West Coast Times. THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 1866.

West Coast Times, Issue 99, 11 January 1866, Page 2

West Coast Times. THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 1866.

Tun political contest that is ut present bom"- wnged in Victoria,, cannot be vicw.ed without interest in any of the colonies. One of the greatest experiments ever made in the art of popular government is being prosecuted. A democratic community entrusted with the power of framing its own institutions, has adopted a political system, which is now undergoing a severe trial. It is not the first timo its strength and the cohesion of its parts has been tested. But it has never before been subjected fto a test so crucial. All credit is duo to the men who finding themselves gifted with extraordinary powers did their best to exercise them with prudence and sagacity. The very dofects ( of the" Constitution they framed are evidences of tho care they took to do their work well. Not ignorant of the fact that a democratic measure was expected at their hands, and that in tho then excitement of public feeling nothing else would bo tolerated, they mado it thoir main anxioty. to create a series of checks to the democratic clement which was destined of necessity to predominate in the Constitution. They were precluded from perpetuating the nominee element in tho legislature under any modified form ; and those who were in Melbourne at the timo will remember tho intense feeling of public satisfaction with which the announcement was received, that tho Constitution Committee had determined on recommending an elective basis for the Upper House. As a set-oil", however, to this concession to the public feeling of the day, tho trainers of the Constitution took extreme care to impart a conservative character to the Legislative Council of tho colony. They .sought to effect this object in the first place, by fixing a high property qxialifieation for' both thp fleotors and tho oloctod; and, in tho wcoond plnop, by mnkinfg tho House in« enable tf dlwMlw< m\ cwttywtlag

an elaborately artificial scheme for its gradual renovation. Experience h is< proved the Victorian Constitution lo hi too exclusively democratic — :is fanis regards the Lower llouso of legislation — and even obstructively conservative, as regards tho Upper. From these causes havo sprung the long continued deadlock, which seems now to be as far from a solution as ever. Tho newly elected Legislative Assembly will represent one phase of public sentiment. But it will represent it with overwhelming and resistless power. Tho Council will continue to manifest the samo determined opposition to tho policy of tho Ministry which it has displayed for almost a year past, Tho general election affords no opportunity of infusing now elements into this body, so essentially stationary. What is a still more notabjo anomaly, tho classes of whom the Council is reported to bo specially representative arc denied the privilege enjoyed by the electors for the Lower House, of pronouncing their judgment at tho hustings upon the vexed questions of the day. Wero the Council ) (YissoYveu. simultaneously w\\\\ \\\o A.sscmMyv tde conKti'tuaucies wuo sctu^ \ delegates into it, "wovCuWjc m n postfum r oithor to olect men who would act in i tvccoY(to\\\co vj\t\\ t\\<i views o£ t\\c As- I I sombly, and thus put on end to the deadlock by providing for a consentaneous i strength to tho present position of tho Council by answering one demon-^ stration of public opinion by a counter demonstration.

it is lvcld t\\ut t\\c voico of tUo Assembly is the voice t»f tho people ; and undoubtedly the Constitution has practically thrown the whole political power into tho hands of tho masses. It was against this absolute, preponderance- of one class — the most numerous of the community — that tho artificially devised conservatism of tho Upper House was intended to act as a barrier. Tho cunning artificers of this political scheme havo, howevor, effectually defeated their own object. By withholding from tho Council the power of going to the country, they leave the elections for the Lower llouso to stand as the expression of tho oinnion of the whole community. Naturally enough, the Legislative Council is not, atthfo juncture, well disposed to listen to proposalsfor tho reform of its own constitution. As tho struggle has progressed, its firmness of purpose — or, as its unfriends call it, its obstinate obstructiveness — has steadily grown. By the dissolution of a parlia- ') ent. only recently elected, it has now been challenged to mortal combat ; and there can be littlo expectation of its yielding before whatever menacing attitude tho no iv House of Representatives may assume. No reform in the Constitution can be effected, according to the organic law of the colony, without tho concurrent consent of an absolute majority of two-thirds of the members of each Chamber. That clause seems fatal to any hope of reform during a period of 'bitter political, autngonjfim botwoon the two branches. The fact cannot be hidden that any amendment now made by Ministers • o amend tho constitution of tho Legislativo Council, will be made ' with the express view of repealing or abridging the privileges on which the House has for so long a period and so sensitively insisted.

