THE PASSING OF A REPUBLIC.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 269, 11 November 1913, Page 4

THE PASSING OF A REPUBLIC.

The lifo of the Chinese. Republic has been eventful but painfully short, and there is a strong flavour of sentiment and pathos in the .loclaration of the '"Times" that the new form of democratic government that -was- initiated with sucli high hopee and such fervid enthusiasm only a few months ago i« now ''the shadow of a dream." Probably the ''Times'' is right in its contention that the Chinese people are not yet adapted for constitutional government. But so far the people have, never had a fair ehanc» of showing their capacity in this respect. For the truly democratic party, the Nationalist?, headed by Sun-Vat-Sen, have had no opportunity to carry their principles into effect. Through, lack of money and military strength, they had to throw themeelvea into the arms of Yuan-Shi-Kai, and the old Viceroy, with all his ability and political experience, is the very antithesis of a democrat. Yuan-Shi-Kai accepted bhe poM, of President iv the new republic, and allowed himself to be utilised by the to overthrow the hated -Jlanchti dynasty. But as soon as ever he had secured control of the. fina-nces and the army he made it perfectly clear that he had no sympathy for democratic or even constitutional idpale. The Nationalists, indignant at what they regarded as treachery and tyranny, raised a rebellion; but without money or disciplined troops to aid them itc failure was inevitable. Sun-yat-sen and the other Nationalist leaders are now in exile, and Yuan-shi-kai is thus undisputed master of China. Possibly the benevolent dcepotiem that tie hae set up will accord with the national prejudice in favour of patriarchal authority; and in any cisc Yuan-shi-kai i? no vulgar tyrant. He i<, s tkilful opportunkt, but on the whole a wife and prosreesive M3t<-isni;;ii. and h;s- rule is certain to bonefi' ("'him Wan*? lip it strong enough 10 establish ainl maintain order ill (hat distracted country. Bin. a be. for Sun-yat-sen *n.-J hi<* noble idea's: : * .i fni>> patriot, and t'lnuph for the moment his projects seem more visionary and impracticable t.inn ever. he. has the coneolation of knowing Oist he lias inspired large number? nf the Chineeo people for the first rime w ! t"n .i of racial and nstioml unity, :mi t.hat «-»n -lie military deepotipm I ha , ! now set up Fekine under oon»titurion.il fnrn".s canno; tjuencin th* spirit th.it. he h*b hn-.uhe.i into the hearts of hi* countrymen.

The following is Mr. D. C. Bates' j weather forecast for 24 hours from 9 I a.m. this day:—"The indications are for ■ southerly winds, moderate to strong, j The weather will probably prove equally, j with heavy showers. The barometer is . rising, and the weather will prtfbaibly j become colder. Tides moderate. Sea moderate swell." At the ordinary meeting of the Mount Albert Borough Council yesterday evening the Mayor (Mr. M. .1. Ooyle) and Councillor Astley were appointed delegates to alt end a conference in the Chamber of Commerce to discuss the Whau cana! scheme, though they were not given authority to vote, in view of the proposal to have the matter submitted to a Royal Commission for report. An offer from Mr. T. Kapier to subscribe £127 10/ towards the cost of building a culvert across the Meola Creek, on the Xew Xorth Road, was accepted by the Council, subject to certain conditions. Thus discoursed » Christ-church paper fifty years ago:— "We are much alarmed at observing a peculiar contraction of the muscles of the. face which is gradually coming -upon most ot the ladies in Chriefcehureh. The screwing-up of the nose and eyes which is inseparable from a habitual residence in a dusty town is beginning to be painfully perceptible in their otherwise charming features. Use and disuse are rapidly coining into play, and we arc seriously frightened at the prospect before us. The hideousness of the rualfi sex ie a matter of small moment, but it is intolerable that the Anglo-?axon type of beauty should be suffered to degenerate into the hateful contortions with which we are becoming so .painfully familiar merely because people won't water their street*" Mr. E. Herbert Gibson, taxidermist at the Otago Museum, has completed his work of preparing to the order of the Marine Department, for the Auckland Exhibition, three representations of brown trout taken from the Hakataramoa. Thiis i.-,b has been carried out in a manner that earn-? thr> approval of the 1 highest expert*. Impressions of the living fi?h were taken, and they were thpn reproduced in gelatin* , . The scale?, the nerve-iines, the spot*, ihe little indentations are all brought out iv the modelling, so that the fi.