Untitled

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4237, 14 March 1871, Page 2

LUCEO, NON UltO. If I have been extinguished, yet there rfse A thousand beacons from the spark I bore.

TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 1871.

It is an advantage to the whole of the Australias to have in their midst an experimental colony such as Victoria. Like the gardens of an acclimatisation society, or an. experimental farm, that colony present a sphere for the trial of theories, whether of foreign importation or .spontaneous growth, that is denied elsewhere in these seas; and to the other colonies it is left to adopt or reject, according as the matured pro* duct appears desirable or otherwise. Wfore <MJfo*qtas& see.mB to attend tfs

' results of the experiment, as in the case of protection to native industries, or lie b:illot, the other colonies are not slow in following the example of this country of advanced ideas ; but we question if the latest importation of foreign principles in the payment of members of Legislature is likely to bear such fruit as will lead to its being generally engrafted on the various constitutions. At least, if we may judge from the buds and blossoms, the fruit is likely to be somewhat bitter, and, as we think, difficult of digestion, even to Victorians To those that take an intere?t in election literature, nothing could be more delicious than the morceaux to be found in the published addresses of the candidates ; and to those whobelieve in the advantage of the people having abundant scope for selection, and in the fitness of all classes and conditions of men being represented on the J hustings and in halls of Legislature, there should be much in an eminent degree satisfactory in the record of the elections that have just closed in the sister colony. It would be difficult to find any calling from the most menial upward, not even excluding such as a7 - e mentioned sotto voce from motives of politeness, that has not in its representative wooed the sweet voices of electors, and urged the suit that there is nothing liko leather. The cause of all this, if we are warranted in attributing unworthy motives where patriotism has been so gushing, seems to be the o£3oo per annum which, in its wisdom, the Victorian Legislature has deemed it right to sanction as the proper remuneration for the performance of legialatorial duties. We do not say that the salary is too much, neither that the principle of payment for legislation isau unwise one. In our own honorarium we assert the principle that a man should not be put to expense in serving his country. And there is only a question of degree between such re-imbursement for expenses, and a requital for the mental labour and fruits of education applied to legislation. There is much also to be said in favour of the poorer classes of the community being represented, as they are supposed to be, by those who cannot without due remuneration engage thus in the service of the State. And to those that take precedent as the most logical and convincing of argumentation, there is still more in the results arrived at by a preliminary inquiry instituted by the Victorian Legislature, and which showed that the greater proportion of all civilised nations paid their law-makers, and often even handsomely, for their services. All this went to show the excellent prospects p 'esented to Victoria in tho new policy, and naturally prompted the experiment in its transplantation. IST or should Aye doubt that eventually it may commend itself to the praise of all men. But it must be admitted that, for so far, the experiment has been attended with rather queer results, which may indeed be attributed to its novelty, and perhaps to the peculiar circumstances in which it is made. It is not to be supposed that every country has the same amount of clever people as those that live by their wits in the sister colony, and who from the r ecessities of colonial life have been in the habit of " turning their "hand" to anything likely to make an honest penny. To the enlightening and elevating and expanding influence therefore of colonial life must wo attribute the enormous production in Victoria of persons fitted to steer the helm of the State or anything else. And the new product of democracy must be regarded as a noble instrument for the development of that latent talent which otherwise had remained for ever i*olled up in a napkin. Pull many gem, of purest ray serene, the dark un fathomed caves of ocean bear ; and all such now in Victoria have through the wisdom and liberality of her statesmen an opportunity of flashing forth their splendours. And it is not the fault of the State if any flower is born to blush unseen, or waste its sweetness on the desert air. Barbers and barbers' clerks, warders from the gaols, aid shepherds from the wilds of the bush, men of professions, and men of no profession, yet professing all things, now dispute the stump with the orators of the Eastern Market ; and those demagogues who were for ever breathing ibrth threateningsand slaughter against ihe oppressors of "the people," have bund that, in the universal upheaving )f the masses, and tke throngs that are ihundering at the doors of the House )f Legislature, they have raised a jhost which they cannot lay. One angular result has been in many eleciorates — the subdivision of votes to juch an extent, owing to the multitude of competitors, that the elected member of Legislature represents a fourth or a fifth of the constituents. Altogether the experiment is a singular one, and interesting — to those at a distance. And it will be worth the trouble to observe the practical fruits of the system as shown in the legislation resulting.

