AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2034, 21 July 1885, Page 2

AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal and exact justicr to all men, Ot whttsoever state or persuasion, religious or politir.il, Here shall the Press the People's njrht maintain, Unawcd by influence and unbnbed b> gain.

TUESDAY, JULY 21, 1885.

In the course o£ au article devoted to a rev lew of the present politicfil situation at Wellington, the O.unaru M;iil regards the attitude of the House towards JMinistcrs as an augury of good. Our contemporary sees in it the iirsfc indication of the abandonment of purely party government in favour of true democratic nile, the government of the people by the representatives of the people, The Mail points out that to the majority of thr members of the present House, " party allegiance is only of secondary importance. They apparently recognise that their h'rst duty is to see that the affairs of the colony are well and properly managed, and though they have every confidence in the Ministry *md *""? averse to doing anything that would drive them out of office, they, as we think, wry propoily insist that their duty to the country, which is of pnmaiy importance, shall not be subordinated to any considerations of party welfare. This means practically the breaking down of party government ; but it means, w hat is of greater importance, the go\ eminent of the country by the country's representatives, and we hail the prospect of the announcement of a new era in the conduct of public affairs with satisfaction, because it gives promise oi a greater measure of thoroughly democratic government. The representatives of tlie people are sent to Parliament to register the will of the people, and that end cannot be attained when party welfare is made the first consideration. To raise party warfaie to the first consideration means the suboidmatiou of the opinions and desires of individual members, and of the people as expressed through them, to the will of the Ministry ; and, except in so far as the J louse is a check upon a Ministry, tlie whole control of the affairs of the country might as well be placed in the hands of the Cabinet as that their supporters — those who placed them in office — should be bound to follow them blindly, no matter whether or not the Ministerial policy was satisfactory. As the members of Parliament are the representatives of the majority of the people, so are the members of the Ministry the representatives of a majority in Parliament, and as such they can only be permitted to retain their positions as Ministers so long as they are willing to give effect to the will of the majority of the people as made known through the majority of the people's lepresentatiws." This is all very well as far as it goes, but it does not go very far. If Parliament is to be 1 educed to the status of a mere board of delegates, its usefulness for any purpose may well be questioned. Anything that it could do could be done much more satisfactorily, if we admit the soundness of the democratic principle as defined by our contemporary, by a plebiscite of the people themselves. The Mail admits the need of a Cabinet, and goes so far as to say that tlie (Government should originate measures of public policy, but, unless we arc grievously mist.'iken, few men of intellect and ambition would care to hold themselves aloft as targets for " the people " to throw mud at, even though that popular function were performed vicariously by the aforenamed delegates. In that case, then, there is no reason in the world why the " measures of policy " should not originate in the city, borough or county councils, tlie road boaids (if these deliberative institutions survive the onslaught of the democratic wave), or even the debating clubs, and parliamentary unions ! Party government is not the outgrowth of a year's thought, it is " the slow result of time," and though embryotic philosophers may cavil at it, and conceive wondrous contrivances to take its place, it will not be overthrown in a day. When the democratic —or rather, we should say the communistic— spirit of the age has succeeded in reducing all mens intellects, as it threatens to reduce all wens' pockets, to a common level, then we shall be in a proper state to discuss this delegate proposal. Until tho arrival of that golden era, we aie presumptuous enough to believe that the man who has the most brains will be permitted by his less favouied fellows to do .some of the thinking for them.

Ture second reading of tlie Biljloivading in Schools Bill was very properly rejected in the House on Thursday. We have no sympathy with any legislation which would inteifere in any way with our pre-

