THE PELORUS GUARDIAN FRIDAY, NOVEMBER, 7, 1890. Red-Tapeism.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 1, Issue 82, 7 November 1890, Page 2

THE PELORUS GUARDIAN FRIDAY, NOVEMBER, 7, 1890. Red-Tapeism.

The way in which, those in authority adhere to Acts of Parliament and the rules and regulations laid down for their guidance would lead any one to suppose that the details of the government of the country were carried out by a number of automatic machines, instead of human beings endowed with reason. There are a few of our civil servants who do act on their own judgment, but the majority either do not care or they have not got the mind to discriminate between what is right and what is wrong—what would be best to do where the rules of the service conflict with the interests ol the public. Then there are others who are so high and mighty in their own conceit that they become almost intolerable by their dogmatic actions, J and do not care two straws about the i general welfare or convenience of the public so long as they can show their authority. We are continually blaming first one Government and then another for the wretched way in which the affairs of the country are administered, but a great deal of the blame should be attached to those who have the carrying out of the _ We will endeavour to-give a few brief illustrations as showing the wai}t of judgment and common-sense of those who are entrusted with certain duties. On one occasion, when there was a great cry for encouraging local industry, the plans. specifications were drawn out for the erection of a country police station, which was practically situated in the' middle of a forest, and it was specified that “ the ground should be fenced in with Hobartown pailings.” Wp there ever anything so idiotic as to import pailings from Hobart, when good totara wp within a few yards of the proposed building. Then we have that monument of folly called the Government Painting Office, which cose upwards of £20,000,. built on the otliodov plan for outside show. The first consideration in a printing office is having sufficient light, but in the design of the above building that was the /nothing thought about, and on a dull day the electric light has to be turned on to enable the compositors to see to do their work. We have no doubt that when all those working in the building become blind through having to strain their eyes so much, the building will be turned into a wool store, for which it is admirably adapted, but as a office it will always be a failure.' Tbl? is # 'prqqf that those who executed the plafis never doubled themselves as to whether the building would be suitable for what it was intended or not, all they did was to draw plans of a certain sized building, divided off into the required number of rooms mjjh due regard to outside appearances. 1$0W; WO will give an illustration of the harsh mant of subordinates, and the expense 11)0 country is put to to gratify the whim of those clothed in a little brief authority. Some time ago it was thought necessary to make a number of changes jn tlm police force, and in one instance an old resident of Wellington, and a sergeant who had been long in the service, was duly ipfonped that he would have to go to the West Coast, and ft sergeant on the West Coast, and also a vary old resident, was told off to go to Wellingtonaction might have beep excusable, hut the strange part of the whole affair is that no sooner had these two old servants broken up their homes and arrived at their new sphere of duties than they were told that their services would be no longer 'required, and consequently retired on compensation. Both of these men thou had to pack [ pp .again and go back to their old j ( they were put to all this l inconvep j finee, .jijphe country to a lot

of extra expense simply for want of a j little judgment and forethought. We E might go on till we filled up the paper o: with cases showing with what little h wisdom the details of government arc si administered, and the way public money i tl is wasted, but we will conclude by re- 1 tl ferring to the County elections. We j a would ask, why was it necessary for a j h returning officer to be sent from Blen- j h heim to receive the nominations of the ■ h Havelock Riding ? Have we not got | n men in the place of sufficient ability to r J discharge the duties pertaining to that a office, and thus save the extra ex- d pense incurred ? How was it that all a the advertisements were inserted in the r Blenheim papers, and the Guardian, which has a larger circulation in the a Pelorus and Havelock Ridings, was f altogether ignored? Even now, < although there wore two nominations for the Havelock Riding, they have ' . not been inserted in the paper pub- i < lished within a few yards of the place j of nomination ? We ask, is this justice i 3 either to us or to the public ? This is not the only case in which we have been treated in a most unfair and dis- < courteous manner with regard to adverfcising, and so that our readers might ■ not go without the information we • have inserted advertisements gratis, ■ which were paid for m papers pub- , lished outside the district. While we are governed wholly and solely by redtape we never can hope to see things work so smoothly as if we had a little display of common-sense and justice by those who carry out the business of the country.

Mr Mills’ Oullensville Committee meet to-morrow, Saturday, evening, at 8 p.m. Full attendance is requested.

We were sorry to see so few present at the meeting held on Tuesday evening for the purpose of taking steps for holding the annual regatta and sports. It is to be hoped that at the meeting on the 18th hast, a little more interest will be evinced by a much larger number being present.

Mr T. R. Ellison (Tame Rangiwahia Erihana) was a successful candidate at the recent law examinations, and we beljeve he is the first Maori who has passed as a solicitor in Now Zealand Mr Ellison was one of the Native football team which went to England, and was generally considered to be the best forward player in the Colony. If he is as successful at law as he has been at football he ought to do well. The Post and Telegraph Office will he closed qn Monday, IQth just., Prince of Wales birthday, the mail usually despatched on that day will close 7 p.m. on Saturday, the Bth inst. Mr Mills’ opening address, as published in the Pei.okus Guardian on Friday (says the Express) is one that should bring up his chances as a liberal captffifofo. It is temperate in tone, and represents a careful study of the political affairs of the day. Ho will not support the Government, which he terms “ weak-kneed and helpless,” but will go into Parliament, if elected, as a Liberal, and one who will work in the interests of the people and for the people, An extraordinary general meeting of the shareholders of the Mahakipawa Alluvial G. M. Company, Limited, was held at Daniel’s Hotel, Mahakipawa on Tuesday. There was a good attendance of shareholders, and a very sanguine feeling with tho success of the Company 'pi-vgried the meeting. No resolutions were passed, ffift the meeting adjourned for a fortnight to allow some required' information to be qbtaffiec].

