The Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLT. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY, 20 1885.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1512, 20 February 1885, Page 2

The Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLT. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY, 20 1885.

We should not at present have referred to the election petition? bad it not been for two singular paragraphs which have appeared in the County Council organ, the ■fferald,tm the 17th and 19th instant respectively. The first of thes'? may be dismissed in a few words. The paragraph is self-con-tradictory. It avers first, that the cost of the election petition now in progress against the election of Mr Brmman is borne by such a large number of persons that the expense of frequent adjournments will not be felt ; and. again, we find further on that "The public generally reeard the proceedings with little favour." Now we ask how c»n these statement* stand together. If, as alleged, "a large number of persons " have contributed to the cost of the proceedings, is not this the strongest symptom of public sympathy that can be given ? So much for the County organ of the 17th. But the cool impudence of the organ dfr* misrule on the 17th instant is outdone by its paragraph on the 19th. We quote it* concluding words—" The proper response, we think, to this line of action is to open up a d« % f*n'* < » fund, aud by means of a public meeting ascertain the measure of support which nnde suchr circumstances would be extended to one whom the majority honor, and whom a wretched faction seek to oppress. " Now here is a tangible proposal, ami one which we should much like to see carried into effect. Instead of the hole and corner meetings held at a certain public house where the proceedings are kept a strict •ecret, and electoral dodges like that of bringing in the Welcome Company's wages men to vote away the franchise of the Reefton electors are planned, let the " wretched " County faction hold their meetings, and conduct their deliberations in public. We should then learn with interest the names of the men who support a County Chairman who can compile » County roll f«»r eight years without a tracing of the ridings ; who can unblushingly employ County servants as his scrutineers at elections. Who can wink at the miner's rights episode of the 31st December 1883, carried out by County officials. Who can cause printed instructions to be issued to the County Returning Officer and deputies at one election, commanding them to defy the law, and then, when the law has been vindicated by the avoidance of the election so held, who can permit the wagesnien from the claims which he manages to come in droves into the Reefton Riding to vote away the privileges of the resident electors ; and lastly, even while this latter election is under review, betrays sucli a contempt for public decency, as to allow his faction to place him again in the Chair of the County. We repeat that we should j like to know the names of the men who would openly countenance these acts, It would be of great ultimate benefit in a j small cammunity to thus distinguish the ; sheep from the goats. No doubt there j are some in every community so devoid of public spirit as, undercover of the secresy of the ballot, to sell their political birthright for the mess of pottag* which County Council patronage and narrow considerations of race and creed may afford them. But we think that many, even of these, would shrink from a public confession of such a nature — from an open confession that a County contract, or an order for goods, or a countryman and co-religionist is dearer to them than political purity and decency. The Ceunty. organ seeks to stir up sympathy for Mr Brennan because «f the great expense put upon him in appearing to meet the l etition. The impudence of the attempt would be astounding in any other but the organ of the County faction. Is Mr Brennan to ride roughshod over the privileges of the electors, and then to ask the sympathy of the' public bocHiine some of them resent this treatment 1 Again the County Council organ tells us of a banded association "seeking possibly Hie ruin of a distinguished citizen." If reference is here made to those gentlemen who signed a petition n<wnst Mr Rreniian's return for the County v/o cannot see the point of the laiiijiKi^e used. Does th« Chairmanship of the Tnangahua Council exist, for the htjuefit of tho ratepayers, or is it to be regarded in the light of a charitable institution for tho niaintcnanco of llr Patrick

