Evening Post. THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 1894. A TAX ON BREAD.

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 52, 30 August 1894, Page 2

Evening Post. THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 1894. A TAX ON BREAD.

The Government is considering the question of increasing the import duty on wheat and flour. Such was the announcement made to the House. Such is the latest development of the false and bastard Liberalism which has bo long deluded the people and run riot in this unfortunate country. Extremes meet, and by a process of great circle-sailing New Zealand sham Liberals are now coming back to a revival of the Corn Laws, Which were tho last stronghold of old-fashioned Toryism in the Mother Country, but which were at length swept away by tho tide of true Liberalism, the front wave of which bore Bright and Cobden. Tho present Ministry professes to be the friend of the working classes, although we search in vain through its polioy for any deeds which would support its professions. After nearly four years of so - called Liberal administration the condition of the industrial classes is not one whit better than it was previously. Employment is more difficult to obtain, and wages are lower rather than higher, while the cost of living has increased rather than diminished. Never since 1870 has the country beon so depressed or the condition of trade and industry less hopeful. The man who has mouths to fill by the prooeeds of his labonr feels the pinch aoutely. He is probably earning leas than he was a few years ago, has to work harder for what he does earn, and finds the purchasing power of his wages less than ever before, and still the mouths of those dependent on him require filling and the bodies clothing. Yet overy thing his family consumes or wears is heavily taxed. He pays 3s 5Jd per head duty for sugar, where four years ago he only paid 3s Id. He pays 2s 10id per head for tea, as against 2s 9£d in 1889 ; and on art valorem goods ho pays 13s 9Jd per head, whero five years ago he only paid 12s 7£d per head, and so with other articles. The cost of living under the Liberal Government has, in respect to taxation upon the necessaries of life, sensibly increased. And now this same Government is aotually considering the propriety of increasing taxation upon tho prime necessary of lito— its very staff — and making the mere dry bread with whioh many unfortunately have to stay their hunger contribute to the revenue through the taxgatheror. Bread is already dear enough— too dear in proportion to the cost of wheat if tho latter be judged by export standard. New Zealand produces far more breadstuffs than are required for its own use, but New Zealand flour can only be used to tho best advantage when mixed with a certain proportion of flour the produce of wheat grown in a drier climate. Hence New Zealand imports Australian wheat and flour although it exports to Britain a very much larger quantity of grain than is represented by the imports. But|the fact that New Zealand bakers use a certain proportion of Australian flour has come within the cognizance of our Liberal rulers, and finding that this flour is lightly taxed, they at once cast covetous eyes upon it. Under a false pretence of benefiting the farmers they think they can extract a few more shillings per annum from the consumers, who are of course the largest number by far. Tho beneficial effect, if any, of a protective duty on breadstufis, will be very slight indeed to the producers, but the injury which it will inflict upon all classes of the community will be very considerable, and will bo felt most severely by those least able to bear the infliction. A duty on wheat and flonr will at once increase the price of bread by far more than the proportion represented by the mere duty. Every hand tho flour or grain passes through before it roaches the mouth of the consumer will demand its profit on the duty, and the consumers will be mulcted to probably more than double tho amount which the duty will return to the coffers of tho State. Beyond this also the price to the oonsumer of the flonr whioh, grown in the colony, pays no duty, will be regulated by the price of the dutiable imported flour. The industrial classes will do well to give immediate heed to this infamous project of putting a duty on wheat and flour, and co raising the price of bread. They should make their voices heard at once, and that with no uncertain sound. Let the men and women whose every effort now is scarcely sufficient to obtain sufficient bread to stay the appetites of their children think what a rise of a halfpenny or a ponny on tho loaf will mean to them — of the suffering which it will cause to them and theirs. Wo have termed the proposal to increase a tax of this kind infamous, and we so consider it — infamous in design and infamous in the results it will produce if it is carried. A roally Liberal Government would not consider such an increase for a moment. It might not be able to rednoo the duties on the necessaries of life, but at any sacrifice it would refuse to increase them. It would leave bread free from further taxation The present sham Liberal Government, however, is through its own maladministration and ill-conceived polioy reduced to its wits' end to obtain money, and it has no scruples about squeezing taxes out of tho community, even if little ohildren have to hnnger to enable their parents to contribute to the needs of the Government If Ministers yield to the temptation with wlhoh they are now parleying, and impose this iniquitous bread tax, they will seal their political fate so soon as ever the people oan make their voice effectively heard. The broad taxers will be ejected from office with ignominy at the first opportunity ; but anxious as we are to see honest government restored, and the present rejgn of charlatanism bronght to an ignominious end, we would rather put up with our present rulers for a little time longer than that their fall should be the result of the misery and suffering which the weaker portion of tho people would have to endure by even the temporary enforcement of a tax on bread.

