GENERAL NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 864, 21 September 1871, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS.

Great dulness is being experienced in the Lake district, Otago. Never, says the " Mail," since the time of the West Coast rush, has the money market been tighter. Commercial, or rather trading, operations are virtually suspended. The author of " Graham's Review," is to be charged in the Resident Magistrate's Court, Dunedin, with being an unlicensed hawker. A fisherman, mamed Gray, asks the Bench to rule that the sale of papers at street corners, comes within the meaning of the Corporation by-laws affecting hawkers. The desire for denominational education has seized on the Chinese, as witness the following letter from an enthusiastic disciple of Confucius, which appears in a late number of the Tuapeka " Times"-: " Sir, Plenty my countryman coming to New Zealand. Tou know hundred come in three weeks, and plenty more by-and-bye. Lots of young boys comes too. Some not know read and write. Chinaman give plenty money to Government for miner's rights, gold duty, and too much for rice and opium and business license. Let Government give half share for teach our boys speak English and write, and learn good Confucius. Englishman school no good. We got night school teach eur young boys all same as Englishman. You'tell Government 2,000 Chinaman here now, by-and-bye 4,000 Chinaman. Want him one-fifteenth share. No gammon!—l am, <&c, Eoo Chow Cusr.

New Zealand flax seems to be attracting considerable notice in America. A Mr S. M. Southwark, in South Carolina, describes its valuable qualities, and recommends its cultivation in the Southern States of America.

The youngest daughter-of the AgentGeneral for South Australia, Caroline Birch Dutton, from that colony, has carried off the highest honor in the recent general examination for women in connection with the University of London.

Among the notices of motion given in the House of Representatives is one from Kariatiana Takamoana to the effect that he will move that it is expedient that the native race should be represented in the Upper House, that one of his Excellency's Executive should be a Maori, and that Europeans as well as Maoris be allowed to vote for the election of Maori members. He also proposes that the number of Maori members in the Lower House should be increased to twelve.

The census recently taken in the British Isles shew a population of 3H millions. England and "Wales, 22f; Ireland. s*; Scotland, 3£. Females exceed males by half a million. The Government Assurance system has been modified by regulations enacted by ths Governor in Council, dated 18th July, aud published in the New Zealand "Gazette," 14th Aug. 1871. The schedule says, that the policy shall become void if the statement or statements of the proposer or any paper furnished by him on the faith of which the policy may have been issued, shall be found to contain any wilfully untrue statements ; or if there shall have been any fraudulent concealment. The next clause makes payment, per premium, compulsory withiu twenty-one days, but allows the policy to be re-assured within sis months upon satisfactory condition of health, and the payment of certainfines. All assurances are to be paid if the assurer die withiu the twenty-one days' grace. The next clause applies to persons becoming engaged in avocations attended with additional risk : *'. If the person whose life is assured shall go beyond the limits allowed, or become a sea-faring person, or engage in any military or naval service other than aforesaid, before notice thereof has been given to the Commissioner, the policy shall not become void if the person er persons benificially interrested therein shall give notice to the Commissioner' of such fact a3 soon as it comes to his knowledge, and shall pay the additional premium that would have been . required if such fact had been made known to the Commissioner at the time it had occurred." Other regulations, doubtless necessary, but of secondary importance, follow. The Wellington " Evening Post" of a recent date says;— The debate in the House yesterday brought out the fact, which seemed scarcely to receive the attention which it deserves, that the Executive actually discussed among themselves the advisablity of suppressing the, Comptroller's report, instead of laying it on the table of the House, because it happened to contain matter which they considered might damage them in the opinion of the House and the public. A more serious matter we have seldom had to notice. The Comptroller is not an officer under the Ministry, but is appointed by the House to act as a check upon the Ministry. His duty is to stand im-

partially between the House and the Executive; and if it had not been contemplatedjthat sometimes he might have to say, do, or write things unpalatable to the Ministry of the day, his appointment is unaccountable. The present Executive have so acted as to compel him to make, in the proper discharge of his duty, a statement by no means pleasing to them, and the public should well note the consequences. The suppression of the obnoxious statement is considered, desired, and at length only left undone through fear, while ministers, smarting under the check given them, seek to persuade the House that the office of the Comptroller is useless, and should be abolished. And the arguments in support of the abolition are singular, being neither more nor less than that they, by unscrupulous disregard for honour and common honesty have been able to set at nought the safeguards which the Comptroller's Act have drawn around the public purse. Perhaps the Act requires amending to the extent of rendering fraud and dishonesty in Ministers impossible; but perhaps Ministers requii iug such extremec'ieeks should not be left in positions that present to them irresistible temptation.