Brennan and his friends? We leave this : as a knotty point for solution at the first '■ meeting of the proposed Brennan Defence Association. No doubt there are some who would feel regret that Mr Hreiman should be .it pecuniary loss by his exur--1 cions in favour of his faction, but with the majority of the public w« believe the verdict would be sarvehim right. Again, if Mr Brennan is tn have sympathy for the expense to which he is put — how about Mr Muuteath ? A petition has been lodged against him too, and he is perhaps in a worse position than Mr Brennan as regards costs. He is not drawing salary from the County, and if the petition against him is found to be frivolous, and costs are awarded him, who is he to recover them from ? Who are the petititioners? Who are Messrs Christopher Muldoon, John Sweeney, William Williams, (Ah, yes ! We know him ; he is barman at Councillor Walter Williams' public house), James Smith, John Keeney, Nicholas Barry ? Where are their properties ? We think the Brennan Defence Association might well, when doing the sympathetic business, furnish a fund to provide for these gentlemen's costs, should they be unsuccessful, and thus prove that their benevolence is free fr«m the taiut of partiality. Now Mr Brennan is in a good position. In Messrs Campbell, Dawson, Beilby, Aiken Campbell, and C( tilings he has some of the bust and most substantial names in the district If the petition against him is frivolous and the action taken in presenting it merely spiteful, no doubt the petitioners and not Mr Brennan, will have to suffer the cost. We regret the factious feeling which local government questions have aroused, but the blame of arousing that fueling should be sheeted home to the proper quarter. There are misgoverunientß which have been held to justify civil war iv defence of liberty; there are others which justify election petitions — the best method of preventing the occurrence of public feeling in the future is in our opinion to show that public rights and public decency cannot be violated with impunity We think that the attempt of the Council organ to arouse public sympathy for those on whom the blame of the present disturbance should rest, will not mislead even the weakest intellect iv the community. ! The following telegram was yesterday received by Mr Menteath : "Bealey, February 18th 1835.— A. S. Menteath Esq., Reefton. — I have arranged with Professttr Black t«» spend two mouths on the West Coast, commencing at Reefton en the 2nd March. Boetmans, Nelson Creek, Kumara, Rosa. Greymouth Hokitika, and other places to follow. — W. J. M. Larnacli." j The business of the Magistrate's Court yesterday was umwially li«rht, eonaistingof : a few petty debt eases, which were all disposed of before noo'i. In the case of Reese v.^leese, plaintiff, a married woman, applied f<>r on order to compel the payment of t'B 10s due by defendant for the maintenance of her four children. Mr North appeared for defendant, and a«ked to have the order varied, one of the children having reached the age of ten years, which was tho limit of the maintenance as fixed by the Court. Evidence having been taken, an order was made for the payment of the £8 103, and the weekly maintenance was reduced from 30/- t« 22/6. Mr Lynch appeared for the complainant. The Court then adjourned. The adjourned election petition for the Riding of Reefton will be again called on in the Magistrate's Court this morning. Thobaliffand the police having used every possible effort to effect service of subpcenaß since last Court day, and having failed, the ordinary procedure in such cases has been adopted, and warrants issued for the apprehension of the parties. How far this course is likely to prove effectual remains to be seen. The Warden's Court sat yesterday, but the business was very light. L. Gabriel I and party applied for registration of cerI tain alluvial rights at the new " rush " near the Chinaman's garden, on the south side of the Inangahua. They are the 1 pioapeetors of the ground, and it so hap- | pens that a portion of their ground takes jin h public road. Mr Lynch, acting for J the County Council, opposed the application on the ground that the permission of ! the local body must first be obtained beI for the Court could dual with the matter. 1 Mr Menteath also objected to the appli- | cation on behalf of Mr R. Oxley v ho held ! land fronting the road in question. The Warden said he would like to visit the ground before deciding, for which purpose he would adjourn the application until next Omrt day, applicants in the menutime to obtain the consent of the County Council to mine on the road. Mr Gabriel said that his party had already gone to some expense and trouble in order to work the ground and had obtained permission from some of the landholders in the vicinity it* carry a tail-race through their ground. The case was then adjourned until next Court day. At a summons meeting of the Loyal Reefton Lodge of Oddfellows held last night Mr Walt* Irving was appointed permanent secretary, vice Mr J. Lawn, resigned. Mr W. H. Jones and Mr A. R. Gum ness were passengers to Reefton lajt night. The monthly meeting of the Reefton School Committee was held at the secretary's office last evening.* Present Mr Shepherd (Chairman), and Messrs B'>w- ' man, Codings, Campbell, Hiu<lmarsh and * Patterson. The minutes <if the last meet- f ing were read and continued, and the in- * ward aud outward correspondence was read and received. The Committee then c proceeded to the election of a member for t the Nelson Education Board, when Mr s Thomas Field was unanimously nomiu- 1 ated. Specifications were ordered to be C

