OUR SIDNEY LETTER.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 270, 7 March 1889, Page 3

OUR SIDNEY LETTER.

L (fbom oub own cobbespondekt.) Sydney, Feb. 20. The battle is over in the electorates and is just about to begin on the real convincing ground of the Assembly. The results are about as equivocal as they can be. The FreeTrade press claim a majority of five for their side out of 137 members returned. The Protectionists, on the other hand, claim that they are, numerically, only one behind, and that six of the members who were returned as abstract freetraders have signified their intsution of supporting th- Government in its general policy. To all intents and purposes the House may be considered us equally divided—a state of things that bodes ill for the real interests of the country. Party spirit runs very high, and there is likely to be some very shameless bidding for votes, and still more shame ess neglect of the exigencies of the position considered from the point of view of the public good. With reference to the policy to be pursued, wide y differing ideas prevail. The matter of finance requires immediate consideration. The trust funds have been appropriated to meet deficiencies; supply has not been voted ; and to all intents and purposes the colony is at the mercy of the banks. Immediate legislation is necessary on the land question, in order to encourage leaseholders to effect improvements, and further • o give some legal security to those who desire to inaugurate irrigation works, but who are at present deterred from doing so by the hazy and uncertain state of the law relating to water rights. These and mmy other matters intimately affec ing the general prosperity, press for immediate solution. There is plenty of work for one session in doing work which rmen of all parties must acknowledge urgently requires doing and which has already been neglected too long. The present state of entire in these matters is a national disgrace, and threatens to end in national disaster. Both parties find themselves unable to carry out their views on the fiscal question. Is not this fact of itself an invitation to take a short breathing time, in order that they may address themselves in a business-like spirit to matters of even greater importance? All but the extremists, I imagine, will see the matter in th s light, and although the extremists may be expected to use every effort to inoculate the others with their own fury, it is hardly likely that they will in every case succeed. Unfortunately the science of obstruction has been to developed that a much smaller minority than is represented by the extreme section ©f either party Can fo ce a crisis. Under circumstances like these it might be expected that leaders of public opinion Would counsel moderation. The metropolitan press, I am sorry to say, does nothing of the Kind, It is endeavoring to hound on the Freetrade members (who certainiy require very little instigation that way) to biinu about an immediate change of Ministry, with the avowed object of plunging the comm uni y into the throes of another general election, leaving the affairs of the country, meanwhile, to look after themselves. I must confess that such advice, under such circumstances, seems to me very little short of criminal •• Her Majesty's Government must be carried On” was the motto of the great Duke of Wellington. “Her Majesty’s Government shan't be carried on, if we can help it, except by our. own party,” is the cry of these modern lights. Solar as the Protectionists are concerned, they have everything to hope from another appeal to the country. The Free Traders, on the other hand, have everything to fear. Although they claim victory, their present position reminds one of that old sailor’s yarn in which a delinquent officer who had been disrated for misconduct on the voyage, persuaded hia poor old mother that promotion had fallen in his way. “ I went out one mate,*’ be said, “and lam come back three mates.” The Free Traders went to the country, representing two-thirds of the Assembly. They come back representing only one-half, and, the chances are, the next time they will be only a third. It is not in the interests of Free Trade that the party is asked to precipitate another crisis. A short time ago it was able to dictate its own policy. It is now strong enough to prevent its opponents from I dictating theirs. But at the present rate of progression, it is pretty certain that it will mever, in any future Parliament, be so strong ks it is in tbis one. The clamour for yet Kn other shuffle of the cards is rather the inBtact of the desperate gamester, who refuses K recognise the fact that fortune is against ■m, and who insists on playing until he is Htvrly ruined and scouts the idea of retiring ■om the game while he still has a compeHence left. However, we all know the old faw: —“ Quern. Deus vult perdere, primus deWat” The policy shadowed forth by the Star, the only Ministerial supporter amongst the Sydney newspapers, is a short session to pass the estimates and enable the Government to formulate their ideas as to the details of the new tariff. Of course, this does not commit the Ministry, but it seems on the face of it to be a reasonable and statesmanlike request. Sir Henry Parkes, to whose petulance the Tree Traders owe it that they have not at present a two-thirds majority, is now unaninmuily designated as the leader of the party. This step on the face of it seems to show great poverty of resource, for if ever a leader deliberately trailed his party through the mire Of disaster, Sir Henry Parkes did. But it seems to be Hobson’s choice. He will eith- r lead the party or destroy it, and they prefer the former, even though it should prove a leading to destruction. The best thing that Gould happen to Sir Henry and the public troold be his acceptance of the Speakership. Jt is a post which perhaps no other man could fill as well, in which, too, he could render ■plendid public service, and one of which his acceptance would rid the politics of New South Wales of their greatest disturbing force. A man who is potent to destroy, but powerless to build up. is rather a public danger than a public benefactor. ' Sir Henry’s marriage, which at first was kept secret, has at last been announced, and has excited no little comment, The late Ladv Park-S was for many years a chronic invalid, and it was expected in some quarters that Sir Henry would confer the title on Miss Dixon, his present wile, as soon as Lady Parkes died. However, he waited a reasonable time, and, whatever may be thought of - him politically, I cannot see that his marriage gdda anything to his discredit. Unless com{pon report be a common liar, it is an act of reparation which many other men in similar positions would do well to imitate, Rival balloonists are causing some little stir. A few weeks ago I mentioned the feat of Mr Williams, a Sydney watchmaker, who ascended several thousand feet in a balloon and then dropped safely to earth with the help of a parachute. Since then the colony pas been visited by an American performer pl the same line—a “ Professor " Baldwin, who claims to eclipse anything that has yet bept> done in the way of plpnging into space, pis particular specialty is that of being able in some measure to guide his descent. He also drops some distance like a stone before expanding his parachute, and when it i expanded he performs acrobatic feats in ths •ir. He has already exhibited in Melbournee and has twice been announced to do so in, Sydney. For some reason or other, whether it is that there were too great a portion 01 •J outside ” tickets or not, J do not know, he declined to make the ascent in Sydney, but he has now been challenged by the friends of Williams to a contest in his peculiar art. I nged hardly say that the idea of competition ©rings in a fresh danger to a peculiarly hazardous exhibition. Unless, the authorities interfere it seems only too evident that the feats will increase in foolhardiness until one of the performers loses his life. One does not envy the feelings of those who can Uke delight in such epectaoles. But it canhot be denied that they are very popular, especially among those who seek to enjoy them “ on the cheap.” A curious case is reported from Mudgee, esre the head gaoler, one John Dick, has u committed for trial for shooting a gaoler, who was severely wounded, the bullet striking his chin. The prisoner is also charged with embezzling the moneys handed him to pay the prison salaries. It would of course be put of place to say anything respecting thia - particular ease, further than that long-con-tinned indulgence in drinking habits is said f? 0* M »hs Bottom of ths trouble. It does » ‘rain of thought, someidling after thia wise :—ln how many itnportut sffiosg ,t gtaw from the Dsgiriafivi

Council downwards, are the men who fill them, engaged in qualifying themselves with more or legs rapidity for the madhouse or the gaol? And, whilst they are thus engaged, what becomes of the work which they are sup posed to be doing? In a well ordered machine every part does its work, and does that only. If sudden freik of destructive were to seize a cogwheel or rod or lever, what would be the result ? Yet in the service of the public it appears to be nobody’s business to see that the work is faithfully done and we are occasionally startled by som* terr ble act which is in rea'ity only the clim»x af a lo.g-continued and I may add, a long winked at, course of misdoing.