TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12532, 29 June 1906, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Tlio complicated Army tangle of the war "Common-sense.'' stores i.s sorely taxing tho intellects of the investigating Commission, and, no doubt, its patience also. 'There wore moments at yesterday's sitting of the War Stores Commission," says a j recent "Daily Mail," "when tho Cluir- ! man, Mr Justice Farwell. buried his j head in his hands in despair at fathom- | ing Army methods; when even Sir j George Goldie. usually optimistic and j cheery, leant back in his chair in bewildered gloom." Some particularly interesting evidence was given on the day in question. "But would not that have been the most sensible course to pursuer asked the Chairman, to wiiich the witness replied, ''most sensible— but most irregular." The recurrence throughout tho sittings of the financial position of Meyer led Sir Francis Mowatt to form the definition that "Mr Meyer's financial positioa was perfectly sound, provided he was not asked to make any payments." An extraordin-

ary transaction with Meyer was explained by a witness. Meyer was in debt to the Army for £127,000 for stores, among theso being 3,000,0001b of oats, to which he took exception as being bad. He said it was not worth his whale to have tho oats examined, but an obliging Army Pay Department agreed as to tho poor quality of the stuff. and promptly refunded him £21.232 in cash! "But was that regular?'' asked tho Chairman, astonished at the payment of £21.232 to a man who owed" £127,000. "Perfectly regular," was the answer—backed up by reference to tho regulations. Deeply interesting was the evidence of an officer as to the methods of bribery employed by contractors. A not uncommon method in this officer's experienco was to send along a ticket for a theatre box. There he "used to keep till the. day after tho performance, and then send them back, regretting his inability to use them. Cigars used to "roll up," and once ho was offered £500. After somo conversation, witness "told the man what ho thought of him." "But," interrupted Sir George White, indignantly, "why did you discuss the matter with him?" "My curiosity was aroused " "I am sorry that you did not kick him out straight away," said the hero of Ladysmith, shortly. Witness went on to say that it was common for bribers to say, "You have got too honest a face for work," a remark which proved altogether too much for the gravity of tho Court.

Tho temper cf tho The Temper Duma is well shown of uy somo extracts from j The Duma. debate- supplied by the St. Petersburg correspondent of tho "Daily Telegraph." When tiio Vice-Presidents were being elected it was asked what Professor Gredeskul had dono that ho should become a candidate. "Tho Government deputed liim to Archangel,'' was tho explanation. "Oh,'' remarked a rustic member, "Professor Gredeskul must be an excellent man." He was duly elected. The demand for amnesty admitted no exceptions. The bomb-throwers who slew grand-dukes, governors and policemen wero to be treated as good patriots, and indirectly tho principle recognised that killing is no murder in tho strife of politics. "Having conio' hither over corpses, wo should be false to ourselves if we failed to demand the fullest amnest}-," declared one member. Another pointed out that all tho profusion of wealth displayed, at the oponing ceremony was purchased with the people's money. "All theso precious stones wero taken from my famishing, forlorn brethren; that is their sweat, their substance. Your hearts should palpitate with fear at the thought of the moment when the masses will become conscious of their right to all this wealth. Fear th© terriblo call to judgment that will emanate from below." Very significant was tho attitude of th© Conservatives who had entered tho Duma to break a lanco for the autocracy, and had accused tho Democrats of encouraging murder. All eyes wei*e turned on them when the motion demanding the amnesty was put; but they made no sign, and tho motion was carried unanimously amid a wild outburst of applause. Tho fact is, according to th© correspondent, that the Liberals are moulding the destinies of the Duma. Tho Deputies aro mostly rustics, with a mental attitude marked by superlativo passivity, and a small phalanx of Liberate members is capable of hypnotising them. The Conservatives, on tho other hand, ar© entirely lacking in moral courage, and are "but clay in th© hands of a Liberal potter, who will fashion out of tho ono vessels unto honour, and, out of the 'other vessels unto dishonour." John Alexander Dowio io Threo not tho only Elijah, in tho Elijahs, world. Whilo he, tho third Elijah, is fighting with Voliva's fnction for tho control of Zkn City, Sandford, tlio Elijah at the head of the "Holy Ghost and Us," of Shikh, Maine, has just returned, iso says an American paper, from an extended yachting trip in tho Mediterranean, to bo tried for manslaughter, and a negro Elijah has arisen in New Jersey. This latest Elijah ssems to outdo Dowie. He is a paralysed negro, William S. Crowdy by tiamc, and ho rules tho Church of God and Saints of Christ. Crowdy claims to have had a revelation that tho ancient Jews wero in reality Negroes, a revelation which ho has succeeded in persuading no less than 25,000 "black Jews" to believe. A representative of a New York pap?r who was present at a convention of tho Saints of God describes Crowdy as mumbling heavenly revelations at intervals, "which, being interpreted, meant re- i quests for less noise and an annual polltax of two cents a eainT." The writer says that "delegates came by carloads from Philadelphia, Newark, Boston, and tho southern States. The wife of an African bishop, largo Virginian mammies, slim yellow girls from Carolina, Jamaicans wit,h a British accent, jetj black Kentuckians, Uncle Romuses, and | Aunt Elizas, thin-lipped descendants of 'ante-bellum mar-tors, and flat-ncsed sons of jungle chieftains, all types wer© present." Ten years ago Crowdy was a cook on a Pullman car, when he had a vision informing him that he was Elijah, and that the chosen people were the socalled sons of Ham. "Fake prophets would appear, as told in Scripture, but he was tho original Elijah who went up , in a chariot of fire, came back on the mountain, and stayed on earth ever since. He reoeived a f*eh copy of tho j Ten Commandments, and iset about restoring tho lost tribes to their inheritance and giving warning to the whito Jews, who, he says, are deteriorated offspring of the black steck. He revived, it is stated, the Hebrew worship in its purity, establishing tabernacles and appointing officers termed deacoos, ciders, evangelists, and bishops.'' The membership extends through America and Africa, ar.d the Church is expected soon to overrun the earth, but, unfortunately, so far only ono colourless psrson has accepted the general invitation to join. A photograph of the new Elijah and his leaders shows an extremely dull-looking negro, dressed in a drcc-s suit arid decked with ribbons, surrounded by coloured people whose countenances are certainly not remarkable for signs of intelligence. But can we whites afford to throw stones at the nerrro's faith in a man like thk?

The clover harvest is now on in the Wairau district. Tho season has been a successful one, and excellent returns are reported. A large area was put down in clover this season, and the crop has been favoured with good weather, and a plenteous growth. Good, bright seed is being turned out.