NOTES.

Bush Advocate, Volume III, Issue 233, 5 November 1889, Page 2

NOTES.

4 Holy Trinity Church, Gore, is about to lose its pastor under circumstances that are not singular in that country district. In resigning his chargo the Bey. Mr Hobbs remarked concerning his parish : — Here, in the centre of a district presenting every encouragement, and in a town rapidly increasing, church life is waning, worshippers are few, contributions small, enthusiasm dying, and attempts are made to spread discontent against myself. The primary error in almost every New Zealand undertaking has been an imprudent start with a display which leaves a legacy of debt to succeeding years. I have no desire to blame those who, in erecting a church at Gore, were in sympathy with the times. It is, however, as the only remedy for their mistake that 1 am leaving Core. This mistake was threefold — the premature erection of a building ; the attempt to carry on the church's work without ministerial gnidance ; and insufficient care in finance. Till the last year I had hoped we should have been able to overcome our difficulties, but strong and repeated efforts have proved ineffectual, and in ouv present condition we are not likely to succeed. Both the committee and myself are of opinion that our best, it not our only, course is to ' break up ' and start again. CoxTHAST this state of things with that prevailing in some parts of the Old Country, and you will very likely conclude that are distribution of wealth throughout " the church " would not be a bad thing. For instance, within the boundaries of the city of London, a very small portion of the great metropolis, there are seven livings having an annual aggregate income of £14,890, and an aggregate annual resident population of 2721. The incumbents add in some cases considerably to their stipends by letting the residences which belong to them, and one of these, having been turned into offices brings in £1000 a year, and another £700. The living of St. Helen's, Bishopgate, which is the gift of the Merchant Taylors' Company, is worth no loss than £2475 a year, the population being 431 ; while St. Andrew Uundershaft, held by the Bishop of London's assistant has an inoome of £2400, and a population of 327 ! Bot even at Home the " plums " are unequally distributed, for just outside the city boundaries there are seven East-end livings which have an aggregate annual income of £1810, and an aggregate resident population of 55,131. Clearly the church so far as its financial arrangements are concerned stands in neod of overhauling. Thk federation proposal of Sir H. Pavkes is about the biggest thing of the day. The idea of creating an Australian Dominion is worthy of a statesman, and will add to the reputation of its author. Sir Henry proposes to invite the colonies to hold a National Convention to devise and report on some adequate scheme of Federal Government. In order to avoid a sense of inequality he proposes that the number of delegates from each colony should bo the same, and equally chosen from both sides of political life, such delegates to be elected by Parliament and commissioned by the Governor in Council. He suggests that the number of delegates from each colony should bo four members from the Lower House, two from each side, and two from the Upper House, one on each side, and, if New Zealand joins in the proposal, the Convention will consist of 40 members. Federation, it is assumed would necessarily follow on tho lines of the constitution of the Dominion of Canada, namely, to provide a Governor. General for the Dominion of Australia, and a Queen's Privy Council ; also that the legislative power shall be exercised by a Parliament of two Houses, called the .Senate and the House of Commons. It will bo interesting to note how the proposals will be received by the colonies to whom they have been addressed, including New Zealand. A Hoi'Kia'L sign of the break-down of the barriers to trade may be gleaned from the following paragraph : — Politicians of both sides in South Australia arc prepared to make certain concessions in regard to trade with the sister colonies, in order to facilitate the introduction into those colonies of their native wines. Negotiations are now being carried on with Queensland as to the admission of Queensland sugar duty free into South Australian ports ; and there appear* tq be Jjttle doubt thafc should the politicians of New Zealand express an opinion that it would be advantageous to admit South Australian wines duty free into our poyts, South Australia on her part would be prepared to reciprocate by admitting New Zealaud oats free of duty, Tiik poor Czar ! What a burden must life be to him, especially when he travels. All sorts of precautions have then to be taken to ensure his safety, the latest being the construction of a new Imperial train.

