The Evening Star TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1900.

Evening Star, Issue 11152, 30 January 1900, Page 2

The Evening Star TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1900.

There trill probably be a good deal of difference of opinion regarding Last Night's the results of the two meetings Meetings, held last night in connection

with the Patriotic movement. The general patriotic impulse and aim arc practically unanimous, bub it Mould be futile to expect popular unanimity in respect to matters of detail and the special channel in which the movement should be directed. The decision of the General Committee of the Patriotic Fund may be dealt with fust. It was decided that the entire fund (with the exception of the sums specially earmarked by subscribers) should be sent to the Lord Mayor of London for the following purposes of the general fund :

1. For the widows, orphans, and other dependents of officers and men of Her Majesty's forces, including colonial forces, who may unfortunately lose their lives. 2. For the sick and wounded while under

treatment. 3. For soldiers and sailors disabled by wounds, and for those dependent upon them. 4. For the wives and children separated at Home from their husbands and fathers by tho exigencies of the war. All money specially donated for the refugees and the horse fund will be set aside for those purposes. Well, we do not feel justified in criticising this decision in an adverse spirit. It embodies the principle which we thought right to support during the progress of the collection, and it is likely enouglnthat it represents the wishes of the majority of the subscribers. Still, as we pointed "i«ufc on Saturday, (here has been a change of circumstances: important information has transpired ; the Lord Mayor's Fund has reached unexpected proportions, almost removing the necessity nf financial help from the colonies ; and altogether many people will be of opinion that it would have, been wise and reasonable to retain at all events a portion of the colonial fund for the benefit of the colonial forces a.nd*the supply of their possible needs. This idea was not unrepresented at the meeting of the General Committee, but its promoters were informed that the Lord Mayor's Fluid had been expressly made applicable to the cases of the colonia.l troops. The Premier, however, is not quite satisfied with this arrangement, and he points out, with some reason, that " the allowance thought ample at Home is inadequate in New Zealand." However, the Committee doubtless exercised much care and anxious consideration in discussing the matter, and we do not think that any good purpose could be served hy carping at their decision. They have done a great deal of useful work, for which they deserve the thanks of the community, even though their final judgment may not'meet with universal approval.

The General Committee were concerned with the past, so to speak ; the public meeting had to do with the future of the Patriotic movement. What further work could Dua-

edin undertake? was the question which had to be answered by the ladies and gentlemen who answered to the Mayor's call last night Aow, there is always the ideal on the one hand and the practicable on "the other, and we are not sure that the difference between the two was clearlv recognised bv all the speakers last night. In this case the diffe« ence is brought about by the obstinacy of the beddon Government. The Premier natly declines to make the ideal the practic™fs Le und °ubtedlv could if he chose ,1 ! , ea k the rea!1 ->' l ,ro l ler tllin « « il'is: Uiat the Government should provide for the Ihnd Contingent, as for the first and second; and not only this, but that they should also furnish the remounts. The Mayor said with cogent force : "It was only u right and equitable that all should be _ called upon to contribute the cost of'send(i nig the men. and thos* who had been al- ,. If ldv exceedingly generous should not have their generosity overtaxed while those who <( harl given nothing should be allowed to escape the payment of all share in the cost of sending the men." ,w V™? • ?fire ? , with lhe Hon - Mr Bolt that the Ministerial position is quite anomalous, and that if a third contingent be necessary in the interests of the Empire, the Government ought to furnish the proper equipment. We go further and join Mr W t f, 1 " 1^ 011 m declaring that it is the duty of the Government to keep the First and Second Contingent? in a state of efficiency. Ihus, $ Mr Seddpn recognised his duty 'in the matter, private generosity could'be applied freely to the relief of" suffering the supply of comforts, and other ends in connection with which the State, qua State has no special duty. But this ideal is impossible, for the reason that Mr Seddon has made up his mind to leave his public duty Half-done, and at the meeting last night this fact might well have been recognised u-om start to finish.

The Chairman said that the Government had hcen approached hy himself as to how tar they would assist in sending remounts, and they had emphatically declined to send remounts, saying that- the people must provide them. Not only hud the people to provide horses, but the Government would not even provide fodder for them.—(Cries: •' Shame!") Wc quite agree with tho cries of •'.Shame!" but we are also quite sure that Mr Seddon will not care a straw for them. The ideal being out of the. question, then, the meeting had to deal with the practicable, and the decision arrived at was that the efforts of the people of Ot;< ( go should be directed to providing remounts for Hie service of the First (and, of course, if necessary, the Second) Contingent. Probably this was the best resolution that could be adopted under the circumstances, and we have no douljt tha.t our people will take delight, in doing their duty in'this special direction as in the more general work of the last few weeks. At the same time many people will regret that it was impossible—as wc suppose it was—for the meeting to recommend the people of Otagn to take a share in the despatch of the Third Contingent. Mi- James Mills stated that " for his "own part he had come l-o the conclusion " that we could not help the Third Contin"gent with money, however unwilling, we "might be to admit it "--and wc are disposed to accept Mr Mills's judgment in this matter, though wc accept it with a sigh. It is quite true, as Mr Mills went on to say, that Otago will not be open to the charge of lack of patriotism, especially if the re-, mounts movement be properly supported ; quite true that the magnificence of Ota go's contribution to the Patriotic movement is more than a set-off to Canterbury's enthusiasm for " more men" : still, it is to be feared, the fact remains that participation in the Contingent will make more noise in Iho world than the collection of money. We think that, at all events, it was quite unnecessary for the meeting to pass a resolution " regretting their inability to join in " the expense of despatching a Third Contin"gent." Why make a. gratuitous profession of "inability"? Mr Dcnniston's resolution, in fact, was utterly and almost wantonly superfluous. Happily, after all, there is reason to believe that Otago will not lie unrepresented, among the Rough Riders of New Zealand. " " ' •