The Evening Star SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1881.

Evening Star, Issue 5589, 5 February 1881, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1881.

Dxtbinq the annual session of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand, which was held In Wellington In December last, the representatives of the Good Templars there assemWed went a little cut of the usual beaten track, and, following advloe whloh they iave ever assumed to Ignore, took a very practical Step in the direction of checking intemperance by urging on the Government the desirability of a due and proper enforcement of oWfcain provisions of the existing licensing laws. Differing as these laws do—--5n the absence of a general Act—in cask 3 rovin<&l district, they are suffieiant, if Bfcrietly administered, to materially modify the ncknowleg«d evils arising from er ©onaeo&d with the authorised ana unauthorised liquor traffla, and we are glad to note thrift even so sma 1 ! a move as the direction of th« attention of the poKoe to Sunday trading has beon made in the right direction. The sale of alcoholic liqußrs aS unauthorised hoars is, however, one of the least important habitual infractions of the law $ and, b* fore this is absolutely and really prohibited on Sundays, It would be well, we think, that consideration should be had to the case of those numerous persons and families wlrt>, though liking a glass of beer with their Sunday dinner, cannot afford to keep a cask of their own, and do not very wisely as regards their health care to drink stuff obtained the previous evening, which, as a matter of

course, must be as fiat as ditoh water. There should be, in the general iifterest, a compromise in regard to tho Sunday traffic. The licensed houses shculd be open for an hoar or two in the forenoon and t.ie liquor not dinnk on the premises, and the hotuae closed to all corn-era a!; all other times. Tho moat flagrant breaches of the ex'st-icg laws do not appear to have been specifically represented to Ministers by tho deputation which waitfd on | them. Nothing was faid with regard t■•■ sly grog-foUing, although, if w« may judge from thia City, and indeed the Provincial district generally, the ely grog-shops far outnumber the licensed houses. Nor was adulteration referred to, although it is notorious that more drunkards are manufactured by thequality than the quantity of tho liquor conBurned. According, however, to tho creed cf tho Good Templars, the " demon Drink " haa bub one minister, and tfcat is the publican, and they seem to aseumo that, if onlylho publican's business can bo rendered unremunerativo, society will forthwith become totally abstinent andjeformed. In view, however, of the measure cf success that has attended the action taken in regard to the open sale of liquor in public-houses on Sundays, it may be hoped that the earnest advocates of temperance reform will bog their way to make the law a living Instead of a dead letter in respect to sly grog-selling and adulteration. In doing this they will most assuredly do more to further the cause they have at heart than they aro likely in, this generation to tffect by local option or J other theoretical panaceas. Tho Grand Worthy Good Templar for 1880, re-elected for the current year, was | the Rev. Dr Roseby, of this City, bo that a somewhat special interest is attaohed to his address to the Grand Lodge, a copy of which we havo been kindly favored with. Omitting notice of the many matters of administrative detail, with which the chief officer of the Good Templars haß necessarily to deal, we propose tomrlefly refer to thoße pdrttons "of the address which are of more general interest, and demonstrate the stated condition of the Order aa well as the the exclusive point of view taken, of the temperance cause. The Executive, through the G.W.C.T., express their regret that the uncertainty whioh marked the stages of the Licensing Bill of last session gave no favorable opportunity of allowing the voice of the Order te be heard on the subjeofc; but it is stated that a manifesto was issued whioh, although published somewhat late in the discussion, "gave no uncertain sound" on the points wherein Good Templars are interested. If we reoolleot aright, this manifesto condemned the Bill as not goicg far enough in the direotion of local option, which it was oonßidered should forthwith be made to apply to renewals of lloenses as well as to new applications. In discussing the economics of the Order, Dr Roseby sets lor th a rather lamentable state ol affairs, and very nalutrally expresses deep regret at "the "exhausting leak which is the most dis- " couraging feature of our enterprise/' The great difficulty, he says, does not seem to be to make Good Templars, but to keep them so. The faoks, indeed, as stated fully In the Secretary's report, are very curious and suggestive. The number of members in Decenfber, 1860, was 7,090, as against 7,654 in December, 1879; but during the intervening year the total aocessions were 5,397, and the total losses 5,961, so that there was an absolute decrease of 581 members ; whilst more than two-thirds of those persons who were members at the end of 1879 had, from one cause or another, seceded from the Order. On referring to the statistical details we find that out of the 5,961 seoeders 3,429 were suspended from membership for not keeping up the regular payment of Lodge fees ? whilst 840 are returned as " expelled, not previously " suspended.* 4 Wo believe that the rules in respect to the consequences of not keeping up the payment fees were considered by the Grand Lodge to have been somewhart arbitrary, and that these rules have been, or are about to be, oonaidesa'bly modified. Dr Rcbeby, as in duty bound, enters very elaborately into the presumed oauees of the " loss of membership, whioh, making every allowance for the carelessness in respect to paying up the fees, is strikingly beyo'nd all reasonable proportion to the total number at present belonging to the Order, The causes, says the rev. dootor, are numerous ; and he specially instances the " strong pressure of " the drinking customs of society, which are sure to tell in time " on all whose Good Tem« '' plary lacks backbone." He further expresses himself as having no doubt that" want of " Btaunch conviotion, defect of prinoiple, " lies at the root of much of this defeotion," This conclusion, the result of mature judgment and clese observation, fully bears out what we have consistently namely, that temperance reform cannot be effeoted by laws, rules, or regulations, but must have its foundation in culture and education. There must be the conviotion that excess is hurtful, and the principles of self-respect and self-control must he recognised and fostered. As well attempt to shut out Cupid with iron bars as to keep from liquor the man who has a taste that way and has no power over himself to prevent the degradation of excess. So far we are able to follow the Worthy Chief Templar in his analysis ef the causes whioh induoe thousands annually—for the results of the year 1880 are muoh on an average with the years immediately precedent— io leave the Order, and, presumably, in many instances lapse into Intemperance. Other causes, however, whioh he refers to we confess aro somewhat remarkable, amongst whioh he especially notes "looseness in ''the conduct of the Ladge," demonmore particularly in what are FgiHTed "harmony" meetings. We had no idea that such lively gatherings were held under the pretext of Good Templarism, nor, indeed, that it was possible to enjoy " songs or recitations" of the character intimated, described by the worthy doctor " as smoke in tho eyes or as gravel between " tho teeth," without a " Bkiuful of liquor to commence with." The perpetrators aro, however, heEays, to be humored. "Wo muei; " bear with a song that sends a cold shudder " down our backs, or a recitation that makes " our hair stand on end." It is rather good, after this, to talk about "the decidedly low- " olasa entertainment of the public-house "and the adjoining concert and dancing " saloon." The address concludes with a distinct enunciation cf the pelioy of the Order, which proves that experience has by no meaner'had the ordinary effect of suggesting wisdom. "There is no other prinoiple," says thje Worthy Chief Templar, "of sustaining cur " enterprise but that prinoiple which gave it rt birth. The temperance movement originated "in the irrepressible outburst of philanthropic "feeling that something should be done to "save society from the curse of drink, and in "the conviction that the only effective "method of such salvation waa total absti,"nence; and there is no substitute for "thia temperance principle, there is nothing " else that will do Its work."

