The Evening Star TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 1906.

Evening Star, Issue 12760, 13 March 1906, Page 4

The Evening Star TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 1906.

A Minister receiving a deputation is usually more or- less on the dePrlson fensive. In a majority of Reform. cases gpot esmen of the i deputation are criticising, directly or inferentially, existing conditions in some branch or other of the Minister's department, and he is constrained to justify those conditions as far as possible. Moreover, it is his duty to show the weak places in the arguments that are being urged upon his attention, and to act to some extent as advocatus diaboli, as it were, in respectto any pleas for change that are presented. Consequently a Ministerial reply, especially when it appears in cold print, is apt to leave an impression of somewhat imperfect smypathy, and the ardent reformer may feel that his philanthropic zeal is insufficiently appreciated in official quarters.' All the time the Minister may be heartily anxious to further the wishes'of the deputation as far as his powers go. These remarks are not inapplicable to the interview which took place yesterday between the Minister of Justice and the representatives of the Prisons and Industrial Schools Reform Society. Mr M'Gowan had a good many corrective remarks to offer—some of them shrewdly effective—but it- would be quite a mistake to suppose that his general attitude was unsympathetic, and on the whole the deputation had reason to be well satisfied with their reception. They obtained a promise that the Government, would introduce Bills dealing with the questions of indeterminate sentences and juvenile offenders. The former subject was brought before the House of Representatives last session by Mr Sidey, but a private member has very little chance of carrying reforms of this land; and, moreover, it may be admitted that the Bill of the member "for Caversham was not altogether free from crudity. Mr M'Gowan evidently regards the. project with something less than enthusiastic confidence, but, he. is willing to give it a trial, and that is all that the Reform Association ask. We only regret that the Government missed the opportunity of appointing Mr Justice Williams as a commissioner to inquire into the working of the system of indeterminate sentences in America and elsewhere. They feared, it seems, that the Judge would experience much difficulty in viewing the establishments under their normal, everyday aspect, as special arrangements would probably be, made for his visits; The objection does not strike us as very' convincing: we would trust His Honor to get at the truth of matter?. As regards juvenile offenders, legislative force i ; ; to be given to the instructions or suggestions recently issued to magistrates in regard to the avoidance of publicity, and Mr M'Gowan is not likely to ignore some further ideas that were brought under 'his notice yesterday. Perhaps he is right in saying that the proposal to keep no Tecord of the names of youthful offenders is impracticable. Certainly we hold that records once made should not be erased, and it must be borne in mind that the general public do not spend their time in perusing the entries in prison books. The Rev. W. Curzon-Siggers drew the Minister's attention to some interesting facts in relation to the development of the probation system in America, and reference was also made to the desirability of removing prisoners from the large" centres to country districts, as well as to certain undesirable conditions- at the Heads. The dormitory system cannot be too strongly condemned, and we are disposed to think that the establishment at the Heads has outlasted whatever usefulness it may have had. The following note of conversational interchange is interesting: He (the Minister) had never looked upon the prison at the Heads as a prison at all, except for work being done there for defence. _ The Rev. Mr Curzon-Siggers interjected that the labor was as harmless as the defence. The Minister: You don't think much of the defence? Mr Curzon-Siggers: No; any capable military expert- would tell vou that proper defences should be maintained on the mark vii. gun, on the opposite, side of the harbor. We may remark in passing that the Rev. Mr Corzon-Siggers-s knowledge of the subject of defence is not according to the clerical standard in such matters : he knows what he is talking about. We hope (and believe) that the Mmister of Justice will give personal and anxious consideration to the various though cognate questions that were submitted to him yesterday; and we bope, too, that he win try to rid his mind of one misgiving which seems to weigh upon it rather heavily. He is afraid that some of these proposals of reform might have the effect of pampering prisoners and makm* their lot too happy. Thrice yesterday did he emphasise this point. For instance: They must watch they were not- putting "the criminal in a better position than the "man who had not committed any crime, "and who was straggling to keep himself his family." And again: "They did " not want to send out a man who was a in a better position than a poor "man who was not a criminaL" We cannot help thinking that these fears are fanciful, not to say absurd. Here is- Mr Gilkison's suggestion, which we do not hesitate to endorse: Working prisoners should be encouraged by reviving larger payment for their work. That would encourage the men to give their best labor. It would give them the opportunity of accumulating something, which would be available for their wives and children suffering outside on account of the breadwinner"being locked up. Then, when a man was discharged, he would be more likely to find occupation, because if he had been doing g«od labor employers* wotrid be more apt to open their doors to him. There would be no " pampering " in such a concession, and Mr M'Gowan need not imagine that the non-CTiminal worker would" be tempted to envy his incarcerated brother. Small fortunes would not be made in gaol if Mr GiUrison's humane saggeation were to b© adopted, and prison Efe will continue to have its salutary hardships even when all the reforms advocated by tho deputation who waited upon .Mr MiGowan xesterday rave b«ea eacratkinto effect.

