THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY TUESDAY, JULY 14, 1874.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1853, 14 July 1874, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY TUESDAY, JULY 14, 1874.

In pronouncing an opinion upon the I alleged intention, of the Nelson Govern- ! mept.to reduce the number of Wardens on the South-West Gold-fields, it must be borne in mind that the arguments put forward by the Nelson Executive go far to make out a good case in the abstract in support of the new policy of retrenchment, There is nodenynig the fact that a reduction •in departmental expenditure wa« necessary, because it has for years .been a standing grievance with the residents on the gold-fields that the amount of money expended in payment of salaries was out of all proportion, not only to the revenue, but to the sums laid out on public works, and if matters had been allowed to, drift much further Provincial iniolyenoy must have been the result. The, present Provincial Secretary made " public;^retrenchment "/ his battle cry when 'he opposed Mr Curtis for the Superjnteridency, and he elected to stand or fall on his expressed determination to effect wholesale reductions in the Civil Service of the Province Bhould he be returned. When the unparalleled obtuseness 1 of 'his opponents^ in not being able to perceiye.' the ganger of the situation in which they had Jplaced themselves by setting their ■ little . brief authority in opposition 'to'jthe ( popular will, imperfectly as it wa» represented in the Provincial Council, raised Mr O'Conor, much to his surprise, "no doubt, at one lift into the/ position he had bo Long and bo assiduously been seeking, he acted in strict accordance with hiß previous promises. JHe

inaugurated his policy by reducing the Balary hitherto attached to the offices he accepted in the new Executive by nearly one-half, for he has undertaken to perform the duties of the Secretary and Treasurer together, at a lower rate of remuneration than that previously allowed to the occupant of each of those offices when the duties of them were -performed by separate officials. And further, when it became necessary to find a substitute to carry on the Government during the absence of the Superintendent and Provincial Secretary at Wellington during the session of the General Assembly, Mr O'Conor appointed Mr Samuel Rout as a sort of journeyman Treasurer and Secretary, and provision for payment for his services is made without drawing directly upon the funds of the Province. It will be remembered Mr Rout joined the O'Conor Executive as a non-official member without •' portfolio" and of course without salary. Mr O'Conor, out of his awn emolument, gives Mr Rout a sum which will be about equal to the honorarium the former will receive for his attendance at Wellington, so that the old scandal is not again perpetrated of paying principals who undertook : to perform certain duties, and then again subsidising subordinates to do the work.. These facts are mentioned to show that the Executive Council, or rather Mr O'Oonor, who is virtually the head and front of the Executive,hasagood excuse foreffecfcingretrenchnients, inasmuch as the reductions have been commenced at the top of the tree. This action of extending the investigation upwards with a view to economy has an appearance of fairness and impartiality in which lies the great danger that the recommendation of the Nelson Government with respect to the Wardens, will meet a too ready assent on the part of the General . Government. But sweeping changes such as those proposed can only be justified on the ground that they are necessary in the interests of the public, and any alteration which throws obstacles in the^way of a prompt and efficient discharge^ of the public business is against public policy. What we, in common with the majority of the residents of the Grey Valley complain of is that this hasty, ill-considered change in the location and number of the Wardens will, if carried out, act most injuriously on the future progress of the gold-fields. The Nelson Executive has no right to take this matter into its own hands. The number of Wardens, and especially when these Wardens are also Resident Magistrates, should not be altered without the consent of the Provincial Council, which assent has never been given, whatever Mr O'Conor and his supporters may say to the contrary. If the proposition to reduce the Wardens' departments in the manner now threatened by the Government had been made to the Council, it would not be listened to for one moment, or, at all events, such modifications would be made in the projected plan that the public interest would not be in danger of being imperrilled as it is at present. The vote for the Wardens' salaries was passed en bloc,- on the assurance of the Government that strict inquiry would be made with a vievr to reduction, and this, we contend, has not been done. The visit of the Provincial Secretary to the gold-fields was, it must be admitted, a splendid exhibition of equestrian accomplishment, as well as a decisive test of the endurance of governmental horseflesh, but it was not a calm and impartial examination to ascertain the amount of business doing in the Wardens' offices, or to enable the ' Government to form a clearsigted opinion as to the best direction in which to economise. Mr O'Conor came with his mind made up ; for it has now leaked out that the reductions and the manner of - making them were foregone conclusions before the Provincial Secretary started for the West Coast. The Government had no right to anticipate the result of the investigation which it was promised would be made, and on the good faith of which promise the Provincial Council agreed to the proposition to leave the Wardens to the tender mercies of their loving friends in the Executive. And the conduct, of the members for the Grey Valley