WAIRARAPA AFFAIRS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 23, 1 July 1871, Page 15

WAIRARAPA AFFAIRS.

MASTERS AND SERVANTS ACT. A case was heard on Wednesday at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Featherston, before S. Carkeek and C. Pharazyn, J.P.'s, of some public interest, as affecting the relations of masters and servants. A weekly farm servant named William Parker, in the employment of H. S. Wardell, R.M., left his place on a sudden freak without giving any notice. Mr Wardell, feeling that it was time an example was made with a view to putting an end to this sort of thing, which had become too common in this district, and considering this a bad case, for which not a word of excuse could be offered, made a charge against him for a breach of the Masters and Servants Act. He was apprehended in Wellington, and brought up to Featherston in the custody of the police. It appeared from the evidence that the prisoner had left immediately after his dinner, leaving the horse he had been working in the cart standing in harness during Mr Wardell's absence from home, and' without giving any intimation to any one of his intention of leaving. He was sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labor, the magistrates telling him that he was liable to three months; but as this was the first case of the kind which had been brought before the nourt in this district, they felt disposed to deal with it leniently. NEW APPOINTMENT. It is positively stated here that the Hon. G. M. Waterhowse has received the appointment of Postmaster-General; but as I have not seen the fact announced in the Independent, I should feel disposed to doubt it were I not aware that official news does not always first appear in its columns. This is not as it should be, and is not the course adopted in other countries, where semiofficial information, and contemplated changes, movements, and appointments always appear in the columns of the Government organ before they are announced in the " Gazette." If this was the first time such a thing had occurred I should not have referred to it, but important information of the kind is frequently circulated for days before it is published in the " Gazette," and does not find its way into your columns until after it has thus appeared. Next to the passing of the railway resolutions by the Council on Friday last, no news more interesting to the Wairarapa could have been published, than that announcing the acceptance of office, under the present Ministry, by Mr Waterhouse. It is the first time that a resident in the Wairarapa has had a seat in the Cabinet, as it is the first time it has had a resident holding a portfolio in the Provincial Executive. It is a matter of notoriety that this district has been grossly neglected owing to those circumstances; but there is now a prospect of its receiving justice, both at the hands of the Provincial, and those of the General Government. This is a matter of the utmost importance at a time when the immigration and public works policy of the Ministry is about being inaugurated. The news of Mr Waterhouse's appointment has consequently been received here with the most lively feelings of satisfaction. It is fortunate for this district and province; it is fortunate, also, for the colony and the Ministry, that the services of such a clear-headed, decided, experienced, and practical a statesman as Mr Waterhouse have at this juncture been secured. THE LIQUOR TR&.FFIC. The hon. Mr Fox is expected to visit the Wairarapa in the course of next week, as he thinks of coming by the mail coach on Saturday, taking up his residence at the seat of Mr Revans, at Woodside, near Greytown. He will deliver an address on the above subject at the. Town Hall, Greytown, on Monday evening, at the Town Hall, Carterton, on Tuesday evening; and at Masterton on Wednesday evening. It is to be hoped for the sake of the cause he advocates, for his own sake, and for the public's sake, that the weather will prove favorable, so that large audiences on each evening may be

secured. Shall I be permitted to remark that aB everbody knows that intoxicating drinks cost no end of money, and do no end of mischief, that what appears to be most wanted are proofs that the proposed remedy will accomplish the end contemplated. The principle of permissive compulsion was tried in England with reference to the regulation of workshops, and it turned out a lamentable failure ; neither masters nor men taking advantage of the powers conferred upon them to bring the act into operation. It has proved a failure in this province, both as regards roads and education; the people, though tempted by the offer of enormous bonuses, in the shape of grants in aid, declining, in the majority of cases, to avail themselves of the privilege of taxing themselves for these important objects. It does not, therefore, follow because a district has the power to close public houses, that it will exercise it; nor, in my humble opinion, does it follow that when publichouses are closed the evils arising from the use of intoxicating drinks will cease. It may not be the case in a thickly populated country like England, but I think it will be found the case here, that the habit of private is more prevalent and injurious than the habit of tavern drinking; and this would rather be encouraged than suppressed by the law in question. I have said that it may not be the case in England, but those who have read the articles on this subject in the " Saturday Review," •« Spectator," " Lancet," and other first-class publications, will be apt to conclude that priva'e drinking there is more prevalent and pernicious than the records of police courts would indicate. If we get rid of the drinking we get rid of the traffic; but it does not follow that if we shut up the traffic that drinking will cease, or that even its worst evils will be abolished. I do not doubt the goodness of the end, but only the fitness of the means. " Men," says Macaulay, " are never so likely to settle a question rightly as when they discuss it freely," and for this reason I have ventured, in a friendly spirit, and in the pursuit of truth and right, to make these observations. THE HIGHWAYS ACT. It is stated that a requisition to Mr Joseph Masters is in course of signature, calling on him to resign his seat in the Provincial Council, on account of the support he has given to this act; but does it not strike the requisitionists that such a course is very unfair ? If the supporter of a bill is deserving of punishment, what does its author deserve? The fact is, that neither Mr Bunny nor Mr Masters have represented their constituencies in the matter of this Highways Act, and it is probably be* cause both have more public spirit and foresight than their constituents. I was very pleased to see that the education bill, as passed, is a great improvement on the one first proposed, as it will be worked much more satisfactorily. The electors here, like the members at Wellington, were not in love with either measure, but they preferred the rating clauses to the principles of local government, and they would rather have on'e than neither. I still think that if the bill has not finally passed, that power should be given to road boards to make and maintain river embankments; or, as in Canterbury and elsewhere, a special act will be required for the purpose. -i ' -