THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1874.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1896, 3 September 1874, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1874.

;The Second Chamber, as at present existing in New Zealand, is pre-eminently unsatisfactory. There is consequently deep and wide-spread discontent. There is a ieeling abroad that the absence of a bi-cameral system would be preferable to I its presence whilst remaining as it is in 'this Colony. Much, indeed, might be adjvanced in favor of a unicameral system of legislation in a country where the in- ! stincts of the y> n^ Ic * are decidedly democratic. But me i >-ho have thought the i subject over, and minutely examined it in !■ all its bearings assert that two Chambers are necessary to the well-being of even the least aristocratic nation under the sun. However, that may be, there can be no doubt the public opinion of this ; country is favorable to the continuance of the bi-cameral system under an improved form. What form is the best, is naturally an extremely debatable question, and few subjects have excited more controvesy in the Australasian group of Colonies than this. For in no one of them is there a Second Chamber which may be considered even moderately successful in accomplishing the object for which it was created. In New South Wales the Secoud is a nominee Chamber similar to our own, and like that too has been for years a heavy clog upon the wheels of progress. The Second Chamber in Victoria is elective ; but the basis of election is altogether too narrow, ,and the term is quite too long. The consequence is that the body elected is entirely antagonistic to the Lower Blouse This result will appear inevitable if we remember that the latter is elected by manhood suffrage, and the term is only three years. In order that anything like harmony may be produced, it is absolutely imperative that the two bodies be elected upon bases not too dissimilar and for periods not too unequal. We deem any elective Chamber more desirable in a democratic country than one which is the mere outcome of a nomination often dictated by motives the reverse of patriotic. Human nature is too weak, as embodied in Colonial Governments to leave such a vast power at the mercy of its caprice. In such countries as England, the aspect of the question is quite different. There though the Crown has the prerogative of creating new members of the Second Chamber, that power is so sanctified by the rime of ages, so venerated on account of the memories which cling to it like ivy to the walls of those Gothic piles that have outslood the storms of half a decade of centuries, that is only very rarely exercised, and never:but for a most salutary and patriotic end. These statements are borne out by the history of the past, and we are amply justified in predicting that the annals: of the future will not falsify them. We reiterate that we consider the nominee system as unsound in theory and pernicious in practice, when applied to the Colonies. The arrangement in existence in the United States of America has been found to work well, and might we think be advantageously applied to legislation in New Zeoland. There the Second Chamber, or Senate, as it is called is elected by a body of persons who have themselves been elected by the great body of the people . Hence it happens that the two houses are really chosen by the same electors, only the Upper House^undergoes a process of filtration which refines it, and renders it sufficiently unlike the Lower House or Congress to prevent a dangerous unanimity of opinion on vital public questions, and yet not so unlike as to bring about that obstructive antagonism we see so much of in the Australasian Colonies between the two legislative bodies. We need not point out how disastrous are these contests to the best interests of tho

Colonies. That would be su peremptory, inasmuch as the memory of the evils arising from them might almost be said to be burned into the minds'- of all thinking men who have lived and worked in the Colonies for any length of time. Returning to the Second Chamber of New Zealand^ we would point out that it contains au element within it quite foreign to the very nature of an Upper House, we allude to payment of members. That men who are presumably the representatives of the great propertied c)ass should be salaried by a paltry £100 a-year each, seems as strange as if the earth were to alter her wonted course and revolve from east to west to the utter consternation of all the astronomers who dwell upon her bosom. It was this monstrous defect we meant to animadvert upon when opening this article. We believe it is right and expedient that the members of the House of Representatives should be paid a moderate recompense for the loss of time their attendance in Parliament entails. Bat the case of the other House is wholly dissimilar. Its members are supposed to be all men of large means well able to enjoy their otium cum dignitate, to sit under their own vine aud fig-tree, and despise the petty subsidy which is of such importance to the poor fellows in the nether sphere of the Legislative woi-ld. That these honorables should be offered this pittance in payment for services rendered to a country, to which most of them owe all they have of wealth and position is passing strange, but that they should accept it, this, verily, is wonderful.

