The Bird Has Flown.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 321, 6 July 1889, Page 2

The Bird Has Flown.

[to the editor.] Ssa,—.That the same law does not exist for all was clearly shown at the B.M. Court on Thursday last. There were four judgment summonses against a whilom magnate of the district, each of which bad to ba withdrawn io consequence of, as one of the judgment creditors expressedit, " the bird having flown." Verily tha bird has flown—let loose by the agency of his friends, and if not by tbe connivance, at any rate by tha partiality, ot the Resident Magistrate. Would Bill Smith have bad such summonses, as were against the erstwhile big bug, adjourned from fortnight to fortnight, after it being generally know that Bill must leave the Colony ? A statement made by Bill that he bad no intention of going would not have been accepted by the Court, if Bill's friends came forward and asserted that he was incapable ot carrying on his business affairs and if his solicitor were to add, “ I wish to goodness he would go." Not much, An opportunity snob as afforded to the once influential man would never have been allowed in the suppositional case. Yet this was done. An adjournment for a week would have been too short, so each time the golden hours to be improved were doubled, and the Chieftain to the Highlands bound was quietly smuggled away, leaving, not Lord Ullin, but hie creditors, lamenting. It is a pity tha 8.M., through his culpable laxity, could not be forced to pay the debts of one whom his magisterial kindness gave such opportunities, —I am, etc., A bumsoM. [lt our correspondent is referring to tbe case of Allan McDonald, there was no necessity for him to withdraw his summons, and he could have got an order against the debt ar for non attendance of the latter. With regard, however, to the grave charge of partiality brought againet the Magistrate, wa cannot believe, except on much stronger evidence, that Mr Booth would be guilty of such a thing. Imprisonment for debt, it must be remembered, is not now in existence, and the Magistrate is bcund to be sure before he commits anyone to gaol, tbat hia failure to pay does not arise from misfortune. The adjournments referred to were ns much in the interest of the creditors as of the debtor, be. ciuse until certain things are proved, tbe Magistrate cannot, if the debtor appears, make an order. We do not defend the debtor, or his action either, for delaying, through his own fault, the payment of hie just debts, or for spending in law what must have gone far towards paying them. As to breaking his word, everyone knows that a man who doesn’t pay bis debts won’t let such a trifle bother him.—Ed, Standard.]

"Ba Just and Fear not." Ito tse bditou.| Sis,—As a lover of justice and fair p ! ay I cannot let things pass which I ..consider any Briton should put foot on. I refer to the action against Mr Morse for selling liquor without a license. Now, what sort of rot is this P Is a decent, honest man like Mr Morso to suffer loss in order to let the Sergeant score a point at law ? Who pays tha piper? Is it the Sergeant, or Mr Warren,or MrCroft ? Why is it the private man pays while the others cannot be made to pay because they arc Government servants P Now, if the police are as smart ai they think they are, why do they not put down gambling, which is such a great evil in Gisborne ? At the present time you can see barmaids in the hotels of some bars until as late as midnight, and you can sea plenty of Sunday trading going on. Ara not thesa evils against the laws of the land P Are there net houses of ill famo in secluded parts of this young town P In a law quo some five weeks back, when the Sergeant was pleading the caso of a beauty of ths "unfortunate” type, he was asked if this " lady ” or her house was known to the police. The Sergeant said yes, and added that he hud receded oompluints fro;;; those living near tho place alluded to, and yet tho gallant Sergeant pleads for people of this class. Is this law or justice ? I herewith challenge the police, press, or the people to say that I am wrong, and to go a little farther, myself and others are thinking of bringing th--ee foots under tbe notice of Inspector Kiolay, if no amendment takes place. It might be ns well to let the police know that they ara servants of tho people as well as of the Crown, ar.d that they should dotheir duty fairly and squarely, and not blink at some things while being too ' sharp in others.—l am, etc., Justice [ln regard to the first matter Sergeant Bullen only did his duty. As to the other allegations, if’our correspondent ie the lover of justice and fair that ho claims to be, and if his charges arc true, be should acquaint the police oflloers with the information, and not rush off to the newspaper to relieve himself of hiß.wrath,—Ed. STANDABb.]

