THE GLOBE. SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1880.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2026, 21 August 1880, Page 2

THE GLOBE. SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1880.

The progross of the Local Industries Association during the past year as revealed by tlio report presented at a late meeting affords much, room for congratulation. And this is entirely outside the political aspect of the question, because it presents a broad ground of industrial prosperity upon which all can meet. The effect of the establishment of tho Association has been that renewed interest is felt in the working of those industries which have already been established here, and practical sympathy with those just projected. That this is so is, we think, proved by the fact that through the efforts of the Association — notably by means of the Exhibition—public attention has been directed to the certainty that industries of various kinds can be profitably established amongst u a . One of the practical results of this is the establishment of two clothing factories in Christchurch. In Dunedin, as pointed out by the chairmaa at the late meeting, there are from 900 to 1000 hands employed in the industry. A similar result may be achieved here no doubt in time, and a profitable means of employment found for a largo amount of labour. Then again tho Association has done good service by calling public attention to the qualities of our native woods for certain manufactory purposes, as compared with English and American timbers. This is a matter of the greatest possible interest to the colony at large, because we are, and have been for some time, destroying the very timber which is now stated to be of value exceeding English or American woods for carriage bnilding, &c. We hope the Association will not stop at the point at which they have arrived in this enquiry, but will take means to have such tests applied as may serve to set the question at rest.

The off-handed way in which the Tramway Company deal with the public streets apparently entirely without control of any kind by the City Council, has long been matter for remark. So long, however, as this did not endanger the lives and limbs of the public, or seriously inconvenience them, this might have been borne with a certain amount of grumbling. But it has now assumed a more serious aspect. This morning the tram from Papanui utterly disregarded the stopping places laid down on the printed timetable, and, notwithstanding the repeated efforts of passengers to get the driver to stop by pulling the bell, no notice whatever was taken. This in all conscience is bad enough, but this negligence led to what might have been a fatal accident. Three ladies wished to alight at a recognised stopping place. The tram did notstop but two of the ladies managed to get off whilst it was in motion. The third essayed the same feat, but was unfortunate and fell heavily on the road, though luckily without receiving any serious injury. Now we would desire once more to draw the attention of the Works Committee to the fact that the Tramway is running without being licensed as contemplated by the Act, and consequently without the supervision which under the same Act the local authority is supposed to exercise. By the section we are alluding to the Council have power to appoint standing places, license conductors, and generally supervise the traffic as much as regards the Tramway as the Hansom and fourwheeled cabs. Their route and stopping places should be submitted to the Council, and any wilful departure from the programme could then be taken cognizance of. The time has certainly arrived when the Council, in the interests of .the public, should exercise that power, and the wonder is it has not been done before.

The question of the desirableness of a Mayor's Court conies before the Council on Monday next, and we hope Cr. Hulbert's resolution will bo carried. In addition to the public convenience to which we have alluded, it may be put as a further argument in favor of the establishment of such a court that it will tend greatly to enhance the dignity of the office of Mayor. This will act in two ways. First it will probably induce men of the best possible stamp to come forward for the office, and secondly it will impress the citizens with the importance of selecting a man well qualified to fill the post. It may be that nearly every one could fill the post of Chairman of the Council, but when it comes to be part of his duty to sit, as presiding Magistrate, to decide the cases brought before him affecting the minor interests of his constituency, then the qualifications for Mayor require to be strongly marked and developed.