ESTABLISHED 1875 The Manawatu Daily Times. The Oldest Manawatu Journal Published Every Morning. TUES... [truncated]
Manawatu Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 7645, 10 February 1903, Page 2
About this newspaper
ESTABLISHED 1875
The Manawatu Daily Times. The Oldest Manawatu Journal Published Every Morning. TUESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 1903. EDITORIAL NOTES.
Mr W. Montgomery is to be eoil.-gratulated on the promptitude which he has exhibited in bringing under jCl^n notice of the Premier the Juaicrotuj pr.o^al o establish the Dairy School at Ley in, ins^aa 'of. af a central position like Palmerston North. Judging ci il>o Freinier's prompt reply, he has taken his customary strong grasp of the situation, and though^ he has ,c referred fjh<i .matter to the Minister of Lands," it Avilfbe Mr S.o.d.dpn- who Avill deal with it when the 'cruciiil .m^iient comes- It behoves our local authorities, therefore, to make strong
i"presentations to the Premier on this subject in writing and in person in order that Palmerston's undoubted claims in regard to this matter shall not be overlooked. Let them not forget that politicians habitually count heads while they are giving matters their "earnest consideration."
The proposal to abolish wards in Palmerston is one that has precedent and reason to recommend it. Ward government spells parochialism, and all that is petty and narrow in local politics. What this town requires is a smaller team of 'stronger pullers, and a pull hard, and a pull all together.
The Man in the Street wants to know what accommodation 1S to bo provided for the bandsmen when they come here for the contest next year. This is a pertinent question. If the Borough Council is live and earnest on the Opera House question, and has the luck to be unable to find a buyer for the library site, we ought to be able to welcome the bandsmen and visitors in a brand spanking new building that nobody will be ashamed of. If tins question is hung up by contingencies we shall have no place to put the bandsmen and visitors in, and we shall be liable to be convicted of gross presumption and false pretences in having invited them here. Hundreds of people were present during the holding of the Masterton contest, and thanks to the foresight of the people at that place there was a town hall in which to accommodate them. It may confidently be expected that there will be thousands at Palmerston when the contest is here. What provision are we going to make ?
The struggling and elbowing that goes on at the Palmerston station after the arrival of the trains each day is a sight to witness—from a distance. The avoidance of serious accidents under the circumstances is, when not a miracle, a testimony to the sobriety of the populace in general. The perpetuation of the existing state of things is, as has been often said before, a scandal and a disgrace, and a reflection on the much-boasted good management of the Railway Department. We do not know how many years' imprisonment we are entitled to for the suggestion, but we do ask the local porter system that if anybody is to be pushed off the platform and under incoming trains in one of these daily melees', that they shall select some stout politician with a yearly gold pass on his vest to be the victim—a Government supporter for preference. If they succeed in this, a strong effort should then be made to get the Premier to come up and deliver a short oration at the funeral.
Mr S. Luxford, in the course of a letter published in our issue of yester-. day, said: —« It is* a common thing for a judge at a show to find one or more animals of his own breedingplaced before him in a show ring." This statement of fact from a prominent breeder is rather startling. It shows, firstly, that some agricultural shows are rather lax iv thenmethods of selecting judges, and, secondly, that very estimable gentlemen interested in stock matters are frequently placed in a painful and invidious position. It is obvious that when a judge finds himself face to face with an animal bred by himself in the show ring, there is only one course open to him and that is to gracefully retire and leave the adjudication to someone else. In justice to himself and in fairness to all concerned, there is nothing for him to do but to pull out. We speak, of course, of the general and not of the particular.
It is evident from the tenor of the cables from South Africa that a spirit, of _ unrest pervades not only the districts which have recently been painted red, but also—and more especially—in Cape Colony, where the populace still nurses the bitterness which is the aftermath as it was the forerunner of the war, and where the great wire-pullers are constantly engaged in one pursuit, viz., to enrich and aggrandise themselves at the expense of their neighbours. It is significant of much that both De Wet and Botha are in the same cleft stick, and that both would be willing to co-operate with the Government except for the fear that they will lose cast with the malcontent Boers. The Standard's theory that De Wet will end in becoming an instrument of the Bond in the struggle for the mastery between the conflicting sections in South Africa may or may not be correct, but it is a subtle indication of the way in which South African affairs are trending.
The Feilding people are agitating to get a railway built from Feilding to Kimbolton. They are doing emphatically the right thing. The Palmerston and Ashhurst people would be on the right track if they 1 were urgently advocating the construction of the Ashhurst-Pohangina railway. But they are on the festina lerte ticket—doing nothing.