sent system of education. No country in the world has an educacational system superior to ours, and few equal it in its comprehensiveness. This has only been attained after a great deal of trouble, and not a little opposition, and it would be a gr.ive mistake to make any alteration, in the direction of admitting religious instruction at any rate. While fully acknowledging the absolute necessity of imparting religious instruction to our children, we are bound to express our opinion that school teachers should not be appointed to carry out .such teaching. Ono of the supporters of the bill thought that the Bible should be read for half-an-hour before the opening of the school. Therein lies one objection ; — it would not be fair to saddle teachers with an evtra half-hour's work. But this objection is of minor importance. Religious instruction should only be given by those who are fully impressed with its vast importance and solemnity. Among the teachers in New Zealand there are some, no doubt, who do believe in the divine inspiration of the Bible, but many are also — if not sceptical — careless. With such instructors wo can easily understand what little good the children would derive from reading the Bible. By far the greater number of the teachers would perform the duty in a very perfunctory manner, and under such conditions religious instruction would be shorn of its impressiveness. Some of our teachers belong to the Hebrew faith, and it would be most unfair to compel them to gi\ c instruction in that portion at least of the Bible in which they do not believe. Bible-reading in .schools is but the thin end of the wedge of denominational education, for .some religious bodies would object to the children of their faith being instructed by others than those who are their proper teachers ; they would therefore withdraw their children, and, in country districts especially, we cannot afford to have the average of attendaace reduced. Parents, guardians and pastors are the proper persons to take charge of the religious training of children. It is altogether outside the province of the State. No doubt the supporters of the measure will bring it forward again on some future occasion, but trust it will meet the same treatment as was accorded it on Thursday.

The committee appointed by the meeting on Friday night last to ascertain what support can be obtained for the proposedchee.se factory at Pukekura have already commenced work, and so far ha> c met with considerable success The question of site threatens to be the subject of a serious division amongst those interested in the proposals, but if the promoters go properly to work this difficulty should soon be disposed of. Indeed, if nothing more serious intervenes those gentlemen who have taken the matter in hand will have every reason to congratulate themselves. Some are in fa\ our of the factory being erected at Howie's corner, others claim that somewhere in the \ icinity of Walker's gully would be the most convenient locality, and of course there are .still the usual individuals who are prepared to deal favourably with the project by offering sites adjoining their own backdoors. We understand, however, that a site opposite the old Pukerimu church is spoken of, if so, we believe that .such a position would find almost universal acceptance. The farmers of the district are, we believe, inclined to be liberal in the matter of taking shares. No doubt the business people and others will also come forward with their quota of assistance, for though it is the fanners, or at least those of them w ho supply milk, who derive a direct benefit from these industries, the district is benefited indirectly and this must be taken into account. We trust that when the committee brings their report before the adjourned meeting on Monday 28th inst, they will have something satisfactory to lay before it.

A union of workers in the various iron tradeH in Auckland ii in course of formation.

The usual monthly meetings of the Cambridge and Taotaoroa Road Bonrds were hold on Saturday, but no business of public interest tnumpired.

Commander Edwin wired at 430 p.m. yesterday :—": — " Indication* fflasH fall, and %\ md* between north-eatt and north and west after ]2 hourn fr«itn now."

The Rev. E. H. Gulliver of S John's Collogo Auckland will officiate at S. Andrew's Cambridge and at Ohaupo, on Sunday next. Archdeacon Willis will hold service at Lichh'eld on th.it day.

The workmen engaged in erecting the new telegraph lino between Cambridge and T.iupo are making rapid progress with their work. They aru now camped about nine miles from Cainbndge, the line ha\ ing been completed for th.it distance.

The late heavy rains caused some slight flips and interruption* on the Cuin-hndge-Tau|Ki r«ad. A few men have been despatched by Mr Murphy to clrar away the eartlj and keep the road open for tlio heavy and continuous traftic now passing over it.

Several complaints hare reached us lately of the wanton destruction of survey pecs, and what .iro known as «üb-trig. ntationi. It may not be generally known, ' but the destruction of thehe murks often, no doubt, the renult of tliouKhtlessnens, involves fierioui trouble and loss.

The men under Mr Murphy on the Cambridge-Oxford road art' now occupied in keeping tho road open for traffic in the \icinity of KergiiKsnnV (Jully. An excellent gravel pit has been opened up on tho (Joiton estate by tho permission of the manager, Mr Hunt, and largo quantities of gr.ivel arc now being carted on to tho road.

The subsides which local bodies in Waik.ito will receive under the now loc.il government bill, provided it becomes law, are at follow :—: — Town Districts : Alexandra, £30; Kihikiln, £00 ; N«.iriiawahi.i, £89 ; Cambridge, £'.'£>(). — Boiough : Hamilton, £458. — (bounties Containing Ko.id Districts : Pi.iko (no i.ite leviod), £31(il ; Waipa, £2180 ; W.tik.ito, £310 it ; Raglan (no rate levied), £450.