in thus handing over the best interests of their constituents to be dealt with as a professedly hostile faction should think fit, has not yet been satisfactorily explained, and will form a strong count in the indictment to be brought against them at a future time. But although w.e again earnestly protest against any reduction or alteration that would interfere with a prompt and proper administration of justice in the Grey Valley, and the proposed reduction in the number of . the Wardens most certainly will be a prejudicial interference if carried out, we are not going on the assumption that reform is not necessary or. retrenchment impossible and that whatever is is best. Far from it, because there is good reason to believe that the number of officers in some departments of the Provincial service is excessive, for many of those appointments were made when business was larger and times were different. We dp not presume to point out to the heavenborn administrators composing the Government of Nelson, where sinecures exist in the public service, nor would we dare to imagine that the virtual head of the Government, who is popularly supposed to be omniscient on the subject of " billets," cannot see for himself, who is, or is not, earning his " screw," but we do know of some gentlemen employed in the public offices who have too little to do, and we are On speaking terms with others who would find it difficult to state precisely the nature of their duties. Therefore there is danger to real efficiency in effecting blindfold reductions, and proper investigation will make it apparent that a very great saving can be made if the retrenchment is carried out in the right direction/ The disastrous effects of unwise reductions have been brought prominently before the Victorian public recently through the disclosures made with respect to the utterly disorganised and inefficient condition to which the department of Crown Lands has been brought from that cause. A Victorian contemporary concludes as follows an able article on the fallacy of endeavoring to show an apparent saving in the public, expenditure by dispensing with the services of responsible officers who were absolutely required, and the amount of whose salaries was a ( mere trifle in comparison. to the loss sustained by the public in consequence of the abolition of these offices. •" We trust that this warning will be sufficient for our economic reformers. We think that already there are indications that, we shall soon again hear ; •Bomething ,of reductions.. If our prediction' be correct; ' we trust '" that ' the results of economy in the Lands Office wjil not be forgotten, Economy is an

excellent virtue, but as strange things have been done in its name as ever were done in the name of liberty. Let us see, by all means, that the public servants give for a fair day's wage a fair day's work. Let us see that there are not too many of them either in any particular office or in the whole service. But let us equally see that there are not too few. The latter error may readily be more fatal. In extravagance, at all events, we know pretty well the amount of our loss. But it is not so with parsimony. Who can tell at this moment the probable amount of loss sustained by the dismissal of even those three district surveyors ? We may well believe that in the management of such a country as ours there is no profusion so wasteful as niggardliness, and that political affairs, form no exception to the truth of the old proverb that ' penny wise may be pound foolish.' "

The police received information yesterday of a robbery of a silver watch and chain and a considerable sum of money, alleged to have been committed at a house at Titter's brickworks, Alexander street, on Sunday. The watch and money were the property of Augustus Titter, a young man recently arrived from England, and a brother of Mr Titter, the proprietor of the brickyard. He states that the money, L 44 in English (George) sovereigns, and the watch^were in a box under his bed, and that the robbery must have been, committed between dinner time on Sunday afternoon and ten o'clock in the evening, during which time he was away from the house. Suspicion has not yet I lighted on any one definitely, but it is supposed the robbery was committed by some person well acquainted with the premises and with the affairs of Mr Titter. Another box which stood in a conspicuous place in the room was not touched, while the one which was rifled was partly hidden out of sight, and would not attract the notice of a stranger unless he had " been laid on to it." His Honor the Superintendent, the Hon. Mr Lahman, and Mr John White, M. H.R., will leave for Wellington by the s.s. Claud Hamilton, which is expected to arrive to- | day. j In a Provincial Gazette dated the 11th inst., a block of land containing 320 acres of land, more or less, situated on the north bank of the Okura river, is set apart and reserved for a town, under part 2 of "The Westland Waste Lands Act, 1870" for the purpose of the establishment of a special I settlement. The order in Council bringing sections 20 to 45 of "Public Health, Ac t" into force in the Province of Westland, is renewed. Sergeant Sugrue is appointed clerk to the Resident Magistrate's Court, Okarito, vice Constable Burrows, resigned. At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, George Rowley was charged with a breach of the Municipal Corporation Act by depositing building materials in Taiuui street on the 7th July, without permission. The defendant said he applied verbally to the Town Clerk for a permit on the 6th July, and made a written application on the 7 th, and he was not aware that it was necessary he should have actual possession of the document before he laid down his materials. The Magistrate said that seeing that the delendant did take steps to procure the requisite permit, and that he may not have