Mr Wise, the New South Wales Attorney-General, probably woke up on the morning after the speech in which he urged the rights of the Commonwealth to a voice in the settlement of the Venezuelan question, to find himself famous. We can imagine how the London editors would seize upon such a juicy theme, and serve it up in .all shapes as a repast for their readers. The idea of admitting the Colonies into the .Imperial working partnership is no new one, but a case in point has never before been quite so forcibly! oi: succintly stated. For our part we think Great Britain would be ill-advised indeed were she to allow the Colonies' politicians to be even ..informed of the trend of delicate diplomatic negotiations. The okd lion is quite able to take care of hiihself without advice from the cubs, though the day may come—^—. The Napier schoolteachers, recognising that if technical education is to come in, some otliei' br;uid of schooling will have to go out, are appealing to the Education Department to know which part of the syllabus they had better jettison. This is the problem which Earthquake Hogben and his pathetic Uppej; lipiiae Minister have spent years in endeavouring to evade. But if schoolteachers generally are earnest about the problem it will be writ up so large on the political blackboard that it will have to be answered,
The Hon. William Eolleston, who passed to his rest on Sunday, was not successful as a politician ; but he was a grand man and an example, par excellence, of the clean-lived gentleman in public life. An idealist and a dreamer by disposition, he was ifj,}! mpre apt at formulating schemes for the aciyanceintmjb yf. lijs follows than at forcing them' througlv "the legislature at the political bayonet point. His emotional qualities were too great to enable hi™ t'9 hee>Wf<r '$ giKt-t fighting force. His attacks' iipon iijs ' opp^riunfcs Qst force for this reason, and often became rjueyulous, exaggerated, and inconsequential instead of effective, as they were meant to be. It was in the caucus, the lobby, and committee room that the magnetism of William Rolleston's personality exerted itself, and where tho wisdom of his keentempered
brain found sway. He was Conservative by instinct, but was prompted by the spirit of idealism to the promotion of a number of schemes for the benefit of his fellows, and it is claimed for him that he was the author of the perpetual lease and village-settlement schemes. Firm friend, iQI faithful citizen, bis death will be widely regretted.
The Borough Council of New Plymouth has duly received from the Government a loan of £7000 for abattoir purposes. Meanwhile the Palmerston city fathers arc still considering the question.
Messrs Lowes and lorns will offer at Masterton on Thursday and Friday, 19th and 20th February, 1600 rams, bred by prominent breeders, including 455 Southdowns and 155 Shropshire Downs.
The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Co., in conjunction with A. Buckland and Sons, will sell Mr F. W. Burnett's stud flock of Shropshire sheep at Auckland on Thursday, February 19th.
Ite-opcning services in connection with the Cuba-street Methodist Church will be held next Sunday at 11 a.m., 8 p.m., and 7 p.m. Eev. Mr Bond, of Wellington, will be the preacher, and special addresses, music, and anthems will be features of tho occasion.
Painters arc at present busy on the new Bulls bridge, and it is expected that in a very short while the structure will be handed over completed to the authorities. A peculiar feature of the bridge is that it has a fall from tho Sandon end of 15 feet in all.
The fifth annual meeting of the Pohangina Sports Association will bo held in Messrs Russell Bros.' paddock, Raumai, on Tuesday, March 17th, 1903. A good sporting programme has been arranged for .£(SO worth of prize money, and there will be a band in attendance. The full programme appears elsewhere.
Two local characters attempted to settle a difficulty in the " good old English fashion" (which is so unpopular with the police) near tho racecourse on Sunday morning. The combatants are being called upon to answer certain charges before the local magistrate,
Mr Seddon told a Unionist deputation at Wellington last night that he was quite prepared to ask Parliament to make preference to unionists compulsory. Bather than have the Supreme Court placed in an invidious position he would have a change made in the composition of the Arbitration Court.
The Premier will be banquettcd at Levin to-night. Prior to that ho will be deputationised until tired, and then taken out on to Lake Horowhenua to recuperate.
Mother Mary Joseph Aubert proposes to start a creche in Wellington. A Creche is an institution in which mothers, who are compelled to earn their living, may leave their children night and day, and where they they will receive proper attention from responsible people.
The sale to be conducted by Mi- Harry Palmer at the residence of Mr Barr.iud on Wednesday and Thursday will be the most important sale of furniture which has taken place in the district for some years. Those in search of lawn mowers will have a chance of securing a large Eansome's patent automaton lawn mower, also two of Ransome's edge trimmers. Busses will leave Palmer's mart for the sale at 10.45 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Several minor offences were dealt with by Mr Greenfield, S.M., yesterday. For driving cattle through prohibited streets, Martin Craven was fined ss, with 7s costs ; William L.Wiltshire was fined ss, with 9s costs, for driving an unlicensed vehicle; and for causing an obstruction in a public place—refusing to move on in a crowded place—-a cabman named John Jones was convicted and fined 20s, with 9s costs.
