The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1874.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1833, 17 November 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1874.

The telegraphic news relative to the condition of the Hydaspes' passengers on the quarantine island would seem to indicate

that arrangements for the comfort of

passengers are most imperfect. The ' saloon passengers complain that they hare

to herd with the Government immigrants. The only objection which appears to be visible ia this matter is that the saloon passengers after being landed are subjected to an undue risk of infection. If they escape disease on board ship, it is presumed that the extra sleeping space, better food, and possibly, greater , attention to cleanliness have conduced to decrease their liability to disease; and now that they have arrived at their destination it is but fair to say that they should be treated with a consideration equal to that to which they were entitled on board ship. The inconveniences to which the saloon passengers of the Hydaspes have been subjected are peculiar, and suggest the necessity of an enquiry into the regulations which prevail at Quarantine Island, as a repetition of such complaints would be calculated to give the Port of Auckland a bad name.

The New Zealand Times comes out rather strong on the elevation of Mr. Bowen, late Resident Magistrate of Christchurch, to the Ministry. The gist of the Tim es' objections seems to be that the principle of choosing Ministers from the ranks of the Civil Service instead of drafting them from the Assembly is wrong. It may be, but we imagine that there is less of evil in the procedure than in the course which has been formerly followed, namely, calling members of the Ministry from the House of Representatives, and then—after a term of office sufficiently, long to exhibit their incompetency—appointing them to permanent offices as a convenient way of getting rid of thsni. In the case of preferment given to officers in the Civil Service, presumably they are men of ability, possessing qualifications which admirably fit them for executive work. On the other hand it is a fair presumption that persons who are called to the Ministry and retire in a few months for permanent billets were either incompetent in the first instance, or self-seeking politicians who have sold their constituents to serve their own interests.