The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. SATURDAY, SEPT. 15, 1888.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2525, 15 September 1888, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. SATURDAY, SEPT. 15, 1888.

In* the first session of the present Parliament was passed the Representation Acts Amendment Act which contains the simple provision that "011 the expiration by effluxion of time or other sooner determination of the present General Assembly, the number of members to be hereafter el- cted to the House of Representatives shall be seventyfour in all," including four Maori member?. The amending Act was passed by the new House whilst fresh from the hands of the eonstituteneies who had icturned them pledged to re-ad-just the linances of the country and terminate the wasteful extravagances that had assumed such alarming proportions. That session followed close on the one brought to an end a few weeks before by a defeated Ministry, who hoped to prolong their existence by an appeal to the country. The new representatives, therefore, flushed, for the time being, with the influences of the popular demands, made a display of selfimmolation to the country's good by passing the Act just mentione;!, and thereby extinguishing the political existence of twenty - one of tlisir number. Their action could be classed as meritorious if sound in its genuineness. Unfortunately there are strong doubts on that point, and the conduct of the Lower House during the late session has raised a feeling of undisguised suspicion that it is not sincere, and is now very desirous of revoking its deed of self-sacrifice, Members who voted in the first session in order to appear in accord with the general " cry," have shown by the inconsistency of their behaviour in the second session that they were in the first instauce temporising with the people and passed a measure with arriercs pensei'n that time might afford them ail opportunity of staying the Act coming into force at all. It is known as a fact that an abortive attempt was actually made in the recent session to procure the reversal of the decision of its predecessor by a repeal of the amended Representation Act. The House has shown that it has cast aside what little respect it first possessed for the will of the country. Therefore men's minds must be prepared for renewed and more generally combined efforts, when members again reassemble in i Wellington, to defeat the intentions

of the Act by preventing it eve; r coming into operation. This is a contiiiironcj' with a large element of possibility, and electors must not allow thctJiHc'lvrM to !»e !ul!od into a shite of false security outhe matter. Constitution-ii reform is admitted to he sin imperative necessity to preserve the peuci', contentment and prosperity of the country. That reform must In; general and sweeping in its measures, beginning with tho Legislature, flown v.irds. In tho opinion of many able men who, though not found in the coterie that form the national councils, are, however, earnest thinkers and lend their energies in other ways to promote the colony's welfare, the Act of 1887 does not go far enough in reducing the strength of the Lower House to proportions naturally commensurate with the population, means and conditions of the country. Dr. LaishUy, of Auckland, in his able papers in the Herald, the fourth of which appears in cur supplement to-day, Ims formulated apian for the reform of the Legislature, which is entitled to the intelligent consideration of everyone who is alive to the needs of the colony. We referred to these proposals in a former article. It is urged that the Lower House shall be reduced to fifty and the Upper House to twenty-fire members, and that the representatives in ihe former shall he; elected, on a modified Hare system, for five years. Wo quite agree that the reductions proposed by Dγ Laishley, would be noun too great ; wo would obtain not only wiser and better legislation, but also greater simplicity and economy in our finances and general administration. Whilst favourable to the principle of proportional representation and enlarged country constituencies, we do not agree with Dγ Liishloy that tlr; colony should be formed into two single electorates. The preponderance of voting power in large cities, would entirely preclude the possibility of country candidates being returned to Parliament. Dr. Laishley advocates the abolition of party government and the reduction of Ministerial portfolios to three, that is, that the Executive should consist of only three Ministers, who should be appointed by the Governor for his term of office and be removeable at his pleasure, and that they should not be members of either House of the Legislature. This is an adaptation of the American plan, but we scarcely think it would be applicable or acceptable to a British colony, without going a step further and making the office of Governor elective by the people, with the power of veto. Whilst fully recognising the abuses and impotence to which government by party has reached, and sharing the general disgust with it, we should not wish to see the appointment of the responsible Ministers of the Grown removed from the control of the country's representatives ; nor that they should be chosen from other than the number of the elected of the people. But, we think we could strengthen Parliamentary government, secure greater purity of administration and more capable administrators if it was nsine qua von to the acceptance of a seat on the Treasury benches that every Minister should go before the country for re-election in order to ascertain whether lie was approved of as aMinister ornot. Thisis tiie English plan and contains in it the. very essence of democratic principles. We thoroughly agree with Dr. Laishley's proposals, or any other that may be found practicable, for preventing useless waste of time by the intolerable loquacity, wilful obstructiveness and careless abuse of the forms of the House. If no other measure can be found to deal effectually with the wretched tactics so often indulged by the unintelligent portion of the House, then let the iron hand, or cloture bo adopted. Dr. Laishley's plan for checking the abusive use of dissolutions so commends itself to the approval of us all that we repeat the proposal in his own words :— 8. If Government by party be retained, forbid dissolution when it would involve two sessions in one year ; in other words, make resignation compulsory when a Government is beiten on a vote of wint-ol'-con6denoe—as was for many years the practice in New Zealand until it was departed from by Sir G. Grey, and subsequently by Sir R. Stout.

