THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1882. THE NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2603, 10 August 1882, Page 2

THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1882. THE NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION.

; Me. Montgomery's speech on his motion tbat the loan proposals of the Goj vemment are not satisfactory, has cleared ; the issues in a wonderful manner. At i the time of the introduction of the , Public Works Statement we expressed ' our dissatisfaction with that measure. Ad examination of the schedule of railways to be constructed out of the lo?n showed clearly enough that the policy under which the original Public Works scheme was introduced had been totally abandoned, and that the scheme of the present Government had boen adopted more with a view of pleasing all sections of the House than with any other motive. We instanced in particular tho proposed expenditure on the Otago Central Railway—a railway which nobody imagines will pay the expenses of working, which is not a main line, and which commits the colony to a total expenditure of one million pounds. Moreover, it is a l'ue which has been strongly reported against by a most capable commission appointed by the Government itself. If that line was not put on the schedule to please the Otago folk, and for no other reason, two added to two do not make four. In onr review of the Public Works Statement we tita'ly objected to this sort of statemanship. The pitch of the statement was exceedingly low; there was no breadth in the views taken ; it was totally unworthy of the party from which it emanated. Consequently we should have been quite prepared to support Mr. Montgomery had he taken up the question from a colonial point of view. Had he broadly commented on the principles on which public works should be carried out, had he drawn a decided mark between colonial and provincial interests, had he pointed out that the Railway Construction and Land Act of last session was specially passed for the construction of branch line?, and, finally, had he refused to sanction the log-rolling adopted in the schedule, we should have been forced to say that he was deserving of support because his opinions were broad, sound, and statesmanlike. But what do we find him saying, and on what grounds does he object to the schedule ? Mr. Montgomery utters no complaint against the general principle on which the schedule has been framed. He objects to the one million loan because the route has not been decided upon. He objects to the sums allocated to the South Island because, on the one hand, the line south from Blenheim is to pass close to the east coast, through the properties of certain millionaires, and not through tho centre of the island; and on the other, because nothing has been put down for the east and west coast line. Ha is as ready as anybody to scramble for the loaves and fishes, but the distribution has not quite satisfied him. His district has not been sufficiently looked after, and that is all. Not a word does he say about the Otago Central line. He drops no hint that, if his party wore to get into power, he would frame a scheme on broader lines than has the Government. Not ho Ho is evidently determined to risk nothing by soaring too high. The Otago votes are as dear to him as they appe ir to be to the Government. The expenditure of a million on what is nottm-.j? more or less than a branch line does not strike him as unfair. He is as willing to saddle the country at large with the permanent charge of the ,

interest for that million as the most out and out Government supporter. In sliort, he .ahojya ~no wider spirit of a bo . fl&B"" 1 than tne Treasurer himself. His j amendment is a mere bid for office, and, more, and seeing that th . is .s* 8 ths case, there is not the slightest, djfficnlty in deciding as to--w^9hj;PaEt? it is right to uphold. As both sides of the House are equally determined to act on narrow views—asboth sides of the House seem desirous of trimming the ship for the purpose of catching votes— by all means the side to be supported is that which has shown itself most capable of careful administration If it is settled by all that we are to have a loan, the schedule of which is to be go constructed as to please all parties and all districts, regardless of" I the principle which has been deliberately adopted, lei us have the loan as carefully administered as possible. Do not let us throw the expenditure of the money into the hands of those who have previously shown that economy is not one of their' virtues. The question is now entirely narrowed down to men, not measures, and, I snch being the case, the country will have to decide which party is the most worthy of support. The evident duty of memIbers is to vote accordingly, and to settlethe question of the routes of the lines in committee.

And while we think that the speech of the leader of the Opposition was unsatisfactory as it well can be, we cannot meet out any praise to the utterances of the Colonial Treasurer. He drew an encouraging picture of the present state of the country as compared with the prospects in 1870, but that is hardly to the point. He should rather have made a forecast of what the state of the colony would be after the lines proposed to be built were completed, and the interest on the loan was added to our liabilities. Because the lines hitherto constructed are as a whole paying 4 per cent, on capital invested is no reason that, when the new set of lines are added, our prospects will be further brightened. It is perfectly well known that certain political lines at present in existence are a drag on the general profits of the railways. Our contention is that too many of the lines on the Bchednla are political lines, and nothing else, and that, when they have been made, our position will be worse than it is at present. In no way has it been endeavored to be shown that, for instance, the Otago Central is per se a desirable line. Major Atkinson carefully avoids alluding to the real merits of the question. His principal fear appears to be that the 3000 men employed on public works, and those connected with them, will, if no fresh money is raised, find themselves out in the cold. He never seems to think that there is work enough, of a legitimate kind to be found for them, and that, if this were not so, it would be out of all reason to expect the colony to commit itself to a further large expenditure for the sole purpose of keeping these individuals in employment. We are no advocates for the stoppage of public work*. Oar complaint is, that both sides of the House do not seem to realise the difference between political lines and non-political ones. That—not to put too fine a point upon it—log rolling is the order of the d»y. As matters stand, as far as we can see, there is no reasonable doubt that the Governmeat will succeed in obtaining a majority. In fact, we cannot see that the Opposition have a leg to stand on. They propose to import no new principle into the Government proposals. If they came in power to-morrow, exactly tha same question that is now before the country would have to be discassed. They simply wish to Bteal the clothes of the Government. If the Opposition were only sincerely anxious for the welfare of tha country, they would, if they are not prepared to argue on higher grounds than they have adopted, confine themselves to fining down the Government proposals in committee. It will be in committee that the real fight will eventuate, whichever side is in power. Lavish expenditure is the cry of both parties; there is not a pin to choose between them, except only in the probability of the way in which the money, when raised, will be spent. Regarding this point there can be no doubt. The Government have shown themselves to bo careful administrators during the last three years. The opposite party have as feeble ideas of administration as can well be imagined. If we are in for a loan, to be spent in a manner which does not recommend itself to those who take a wide view of the question, let at least the money be spent as carefully as passible.