Mr Henry Lewis, Te Awamutu, writes:— "To the Editor. — .Sir, — Is it allowable for a brewer to take frem hi« brewery and deliver at a camp, whfre them are a number of men, eighteen gallon 1 * o f brer on Sunday, the payment being made up by subscription, while at the same timo a publican must not sell a mnßle pint? By answering the abovo question you will greatly oblige." [Wo cannot undertake to give le^al advice, and must refer our correspondent to a solicitor, — Ed.]

Special evangelistic services in connection with Trinity Wesleyan Cluncli, Hamilton, commenced on .Sunday evening last, and w ill be continued dunng the week. At the service last evening there wai a large attendance. ]

The usual meeting of the Hamilton Mutual Improvement Association was held last night. The programme consisted of "impromptn apcikmg,' and a very pleasant and profitable evening was spent.

The Pall Mall Gazette has happened on some remarkable statistics relating to this colony, as witness the followtng : — Out of Oli millions borrowed by New Zealand, she has spent 5(5 millions on rajjways, 20 millions on public works, .md nearly 10 millions on it iinigr.ition. The i'ailwa}s nearly pay the inteiest, the telognpfis p.iy more than the inteiest. and as fm the hiim,igiation loans, the nnmigiant pavsgieath inoie th.in the iutciest on the muh oonowed to biing him.

A somewhat interesting case was heard at the K. M. Court, Ngaiuawalua, yesterday. MrsKilfojle sued Mi C,mt\ for the lecoveiy of a c.Uf alleged to have been stolen some time ago. C.mty bought the be.ist from Mr K. Fleming, who had pin chased it at one of Hunter's sales. Judgment went for plaintiff, and Canty now intends suing Fleming, who in turn will look to the auctioneers, and they, we presume, will come upon the vendor, who, it is undeistood, was Mr T. McDonald. How this House-that Jackbuilt ca^o will end, can only be conjectured.

The Government is determined that no time shall be lost in opening telegraphic communication along the newroute between Cambridge and Taupo. The men work on Sunday ai well an every other day, on the principle, no doubt, that the better the day the better tho deed. One would think that the Uovernmcnt would set an example in this matter, foLGoverninent servants, as a rule, *ro vftyf§fticular< about their holidays and short hour* Perhaps it is a caso of the greater the work tho greater the pay ; if so, such unusual industry can easily he accounted for.

A youthful poet has sent us some \ory touching lines entitled "A Lost Lamb." It is probably a first attempt, and on that account its fault-, ought peihaps to be leniently dealt with, but unfortunately it exhibits no signs of promise, and we strongly advise our young fuend to stick to prose. In ordei to make it quite clear that we are actuated by no unkind feelings, we give a stanza of the "poem:"—The "lamb," we aie informed, " Was earned away To that blight golden shore Where all angles (sic) abound Both now and evermore."

The Auckland police captured a burglar named Dunn redhanded on Sunday night. Dunn is an old offendei, and has only recently completed a tei m <>f 14 years' imprisonment at Wellington. At the last sittings of the Supreme Court at Auckland, he was charged with stealing a watch chain, but as the prosecutoi declined to mi car to the identity of the article, the prisoner was acquitted. The police, howe\ei, ha\e kept a watch on Dunn ever since, and he w is arreHted by plain-clothes Constable Herbert at about 3 o'clock on Sundiy morning while in the act of committing a b'lrglaiy at the Oxford Hotel, Harding-street.

Technical education is being \igorously promoted in London. The Central Institution at South Kensington, opened by the Prince of Wales in June last, is in full working order. The Tinsbury Technical College has 108 students in the day classes and 08S in tho evening classes, of whom 123 are apprentices, and all of whom attend locttues and labratory courso-j in \minus blanches of applied science. The South London School of Technical Ait has 174 pupils. The (leneral Institute has oiguiised a scries of technological exainuiations tlnoughout the country in connection with the evening technical education. Last May 3,03") candidates presented themselves, being an increase of 1,238 ovei the year previous.

In an article on the political situation the Tablet says :---" How can th.Treasurer pay an additional £100,000 out of a revenue which d ies not mllicc to meet present liabilities, and which may bo expected to be less next 3*cai if additional ways and means bo not prov ided ? Then it is proposed to boriow anothei million next year to cany <>n works ahcady commenced. Is tins project to be abandoned and the public works policy to be brought to a stindstill? The policy of the Pailiiment as reg ird-> the Ministiy is that of Ph iroah in referenco to the people of Isiael. Ministers aic expected to make bucks without t-traw. Pailiament sanctions expendituie, but lefiws to giant the ways and means. These few woids sum up the situation.