" Discontinue Hansard," says the doctor. By all means do so. How many people have had the courage to open the pages of the last issues of this perfectly uninteresting, useless and extravagant publication 1 In his further proposals, Dr. Laishley insists on abolishing the honorarium to members of the Upper House, the enlargement and consolidation of the powers and functions of local bodies, the impeachment of any Government who exceed Parliamentary votes, or misuse the public revenues j and he would make it illegal to continue the borrowing of money outside the colony, or to hypothecate the revenue by issuing Deficiency and Treasury Bills. These are very proper and necessary reforms, such as, if adopted in principle, would materially assist us in winning purity and honesty for the system by which the national affairs of New Zealand should bo administered. It is for the electors, for all of us, to.study the question carefully and with public spirit against the time when we shall be again culled upon to choose men to legislate for us and guide the ship of State in clear, sat'o wators.

Mr Vaile has interviewed the Hon. Mr Mitchelsim with reference to his offer to lease the Auckland railways. A report appears elsewhere.

It is estimated that the present known coal measures nf New Zealand amount to 1,218,000,000 ton?, which will not be exhausted for 90 years.

Mr J. S. G-oodwin, Senior inspectur of schools, examined Hamilton East school in every standard on Thursday and yesterday. On Monday and Tuesday, ho exatm'nei Hamilton Went, Tauwhare on Wedueiday, and Kirikirito* on Tliuraday.

Advices have been received that the Stud Company's shipment of horses for India, have reached Thursday Island with the loss of only two animals.

The arrivals in the colony during August wrio, (i&S, and the departures. 2,184, being a difference of nearly 1,000. The majority left for Victoria.

The Hamilton Volunteer Band, under Mr Mettam, will play to-night, b» ginning near Sydney Square, at 7 o'clock, and then proceeding to Hamilton West.

A meeting of the Waikato branch of the New Zealand Kducatiomil Institute will be held to-day, at Tiik Waikato Timks buildings, at 11 o'clock. Teachers and others are invited.

Importers in New Zealand are ordering heavy shipments (if gnuris from Home before the freights are raised. This is an ill-wind that will considerably benefit the Customs revenue and be credited to tho new tariff.

We direct attention to the large and important sale to be held by Mr J. McNicol on 2(>th inst., at Mr Clement's farm, Tauwhare, which will comprise some valuable horses, dairy cattle, and first-class farm machinery, furniture, &c.

There are ugly rumours afloat that the Government propose to appoint Mr Mitehelson, present Minister of Public Works, and Mr E. Richardson, who held the same portfolio in the last government, to be commissioners on the Railway Board. The Wellington Post has a very indignant article on the subject.

Mrs Hutchinson returned to Auckland yesterday. A number of friends accompanied her to tho station to see her off. Mrs IJutchinsun has been an active worker whilst staying in Hamilton and has, to our personal knowledge, done a great deal of good and brought peace and happiness to many. She expects to leave for a moro distant sphere on Salvation Army work.

