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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4534, 1 October 1875, Page 2

Mr. Bradshaw’s experience of last night should teach him that violent and extravagant language seldom does good, for it was his unwarranted and offensive expressions that pushed Mr. Reid’s Female Employment Bill through its second reading. The moveropened the debate in a temperate and argumentative speech, to which Mr. Bradshaw replied in a manner that proved the badness of his cause. To compare the condition of the female workers in this country with that of the serfs in Russia, or with the degraded position of some of the factory women in England, was absurd, but it was more than absurd to state that the promoters of the Bill desired to grind down and oppress the fatherless children and widows; to work them like slaves day and night, the Sabbath included; and to sacrifice human flesh and blood, in order that additional gold might be gained. Such language as this is not a proof of philanthropy, but rather the criterion of a hasty temper and a lack of that “ charity which thinketh no evil.” To use Mr. Reid’s words, the hon. member should not set himself up as the sole conservator of right or the sole possessor of human sympathy. There are others who have as keen a sense of justice, and who would reject as scornfully as he any scheme for getting gain at the expense of suffering fellowcreatures. The attack was quite uncalled for, and affected considerably the result of the division.

We have already on several occasions drawn attention in these columns to the works which have been undertaken by the Provincial Government of Otago in connection with theitnproveraent of the Kakanui Harbor. The Bill empowering the -Kakanui Harbor Board to undertake these works, will very shortly receive the assent of his Excellency the Governor-, for the matter is a most important one for the district, of which Kakanui will form the outlet. We have been given to understand that Mr. T. M. Hardy Johnston, M. Inst. C.E., the engineer in charge, has already prepared full working plans, &0., and will shortly leave for the South. Mr. Johnston has shown us a letter which he received from the eminent engineer. Sir Charles Hartley, by the last mail, in which he requests that Mr. Johnston will keep him posted up as to tho progress of the works, and has further expressed his most favorable ouinion of the design, and of the manner in which these improvements are to be carried out. Sir Charles considers the estimate a very moderate one, and we congratulate the Harbor Board of Kakanui on having obtained, through the influence of their engineer, the opinion of such an eminent authority free of charge, and which, had it been sought for in the usual way, would probably have cost a considerable sum.