THE UNEMPLOYED. TO THE EDITOR.

Evening Post, Volume XLI, Issue 104, 4 May 1891, Page 3

THE UNEMPLOYED. TO THE EDITOR.

Sib— ln referonoe to the above snbjeot, I van fully endorse the statement of your previous correspondents " Breaking Stones " and " Stono Broke." Having been for a considerable period (muoh to my disgust) a oompulsory patrollev of our elegant walks alongside the wharves, I meet the same fares every day, who appear to bo n.9 fully employed as my self .after the style of Micawbor ' 'waiting for something to turn np." Now, Sir, were I appointed a reoruiting sergeant for tho purpose of enrolling the uuemployed in Wellington, I have not the slightest doubt tbat I oonld guarantee to bring you a really good oolleotion ofthe working classes ; not only of tho labouring men, but I regret to say many good and eober tradesmen, representing many trades and professions. Now, Sir, while regretting that it is found necessary to brim? under the notice of the Government tha condition of our brother unfortunates in Chritjtohurch.Dunedinandelsewhoro, of their position through want of employment, I do net think it would bo fair and honest to allow the impression to go abroad th it tho Empire City is in suoh a flourishing condition as regards the labour market, therefore I waa pleaaed to find that " Breaking Stones" had fired the first gun, and tbat your usual liberal journal had kindly allowed the subject to be ventilated. Trusting that some abler pop than mine will take up the running on so important a question, as without labour there would be no wages earned, therefore the business peoplo as well must naturally suffer to a great extent, and apologising for taking up so muoh of your valuable space, lam, 40., Pbivatk of th« Stonk Bkoke Corps. Wellington, 2nd May, 1891.

Interest in the affairs of the Publio Trust Ofßoe, as disolosed in the bare outline of the ovidenoe taken by the Commissioners published on Saturday, ovorshadows all other topioa of discussion in ofßoial and business oiroles just now. In faot, little else ia being talked about in towu. Tbo explanations ffiven by Messrs. Hamerton (Publio Trustee), BeCaatro (Chief Clerk), Wilson (Solioitor). iloginia (Accountant), and Konaldson (Clotk) aro now nnder consideration by Ministers, who have, however, deoided not to take any definite *cfoon in the matter until Wodnesday, as thero are varions important points to be weighed. The Commissioners are still proceeding with their investigations, which will yet last some timo. They hive intimated to the Auditor-General their willingueis to h»ar any evidence that he may have to offer, seeing that the effeotivenosa of tho audit by hw ofllcers has been reflooted upon. The Dunedin meeting to form a National Xiboral Asaooiation, whioh was to have been neld to-night, has, it soems, been postponed to the 18th instant, the Hon. Mr. Reevea Win* telegraphed to the promoters that •tho Hon. Mr. Seddon willthenbeinDanedin, »nd would like to attend. We do not know whethor Mr. Reeves or Mr. Seddon have seen ■the proposed " platform " and "*' objeots " of the Association, but if they have we are intensely surprised that any Minister should desire to identify himself with such a movement. If Ministers approve or take part in the movement they will destroy all public confidence in themselves. Mr. Seddon will aot wisely in not being in Dunedin when the meeting is held. Sir Robert Stout's assistanoe and presence are, however, looked for. Mr. Gully, Crown Solioitor, is the officer who has been instructed to initiate the proceodings to teat Judgo Edwards' position, in the name of the Attorney-Genoral. The preliminary doouments will probably bo filed to-morrow. The form of proceduro i 8 to be a motion for a writ of quo warranto, to asoertain by what authority Mr. Edwards "ow.* 8 Judge. If he Bets up hia commission it will be prayed that tho document be oanoelled, as one that has been issued illegally. Mr. F. A. D»ath was on Saturday elected Chairman of the Porirua Licensing Committee for the uext three years.