The House last night descended to the level of a debating club. It wasted a whole night in discussing Mr. O'Regan's Referendnm Bill,whioh shared, and desorved to share, the fate of the Hon. Mr. Steward's Elected Executive Bill. It is really lamentable that with so much real and necessary business to be done, the House of Representatives should waste time in discussing fads, which are far removed from the region of practical politics. The country is qnito satisfied witH the British model of Constitutional Government, if only it is worked honestly and intelligently on the time-honoured lines of the best-governed country in the world. New Zealand may well be content to work out its Constitution on the lines which have secured to Britons a liberty of thonght and speech, a freedom of conscience, a protection of life, property, and personal security, such as no other country in the world affords its subjects. New Zealand does not need to go to Switzerland or to the United States for new systems or principles of Constitutional government, or to secure to its people a greater measnre of political freedom. It is a pure waste of time for the Legislature to discuss theories of government which are altogether foreign to the genius of the British r*oe, and which could not be grafted on or adapted to the institutions we have inherited from the Mother Country. Snch questions as those raised by the Hon. Mr. Steward and Mr. O'Began in their Constitutional Bills may form very interesting and useful subjects of discussion by Parliamentary Unions, Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations, or Debating Clubs. At least their ventilation in that way can do no harm, but it is different when subjects of such a character are obtruded in the Parliament of the country, and allowed to exclude consideration of more important practical questions bearing on the welfare and good government of the country. Such discussions as that of last night are entirely outside of the limits of the practical business which the people have elected their representatives to transact. The House is not justified in neglecting such business in order to devote time to airing Constitutional theories of no practical value or importance. We do not want to assimilate the governmental institutions of Switzerland or the United States. New Zealand simply desires to Bee its Parliament prudently and conscientiously working out the forms of Constitutional and Representative Government which have placed the United Kingdom in the foremost position in the woi Id as the Home of Freedom. Our existing institutions are good enough if properly worked, and we can have no better

example to follow in practising the art of government than our Mother Conntry can supply. Particulars of yesterday's big football matches, besides our Parliamentary report and a letter to the Editor, will be found on the fourth page. So far there have been four bankruptcies in Wellington district this month. There were 73 passengers from Australia by the Waihora this morning, and of these 50 landed at Wellington. A. large English mail came to hand by the same vessel. The disciples of Kng-ene, who went over to Sydney by the Waihora's last trip, refused to hold any communication with the other passengers, even refusing to take meals with them. Many of them it is known intend to enter upon farming pursuits in South Africa. Capt. Kickford late df H.M.S. Katoomba, baa been appointed to the command of H.M.S. Gibraltar— a first-class cruiser of 7700 tons, built at a cost of £340,000. Lieut. Story, who wub first lieutenant of the Katoomba, takes rank as flag-lieutenant of the Gibraltar. A peculiar case came before tho Land Board this morning. Some time ago the Pahiatua No. 2 Farm Homestead Association was formed, and a young man named Daniel M'Curdy, a labourer, agreed to become a member. Before tho ballot was drawn, however, he left for Western Australia, and just about the lime of his departurcrthe Board received a letter purporting to bear his signature, withdrawing from the Association. The section