THE Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri TUESDAY, 8th DECEMBER, 1874.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1635, 8 December 1874, Page 454

THE Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri TUESDAY, Bth DECEMBER, 1874.

Our readers will not have forgotten the discussion in the Provincial Council last session on the snbject of Government printing", resulting in the appointment of a committee, and some exceedingly edifying revelations as to the way in which the business of tendering had been conducted. It will be remembered that the committee, after careful investigation, recommended that the contract should be cancelled, which recommendation was confirmed by vote of the Conncil. We have already made it known that this recommendation was treated with the utmost indifference by our autocratic Superintendent, and that all the work under his control has been given to the highest tenderer. But a certain part of the work—the Council printing—is (in theory, at any rate) beyond his control, the Speaker being responsible for its due performance. That gentleman considered it his duty to carry out the order of the Council, and accordingly sent the Acts of the Council and other papers to the Times office to be prinied. The work was duly executed within the prescribed time, the printed Acts were delivered to the Clerk of Council, and on the 7th August the account, duly certified by the Speaker, was sent in. After repeated inquiry, we cannot ascertain what has been done or is intended to be done with the voucher. It has, we believe, been adorned with official minutes by his Honor the Superintendent, the Provincial Treasurer, and we know not whom bseides, as well as counter-minutes by the Speaker. After this, it was unfortunately " lost," with all its valuable memoranda; and a second copy had to be sent in, upon which we presume the old annotating process is now in operation. No reason has ever been assigned for non-payment —the blankest ignorance of the cause of this delay is professed by the officials concerned, and thus the matter rests, and appears likely to rest. It is with some reluctance that we refer to an affair which is to some extent a personal one; but it becomes necessary to do so when, as in the present instance, personal considerations are allowed to interfere with administration of public business. We have never joined in the unreasoning outcry against Provincialism in the abstract. We hold that if properly administered it may be found as satisfactory a form of Government as any which is likely to be substituted in its place. Mr Ormond is, however, a strong advocate for its abolition, and waxes eloquent in denouncing Provincial abuses and maladministration, We take the liberty of offering him a suggestion, which we hope he may find of service. If over in want of a forcible illustration, let him narrate the manner in which Provincial contracts have been given under his own regime—a subject with which he is doubtless fully acquainted—and he need not seek for more effective instances. When he next denounces in bitter and scathing invective the miserable jealousies, the unblushing favoritism, and the systematic corruption of Provincialism, his hearers may rest assured he does not speak without ample justification.

Mails for the United Kingdom, via Suez, close on or about Thursday, the 17th instant.

An important sale of draught stock was held at the Shamrock Yards, on Saturday, by Messrs Eoutledge, Kennedy, and Co. (in the absence of Mr M. R. Miller). The attendance was considerable, and the prices good.

News has been received in town of the death, on Friday last, at his station, Gwavas, of Mr Edward Augustus Carlyon. The deceased gentleman was a barrister of considerable attainments, but rarely practised his profession during late years. For some years he represented the district of Te Aute in the Provincial Council. A General Government Gazette extraordinary was published on Friday, containing the announcement that the Marquis of Normandy had assumed the administration of the Government of the Colony. Another issued on the same day contains a proclamation, by the new Governor, proroguing the General Assembly to the Ist March. Madame Arabella Goddard, pianist, gives her first performance in Napier to-morrow evening. Her fame is worldwide, and no recommendation on our part is needed. She is supported by a talented company, including Mr Rainford, late basso of the English Opera Company. Two performances only are advertized for Napier. Particulars in our advertizing columns. On Friday, in the Resident Magistrate's Court, Terence Buchanan sought the protection of the Court. Tbe circumstances of the case were of a painful kind. The applicant, who was perfectly rational on all other points, was oppressed by the idea that he was pursued by people who sought his life. Under this idea he had raised an alarm and made a great disturbance at Ashton's Hotel on the preceding night. It appeared that he had come in from the Seventy-mile Bush, and had been continually changing his place of abode, but without escaping his imaginary foes. He had slept one night at Havelock, but they had followed him there, and tried to enter his bedroom. He stated that the persecution had commenced in the Wellington

Province, where lie had been suspected of "bewitching" some cattle, a power which he quite disclaimed. The police informed the Court that the man had suffered a long time from the distressing delusion, and that, so far as they knew, he was of sober habits. The Magistrate informed the applicant that under the circumstances; of the case the Court could do nothing for him.—On Saturday, John Thompson, for getting drunk at Taradale, using obsence language, and assaulting the arresting constable in the execution of his duty, was fined £5 ss, with costs, 5s 6d, or in default one month's imprisonment, with hard labor.—Yesterday, Joseph Smith, a sailor belonging to the ship Bebington, was sentenced to one month's imprisonment for being unlawfully on the premises of the Rev J. S. Smalley, on Sunday night. The offence being admitted, no evidence was taken, the fact merely being stated that the household having been disturbed by a noise, search was made, and the prisoner was found in the servant girl's room, concealed beneath her bed.

The new Governor of New Zealand, the Marquis of Normanby, arrived with his suite in Auckland on the 3rd inst., per s.s. Hero, from Melbourne, after a tedious passage. He landed at 10 a.m., and was escorted to Government House with considerable display. At noon he was sworn in by the Chief Justice, in front of Government House, and in the presence of a large assemblage. His Excellency's first official act was to relievo the members from their attendance at the irregular session, and further prorogue Parliament to the Ist March. A levee was held at Government House on Friday, and the Marchioness held a reception on Saturday.

Mr Bathgate, of Dunedin, seems determined to carry out the licensing regulations in a stringent manner. By this means only can the law have a fair trial, and a proper distinction be made between the innkeeper who does his best to abide by the law, and his fellow-tradesman who takes every opportunity of evading it. At the last meeting of the Licensing Court in Dunedin, Mr Bathgate, who was Chairman, remarked on the absurdity of granting licences once refused simply in answer to pertinacious and persistent applications. The present Bench intended to adopt a totally different policy, and would refuse, unless under very strong circumstances, to grant any licence once refused to any one. If once fined for a breach, the publican need never apply for another licence.

We mentioned some time since that in consequence of the extreme inconvenience and delay occasioned by the head-quarters of the Native Lands Court being so far distant from the seat of Government, it had been decided to remove it to Wellington. Such a proposition could not, of course, be allowed to pass without a protest from Auckland, and the papers of that city contain a petition against the measure, addressed to our new Governor. From any other than a purely Auckland point of view, the reasons assigned will not appear very cogent. The memorial sets forth that the establishment of the Court has contributed greatly to promote friendly relations between the Government and the natives in the North ; that three-fourths of the native population are within Auckland Province ; that they still retain a large portion of their lands, of which only a small proportion have passed through the Court; that the removal would occasion great inconvenience and dissatisfaction among both Europeans and natives; that the latter would be deterred by the distance of the Court from availing themselves of its advantages; tha+. the constitution and objects of the Court being necessarily temporary, a period of five years from the present time would probably suffice to settle the individual ownership of native lands ; and finally, that for these reasons the proposed measure would seriously interfere with further acquisition of native land, and teud to shake the confidence reposed by both races in the Government of the Colony. We shall be glad to see the question settled in accordance with Colonial rather than any merely Provincial considerations.