NOTES ON CURRENT EVENTS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 34, 10 January 1885, Page 2

NOTES ON CURRENT EVENTS.

The Marton paper : thinks there ; : ; i& | every probability of a dissolution next session, as it believes the local- Govern-^ mont proposals of the present administration will be rejected by the Houso, whereon a dissolution will be asked and granted, and the issue left to the conBlituehces. There may be something m this, and we rufer>to it with the object of iihpressing on all our readers who arc qualified_to.l)a.j>n an electoral roll, to sec that they are, and not be Jef t without the power of exercising the franchise at so itn~p'6rt"a.nt~a^unetureyin t.*je '■•colony's histoVy. . Numbers were dhvapointed at the laßt general ellectiou to Hnd their mimes absout from the roils: of tii'tftricls they were qualified to register m, And we advise them to lose no time m rectifying the omission,' if they have not already done so: •' '. i

On the Bth Noveraber, last, speaking m the Legislative Council, the Hod. G. Buckley, who had just returned from England, is reported m Hansard to have made the following remarks upon the immigration system : — •' So far as lam able to judge from enquiry, there appears to be an entire want of selection m the approval of -these persons ; it appears that they are takeu entirely upon the certificates given. I will go a little further, audsay that- 'Very: .rfieceqtlyt ■ I ; believe, out df the numberr of Women a't 1 the de^ot, to embark for New Zealand, there were two found to be suffering from a most loathsome disease. They were not sent on board: . the ' ve.ssel, , but were rejected ; but not only hnd they certificates from clergymen but also from most respectable people, and had it, not been for the medical men' noticing the state of these women, they would have beeu sent out." Frequent complaints have reached the' coJony about the immigration system at Home, but but this statement indicates serious dagger ot a new kind. The Agent-General's attention ought to be drawn to the matter. ■• '■■ ; ••-..-■ ...•'?.. •...-.• ...- ■;.

Mayor Scouller, the new chief magistrate of the important city of Dunedin was lately installed, and being a wearer of the blue, he had to ; ask fellowcouncillors'to drink succesiTin lemohade and ginger-beer, instead of champagne. A.Dunedin paper says : — " There was a sorryful procession of the majority of the municipal body towards the outer door immediately upon the discovery, the lemonade aud ginger-pop ■ having charms for only two of /he guests.".. "Che writer of " Notes and notions " m the Saturday Advertiser commenting on it adds : — '• This does not say much for the manners of the majority. They might surely have accopted the Mayor's hoHpitality even though; they were not allowed to drink his health m the orthodox liquor. It was really not quite polite of them to turn up *;heir noses at the ginger-beer! Couldn't they have ventured on a glass of plebian fizz, and then forthwith adjourned to the nearest pub, to put the taste out of their mouths? There would have been m\ great danger m the proceedings, as a nip of brandy would have .been enough to check^any incipient grindings ; and' it would .have saved that character for courtesy which they have irretrievably lost*