allotted to him was thereupon transferred by the Association to a Mr. Scalley, for whom he had been working, and Messrs. Scalley and M'Laucblin, who are brothers -iv - law, are npw joint owners. M'Curdy returned to Wellington a short time ago, and denied that he had withdrawn from tho Association. Ho asserted that tho letter sent to the Board was a forgery, and that ho had left money with which to pay the fees on any section which he might secure in the ballotj and ha asked tho Board to allow him to lake up the land. Tho Board decided that it was powerless in the matter until he had proved that tho letter was a forgery. A Requiem Mass commemorative of the late Rev. Father Landouar 2.JJ lormorly df Nelson, was ceJs'urated yesterday in St. Mary of. tno Angels' Church, Bbulcottstreet. The Very Rev. Father Devoy , V.G. , was the celebrant; Bey. Father De Lach, deacon ; Ifov. Father Doherty, sub-deacon ; and the Rev. Father Goggan, master of cere* monies. The mass in the choir was sung by the Fathers from St. Patrick's College, assisted by Rev. Fathers Dawson and JPatJerson and Mr. R. A. Loughnah. In tho sanctuary were his Grace the Archbishop, Very Rev. Dr. Watters, Very Rev. Father Mahony (Nelson), Rev. Father O'Hallahan (Kumara), and Rev. Fathers Lane and Donnelly (Hutt). A number of wreaths wore sent by friends, one being from Mr. Trask, Mayor of Nelson. The Archbishop delivered a panegyric on the deceased father. His Grace having given the last absolution, a procession— which included a number of the students at St. Pattick's Collego and pupils of tho Mariafc Brothers — was formed, and proceeded to tha Karori Cemetery, where the burial service was read by the Rev. Father Mahony, of Nolsdn. Tho pall-bearers were Messrs. M. Kennedy, R. P. Collins, J. Gallagher, and O'Connell. A meeting of delegates from the different temperanoe organisations of Wellington, convened by the District Lodge of Good Templars, was held in tho United Methodist Schoolroom, Courtenay-placo, last night, to consider tho advisableness of holding a public meeting to strengthen the hands of the temperance members of tho House in the matter of the new Licensing Bill. The following were elcoted an executive to make arrangements for a monster public meeting, to be held at an early date yet to be decided nppn : — Mrs. Tasker, Good Templars; Mr. Flyger, Rechabites ; Mr.' M. L. Ludwig, Sons and Daughters of Temperance ; Mr. D. Gain, New Zealand Alliance ; Mr. A. Williams, Temperance ( Workers ; Mr. M. Dodgshun, Prohibition League 'Treasurer, Secretary, and Convener) ; Mr. Hutchings, Assistant Treasurer and Collector. A civil oase was partly heard by Mr. Martin, S.M , in the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon, in which D. Ross, architect, sued E. P. Bunny, barrister, for the recovery of .£23 Ba, professional fees for drawintr out plans for a house at the Lower Hutt. The plaintiff's case had not been concluded when tho Court rose, and the further hearing was adjourned to Monday. Dr. Findlay appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Skerrett for the defendant. Yesterday afternoon Mr. William Witt, head of the fancy department in Messrs. Sargood, Son & Ewen's Wellington warehouse, was presented with an elaborate marble olook by Mr. M. Laing, the accountant, in the name of the staff, on the occasion of Mr. Witt's approaching marriage to Mies Clark, youngest daughter of Mr. W. Clark, of Wellington. Tn handing over the gift Mr. 