less than half that sum.” (Laughter.) Mr Lysnar: “I’ll give mine for nothing.” (Laughter.) He added that lie saw no reason why tho telegrams should not be handed to the press. The Secretary said it was inadvisable to disclose tho messages at present.

An interesting point cropped up at tho Harbor Board yesterday afternoon. There not being a quorum the meeting of course lapsed, but the question arose as to whether the members present had the right to fix the date of a further adjournment. The Secretary said that knowing a quorum would not be obtainable, owing to the absence of members, he had sent notification to that effect so as to save members the trouble of attending, and he could only look to the Chairman, not to those present, to fix tho dato of the next meeting. Mr Lysnar joined issue with tho secretary on this point. The secretary, he said, could not assume there would be no meeting, but those members who did attend had the right to say when tho meeting should be adjourned to; otherwise a special meeting would bo required, which he contended was unnecessary. The secretary still held that- beyond recording the names of those who attended he could not accept anything they did when they had not a quorum present. Tho by-laws were looked up, but threw little light on the subject, though mention was made of “adjourning” a meeting when there was no quorum, which Mr Lysnar claimed made good his contention. The matter terminated with the fixing up of the date for the next meeting to be held as March IS, at 2 p.m., a week prior to the ordinary meeting. This date was chosen in the belief that tbp County Chairman and the Mayo; would have returned from the South by that time.

Sanitary- notices aro given by advertisement on bolialf of the Borough Council.

Tlio Miramar Borough Council arc raising £23,000 on debonti ires for a ti am way connection witli Wellington. Tlio greater portion of tho loan has boon raised locally at a small premium.

At Tolaga Bay yestorday Constable McLeod arrested Maura Kukii and Cowproll, on a charge of forging and uttering a cheque for £97 14s, purporting to be signed by E. Reynolds, and uttered to Mrs Oil ivior.

Captain Palmer, of tlio steamer Ivaroro, yestorday got the little linger of bis right band caught in a link of a chain that was being utilised lor logs. The finger was badly wrenched, and was subsequently taken off by Dr. Collins.