known the actual state of the law, gave him the benefit of the doubt, and dismissed the case. The same defendant was then charged with neglecting to keep a light burning at the place where he had deposited the building materials alluded to in the previous charge. The charge was proved by Constable M'Kenna, and the defendant was fined 5s with 6s 6d costs. His Worship remarked that the breach of the Act, of which the defendant had been convicted, was punishable with a fine of L 5, with a further penalty of 14s a day as long as the negligence continued. Alfred Morgan was summoned for obstructing the footpath in Giesson street, on the 10th July, by drawing a hand cart along the pavement. The defendant admitted the charge, but pleaded in extenuation that he had been unwell for some time, and he drew the cart on to the footpath to escape the newly metalled road. Fined 5s with 6s 6d costs. This concluded the business, and the Court was adjourned. We have to acknowledge receipt from the Westland. Government of copies of the "Executive Council Ordinance," the *'Edui cation Ordinance," the "Trespassing and , Impounding Ordinance," the " Hokitika j Street Ordinance," and the "Appropriation i Ordinance," 1874. The Under-Secretary for Public Works, j Mr Knowles, states that there are now 1150 miles of road made in the North Island, and 550 miles of tracks, which can be converted into dray roads. In the Middle Island, sixty miles have been made. Of railways, forty miles are open, besides seventy miles of ■Provincial railways. Five hundred and fifty miles of railway are under contract, and 360 I additional authorised. The West Coast Times is informed that a gentleman especially unpopular, will be, or has been nominated Deputy-Superintendent by the Hon. J. A. Bonar during the latter's absence in Wellington as a member of the Legislative Council. Ri&htly or wrongly the report has obtained currency, and has already created no small amount of feeling and dissatisfaction. Should the rumor be confirmed by the publication of a gazette after his Honor's departure, we, and the public may, probably have a great deal more to say on the subject. We understand that shares in the Manukau Gold-mining Company, Thames, which has so long lain dormant are now offered at Ll2 each, and as there are 6000 shares in the mine this price represents the present market value of the mine at L 72.000. Some months ago, when the Manukau battery was disposed of, we believe tho reserve price on the entire mine, which might have gone with the. battery, was only LSOO. Subjoined are the particulars, as given by the Auckland Star of the accident to our former townsman, Mr Comisky and his wife, intimation of which was recently given in our telegraphic news: -"An accident of a very grave description happened on Saturday afternoon between four and five o'clock to Mr and Mrs Comisky, of Parnell. This lady and gentleman were returning from an afternoon's ride in one of Crowther's traps ; they had passed Newmarket and were traversing the part of the road cariied across the gully about 200 yards the Parnell side of the junction of the Kyber Pass road, when the horse shied at some object in the road, and turning off suddenly to the right before Mr Comisky could set him straight bolted precipitately right down the embankment, fortunately the accident did not take place where the declivity js steepest pr else nothing could possibly have saved the whole party being hurled to destructiou, Asitwapthe horse managed to kee his feet in the descent, but the driver was thrown violently forward and sustained severe injuries on alighting. A severe wound was inflicted on the right temple, and his left ancle was fractured. Mrs Comisky was also thrown out, but we are happy to state that beyond a severe shaking and shock to the nervous system she sustained no injury, though the trap turned over partially upon her. Anumber of working men witnessed the accident, and at once ras to the rescue. Mr Comisky, though presenting signs of being BeriouslyB eriously Injured, was perfectly sensible, and e xpreßsed his thankfulness at his wife's

safety. Mr and Mrs Shera, who had been taking an airing in their carriage, arrived on the spot at the moment both the sufferers and the trap had been brought up from the , low estate to which they had fallen. Mr Shera conveyed Mr and Mrs Comisky into Parnell, to their own residence, where Dr Wright and eventually Dr Philson were soon in attendance. We hear that ho danger is apprehended, though Mr Comisky will be compelled to keep his room for some time, and new perhaps that some one had been nearly killed at this dangerous spot we shall I hear of some railings being.put.up,_ Every., one has seen the danger of its present unprotected state for a long while, but it wanted an accident to bring borne the necessity of some alteration to the. authorities concerned." The following explanation is male by the i Herald of the recent accident at the Wealth of Nations claim :— " On Friday last a break occurred in the head-race, in consequence of which ten stampers were hung up ; the | break was repaired, and on. Monday fifteen stampers were again set to work. On Tuesday other breaks occurred, and part of the stampers were again set up ; although a large shift of men was sent out, they did not sue- ! ceed in sending sufficient water down to the mill to drive the stampers until this morning. All the stampers are now at work, although the race has not- yet been fully repaired. Regarding the progress of the Golden Fleece claim, the Herald reports :—", The ! work of excavating a site for a new paddock, capable of containing 100 tons of stone is being proceeded with, aad so soon as the excavation is completed, the construction of the timber works will be commenced. There are 100 tons of stone in the old paddock, and there is room for 50 tons more. It id intended to be in readiness