The Waikato Times THE REPRESENTATION BILL.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 532, 16 October 1875, Page 2

The Waikato Times

THE REPRESENTATION BILL.

Equal and exact justice to all men, OH whatever state or persuasion, religious or political ***** Here shall the Press the People's right maintain, Unawed by influence and unbribed by gain.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1875.

The action taken by the settlers of Waikato has not been entirely in vain, and there is yet room for hope that justice will be done to the district. A telegram from Major Jackson received by us yesterday ran as follows :— " Waikato member lost by majority of one. Will move to-day

that the Bill be recommitted to add a clauie that Waikalo East have one member." The closeness of the division indicates clearly that our claim is recognised by all reasonable minds of the House, and wa believe it will be found from the division list that tho weight of the Middle Island rotten borough constituencies has again triumphed over every principle of right and justice. A second telegram from Major Jackson, received late last evening, says: — "The clause dividing Waikato into two diatriots with one member for each is sure to be carried. The only danger is that the Bill will be thrown out on the third reading." In that case we must await the result of a thorough readjustment of the representation upon an equitable basis by the new Parliament, j /-* Recently we advocated the establishment of a District Hospital at some central point in the Waikato. We believe the circumstances of the district urgently require that suoh a provision should be made, not only to meet existing wants, but those largely increased requirements that are sure to result from the opening of railway communication, and the consequent iuflux of people. Fortunately the Abolition of Provinces Act makes provision for the maintenance of hospitals out of the Consolidated Fund. From the observations of the Hon. Major Atkinson during the discussion upon the Bill, it is clearly £he intention of the Government when the new system of Local Government shall have been instituted, to take over the existing Provincial obligations in respect of hospitals, and to continue the subsidies, making the Municipalities and Shire Councils contribute out of their general revenue a certain proportion of the cost of maintenance. The amendment moved by Mr Ballance on clause 23,' with the object of making hospitals entirely a charge upon the local bodies, was palpably unsound. It will be many years ! before any but a very few of the local \ governing bodies can support such institutions without the imposition of siDecial rates, which would be burdensome, obnoxious, and difficult of collection. So long as a great portion of the population of the colony is nomadic and unsettled it would be manifestly unfair to throw the whole burden of maintaining a hospital upon the inhabitants of one locality, simply because it happened to be selected for sanitary reasons, or on account of its central situation. Nothing can be more equitable than that the consolidated revenue which is contributed by all should be used to aid the maimed and sickly. Mr Ballanee's amendment was therefore justly negatived. At the same time no supervision and control can be so discriminating, so scrutinising, and so prudent as that of the local authorities. The establishment of a hospital in the Waikato would save much needless expense, and prevent a great deal of suffering and waste of human life. The exposure and hardship incidental to bush j life in a scattered district like the Waikato produce complaints and diseases which need prompt and effectual remedies. In a new country local hospitals are incalculably beneficial. They provide cheap, skilful, and systematic treatment, under advantageous" circumstances. Men who have not the means of paying physicians fees find ready relief in these local hospitals, and may be made to recoup from their subsequent earnings, the cost of their restoration to health. Very frequently even men of means prefer the combined appliances and skill of public hospitals to private treatment. It appears to us that Ngaruawahia is most advantageously situated as the site of a. District Hospital for the Waikato. Placed at the confluence of two rivers which are the natural outlet for a wide extent of country, and which provide easy and safe transit for the sick and helpless, the township of Ngaruawahia is undoubtedly the most favorably situated as the site of a Central Hospital, The prospect of its early connection with Auckland by railway, gives it further special advantages in the way of obtaining medical supplies and comforts, and its sanitary claims are equally undeniable. Moreover, a suitable building is immediately available in the Constabulary Hospital, which has more than sufficed for the limited existing requirements. We trust that the General Government will take time by the forelock, by at once making all the necessary arrangements for establishing a District Hospital at Ngaruawahia, to be maintained out of the Consolidated Fund, as provided for in the Abolition of Provinces Bill, — supplemented by contributions from J the various governing bodies which may hereafter be formed under that measure. The ' Southbbn Cboss" enbobsbs the opinions recently expressed in these columns as to the- oppressiveness and injustice of the proposed amendment in the Licensing A.ct imposing a fine of £100 upon any hotel-keeper convicted of supplying liquor to a person already intoxicated. Our contemporary, while j condemning the vice of drunkenness, and admitting the necessity of reformation, is of ! opinion that greater attention should be devoted to the quality of the liquor vended, and that the greater part of the insanity and disease arising from intemperance are caused by poisonous and deleterious adulterations. The Cross also advocates the licensing of a limited number of first-class hotels, within a defined distance of each other, the granting of Licenses only to men of thoroughly respectable character, and the shutting up of mere •* bar-hotels." The following extract from our contemporary respecting Mr Waterhouse's proposed amendment is a complete corroboration of the opinions we expressed a few days ago: — '•A publican may very easily know whether he ie selling pure or adulterated spirit!, but he caunot always as readily know whether the man to wbom he sells it is in a fit stata to drink another glass of spirits or whether he has reached that stage, at some other bar, at which another glais of spirits or beer will render him intoxicated. One man carries his liquor in a yery different manner to another, and while one gradually passes from sober to drunk, another oan, to the very last, preserve a sobriety of gait and manner that would deceive anyone, being aotually drunk at the lime, and then suddenly break down. Such a one may have drunk himself intoxicated at one man's bar, and present himself for liquor at the bar of another, and served in all good faith, become of a sudden senselessly intoxicated, and the man who served him last would be the one amenable to the law, and to a penalty simply opprewive in its charaoter."