We notice thit at most of tho School Committco_ elections in the South tho parents of all children attending the SohCol, whether resident in or out of the district, wero ruled to bo householders under tho Aof, and allotted to vote This is the common aenoo interpretation of the words used, but is distinctly contrary to the legal opinion as to their interpretation given by Messrs. Brandon, Hislop, and Brandon to the Wellington Ednoation Board, and acted on at tho elections in this district. Although, fortunately, at presont there is no suitable case in tho hospital upon which to tost tho efficacy of Dr. Koch's tuberculino, thero would appear to be a probability nf tbo lymph recently received hero by the hospital authority boinjj ehortly put to tho test inasmuch as tho-o i« at prcsont a consumptivp pa: ion t residing at Palmereton Nor^h, who is anxious to try tho reported cu r e. The modidl attendant of the patient referred to exprcsjes tho opinion that the sta^o at which tlie dise;ise has arrived in this person's caso is such as would in all probability warrant the Hospital sUff in trying it. Correspondence with reference to tho caso is at present passing between the Hospital Btaff and the Palmerston doctor who has charge of the patient. Mr. Greenfield, formerly R.M. at Nelson, and who has lately been temporarily stationed at tbo 'i'bainos during Mr. Northcroft's abseoco on holiday, has been appointed to Bucceed Mr. Konny a3 Resident Magistrate and Warden at Wcstport. Archdeacon Fancourt left by the sb. Jubilco to-day for Sydney on a month's trip. Constable Donovan, of the local police force, loft for Christahuroh on Sunday on transfer. Tho oable steamer Recorder htis been out in Cook' 8 Strait finee Friday last, but &b yet has not picked up the defective cable. It is probablo that the southerly weather ha 3 prevented operations from being carried on. Dr. Lemon, Superintendent of Toleffrapns, is on board tko atcamor. An elderly man named James M. Forsyth, a boarder at tho J'ier Hotol. died very suddenly about noon to day. He took his breakfast this morning,' and seomed to bo in his usual health. Abiut 12 o'clock he was found by Mr. James Waldon in an unconscious state in tho water closet, and he died shortly afterwards, hoforo Dr. Cahill, who \vas» sont for, could attend Tho supposed cause of death is diabetes. Doceasod is about 40 years of age, and is believed to havo relatives in different parta of tho colouy. The body his been removed to the Morgue by tho police to await an iuquesb. The southerly bnstor which net in on Saturday evening prevented tho yacht Mantana from gettlug further on her trip to Port Underwood than Woraor Bay. She is still st anchor thero this afternoon. Messrs. T. Oxonham and E. J. Chatwin, two of the promoter's of the Potone Fire Brigade, waited upon the Mayor of Wellington this morning and asked that one of the city brigade's manual ehgiues should be lent to the now suburban b'igado for a timo. His Worship conferred with Councillor Harris, Chairman of tho Fire Brigade Committee, and it was arranged between those two gontlemen that tbo request shall be duly brought boforo the Council at its next meobin?. As the result of the benefit performance given by Miss Jennie Lee and her dramatic company on Friday nijht, tbo Free Pnblio Library fund has dorived advauta?e to the oxtont of X2O. A chequo fot this sum was handed to his Worship thtl Mayor by the mannjremout ot the Company this morning. A Christoliuroh paper states that tho manajroment of tho Shaw, Savill and Albion CorDnny's line in London have given instructions to their romuiandors to take a more northerly traok between New Z?iland and Capo Horn. It is to bo hoped this will be appreciated by passon^ora, ns the wcdither must ba somewhat better. The chati^e will involve a greater cdnsu&ptidh of coals, owing to the o^trft distance covered. T6a 'Canlerbury Press " goes for " tho Chrifitohurch young: lady as follows : —Why is it that tho 5 onn;? ladiaa who mova in what they nro plpasod to call society in Chriatchuroh do nothing well. Wo venture to eiy that hardly any of thorn really excol at anything. Thov dance, they row, they play tennis, they walk, they rcadj they write (some of thorn rathdr imperfectly, though showing Bdmo originality in tho matter Of i-Delliiig), but they never attain to anything iiut tho mildfi-t deereo of excellence in any inch or the liko pursuits. The average En^li h pirl would put tho best of ours to ehimft. Sho would, on a holiday tour, walk her twenty miles anA think nothing of it, but a Christchurjh girl would groan at tho biro idea of walking five In any town in England of the sizo of Ohristohuroh many gi-ls oonld be found w>o could boat any but three or four of the VOry boat of onr OhMsitohiirch men at tenntb. TlMi in mental pursuits the avorajo Khglah girl is far ahead of her Cbristchurch contemporary. In Chriatchuroh i' a man oaunot talk small gossip and mild slander he ia at a loss what to say when in conversation with yonns ladies. They never read the nrwspapera, either English or colonial. They know nothing of "what is going on in tho gro.it worß and their knowlpnpro ot literature is confined to the klhd ot fi'jfcioii which apprars in yello.v Covors. Of oourso there are raro exocptiona. But wo aro talking of the average Bociety girl. Docs anyone imapino for example, that there oro half a dozen prirls in Uhiistchurch society who could toll the names of the presont English and