'Laing bore testimony to the high esteem with which Mr. Witt was regarded by everyone in tho employment of the firm. The first shipment of tea forwarded from Ceylon to New Zealand without transhipment, came by tho Union Steam Ship Company's s.s. Port Melbourne In tho Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon, before Messrs. L. L. Harris and M. P. Cameron, Justices, a Btowaway from Lyttolton per tho s.s. Hauroto, named Georgo Harper, was fined 40s or seven days' imprisonment, and Richard Burgess was fined 5s for an assault on his wife, being also required to find two sureties in iilO each to keep the peace for six months. Mr. C. A. Schultz. who has for some years ocoupied the position of sub-accountant in the Melbourne branch of the Australian Mutual Provident Society, has arrived in Wellington to take up the duties of aooonctant in the looal office, vice (the late Mr. W. Halse. At the annual meeting of the Incorporated Institute of Accountants, held yesterday afternoon, tho following were elected as a Council for the ensuing year :— Auckland, Messrs. Gilflllan, jun., W. Gray, J. H. Harrop, and H. C. Tewsley; Christohuroh, Messrs. J. _ Henderson, A. A. M. M'Kellar, A. M. Ollivier, and F. Waymouth ; Dunedin, Messrs, W. Brown, T. Callender, B. H. Leary, and H. Roso ; Napier, Mossrs. H. A. Banner, C. B. Hoadley, and W. T. Irvine ; Wellington, Messrs. D. T. Stuart, J. E. FitzGerald, W. R. Cook, and C. P. Powles. Mr. H. Kember was elected auditor for the ensuing year, at a fee of .£2 2s. On the motion of Mr. A. M. Ollivier, the meeting decided to recommend the Conncil to grant the sum of £3 3s each to the Secretaries of the Chambers of Commerce at Auckland, Napier, Wellington, Christohuroh, and Dunedin, for their services in connection with the foundation of the Institute ; aIBO to recommend the Council to formulate details of the duties of auditors, and have the same circulated among the members. Other resolutions were passed, affirming the desirableness of holding the annual meetings alternately in the oities having local Councils ; that the Counoil be recommended to formulate a scale of fees ; that the term " practising publio accountants" bo defined. A motion to the effeot that whenever a member of the Institute required another accountant to act with him he should select a member of tho Institute, in preference to an outsider, lapsed for want of a seconder. A hearty voto of thanks was passed to the President, Mr. D. T. Stuart, for his efforts in starting the Institute. In replying, Mr. Stuart said the sucoess of the Institute depended on the management. Still, they had a number of heads all working to one end, namely, the elevation of their profession. What he had done for the Institute he had done oheerf ully, but he felt a sense of relief that his duties would be less arduous in the coming year than in the past. Tho Stipendiary Magistrate punished to-day a first offender for drunkenness. A young man named George Thomas Benson, who was arrested by Detective Campbell as he was on the point of sailing for Sydney yesterday in tho Hauroto, pleaded' Guilty to the larceny of a suit of clothes valued at .£4 4s, and a watch and chain worth 30s, the property of a fellow-boarder in a house in Taranaki - street. Benson threw himself upon the mercy of the Court, stating that this was his first offence, and ho had been drivon to crime by sheer necessity. The stolen property was found seoretod on the steamer, on which a passage had been secured for Benson by the Postoralists' Association at Sydney, by which body he was engaged as a shearer. His Worship sentenced the accused to one month's imprisonment with hard labonr. This was all the criminal business. Mr. Brown, formerly ohif.f officer of the Rotorua, left for the South last night to join the Taupo as her chief officer. Mr. Anderson (son of Captain Anderson, of the Waihora), who was at one timo in the Union Steam Ship Company's service, iB now second officer of the ship Earl of Dunraven. A meeting of those interested in the formation of a Swimming Club was held at the Ballanoe Hall laßt evening, Dr. Chappie in the chair. Amongst those present were seTeral notablo sirimmers — - namely, i?rofesßor Beanmont, the " Man-fish " (who gave some valuable information on swimming), Mr. De Voey, of London, and Mr. D. Grimmpt, of Dunedin. The Chairman referred to the great physical benefits to be derived from swimming, which he said was- 1 tho beßt exercise that could possibly be indulged in. Mr. R. Levoi also spoke on the subject. On the motion of Mr. R. C. Renner, seconded by Mr. Levoi, it was resolved to form a club, to be called "The Wellington Amateur Swimming Club." The