-h reappear as in life with their tribal and their individual peculiarities. These exhibit.-, a=. well as that of a fur seal, done up like new, are to be forvarded at om'f to Auckland." I Some years ago the Grey Lynn Fin 1 . Brigade were the tneanf of saving Mr. J. W. TattersfieM a considerable amount of property. At the meeting of the Borough Council last night, the Deputy Mayor iMr. G. J. Carland). on behalf of Councillor Tnttersfipid, presented to Superintendent Fenton. for the brigade, a handsome large silvpr cup on avi ebony stand. He explained this was to be called the Richmond Challenge Cup. Mr. Oarland said they were proud of a townsman who would do such a thoughtful act. It was to be competed for annually by members of the brigade. It had to be won three timee in succession, or four times at intervals, before it passed from the care of the brigade. Mr. Fenton tharjeed the donor for his generosity, and a special vote wae also passed by the Council. For the time at least the boom in the whaling "business, co far as foreign companies are eoßcerned, seems to have entirely Subsided, llany people who are in a position to speak authoritatively are of opinion that the fizzling out was entirely due to too many fleets operating at one. time, and they point to the fact that Xew Zealand companies continue to make highly satisfactory profits, as high as 120 per' cent being recorded last season. It is quite on the cards that next year a flotilla, probably owned by a Southland company, -irfl} be operating in southern waters. A find of rich alluvial gold, about three miles, is reported from Opbir towin-jhip, Vincent county. 120 miles from Dunedin. The gold is of a. rough nature, and several pieces weighing a few dwt. have been obtained. The, locality was. in t'ae early days of the goldfields, famous for rich patches of goldI bearing wash, 'but the difficulty of bringI ing in water has always been a .bar to the systematic working of the field. A simple way to kill gorse. according to a Wellington correspondent, is to strip the bark with a knife 4in. or 6in. up thp stem, and about lin. below the surface. " Be sure you do it properly in all the crevices." he says in a letter to the "'Post." " Yoit will soon have the pleasure of seeing the bush dead, and no grubbing out of the stumps will be required to kill it. .It will be dead very toon. This is the best time of the year to do it, while the gorse is in bloom." In the Supreme Court at Wellington yesterday, Philip Alfred Rive, of Ma-s----terton, a. commercial traveller, proceeded against the Railway Department to recover £200 damages for injuries sustained through falling over a sack of vegetables left on the Featherston station platform. The jury returned a verdict for the defendant.' Counsel for the plaintiff intimated that he would apply for a new trio!. The Union Company's wharves wear a de.serted appearance, as no cargo is feeing received. Twenty-five tubs of live fish for Auckland arrived by a Japanese liner to-day, intended for the aquarium at the Auckland Exhibition. In view of the New Zealand strike, the Fisheries Department will take charge of them until a favourable opportunity for forwarding offers. Some excitement waa caused in Cameron street. YVhangarei. late yesterday afternoon, by a fire which broke out in the ground floor office of the Settlers' Hotel. Luckily, the outbreak was subdued in an early stage, before much damage wa*s done. As this hotel is erected in wood, and has been standing many years, it is extremely fortunate that the outbreak was quelled before it had a chancr t" secure a good hold. At the meeting of the Grey Lynn Borough Council last night the Deputy Mayor reported that there was such a small attendance at the conference re the Manukau Canal scheme that it was decided to adjourn till a larger attendance could be secured. Messrs. Masefield and Co. submitted a plan for the sub-division of Hellaby's pstate. Richmond. This was referred to the Engineer to report. .A hatch of young me.n weir, ronrirted at thf Onehunga Police Couit yesterday by Messrs. D. A. Sutherland and j. Laking. T.P.V. for failing to attend military drill. They were also fined a? fAllow=: Joseph Vi.-00. £2. and 7/ rosts: Charles V. Parker, ordered t6 pay costs. 7 'r William J. Downey, £2. nnd costs 7;: Erin Booth, hi, and costs 7 : Lewis McCHntock. 5/, and 7/ msts: Harold A. Adams, ordered to pay 7 ' rr>?t^. The Auckland Women's Political Reform Lpague announces by advertisement that they are pledged to support the (jov»rnin*nti end hay» no connection with th« Women's Political League.