Bailway Footbbidgb.— A spsrialmeeting of gentlemen interested in the footbridge over toe railway at Madras street, wm held last evening (Wednesday) at the Southern Hote., %> receive a report on the present position of the question. Mr F. Jones was voted to the chair. Mr Crawley laid before the msetirg the correspondence which had taken place between Mr W. White, Junr., the member for Sydenham, and other local representatives on the subject, who had all promiied their support to induce the Government to carry out this neoessary work as soon as possible. The most important letter was one from the member for Sydenham, which stated that the Government had promised to place a sum on the estimates to ereot the biidge. It was resolved to request the chairman to oommunioate with Mr White on the subjeot and report to an adjourned meeting. A vote of thanks was passed to Msssra Crawley and Xangdown and the chairman for their efforts in oonneetion with the bridge and the meeting adjourned. Gwnbb Wanted. —The Sergeant of Police at Bingaland reports finding a nnmber of young trees, which the owner can have upon

application. The Evii. Eppbots op Smoking.—The blacks at the |Bosidont Magistrate's Court behave in a peculiarly aggravating manner. There is one particular chimney there which seems to have been constructed specially to blow the smoke into the Court room, and it does its work with care and precision. A year ago an obliging sweep fished oub of it a brick, whioh, however, must have been only one of rcaiy—" worse remains behind." At intervals—very short intervals—a oarboni. ferous oloud comes rolling out of the fireplace, till at leegth everything is enveloped in a dim roligioua gloom that, reathetioally considered, is of the most soul-satisfying nature. Clots of pure gout fbat around reSardlesa of the fine bedy of policu iia uttc-n----ar.ee, who, whatever may be their zeal, are Unite powerless to Btrost Iho intruders. Asthmatioiil attorneys wberze and gasp and choke and say hard words, and many of them weep. This morning a gentleman with a shining white pate and bald became piebald in a few minutes. The epots were wipod into a big smudge by the handkerchief of a sympathising friend, who, however, in an nnguarded moment, applied the cambrio to his own face, and became striped like a tatootd savage. There is now on the inside of the building a stratum of carbon of considerable thickneis —a phenomena that will puzzle future geologists when they come to dig it up. Papanui Spobts Association.—A general meeting of the members of the Papanui Sports Association wai held in the Towa Hall last evening. There was a good attendance of members. Mr 0. Matson was voted to the chair. The secretary read tbe report and balance-sheet, which showed that the receipts for the past year amounted to £137 2s 3d, while the expenditure had been £l3O 7s 3d, leaving a balance in hand of £6 15s, whioh had been handed over to the Papanui Domain Board, in accordance with a resolution pessad at the last annual meeting. On the motion of Mr Godfrey, seoonded by Mr Whiting, the balance-sheet was adopted. A warm discussion ensued in reference to tho manner in which the books had been kept, several of the residents in the northern portion of the village considering that they had been anything but properly attended to. Motions to hold the sports as usual on New Year's Say ; to dissolve the existing association and form a new one ; and two or three motions to adjourn to certain dates were considered ; but ultimately the meeting bioke up without coming to any decision. Polios Changes.—Sergeant Moore, who has been selected to replace Sergeant Hughes, consequent on his promotion to the detective force, has arrived in Christohurch from Dnnedin. The Kaiapoi Paboohial Nominators. — The nominators for this parish were notified to meet at the College Library at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, to nominate an incumbent for this paiisb, but it wes decided to adjourn tiii Thursday next. Nominates Immisbation.—ln the last few days a sum of no less than £4OO has been received at the Immigration Office, Christchurch, as deposits from colonists nominating for assisted immigration their friends in the old country, and numerous applications are ■till pouring in, Acoidbht to an Enginb.—On Wednesi day morning, the engine of the train on the Oxford-Kaiapsi line nearly came to grief at Mandeville by one of the springß giving way, suggestive of the necessity for better in tpeotion or the want of now rolling stock. Aooidbnt.—An accident, which foitunately is unattended with any serious results, took place yesterday. Mr John Rutland was driving a horse and buggy, intending to proceed to Kirwee, and when opposite the hospital the animal became unmanageable and bolted. The driver was thrown from the trap, but eccaped with a few bruises. The buggy was smashed. Countby Footpaths —ln B3ver»l of the xoad districts frequent complaints are mr.de regarding the state of the footpaths, formed at considerable expense by the Koad Boards, which are from time to time damaged by cattle stray icg, and even persons who ought to know better riding their horses along them, so as to become about the wor*t part of the road. Tho Bead Boards, under section 99 of the Public Works Aot, have, however, the power to prosecute all such offenders, who also render themselves liable to a penalty for each offence not exceeding £5. If this provision was more stringently put into operation the footpaths in outlying diatriots would be maintained in a better state of repair curing the year. In or er to cany out this and similar matters there is a great necessity for rural poliaamen, whose duty it should be to keep np a regular patrol throughout the districts.