On Saturday evening last a' meeting re the Sibley coniplimentaiy cutcitainment was held in the Public Hall, Te Awamutu. The following gentlemen wcie present:—Captain Kutherford, Mossis J. Atkins J. Cailey, T. (Iroslum, J. Kirkham, W. (Jray, C. J. Stoiey, C. Stoney, J. B. Teasdale, J. Kigg and J. Wnjht. The chairman (Mr J. B. Teasdale) opened the meeting by reading correspondence from outlying districts offering hearty cooperation and assistance. The sub committee appointed to arrange and carry out the programme of entertainment decided to perform Lacey's popular ftrce entitled, "The Area Belle," well-known lady amateurs consenting to lopiesont tho femalo character* theiein. Some other bu«iness of a routine character was transacted before the committee separated.

It is of interest (says the St. James' (Ja/t tte) to compare the pimcip.il fcatuies of the Budget introduced into the House of Commons on Thursday night by Mi Childcrs with thohC of the first Hiidgct of the piesont leign. On the 30th June, 1537, Mi Spiing Rico, then Chaneelloi of tie Kxchequei, introduced tho first Budget of tho reign of <^uee,n Victoria. He estimated the inco-ne for the ensuing year at £17,240,000, and the oxpendituie at £4<>,<>3l, ll">. Now Mi Cluldei.s estimates the income of tho coming year (on the basis of a fivepenny income tax) at fcN">,000,000, and the expenditme, exclusive of the vote of ciedit, at £88,872,000. In 1837 tho Customs were estimated to pioduce a tnfle over 21 millions, and the excise something less than 14 millions. The act'ial piovision for tho c lining year amounts to £100,072,000, sh.>w ing that in 48 yeai- the income and expenditure of tbeEmpue have more than doubled.

We have to acknowledge the receipt of the July number of that excellent Austialian Magazine " Once a Month," published by W. Inglis and Ci>., Melbourne and Dunedin, and edited by the Key. Di. Mercer, I).D. In appearance, and in the quality of its leading matter, "Once a Month " will comparo favoiuably with the ninjonty of the magazines of the Old Country, while its pi ice, one shilling, is iemaikably low. The number bcfoie us contains excellent leadable articles on "Homy C. Kendall, tho Australian Poet" (with poi tiait), "New York Society,' 1 '•Delhi"' (with an initiation), "Flotal Legends,'" " Adventures of a Pioneer," " Notable Coaching" (in New Zealand and Australia), " Old English Opein," " Upper Mau don " (illustrated), lllustiated serial tales, poetiy, and notes on htoiature, ait, and cuiieut events. On the whole we can confidently recommend the magazine to the favouiable notice (if our icadeis.

Another of our great magnates, says a London conespondent, has passed away in the person of Sir Watkyn Wynn. indiscriminately called the King of North Wales and tho Prince in—nut of—Wales. Ho was one of our few remaining territorial magnates in the leal sense of the word, and it will be difficult for his sucto-sor—his nephew, and husband of his only daughter —to succeed to the position he filled. In fact, tho spirit of the piesent day would be against him. The late Sir Watkyn Wynn belonged to a bygone age ; he enteied upon his inheritance at the tinio when a gieat landowner was a power in tho land, and something of his departed authonty always clung to him. Tho papers this week team with stoiies concerning him; but peihaps tho highest testimony to his merits is that Truth has nothing to say against him. One of the best of theso nuccdotus is how, when the livto Sir Watkyn was a little boy of 12, tho Duchess of Kent took tho Princess Victmia to visit at Wynnst.iy, and the hearts of all patiiotic Welshmen immediately began to beat with joy at what they consideied to bo the piectnsoi of a union between the heiress of tho (itiolphs and tho representative of tho ancient lino of Rodetic Maur.

Yesterday morning the committee appointed by tho Cambridge Town Board to attend to the linpiovoment of the Public Hall, met in tho hall and annnged for the immediate carrying out of tho work. A scenic artist from Auckland was in attendance, and submitted design of stage fittings, scenery, <fee. The impiovemont hero will be on an extensive scale. The nioacenium will bo enlarged, iiqw sido-wuig*

will bo fitted, and several picturesque scones \\ ill bo provided. JJressingroomswill hi> fitted up on each suit' of the Htage, The lining of the room is also to bo undertaken, and the whole of the interior, including the celling, will be handsomely painted. The woilc will be commenced forthwith, and should be finished in .1 few weeks from now. We would respectfully suggest to tho board the advisability of getting a new piano for tho hall, a& the present instrument h not only doploiably out of tune, but it is of such a character that it is seldom or never used. People u«mg the hall prefei bunging their own piano, at considerable iisk and inconvenience, to Using this almost worthless instrument.