prepared fora dividing fence and boarding tanks. Secretary was requested to write to the County Council as to the , condition of the ground in front of the school, and ask thai a box drain be constructed to carry off rain water. Visiting Committee for tbo month to be Messrs Bowman and Beeche. | The New York Sun, in a recent issue, says :— A letter from Berlin to a prominent gentleman of this city contains a very interesting communication concerning the alleged discoveries by Dr Blendmann, a professor in the Royal Academy in Berlin, of evidences that the moon is inhabited. Dr Blendmann professes to have discovered that the telephonic observations mad* up to the present time have given a negative result on account of the excessive light that irradiate* from the lunar disc, which prevents an exact examination of the surface. Dr Blen Imann softened the light by using the condensed smoke of camphor. He had to make hundreds of trials before finding the exact measure of softening required to obtain a perfect image of the moon. He then took with a reflecting telescope a very detailed and correct photographic view of the disc of the moon, which he afterwards exposed under a powerful solar microscope. The circle obtained in the photograph had in the microscope an apparent diamutur of over 33 feet. In this way the story is, he was able to perceive that what have always been believed to be seas are really regions covered with rich vegetation, and what have always been taken for mountainous regions are deserts and seas. One can see, the letter says, with striking distinctness, cities, towns and villages, and there are strong indications of industry and commerce. With a full moon Dr Blendmann has obtained photographic views so distinct that they indicate that if larger telescopes could be used the discovery would be still more completely confirmed. Within the past week somedistinguished visitors have reached Melbourne. RearAdmiral Tryoo conies out to take command of the Australian Naval Station, and be has expressed himself very favourably in regard to the defence schemes of the Colonies as far as he has had an opportunity of judging of them. Two tourists arrived in the same mailship which brought the admiral. One is Lord Elphinstone, a Scotch peer, who was formerly a commander iv the Royal Navy, and who, retiring in 1870, was subsequently connected with the Queen's household. The other is Lord Macdonald, an Irish peer, but of Scutch descent. Both noblemen purpose making a tour of the Colonies. Last, not least, is Mr J. A. Froude, the eminent English historian, who is at present staying at Government House. Mr Froude has submitted cheeri fully to J ,he interviewing nuisance, and has expressed himself freely on Colonial matters. He is not so well pleased with the comments his remarks have necessarily given rise to in the newspapers. One of the papers hints that he should gather materials for forming opinions before pronouncing judgment. To this Mr Froude replies that for the future he would wish to remain silent if permitted to do so, and that he is not foolish enough to suppose that he understands the complicated problems he has been asked to speak upon, Mr he should not have travelled so far to acquire information. Obviously, greatness has its penalties. Speaking of the hon. the Premier's Reeftnn address the Nelson Mail says : — Mr Menteath se«ms to have been placed in an even more awkward position than Mr Se.ldon. • To him was entrusted the proposing of a vote of thanks to Mr Stout for his address, but as a matter of fact, the member for the district had little or nothing to be thankful for— rather the reverse. Whilst introducing a motion expressive of the thanks of the meeting, he was himself compelled to complain of the scant courtesy he had received at the hands of the herr. of the evening, who had taken the opportunity of making remarks calculated to damage him in the uyes of the electors, or as Mr Menteath put it, ' designed to undermine his influence with his constituents " Under such circumstances Mr Menteath could scarcely bo expected display any large amount of gratitude to one who had served htm so Hiabby a trick, and feeling that he had i been so treated he would not be disposed to readily accept the Premier's assurance that he did not mean to injure him. What he had said he had said, and n» doubt there were some of Mr Menteath 's political opponents present who were glad to place the same construction that he had done on the Premier's words. We shall be curious to see how under such conditions the member for Inangahua acquitted himself when moving the vote of thanks. It seems from the telegram that he omitted from his motion an expression of confidence in the Ministry, that "several amendments" embodying this were afterwards proposed, one of which was eventually accepted, though many in the room declined to v<»te either one way or the other. The proceedings, we are toldi created "a good deal of comment," and on the whole it seems to have been rather a peculiar meeting. Whether the Premier was justified in using the opportunity afforded him tit endeavor to shake the conßdence of the electors in their member may he an open question, but we doubt tfery much whether anything he could say would greatly inj ire Mr M *>n tenth. wh« in deservedly poptil tr ! in his owu district, and promises to take i lending position iv Parliament where his irst session he created a most favorable inpression. Don't die in the house. — "Rough >n Rats " clears out rats, mice, bee;les, roaches, bed-bugs, flies, ants, incots, tholos, jack-rabbits, gophers, vempthornc, I rosser and Co. Agents' Christchurch.