The Daily Telegraph. WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1900. HOME AND ABROAD.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 9824, 25 July 1900, Page 4

The Daily Telegraph. WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1900. HOME AND ABROAD.

The one-time popular advertising legend —" Why Pay More ?"—seems to call for resuscitation in connection with our patriotism. It good reasons can be put forward why members of the House should have their pay increased, why Ministers should cost the country twelve thousand a year instead of six, and why a substantial addition should be made to the salary of the Governor, then of course the country should be generous in the direction indicated. But what is there to put forward in favor of it? So far as we can see nothing but the "phenomenal surplus." But there is a difficulty about that. In the first place it exists only on paper, and the Government are so short of ready money that they are seeking to lay their hands on the various patriotic funds of the colony. Secondly, supposing there to be a surplus at all, paper or otherwise, it owes its being to grinding taxation. Before the country sets to work raising salaries it should remove some of the burdens placed upon the necessaries of life during the last six years. In discussing the proposal to increase the Governor's salary Mr Monk took the proper view. The colony cannot afford the money. Mr Collins followed suit. It is a pity he does not always talk so sensibly. A greater pity is that after all bis talk he will in the end assist the Premier to bind additional burdens on the backs of the people. Mr G. W. Russell spoke offensively and like a fanatic, but we are afraid he is not one. Fanatics are sincere even in their most foolish moments, but Mr G .[ W. Eussell seems to be content to stop short at the folly. His professed "democracy" resembles that of Mr Collins, and is mere advertising pose. Captain Russell's view that the Governor's salary should be raised because Governors as a rule left the colony poorer than they came here is founded on fact, but is not pertinent. The Lord Mayor of London always spends a great deal more than he is paid, but there is no lack of candidates for his office.

Mr Tanner seems to have "got home " on the party he belongs to. For the nonce he was their candid friend. He satirically referred to the present attitude of the Government party as to elective Governors, and to emphasise the position read a division list in connection with the late Sir George Grey's proposal to that end. But this in the wind-up will probably prove to have as much value as the criticism by Mr Collins We expect to see both he and Mr Tanner rounded up for the right lobby. They and several other members of the House bark fiercely enough at times, but they do not bite. Mr Seddon sees to that. But what shall we say to that remarkable specimen of the Jefferson Brick family who represents Ashley ? He, too, posed as if he were really contemplating an actual crossing of the desires of the Premier. And in pursuance of his attitude he was pleased to inform the House that they did things better in the United States, where they managed " without an aristocracy "

And they do so "manage," more's the pity. Aristocracy as we know it may not possess all the virtues, and it certainly is cursed with numerous vices, but to compare it with the hideous state of things under which a degraded and degrading plutocracy, representing thievish trusts and syndicates, is able to rule in the United States by purchasing the House of Representatives after it is elected, is to insult our intelligence. Mr Meredith is in our opinion in bad case. He needs enlightenment. Instead of teacher he should be taught. We strongly advise him to read some tolerably reliable book or books about the United States—about the condition of the people there, the hours they toil, the slums they live in, and their powerlessness to achieve reform* in face of a venal Supreme Court ordained to interpret a written constitution which it is almost impossible to change by peaceful means. Mr" Meredith should learn something of what is going on—what McKinleyites say of Bryanites and vice versa, and what their combined testimony teaches as to the condition of their country, before again putting forward the United States as an example for New Zealand.

The plain common sense of the controversy as to the Governor's salary is that if we could afford to pay him m ire he does not receive enough. Therefore the arguments put forward in favor of an increase by Mr Ward, Mr Seddon, and Captain Russell are good in their way. But they are not conclusive. Our finance is not quite so healthy as the Premier would make it out to be. The other day he and Mr Ward both stated that they could not afford to pay casual laborers for the State as high a rate of wages as was paid by private employers, and if that be so it is obvious the country is not in a position to increase the Governor's salary, the pay and allowances of Ministers, or the remuneration of members. If that view had been expressed by those who spoke against the Premier's proposal (most of whom will when the time conies vote for it all the same) it would have been better than mouthing stale platitudes about Yankee politics, or rolling phrases in which " ocracy " of some sort or other is the dominant note.

Those who have followed with anything like caro the fortunes of the Transvaal war will not have missed reading the assertions of the small but vociferous pro-Boer section. Even those who have not been particularly bent that way, but who have contented themselves with general newspaper accounts and comments, will have a fair notion of what those assertions amount to, owing to the flood of pro-Boer sentiment which has issued from questionable sources in Manchester and London and found its reflection elsewhere. One of the favorite allegations of those who affect to see in the war a proof that the British are scoundrels and oppressors, is that although we professed in the first place to be anxious to redress the injuries of the outlanders, and by our conduct in that respect compelled the righteous Boers to declare war against us and invade our territory, the oatlanders themselves were so little impressed by their condition that none of them fought on our side and some of them did fight on the Boer side This generalisation is, to put it mildly, not quite accurate.