election of officorß resulted as follows :— President, Dr. Chappla.j Vice - Presidents, Messrs. W. Allan^. W. Haybittle, T. Shields, and R. Levoi; Captain, Mr. B. C. Renner; ViceCaptain, Mr. T. Evans ; Seoretary, Mr. E. J. Fleming ; Treasurer, Mr. J. Drisooll ; Committee, Messrs. G. S. Mouatt, H. H. Dacre H. T. Wilson, J. Brown, and A. Tattle. About 50 gave in their names as members. After hearty votes of thanks had been passed to the Chairman, the conveners of the meeting, Mr. Levoi, and Professor Beaumont, the meeting terminated. A Wellington gentleman who has just returned from a visit to the New Zealand Champion Show, held at Christchurch a few days ago, brought back with him a number of canary exhibits, which had scored high honours on the show benches there against all comers. One, a beautiful large Buff Norwich cook, carried off the gold medal, the same bird having also won the cup right cut at the Dunedin show for being the best Clear Norwich in the dhovr j in fact, he has never been beaten wherever shown, and iB, indeed, a handsome specimen. There are also some splendid Crests, one especially— a beautiful variegated hen— being almost Eerfeot. These birds have been purchased y Mr. Louis P. Cbristeson (who has been judge of canaries at the last two Wellington Bhows), and are intended as an addition to hia aviary for breeding purposes. Such stook in the diutrict should prove of benefit to all fanciers, and greatly aid in the improving of those cheerful household pets, the breeding of which is, indeed, a pleasant and desirable hobby, which we are glad to see being largely taken up.

" Phiz," of the Christchuroh Press, in his Parliamentary Portraits, thus refers to _Mr. John Duthie : — " Mr. Duthie hae, as might have been anticipated, come to the front in the Honse of Eepresehtatives, notwithstanding the faot that he Bits in the Eeat of the scorner — in other Words, on Opposition benches. A successful business man, ordering his own affairs wisely and well, of honest, manly, and straightforward disposition, it iB a foregone conclusion that whatever John Duthie puts his hand to he will go through with. Having laid hold of the plough political, he retains his grip thereof, and daily makes straighter his furrows. He is one of the few, the very few, men in the Honse who know anything whatever about nuance, and he neglects no opportunity of giving tho Government, especially Mr. Ward, the benefit of his financial knowledge. And the Government do not like it— especially Mri Ward. Mr. Duthie makes no pretensions to the gifts of ah orator. When he was returned in 1890, he at first suffered to a certain extent from lack of snpplencES of tongue. Even at the present moment there arc members in the House whose signatures on the Parliamentary roll are scarce dry who could give Mr. Duthie 75 points out of 100 in mere glibness, and beat him in one bre^k. Nevertheless, his strong will and indomitable per severanca have assisted him to some not inconsiderable fluency of speech, and he manages to hold hia own, and something more, with the professional ' Sons of Thunder ' on the Ministerial benches*" Tno oreditors of George Thomas Harrif, baker, of Courtenay place, who recently became bankrupt, held a meeting yesterday afternoon. The debtor presented a statement, in which he explained that when he started business five years ago he bad fair proapeots, but was handicapped by having insufficient capital. The baking trade during the last two years had been so out tip that his own individual trade shrank eonsidelv ably, and his returns for some time had been insufficient to meet outgoings. Two years ago_ he had a heavy loss through a flood, which destroyed a large stock of flour and other «roods, and last Christmas he Was laid tip with an injury and had to employ an assistant. There had also been sickness in his family. The immediate oause of his filing was his being served with a. writ by a creditor. The bankrupt, for whom Mr. Patoreon appeared, stated under examination that he had a wit'e and family of 10 children dependent on him. He