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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume 1, Issue 6, 9 November 1872, Page 2

We have to acknowledge receipt of complete files of parliamentary Reports and Papers and numbers 1 to 28 of sessional volume of Hansard, from the Government Printer at Wellington. There was a good field day of small sport at the Resident Magistrate’s Court on Thursday last; we have not, however, space to record fall particulars. The three cases against Alfred Mazey at the suits of Cohen, Boland, and Mullooly respectively for driving cattle, point to the necessity for having a pound in the district. It would appear that plaintiff’s cattle had been trespassing, and the defendant has been mulcted, in each case for driving them away. Eparaima te Kura was fined one shilling for obstructing a survey. Hirini Toutou was fined 48s. for stealing a coat worth 125., by which he must have lost money. Two parties of Natives had a squabble over a quadruped, supposed to be a horse, worth £4, and had to end it by each paying their own costs. Wi Kaipuke sues for and obtains from Maora Pani £1 the half value of a horse. G. E. Read obtains damages £1 15s. and costs from G. Burnand for sheep worrying by defendant’s dog. Patara Rangi confessed judgment for £BB Bs. 7d. and costs due to G. E. Read. One of the remaining evidences which was wanted to prove the progress we are making in Gisborne towards Christianity, is to be found between Langford’s Horse Bazaar and Nasmith’s Emporium of jewels. Mr. Barsdell is now in full fling as knight of the comb and scissors, and those who rejoice in the refreshing delights of “ a cool shave ” can be accommodated on the shortest notice. Cleanliness is akin to godliness which truth, though rather ancient, will, we doubt not, receive due corroboration by a constant rush to the pole. We wonld beg to remind our subscribers that subscriptions to the Standard should be paid in advance, and will be received by any of the local agents. We hear that very material alterations are to to be made in the economy of the military branch of the Civil Service. Colonel Harrington’s office of Inspector of Militia and Volunteers has been abolished. The work of defence and Military administration is to be carried on through the Constabulary department, over which Colonel Moule will preside. Changes which should bring improvement with them, are to be made in the present system of Volunteer and Militia management. Drill instructors will no longer form a luxury indulged in by companies and troops, as the officers will have to perform this duty themselves, and if they can’t why the result can be gnessed at. The Government may rest assured of the support of the country if they have the pluck to spike some of the big guns first.

We reprint the Govenor’s prorogation speech in extenso, although at some inconvenience to our space. It is right that our readers should judge for themselves how necessary it is to take active measures in the coming time so as not to be left out iu the cold altogether. How uioely the following passage would have read if the Past Coast of the Northern Island had been coupled with the West Coast of the Middle Island! “ The provision you have made for the benefit of the West Coast of the Middle Island, is a proof that you fully recognize the wants of that important district.V We cannot help adding that as no “provision" has been made for this “important” district, it is a proof that the Government do not so “fully recognize” our wants—nay positive necessities—as it should do.

The Hon. the Native Minister was a passenger to Napier by the Luna, but had to remain there through ill-health. Mr. McLean intends visiting this district when sufficiently recovered.

Captain and Adjutant Porter was a passenger by the Luna on Wednesday. As far as the Native school question is concerned, Captain Porter has been unsuccessful in meeting with Colonel Russell, the chief cause of our troubles in this direction, as that elaborate functionary was accredited by the Government to investigate charges laid against Mr. Commissioner Worgan at Wanganui. Were it not so expensive it would be an amusing pastime to note how the set-a-thief-to-catch-a-thief principle is gendered necessary by the espionage required for one half of the civil servants to be watching the other half. The Inspector of Native schools isstill stirring up the cauldron of mischief. He considers the Whakato school complication not sufficiently complicated and unsatisfactory, but, in addition to two gentlemen already appointed to that particular school—one by the committee, whom the Inspector won’t acknowledge, and one by himself whom the committee won’t accept—he must send down a third in the person of a Mr. Carrington, who came to hand by the Luna. Now, we protest in the name of justice, and in deprecation of a shameless disregard of truth by Colonel Russell, against this official buffoonery. Mr. Parker, who was appointed some months ago to the Whakato school, solely by the Inspector, without any reference to th? committee, and who was refused to be taken on duty by them for reasons which we are well acquainted with, and which will be officially known some flay, is supposed to be still on pay, and we will help him to get it—but not from the Government. This expense, with some others that have yet to be settled, must come out of the Inspector’s pocket, as he, (and we say it advisedly) has been the cause of all the extra claims that are made against these schools • and his fulsome, arrogant, incapacity has rendered his office sufficiently unpopular to require an instant and peremptory dismissal of him from it. The Hon. Native Minister is in Napier and, small though our pretensions be, we will see if we cannot raise a voice sufficiently loud to be heard in condemnation of one of those scandals which render our Civil Service the laughing stock of the world. And that there may be no doubt arising from exparte quibbles, we suggest to the committees of both the Native schools the advisability of petitioning Mr. McLean to order the Inspector here, to answer charges which are to be brought against him, in his turn, and not to send some other' overpaid officer, who wishes his time pleasantly varied, and who, probably, wants looking after himself.