"Truth's-" Wellington correspondent says that the Premier has issued a strongly worded circular to the heads of departments, insisting that there shall be move persistent attention on the part of staffs to their duties, and less of what is known as the Government stroke. The circular is calculated 10 check the habit of some civil servants of going out for 11 o'clock beef tea, and making afternoon appointments away from the office.
A contemporary quotes the following very interesting paragraph to grain growers of this colony, taken from "Cassells' Illustrated" of October loth, 1859 :— "Three hundred sparrows, carefully selected from the best hedgerows .in England, have been lately sent to New Zealand. The food alone put aboard for them cost £18. The necessity of small birds to keep down the grubs that devastate the crops in that colony has long. been felt. The farmer is beset with myriads of caterpillars. Should the sprrow become acclimatised and multiply, the greatest benefit will have been conferred on the country."
A meeting was held last evening in the Baptist Church of the Palmerston North Prohibition League, the Rev. Mi- Richards being in the chair. Considerable business resulting from the late option poll was dealt with, and the Rev. S, Lawry was specially thanked for the able manner in which he edited the Clarion, a little publication issued during the election campaign in the interests of the movement. It was decided to hold meetings in the future which would induce a larger attendance of supporters of the principal of prohibition. These will take the place of socials which it is expected will prove more attractive than dry meetings.
At the Manawatu Drainage Board meeting yesterday the tender of R. C. Hudson was accepted for cleaning out the Foxton Road drain, at 3s per chain. The drain past Mr Davy's property is to be extended by ten chains, and J4O are to be. spent in Kairanga-Bunnythorpe road drain. Tenders arc to be called for drain-cleaning contracts Nos. 2 to 13, Crs. Bryant, Sanson, and Voss to have power to accept. A petition was presented by Mr Bennett from several settlers asking for an outlet for the Mangat Creek into the drain. Mr Bennett offered £10 towards the cost, of the work. Estimates of the work and further undertakings suggested by the engineer are to prepared by that official.
Mr Orel Hume, the judge at the Masterton Band Contest, was a visitor to Palmerston yesterday. He expressed great satisfaction at the general arrangcmentt of the Masterton Contest Committee, and eulogised -the efforts of the supervisor Mr F. Hunn. The North Island Band Association's government of the contest, however, was not so successful, and Mr Hume considered several of the association's rules would stand revision. On the whole he was very pleased with the playing of the bands, and considered it was far superior to the Australian music. Of all the Australian contests he had attended, he said the management of the Ballarat fixture had been the host. Speaking of the proposed English tour of the New Zealand Band, Mr Hume said he was of opinion that it would have been advisable in some respects for a single band to havo made the tour, instead of a combination that had not had a great deal of practice together. Asked if he would be present at the Palmerston contest next year, Mr Hume said it would be impossible. Ho intended proceeding immediately to England, as he had a considerable amount of important work to get through, but he would return to the colonies in about two years' time. Mr Hume left Palmerston by the evening train. ' •
The Committee responsible for the arrangements for the farewell concert to bandsmen Meyriek and Tombs have made every effort to place a fh-st-class programme before the public. Following are the items ;—Selection "Test Kieee." Eiihncrstpn North Band; song {sclce'teil'i, Ivjv .]. Bprmrap; violin solo " Sonata in E Minor" (Mozart)', Master Victor Harris ; song !' O dry those tears," Miss Hush ; recitation - The Creole," Mr Ifaybittlc ; semg *' A dream of Para= ch'se," Miss H'argood ; sang, with violin and 'cello accompaniment " The Bandoliers," Mr l' Hunn; violin solo (selected), Mr T. Kitchen ; club swinging, Campbell-street School girls; quintette, piano, violin, viola, 'cello and double bass, Miss Gaustacl, Messrs Ishcrwood, Cohen, Tombs and Wingatc; song (comic), Mr F. Peat; cornet solo, Mi- Francis ; song " The Nightingale's Trill," Miss Hargood ; violin solo " Hope ioli} ((, t]atiorhig t<uV' Master Vie tor Harris; spiig'"Tselected), Miss Berrin ; song ■■ Coronation ditty " Mr F, Hunn • song and dance, Mr Wood; instrumental Quartette, Baud,.
Xmas Bazaar.—Wm P,irk announces bis grnj.ad a/inna! Bazasr row open. His display of goods h th'p largesf; and best ever shown in the district" with special low piipes for &mas, The shipments include diaries, prize and prcsenta. tion bock?; new annuals, leather goods, china and glassware, electro plata Japanese goods, Croquet, Ciicket and Tennis materia!, toys in m endless Variety <S,-c.-**-Advt.
In making his opening speech at the criminal sessions at Auckland yesterday the judge said the remarkable feature of tho calendar was the very great and regrettable number of charges of an indecent character. The latter part of the calendar lie characterised as " a chapter of horrors," and he also declared with something akin to despair that the young men of to-day, instead of working as their fathers had done preferred to steal. Nearly all the prisoners before him were youths.