Seeniingly, the Ratepayers' Association have not yafc found thfi way to unanimous action. A -while ago they wrangled among themselves over certain "public pronounce ments in regard td same cement contracts. Then .there was dissension, (more or less) over the Harbor Board election. Last night they got angry with one another about the nomination of some councillors as candidates for the Licensing Committee. The sub-executive held a meeting on Saturday night, and decided that those comcillors had done wrong in standing and putting the citizens to unnecessary expense. Therefore a general meeting of members of the -Association was called. When- that meeting happened last night hot words were tossed about in a reckless way, and, on the face of it, it was the sub-executive that got the drubbing, because they had publicly announced the probability of the councillors being drubbed by the meeting. One member was told to '"'shut.up," another was accused of being frightened of Bond, street, and altogether matters went merrily. In the end it was decided that the Association take no action in the matter of tho election. A detailed report of the proceedings appears in another column. Why isn't something done about the acoustics of our courts? They seem to be so constructed us to render" justice next door to being dumb, as well as blind, for it is frequently utterly impossible to follow what falls from the lips of the presiding magistrate. This morning at the Magistrate's Court, Mr C. C. Graham was delivering an important decision in a juvenile offender's case, and one simply itched to hand his Worship a megaphone/ Only a few days ago, Mr Widdowson, when presiding at the Police Court, commented on the fact that the place was one in which it was most difficult, either to hear or be heard. Reporters will soon have to carry ear-trumpets as part of their professional equipment. A little practical attention on the part of the experts would entirely remedy the existing defect. In the allotment of the Railway Department prizes for the best-kept section of permanent railways from Waitaki to the Bluff, the men in charge of Toiro section have (says the Bruce ' Herald') received the second prize of £lO. This section last year, under ganger O'Hara, was first. The first prize goes) to ganger Cunningham, of Waikouaitj. and his They were third last year. The third prijie goes to the ganger at Upper Port Chalmers. The voting for Licensing Committees in Dunedin and the adjacent- districts was going on steadily and quietly to-day. From indications at the time of writing there seemed to he a likelihod of a, fair, but not a particularly heavy, poll. Mr H. Maxwell expects to he able to declare! the Dunedin result at the Oarrison Hall by half-past eight-_ o'clock. It was noted to-day that the simpler plan of dispensing with scrutineers has been readoptcd. Both sides evidently have faith in the officials. In referenre to the letter from Messrs N. and J*-. S. Paierson, on behalf of Mr Sidey, as to tki proposed sub-division of a further portion of his land at C&versham, lying i.»etween the Main and Valley roads, adjacent to the railway, the Works Committee recommend the City Council to send a reply that they do not wish the exemption from the necessary road-widening provisions under the Public Works Ant, and that Mr Sidey be asked! to grant the strip of land required free. . The Gas Committee have been troubled by tlie breakage of street lamps of late, and have instructed tlieir inspectors to endeavor to capture offenders. Citizens arc aiso requested to assist, in the matter of obtaining convictions. The business of the Port Chalmers Borongb Council only occupied some twenty minutes last night, which was the first time for months that one or pther of the councillors did not express his opinion in reference to the new dock matters. Colonial mails despatched from Melbourne via Brindisi on tho 7th February arrived in London on the morning of the 10th inst. For the purpose of encouraging tourist traffic the Reserves Committee recommend the City Council to respectfully request tho Government to acquire Nichol' Creek, Schooihouse Creek, and Evansdalo Creek, with bush lands adjoining, and to construct a road through tho Waitati waterworks, connecting the Upper Waitati road with Flagstaff Hill. It has been decided by the City Council's Reserves Committee* that the "site for the Krupp q.f. gun, offered' by Cabinet to the citizens of Dunedin, be near the fallen soldiers' memorial at the entrance to the Southern Recreation Reserve. A meeting of persons interested in phrenology and kindred subjects was held last evening at the Physical Culture and Elocution School in the ball of Club House, Moray place. Mr Mazengarb explained the object of the meeting to be to form a class for the theoretical and practical study of phrenology and psychology, with the ultimate view of forming an association to ii*vestigate all psychic phenomena. During an exposition of what phrenology is, Mr Mazengarb said that as a subject it may be divided into two distinct parts—first, cha-racter reading from the conformation of the head, face, and body, which may be termed the ABC. of tho" science; and, second, a system of mental philosophy wherein it is without a peer. This, he explained, opened up an exceedingly wide range of study not affected by unskilful character delineations. AH present decided to join the class. During the fortnight ended ord inst. the tramways traffic returns were as follow: Receipts, £2,179 Is 7d; mileage, 42,523 miles 44 chains. During the corresponding period of last year the returns were:—Receipts, £1,787 2s Id; mileage, 32,868 miles 11 chains. Dr R, Burgess, M.D., F.R.G.S., Ph.S., who is engaged on a walking tour round the world, was at New Plymouth last week. He rekites many interesting experiences in a friendly way (says a local paper), but is averse to newspaper celebrity. Mr A S. Adams read some figures compiled from the licensing polls of last General Election to the Council of Churches last night. He said that Otago still held the premier position in the colony as regarded the No-license vote. Last election 51.28 per cent, of the valid votes cast in the colony were for No-license 1 , but the percentage in Otago was 54.42. In Dunedin, however, it was only 49.13 per cent, MiAdams also mentioned that there was a majority of 15,884 votes in favor of Nolicense as against Continuance throughout the colony, and said that if the same principle were in operation on the No-license question as regulated votes on other national questions, there would be no drink traffic here to-day, or rather after June next. These statements were made in reply to those who had affirmed that the Nolicense party had had a set-back, and Mr .Adams went on to say that no matter what reverses there might have been in other parts of the colony, the capture rf two of the second-rate towns—Oamani and Invercargill—far outweighed them- He remarked that the attempts to upset the poll at Invercargill had shown that the new law was much more •satisfactory than formeTly. Mr Adams concluded by saying that he believed that the sun was already lighting the eastern hills, and that we should soon have No-licensc in this City. There was a gocd deal of other- matter iii Mr Adams's speech dealing with the conferences which took place between the Nolicense party and the other side over the election of a Licensing Committee, but as the poll will not close "before our issue ci to-n%ht appears it is not published in accordance with our usual custom. During the month of February last, 1,417 cattle, 5,821 sheep, 2,005 lambs, 242 pigs, and 170 calves were slaughtered at tile Burnside abattoir. Of these 58 cattle," 3 sheep, and 6 calves were condemned as unfit for food. It is exactly fifty yeans since Queen Victoria instituted the Victoria Cross. It is one of the things that we owe to the Crimean War, and was not always so popular as it is to-day, for many of the foremost soldiers of the time, among whom was Lord Clyde, were against it, deckling that bravery was a soldier's business. But the little bit *<rf bronze, with its world-famous inscription " For valor," has fully justified the inspiration of its creator, and to-day there is no honor more prized or more oewted by soldier~or sailor 4han4he'^*-V,.C'."