For some time the data for disputing it were not obtainable.. We knew that some Continental ontlanders had joined the Boers, for the fact was blazoned far and wide. We were told of how the Germans and the Scandinavians and the French in the Transvaal eagerly availed themselves of the opportunity to assist in driving the British into the sea. A so-called " Irish brigade" was also made the most of," and there are reasons for holding that a few renegade Britishers did join the Boers. But now some reliable figures giving the other side of the shield are at last available, and they tell a striking story. They justify the conclusion that one in every four of the men in South Africa who are of British origin, and who are physically able to take part in the war, are now actually in .the field. And they are there because they volun teered to take part in the fighting, not because they were subject to conscription or wero enrolled as soldiers when war broke out.

To put it in plain language, ife is now known that since the Boer ultimatum South Africa has put into the field over twenty thousand men of British birth or descent. They came from Natal, from Cape Colony, from the Transvaal, from the Orange Free State. Their ranks include men of all stations in life, from the miner to the millionaire. It would not have been a wonderful thing if these men had refrained from coming forward, for they represent a civilisation which is neither based upon military service nor largely influenced by military ideals. Trained in peapeful pursuits, and at ordinary times engaged in the mine or office or workshop, or behind the counter, or not having before them the hope which dominated so many of the Boers—to sweep out the hated Britisher and share the country between them—it might have been predicted of them that they would not willingly turn to soldiering even for an enobling ideal such as that which demanded equal rights for all white men in Africa. The presence of these men in the field is by itself quite sufficient answer to those who maintained that the ontlanders either had no grievances or were too cowardly to assist in redressing hem.

Apparently Prince Tuan is at the bottom of the bold tergiversation which seeks to render Europe doubtful for a time as to the fate of its children in China. It is gratifying to note that Lord Salisbury is not deceived. Even the United States, for a brief space induced to hesitate by what looked like a message from Mr Conger, seems at last to have concluded that it is no longer possible to doubt the main lines at least of the story of the massacre. For our part we have all along failed to see how any other attitude was allowable, for it seemed from the first obvious that if even the persons of the Ambassadors had been spared when the general carnage took place they would have been permitted to communicate with their Governments. There is, it is true, a not unreasonable alternative to this, although it embodies but the weakest of weak hopes. It is that the Ambassadors were saved from the massacre, but that otherwise the latter was so awful that the Chinese authorities are afraid to allow the facts to become known, and are therefore keeping the Ambassadors in restraint. But we are afraid not even that small crumb of comfort is to be vouchsafed, and that all are gone— '• In.one red burial blent."

Cables and China war news appear on page two, Transvaal war news, telegraphic, cables re the Gilgandia murders and other news on page three, serial on page six, and wires and political news on page seven.

The Western Spit beach encroachments was inspected yesterday by Mr Hales, Government engineer, accompanied Mr A. L. D)Fraser and the Mayor (Mr G. H. Swan), and his report may be expected at an early date. Mr Hales s - thoroughly examined the beach, eribwork, and the Western Spit pier, at high and low water, and was convinced of the seriousness ot the position. He thoroughly approves, however, of what is being done under the direction of Mr C. D. Kenned v.

The death is announced of John O'Reilly, a resident of Taradale, and a very old Hawke s Bay settler. The deceased gentleman was 76 years of age, and leaves a widow and grown up family. A native of Ireland, he came to this colony in 1874, arriving in Napier and taking up a farm from the late Mr H. S. Tiffin. Among those who knew him Mr O'Reilly was highly esteemedior his many good qualities and sterling worth.

Mr J. Mattick, pastoralist, of Hargreaves, near (New South Wales), has tried dentistry for sheep with great success. He had a valuable American ram, which found great difficulty in masticating its food owing to loss of teeth. Artificial teeth were inserted, and the animal vigorously attacked the fodder. This is believed tobe the first experiment of the kind in the colony.

An engineer, Samuel Giant belonging to the Canadian mail steamer Aorangi, \ met with a shocking death at Sydney. \ He was engaged iepairing a pump, and 1 part of it was hoisted up about 30ft, ' when ihe Iv.ok suddenly broke, and the block, weighing about 301b, came down on Grant, smashing his head. He died soon afterwards.