The rifle contest is now drawing to a close. Important as its effects will prove, it must be owned that among our citizens it has been marked by undue indifference. Many causes may have conduced to this, without our attributing the circumstance to any lack of interest in the cause of volunteering. The distance from the city of the scene selected for the competitive trial of our colonial sharpshooters, and the fact that to very many the progress of a shooting match is really a slow affair, have doubtless mainly contributed to the paucity of attendance at the rifle range. And however great the interest in the cause itself, and in the decision of the conflict, the majority of the people have preferred satisfying their curiosity with the grouped results ia the published scores to the patient counting up of numbers during the slow process of the firing. "We are glad, however, to note that a pleasing opportunity will be afforded to our citizens in the Volunteer BjII, og Thursday «v«nin^ ft? exhibiting

their interest in the cause of our defenders, and their courtesy and kindly feelings towards our Southern guests. The ball, for which every arrangement is completed to make it of the most .satisfactory kind, will doubtless prove a great success ; while the list of patrons and stewards is a guarantee that it will be to the taste of the most fastidious. This is certainly the most pleasing - form which a popular demonstration can assume. In a public banquet to our Southern guests there would be many advantages, but in a ball an opportunity is given to the ladies of Auckland to manifest that interest in our citizen soldiers which has been such a marked characteristic of volunteering in Eng land. All the world over, and in all history the smiles of beauty have been the reward of chivalry, and the brave hearts and stout arms that have devoted themselves to the defence of the weak and Jhelpless have been cheered and nerved for duty by the sympathy, and respect, and trust of those who in time of peril most require defence. During the whole progress of the Volunteer movement in England, it was acknowledged , that this was one of the elements of its great success. Here was a platform which the ladies of England, gentle or j humble, found themselves united by a common bond of womanhood, and everywhere and at all times their sympathy and encouragement have been unhesitatingly given to everything connected with the progress of the " National Guard "of Fngland. This tendency will doubtless have been strengthened by the heartrending records connected with the progress of hostilities on the Continent ; and more endeared to the ladies of England a\ ill the brave men be who have enrolled themselves, prepared to saciifice their lives for the sanctity of English homes. If such has been the feeling that has tilled the hearts of the women of England, much more should it influence the ladies of New Zealand. Our coasts are not rendered impregnable by a cordon of ironclads. Disguise it as we may, we are exposed to hostile aggression ; and on the first outbreak of war the sanctity of our homes may be outraged by invasion. In our gallant "Volunteers we should then hope to find our safety ; and un-English and unwomanly is the heart that would refuse now in the hour of safety, but of preparation, to give the sympathy, and the kind encouragement, and the womanly smile, that are so potent in urging onward the organisation for " defence, not defiance. " We arc confident that no such want of sympathy will be found among the ladies of Auckland ; and that on Thursday evening there will be such an array of beauty, as well as chivalry, as will show, not only to our gallant visitors from the South, but to ourselves, that Auckland has a deep interest in the defence of the safety and independence of New Zealand.

The fable of the wolf and the lam): aptly represents the relations at present subsisting between Germany and Luxembourg. That city, perhaps the strongest place in. Europe, is a too tempting morsel ; and accordingly its citizens have been found out troubling the waters. It matters not that nothing but madness would characterise their conduct in any orert breach of neutrality, or even in any expression of sympathy with Prance in present circumstances, if they really wished to retain their independence ; it matters not that with vehemence the authorities of Luxembourg repudiate complicity in any breach of neutrality, and deprecate the charge : it will be a marvel of prudence and self-restraint, if no act of theirs will be found to afford an excuse for an attack, And for an occupation so necessary to secure the fruits of the conquest of France- With Luxembourg as an integral part of the new German Empire, and with the neighbouring fortifications of Metz dismantled and levelled, the shadow of that impregnable citadel would darken over the whole of north-eastern France. Such a prize as this is not to be passed by in the moment of victory, and when the moral effect of astounding successes has been such as to paralyse even diplo macy. It may be that the late charge is but to prepare the way for the peaceable absorption of the Duchy ; and the protest of Earl Granville against any attack upon the independence of Luxembourg will be a sufficient salve for the consciences of Englishmen. To the voluntary surrender of the fortress on the part of the Netherlands, and its joining the North Q-erman Confederation under the brother of the King of Holland, there would perhaps be not a word of protest; while the comparative uselessness of the little territory to the country with which it is arbitrarily and loosely connected, and the danger that might arise from seeming reluctance to part with it, will all tend to this, which may be called an " amicable" settlement of the difficulty. This little territory, which has so long been an apple of discord in Europe, has been looked to as the most probable cause of England's becoming involved in war with one or the other of the present belligerents. And its peaceable absorption in the territory of some great power, and especially of Germany, its inhabitants being of German origin, would appear to be really for the permanent peace of Europe. In all probability the treaty of 1867, by which its neutralisation was secured, is as sus- j ceptible of reconsideration as is the Treaty of Paris, by which the Black Sea was similarly neutralised ; and when the first rude shock of Bismarck's repudiation of the treaty is over, and the due courtesies of dipldmacy have b.een observed, the old citadel, called the second Gibraltar,' will again become a German fortress.