The Borough elections, on Thursday, took place very quietly, no unusual stir or excitement being perceived. There was a good deal of interest, however, taken in the results, which worn as follows, arid showed clustj voting :—Jones, 100 ; Tippen, 85 ; Knox, 7S ; D.ivey, 70 ; and Sundes, 73. The three first have been, therefore, declared elected.

We understand that Miss Hould has received notice that she is to bo transferred from the Hamilton West school to Te Arohu to till the vacancy caused by the retirement of Miss Marsden. The change will bo hardly appreciated by Miss Hould who Im* made many friends in Hamilton by her gentle and ladylike manners, and who will regret to lose her.

The tree planting committee met yesterday, to settle all accounts, and Iho transanctions were as under. .Subscriptions : Mrs Coutes, £8 13c 0d ; Mr Home, LSs (id ; Mr Parr, ISh ; Mr von Stunner, us ; Mr Mason, 12s fid ; Mr Knox, 2s (id. Total: £11. The expenditure was til 15s, leaving 15s short. This was made up by Messrs Coates and Home giving 10s and 5s each.

A most successful working bee has been held on the grounds of t'.ie Catholic Church, H.inilton. Messrs P. McSweeney, J. Lees, J. Odium, M. Ryan, P. Devitt, and H. Kelly gave their services gratuitously, to grub tho furze around the paddock, to fill the ditch and erect a new wire fence. This work is a step nearer civilization, than tho former state of the hedge, and when macrwarpa plants are put around the actual fence, it will be a credit to the workers and the Catholic congregation.

Mrs Karenapu, the last native of D'Urville Island, whose death was announced by the Nelson papers last weak, was supposed to be about 112 years of agi>, and probably might have lived a few years longer had it not been for a fall which she got about eighteen months ago, causing dislocation of both hip joints, which were never put in again, tihe has left four generations behind her. She escaped the pursuit of hostile tribes several limes during her lifetime, and on one occasion, while nursing twins, she was pursued by the Ngatikoatas, on whose near approach she threw her children under a tn.u bush, and got away without them.—Herald.

Our cablegrams last issue informed us of the arrest in Melbourne of one of the quartermasters of the s.s. Hauroto nn her arrival at that port for attempting to drown tho harbour muster at the Bluff. The following are fuller particulars clipped from a Southern contemporary :—The harbour-master had arranged to haul the Hauroto olf the wharf at 3 a.m.. to enable her to get away early, and on going aboard found nobody about. He therefore had to call the mate, who asked if nobody was at the gangway. ljeing answered in the negative, the mate reprimanded Vernon, for neglecting his duty. The harbour-master then wont ashore to ease the hawser, and while doing so heard someone coming behind him, but thought it was one of the harbour staff. The next moment he was caught by the legs and thrown against a pile, cutting his forehead. But for having hold of a rope, ho must have gone overboard, and would perhaps have beep drowned as a strong ebb tide was running and the night was very dark. The harbour-master, being a powerful man, got the mastery after a, serere struggle, and gave his assailant a sound thrashing.

We learn that Mr J. McNicol has started a mob of about 2,000 fat wethers by road for the Auckland market. He expects to save nine.pence per head by driving them instead of sending by rail, and land the sheep in better condition, The money saved in transit will paddock the sheep for six weeks in the best paddocks near Auckland and enable the sheep to be offered as required. We undeistand that he purposes driving SO fat cattle by road in about a month's time, and thinks of establishing a system of collecting and driving fat stock ti the Auckland market, saving about half the freight and landing the stock free from bruises. Stock driven by road bring higher prices than those sent by train. Surely tho railway authorities can see their way to provide better and cheaper accommodation for carrying live stock, and not allow themselves to be run off the road. There are very many complaints made by owners of stock over the barbarous manner in which cattle are treated on the line to Auckland by the railway people. The way in which they are jammed in the trucks and the injury done to them by rough and careless shunting are most destructive to their marketable values, and we are not surprised that owners prefer to drive them by the high roads.