Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 1881.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 190, 11 August 1881, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 1881.

Otjb Wellington correspondent informs us that a desperate effort is being, roads by the Auckland member? to induce the Government to include the Maoris in the population upon which the representation is to be based under the new Bill, a deputation haviDg waited upon the Premier yesterday for that purpose. Mr Sheeban appears to have been the spokesman on the occasion, and therefore it i 9 fair to assume that Mr Sheehan is the prime mover in the matter. His motive is quite clear. It is not to ensure greater justice or better treatment for the Maori race, as he shows by his willingness to sacrifice the present special representation, which i 3 far more likely io tend to their welfare then the new proposal, but it is simply to increase the number of representatives from the North Island, and from Auckland in particular, and to give to Mr Sheehan so many more vote 9 in the House, for with the enormous influence he possesses with the natives it is pretty certain that he could secure the return of any of hia nominees for an electorate in which the Maori element exists in any large proportion, and it is further pretty clear that the men who would be returned by such constituencies would be precisely of that class which would be as potter's clay in the dextrous hands of the late Native Minister The general opinion of the people of New Zealand, however, after their late disastrous experiences of him, will be that that they have had quite enough of Mr Sheeban Despite all the pathos and pride with which Sir George Grey dilated upon the accession to the ranks of his Ministry of a young New Zealander, the people of the colony have Come to the conclusion that, if Mr Sheehan is a type of the New Zealand born and bred politician— which they do not believe to be the ease — then the colonial production is the very 3a9t description to whose care colonial interests should be confided. If there are constituencies who will return them to the House, so be it — it cannot be helped — but that they should have any power beyond that contained in their individual Tote is a thing to be carefully avoided. This is one of the reasons why it would be disadvantageous, for the present, at all events, to accede to the request preferred by the Auckland deputation to the Premier yesterday ; but it is only a minor consideration. The great objection, and it surely must he a self-evideut one to all who are not blinded by their desire to secure increased voting power in the House, is that a crowd of uneducated, ignorant, many of them but half civilised, aborignes should be turned loose upon the electoral rolls of the colony to bave a hand in deciding how the dominant race should be governed. It may be that none of our readers have ever been present at one of the meetings which are held monthly at Parihaka under the presidency of the notorious Te Whiti, but they have seen acconnta of the gatherings, they have read the reports of the wild deliverances of the Maori seer, and they have been told how completely his hearers have been swayed by those extraordinary speeches, acd of the implicit obedience which they show to him who utters them. Is it possible to imagine a civilised people voluntarily inviting such a community as that represented at those meetings to assist in the selection of our legislators, and in some of the districts in which they are numerically strong, actually to decide in the case of a closely contested election who Bhould be returned ? What manner of men would, under such circumstances, be returned aa the representatives of tome of the noitbern constituencies ? But would Mr Sheeban and acme of those who fallow him care for the general effect produced npon the character of the HouEe and its proceedings by the introduction of such an element into cur colonial Pailiament ? Not they. What they want is quantity; of quality they have no care whatever. Voting power; the power to push their districts ahead, no matter at what ccst to other parts of the colony having equal claim for consideration; the power to seize as much money as can be grabbed from the public purse; the power to apportion future loans in such a way aa to advance their own interests ; the rower to make laws in consonance with their own peculiar wants and desires. Give them such powers a3 these— and this we should most assuredly be doing by acceding to such a request as that made by the Auckland deputation— and it is but little they would reck of the character of the representative body, which they would simply regard as a means to the end they had in view. We are glad indeed to find that Mr Hall put his foot down firmly and gave a decided negative to the insolent demand of the Sheehan-led Auckland members. While on the one hand an attempt ig being made to turn the Maoris to account in increasing the influence of Auckland in the House, there is, on the other, a proposition to very largely reduce that of Nelson and the West Coasr, whose representatives will, we feel Bare, figbt aa hardly and determinedly against the unjust treatment proposed to be accorded to them as will the Northern members to secure an unfair advantage. The argument used against the proposed reduction in the number of our members is a perfectly fair one. It ig alleged that by neglecting our interests and turing a deaf ear to our appeals to be included in the great public works scheme which was to unite the chief centres of population in the Island, and to open up country that is at present unavailable owing to the difficulty of Bcceps to most parta of it, the colony as a whole has treated this particular portion of it with singular unfairness We aie called upon to p&y our full share towards the interest on the loan by which not only have we not beuefited, but have positively been injured, owing to other portions of the colony btjns? by the expenditure of public funds rendered far more attractive, thus causing our population to remain stationary while that in other districts have been pushed ahead with our money. And now, hnviDg been placed in this unfortanate position, we arc to be punished for that which we could not avoid, but which was forced upon us by superior numbers, by bavin? our influence ftill further decreased, reduced in fact to snch a degree that we shall be utterly powerless in the Parliament. To prevent puch an injustice aa that proposed oar members will be justified in using every possible advantage of which the rules of Parliamentary procedure will allow, and that they will put forth their strength we bave no doubt whatever. They have a skilful lactician as a leader in the person of Mr Gi?borne, they are gifted with quite an average share of ability, they are not likely to be wanting in persistency, and they are filling in a goo d cause. They can, and we believe they will, prevent the passing of the liili in its present form, and in doing so they will entitle themselves to the gratitude of tbeir constituents.