The Supreme Court was opened yesterday, pro forml, to discharge auy jurymen that might appear in answer to their summonses. Some four or five put in an appearance. These; apparently, had not been readers of the newspapers, or they -would have seeu ; that their services were not required. The jurymen who appeared iwre. discharged* mttaftt their o.»ww tafog q**M <*w,

We have been desired by a correspondent to draw the attention of the police to the following clauses of the Dog Nuisance Act, 1854 :— " Clause 15 : Any constable neglecting to lay an information against the owner of any dog which shall not have a dog ticket affixed to him, as hereinbefore provided, shall forfeit and pay for every such offence any sum not exceeding 40s. Clause 16 : Any constable neglecting to seize or destroy any dog, as hereinbefore provided, shall forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding 40a." We understand that not only in the centre of the city, but in the suburbs and many of the country districts, a great nuisance is caused by d»gs running at large. According to the Dog Act in force, the Ist of March is the time for registeiing dogs. In some streets in this city it is absolutely dangerous for any person to|pass,along after nightfall, on account of the savage brutes which rush at him. Wo hope the police will take steps to abate the nuisance, as any person, we believe, caD lay an information agaiust them according to the above clauses. The adjourned meeting of the members of the Young Men's Christian Association will be held on Thm sday evening next, for the election of office-bearers for the year ensuing. At the meeting on the 6th instant it was reported that the Association was financially m a more favourable position now than it had been during the last three or four years ; that its liabilities have been considerably reduced, and that its income from subscriptions and other sources of revenue was in excess of its normal expenses. A number of new volumes have been added to the library by purchase and donations. As it is desirable that the new committee should, as far as possible, represent the views of the majority of the members, it is hoped that there will be a numerous attendance on Thursday. The Young Men's Christum Association is an institution which should leceive the countenance and support of the young men of Auckland, not only foL its efforts to inculcate Christian principles, but also to promote the intellectual character of it 3 membeis. We understand that out of the five tenders received for laying water pipes at the Thames ' none are deemed eligible. [ A sitting of the "Native Lands Court was held '.yesterday, when the chief Paul, Te Raihi, and Nicholas were each re-examined for a short time by Judge Maning upon the dates of some transactions which had been referred to in the evidence of those witnesses. In the course of an hour and a half the whole was finished, wLen the Court was adjourned until Thursday, at 10 o'clock, when Mr. Bennett will first address the Court on behalf of Te Whnre Nui. Mr. Hesketh's address will follow, to be followed in turn by Mr. MacCormick on behalf of the Ngatihaua. Mr, Beckham, District Judge, held a sitting of the District Court yesterday. Although theie were bub few cases, and those of a common-place character, the sitting was a long one, it being close upon six o'clock before they adjourned. Some winding -up goldmining companies' cases were undisposed of at the rising of the Court, and it will sit again this morning to hear these. We yesterday inspected a splendid silver cornet, presented to Bandmaster McComish by the officers of the Auckland Battalion of Volunteers, in consideration of his having lost so many instruments at th« late fire at the Music Hall, and in recognition of the valuable services he has rendered to the Volunteer movement in Auckland. The cornet is made by Besson, of London, is perfect in finish and general appearance, and is one which Mr. McComish should have every reason to be proud of. By our advertising columns it will be seen that two gentlemen have made application to have their properties brought under the new Land Transfer Act. We believe these are the first notices of the kind which