POLITICAL

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4556, 11 August 1883, Page 4

POLITICAL

; The work done ill, Parliament since the departure of the last mail lias not been of much importance. ' Several divisions on questions of Varying interest bare taken place and hare proved that the Government is strong enough to,carry on till next session. .Last week one of the Auokland members insinuated that the Premier and the Colonial Treasurer had been using their political positions and influence for personal benefit; a debate ensued, and.,.after a long and useless discussion a,committee was appointed to enquire /into the. charges implied. The Reform of the Civil Service has been touched upon indirectly, and a motion made to refer the estimates back to the Government for the purpose of remodelling them with a view to retrenchment, was not entertained^ by the House. The New Zealand Native Lands Company's Bill, to which reference was made in the last Summary has been withdrawn from | the House. The Bill proposed to give most extraordinary and improper powers to a Company'or land ring, and the general voice of the country appeared to ' be against its passage. The Government, after allowing it to go to a second reading, decided that it was an encroachment on their domain, and opposed the measure; it was then'removed from the Order Paper. The members of the Roman Catholic body throughout the Colony have petitioned both Houses, praying for a redress of their grievances under the present Education>Act. They, as taxpayers, have to pay their share to the support of the' Government'schools, and for the education of their own children, they have to keep their own schools open without any assistance from the State. The attempt made by Canterbury and Otago members to break, through the system of Central Government now ob* taining in the colony turned out a failure, The Ministry opposed 1 the attempt, and proved too strong for the movers. Some of the goldfields' members are making an attempt to obtain the abolition of gold duty throughout the colony. The measure introduced with that object in view has passed its second reading, but its- fate is by no means decided. It bis been pointed out by the supporters of the measure that had the gold finding industry received anything like the support accorded to others in the Colony— whic'j it undoubtedly deserved, having proved to be one of the most important factors in the colonies' greatness — it would be in a much more satisfactory state to-day, and the colony would be so much the richer ac« cording to its success. The working of colonial finances in connection with the Bank of New Zealand and its many feeders, in tbe shape of companies, loan, ■hipping, insurance, land, and otherwise is beginning to agitate the public mind; the many interests affected are very powerful,, and therefore little result is expected from the question being stirred up.. Sir George Grey attempted to carry a Constitution Act Apendment Bill, having for its ultimate'object the abolition of the , Legislative Council, but. the measure was thrown out. It is rumored that the Premier intends resigning^ his portfolio at the end of the present session, on account of bis legislative duties inter" fering with his private business. The Government purpose introducing a measure to provide for an elective Upper House.

SOCIAL. Another psttanthropie r individual has shuffled off tfcft mortal coil end left about sixteen hundred fpr benevolent purposes, one hundred.«ild fifty being bestowed on the AucklaM^Tcmng, Men's Christian Association—an institution which should be self Supporting—and the balance given to establishing scholarships in boys' schools. The donor's name was Bawlings, and it is said that while benevolently inclined, he, ; omitted to make any provision for a boy whom be look away from his .mother's home, and who was very, attentive to him during his last illness. A shocking occurrence took place on the 28th mat.,in the Nelson gaol. A prisoner, Who, a few months ago received a life sentence, and who was employed as a cook in the gaoi, murdered a warder with*butcher's knife, which he procured from'the kitchen of the prison, and after breaking into the armory with a tomahawk,, procured two revolvers and attempted jo obtain freedom. He was intercepted by the Governor of the Gaol and nil wife/who bothacted very courageously They parleyed wi'h the man, and by sheer tact not only prevented him from escaping, but'saved their own lives, as they were entirely at his mercy. After making a long rambling statement regarding the cause of hi* incarceration, the unfortunate man, whose name was John Davidson, put one of the revolvers he had, to his head, and discharged it. Death was instantaneous,; The libellous statements published regarding the Native Minister, the Hob: John Bryce, by Mr W. K. Eusden in his History of New Zealand,, will! very likely form the subject of a civil action. The hon gentlemen stated in the House that he would proceed criminally, but that such an action would necessitate a trip to England, and perhaps a prolonged absence, for which he was not prepared. It is thought by many people that the chronicler of our times, in making the fasti statements he did regarding Mr Bryce and native matters, which form the matter of complaint, •■■ 'led, away by Sit Arthur Gordon, who furnished the historian with much of the matter,for his work during the visit oi the latter to Wellingtoo. while our foolish: or, designing (or both) late Governor was there.—An <action, initiated ow a y«w:*go *««mt Sir Arthur Gordon, by Mr W. J. Hnnt. a. late Premier of Tonga, one of

the Pacific Islands, was heard in the Wellington Supreme Court. It was instituted to recover a sum of £5000 lit \ damages sustained by the action of our late governor as High Commissioner of the Pacific, in deporting the plaintiff from Tonga, and as alleged wrongfully detain* ing him in custody. The jury found against Sir Arthur for £100, and cast him in costs which are of a considerable amount. A hew trial has been moved for. : COMMERCIAL.

Matters do not wear a roseate here in our immediate district, but in the Province signs of prosperity are plentiful. In Auckland an extensive preserving establishment has been merged into a company, and meat, game, and fish, are to be shipped Home. The. arrangements of the company are very complete, and the success of the venture is no matter of mere conjecture. An important industry was inaugurated at the Thames over a year ago, and is likely, with careful tending, to prove a very profitable one. It is silk growing. A Sericultural Company was floated, a piece of ground wag secured, and- a plantation of mulberry trees at once laid' out. This year steps have been taken to cultivate the land between the trees for their benefit, and within twelve months it is anticipated that the industry will be in full operation and v the exportation of the grain commenced. Persons at Home interested in the silk industry have urged the company to combine tea growing in its operations, but this is at present, at any rate, impracticable. Diamonds have been found in Canterbury, in the South Island, and considerable excitement has been caused by the discovery, but the payable nature of the field has been in no way proved. A serious blow to mechanics occurred on the 25th July, when the Auckland Sash and Door Factory Co.'s buildings, were burnt down. Over two hundred people were thrown out of employment. The Loch Ken, an iron barque, bound from Auckland to London, left the'former port on the 19th July, and owing to a defect in her compasses, and the disagreeable weather prevailing at the time, found her way into our harbor, in the Hauraki Gulf. She was proceeding, as her officers thought, on her homeward voyage, when she was brought to by one of the mud banks in the harbor. She was got off by our harbormaster without sustaining any damage, and proceeded on her course on the night of the 21st. The Union s.s. Co.'s Rotemahana had a narrow escape from being wrecked early on the morning of the 4th inst. The scene of the accident was Waipapa Point near the extreme end of the South Island, where the same ? Company's fine steamship Tararua was wrecked a little over two years ago. The coast at the point is a dangerous one, and owing to a heavy swell, the vessel was brought closer to land than was calculated by the officers. Luckily no loss of life pccnrred, and the small damage done to the steanier was speedily repaired: The authorities are placing a powerful light near the scene of the mishap.