The adjourned meeting of the Greymoubh Early Closing Association takes place this evening at 8 o'clock. The drawing in the Albion Grand Derby Sweep, No. 3, on the Sydney Great Metropolitan Stakes will come off this evening, at the Albion Hotel. Tt is rumored that there is no likelihood of any ploughing match taking place at Totara Flat this season, owing to the apathy displayed by the members of committee. Thep.s. Dispatch on Wednesday brought ashore from the s.s. Albion the Hokitika passengers and mails, as there was very little probability of the steamer being tendered at Hokitika. Amongst the passengers so landed were his Honor Judge Richmond and his Associate, John White, Esq., M.H.R., and several other well-known gentlemen. Flynn and party, working at the Deep Lead, Collaghan's,are reported to have struck on a new lead on a false bottom, running between Callaghan's Lead and the Deep Lead, and they have had a very successful washing up last week, which yielded 70oz of gold, being the produce of ten weeks work for four men. Last night Mr G. W. Nichol, late of the firm of Hamilton and Nichol, of this town, was entertained to supper at the Melbourne Hotel by all the principal residents in town, on the occasion of his intended final departure from Greymouth. Mr Lapham occupied the chair, and Mr Kenrick the vice-chair. There were about forty gentlemen present. The whole proceedings passed off in the most enjoyable manner, the meeting being on<? of the most enthusiastic that has assembled in town for a like purpose for a 'long time. Owing to the lateness of the hour at which, the proceedings terminated, we must withhold any report until our next. Up to Wednesday night there was still no news of the whereabouts of Mr Alex. M'Laren, of River- view. A correspondent at the Ahaura sends us the following particulars : — " Olivier and others traced the marks of his horse (which had a bar shoe on the near fore foot) to a terrace in close proximity to the Ahaura river, but beyond that, trace or sign has never been discovered, although the most strenuous exertions have been made by nearly all the residents in the district, and too much praise cannot be bestowed on Fred Smith for his untiring and plucky endeavors to fathom this mysteritus disappearance of a valued resident." The " West Coast Times " of yesterday says that the Municipal election pending promises to be one of the most exciting on record, for out of the ten candidates at least eight, if not the whole of them, will go to the poll, and not only are they in earnest themselves, but each one has a large or litcle knot of special supporters who will exert themselves actively on their respective favorites' behalf. The complications and combinations that are possible when three are to be elected out of ten, and consequently each voter has three votes, are almost numberless, and we should not be surprised to see an outsider be third on the poll, by accident as it were. Betting has already commenced, however illegal it may be, and the number of new hats that will leave the shops after the election is already large. The Borough Council of Gveymouth ought to take a hint from the following paragraph which appeared ia yesterday's " West Ooast limes :" — "The six gas lamps, which by a resolution of the Borough- Council were ordered to be placed on the wharf and along Gibson's Quay, were lighted for the first time on Monday evening. There are three on that part of the wharf extending from the end of Wharf street to the Customs' Shed, the others being distributed along the upper portion of the Quay. These lamps will be of the greatest advantage to persons who may have occasion to visit the wharf at night, as they throw a very good light all along the line of the usual shipping berths, more especially near the Custom's Shed, where on the arrival of any of the passenger steamers, it is usual for a number of people to be assembled. The lamps have not been erected and lit a day too soon, as there are so many gaping holes about in the roadway and planking that, during dark nights, it is almost miraculous that accidents of a serious nature have not occurred." There was a meeting of the Westland Waste Lands Board on Tuesday. Present - The Chief Commissioner, Messrs Evans, Robinson, and the Receiver of Land Revenue. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. A letter was read and received from the Secretary of the Greymouth Jockey Club, stating that a meeting of the Club had been called for the first Thursday in the month of September, and requesting to be informed if the Club could get a title to Reserve No. 34, as they proposed to spend a considerable sum of money in making a road and bridge. The Chief-Commissioner said no reply had yet been received from the General Government, so the Board were as yet unable to deal with the matter. The applications of Messrs Collier, Burroughs, Bryant, and Foreman, to purchase land in special settlements, were again ad j urned. on the application of their agent, Mr F. A. Learinonth, until the next meeting of the Board. The Board postponed the sale of the lease of run No. 29, on the N. and S. banks of the Teremakau, until the next Board day, as they could not yet put it up to auction, as an Act had been recently passed making the upset price of these runs one half penny per acre inst ad of two pence. On the application of Mr Hughes, it was resolved that the Chief Surveyor should ascertain the value of the improvements made on the run. Dr C. L, Morice, by his agent Mr F. A. Lear month, purchased 20 acres o£ laud ia Block 97 Grey district, L2O paid. The other business had no reference to this district. The Board fixed the 6th October for an auction sale of suburban land, and then adjourned until twelve noon on the 15th instant.