Abolition Bill (Seddon) | Bill to prohibit tha I introduction of laborers other than Europeans I into New Zealand (Grey); Waverity County I Bill (Hutohimon); Bill to repeal tha Gaming I and Lottariea Aot, 1881, and tbe amendment! thereto (Biohard Reeves); Bill to provide for I ths limitation of vote* at any election ot member* ot tbs House ot BepreaentativM (Grey); Destitute Person* Bill (Hislop). The Post has a scathing article tha Government, condemning them for advancing money to the New Plymouth Harbor Board. It says the Colonial Treasury Is not a Jpwnbrokcr’s establishment, nor is it suppoijd to carry on the business of bill -discounter "that

it had no legal right to either make any advance, or to take security, and that ita only possible plea for lending money is tthat the credit of the Harbor Board and oil tbe colony are one and indivisible, so thsd tho latter would suffer if tho former befaamo tarnished by default. H it were n<ft eo, the Treasury might as well lend mowfy on security to a mercantile firm, to enable it to avoid bankruptcy, as lend it to a harbor board to prevent default. By making the advance the Government have praotioally admitted that the colony is bound to eecure

payment to the foreign creditor* who have lent money to local bodies, an admission which [Parliament w»* determined should not be made. The Government have, fa fact, now given tho colony's endorsement to the J Bill, not only of New Plymouth HarboM Board, but to those of every local body between Stewart's Island and North Cape. Mr Goldie consider* that the Government have broken ths pledge given last year raising some salaries which already stood aIM above £l5O, and expressed bis determination■ to divide the House On every such item, |g Tbe Public Petitions Committee decline to H recommend tha vesting of the power* cl" Lieeasing Commissioners in local bodies, al petitioned tor from different parts ot tbe country. Mr Ward car* the Canterbury and Otago farmers lost 290,000 sacks ot wheat in 00l contract lately, through the continuance oi the ’Frisco service, The Post denis* tha necessity of the Ministerial measure in the direction o! the reform ot the Legislative Council | on the contrary, it is not only entirely unnecessary and inopportune, but the very reverse ot a liberal measure. The New Plymouth Harbour Board pay nothing for the convict labor allowed to them for their breakwater works. A simultaneous rifle match between our legislators and those ot tbe South Australian Parliament (now In session) is on the tapis * Mr Brace is grieved that only Anglican and Catholic clergymen can conduct service in prison, and wants the regulations amended. Sir Harry Atkinson must have been subjected to very great provocation before be, io astute and practical a politician, so far forgot a'l the canons of prudence aa to indulge In * papel'uai WlWSlr tbat Mr Fisher, and the journals which took

up bis cause, were playing picador* to tbe bull, Their one object was to rouse him, it possible, into a condition of fury, which should furnish sport to the amphitheatre, When t' C Premier lowered his horns and charged his adroit prosecutors, tbe triumph of the latter at the success ot their tactic* must have been very great. By this time, the Premier ie no doubt thoroughly aware ot the grave indiscretion which he baa committed?—Evening Press. Tbe Premier is quite assured that there ie* no probability ot a dissolution for some time > Mr Taylor eays that in their agitation increased representation, the country practioaily ask the extension uf the to cattle and sheep. — In the absence c t the Hon. Mr ths opposition to the Government is being in tbs Legislative Council by Sir George Whitmore, The only member* of the House now absent from Wellington are Messrs Brown, Beetham, and Peacock. The two last named are absent from the colony, Although the number of Volunteer corp* in the colony is less by thirteen than last year, there are between 200 and 800 moramen. Tbe number of Volunteer* fa the colony is between 8000 and 9000. The dreariness of the debate on Dr McGregor’e salary, in Committee of Supply, was relieved by a few flashes ot wit—intentional and otherwise. To the latter else* belonged a remark tbat fell from the member for Lincoln. He was drawing a comparison between the Premier's salary and that of Dr McGregor, and concluded by drawing tbs inference that if Dr McGregor who had charge of only a few lunatics was of so much importance, of how much greater importance wa* the Premier, “ who had charge of thia House.’’ The member for Motueka wa* the victim ot a practical joke in the House. He was opposing tbe vote for £159 on the Estimate* for the introduction ot the chamois, and, after plaintively assuring member* that hi “ did not know what they were," asked that he might be enlightened on tha subject, A waggish member placed in his hand a copy of Mark Twain’* “Tramp Abroad," from which book he proceeded to quote that author’s description ot tbe Corn* mon fiaa as discovered by him in Switzerland, much to tbe amusement o! the House. One of the last items on the Justice mi, mates was the ism of £l5O ior the public*tion of law reports, and there wa* a very . strong feeling that this luxury should be paid for by the lawyers out ot their own pockets, instead of asking tbat the amount should coma out of the pockets of taxpayer*, Mr Hutchison, himself a lawyer, drew attention to tbe abuse, and moved that tbe item be

