LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 285, 2 September 1880, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

We beg to call the attentidn of our readers to the alteration in the railway time table, which appears in another column.

The railway employees at Dunedin and Christchurch have held meetings for the purpose of considering (he 10 per cent, reduction, and have passed resolutions condemning the same. Committees were appointed to carry out the wishes of the men. We learn from the 0. D. Times that at an adjourned meeting, held on Monday evening last, it was stated that Mr Conyers, in reply to a deputation of the Dunedin railway employees, distinctly said the reduction was not intended to apply to the wages men, but that shortly a revision of the scale of wages was to take place amongst the employees. This was to be carried out on an equitable and practical system, and full notice would be given. From a Christchurch telegram we gather that the question of reduction is likely to terminate in a strike, so far as the Amberley-Palmerston section is concerned. Nothing apparently but an assurance from the Minister of Public Works will inspire confidence, as the men on this line place little faith in Mr Conyers’ assurance, Should the matter terminate in a strike, the men will cease

work on Saturday, September 11; If the Government persist in their all-round re-' duction of 10 per cent.,.'the matter' vvill require considerable tact on their part to arrange matters satisfactorily.

The Auckland 1 unemployed have refused, work at 9d per hour on the reclamation works.

In the House on Monday last the Premier proposed the two following resolutions r—(1) To provide for the payment of members’ travelling expenses going to Parliament; (2) That no reductions be made from the honorariums of members who, as Royal were absent during a portion of the session. It is needless to say they were both carried.

At the Resident Magistrate’s Court held yesterday, F. Guineas Esq., R.M, presiding,- only one police case of a trivial nature was brought before His Worship All the civil cases were settled but of Court. This must be taken as a hopeful sign that times are improving; No doubt the pressure that has been brought to bear through the Court, upon many during the last twelve months has led the sufferers to shun new debts as much as possible. Nothing is more annoying to a man, who is willing to pay, but who cannot command the needful, than to be saddled with heavy expenses for a debt that he does not refuse to pay when able. One thing he will attend to, that is to remain without many things rather than run the risk of the same being enacted over again.

At the Winchester fair yesterday the attendance was fair. A good amount of slock was disposed of. Sheep, particularly fat sheep, brought good prices. The penny whistles, twopenny trumpets, and threepeny organs of the Press, which form the ochestra of th® Muddeling Government, are heralding the approach of our new Governor, Sir Arthur Gordon, by setting up a discordant screech. Now why is there such commotion among the jackals that prowl around the Ministerial c imp ? Why do they raise a howl at the appointment of Sir Arthur f The reasons are and o'ur Tory friends have been too incautious to conceal them. Sir Arthur, it appers, has always been a fast and steady friend to the toiler and a determined opponent to the monopolist; he has been a honest and earnest champion of the Native races over whom he has ruled, and his humane conduct has made him unpopular with planters and landjobbers. So you see, my boy, that the Tory organs of New Zealand would not be playing a consistent tune had they neglected to perform an overture of preliminary abuse on his arrival. Some of us may imagine that it is ungenerous and cowardly to condemn a man on heresay, before he has had a fair trial, but our Ministerial journalists are not harassed by any of those scruples which carry weight with Wrifefs who are not blessed with elastic conscience.—,‘Frank Fudge ”Public Opinion.

At a dinner given by Sir W* Fitzherbert in Council Chambers, Wellington, on Saturday night, his Excellency in replying to his toast, said that, had he been at liberty to consult his own inclinations he should have stayed here. He had told his English friends he was pleased with the climate and people, and that he should like to settle here after he retired into private life. Expecting as he had, to remain in New Zealand for his full terra, he had made private arrangements that would have identified him with the interests and amusements of the country. He regretted leaving this country, which, ho said, was of surpassing interest* It had an unrivalled climate, unsurpassed soil, vast mineral resources, and a most favorable geographical position, but the administration here had not always been above criticism. Still the resources of the colony were so great that it could not go wrong eventually. In proportion to the population New Zealand was more in debt than any other country) Asa parting advice he would urge on New Zealand to rest content with her pre-eminence in indebtedness. They should not go to the extremity of the straw, or the result would be disastrous. They were fortunate in getting so able an administrator as Sir A. Cordon, who was a, ihdst Conscientious, noble, and high-minded man, and a better could not bo found. “