A coroner's inquiry into the origin of tho late fire at Otepopo Is to be held at Oamaru during the early part of next week. The North-east Valley School Committee last night voted thus for the vacancies on tbe Education Beard :—Professor Shand, 7; Mr A. C. Begg, 6 ; Mr Robin, 4; Mr Elder, 8 • and the Rev. R. L. Stanford, 1. John M'Donald and Mary Henry, two drunkards, wero the only offenders brought up at the City Police Court this morning. The former was fined 10a, with tho option of forty-eight houm' imprisonment; and the litter, who ia an old offender, v.ai committed to gael for three months, with hard labor. A fatal accident occurred at Waikaka on Thursday. Tho ' E.-sign ' reports that a daughter of Mr S. M'lntosh, agtel fiffceeo, had jast mounted, or was in the act of mounting, a young and restless hocso, when ifc bolfcod. If ehe had gaiuul the saddle sho was vtnablo to keep her seat and fell from it. Her foot caught in tho slirrup leather, an !. being unable to tx'ricato it, she was dragged along the road for some distance. The horse attempted to jnmp a creek End the girth broke. The stddle oame away, and thus the poor girl was released from her horrihl position. She was soon conveyed homo, unconscious, and lived but an hour after the accident, her death being caused by conouesion of the brain. Besides that, she hid suStainod a compound fracture of the right leg, and her clothes had beitx literally torn from her body. No parson was witness of: the occurrence, !

Vol. J. D, Willocks (ex-champion) and Vol. A. H. Anderson, of the Clutba Rifles, have entered for the Nel°on meeting, P 0. Monann and Gumrr L3.in will represent the Port Navals,

Tho Melbourne ' Leader' has commissioned Mr T. K, D n, one of its ataf*', to reporb on the agricultural resources c>f this Colony, and he is now in Southland prosecuting his inquiries.

Tito number cf telegrams forwarded for 'the q-iwter tndtd 31s*; December wa« 325,85b' The revenue received was L 17.189, the value of Government telegrams transmitted being LG. 770. We hear that the building trade haa been somewhat exeroised of hte on account of the dieappearance of some contractors, who have " let in " their workmen and tradesmen to a pretty considerable tuce. By a private telegram from Invercargill we learn that the pedestrian Scott had at 3.30 this afternoon finished eighty-3©ven mHes of his twenty-four hours' walk. Ho started at 9 30 o'ekek last night.

