The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1884. YOUNG MEN’S CLUB.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1249, 7 October 1884, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1884. YOUNG MEN’S CLUB.

The meeting held in Geraldine a few evenings ago to establish a Young Men’s Club appointed a Committee to consider the principles upon which the Club was to be formed. The first principle the Committee ought to consider is, Y'hat will secure the largest number of members. Without a good number of members the Club cannot live, and consequently what its existence depends upon ought to be its first consideration. We understand from the remarks made by the Rev. Mr Barclay, that be wishes to expunge “ physical exercises and games ” from the programme, and establish the Club on sober religious lines. Now we do not think we can be accused of being wanting in our respect for either religion or its ministers, but we must say that if the Club is started on the goody-goody principle its hfiy will be short. The Rev. Mr Barclay spoke more or less disparagingly of the Temuka Club, and suggested that something higher should be established. The success which has attended the Temuka Club is sufficient answer. Had it been started on the “ higher ” principles it would never have succeeded, but when all tastes are suited in it all go toil. The physical exercises consist of singleticks, boxing, cricketing, lawn tennis and football, and the games consist of chess, draughts, etc. There is nothing very wicked in any of these, and they are allowed only on certain occasions. The place is not a boxing saloon where stand-up fights occur, The practices are always carried on under the

supervision of some of the Committee, who would very soon put aa end to anything that presented the appearance of leading to anger. Now, is it not better to get young mn. into 'such a place, and give them such means of amusing themselves as they desire, than to let them roam about street corners, or frequent billiard rooms arm hotel bars? We know for a positive fact that if the “physical exercises” were expunged many of the lemuka young men would not be in the Club 24 hours, But besides what we have enumerated the Club is a literary society. Two nights in every week are devoted to debating, and readme essays, for the best of which prizes are given, and sometimes a concert is given. Lectures are also given, and the faculties of the mind as well as the body are developed. The young men who delight in the physical exercises, in draught and chess playing, etc., attend on the literary nights and must, of coarse, profit by it, but if the amusements which suit their tastes were not allowed they would be prowling about the streets. The Rev, Mr Hamilton has also got up Bible classes and, to these he imparts religious instruction in its own season. By making it free an I easy the lemuka Club has succeeded, and that is the only possible way in which it can be made a success, and unless the Geraldine people adopt a similar plan they will find their efforts resulting in a failure. BANK NOTES. Mr Daroaville no doubt imagines he has done a very clever thing in introducing a measure to make bank notes the first charge on the assets of a bank in the case of a failure. At present the notes of any hank would be of no value in case the bank failed, and the object of the bill introduced by Mr Dargaville is to give a preferential claim to the holders of notes on whatever the assets of the bank may be. There is no doubt but that the precaution is necessary. In a colony like this where banks are allowed to do exactly as they please—where they can issue as many notes as they like—without being subjected to Government inspection, it is necessary that the holders of their notes should have some security ; but we are of opinion Mr Dargaville’s measure will not meet the case. In fact, it appears to us to be quite useless. In the first place banks never fail until a rush for gold is made on them. So Ung as the public entertain confidence in a bank so long wi.J it go on. And it is not the noteholders that ever rush a bank, but the depositors —those who have lodged money at interest in it—and these are bound to get most of the money before the noteholders get the slightest chance. The depositor’s money is payable at the office in which he deposited it, and he has only to rush in and draw it out at once. The case of the noteholder is different. The note which he holds may be payable in Auckland and he would have to go to Auckland before he could get his money, if the local branch of the bank liked to refuse to pay. It is obvious therefore that depositors have a great advantage over noteholders, and that if a rush took place the former would have received the coin before the latter had a ghost of a show. There is one thing to be said, however. There are very few depositors in this colony, and consequently very little danger of a rush ou any bank ; in fact, the boot is on the other leg, for most people are in mortal terror of the banks rushing them. But, though there is not the slightest danger, still, we think, noteholders ought to have some assurance of the payment of their notes ; bui the proposal under review is not the proper one. Government have no right to allow banks to issue paper money ad libitum ; it ought to have reserved that right to itself. Mr Gladstone, as well as some of the greatest financiers of the day, assert that the right to issue paper money belongs solely and entirely to the State, and that it is wrong for the State to give up that right. Why continue to tinker with legislation on the subject ? Why do not the Government cancel the right of any bank to issui paper, and reserve that privilege to themselves? This is the proper way to do the thing, but it would appear that the aim of Governments is always to do things the wrong way.

DEFENCE OF THE COLON*. His Excellency the Governor is keeping alive the question of defending our harbors, but wo may say it does not appear to us that there is much need for it. To erect defence works such as would be of any use would be an exceedingly expensive thing to do, and the country cannot afford it, more especially as there is no need for it at present. These defences would be of no use whatsoever, except in the event of Great Britain going to war with some foreign power. There is no great danger of war between civilised powers now-a-day, and even if there was, and England were engaged in it, we feel convinced our defenceless position,, would not be taken advantage of. If, for instance, England went to war with France, would the latter power despatch a fleet to New Zealand to sack and pillage this colony ? Most undoubtedly it would not. It would have more than enough to do to fight England. His Excellency the Governor admits this fact, but says the danger is that a cruiser, which might elude the vigilance of H«r Majesty’s war vessels, could rush in and bombard any of our towns, and obtain payment in money to go away. If that is all the danger we need not tremble. That would be piracy, and surely no civilized power would adopt that plan now-a-day This question of

harbor defence is bunkum ; the colony is not in the slightest danger, and it would be nonsense to expend money on such works in our present straitened circumstances.

THE SUPREME COURT JUDGES. Sir George Grey is determined to lead somehow. He did not. get to be Premier, but he is determined to ventilate his policy. His latest move will scarcely commend itself to any one. He proposes that judges of the Supreme Court shall be appointed only for a period of five years, and after that term they must be reappointed if they are to retain their position. There is we hope no danger of this becoming law, for if it did it would be an unfortunate thing for the colony. The independence of the judges would be destroyed by it, and we should have instead a lot of time-servers, whose only object would be to please political parties. A Judge should, above all others, be independent ; he holds the power of life and death in his hands, and he should be above the slightest danger of being influenced by politicians. If he had only five years’ term of his position, and his reappointment depended, as it naturally would do, on the Government of the day, he would undoubtedly try to please the leaders of political parties so as to secure their goodwill. He would not be independent ; he would only be a time-server, and could not possibly administer justice in the same evenhanded way as he does now, when his appointment is for life.