and shop belonging to Mr Gapper were recently destroyed, the customary verdict was returned that there was do evidence to Bhow how the fire originated. The monthly inspection of the Town and Port Volunteers took place last night, when, considering the unfavorable state of the weather, there wai a large muster, the total number present being 125, distributed as follows i—Artlllery, 45; City Rifles, 28"; Naval Brigade, 51; Staff, 1. After the arms and accoutrements had been inspected by Captain Bunny, the Inspecting Officer, the battalion was wheeled into line, and put through the manual and bayonet exercise, and afterwards did the latter in quick time. The Bloppy state of the ground prevented the force from going outside, consequently operations were confined to the somewhat limited space of the Drill Shed. The Artillery, having no arms, were unable to take part in the movements. TiiE Press Association appears to be guided by ver^ peculiar rj 1 ,;; iz the distrioution of telegrams. Last Monday it was wired that the Dietrict Court at Hokitika had been occupied the whole day in ihe trial of W. B. Galland, of Kumars, for indecent assault, and that the jury were locked tip for, the night. There being cirettma'tahCeS of a peculiar nature connected With the case it possessed more than ordinary interest and i the verdict was looked for by tßanjr with l some curiosity. Since then, however, we have heard nothing more of it. Are the jury Etill under lock and key? If to, even that fact would be worth telegraphing "Aw Atheißt " has beat us rather more thaa a page of the National Reformer, referring to a recent meeting at Exeter Hall which was alluded to in a paragraph that appeared in yesterday's issue, with a request that we will publish it* This we must decline to do. THfe half yearly JDistrict Court meeting— A.0.F., was held yesterday when their were present— District Chief Ranger, Bro. W. T. Pitcher; District Sub-Cbief Ranger, Bro. W. B. Condell; District Treasurer, Bro. E. Finney; District Secretary, Bro. I. Pickard; and the following Delegates—Brothers W. H. Alborough, W. T. Bond, Charles Chine, J.atnes Ching, G. Dodson, W. Doidge, W. Docglaß, C. McFarlane, A. Parmenter, J. Paynter, T. Rowling, D. Slater, R. G. Spioer, and T. Waddell. The Auditors' report was of a most satisfactory nature, with regard to the management of the funds. There had,, been large demands, amounting in all to .£2lO upon the widows' and orphans' fond during the half year, 1^ was stated that there are now fourteen Courts comprising 750 members under the jurisdiction of the District Court. It w«« resolved that an obituary notice of the late Brother W. R. Waters be sent to the Foresters' Misaltany published in England. The footballers who recently paid us a visit from the neighboring province of Marlborough appear to have enjoyed both their game and the dinner which followed it. Of the latter the reporter of the Picton Prets says:— Punctually at eight o'clock the joyful sound of the bell proclaimed that dinner was on the table, and a move was made by both teams, who were assembled in the hotel, to a large room at the southern end of the building. On entering. the players could not help feeling pleased. The decoration of the room was most artistic, and thought reverted to merry Chi iatmas days, when exuberance «f myrtle, holly, mistletoe, and various evergreens are displayed. The effect was striking, and the contrast of richly hned flowera among the different shades of green showed great talent in arrangement. Several banners, bearing devices and mottoes, such as •» A Thousand Welcomes/ " Our Army and Navy/ &c, were draped along the walls, ■while flowers and festoons were garlanded around them. The decorations on the table were retlly grand. Vases filled with natural and artificial flowers were tastefully disposed, and the good things to supply the inner man were in profusion. Sparkling goblets of wine flowed in proximity to the fruit and other delicacies, and the display looked like a gorgeous picture from Lance's brush, or as if Bacchus and Ceres had let fall their horns of plenty upon this truly hospitable board. Mine host, Mr H. McGee, certainly deserves the greatest praise from the footballers both from Nelson and Awstere, for the princely way in which he provided and also for the careful attention beitowed upon every detail of the dinner and preparation. We sincerely hope that we may again liave the pleasure of attending another dinner under the same management.