struck out. The other lawyers in the House were very indignant at this attempt to our, tail tbeir privileges, but ths good sense ot the members prevailed, and tbe item was *trpck out Mr K rr is p wlfoular'y rough 0D the lawyers Daring tbe debate on the item (ar printing law reports, be described them a* " Scorpions ’* and as people who got their own when honest men fell ou’, and said it should be contrary to the Standing Orders to allow a lawyer to speak on any subjM which involved their personal interests. Tha Houm was none the better ot tbeir presence in it, *t tbsy worked ior tbeir own ends, and no other pur, pose. A Soitliern journal thus “ take* the measure ” of the new member for Nelson i— The next matter that impressed us wa* that Mr Harkness is an Orator, cr to be strictly accurate— 1 a Horator.’ His speech K** written, and ho produced it from his ooat tail, with aplomb, and gave that unctuous glance round, and bestowed upon hi* lip* that familiar mois'gaing which denoted that Mr Harkners was a good young Methods* man, who wa* ready at any moment to * improve the occasion, 1 to shine at a bunwerrv, or ' bust.’ Mr Harkne** is a mediumsizvd’pereon, with the bea-d before alluded to, Ha wears a considerable amount of beargrease, parts his h<ir In the centre, haalarnali ey es, and is not particularly intellectual Id physiognomy—just? tho average young mat! who frequently find* hi* vocation with * serviette beneath Uh arm, or, washing hl* hand* withinvisib’c soap, demands in dulce* tones' What’s tho uext hartfoie, m»d»m ?' In an article on the Medical Practitioner* Bill, the Vast says the sooner it receives it* quietus tbe belter. It is * most objectionable measure, conceived entirely In the interest* of certain practitioners, end opposed tc those 04 the public. It would place enormous power* over the profession in tbe hands ot a lew of it* member*. Doctor* are notorious for theiy squabbles and jealoueies, and it would, we think, be very unsafe to entrust a few with such powers over other* as the Bid would confer. Speaking of the report on Friendly Soohue*. the Times says that th* ma'ter is a very grav* one, and hope* the Government will at coca introduce a measure to provide the nooesury safe guards against financial disaster.

Mr Cadman asked the Minister of Lands if the Government purpose giving Captain Daveney’e scheme for the foundation of Im- ] perial Pensioners' Settlements a trial. The Minister explained that Captain Dayeney wanted greater concessions than could be granted under the present land laws, The Government could not make such concessions without fresh legislation, but they had. no Intention to amend the’Land Act this session. 7 Sir H. Atkinson has given notice to move that a select committee, to consist of seven members, be appointed to inquire into and report generally on each of the seven harbor and dock trusts of New Zealand, which are under the management of harbor boards, , especially as to their financial position -and a wga-anta as to the accommodation now offered Io shipping, etc-, and as to the works in progress, or about to be undertaken ; that the committee be empowered to sit as a joint ■committee with a committee of the LegistsItive Council, appointed for a similar purpose, ■the committee to have power to send for ■persons, papers, and records, and to make "either a joint or separate report; the comI tnittee to consist of the following members, I and to report within one month: —Hon. E, I Richardson, Hon. Mr Larnach, Mr Ballance, IMr Wilson, Hon. Sir J. Hall, Mr Ormond, und Mr Withy. ’■The Wellington Press is very severe on the Otago Central Railway Bill, but fears the House will have to assent to it.