Miscellaneous.

Clutha Leader, Volume XX, Issue 1034, 18 May 1894, Page 7

Miscellaneous.

* A broad view of life means the cultivation of a mind that can take in every part of the horizon of the truest living ) that can see good in everything: that accepts the good -and rejects, not investigates, the bad. Leave that to some one else to do. The outlook from the wheel-house of an ocean steamer is far better than it is from the stoke-hole, j Curiosity may lead some people to go down and look into the stoke-holes of life, but you will find the atmosphere purer and the vision'clearer if you stay iv the wheel-house. Some surprise was expressed by visitors at the recent banquet at Shag Point at seeing a posse of police on duty, and the question naturally suggested itself : What do they want here 1 On inquiry it was found, however, that one of the chief promoters of the banquet applied for police protr.ctian, evidently under the fear that the Ssobieites would muster in strong force and inflict reprisals on those who had been instrumental in organising the now notorious rowdy meeting in the Palmerston Town Hall on the night before the election. Such a fear, however, was groundless, Scobie's friends, if there were any present, displayed better judgment than to bring discredit and disgrace on themselves by disturb ing the harmony of the gathering, and, as a consequence, the proceedings passed oft very successfully, and without any unpleasant interruption. The services of the police, who kept sentry near the public hall, which was anything but a sinecure on a bitter cold night, were not required. — Palmerston Times. When such a 'very respectable' journal as the Spectator and such a prominent Conservative as the Hon. A. J. Balfour admit that the referendum is rapidly entering the region of practical politics, we may safely predict that the great reform in the English Constitution is at hand. Mr Balfour, who gave the key-note to the Spectator, qualified his adhesion to the principle of referring important and disputed legislation to the nation as a whole ; but his qualifications, as one of his critics remarked at the time, were of a perfectly general kind, and amounted to little more than the very sensible declaration that all innovation are bad unless there is a clear need for them. ' Though I am far from saying/ he observe'], ' that we should make this innovation, or any other innovation, upon the British Constitution, so far I am prepared to go, that if, under the leadership of this or any other Government, the house of Commons is to be deprived of its deliberative functions, and the House of Lords is to be checked in the exercise of its constitutional duties, then a direct appeal to the people, and that alone, can save us from the greatest legislative disaster.' The Spectator is much more emphatic, and claims that the true way to correct the blunders of ' elected persons ' is by a direct appeal to the people. The report of the Government statist on the vital statistics of Melbourne and suburbs for last year was published in a Government Gazette issued a few days ago. Mr Hayter states that the estimated population of Greater Melbourne at the end of last year was 444,832, as compared with 474.810 at the same period of the previous year. There was thus a decrease of 29,978, or about 6 per cent. As there was a gain of 7533 by excess of births over deaths, as many as 37,511 person.?, or 8 per cent, must have left the metropolitan district during the year. Dr Talbot, vicar of Leeds, addressed a meeting of the unemployed on January 8. Prior to his remarks, the chairman (Mr J. Brotherton), said it would be, appropriate to sing a hymn, after which he delivered the following prayer, which, he said, he had drawn up for the occasion : — c Our fathers which are on earth, hated by our enemies, your end may soon coins ; your will in Leeds be not done ; give us this day some work ; forgive us our persistence, as we shall never forgive you ; leave us not in this temptation and deliver us from this enforced idleness, for yours is the power from now till November — then we shall arrive.' This novel petition was received with applause and laughter. If to make two blades of grass grow where only one, has grown before is commendable, how much more so is it to discover and exemplify and teach a virtue lost sight of or before unknown ! Equally commendable is it to brighten up old and accepted virtues and to place them in a better light that they may appear more attractive.