for' crushing in six weeks. It will be seen that the company's prospects are in the highest degree promising, and there is no reasonable doubt, but that those prospects will be fully realised. Much costly work has been gone through with and paid for besides, whiln three dividends have been declared, representing a sum of LB6OO, among the fortunate shareholders. There are only six full shares, and four of these are held by the original proepecters, men that have worked in the claim from the commence- I ment of opeiations. The late manager, Mr James Dee, after successfully superintending the workings for a period of eighteen months, has retired, and Mr H. Cosgrove has been appointed in his stead. The last sales effected realised at the rate of LI2OO the full share ; at present ' holders refuse to part even at double the money, in fact, at any price. The Wellington Tribune, of the 23rd insfc in a leader remarks :—" The promoters of the Colonial Bank have been fortunate in their Wellington preliminary Committee. The names form quite an agreeable change to those that were wont to be considered necessary to the floating of any large commercial concern amongst us, and which, in this instance, are conspicuous byj their absence. Instead of superannuated capitalists, who can have but small sympathy with ordinary commercial transactions, we have in this instance a number of gentlemen actively engaged in commercial pursuits— not merchant princes, but men for the most part of moderate means, who have daily experience of the chances and vicissitudes of trade in its varied branches, and who consequently understand the requirements of business men like themselves. Coming events cast their shadows before, and we hope this Committee n?ay be accepted as an indication of the liberal principles on which the new Bank will carry on its. transactions — a principle at once considerate and safe." In some of the neighboring Colonies marriage with a deceased wife's sister has been legalised ; we have not yet got so far in, New Zealand, notwithstanding the exertions of Mr Stewart on behalf of this unfortunate female; and persona here who wish to wed the sister have at times resorted to Australia for the purpose of facilitating the unsmooth course of their love, thereafter returning to congratulate themselves on having got the better of the law. It. is a pity,, says .the tribune, to disturb the mental serenity of such persons on this point, but these marriages, however legal in Australia, ■will not stand the test in New Zealand. This is not the mere expression af a layman's opinion, it is the latest enunciation of interpreters of (English law. It is concisely stated in Selwyn's .=" Nisi Prius," where we lead :— " Where a iman married his deceased wife's sister in a .foreign country, where such a marriage according to the lex loci was valid, both the parties being domiciled British subjects, who had resorted to such country for the avowed purpose of evading the statute, the marriage was held void." (Vol. 1, p. 19, 13th cd.) 1 How will an R.M., whose district is not a hundred miles from Rangitikei, who, it is said, has lately gone to Victoria on this agreeable business, get over this passage from Selwyn, which he appears to have overlooked? Under the heading " Deep Sinking at the Blue Spur," the Tuapekt, Tivm reports that the crushing of a few tons of cement by the Nelson Company at the Gabriel's Gully Battery some short time ago, with payable returns, has given an impetus to mining at the Blue Spur which promises to add quite a new feature to mining in that locality.' Gold mining to any great depth in Otago has never yet been fairly tested. Geologists whose opinion has been sought have invariably given discouraging reports as to the | existence of gold in deep ground in Otago. This discovery, therefore, should go far to disabuse the minds of the miners as to: the reliability of such statements, and we have no doubt that the recent discoveries at the Blue Spur will lead to equally important discoveries in other parts of the Province. A young East Indian boy, named Noah Uz wera, has been chat ged in the Christchurch Court with wilfully placing stones on the railway. He did so immediately before 'a train came up at the rate! of from thirty-five to forty miles an hour, and his excuse for his •conduct, when arrested, was an extraordinary one. Detective Walker in his evidence said : —I arrested . the : boy this morning on the warrant produced. I went to Burnham and saw the boy at his father's house. Tasked him why he put the stones on the railway, and he said he was only playing. I asked him what he went behind the gorse fence for to hide, and he said because he would like.to see a good smash. I said how would you like your father to have been in the train, and he said that would have: been bad. In reply to his Worship, the boy said that he was only playingj and wished' to see a "smash." Sir Oracroft Wilson asked the boy if he knew what "smash" meant, but he did not seem to understand the meaning of the word. The boy was about six years of age. Inreply to Sir Cracroft Wilson, the father of the boy again stated that he beat the boy very severely, immediately after he had been told that he had placed stones on j;he line. Sir Uraproft Wilson, at the request of his Worship, apked the father what security he could give that the boy would not be guilty of this offence again. He replied in the metaphor of his lahgusge, "If he doefe, I am your viotim." The witness also said he was aware of the enormity of the enormity of the offence, and that loss of lifemight have resulted. In reply to his Worship (through Sir Cfacroft 1 Wilson), the father of the lad said he would not only enter into a bond to pay L2O that the offence should not occur again; but if it did, he (his Worship) might also "hang ;; him. >> The necessary bond was en tired into, and the boy was discharged.