CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 194, 16 August 1880, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

INSINCERITY. To the Editor of the "Evening Mail." Sib— An anonymous writer in the Colonist of the 10th instant passes some keen remarks on tbe promises of retrenchment in the expenditure of our finances made by our Government, but does that gentleman kuow that these promises are only a decoy? If the Treasurer can obtain what he asks for now, he will ask for twice as> much more money at the next session of Parliament. The cravings of a Treasurer are never satisfled. The money comes easily and is spent foolishly, without care or responsibility. When I was a lad, some of my playmates had a keen eye. and in an instant could see a hare sitting in her form under a clod in the field or under a tuft of grass. Some of the party would go a distance before her and make motions so as to attract her attention, while another, by a circuitous route, would sofdy steal up behind her with a slick or a stone with an intent to slaughter. So it is with regard to this retrenchment; but during the discussion on the honorarium honorable members disclosed the decoy. One Sir Dillon Bell, who has a seat in what is called the Upper House, passed unwarrantable ridicule j on the only conscientious member present, and went so far as to say " that neither the houorable member nor his motion were wanted in the House," the motion being to the effect that hon members refuse their honorarium for the country's good. The peop'ly in reply may have said that they did not require the honorable member or the Council either, the same being a clog to the wheels of impartial legislation. A Mr Pyke in the Lower House argued that the honorarium was necessary to boo members for the purpose of " keeping up appearances." We will not waste our time by enquiring what these appearances mean, but it seems these gentlemen wish to keep up ajpearances, and at the same time would send those whom the poet Goldsmith describes as "A smiling peasantry a country's pride" to pine on alms, or linger out an existence by begging a mess of broth from some charitable soup kitchen. But Mr Taxpayer of the Colonist remarks with regard to this promised retrenchment that recently it has cost the country at least £60 to convey a child home to kiss his mamma! No doubt but the trip cost more than that sum, but let us set it down at £60. Let us see. There are forty sixpences in a pound, so the sum is 40 times 60, which gives 2400, so that this little kissing job swallows up the whole duty arising from 2400 gallons of the poor man's beer, paid by them to our economical Treasurer ; yet he tells us that this tax ou beer is indiapensibly necessary to carry on the affaire of the country. And this is only one item of thousands. With ecenes like these before us, a man would feel inclined to use the words of Robert Southey, and exclaim, " I feel indignant, I sicken, I blush At the patience of humanity." I am, &c, Simple Simon. 13th August, 1880,

The Jewish congregation at Dunedln have I aoqepted tenders for building ft new syoa» J gogue, at a cost of £8,326, J