All from supporters qf Mr Mills in conncctiQi) with Pi ß conning election are requested, during Mr Mills’ absence in Ifelsqn, tQ_ he addressed to the secretary of Mr Mills’ Central Committee, ITavelqek, Reeretaries of branch-committees are requested to communicate weekly in time for meetings on Friday evenings. At the Eoad Board meeting on MyAdqesday |t to decided to expend a sun/ of money ip jnjprqviqg jd|e iqvywater landing at Mahakipawa- This will be good news to those who have come to grief in the mud on getting ashore from the boat or vice verm.

There appears to have been some little interest taken in the election for the Havelock Riding, as Messrs C. H. kfjllg and W. Reader were nominated on Tijesday, tyitf fheve will, of course, be an election, .All members of the Central Committee are requestad to meet this evening. Mr Mills will endeavour to be present to meet his committee preyjpus to opening his campaign in the for this night only the w |4 § El- I *}* s^ar P> npt 7.3 Q pan. The Australian Derby was wpn by The Admiral, Magic Circle second, apd Rattling third. The New Zealand Cup ran $ t Clir/stphurch was won by Wolverine., ape] Strcphon third.

sir Robert Stout lias received a largely-signed yaguisjti.oii tq stand for Dunedin at jnFtljnonpng elections, but has declined the honoiir, Jfa, however, says die will do all he can outside ■ Parliament to advance the interests of the Colony. '

A peculiar case is reported from feather,ston. John Granger, a ganger m the Kimutaka summit, states that re quarrelled with his wife, and that die cut his throat with a knife. On die other hand, Mrs Granger states diat her husband came home drunk, Mid attempted to use a penknife on her. She left the house, and returned in fifteen minutes, when she found her liusband in bed bleeding, but she did not then know his throat was cut. The wound is in front of the throat, about 1£ inches in length, but it is not dangerous. Granger was arrested on a charge of attempted suicide, and remanded. A meeting of those interested in the appointment of a minister is convened for Wednesday next,' It may be gratifying to Mr G. H. Watson to know that both his addresses which have appeared in the Guardian have been copied into a number of our contemporaries. Mr Mills’ meeting at Tua Marina' was exceedingly satisfactory inasmuch as his views met with the general approval of those present. At Picton, also, he was well received, even better than might have been, expected, seeing that that place is looked upon as a stronghold of the Opposition. Mr Mills appears to be gaining adherents as he goes along to a greater extent than his most sanguine supporter could expect. It is evident that the moderate tone of his addresses, combined with his ability and energy, are having due weight with the electors, and it only requires ' those who are assisting in securing his return to put forth their strength place him at the head of the poll by a J large majority. Since the above was written we have received the following telegramMr Mills addressed a crowded meeting last night at Waitohi, and received a vote of thanks and confidence as the best man to represent the electorate.

The free-labourers in Wellington have formed an association for maintaining the present rate of mges, &c. We have also heard of several cases in which free-labourers have struck, so there seems to be very little difference between a free-labourer and a unionist. The fact is, you cannot alter human nature, andif one combination is broken up, it will only assume another form at another time.

A good number, including several from Mahakipawa, were, present at the Atheneum Theatre on Wednesday night, at the Rev. Mr Ensor’s request that he might have an opportunity of saying gopd-bye and spending an evening with his friends before going to Kaikoura. Mrs Wakelin, Miss Jones, the Misses E. and B. Mills, and Mr Hawkins sang during the evening, and Mr Staite and Mr Reynolds gave two humorous readings. Mr Ensor addressed those present, and gave a full explanation which led up ta his obtaining and accepting the appointment at Kaikoura. One reason was in consequence pf his health, and another that it was impossible for him to live in this district without getting into debt on the amount subscribed for Iqe.sqppQft. ■ He suggested that as his father had been some time ip jih'e place, and' had evidently dope good work, the Bishop would be pleased to ordain him and appoint him to the Parish if it met with the approval of the parishioners, but if they had any other suggestion to make he would place it before the Synod. Mr Reynolds, in reply, said he did not think the parisljfqqerg had been treated fairly, and pojptpd opt that tl|p distrjofc had had' many drawbacks in chprqh matters, hut he .saw -no' reason why i|OW that a good start had been ipade and fha wq'rjf systematically carried qpt ip ’ the futpre, jt WQu}d pqt he equally as gqqd a parish fqr a minister as Kaikoura. The meeting concluded by the Bey, Mr Ensoi? wishing goodbye to those present. Another suggestion has been .made to us with regard to having a direct steam service—namely, that a company shqpld be formed and appall Steaiper boqght or quartered to ply about the Sounds, and meet the Union Company’s boats twice a week at the mouth of the Sounds. This would be even better than having a steamer once a fortnight direct to Wellington, as it would be a great convenience to settlers in having frequent communi- . cation with Havelock and other places. However, the subject is of such vital iniporcaPQO jiq thq welfare qf the disk WqVtliaf qny ’ solute by \vh|qh the object in view can be attained should meet with approval, and we would be glad to receive any further suggestions. We have a small steamer at present lying idle which might be obtained at a reasonable price and a’start made on f'he |j.pes above jqdieaWd with a’s little de|q.y as pqssiyq.

Paris is troubled qnncorning the “depopulation of France,” and proposes as a remedy pot only to furnishing poor people who wish tq man;y with the ijecesgary pappfs, free qf cost, but also to pay then] fop n^rpyiqg.

Frqnj a single gtn.ivybqrry fanp at Orpington, England, tl]ie prqprietor got /PH) tout? of fj’ojt, an amqqnt which oven at two pence » pound a turnoyer of more than