NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5329, 26 April 1878, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

SUMMARY KIR THE MONTH

APRIL.

For transmission hy ihc P.M.S.C. Australia, froi Auckland on the SOtU April, to Europe,. via ,Sa Francisco . In matter's political there is _ not mud doing just now, the lull which usual!; precedes the opening of the annual Par liamentary session having set in. Mem hers, it is expected, will be called togethe: for. the despatch of business in the begin nirig of July,' and the majority of th( Ministers are now presumed to be bus} preparing the measures which they wil introduce. Amongst these a Native Lands Bill, an amended Representation Bill, and a Land Tax Bill are the most prominent. A proposal to ■amend the existing licensing law will also, it is said, be introduced. The Ministry is understood to be desirous of making the next session a short one, and of then getting a dissolution if the Governor will grant it. Whether this will bo accomplished or not remains to be seen, and in politics SM in war it is hard to say what a day may bring forth, but wo all know that colonial Governors are adverse, and very properly so, to grant unnecessary dissolutions of Parliament, and we may be sure that good reason will have to be shown why the present Parliament of New Zealand should be dissolved before its expiration ly effluxion of time, ere such a course will be agreed to. During the past month the weather has been remarkably fine, and advantage has been taken of this to push on the line of railway which is to connect "Wellington with the Wairarapa District, and ultimately with Napier and Wanganui. The advocates of a line of railway which is to connect the capital with the Manawatu by way of the West .Coast have also not been letting the grass grow under their feet, but have been active in bringing their views of the matter under the notice of the Ministry and the public. It seems to be now very generally acknowledged that a line of railway from the present Hutt line to Fox ton and Palmerston by way of the West Coast is a most desirable undertaking, and would prove reproductive. The Government has met the wishes of a deputation upon the subject, headed by Mr. W. W. Johnston, M.H.R. for the Manawatu District, Mr. Snelson (the Mayor of Palmerston), Mr. Linton, and other influential settlers, by giving orders for a survey of the intended route to be proceeded with at once, and in all probability the matter will be brought before Parliament next session with a view to obtaining a vote for the funds necessary to carry out the work. Experts in the matter are of opinion that the amount of land admirably adapted for agricultural settlement which would be thrown open by the making of this line, would soon repay the original cost of the outlay. A prominent feature of local topics this month has been the repetition of accusations which Mr. G. E. Barton, an English barrister, and a practitioner in the” local Courts here, has made in reference to the administration of justice in the colony. A considerable amount of correspondence has taken place on the subject, apart of which will be found in another portion of our columns. Mr. Barton has made a variety of charges against the legal officials, from the Chief Justice to the police, but when called upon to substantiate them he backs out of the difficulty by saying it is not his place to become a private prosecutor. The general opinion expressed on the matter, which has been much discussed, is that Mr. Barton ought either to prove what he has stated or withdraw it ; but so far he adopts neither alternative. The matter will no doubt be fully enquired into, and ultimately it will be made clear whether or not there is foundation for the statements which have been made. ; It is reported that Mr. Crawford is about to resign the office which he has so long filled here as Resident Magistrate, ancf that he will retire on his pension, but no official intimation of the fact has been published, nor are there any authentic rumours as to who would be likely to be his successor. The post is a difficult one to fill efficiently, and although in

tho event of the vacancy being declared there -would no doubt be a large number u£ applicants, it might not bo so easy as some people may imagine to find a gentleman to discharge the onerous duties of Police Magistrate, in a city of the size and importance of Vv oiling ton, with general satisfaction. The census which has been lately taken here, further particulars of which will be found elsewhere, shows that great progress has been made by the colony during the past few years. The population of Wellington has doubled in a comparatively brief period of time, and other leading towns show unmistakeable signs of advancement. This furnishes one of the best answers that can be made to those who say that New Zealand does not afford a good field for emigration from the old country, of which number there are a few. No one, however, really acquainted with the colony can for a moment doubt that, take it for all in all, there is no part of the world, where men of steady habits, no matter what their rank or calling in life may be, have a bettor chance of success than they have here. For “working men” in the true sense of the words, and for large and small capitalists, New Zealand offers a splendid opportunity at tho present moment for tho improvement of their fortunes, and will continue to do so, in all probability, for years to come, The high price which land usually fetches hero when it is put up to auction is a very significant piece of testimony in support of the statement of the material prosperity of tho colony. People hero would not be foolish enough to buy what they did not believe to be reproductive, and they are shrewd enough to base that belief on a sound basis. The wharf extension, which has for some time been necessitated by the growing trade and commerce of the port, although it has not advanced quite so rapidly as was anticipated when the contracts were first taken, is making steady progress, and before long the wharf accommodation will bo something more on a par with tho commercial requirements of the city than it has been hitherto. The desirability of establishing a District Court here, which has from time to time been urged, is again being brought into notice. At present the jurisdiction of the Resident Magistrate’s Court is limited to £IOO, and anyone having a claim over that amount has either to abandon the excess or take his case to the Supremo Court. In many cases this is felt to bo a hardship. The appointment cf a District Judge, who_ in addition to the ordinary criminal jurisdiction of such a tribunal should have a bankruptcy jurisdiction, would relieve the Supreme Court Judges and tho Registrar of much work which they now have a difficulty in getting through. Other places in the colony arc provided with District Courts, but the capital of the colony has no such Court. • Wellington, as is almost always the case, has been well off for amusements during the past month, and it is another sign of tho prosperity of tho place that the people have the money to spare to attend them.. Cooper and Bailey’s Circus, which has. been lately performing here, proved a groat attraction. It was crowded nightly, and t-h" proprietors must have netted a laigu amount. The Theatre Royal continues to draw good houses; and the new Man-ners-street theatre, lately christened the Imperial Opera House, is now all but completed. It is one of the finest theatrical buildings south of the Line, and is -quite' an ornament to tho city. A \ore detailed description of it will be und in another, portion of our eoluliins.

A fatal accident occurred on the. 3rd instant,' by which, "Mr. Stephenson, the mate of the Bfawea, was killed by a block, falling apofi him and striking hint "oft-*the hmoos93ts occurrence is onebf unfortunate accidents winch. may, occurs at any time; but it : is remarkable from'"the fact that it-has led "to a great deal of discussion as to the management of our local hospital. Mr. Stephenson, after having his ; wounds dressed by Dr. Dxyßß, was removed in an insensible state to the Hospital. The officer in charge, believing him to be dying, did not think it necessary to send for the surgeon, who does not reside on the premises, and the question has been asked whether a duly-qualified medical man ought not to be constantly on the spot. The jury could not agree as to any rider being appended to the verdict in this particular case, but it is obvious that the present system of management leaves the ground open to complaint. A new hospital will shortly be built, and regulations for its management will no doubt be promulgated, making it compulsory for a duly-qualified practitioner to reside on the premises.