was bankrupt in 1878. and again in 1889. For the past two years he could see that things were not right) but he was in hopes of the business prospering-. No resolution was passed, and the meeting was adjourned sine die. The following particulars are to band regarding the mishap to the Union Steam Ship Company's s.s, Pukaki, mentioned by cable recently :— The Pukaki left Sydney for Launceston, via Eden, at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday, 23rd August, and towards evening the weather beoame very thick, with strong S.W. winds and rough sea. At 10 p.m., when off Kiama, distant about six miles, the propeller shaft broke, and the vessel, left helpless, rolled hea\ily until sail waß got on her. The wind was fair for making back, bat in the vessel's disabled state and a contrary current, there was no tolling what might happen, so passing Shellharbour signals were made with the object of probably inducing some collier that might be leaving for Sydney to render assistance. After being four hours under canvas the steamer Easby, bound from Melbourne to Newcastle, came up and took the Pukaki in tow. The vessel has since been docked for repairs. The proposed Conference of School Committees is postponed, because of the inclement weather. The Temperance mission to the Maoris inaugurated a few weeks ago has now taken definite form, and Mrs. Hewitt proceeds on her work early noxt week. Besides literature in leaflet form and pledge cards, a number of copies of Mr. J. H. Pope's work have been presented. Mrs. Hewitt feels encouraged by the opinions of those well qnalified to judge of the necessity of the work t sho has undertaken. The following donations have been received, and further donations will be gladly received by Mrs. Medley :-Mrs. H. D. Bell, Mr. H. Brittain, Mrs. W. B. Williams, Mrs. J. B. Brown, Mr. Hone Heke, and Mr. C. B. Hewitt, £1 each; Miss Greenwood, Mrs. Lingard, Mr. J. H. Pope, and Mrs. Snow (Otaki), 10s each ; Miss Tnrnbull, 6a 6d; Miss Harper, ss; Mr. Arnold, Is. A meeting of the Committee of the Hutt Golf Club was held at Mr Tripp's office yesterday. Messrs. J. H Jack, C. _H. Treadwell, D. B. Howden. and L. Tripp being present*. Mr. W. A. Fitzherbert was elected to the Committee in the place of Mr. S. Coates, who is leaving the district, and Mr. D. B. Howdon was elected Captain. The Treasurer reported that the finanoes of the Club wore in a satisfactory position. Itwae mentioned that sheep are to be put on the links to keep down the grass, and enable members to play all tho year round. An ingenious though simple fashion-plate, just received from Home, has been shown to us by Mr Shields, tailor. It is a transparency, in the shape of a human figure, and by placing a piece of tweed underneath it, it can be seen at once exactly how the stuff in question will look when made up. At the monthly social evening of the Sydney-street Primitive Methodist Church last evening, tea was provided by the Endeavour young ladies. Afterwards Mr. C. M. Luke delivered his lecture on " Glimpses of Australia," as seen in a recent trip. His vivid sketches were illuminated with excellent lantern views provided by Messrs. Keeno and Hamlin. Mr. I. Clarke presided. The Superintendent Minister (Rev. J. Guy) is at present in Christohurch attending Jubilee celebrations. St. John's Burlesque Company repeated "Aladdin" at the Ope; a House last evening. This evening the nautical burlesque, "Black-eyed Susan," will bo produced, introducing new songs, jokes, dances, &c, and Mr. T. C. Callaghan will appear in several specialities. The admission to all parts of the house has been reduced to popular prices, and the bill of fare provided should draw a crowded audience. A matinee performance, for which speoial attractions are set down, is to be given on Saturday afternoon. The weekly meeting of the Women's Social and Political League was held in tho Ballance Hall yesterday afternoon, when there was a good attendance. A paper was road by the Secretary on " Anarchism." It was decided that Mrs Yates, the Mayor of Onehunga, who is at