The monthly meeting of tho Dunedin branch of the Educational Institute was held in the Normal School this morning. The president, Mr D, White, read a paper on "Discipline," which was fully ssd. The secretary, Mr Mcqre, was instructed te draw up the annual report) for presentation at next meeting. Some Btmsafcion was ciused in High street about two o'olook this afternoon through the pranks of a horse in one of Masai's Shaud and Worth's bu'oher'a carts. The horse cooimenoed plunging and kicking furiously, the result befog that one of the wheels was quickly smashed to pieoes, and though the cart then fell over on one tide tho started off on a bolting expedition. It dragged tho wrecked vehicle down High street, and turned up Princes street; but here it wfta stopped, and further damage prevented. We take the following items from to-day's • Tuapeka Times': —"The crops in the Teviot district are expected to turn out very well, oats averaging sixty bushels and wheat between forty and fifty bushels to the aore. —A gentleman who drove down from Roxburgh about daybreak on Wednesday morning informs us that the rabbits formed a countless army on the road, especially between the Spylaw Hotel and M'Cunn's. In some places the read appeared a living mass.—Mr W. Toloher 's at preseat the only candidate for the Mayoralty of Lawrence," The monthly meeting of the United Fire Brigade was held on Thursday evening, Captain Matthews in the chair, it was deoidod to increase tho membership to twonty, and the following were elected working members:—J, C.uiins, L. Wobisland, G, Jones, G. M.ondon, and John Curran. Tha secretary was instructed ho write to theßorough Council, informing them of the intention of the Brigade to send a deputation to their next rnestiag, It vras notified to members that fines wcrtld bo strictly enfored in future for non-at'endance at practice. The secretary was instructed to cammunioate with Mr G, Eliott re his promised donation of LlO, The captain of an American whaler just returned to San Francisco from Alaska reports a singular discovery. Trading with the Natives, he, with his mats and one or two seamen, went by the invitation of the chief some distance Inland, where he noticed a peculiar-looking mountain, whioh they ascended, and being struck with the metallic appearance of the boulder, took an axe and chopped a portion off the mountain. After fucking up several loose stones they reurned. When these specimens wore shown to an assayor in this city ho pronounced them silver, assaying 6,000d0l to the ton. A party is now forming to proceed to Alaska nixt spring.

A meeting of the Itaikorai School Com* mittee was held last night, when the names of " qualified peradna for election as members of the Education Board " were read. The Committee being desirous of knowisg the opinions of the candidates about the " aharaoter book " before voting for any of them, resolved that the following questions be sent to each : "Are you in favor of keepingthe ' oharacter book' as it k now kept V " Will you support a resolution from thia Committee to the effect that the Board shall send to every teacher a copy of what is written about him or her immediately after auoh 'charaoter' ia wrlttea in the book?' Mr Church was unanimously elected chairman for the current year, The sudden death on Thursday of Mrs , Bennetbo, the wife of an eld resident of Milten, is reported by the local paper. The deceased was taken ill about three weeks ago, and since then has undergone considerable suffering. For near a fortnight her medical attendants, Drs Stewart and Rsid, of Tokomafriro, and Dr Stirling, of Lawrence, gave up nearly all hopes of hor recovery ; and a few days ago an operation of a very serious nature, on the result of which depended her life, was pei formed, After this she greatly improved, and was pronounced quite out of danger. In faot Mr Bennetto called at the ' Standard' office on Thursday just before mid. day, arid in. foimed the editor of the good new&; but shortly after returning to his homestead his wife d.ied. The members of the Harbor Board procceded down the bay to-day in the p.p. Peninsula, for the purpoae of inspecting the works being carried on under the Board's directions. Soundings wero taken at various f daces, and it was found that there had boon ittle shoaling. Between Ravennbourne and where the dredge Vulcan is now engaged, a distance of about a mile, th« soundings Bhowedauniform depth of from 14ftto 16ft 6ia at low water; It had bean dredged to 16ft at thia part. The Vulcan and side-dredge are making good way towards Dunediu, nnd are doing satisfactory work. The members of the Board present wero Ranisay, Guthrie, Patereon, Mathe-ccn, Walter, Mill, Burt, Biidgman, and Captain Log&r. The officers of the Board an ft Captain Scott, a retired nnvai officer, also amended. The 'Bruce Standara' ig responsible for this yarn :—" A short time ago the wife of one of our townsmen took into her employ an amiable (and, by tha way, good-looking) servant. The young lady did the work wished by her mistress in a moat satisfactory manner, and as a mark of appreciation was presented 1 with a dress very similar to one often worn by tbe donor. The other day Mr—- had occasion to come home earlier than usual, and just as he entered the door of his house he noticed (as he thought); the esteemed partner of hit Jifef busily engaged preparing something for the forthcoming meal. Her back was turned towards him, and he gently crept up, reached over her shoulder unnoticed, and implanted such a loving kisa on her beautiful cheek. Mrs has heard all about it, and says idie will have the drees changed for a different pattern."

Tho •' Ilandy " filo, patented by Messrs J. Wllkle and Co., is well named, A spring enables the paper to be filed on phis, and, closing on the paper, eecures it firmly With, this issue wo publish a double-page supplement, containing articles on the stato of Ireland, cor/espondonoe, sporting and oricketing notes, our Paris letters, and a quantity of other matter. The Choral Soolety'a third concert of the season is announced for Tuesday, the22nd inst., whea Bombevg's''Lay of the Bell," selections frcm 'Wagtier's opera "Tannhaiher" and Haydn's "Spring," and overtniea by the band will be porformed, forming altogether a very choice programme.