An enlarged photograph of a burly negro was a prominent exhibit in a case heard by Mr Kettle, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court this morning. It was the bone of contenticu between the subject, J. Richardson, and the photographer, Jas. Wood, who claimed the sum of 30/ for it. The defendant's wife (a white womanj, said that the plaintiff was entertained at her house last. Christmas Day, and in the course of conversation said he could make an enlargement of a photograph of her husband ior 15/. She gave him the small photo, but he -lid not produce the enlargement till eight months later. He wanted 30/ for it. and she declined to pay, because it was a poor enlargement, and she considered she lmd been kept waiting an unreasonable time. The defendant. whn a voice so deep that he was decidedly hard to understand. sai.'l that he was rather | the worse for liquor la*t Christmas, and didn't remember ord-ering the picture. His Worship said In , was satisfied that the picture had been duly ordered, and gave judgment for 30 ' against Mrs Richardson, as the person nlio did the ordering. He ordered ih<- picture to be kept in Court in the meanwhile. "A large estate at Ti'ripuni. situated on the eouthAVMt Mfte of the lake, is being disposed of by tlip S : etPi>. "f Mercy by private treaty. Thr t*'a:r. !n- been subdivided into about l-~O r>^;ion*, and about 00 are now Teady :'t occupation. A meeting was held I3M. evening in Sj. Mary's schoolroom, Ponsonby, for the allotment nf sections. Bi*hnp Cleary presiding, and in all 25 wer- , disposed of without the necessity for h ballot in any instance. A good proportion of toe. sections front the tramline, an.l the prices range from 4-6/ to 33/ n foot, according to location. So far /:e road on the estate (Shea Terrace 1 h-ae been dedicated, and two other* will be completed in due course. The, prices of sections have 'been fixed by independent valuer*, and the purchasers ere principally per60ns desiring to help the work of the Sisters. A number of inquiries for the balance, of the first lot of 00 sections are being received, nnd further illmments will be made from time to time. Mr Kettle, S.M.. and Mr It A. linger bad a brief bur animated dispute in the Magistrate's Court this morning durins the progress of a Mr Singer asked a, witness a question wnioh bis Worship considered improper. 'That is a very wrons question to ask. Mr Sincrer." said Mr Kettle. Mr Singer im inert Mte.lv repeated the question. "1 will nnt allow I this any longer," said hi.- 'Worship, "the question is most improper because it suggests an answer to the. witness. L have had to complain of your conduct in this matter before, and if T have any further trouble I will commit you." "If your Worship will allow mi> to conduct my own case,' , rejoined Mr with some heat, "I believe that is the usual procpdure "' "Sit do"p! Mr Singer. Sit down!" said his Worship anjrrilj. Mr Singer sat down, and, after the Bench had got a few leading facts cut of the witness, his examination wae allowed to proceedTwo girle had just entered "n the street from their home? in the city this morning to go to their employment, when they were accosted by a man understood to be a picket. It'is stated that he peremptorily demanded them to return to their house. They refused, and also refused to tell him where they worked, and, further, told him that they belonged to no union, and would please themselves. "You have your lunches," I see." he said, ''while we are on the way to starvation. If you will work, then, would you sign a document to give at least one halfcrown per week to the strike fund." This was refused, and one of the srirls. becoming alarmed, hastily decamped. The. other girl stood her ground, and eventually trudged off to work. At the Police Court this morning an information against W. X. Gamble, that he was the owner of 3 doe that rushed out at a by-passer, was ndjourned sine die on defendant's agreeing to so restrict the dog's scope of operations that it will not Ibe able to annoy by-paseers. An order was made against Charles James Stevens (23) that he contribute 10/ a week for four weeks, and thereafter 20/ a week, towards the maintenance of his wife. It is interesting to note that the present industrial trouble has had no appreciable effect as yet upon the number of applications for relief mad-- , to either the Charitable Aid Bcrard or the Ladies' Benevolent Society. Inquiries made this morning showed that the. number of applicants was practically unchanged, though tho.se in authority considered that ;i prolongation of the present strike would undoubtedly result in further appenls for aid. At a sitting in chambers tills morning the case Bush v. (Hannan, claim £1,000 damages, was mentioned, and on the application of the defendant, an adjournment was granted until the next civil sittings. Mr. W. K. Moore appeared in support, and Mr. Stan ton for the plaintiff. Particulars have reached the Dominion concerning the prices realised by the first and part of the second consignments of honey sent to England through the Waikato Beekeepers' Association. The first consignment of 130 cases realised from 33/ to 46/fi per evt, the whole lot showing an average of 43/4 per cwt. .Sonic of the lower-priced lots were described by the brokers as "pale and rather lumpy." "setting, dark and sugary," "set, dullish, lumpy," etc. The highestpriced lots were described as "set amber. Of forty cases of the second shipment sold, twelve realised 37/6 per cwt. and the other twenty-eight went for 43/6 per cwt. Yesterday was the forty-fifth anniversary of the poverty Bay massacre, during which 32 English settlers were ruthlessly slaughtered by thr fanatical Hauhftus under Te Kooti. who had escaped from the Chatham Islands, by taking possession of the schooner Kifferaan. Mr. H.-irr-.s presented a further petition tn Parliament last ni.crht praying that the Auckland He if-Holiday Bill be not allowed to pass into law. The petition, had 10,327 signatures, was referred direct 10 the Public Petitions Committee. • "Poultry Man" writes:—"The report in your paper anent the price of eeps is lid wholesale. >.ow. this is not- correct, as I have been regularly recoiling ]/2 per dozen. The rptflil pric." for duck eggs is 1 '4. and hen egg.* 1, :>. Wh«n the quotation was 10d. Snieetons. Ltd.. were offpring 1/1 at .-.tntion and boat. Should not these untrue statements as to price be in the future stopped? li seems to m> , these quotn'ions by the Grocers' Association is a fraud on the vendors." Messrs Bnrinf-y and Finns' steamer I service to Hobsonvi!!,-. in- Riverbeai will be resumed to morro./, rhe 5.6. Pitoiioi lea ling Rivn'ri i it 7.30 a.m. A Southland contei.p >r in mre.s ihat there is every promise. n( a record crop of stone fruit in this district that ooming season, and growers are busy thinning out the fruit. This will 'be welcomed by the growers, who had a bad season last year. Other fruits are also showing promise of heavy crops, so that there i≤ a prosperous season in sight*