have appeared in this province. H. H. Maning and Edmund Foley hav° been adjudged bankrupts, and the Hrs* meetings of their creditors have been ap" pointed for the 20th instant. We learn that the papers and deeds recovered through Dunns confession are worthless, from being rat -eaten and mildewed. The great bulk of the missing property is as yet undiscovered, and is likely to remain so. The fine arts exhibition in the City Hall continues to attract a large amount of patronage. It will be again open to visitors to-day. A noticeable improvement to the exhibition is the performance of selections of music at various intervals. At the Theatre Royal last evening th e comic drama of "Helping Hands' was gon c through, in which Mr. Joyce (as Loren z Hartman) and Mrs. Hill (as Margaret) played well, as did also Mr. S. Howard as William JEtufus. The performance concluded with the burlesque of "Brown among the Brahmins," which passed off very successfully. There was a fair attendance. Isaac Phillips has made a deed of assignment to Mr. Stannus Jones and Mr. John Batger, on behalf of all his creditors. The Melbourne fishmarket has turned out 80 unprofitable a bargain that the City Corporation are anxious to get it off their hands. Councillor Anderson quoted statistics, from which it appears that there has been a total loss, since the building of the market in 1866, of £1,019, inclusive of the cost of the building, which was some £5,000 or £6,000. Some of the finest reasoners that have ever lived have been women. What you perceive in them that makes you think they cannot reason as well as men is this, that they decline to abide by the decisions of reason. They introduce the affections of the soul, when we, in our poor creeping way, are content co abide by the conclusions of logic. You argue with a woman. I can tell you she appreciates all your arguments, and, at the end of your discourse, is frequently wont to repeat her original opinion in exactly the same words as she first used in stating it But this is because she does not choose to be | convinced. — "The War and General Culture/ by the author of "Friends in Council," in the Contemporary Mcviev). In the last novel which Mr. Dickens ever completed, and in the last paragraph of its last page, he wrote words which now possess a remarkable interest :—" On Friday, the ninth of June, in the present year (1865), Mr. and Mrs. Boffin (in their manuscript dress of receiving Mr. and Mrs. Lammle at breakfast) were on the South-Eastern Railway with me in a terribly- destructive accident. When I had done what I could to help others, I climbed back into my carriage, — nearly turned over a viaduct, and caught aslant upon the turn, — to extricate the worthy couple. They were much aoiled, but otherwise unhurt. The same happy result attended Miss Bella Wilfer onher wedding day, and Mr. Riderhood inspecting Bradley Headstone's neckerchief as he lay asleep. I remember, with devout thankfulness, that I can never be much nearer parting company with my readers for ever than I was then, until there shall be written against my life the two words with which I have this day closed this book — the end." It is now strange to observe that just five years later, on the very same day of the very same month, the end came.— The Times. The mother forms society, which is wholly made up of those who were once children, and were reared, and nurtured, and educated by her. Of tio-w muck importance is it, then, that woman be intelligent, in order to fulfil the high ends of her being — the great destinies of her existence. The perfectness, and the happiness, which is the result of such perfectness of humanity, can only be attained by careful cultivation of those high powers which were given for use and exercise, and for the progress of our species as rational beinga. The mental strength of woman is the best safeguard of society — the only security for the progress of our species. In elevating her, man is himself elevated and improved. In enlarging her mental freedom, he extends and secures his own. Messrs. Lewis Brothers have announced that they will hold an extensive sale to-day of apples, pears, damsons, plums, jams, &c , from ITobartTowo, The }anis «« itonx C E,