present in Wellington, be asked to address a meeting of women. An oil-painting of Messrs. S. M. Baker & Co.'s stud horse Somnua has just been exocuted by Mr. Bert Hammond. It is on view in the window of Messrs. Hoffmann & Sons. A speoial meeting of all branches of the furniture trade is convened for to-morrow evening to consider the position as to tho proposed Chinese factory. Members of the Star Boating Club are reminded that the annual general meeting take place at the club-house this evening, to receive the annual report and balance-sheet, election of officers and new members, and transact general business. r Hallenstein Bros., of the New Zealand Clothing Factory, have added a tailoring branch to their business on Lambton-quay, and Mr. John D. Morison, formerly of Te Aro House, and of Leslie, Lane, Dobbie and Co. (Dunedin), has been entrusted with the management. The premises in which the tailoring is to be carried on hare been specially arranged for the purpose by Messrs. B. Carmichael and Son, under Mr. Morison's direction. The favourite yacht Girola, now lying off Harman'a Boatshed, is to he sold at auction tomorrow, by.Horcourt and Co., at their rooms, Lombton-quay, at 2.30 p.m. The good qualities of this vessel are well known to yachtsmen and others, and in view of the approaching summer Benson she will, no doubt, attract the attention of those who are desirous of securing a first-class Eleasure yacht, which is at the same time well tted for coastal work. W. F. Shortt sells to-morrow, furniture, on Saturday watches, jewellery, and E.F. ware, and on Saturday night books. There will be a gaslight display to-night and to-morrow night. Townsend and Paui will sell to-morrow, at the new fruit market, Hams-street, fruit. Laerr and Co. will sell to-morrow, fruit. George Thomas ana Co. will sell to-morrow, at the new fruit market, Harris-street, fruit. A. G. Tame and Co. will sell to-morrow, furniture, &c.

IBt Tklbobaph.J {Our Otcn Correspondent. J AtjcXi.and, This Da*. The Star to-night says of yesterday's game : — It could not be olaßßed as a scientific display of Rugby football, and was not nearly so fast or interesting as the match, played on Saturday last. At times, we aro> sorry to say, the players infused moreroughness into thoir work than is required in the friendly game of footballThe alteration in the New Sonth Wales team by playing an extra forward greatly strengthened their vanguard, 'lhfly showed much cleaner work in their heeling out than the North Island forwards. The latter appeared devoid of combination in the scrum work. Thereby their backs lost many opportunities. The New Sonth Wale* forwards made some excellent dribbling rushes, tfhile,- on tho whole, their lino-out work was superior to the North Islanders'. Tho .passing of the Now South Wales baok» was not as good as they showed ■ against tho Anokland fifteen-. Tho prinoipal cause of this was the selfish play of Barry at five-eighths , who was most obstitial a iin clinging to the ball instead of pasidnir out to his obtnrados. The combination of the North Island baoka was very good. Ihey showed some cleyer passing, whioh resulted in iwo tries being gained. All the New South Wales forwards worked well, and made themselves prominent during the* game. Aloook, Carson, Hanna. and Sawyerdid fine work on the line-out. Of their baoks, Galloway, Surman, Hiley, and Cobbwere the most successful. The last-named proved himself a .reliable fnll-baok, his long" kiCkiDg being admired. Of the North Island forwards, Watson and M'Kenne were th* moat prominent in the open, while all worked well in the sornnt. Murphy again distin--guißhed himself as a plaoe-kioker, the two goals he registered being from half'distance. W. JBayley and Oliphant proved". thomselveß good wing players. Of the* North Island baekß, A. Bayley, Roberts,. Wynyard and Gage were the best. Theyaccomplished some clover pieces of passing. Masefield, as full-back, did not perform up • to his usual standard, bnt mode no serious > blunders. Caradtla suffered through theslow heeling out of the forwards.

