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Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1391, 25 April 1865, Page 4

A curious suggestion is made in a recent number of the Southern Cross, an Auckland newspaper. The writer refers to the success which attended the mission of the celebrated conjuror Kobert Houdin, when he was employed by the French Government to out-trick the fanatical Arab priests in Algeria; and suggests that " Capt. Wilson, a medical mesmerist, now practising in Canterbury, might do a world of good, more particularly if he were armed with a galvanic apparatus or electrical machine, and a few other helps, to enable him to ' astonish the natives.' It is really worth discussing whether £500 a-year, paid to some competent gentleman,would not do a vast deal of good, and be more likely to draw the natives from their fanatical leanings,than pretending to shoot them when we don't shoot them." The author of this suggestion relies on the allegation that both the Arab priests and the Pai Marire fanatics were well versed in mesmerism and electro-biology, and that both have used that knowledge to make converts by the performance of pretended miracles, we venture, however, to doubt whether the two cases are quite alike. As far as we can recollect Houdin's own account of his mystifying the Arabs, the means he employed were neither mesmerism nor elec-tro-biology, but juggling or sleight-of-hand. His great feat was letting them shoot at him with an apparently loaded gun, and making them believe he caught the ball. There seems reason to believe that mesmerism has something to do with the influence exercised by the Pai Marire fanatics. If so, however, it would be a dangerous weapon to trifle with. The Maoris might have reason to doubt the superiority of the white man, if they found him only a greater adept than their own priests in practising delusion by natural means. The priests, at any rate, would be in the secret, and might take the first opportunity of trying whether the white mesmerist knew how to keep his own head on his shoulders. Again, he might possibly meet with Maoris possessing a stronger will, or greater electro-biologic power, than himself. But our chief objection to the proposal is, that it depends for success on deception—a course which has never succeeded yet with the Maori people. Sir George Grey and others have often tried it with them, and almost invariably failed. It is too true, certainly, that kindness and Christianity have failed of late to ensure the safety of bishops and clergymen. One has been barbarously murdered, and others have had to abandon their homes and property, after remaining faithfully at their posts till the danger was too great. General Cameron and an army of twenty thousand soldiers have failed to pacify them. A host of bishops and missionaries have failed to retain them in the Christian faith. "We can hardly believe that the most scientific of mesmerists, armed with the most powerful electric or galvanic apparatus, would succeed any better in civilizing th^m.