Thi Mono* oaebibd in tho Upper House urging the Government to conduct native Jand purchaser with scrupulous integrity, and to exercise tho greatest care in the selection of agents was no doubt suggested bj the removal of Mr Brisienden from the public service, and the notorious scandals afloat respecting corruption in Hawkw Bay and elsewhere. WhiUt admitting that tht Natire Land Purchase Department has «m (he whole been conducted by Sir Donald McLean with great fkill, end considerable benefit to the public, we are. not blind to the- fact that abuies hare crept into the system. They are probably suoh as were inseparable from transaction* of magnitude, in which large discretionary power! were «nttu#ted to tgents, but they, tone the leu, demand prompt and rigorous suppression. From our personal observation of the native charaoter we (Jan confidently say ihat nothing is so oalculated to win their respect and confidence at straigntforward, abore- board dealing. It it by an invariable recognition of this fact that Sir Donald McLean has obtained an influence OT«r the native mind which has never been equalled, and probably never will be, by any other Suro> pean. If we judge his character rightly he ii not the man to tolerate abuses in a Department which he has builfc up 'with so much ■ untiring patienoo-, ikiM, and perseverance, and to which, though still in tho prime of mental and physical manhood, he has devoted a great portion of his life.

OboWDId-oux. — *• From the Narrews to Cambridge/ and other important matter. TINDRBi.— Mr Walker invites tenders for the creation of a large building in Hamilton. Hamilton Dnxßicr Boabd.— The chairman invites tenders for gravelling 35 chains of road near Bidler's cutting. Good Tempiabt. — A lodpe in connection with the Order of Good Templars, will be instituted at Ngaruawahia, at 7 o'clock, this evening, Waixato Tub* Cxub.— We would remind lurfiiM that a meeting of the members of the above club will be held this evening at Hamilton West. We trust there will be a goodly master, and that some defiaito decision will be come to as to the race-course, instead of leaving this important matter to the last moment. Coxing Candidates.— Amongst the probable candidates for the Assembly, the name of Mr F Whitaker, senr. is mentioned. ThU gentleman is one of the ablest politicians in the Colony, and we should be pleated to see him again using his great talents and ripe experience for the benefit of his fellow colonists. Mb. Bridges.— Nothing short of the Oasian style would do justice to this wonderful financier, this Chesterfield, this Admirable Crjobton, this prince of bankers, but we shall modestly attempt bo paint his transcendental genius in a future issue. Perish the thought that the Waizato Timis should leave a. paragon of saintly virtue ."unwept, unhonour'd and unsung." Mullioh's Bridg*. — A "Ratepayer" writes to us as follows :— "I beg to inform you that a portion of the earthwork approaching Mullion's bridge, on the Auckland road, was washed away on Friday night last ; about £2 would put the road in passable order and save the risk to life and property. The Rdad Board are alive to the fact and treat the matter lightly, but the comequence may bo very serious." SupplsmbSt.— We again present our subscribers with the usual weekly budget of fireside reading. A remarkable declaration regarding Spiritualism will delight the lovers af the mysterious. "Editorial Duels" shows how they order these things in Kansas, " A penalty for a Kiss," poetry, varieties, a page from a Parisian detective* note-book, and other matter contained in tke supplement will be found interesting. Mail Notices. — The next English and European Mail via San Francisco, will close at the Hamilton Post-office, on the 27th instant at 8 p.m. We are requested by Mr Taylor the courteous Postmaster at Hamilton, to state that in future a mail for Auckland per steamer will be made up on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings', at half-paat eight o'clock, in addition to the present existing tri- weekly mail bj coach. Jourkalistic. — We learn that Mr M L Browne, son of Mr James Browne late editor of the Herald, who for the past two years has so ably filled the office of sub-editor on tha "New Zealand Herald" shortly takes his departure for the South, having accepted an appointment on the editorial staff of the Otago Guardian. Mr Browne is well and favorably known at a gentleman of considerable literary attainments, and has creditably filled the editorial chair of several New Zealand journals. Tbis gentleman's kindly and courteous disposition while au,beditorof tbe Herald has made for him many warm friends in this province. We cordially wish him success in his new sphere of labor. Aimaiidba to thh Fobe.— Our Alexandra correspondent writes :— " Your leader on the Representation Bill was • greatly - approved here. I never saw our somewhat sleepy inhabitants awakened so quickly before. Our meeting was held the next morning, a Petition for increased Representation decided upon, drawn up, signed, and forwarded by our Chairman, Mr John Aubin, with as many signatures as could be ob-» tamed in so short a time, by the next mail to Wellington.* 1 Canoes are hourly arriving from the King country with wheat. Tawhiao has gone to a feast at Patetere. It is reported that Sir George Grey will visit Tawhiao. Latest : —95 canoes are at the landing place with maize. Majob Jackson. — A writer ia the Southern Cross calling himself ••Old* Practical," says of our representative in Parliament : — Captain Jackson (Waikato).— "This gentleman will have to fight his battle, and, as he has not shown any very great legislative wisdom by any one measure, it is hardly probable that he 7 will retain ! his seat. There are better men in the fiejd. It may be well to remind " Old Practical " that the "Captain "lie refers to is a "Major," and that wo have his own authority for starting that he does not intend to seek reflection. " Old Practical " givea this piece of advice to country settlers :— " If I might give a word of advice it would be, do not be altogether influenced in your decision by tbe complexion of the politics of this session, and do Hob' take town men for country constituencies.