THE PROVINCES.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 122, 9 June 1870, Page 6

THE PROVINCES.

At a meeting of the Timaru Total Abstinence Society, the Rev. Mr. Bavin, of the Wesleyan Church there, in an address on the subject of total abstinence, remarked that there was a time when it was looked upon as great an error as the doctrine of the earth moving. In 1830, when the cause was first started in Preston, the originators were called hard names indeed, and every one predicted that it would die a natural death in twelve months, but he was glad to say that it still moved. Public opinion respecting it had changed as it had respecting Galileo's doctriny. ' The total abstinence subject had been taken up by ten thousand of the noblest and best divines, who had espoused the cause as a part of their duty. The church of which he was a representative — the Wesleyan Methodist — were more than ever in favour of it. Every young man who had presented himself as a candidate f qr the Ministry in New Zealand was, he believed, a total abstainer. The subject had assumed such importance that not only was it advocated by the religous bodies, but by the scientific. Philantrophist3 had discovered that the evils arising from the use of intoxicating draughts was the greatest impediment to their ameliorating the condition of their fellow men. The patriot had discovered that they were the greatest enemy to his country Public opinion was changing, as was evidenced forcibly by the fact that when Dr. Lees and another well known gentleman, acting as deputies from England to America,

were travelling in the latter country, the railway companies granted them everywhere free passages, A great change had come over the mind of the public, but the work was not done, the temperance cause had not yet achieved all that it proposed to do. Apathy and indifference were its greatest obstacles. It demanded a voice from every one, either in its favour or against it, but he waa afraid that twothirds of their present company scarcely ever troubled themselves as to whether it was right or wrong. There were eighty-eight millions of money spent annually in intoxicating drinks in Great Britain, or equal to £3 per h^ad for every man, woman, and child. There were ten thousand paupers, two-thirds of which, says the Poor LawCommissiosers' Report, are so from drink. There were half a million of destitute people, threefourths, says Lord Shaftesbury, are so by indulging in drink. There were hundreds and thousands of lunatics, the majority of whom had become so through the immoderate use of the cup. There were twenty-five thousand policemen employed to keep the peace, &c, and their principal duty was to watch against the evils arising from liquor trade. He asked, could any one be indifferent with these facts before him. The truth was, they had become so accustomed to see drunkards reeling through their streets, that it was thought little of.

In the Nelson Provincial Council, Mr. Doune, in reply to one of the West Coast Members— a Mr. Franklyn — who used strong and very objectionable language in his speech against Mr. Luckie, who moved a vote of want of confidence in the Government, said :—": — " He was surprised, ashamed, and humiliated at the discovery that had been made. The Government had been tampering with representative institutions. As for the member who had jumped his seat in the Council, he might say that he would neither speak to him, eat with him, drink with him, walk with him, nor sit in the same, room with him."

The Napier correspondent of the "Nelson Examiner," writing of Native affairs, says :—": — " Nothing can be more unsatisfactory than the present state of things on this coast. , Te Kooti has a strong force which was never attacked at all in the mountains. His provisions and ammunition are said to be plentiful. The dread he inspires among the friendlies, and even the white settlers, is unaccountable, and he certainly is at this moment the most powerful person in the Island. All the Government consolation telegrams are so many proofs of vigorous imagination — rumours picked up without enquiry, and published at once if they look well, and not published otherwise at all. The ' Ropata ' telegram was a notable oase. This was reported at the first blush by a European at Ropata's request. Kemp, who had been working secretly to entrap Te Kooti, saw Ropata drive him away, and then appropriate as fugitives from his fire certain ex-prisoners, who for some days before had been in his hands. Directly Ropata jumped to his conclusion, he sent post haste to tell his friend Mr. M'Lean, who swallowed the whole story and published it. Kemp asked to have it contradicted. Mr. M'Lean shuffled, so Kemp declined to do any more work. The story has had to come out, like the story of all the other military failures, by degrees, and after long delay. The Government are wrong in their straining after the effect of first impression. It answered at first to conceal the failure to pursue Te Kooti afterPorere, near Taupo, but the artifice is too transparent for frequent use. Mr. M'Lean is said to keep a small army of spies about his person, to watch and pry about among the public. If these would only do a little work in the bush, and get an idea where Te Kooti is just now, and where the next massacre will be, there might be some good result gained. Unfortunately, our Maori doctor is more interested in learning who has called him a muff in the market-place, than in any such unimportant trifles as I suggest.

As a young man named Skilton, in the employ of Mr. Brace, Collingwood, and Master H. Schafer of the same place, were proceeding up the Aorere river on Sunday last, in a canoe, the former, who was using a long pole, lost his balance and fell into the water, which was more than his depth considerably. Being unable to swim he would doubtless have perished had not the boy Schafer .shown great pluck and presence of mind. He threw Skilton a paddle which the latter seized almost unconsciously, and then boldly striking out grasped him and succeeded in dragging him to the shore in a half-drowned state. The age of this young Triton is only fourteen. — " Nelson Examiner."

"What," remarks the "Wellington Evening Post," " does the monopoly of assurance business by a Government mean but another facility for fingering money 1 What is a Government Savings Bank but another refuge for Ministers in distress ? Is all this safe or wise in a colony where the debt is daily increasing, and where the interest on loans is actually paid out of borrowed money ? Our debt at present is nearly seven millions. It is true the whole of the loan has not been placed, but we have at the present moment £500,028 of floating treasury bonds, and we are paying nearly £500,000 a year interest of debt to capitalists. The mere contemplation of all this is appalling, and yet our representatives run through the estimates as school boys do through their tables. You will see a bitter dispute in the House about a poor clerk's salary, and a new issue of treasury bonds passed over as a mere trifle. £50,000 is nothing — fifty is of the first importance — and this is largely due to the want of clear-headed, thorouffh-soing honest men in the As-

sembly. Any number of members are willing to be led, but there is no one disinterested enough to lead them. Whilst men like Mr. Stafford and Mr. Fox are quarrelling about politics, and earnest men like Mr. Rolleston talking impracticable nonsense, the money is running away like molten lead before a fire ; with this distinction, that we cannot melt it again to useful purpose —it is gone from us like the dream of a beggar, who dreamt of a good dinner, and awaking smelled his neighbour's, and had his rags taxed to help to pay for it. After all the promise of the Consolidated Loans Act, there is only £4,191,000 jobbed off in that way."