LAST NIGHT’S WIRES.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1302, 31 March 1883, Page 2

LAST NIGHT’S WIRES.

[PBB UNITED PREBB ASSOCIATION]. WELLINGTON, Yesterday. At the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, the Chairman, Mr J. B. George, in’moving the adoption of tho report, dwelt at considerable length on many of the subjects referred to in the report. Adverting to the bankruptcy laws he said it was desirable that facts brought out in a bankruptcy case which had lately been before the public, should be met in a new Bill. He thought proceedings such as those which had been undertaken by the bankrupts lately in endeavoring to get clear from their liabilities when they were not justified in doing so, were certainly scandalous ; when an example of this sort was set by one who had held a high position in this Colony, and had also been well thought of in Australia, what could be expected of small members of the community when they could so easily get quit of their liabilities ? With regard to the working of the licensing laws, and more especially as to power placed in the hands of the local police constables in country districts. The Government had been communicated with, and their reply was to the effect that the Act provided that the police should carry out its provisions strictly in every respect. This was no doubt the case, but the goneral impression was that favor was shown in some cases, while the Act was unnecessarily enforced in others. He explained that arguments he used on this subject at last meeting of the Chamber were not intended in any way to discuss the merit of the question as to the use of alcohol, that not being a suitable question for discussion in Chamber. His desire was to show that temperance and total abstinence societis would probably succeed better in their endeavor to repress drunkenness if they worked to raise the status of licensed victuallers rather than by supporting the present system of police espionage and worry, which was fast driving all men who respected themselves, out of business. As to the direct steam service, the recent arrival of the British King showed that the service would be carried on by boats fully competent for the work, and led to the inevitable conclusion that Wellington must shortly become the chief distribution centre for the colony. It was in a more favorable position to undertake thia work, and being the first port of arrival from England, goods would be landed here as cheaply and promptly as in Melbourne. It was desirable that Wellington should be provided with docks, but it would be unwise for the Harbor Board to incur any heavy expenditure until they had obtained their endowments, as the first aim of the board should be to keep all charges as low as possible, and to make Wellington practically a free port.