The London correspondent of the A ire writes.—"A fnend of mine was honouied the other day by the sight of a manu^ci lpt covet ing sev eial pages of closely wiitton foolscap, suiting forth 'Sn Samuel Wilson's descent fiom loyalty.' The worthy suiLOssoi to Jienconsfield handed it foith with a modest blush, which <lec|)oned into a smile of manly pi ide .is lie pointed out ' the fact'that fiom Alfied the (treat, the first of English lawgiveis, our would-be hereditaiy lawmaker donved his line. My fuend had not the tune, had he the inclination, to moie than scan o\er the portentous manuscript, but no doubt Mi Foster is guiiig it the full glories of punt in his new volume of English descents from tho blood royal. Sir Samuel should give your local critics an eaily opportunity of trying their prentice hands at an elucid ition of the intricacies of this novel contribution to colonial genealogy. Perhaps you were hardly aware of the select naturo of the gore which a chance Mipof tho sheep-shears might at one poiiod of Sir Samuel Wilnon'n career have caused to be spilled."

Some of the mischievous Consequences of the German lawn of 1883 and ISB4 for insuring workmen against sickness and against accidents, respectively, are (says an exchange) already beginning to make themselves felt. With respect to the first, as there is piactically no piecaution against malingering, fiaud, recklessness, and ignorance, while tho ordinaly stimu lants to independence and self-help aie withdiawn, the temptation to he m hod, or toiem.un in the house on half-pay, is too great foi the natuially indolent and the "01 awlers " to lesist, and the town is obliged to maintain them in idleness. In the case of accidents tho instnancc tax comes out of the pockets of the employers, who .uld it to the pi ice of the g-oinl-- they in innfacture; and thus one set of people .no pio sided against illness and misfortune, which may ho enluely the lesiilt of individual carelessness, oi wotsc, at the expense of those who have to maintain themselves under similar encumstances.

Some enterprising individuals in this colony, evidently impatient of the delays experienced in starting a State Bank of issue for providing the people with cheap money, have commenced to make coin of the realm on their own account. The other day, s.iys the Tuuaru Heiald, "we were hhovvn some spurious silver coin which a well-known shopkeeper m this town h.iM had the misfoitune to have passed to him in the way of business. One of the coins is an exact imitation of a sixpence, and the other of a half ciovvn. We have compaied them with good coins, and after a most minute optic\l examination of them ciiinot detect anything wrong with them. Taking one up, however, and "linging 'it thospuriousness ii betiayed at once. Xo"nng" at all is given foith by eithi'ii of the coins. The sixpence also bends readily. Shopkeeper will, therefore, do well to test all com that passes thiough their hands in the oldfashioned style mentioned, and which is known to fail but seldom. It would appeal th.it many of these coins aie m circulation, the sbopkeepei who sent us the ones we have before us at time of w titmg informing us that he has detected seveial otheis among his silver this week.'' It will be well for business men in the Xoith aho to keep then eyes open.

The following special messages to the Press Association, dated London, July ISth, havo been published.—Sir Saul Samuel, Agent-( <eniii.il for New South Wales, has vviitten a letter to the Times embodying a despatch received by him from the Hon. (r, K. Dibbs, Treasurer of that colony, in which he vindicates the credit of New South Wales.—The motion tabled by Mr Parnell, demanding an enquny into tho recent convictions for murder in Ireland, has been negatived. During the debate on it, Mr Balfour, Chief Secretaiy for Ii eland, said the (Joy eminent would be quite willing to consider any meinouals that might be piesented to them on the subject.—The (roveminent have intioduced tho lush Land Puich'ise Dill, which proposes tho advance of money at the late of four per cent,, lepayable in forty-nine yens to ten ints who may dosiio to puichase then holdings.—The wheat market is inactive. Seven of tho cost caigoes have been sold at 84s (!d. Forrtecu thousand quartets and '22 off the cmst c.irgoes .ue ivvaitmg orders. Ex warehouse is !i(!s. Koivvard shipments are held at a, high piemium, and no bales have therefore been effected.