Young Hee, a Greymouth Chinaman, in a letter to the Greymouth Hear, says: —" Allow me on behalf of my countrymen on the West Coast to protest against these wanton cruelties and atrocities and I can assure you it is our earnest hope that these offenders against civilisation and advancement may speedily receive the punishment they so richly deserve. In conclusion I beg to express our heartfelt sympathy with the Mends and relative* of those who were so brutally murdered."

. Speaking of the possibilities of Mr Alfred Harmsworth starting a newspaper in Melbourne, an Australian paper says that it depends very much upon, whether it will suit Mr Cecil Rhodes. It is an open secret in London that the smart young Harmsworths find the newspaper brains and Cecil Rhodes much, at least, of the money for their various journals (such as the Daily Mail), and, if necessary for Rhodes's purposes to have a paper m Australia—or in Kamtchatka —there will be a Harmsworth ready to run it.

Messrs Williams and Kettle, Ltd., report having held a very successful sale of stock at Stortford Lodge, Hastings, yesterday, when their patrons yarded well woolied and attractive sheep. The attendance was large, and bidding for sheep was keen throughput, The beef was of fair quality aridjk&f inedinm weight. In two eases prices exceeded those obtained at recent sales for a draft of prime light weight heifers. The following prices were realised :—Heavy skinned medium ewes in low condition 8s to 9s, a Hue of similarly bred sheep, fat and forward 10s sd, 10s 9d, and Us, store heifers 12s 6 I, 12s Bd, hoggets 4s 4d, 5s 6d, one line of extra prime fat wethers which made the exceptional figure of 18s 9d fell to the bid of Messia Thompson Bros, light weight fat bullocks £6, prime light weight speyed heifers fell to Mr Whittem at £4 16s and £4 10s, two lines of very prime medium, cows £4 153, £4 10s, unfurnished cows £4 13a and £4 4s, store cows £2 to £5, two-year-old steers £3. Only a fevt horses were offered, a pony bringing £1 163 and a light draught horse £15V The firm's next sale will De held at Waipawa on August 7th.

Continuing the course of popular literary lectures which have proved so attractive during the past coupte of months Mr J. (J. Weatail addressed a large audience in the Atln-najum Hall last night, his subject being "Alacaulay. ,- ' It was evident, almost from the outset that Mr WestalFs theme was a most congenial one, that he has been a close and devoted siudent of the works of the great British historian and es-ayist, and tfoa', while by no means blind to some minor defects, he has conceived for Macaulay, as author and as man, a sincere and abiding admiration. Beginning with an interesting sketch of Macaulay's early life and literary precocity Mr Westall proceeded to describe his career as a man. of letters and a politician, paying eulogistic tribute to his genius and to the purity and nobility of his life. The lecturer recited part of one of Macaulay's speeches in the House of Commons to show his marvellous powers of inveative, and read numerous extracts from his essays and his history as evidence of the splendor of his style, the vivid and brilliant accuracy of his narrative and descriptive work, the width and variety of his knowledge, t.he fervor and dignity of his patriotism, and the solidity and energy ot his intellectuality. JFrom first to last the lecture was bright and interesting, enlivened with many flashes of incisive wit and dry humor, and characterised throughout by highly entertaining originality. Unc|uestionably the lecture was one of the best of the series, and at its close Mr Westall was not only heartily applauded but also received the congratulations and thanks of many for the literary treat his whole audience had enjoyed. Next Tuesday evening the Rev. Mr Parsonson will lecture on. Tennyson.

The Ladies of Hawke's Bay will have an opportunity on Saturday next, and for a few days following, of obtaining bargains at Kirkcaldie and Stains' (Ltd.) Gigantic Sale, such as have never been offered in this district.. High-class Drapery in every department being sold at Home cost.—Advt. Householders requiring Carpets, Linoleums, or Bedding should visit Kirkcaldie and Stains' (Ltd.) Gigantic Sale, which commences on Saturday next for thirteen days only. Their entire stock of these goods will be offered during the Sale at Sweeping Reductions. The terms of Sale are strictly nett cash.—Advt. Lawyers and Ministers of the Crown and Gospel, who use their jaws more than their brains, whose whiskers generally turn grey before the hair of their head, should remember that we must all die, but Pine's Hair Dye is the best ; private room for dyeing.. Razors set Is. Hair work of every description at reduced rates. Hair Cutting, Shaving, and Shampooing while you wait 6.1. All the best brands of Tobaccos, Cigare, Cigarettes, Pipes, Razors, Strops, Combs, Bmshwitre, Perfumery, etc. R. D. Pirie, Hairdresser and Tobacconist, Hastings street, Napier. Thanks for pa*t favors.