THE GLOBAL. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1882. THE NEW DRAINAGE BOARD.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2429, 18 January 1882, Page 2

THE GLOBAL. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1882. THE NEW DRAINAGE BOARD.

The elections for the new Drainage Board conclndod yestsrday, and we hare now before us the full list of members. It is to be noticed that except Mr. Wm. White, Jan., every one of them are untried men so far as drainage matters are concerned. We confess that, with regard to some of those returned, the wonder is, like the fly in the amber, however they got there. Scanning the list of members, there are but few who, from experience of public life or special knowledge of drainage matters, would be entitled to claim a seat at the Board. Amongst these few, more particularly on account of the great assistance thoy will be in carrying out the work of the Local Board of Health, we are rejoiced to welcome the return of Drs. Prins and Doyle. This accession to the Board will enable the work of sanitary supervision throughout the district to be most thoroughly and efficiently carried out. As we showed in a former article, the value of the services and experience of two such gentlemen cannot be over-esti-mated, and the ratepayers of the two wards are to be congratulated upon their representatives. There is so far as we are concerned, speaking 1 in the name of the journalistic profession, a singular pleasure in welcoming Dr. Prins as a member of a Board exercising such important functions. The journalists of Canterbury, unlike those of other cities, have not up to the present time taken that share in the conduct of public affairs which it might bo supposed from.

•their special means of asquiriug knowledge on all subjects they would do. Whether this arises from their well-known modesty, or want of appreciation on the part of the public generally, we are not prepared to say, but the fact remains that the active part taken in public affairs by pressmen has been infinitesimally small. Therefore it is, that we rejoice in the election of a very worthy representative of the profession in the person of Dr. Prins. Probably this is but the commencement of a new era in the management of public affairs, which will no doubt be gladly welcomed by the members of the Fourth Estate. It is true that the gentleman who may now claim to represent both literature and medicine on the Drainage Board has indirectly, and as it were behind the scenes, had a finger in many public matters. His love of newspaper life is well known, though up to the present he has perversely hidden his light under a bushel. The general public have been, to a very large extent, ignorant of the many deep debts of gratitude it owes to this gentleman for having himself, unknown and unseen, pulled the wires in connection with a portion of the newspaper press of the city on several questions of public importance. Now, however, the veil of mystery is lifted, and this public benefactor stands forth in the character of a newspaper propriotor. Our readers will thus see that we have good grounds for congratulation at the return of this gentleman. It is not so much on account of the appreciation by the ratepayers of his merits as a citizen and a medical gentleman of high repute that we rejoice, but rather because of the honour done—though tardily and somewhat late in the day—to the high and honorable profession of journalism in the person of Dr. Prins. "VVe feel suro he will prove a worthy representative. He has learnt and practised most successfully one of the guiding principles of the journalistic craft, viz., to do good by stealth in the columns of a newspaper, and blush to find it fame. This same virtue, which throughout a long but unfortunately hitherto concealed literary career, has invariably been the motto of our representative on the Drainage Board, will no doubt actuate him in his new sphere. We look forward with the greatest possible interest to his future career as a member of this important body, and we have no fear whatever but that the experiment made by the ratepayers in electing a journalist will prove a success. Had the whole profession of letters been searched no better nor more fitting candidate than Dr. Prins could have been selected, and now that the ice has been so worthily broken, perhaps others of the journalistic fraternity may follow.

ANOTHER STEAM SERVICE.

The Auckland Chamber of Commerce, as we are told by telegram, has been discussing a very important subject, viz., ■whether encouragement should be given to the P. and O. Company to establish a line of steamers between Australia and New Zealand. It is somewhat strange that our Chamber of Commerce has not done anything in the matter. In mor-

cantile as well as general matters

there is far too much apathy •displayed in Canterbury. Elsewhere such a proposal as that made by the P. and O. Company would have received attention and consideration. It is most important to us here because our harbor is fast approaching that state of efficiency as to appliances for loading, discharging, &c, as to make it probable that the P. and O. boats would make Lyttelton their depot. As compared with Port Chalmers our harbor possesses a number of advantages which the company would not be slow to recognise. The graving dock, now almost complete, will place Lyttelton in this respect quite on a par with Port Chalmers, and in all else it must be held to be far and away before it. This is from a selfish

point of view, but wo contend also from the standpointof the general interest of the , public, that the establishment of a second line of steamers in the intercolonial trade will prove of great value. The intercourse between New Zealand and Australia would increase very rapidly, far beyond even what it is now, if greater •facilities by means of lower passenger rates were afforded for travelling. As a matter of fact, competition generally induces lower rates, and no doubt it would be so with regard to the new line. Probably when the members of our Chamber of Commerce recognise the fact that by Lyttelton becoming the depot of the P. and O. intercolonial trade a large amount of money yearly would como to Canterbury, they will shake off the apathy which now seems to paralyse them, and take means to inform the P. and O. Company

that the mercantile community here will •aid so far as in their power in the project of establishing another intercolonial line of steamers.