The enquiry by tho Land Board into the circumstances connected with tho taking up of seotions 12 and 13, Maknri, by Mrs. Sbarman and Mrs. Arnot, waa resumed to-day. Mr. Gray, who appeared for Mrs. cbarman and Mrs. Arnot, addressed the Board on* behalf of bis clients. He said he thought the method adopted of Rotting information, for the Board was not proper. If e referred*, to the employment of an outsider to make* enquiries on behalf of the Board. _ Ithad been snggeßted that the sections • had been taken up for the benefit only of Mr. ..Donald Donald, and that that gentleman had been guilty of dtunmyißm, • bat he thought the evidence had shown that there was no ground whatever for such a suggestion. In the case of Mrs. Sharman the application, was perfeotly bona fide. (The Commissioner — That is not disputed.) It had been said by the man in the street that seotion 13 had been taken up by Mrs. Sharman for Mr. Donald. (The Commissioner — We have never heard such a statement, and you need not trouble to ad- • dress us on that point.) He had no doubt 1 that if Mrs. Sharman had applied to the Board to transfer section 13 to Mrs. Arnot the Board would have given permission, and ho suggested that it was not now too late to grant a transfer. Neither lady was aware at the time of the transfer that the Board's eanotion was neoeisary, and he submitted that the breaoh of the Act whioh they had committed in not applying for permission to transfer was not wilful. In regard to seotion 12, he submitted that Mrs. Arnot's application was perfeotly bona fide. It was considered desirable that sections' I*2 and 13 should be taken up by a person' who waa friendly to Mr. Donald, so that h« might be able to get access through them tohis own sections, and hence the acquisition, of the two sections in question by Mrs.. Arnot, who was Mr. Donald's sister. The< fact that tho two sections in question had: been worked in conjunction with Mr. Donald's sections should not weigh with theBoard, as that oourse had simply beenadopted for the Bake of convenience. A similar condition of things was disclosed in the Pharazyn enquiry some yearß ago, andthe Board accepted the explanation as satisfactory. Separate accounts had been kept • .by Mr. Donald, and it was idle to suppose that they were not genuine. It wm obvious throughout that Mr. Donald had treated the eeotions as his sister's property. The Board mußt not suppose that became Mr. Donald waa to obtain the money for the purchase of the section, it was the intention of Mrs. Arnot to transfer the sections to him, as such a course would mean an increase of his liability. The statement which had been made that Mrs. Arnot was not possessed' at the timo the land was takem up of mote than £100, was incorrect, be— Ciloso as a matter of fact she was worth 4 Eomething like .£lOOO. Another incorrect' statement whioh had found publicity wasthat she bacTexpreasea her intention to live' on the land, when as a matter of fact she had said her intention was to use it. The punishment of forfeiture would be a terrible one, and he submitted that it was not the duty of the Board to forfeit in the I present case, as only a technical breach of the Act hud been committed. There had been no deliberate evasion of the law. Whatever had been done had been fair and abov* board, and the Board should decide that no* action on its part w&b nooessary. Mr. Skerrett, on behalf of the Crown, sub-, mitted that seotion 13 must be forfeited, on< the ground that no application had been, made to the Board for the transfer from Mrs. Sharman to Mrs. Arnot, and that the land' had not been oooupied by the lessee for her - exclusive use and benefit. Two solicitorshad been consulted before the land passed from one lady to the other, and itwas not right to suppose that the parties were unaware that the permission of theBoard was neoeesary. A singular fact was that when Mr. Donald was finding the money no arrangement was made between him and Mrs. Arnot regarding the terms on which it was being given. The Pharazyn oaee did', not conflict with the decision whioh he (My. Skerrett) asked the Board tocome to, as in that case it was shown that a rich father was assisting his ohildren to obtain properties of their own, and was not seeking to benefit himself. He considered that the employment of an outsider (Mr. Seymour) to make inquiries in * the present oases had been right and proper. Mr. Gray said that he did not object to the Board making enquiries. What he objected to was the method adopted. The Board| reserved ite decision until Tuesday.