j The saloons are covered with iron on the outside, and then come oight inches of cork, instead of the steel plates with which the carriages of the old train were protected. All the saloons (which communicate by a covered passage) are exactly tho same in outward appearance, so that no outsider may be able to discover in which carriage the Czar is travelling. During the Emperor's journey last autumn he passed most of his time in a carnage which, from the outside, looks like a luggage-van. Theme are some credulous people in the world and no mistake. One such is in Wellington, where he has lately arrived from the country. Let the Post tell the tale : — Desirous of returning to the Old Country after an excess of colonial experience, a young fellow, who shall be nameless, proceeded on board the B.M.S. Buapehu, which was departing for Home the following day, with the idea of enquiring if there was a chance of his working a passage. While following out his quest he oame across one of the firemen of the vessel, who confidently imparted the information that he (the fireman) was empowered to engage additional men, as the ship was smorthanded. A bargain was quickly struck, and the young fellow went away rejoicing, and shortly after shipped his box aboard. While doing a round of farewells, somebody suggested that it would perhaps be as well if higher authority than the fireman should be interviewed about the billet, which suggestion was acted upon, and the discovery made that the fireman's yarn was pure fiction. The fireman was subsequently interviewed on the subject, and after a warm argument the young fellow took his box ashore, but on opening it discovered that the clothiug, etc., which it had contained (about £20 worth) had been taken. When he enquired of the fireman about the theft, he was told to make himself scarce or he would be knifed. The matter was reported to the police the next day, but the information reached thorn too late for any action to be taken, as the ship had left port. Matters immigrational are on the mend. The Mararoa on her last trip from Sydney brought about 90 passengers to Auckland while the departing steamer only took 50 away, of whom 24 were steerage. A New Zealandcr, writing from Sydney to a friend in Auckland states that if people are leaving New Zealand, it is at the same time an unquestionable fact that they are also leaving Sydney in large numbers, every steamer being crowded. The Railway Commissioners, God bless them, being unable to think of anything better, hare resolved to charge the newpapers £d a copy for carrying loose copies and 2d for 71bs weight for any distance up to 75 miles. Subscribers to newspapers will no doubt fully appreciate this kindness on the partof the Commissioners who, we suppose, are instituting the charge by way of commemorating the jubilee year amongst the newspaper proprietors. Or is it revenge for the many kind tilings the papers have said about the beloved Maxwell. Somkbody writes from Geraldine to the Temul'a Leader giving particulars of a new system of cultivation adopted by an acquaintance of the writer, who says : — " This consists of a good-sized pig — a real Captain Cook— who was hard at work at the time of my visit. This gentleman was tethered with a strong chain several yards in length, so that he could come and go upon the patch he was at work upon. When all within range of his tether has been turned over his owner shifts his peg to a new patch of ground, when a fresh piece is turned over. One small paddock of about two acres has been brought under cultivation in this manner and sown down with grass seed, and is at present looking exceedingly well." We don't recommend any of our settlers to go in for the new system upon an extensive scale. By the way speaking of scale, here is a receipe for scale blight on fruit trees, which the Jlawcra Star says has been tried most successfully : — lOlbs unslaked lime, 20 gallons water 201bs sulphur; boil until thoroughly dissolved, then add 251b3 lime, lolbs salt, and water sutneiont to make CO gallons solution. Strain and apply milk warm with a spray pump. This wash is said not to have hurt the fruit when applied after the trees had blossomed out. It should be used in the fall as soon as the foliage drops j then if necessary, make a second application in the spring before the fruit trees bloom. A>*othkii hint from the same paper which has also been" confidently recommended" as a sure proven tativc of destruction of garden seeds by small birds:— Pour kerosene on the seed about to be sown, taking care that the latter is pretty well saturated and allow it to stand for a|couple of hours or so, at the expiration of which period it may be sown with perfect safely. It is said that the germinating qualities of the seed are not affoeted in the slightest degreeby the process. We learn on good authority (aays the Wanganui Herald) that the business of the New Zealand Shipping Company for the past year has proved very satisfactory. After paying interest on the debenture stock and all expenses, the net earnings of the Company amount to £90,000, suflicicnt to pay a high rate of interest on the capital ; but the profits will be devoted, in accordance with a determination of tho Pireotors expressed at the last meeting, to pay off a deficiency due to the improper charging of expenses to capital.