SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 1869.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 171, 17 April 1869, Page 3

SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 1869.

On the 20th March, in announcing that Blenheim had been proclaimed a Borough, we pointed out a legal difficulty in the case, which prevented any Election of Councillors under the Municipal Corporations Act, unless—by a provision in one of the clauses —the Governor interfered and proclaimed when the Election should take place. This week we have received a letter from His Honor the Superintendent, in which he alludes to the article in question, which he says was “ from some cause unknown, not delivered for some days after it should have been, and in the meantime the Colonial Secretai-y drew my attention to it, and requested my consideration. I suggested what appeared to me the only course, namely, that the Governor should be advised to cause the Council to hanlflgted

at as early a date as the Act allowed of, and I have reason to believe that my suggestion will be acted upon.” The Electors for the first Council will be those persons whose names are contained in the Electoral Roll now in force, whose qualifications are in respect of lands or tenements situate within the Borough. There are nine Councillor's to be elected, and as it is highly probable that the election will take place immediately, it behoves the inhabitants to look around them, and consider who are the best men, likely to do the most good for the town, and who will seek their own interest through that of the public weal. We shall take an early opportunity of explaining, the duties and power's of the Council.

Regarding a recent article in this place urging the necessity which existed, and the loss resulting to the community from the want of periodical Sittings of the Supreme Court in this Province, we learn that the Provincial Government have latterly been urging the subject upon the attention of the Ministry. A reply has been received to the effect that the matter is entirely in the hands of the Judges themselves, who, when they meet, arrange the circuits, and appoint places for holding Sittings. Mr. Stafford has intimated that in case of an application being made to the Judges for the holding of occasional Sit tings here, he will not oppose it. It therefore appears to us that this is another very proper subject to be discussed by the Council when it meets.

We are gratified to find that many of our friends are taking an interest in the important subject of Local Manufactures. We have not gone into the calculation ourselves but we are assured by one who has, that an acre of Flax (Fhormium Tenax), will yield a larger profit than an acre of wheatWe are daily expecting information from several sources as to the cost of machinery, &c., and we are collecting statistical inforxnation which we will place before the public as early as possible, at the same time we would urge on those who have given any attention to the subject, to prepare themselves for something like united action. It is no use to keep on talking and writing—Success can only depend on doing, and though we are free to admit that many obstacles may present themselves at the outset of this, or any other undertaking, this should be an additional incentive to perseverance; no good was ever accomplished without difficulty, and in this case we believe there is both honor and profit for those who lead the van. We'feel convinced too that much that has been said on the Flax Manufactiue is equally applicable to the other groat staple of production —Wool. The price of labor has been pointed to as the greatest drawback to Local Industries, but the labor

market, like every other, is controlled by supply and demand, and wherever the demand exists, to that point the channels of supply will flow, nor is it a necessary corollary that where wages are high, production is unprofitable. Experience teaches that high wages are a proof of a country’s prosperity, and when the producers of wealth are badly paid, the profits of the merchant and the manufacturer speedily follow the downward tendency. Society, like the human frame, is affected for good or evil, by the health or disease of its members ; the abnormal condition of one affects the whole. I