Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5468, 5 October 1878, Page 2

The Beer Duty Bill difficulty, has proved too much for' the Government, and the Premier, in a very subdued .manner, - yesterday afternoon made the announcement that that Bill, and also the Joint Stock Companies Tax -Bill, were to be abandoned. The announcement was met by a storm of ironical cheers from the Opposition, and the afternoon was taken up in a debate in which matters were made exceedingly unpleasant for Ministers. Messrs. Wakefield, Ormond, and Major Atkinson lashed them severely on their sudden change of .front, and taunted them with their abject conduct in swallowing an adverse vote, after having declared in a high and mighty fashion that no amendments would be accepted but from iriends, and that in any case the ißills must pass. Mr. Bryce, who evidently felt that he, in common with the other Government supporters, had been badly treated by the Bills being withdrawn without any reference to tho party, delivered a most scathing address, and he was followed in the same strain by Messrs. Saunders, Kelly, and others, whilst Messrs. Bowen and McLean gave. Ministers pleasantly sarcastic advice to treat all their other financial measures in the same way, with the view of submitting amors reasonable policy next year. A feature of the discussion Was the complete exoneration of the gentlemen alleged to have broken their pairs, and it was generally felt that the Attorney-General acted an ungraceful part in’declining to withdraw the charges he had the previous night levelled against the personal honor of several members. Feeling became so strong late in the afternoon that at one’ time it appeared doubtful whether hon. members would not have been conspicuous at the Parliamentary ball by their absence. The Government conceived that the Opposition had been talking against time all the afternoon, the absurdity of which is apparent when it may be'seen by onr report that more Government supporters than Opposition members spoke ; and Ministers said they .would let matters take the ordinary course, and should expect their supporters to be in their places at half-past seven. However, the Speaker with excellent tact threw oil on the troubled waters, and took upon himself the responsibility of putting the question of the adjournment of the debate. This was agreed to, and members on each side seemed to appreciate the -wisdom of the course taken by Sir William Fitzherbert. A GOOD deal - has been said of late as to the pay of the New Zealand police force generally, and of that of the detective branch of the service in particular. In an article on the subject which appears in tho Dunedin Age of the 27th ult. the following comparison is made between tho amounts paid to detectives in Victoria and in New Zealand : -VICTORIA. First class detectives .. ~ 15s. per day . Second class detectives., ~ 13s. ~ .Third class detectives .. .. 12s. ~ With fuel, water, and quarters in addition, NEW ZEALAND. First class’ detectives .. ■.. 12s, per day Second class detectives.. lls. ~ ■ Third class detectives .. .. 10s. „ With no allowance for fuel or quarters. These, figures, as our contemporary observes, speak for themselves, and they show that the statement of the rate of wages hero being higher than it is in Victoria, however true it may be as to ordinary labor, is not correct as regards the detective police, nor indeed as regards the force generally. It is no doubt true that men can be obtained to supply any vacancies that occur in the department at the salaries offered, but it may reasonably bo doubted whether really good and efficient constables can be got “ cheap.” , It is a matter of fact that a large number of men have lately left the force, and that some of the new recruits who have been taken on in their places have not turned out satisfactorily. The pay and allowances of the police in this colony are now under the consideration of a select committee of the House, by whom no doubt the matter will :be fully and fairly investigated, and the result, it is tp.be hoped, Will be such that whilst a due regard is paid to economy in disbursing public funds for the service, such a rate of; pay shall be fixed upon as will induce all the good men in tho force to remain there, enable the authorities to. weed out their 9 bad. bargains,” and attract efficient and trained men to join the ranks of the force; Probably nothing . would tend to secure the interests of a very important branch of the public service more completely than the establishment of a pension fund. Men af tera longterm of service would have something to look forward to. Tho hatred of the Civil Service which the present Ministers exhibits ought not to be extended to the police, and we do not doubt that a pension fund, to which both the State and the men in the force should contribute, might be, easily set on foot with the sanction of Parliament.