Referring to tho Banking returns of thb 20th Doceniber last, Mr George said they found tl|at the advances still showed aii ,|n* crease on the .September quarter, the advance being for, viz*, £15,513,000, ap agaiiut £15,657,000. In September the deposits on the other side showed a diminution of £585,000. The excess of advances over deposits being £6,268,000. The advances by the banks were larger by about £250,000 than at any period in the history of the Colony, After referring to the imports and exports, Mr George went on to say that the accounts, generally, pointed to the conclu l sion that a return above the average on the grain harvest might be expected, and this being the case it was not necessarily a stlbicct of apprehension that tho imports should be heavy and stocks large, with an Increase of pbpulatldn and opening Up of lino, Imports must, and shoiild, increase, and orilj caution was necessary to make certatti that acquirements for these purposes if they were not pushed beyond a safe limit, thus clausing excessive stocks and unremunerative price*. At present it seemed that Bank pressure arose frorii merchants having Unduly forced trade, and that land for agricultural or pastoral purposes was steadily rising in value; Ths Lonjhurst Ous. Deputatida ti the Governor. A deputation waited on hia Excellency il 13.30 today, and presented a petition for the release of the prisoner Longhuret, , Among those present wore Messrs C. Johnstone; Di \V. Hutchinson, M’s.H.R., His Worship the Mayor, and several wall-known citfsens. The Hons. Messrs Dick and Rolleston entered the room with his Excellency. Several members of the deputation addressed his Excellency, in which they expressed that as such doubt has been thrown oh tne prisoner's guilt, the providence of mercy should step in. The Governor replied—"GentUmen : before referring to the petition which you have presented, I wish to remark that in other places it has been my invariable rule to refuse to receive deputations having for their object the influence of the Governor or his advisors in matters relating to actions whioh he or they may, in the interest, of the public, consider it his or their duty to take concerning sentences passed by courts of law ; it is, therefore, not without some hesitation that I consented to receive this deputation, though taking all circumstances into consideration, I arrived at the conclusion that it would be advisable to do so. I wish it however to be distinctly understood that my present action is not to be drawn into precedent as regards the pett- ' tion itself, there are some statements in it, the accuracy of which I am not prepared to admit, and there is one suggestion contained i in it to which I must give my unqualified ' denial, I allude to certain paragraphs wherein it is suggested that the case of Longhuret was not fully laid before me, before the de- ■ cision was arrived at, which has already been communicated to previous petitions, The fact is that the whole of the evidence, given on both sides, was printed from the Judge*, notes. Both the Government and myself were able to confer unreservedly with the , judges themselves, and there was the fulleet . opportunity afforded to everyone concerned, ; of deliberately weighing all circumstances > before arriving at the conclusion on a previous petition. Respecting this distressing > case, it appears to me that the present peti- , tion, except as regards the statement wliieh ; I have referred, is in the main, a reiteration i. of points which have been duly Considered, i at the same time I need scarcely Say that i any new and authenticated facts that may i be adduced, shall be fully weighed. Gentle- : men, your petition, and the representations - which you have made, shall be must carefully considered, both by myself and by my , Ministers, and the result of such further dei liberations ehall be communicated to you. E At the meeting of creditors, to-day, in the estate of Henry Mace, a motion recommendi ing his immediate discharge was carrtea s unanimously. ;! IMPORTANT D3OXBXOW. I At the official en<iulry into the atraudlag i of the barque Conference, at Wellington > Heads, on tne 16th, the Court delivered thd 1 following judgment:—The Court is df • opinion that the accident was attributable tne vessel over-running her distance whild b putting her round, caused by a change of - wind trom north to north-east, and to the f vessel getting stern way on ; at the aanid time the Court is of opinion that the captain 1 stood too long on the starboard tack before ( going about. The Court also pointed out a that olg draught sailing vessels should bd . cautious in using the sailing direction!) f given iu the Wellington Almanac for work* ing into port on the west side, and would caution the master to be more cautious in future ; the captain pay costa £5. A deputation, representing the auctioneers of the city, waited on the Colonial Secretary this morning, to call attention to certain disabilities imposed upon them by the Licensing Act, 1881. The Hon. T. Dick, in reply, explained that the original Bill did not r contain the word “auctioneer” in the clause called into question, but that the word had J been added in its paesage through the House w last year. There were certain amendments ' brought down, which, however, Government ’ could not get through. Those amendments f included one to strike out the word “ auctioneer” in the clause indicated. He pro- [ raised to confer with the Minister of Justice t or return to Wellington, and let the deputation know the result. i AUCKLAND, Yesterday. , Mr Bryce, Mr Hursthouse, and Wetere j proceeds through the King country to i Taranaki via Mokau after the trial of i Mahuki and his followers is over. ; Captain Johnston of the Marine Departr ment, and Mr Blackett, engineer-in-cqjef, have gone to Kaipara to fix the site for the f lighthouse to bo erected. > At the first annual meeting of the Auckj land Agricultural Company, the report ■ showed a profit of £I3OO, being 16J per cent : on the paid up capital ; 8 per cent dividend I was declared, ana the balance carried forj Ward. ; Out of eight coses there is only one crimi- ; nal in the calendar for the Supreme Court) though there are nearly 30 prisoners, includ* ing Walker’s ejectment cases, and Mahuki’s* DUNEDIN, Yesterday. Mr M. R. Green, M.H.R., has addressed a ; langthy letter to tho Colonial Treasurer) pointing out tho impracticability of his national insurance scheme ; also shadowing i forth one of his own, and asking tho Treasurer to lay his aside, and assist Tn getting a loan passed giving force to the other. Mr Green lays his scheme before a public meeting on Thursday next. CHRISTCHURCH, Yesterday. Mr Montgomery addressed his constituents at Akaroa, and said when he heard of Major Atkinson’s intended speeches, he expected to find him defending the past conduct of the Government and indicating a future policy. He was astonished to hear Major Atkinson disclaim party motives; it was his duty to deal with the questions from a party point of view. Apparently, however, Major Atkinson was fishing fora policy, seeking a certain draft of public opinion so as to frame one. He condemned Major Atkinson’s advocacy of the Hare system of election, as it would benefit stump orators supported by money rings, as against good local men. If the Legislative Council was elected by the two Islands as separate constituencies, it would promote separation. He was anxious to see the Legislative Council made elective, but it

should bo by codaMteenciea larger than those for the House. He denied that the present taxation was fair and equitable on all tlaases. He would tax all lands benefitted by the expenditure of borro’.vc' money, He Honied that the Land Act established perfcetual leasehold tenure, and asked if the State resumed possession of a large estates would the increases value given the land by public work expenditure be considered in computing the compensation payable. Major Atkinson s National Insurance meant a poll tax of a million a year. He condemened it * strongly. The real way to prevent poverty was to prevent men from spending money foolishly, and give them every opportunity of acquiring land easily. He strongly condemned the conduct of the Ministry last session, especially as to public works, and rushing the Estimates through, and thought they would be prevented repeating such conduct Hext session. Canterbury has been deteivbd by the Ministry in regard to the West Coast Railway. The opposition would next station inlist oil the Government bringing down their measures early. It would be better for them to be out of House altogether than sit there through another such session as the past one. A vote of thanks and confidence was unanimously passed.