In the election of members of the Legislative Assembly, in a colony constituted like Victoria, a system onalagous to that of universal suffrage was a political necessity. All the old-world theories of tho identity of wealth .and intellect were rudely shatter ;d. It soon became notorious that to restrict tho possession of political power to a class capable of qualifying upon property, would be, to a great extent, to place 'it in the hands of the least informed and least educated section of the community. The dignity of man, apart from all accidents of 'wealth and poverty, and the right of manhood suffrage, woro insisted on even by thoughtful, and philosophical politicians, whose fears of any preponderance of domocracy as a sovereign power, wero quieted by their reliance upon tho supposed ''Conservative check" of the Council. It was the " Argus'— which now denounces manhood suffrage and. affirms that " by giving all men votes and not adoptiug any method to provido for tho representation of minorities, tho entire power of the State has boon concentrated in one section of the community" — that lent tho most strenuous resistance to the celebrated 4th clause of tho Electoral Act, which, in addition to tho manhood suffrage in the district Avhero tho votor resided, proposed to confer a second vote in any other district in which a certain amount of real property was owned— and which ridiculed thodoctrino of the representation of minorities as a heresy of the Neologians. Tho same journal is now calling both for this reform, and for a now elect oral sylem, based upon tho principle of the representation of classes, as tho only device for saving tho ark of the Constitution. By \\\o operation of the present 'system in Victoria, says our contemporary, " those classes which in England unduly monopolise political power, have , been practically stripped of power altogether." The consequence is predicted to be " the gradual withdrawal of the highest-minded and ablest men in the colony from participating in public affairs," and the "dead failure of tho greatest political experiment the Anglo-Saxon race havo had the opportunity of trying since the foundation of the American Colonies." Tho picturo. is sufficiently lugubrious, but wo aro not prepared to say that it is falsely drawn, or too highly colored. That the existing institutions wili never work harmoniously, is a prediction it is very safe to 'hazard. Whether tho reforms necessary to the re-establishment of the balance of the Consitiutoin are likely to be effected by the operation of political forces inherent in tho colony, ib a matter of puro ppooujution upon whioh future vomits can nlojio throw any %ht. Tfc hati from t)w (frfit ))een tH* gouviqtion

of many thoughtful men that the powor of framing a constitution for such a colony as Victoria should have boon exorcised by the Imperial parliament, and that the time will come sooner or later when I'io. interposition of that august and oxporinoci body will have, to bo invoiced, lor tho correction of blunders committee, by the colonists in their honest attempt to produce a model Constitution.

A short timo n«o tho reporter.-; in tho Magistrate's Court oongiui tilntcd tliomsclvcs on being placed in such a position as enabled them to hear what took place. Yesterday, however, from somo unexplained reason thtf* reporters' table was moved back to a plneo where it is simply impossible for those sitting at it to give anything approaching to a faithful record of tho business. Tho acoustic properties of tho court are, as wo havo repeatedly stated, remarkably deficient, and when, in addition, ns on yestorday, heavy rain is falling, it is absurd to oven attempt to furnish a correct report). The Supreme Court will sit next week, and wo trust somo alteration for tho hotter will tako place before that time. During tho sitting in Chambers yestorday His Honor himself complained of the difficulty ln^ homing what was said, and therei yiovteva wo \\\ an mft\nta\y vtom posU.\cm. Tho /Vets/ £K>a/a//tf s///iw//.ra' a/ (ho Ist , ) trict Judgo :—" On Saturday last, Mr 0. 3). E. Ward voliuquishea his soul on Iho Vouch vvj l\esu\o\\l "Mvvft\aVvi\to fov t\\o C'vVy o? WeV ) lington and tho Hutt District. Mr Ward hns for tho past two years ably and ' vfficiqntly d\sc\tt\.v£,ud tl\o dvvlvca devolving cm l\u\\, vvud ' | wo\>o\\ovo \htvt A\\b tt(\m\n\a\vat\on hna g'wen I fho u( most satisfaction lo nil persons wlio huvo lmd nny exporionco in tho inntlor. Although Mr Wurd hns been promoted to a higher and moro responsible otl'we, wo shall, in common with the public, regret; his nbsenco, and wo gveaWy leav tt\i\V \m p\i\co will bo but indifferently supplied by the gentleman nppointcd as his succossor. Wo congratulate Mv Ward upon lhi> honor \\o hns obtninod in being solected fo /111 (lie moro important position of District Judge, but, while wo do so, wo honestly wish, Viko ovovyono eke, that ho had l'cmninod whoro ho wns. Nevertheless, wo havo no doubt that in his now capacity ho will bo us popular nsho was in tho old, and lo flmt end our best wishes will attend him."

