TIMARU.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1247, 6 March 1878, Page 3

TIMARU.

[FROM THE COEEESPONDKNT OF THE PBESS.] Friday, March 1. The intimation received from Mr Stafford that lie is under the necessity of resigning his seat for Timaru in the House of Representatives, owing to his intended early departure for England, did not occasion any surprise here, as it had long been understood that he would not be in New Zealand during next session. What did cause surprise, and something very near approaching a feeling of disgust, however, was his statement that he saw no chance of visiting Timaru and addressing the electors before leaving tho colony. They certainly had a right to expect that he would at least have the courtesy to give an account of his stewardship last year, and despite his many protestations of regret at having to sever his connection with Timaru, and his kind wishes for the welfare of the place in future, it looks very much as if, now that he has no fur!her occasion for their support, he does not think them worthy of any further notice. It is to be hoped, for his own credit's sake, that he will yet alter his resolve, and find time (it would only mean a couple of days' absence from home) to meet, his ex-constituents. At present we are entirely in the dark as to the motives which urged him to take the action he did last session with regard to many of the most important public questions of the day, and as a number of bis constituents would have liked to have seen him acting otherwise, they have a right to an explanation. The next thing now to be considered is who is to succeed him. I have already mentioned on one or more occasions that several candidates were likely to come or be put forward, and of these I think Messrs Turnbull and Wakefield will be the only two who will stand any chance. After the hearty^reception Mr* Wakefield received from his constituents at Temuka on Monday night it is hardly probable that he would leave his present snug teat unlees he felt the ground at Timaru very sure beneath his feet. Another day or two will develop matters, and I shall then be able to afford you more reliable information as to who our future representative is to be.

I noticed in your leading columns a day or two ago some remarks with reference to an observation I made a Bhort time back about the fate of many immigrant girls who arrived here ; and I trust, you will allow me, in justice to myself, to again refer to it. In the first place, let it be understood that I do not wish to in any way cast reflections upon the immigration offioer here ; for a more worthy and energetic person could not 1 be found. But it must be remembered that, when once the girls have left the depot, they are out of his charge, out of sight, and out of mind, and that thereafter he is in no way responsible for their good conduct. It also stands to reason that it i 3 a matter of almost, utter impossibility for him to ascertain whether every girl is behaving herself properly or not. I do'not say that the girls when they arrive hero are not of good reputation ; on the contrary, I stated that the ill I complained of arose through many of them not having any friends here to go to or to associate with, and that they thus, forlorn and com panionless, soon got into bad hands—probably, in nine cases out of ten, unwittingly and unknowingly. I wish I could bring myself to believe with you that " instances of misconduct are but rare exceptions;" but! know that they are far too common here. It must be always remembered that new arrivals from the Old Country are, rs a rule, not acquainted with even the ordinary domestic household duties, and that, they have to be taught almost everything. Their first mistress gives them a trial, and finding they do not suit through not being the ready-made article, or maybe because she is not capable or not patient enough to teach them herself, sends them away —Where are they to go to then ? to some cheap boarding house where they can manage to live until they find another place, or until their scanty means are exhausted. In the interval they try to kill the time, which hangs heavily on their hands, by parading the streets. There tho first seed of evil is sown, and one thing leads to another. It is not the slightest u-e trying to hido a fact which is patent as daylight, and the next best thing is to consider some means of curing the evil by protecting tho girls from the vultures of society. Why do not tho Government,, or benevolently inclined people, provide a Home for servants out of place, to which they might resort and where they would bo properly looked after ? A girl coming from an institution of that description would be far more likely to obtain employment, and be respected by her mistress, than if she had been living in a questionable boarding house. The decision which the Timaru Harbour Board came to at its special meeting yesterday to rescind the resolution passed at its previous meeting, with regard to inviting Sir John Cocde over, is generally approved of by people outside, though it certainly places tho Board itself in rather an ambiguous position. Sir John Coodo has already been telegraphed for, and how that telegram is to be cancelled I cannot see. If he comes the Board will, ■without doubt, have to pay the pip*r j for it is not likely ho will allow his precious and fully-occupied time to be wasted by a local body in a small place like Timaru. Mr Goodall, the engineer to tho Board, leaves for Wellington to-day. taking the plans and specifications for the 300 feet mole, which ho is to lay before the Royal Cowautou, It i» to be hoped they wiil

approve of them (if feasible and workmanlike), and so let us get the breakwater started without any more of this sickening diky. While on the harbor works, I may mention that the Ternuka people ii tend to invite Sir George Grey, on his way through, to vinit. the Milford Lagoon. They are fully satisfied in their own mind? that thry will have no difficulty in forcibly impre-sing on him the immense advantage which it, possesses over Timaru for the construction of harbour works. A very strong Yeeling exists here with regard to the new railway tariff between Timaru and Lyttel'on. R'ght. or wrong, the people look on the ridiculously low rates ns a c-rd played directly into the hinds of Lyttell on merchants, and one which is intended to " euchre" the port of Timaru and i's trade with Dunedin. The Chamber of Commerce have taken the matter up, and strong r presentations will be made to the Government about it. If it is possible to reduce the rates on grain, wool, &c, why could not the same course be followed with regard to all other descriptions of goods ? Committals to the Supreme Court, the next session of which will not be held till June, are coming in fast, and altogether we cannot congratulate ourselves just now on our freedom from crime. It, is high time that quarterly sittings of the Supreme Court were established here, and as the new Court-house is finished, there can be no further excuse for delay. If Judge Johnston has not, time to come down here four times a year, whv do not the Government promote Judge Ward to the Supreme Court, and let him take Timaru and OAmaru ? If this were done, and quarterly criminal and civil sessions held at both places, there would be no further need for a District Court in either district. I am glad to say that our harvest prospects improve rapidly day by day. The weather for the last fortnight has been all that could be desired, and operations are proceeding rapidly and satisfactorily. Deliveries are becoming heavier, and by the end of next week at the latest, the grain business will be in full swing. How the Railway Department will meet the stress caused by the grain goodness only knows ; for already there are great complaints as to the scarcity of trucks at this and other stations in the district.