THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1875.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2078, 1 September 1875, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1875.

The Auckland people seem to expect a good deal from the petition forwarded to the-members of the House of Eepresentatives who happen to be in opposition to the Government on. the question of Abolition. This petition, a copy of which we published yesterday, urges a desire on the part of the petitioners for the " continued and persistent efforts " of members " to prevent the passing of the Abolition Bill during the present session of Parliament;" and suggests that by contesting the Bill "word by word, and clause by clause, and by the use of such other means as are provided by Parliamentary practice," the passing of the measure may be deferred until the dissolution of the House by <jffluiiouqf time in the mon^h of February.

If our correspondent's telegram (which appears to-day in another column) may bo relied upon, tlie Opposition have entered upon this course —not the opposition members of Auckland, but the Opposition as a party. This may be regarded by some as a very simple thing, but its results will be serious to the Colony. The cost of a session of Parliament is something like £300 a day, and if the Opposition should persist in the course suggested, and carry theif tactics so fatas to prolong the session to February, the cost to the Colony for the session will bo pretty near £55,000. And all this for principle. If it could be shown that the overwhelming majority in the House represents only a minority of the people ; if the Opposition would only divulge that brilliant programme of theirs, embracing more liberal measures than thoso submitted by the Government, we would at once advise concessions on the part of the Government and their supporter?. But tho the contrary is the fact. The Opposition have no policy—no scheme—no tactics but a dogged opposition; to promote which they hold out as a threat that they will fight un(il the Parliament becomes extinct by effluxion of time, even though the fight involves a ruinous charge on the Colony's resources. To counteract the influence of this suicidal proceeding the only course that suggests itself is to prepare counter petitions. Let the country districts organise their forces and. send to the House a united representation, signed by bonafide electors, urging immediate abolition. Let the signatures be attested by comparison with the new electoral rolls; and if the numbers should be found to be short of those in favor of postponement, then the Government can give way—not otherwise. This voluntary appeal to a plebiscite by the people would bo as true a test of public feeling as a general election. It would; be a great saving, as districts could undertake the expengo of preparing 'and getting such petitions signed. If this course were.adopted, and Ministers found themselves backed up by public opinion, the Opposition would have to give way. Should it be otherwise, then the majority in the House, in deference to an adverse verdict from their constituents, would have nd course left but to relegate this question-of;Abolition to a new Parliament. Tie matter is too serious to be left'to the caprices pf a factious and determined—we had almost said unprincipled clique, composed mostly of interested Provincialists. [Since the above was written we learn that a petition of the nature above suggested has been prepared, and iVnow being largely signed.]

The author of "Plot and" Counter Plot" had not in vain.- made, human nature his study, neither.is it on the stage alone that stratagem by stratagem : is met. We see this manifest in the lease of petitions presented forthe purpose of gaining one object being to a certain extent rendsred null and void, by petitions, of a diametrically opposite nature. Thus, as we have before alluded to, we have the people -of Auckland presenting a petition with its first instalment of a thousand signatures, in favor of delay in abolition matters, and the Thames people getting up a counter petition urging that abolition be pressed on with all possible speed. Then we* have the publicans of Auckland endeavoring to get up a petition to he allowed seven days a week instead of six on which to ply their trade, met by the picture of Mr- O'Neill unrolling a parchment many feet in length signed by those who objected to the request. The Auckland publicans' petition was, we believe, never sent, thanks to the Auckland Echo, which, in an article written in favour of the'publicans, drew public attention to the fact that the petition was being prepared, and thus frustrated the object it had in view. But nevertheless the Thames petition on this subject cannot but be regarded as a counter-petition, as it is probable that it would never have been sent had the publicans remained satisfied with things as they are, more especially those — not a few at the Thames— who manage to keep their front doors shut, but their side doors open.: It is with this Thames petition that we have to do, and be it observed that we insist onitsright to be termed, as we called it, a counter-petition. And for this reason —ifc is well known, here at least, that many can if they please, in spite of existing restrictions, get a glass of beer on Sunday. Neither do we see why, in certain cases,' they should not ba allowed to do so. A man> we will suppose, is hard at work all the week —Sunday is the only day on which ho ea.n take any rest or pleasure. After his morning service and Sunday dinner, what more natural for him than to take advantage of a fine' Sunday to take his wife and children fora walk —the only one, be it remembered, that he has the chance of taking during the week—or to go out with his friends. After the walk, especially on a hot day, he feels thirsty and enjoys his glass of beer, and then returns home, ready often for the evening service in his Church or Chapel, and much the better for his day's rest, and more fit for his next week's work. Can anyone say that that man has been desecrating the Sabbath, or that drinking a glass of beer on Sunday is, in itself, more wrong than drinking one on a Monday ? Surely not even the most devoted Sabbatarian can wish a recurrence of those days, in which intolerance ran so high, that we read of a man who in his walks saw— Ane puritane ono Hanging of his catte on a Monday, For killing of a mouse on Sunday.

We are far from wishing to advocate drinking on Sunday—or any other day, for the matter of that—but as long it was confined to instances similar to the above, we saw no reason to interfere, neither probably did many of those who signed

the petition presented by Mr O'Neill. It was known, as we have said, th:it publicans were not particular in insisting on a man's declaring himself to be a traveller when they gave him refreshment, butatthe samo time tb'oy took very good care that no ununseemly disturbance should arise, or any of those scenes which sometimes occur at publichouses should shock the ears or eyes on Sunday. A lady might go to church at the Thames on Sunday hardly knowing that to all intents and purposes many a public house was open; and tho knowlcdgo that the police had the power to obtain a heavy fine should they proceed against them for selling liquor on Sunday had a wholesome effect on publicans in keeping their houses quiet. Such was the existing state of things, and many were content with them; but when the Auckland publicans attempted to get up in a surreptitious manner a petition to enable them to turn Sunday into an ordinary working day, then it is that a counter - petition is required, and we are right glad that the Thames people have sent it, and that it is likely to be attended to. Just consider what would be the result if these petitions were allowed to go unopposed. They might— wo hope not, but still they migit—bo granted; and then all the calm repose and rest which Sunday is supposed to convey to man would be taken away. T\ Te should not only have all the constant goings iv and out of public houses which we have on week days, to tho great annoyance of thoso who wish to think of r otlier things;; "but these would be increased to a far greater extent from the number of men who have a day at their disposal in which to indulge. The hotel-keepers would be no longer under the same necessity of keeping their houses quiet, all fear of the police being removed -fromStheir eyes/Jand I thejwhole calm and;sanctity of the Sabbath would be profaned if not done away with. It is against a petition the granting of which involves this state of things,,; that the counter petition has '•been presented. Many have signed it not from any wish to thrust their own views regarding total abstinence from intoxicating drinks down the throats of others, but purely in selfdefence against the evils which would necessarily arise were the petition received. It is not only a matter of interest to Good Templars that Sunday should be kept unstained as far as possible by intoxication, but it concerns all who wish to preserve for themselvse Sunday as it should be and is meant to be—a day of rest for the body and refreshment for the soul.