Apropos of the report that a father and his son — who are referred to as MM. X. p6re et fils "" — are about to maiTy two sisters, the French papera suggest the following complications as possible, to arise from these double espousals : — To begin with, M. X., the son will be brother-in-law of his father, and hie wife will become sister-in-law of her own sister. If M. X., senior, has a sou, and M. X., junior, has a daughter, and they should marry, the daughter of X., junior, will become sister-in-law of her father; and the son of X., senior, will be the son-in law of his brother and of his son-in-law. If there should be a child of this second marriage, ifc j will have two grandfathers, MM. X., senior and junior, whence it follows that X,, senior, will become the brother of his own son. More than that — if a boy, ho will be the brother of his own mother, since he and his mother are alike grandchildren of X., senior; and as a mother's brother is an uncle, he will be in the anomalous position of being his own uncle. The New Oilcans Picayune of the 18th ult. has the following : — A few days since a wplldressed and handsome youth of some eighteen years of age, appeared before one of our city magistrates, and asked if he could engage his services to perform a marital ceremony. The reply was in the affirmative, and the young man left, but shortly afterwards returned, accompanied by a sombrelooking female, middle-aged and dressed in black. "Is this lady your mother?" inquired the magistrate. " Oh, no, sir ; this is the lady I desire to marry !" replied the youth, as the lady drew aside her veil, disclosing a countenance wrinkled and sere, but on which for the moment gleamed a sort of icy smile. "Indeed." "Oh, yes, sir." " But are you of age ?" " Not yet ; but this lady is my guardian." " And she gives her consent?" "Yes, sir." The magistrate was in a quandaiy. He didn't knov exactly Avhat to do. He hated to sacrifice the youth, nnd join the bright-faced May to the gloomy, icy December. " Isn't this rather a strange union?" he asked. "Not afc all," replied the expectant bride ; "I have a large 1 amount of property which I desire oo leave this young man. As I have relatives who I might dispute the will were I to give it him as a legacy, I prefer to marry him." " And you are content to marry this womau for her money?" asked the Justice, "Well, I | shouldn't marry her for anything else !" I frankly replied the boy lover; "She ain't piefcty." And without more ado the j ceremony was concluded. An antidote to strychnine is common smoking tobacco — two cases are selected to convey some idea of its power. One, a large pointer dog, which had eaten poisoued meat, [ and showed strong symptons of poisoning by strychnine. I first gave ten grains of camphor in liquid form, in spite of which the dog had several violent spasms, and ultimately went as stiff as an iceberg. I then gave him a stiong decoction of tobacco, which, as the spasms relapsed, slowly passed down his throat; the muscles again became so perfectly rigid for full five minutes that the only sign of life remaining was a slight action of the heart : the spasm gradually gave way, the i animal got on his feet, vomited the contents of his stomach, and in fifteen minutes was las well as ever, and so continued. The next Avas a small poodle dog, which I took fiom the street in a dying state. The symptoms were equally severe as in the former case. In this instance I gave a scruple of lobeMa in water, which caused instantaneous vomiting. No further spasms occurred ; but half an hour after the animal's hind-quarters were still paralysed. Four grains of camphor was then administered ; in thirty minutes more he could walk a little. T then gave a dessertspoonful of the decoction of tobacco ; in fifteen minutes the little animal appeared in perfect health. I therefore deem tobacco a perfect antidote tostrychnine, and should occasion offer I would without the least hesitation, administer a decoction of our common smoking tobacco. The method hitherto adopted was to cut up half-an-ouuce of fi« tobacco, saturate it in a quarter of a pint of hot water, press it out, and administer from one-fourth to the lot at a dose, according to the circumstances of the case.— W. Moobe, Homceopathist, Sydney. There is a great want of knowledge on the subject of vegetable nutrition, and what constitutes money's-worth in the shape of artificial manure. An instance of this is afforded by the efforts made in some cases, at a large outlay, to prepare a so-called guano from sewage by precipitation. Town authorities are of course anxious^to get rid of their sewage, and, when led to believe they can do so at a profit by such processes, have been induced to enter upon schemes altogether wanting in sound principles. To the credit of farmers, however, tne sale of such products does not appear to have met with the success anticipated by the promoters. It may be accepted as a chemical impossibility ever to prepare, by precipitation from sewage, a manure which shall repay its cost of production, when its true commercial value is found either by practical experience or trustworthy analysis. There is no question of the manure value of human excrements, and it is quite possible to prepare from them a remunerative artificial manure, but this must be done before it has been mixed with water, since, when this has once been done, owing to the solubility of the valuable constituents, and to the f aot that there is no practicable means of precipitating them again, such matter is practically worthless, except for irrigation ; for which purpose, however, it is far too jittle prized. Experience in the use of sulphur for the vine disease proves that its presence is all that is required, and that a slight application is as effective as a heavy one. The flour of sulphur is mixed with common wood ashes, in proportion of three parts of ashes to one of sulphur in bulk, and the compound is then applied with apair of bellows. The ashes were used at first for the purpose of economically distributing the sulphur ; but their ( presence is now deemed to be of great value to the vines, independently of its agency in carrying the sulphur. It is even believed that this mixture could be profitably employed on vines where no disease exists ; for it is observed that when the application is made, the vines are, on the following year, thriftier and the fruit more perfect. It is thought that the ashes act as a neutraliser to the acid of the sulphur, which is injurious to vegetable life ; and this discovery has done away with the objections which were formerly urged against the use of sulphur. Mr. Charles Dickens was privately buried, at half -past nine on the morning of June 14th, in Westminster Abbey. The grave is situated at the foot of the coffin of Handel, and at the head of the coffin of Sheridan, and between the coffins of Lord Macaulay and Cumberland, the dramatic poet. Only a few feet removed, and near to the side of Dickens, but towards his feet, lie Johnson and Garrick, while near them repose the remains of Campbell. The statue of Addison and the bust of Thackeray overlook the grave at its head. Shakespeare's monumentis not far from its foot. Goldsmith's monument and that of the great Duke of Argyll are ou the left. There are two periods in the life of a man at winch he is too wise to tell women the exact truth — when he's in love, and when he isn't.