New Zealund Premiors. If we wero to ask euch a girl if Shakespeare had written any new plnya recently, sho would take tbo question quite seriously, and say that she was not quito sure. Why this painful inodiocrity ? Tho Foxton Herald 18 indignant. It says Mr. Walßh, who has been Communicating with tho Defence Department re the formation of a Rifle Corps in this town, has receivel a letter from tho Actiug Uuder-Sec-rtstary stating that "I am directed by the Hon. Defence Minister to inform you ho very ranch regrets he is unablo to reebmmend His Excellency the Governor to entertain the proposal, as the Government havo deoided not to establish fresh corps in isolated places." Isolated place seoms to tiso Minister of Defence, tho Hon. Mr. Soddon, a fit term for a borongh of 1200 inhabitants, within seventy miles of tho capital of tho eolonv, and that has rail communication with Wellington, Napier, and Now Plymouth, and steamship communication with Wellington, Nelson, the Grey, and other ports of tho South Island. An inspection of the map of tho North Island might be useful, oven to a Minister. Tho Feilding Star says of tho Govern-ment-.—Without increasing the number of names on the list of Civil servants properly so called, they ara making appointments in doparttnonts where they may, under tho polite fiction of taking on " experts," plaoe'their impecunious and not too particular friends. Tlie orto special department whioh ia at preBent receiving known attention in that way is that appertaining to stook. A f ter retrenching all the men who really do know something about their business, of course it would not do, at loast without allowing a decent interval to elapse, to put other men in their places, so they aro havlnj? billets invented for them. The only thing that really troubles Ministers is that aa they know absolutely nothing about Btook, th°y do not find it an easy task to givo names to tho appointments. Hero wo can assist them, and we do so all the more willingly booau3e in helping the Ministry wo help tho needy, whioh is a good thing to do. The following are a few titles whioh should prove acoeptablo. For the hotter regulation of sheep farming, but wh. re no particular aptitudo or knowledge is neodod, and whore little real harm oan be done by the appointees, Curators might be seleoted, for dagging, brand polishing, hurdle making, hoofparing, outting and tailing, eaoh official to have an assistant and a deputy assistant for the district he ourated. For cattle, there might bo appointed Curators for counting tho horns on poly bullooks; photographing invisiblo brands, tail twisters for working bullooks, and bo on. The ways and means to pay th*se mon ought to be well enough known to Ministers, and therefore wo will offer no advice. That tho members of the Opposition might and no doubt would objeot, goes without saying, but as thoy are in a miserable minority what docs that matter ? In has been discovored that the real hiding place of Colston, tho Narbothong 1 murderer, was the attic of the country house of Mr. Munro, tho Premier of Victoria. On tho Monday after the murder, Colston, who is a carpenter, had been engaged in buiiding tho houss, and know the run of it, mado his way to St. Filiana, whioh is only about two miles from Narbothong. Thero are several buildings, oooupied by tho manager and about 20 men employed on the station. The house in whioh the Premier and family reside when at Narbethong is situated about 15 chains away from the main building, and during tho absence of tho family is only opened by the housekeeper occasionally for the purpose of airing the rooms, and is genorally kept well stocked with provisions. Colston out off with an axe a portion of a ladder, got-into the house, and with the aid of tho ladder olimbod into the attic, afterwards drawing the ladder np after him. From the attio he could see tho men working, and all tbat was going on. In the attio was found a pillow, some clothing, several books and papers, empty jam and fish tins, a kettle of water, a i table knife, and a pair of scissors, with whioh ho had cropped off his beard olose. Also, amongst various other articles abstracted from the rooms below was a piaoe of green baizo, out of whioh Colston had j manufactured a pair of slippers for the pnrpose of doadening his footsteps when walking about the house. The men working : on the station expressed great relief at the ! finding of Colt ton's lurking place, aa numerous petty thefts had taken place whioh now oan bo traced to Colston. 1 hrongh a hole in the centre floor in the ceiling of Mr. Munro's bedroom, Colston could see anything that ooourred, and he no doubt had waited with the intention of robbing anyone who slept there, and with the aid of the money making hi* esoapa. Eventually he aeonred Mr. Munro's purse containing 30 sovereigns, made bis way to Yarra Glen, and was captured. George Thomu & Co. draw attention to the auction sale ot Kiiapoi floor, (tone polUtd, and prime potatoes, ex Kestrel, which will toko place »t the breaatwork, to-morrow, »t half-past 10 o'clock sharp. The same firm will also gelt at 11 o'clock, -without tf serve, at their rooms, Panama-street, the !, B ",_TV rfence ' " a sn e now lies stranded on the Mokihinui beach. Noble UampbeU & Co. will «ell to-morrow, produce, &c. Townsena ft p»nl will sell to-morrow, fruit, *c 1 Lowes & loras will sell to-morrow, at Masterton, 1 hones. for cennnuacum 01 reaatng matter *m fourth vaae.