Passing Events.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 1, Issue 47, 8 July 1890, Page 2

Passing Events.

The proposal of Major Steward’s, to have a modification of the Swiss system of government brought forward for discussion during this session has our hearty approval; for, in any case, it can do no harm, and something satisfactory may eventuate to alter the forlorn aspect of our present outlook in the political arena, and make a quick step towards advancing the general interests of the Colony. All impartial electors must admit that a great deal, we were going to say nearly all, of the session is wasted in wrangling over who shall occupy the Treasury Benches, instead of the collective wisdom of our legislators being devoted to measures that require earnest thought. The new system, in brief, would mean that every new Parliament would elect six of their number to form the Executive, and they would choose two more from the Legislative Council. This system should bring all our leading men together, and the eight would remain in office until the dissolution of Parliament, though any one, or more, could be removed on the result of a test ballot taken by the members. It seems to us if ever the time had arriyed in the history of the Colony when good statesmanship was required, it is at once, so as to lessen the iniquitous system of growing taxation, under which , the inhabitants of New Zealand are suffering, and prevent the continual exodus of our best settlers and mechanics to fresh fields. We hope the men will be found in the Councils of this young nation to bring it forward into lasting prosperity.

We have recently been shown a set of examination papers which candidates have to pass before they are, qualified to act in the capacity of mine managers, and we have no hesitation in saying the set questions are out of all reason to put before the class of men who have held for many years past, and are now occupying that position. It is unreasonable to expect good practical men who have won their way to such stations of trust and confidence by sheer force of character, sobriety, and intelligent enterpretation of their duties for two-thirds of a lifetime, can now worry their intellect in puzzling over questions which may be suitable for boys in the V. or YI. Standard, but which cannot possibly affect the welfare of the men under their charge, or add one grain to the ton in the yield from the claim, while to expect they are able to show results on paper equal to some of our foremost surveyors is truly absurd and ridiculous. There is a happy medium between this class of examination or having none at all, and for the sake of all concerned we recommend the Mines Department to adopt a more practical examination for those who have been in harness so long.

Payment of common jurors has long been made under a most unsatisfactory tariff, and we never could understand on what merits the scale had originally been framed. That any intelligent man should be arbitrarily called away from his home to dance attendance on the Court, often on some frivolous case which had no right to be placed on the list, and then be remunerated, or, rather, insulted, by offering him a paltry three or four shillings a day is quite out of accord with the times, and calls for a radical reform. Our experience through life has always proved that if you require work properly done you must not begrudge fair remuneration for it, and if His Honour cannot attend to his duty on the bench for less than about £4O a day when the Court is sitting, or £6 a day, or £3O a week throughout the year, we contend the present method of paying both common or grand jurors, and non-payment of Coronors’ juries, is only a relic of barbarous times. Last, but not least, the present system of empannelling juries over civil cases is most unfair. A quarrels with B, and eventually the case gets into the Supreme Court, twenty-four men all good and true are summoned for a certain date, but if you have come any distance, and other cases take precedence, you must be in attendance every day, and when finally called are probably one of the challenged, then discharged by the Judge with thanks, and have to pay your own expenses, both coming and going, and this exists in the nineteenth century. Surely there is room for improvement, and it is time the Government stepped in with a remedy, and those who make the quarrel not come out of the mess at the expense of other people.

We are pleased to learn “ The First Offenders Probation Act” is successfully fulfilling the purpose for which it was passed, as we have always con-

tended it was much more creditable to our statesmen to create measures that would give an opportunity to redeem man, woman, or child, instead of continuing the old method of inflicting harsh punishment for one mistake that may have been bitterly repented by the perpetrator even before the public knew of its existence, and we have little doubt the Statute will be made much more elastic as experience proves that it has saved many of our fellow beings from becoming hardened criminals, and ultimately encouraged them to take a position of comfort and respect among any community.

One equitable provision of the Registration of Electors Bill now before Parliament is an announcement for seamen to qualify and register themselves on a special Electoral Roll, and thus be able to take part in the various elections for members to represent their interests among other people. This is as it should be, as no good reasons have ever been advanced showing why all our sailors, a most intelligent class, should continue to be disfranchised.

As was stated in .our last, the debate on the Financial Statement came to an abrupt conclusion on Wednesday, and .perhaps it is as well that it did, for we feel sure that all the debating in the world would have, had very little effect under present circumstances of altering our position. Our legislators ap r pear to go on in the old style ,of fighting over the Treasury Benches on every occasion which presents itself, and if the Opposition can drive the Government off, they consider they have done a good thing for their country. This child’s play seems to be going qp year after year until it becomes wearisome to an overburdened people who look in vain for a change—when real statemanship will take the place of playing politics, when actions will take the” place’ of words, and when the country’s welfare will take the place of selfinterest.

There appears to have been a long debate in the House of Representatives over the appointment of Judge Edwards. The action of the Ministry in creating' • a sixth' judgeship seems to have been pretty generally condemned. Very often an appointment is made by the Government of some person to a lucrative position, and everybody wonders what is the reason for it, and this appears to have been one of those cases, when even the friends of the Ministry are very much puzzled as to the cause. The money can always be found to place a friend into some snug billet at £I,OOO a year, but if a few hundred pounds are required for a useful public work the treasury chest is always empty. The ways of the Government are indeed incomprehensible.

The Government are going to appoint a committee to inquire into the question of dummyism, which is said to exist to a great extent in the Otago and Canterbury provinces.

Mr. Moss, the member for Parnell, is to move a resolution expressing the desirability of having a better system of local Government. It is nearly time some one took action }n the matter as it, has been delayed long enough.

The grazing, capabilities of the Pelorus district are steadily increasing, and before many years it will be a little pocket borough from whence the butcher will be able to draw fat stock at the critical time, of the year when most needed. Mr Peter Archer has just passed through Havelock to Nelson with a mob of 300 crpss-bred sheep, some of them 90 pounders from the well-known farm of Mr McMahon, in the Kenepuru Sound, who has always been noted for the first-class produce or stock of every description he sends away.

The Public Works Department advertise for tenders for “ Opawa snagging contract.” The death is announced of another old settler, John Octavius Western, who died at his residence, the Lindens, Picton, on the 3rd inst. He came out to the Colony in May, 1841, and was at one time a member of the Marlborough Provincial Council.

We recorded last week the rather extraordinary circumstance of a frog churning butter, but this is pretty well equalled by the action of a quail. As our townsman Mr Perry was at work in his back shop, he “was suddenly startled by one of his windows being smashed. For a moment he thought a boy had thrown a stone and was about to proceed to inflict condign punishment on the offender, but on turning round he saw a quail in its last struggles with life and death. The pane of glass through which the bird came was rather more than the ordinary thickness of a 10x12, and must have struck it with great force, as it smashed the glass in little pieces and struck against the opposite wall. The quail was in good condition, but Mr Perry does not reckon the gain of the bird equal to the loss of the glass.

Mrs Reader, senior, advertises in this issue for a lady help. The cricket match, Australians /▼. Derby, was drawn. The former are now playing a Staffordshire eleven, and in their first innings have 81 runs for 3 wickets, their opponents getting 60 in their first innings. In the match between Oxford and Cambridge the latter won by 7 runs.

The skating rink appears to be very popular in Havelock as great interest seems to be taken in this pastime. There was again a good attendance on Saturday night, and the Committee are about to get a further supply of skates to meet the demand.