Under the suggestive heading of "A Peep into an Augsean Stable," . the Australasian comments forcibly on the salient features of the Civil Service Commissioners' report, and gives- us not a very flattering portrait of our§elves as others see us. Our contemporary makes application of the report to the circumstances of Victoria, and says:— "lf thig be the case in New Zealand, what must it have been in Victoria with the hero of the tar-brush at the head of our railways, with Mr Thomas Higinbofcham .cashiered frooi motives of 'revenge,' and with hordes of ravenous 'Liberals,' to be placated by appointments or enriched by jobs? A similar inquiry must be undertaken ere long in this colony, where we shall have to choose between an increase of our already heavy burdens of taxation and a just and necessary revision and retrenchment of our publio expenditure. When we have left oif declaiming about the ' power of the purse,' perhaps we shall find time to apply ourselves, like practical people, to the far more important business of protecting it against pillage and profusion.'* A sea lion was recently killed at Waiwera in the Auckland district, in reporting its capture the Herald says j— When the monster was thoroughly aroused to a sense of danger he made the air resound with his lamentations fof a great distance around. His voice in no way resembles the roar of his namesake of the jungle, but is much afore akin to the bellowing of a bull. However, his forebodings were fated to be realised-— he had sung his own,dirge. In a few minutes a well-aimed rifle bullet rendered him so much lifeless iclsy. His captors instantly set about examining him, and upon turning out the contents of his stomach, a shag and two penguins, feathers and all, presented themselfes. The denizen of the forest has a decided advantage over his brother of the ocean in the matter of feet and legs; but as regards tails the friend of Neptune is entitled to score a big point. His allowance of tail was evidently not measured out by a miserly hand. He has two of them; and huge tails they are, too, being each about twenty inches long and two feet broad. On is fins or flippers there are such as a dog's nails. At a country church on Sunday evening (says a Christchurch paper) the officiating clergyman took severely to task some person or persons who, op a previous Sunday, had placed sundry articles in the offertory bag. It has since transpired that the wad was put in by a lady in mistake for sixpence, but the button has not been accounted for. la the action Speechley and wife v. the New South Wales Commissioner of Railways, for damages for injuries received as the result of the collision at Parramatta on Boxing Day, the jury assessed damages at £100 in the case of Mr Spcechiey, and £ 1000 in that of Mrs Speechley. The Wellington correspondent of the Herald, writing after the delivery of Mr Oliver's receut statement, says :— " In the lobbies there is all but a universal expression of profound dissatisfaction, and I have heard several remarks to the effect that if Sir G. Grey were only out of the way, Ministers would go out at once on the Public Works statement alono. The feeling seems to be that the Government might, have made better proposals, but nobody ventures to define how this could have been done. Mr Oliver's manner has irritated people as much as the disappointment, but when this wears off I do not anticipate the Government meeting with any serious opposition, even on this point." After an exciting chase in Governor's Bay, near Lyttelton, a large seal, which made several attacks on the pursuing boat, was caught. When brought on shore, it was found to measure lift, long by s£ft. round, and to weigh 8 cwt. The fat was boiled down for oil, but the skeleton is kept on view for the benefit of visitors. Referring to the Hon the Minisler for ■Public Works' pet project of making a harbor at Greymouth, the Weslport Times says:— "lf the money thus extravagantly spent at Greymouth was provided there, we would have no cause for complaint, but it is not. It is wrung from the lean colonial chest, to which all contribute, and it is a wrong to weaker portions of the colony that such a large amount of the money on which all have a claim should be thrown into the sea at Greymouth. If, even, there was a chance of any good result forthcoming, the taxpayers might find some comfort, but, to use the words ,of Dr Henry, « If training walls are extended half way to the opposite side of the Pacific, the attempts at making a harbor there will be failures still.' " An unique exhibit of kauri gum is to be sent from Auckland to the Melbourne Exhibition. It is a rocky pyramid formed of 27 different, classes of kauri gum, from the transparent varieties, suitable for manufacture into ornaments, down to those of a dark colored character, and perfectly opaque. The base of the pyramid ia made chiefly of bush gum, and all the pieces are cemented together. On the top of the pyramid will be constructed a model of Eddystone Light, of the finest pieces of kauri gum procurable. The exhibit is placed on a handsome stand of mottled kauri. A bill has been introduced into the Assembly by the Hon. Mr Dick, intituled " The Hawkers and Pedlars Act, 1880." Hitherto hawkers and pedlars have been permitted to pursue their avocations in the various cities, subject to the payment of a fee for a permit from the municipal corporation. But in the suburbs and country districts they have been able to follow their calling without paying a license fee and without surveillance. It is proposed by the present Bill to vest County Councils or Boroughs with the power to regulalate the issue of district and general licenses respectively to hawkers and pedlars, on a fee not exceeding £3 for a district license, and £6 for a general one. The fee may be augmented one half additional, where the license-holder carries wares on a packhorse or other animal, or by vehicle or vessel. The Christchurch Press says:— A further discovery of moa bones was made at St. Martin's Brick and Pipe Works on Thursday last. It appears that a fall of earth took place above where the men had been excavating for clay, and on the face of the hill were discovered a number of bones, supposed to be those of the moa, some of them measuring over 18 inches in length. So far as Mr Austin could see there appears to be nearly a whole skeleton of one of these extinct birds. Some time since a similar discovery was made at the works of Messrs Austin and Kirk, when the bones were found at a depth of 30 feet beneath the surface. Those come upon on Thursday were found 15 feet deep. They will probably find their way to the Museum, as the others did. An Auckland telegram reports a serious accident to a bushman named Livingsone. He reached the station late for the 6*30 p.m. train, which was in motion, and in trying to get on a carriage slipped, the train going over both his legs, and passing on without the officials knowing ofthe accident. On recovery of consciousness his cries attracted the attention of the station-master, and the man was brought to the Auckland Hospital, \ where Dr Philson amputated both Fegs below the knee. He has also several scalp wounds, but progresses wonderfully.