In the Supremo Court yesterday Mr Justice Gressou sat for tho first timo in Chambers. Thore wore only threo legal representatives to woloomo him, via., Messrs O'Loughlin, South, and Campboll, but our resident magistrate Mr FitzGerald, also took his seat at tho lawyers' table, and roso when His Honor c.uno in. The business was not of an important character. The Argus refers in the following terms to the appointed day of humiliation and prnyor:— " Friday next is likely to be very generally observed throughout tho colony, iri accordance with the, wish expressed by His Excellency tho Governor that it should be set apart as <( a day on which all porsons may unite in humiliation and prayer to Almighty God, to avert tho consequences of a pi otracted' drought." Acting in tho spirit of tho proclamation, tho mayors of boroughs* and the lending civic authorities in other centres of population havo requested that business may bo suspended ; and tho minis'ers of tho different religious denominations havo invitid tho congregations under thoir charge to atend special religious services in thoir respective places of worship. At hovernl of tho churches collections will bo made for religious or charitable objects. The collection at >St. Pctor's, Melbourne, it is nnnounced, will bo in aid of the funds of the Ladies' Benevolent Society. It is to bo hoped that all classes of citizens will unito in obsci ving tho day in a suitable mnnner."

Tho mail arrangements for tho accomnioclnJJ tion of tho West Const have not placod us in possession of Dunedin pnpors of later date than the 22nd of December. Wo notice that tho Wellington Advertiser quotes from tho 01 ago Daily Times of tho 30lh January. Wo havo no desiro to anticipate Iho contonls of our contemporaries to that extent, but oonsidering tho geographical rolutions of Dunodin and Hokitiku, wo might not unreasonably oxpoet to havo Otngo pnpers of as Into dato ns tho end of tho old year. Wo are sorry to find that Iho congratulations wo lut tho other day indulged in of our singular immunity from the more imrious forms of crime, have bpon dihpolled. By a reference to tho adjourned inquest, held yesterday, on the body of Pnlience Stewart, and which wo publish to-dny. it will be seen that her husband hns been committed by a coroner's jury on a ohnrgc of wilful murder. Fortunately the criminal sessions nro nt hand when the man's innocence or guilt will bo mado manifest.*

_ Tho Argus of (ho 3rd snys :—": — " An impression having got abroad that with Iho oponing of tho new year one uniform rato of poslngo (viz., twopence) would bo clmrged on country and town loiters, a largo number of letters for Iho interior bonring a twopenny, instead of a four-penny, slump found their way yes! ordny to tho General Post-olllce. Tho 'authorities, however, promptly showed, by notieo placarded on tho building, that no n'ltorntion of the kind supposed had been mado in tho postal rates. A notification to the snmo oH'oct signed by !ho secretary to tho post-ofllco, appears in another column."

A special meeting of the Improvement Committee was called for last evening, but no quorum attended up to 10 p.m., and the business thorefore lapsed. We understand that- tho accounts of the Comiuitteo aro in anything but a satisfactory condition, a largo number of qifoai ratepayers repudiating thoir various responsibilities on amounts being demanded of them. Amongst othct inutteis that woro to bo disposed of last cvoning wns tho appointment of n day when a public meeting might bo held, and the Committee would resign their stewardship into the hands of their constituents. As this arrangement has fallen through, we cannot sny when tho pioposed statement will sco tho light. Wo can only hope, therefore, that for tho suko of nil concerned the explanation will not bo long delayed. J'lying roports nro in circulation to-day of tho discovory of now ground up tho Torolmiknu by a party of Maories. Some littlo excitement is the result. Nowb reached town yesterday of tho drowning of throe men in tho Tui'po river on tho 28th or 29th December. Wo are not in a posit ion to givoparticulurs, further than that tho parlies in question, who woro en route for the Lako Brunnor rush, attempted to ford tho ri\ or on a pucker's horse, but on arriving in mid stream, tho horso lost his footing, was Bwopt down tho current, and the poor follows woro drowned. 'JJlicir bodies, wo boliovc, havo not been recovered, and bo I'ur thoir names aro unknown. Tho bits-reliefs which are intondod to enrich the Burke and Wills' monument tho Argus) uio not yet finished, though Mr Sumniers tho, ( artist, hns had a largo portion of his time occupied in connexion with them ever sinco iho monument wns erected, upwards of eight months ngo. Tho plaster models, howover, are now nearly completed, and probably two of tho bronze castings will bo taken and ready for fixing bouio timo next month. The bas-roliefn aro inlonilod to bo placed on enoh side of tho lower die of tho pedestal. The height of them is two foot and a half, and Iho two largest are each seven feet in length. Tho departure of the Burkp and Wills' expedition from tho Royal Park, on tho 20th of August, 18b'O, is the subject ehofien for' ono of tho lmsreliefs ; another is tho rot urn of Burke, Wills, and King to Cooper's Crook from the Gulf of Carpentaria : iho third, tho allecting incident of tho blnckfollous weeping over tho dead body of Burke; and tho fouith, the - finding of King by HowiU's relief party. Tho basreliefs can bcarcely bo submitted to criticism as works of art, until thoy aio ready to leavo tho artist's humid ; but tho- models tell us what tho designs aro, and give a pretty good idia of whether tho work is likely to bo worthy ot Mr Siunine.r» nml of Victoria, Speaking in genornt tornw, mill yospiving wi.i'o il«tai|Od ei'itiQJsm until flio work ia llnMiod, wo oun wllli nlfwo itaio t}# \\i'\ w\>( {* tl» solution of th*

jceK a liiipjiy one, but the niannor in which each his bren ti cited in very sinking and effective The grouping of the (igurcu is admirable ; the accessories havo been ciirefully arranged to heighten tho vitility of the picturo ; and altogether the bas-reliefs pronibo to givo a vory iirlislic i'O|trc>cntiitioti of four of the prominent incidents in the memorable chapter of Australian exploration with which tho name of Bnrko and bis brave companions will bo for ovor associated. To tho imlilic they are huio to lie v most attractive addition In the monument. Wo may men* tion that tho bronze moulding which was put round the upper baso of the die of tho pedestal a week or two ago, has been removed, for tho purposo of making some alterations jn it. On Monday evening last a liumbor of our most influential oitizons ussomblscl ufc tho Empire Holel for tho purpose of congratulating Mr Mowers on his ngain obtaining tho contract for tho ovorlancl mail service, and to present him with a substantial tokon of thoir regard. ' Mr J. Anclorson filled tho olmir, and in a fowwell-ehoscn romarksoxpressod tho confidence of those presontiuMrFlowors, and tho satisfaction experienced by all at his roinstatomo* t, presenting him at the conclusion of his nrich'tiSd with a purse of fifty sovereigns. Mr Iflowors roturnod thanks for tho honor shown him, assuring tho coinpnny ho should use liis utmost endeavors to run tho mails for tho futurowith thosamo punctuality and despatch that had attemlod hia oll'orts hitherto. A very pleasant, evening was spout, the company 1 )iol Bopnrnthig u»ti) n hlo hour. T(\o ff'ttiiga)uitCYiroiu'cft i ,Decon\6ovZ'J r,Bftya:r ,Bftya: ( ' Qonoral,Ohuto proposes making aomo decided demonstration from Patent against tho robol | waives \u t\\tvV, \us\miy . Q? couyso i\\o \woc\so I nnturo of tho confemplatod movomont \b, very properly, not known by iho public" , ,