At the annual concert in aid of the picnic funds of the Sawyers Bay School the chairman of the School Committee (Mr N. Gordon) occupied the chair, and there was an excellent attendiance. Songs wet© contrir bated by Misses M'Nee, Munqa, Sunderland, Ward, and Mrs Harrod, and by Messrs- J. Cleghorn, F. G. Cray, H. Morton, and Stewart. Miss Rae played a violin solo, and Mr MTie (who also acted as accompanist during the evening) opened the concert with a pianoforte solo. Mr Leslie Cleghorn recited 'Not Understood.' All the items were excellently rendered, and tho concert was thoroughly enjoyed by all present. On the motion of Mr G. Duke a hearty vote of thanks was passed, not only to the local performers, but also to the visitors from Dunedin and Port Chalmers who had so wiliinely contributed to the success of the concert.

A shower of slues or of some family lower in the animal scale took place in Wyndhom some time during Sunday night. The footpaths were littered with myriads of the tiny, slimy creatures. No local ictentity feays the local paper) had seen the bke before,' and the occurrence is mysterious. In appearance the organisation;? were gelatinous, and exposure to a powerful microscope revealed numerous dark bodies floating, a? it were, in each. A savant- of natural history, to whom we submitted specimens, guardedly expressed the opinion that they might be a marine protoplasmic species, that had been licked up in the waves by a water spout, or some such phenomenon.' Samples have since been sent to professional scientists for identification. According to a prominent member of the All-Blacks, the New Zealand Union must have netted about £9,000 out of the tour. In the course of an interview at Wellington last week, Mr Donne, superintendent of tourists' resorts, stated that the quiescence of Waimangu had meant a loss of to the Rotorua district alcne, besides being a considerable loss to the colony generally, through tourists who would have been attnsated to Rotorua extending their trips to other scenic resorts. Tho complaint of prisoners at the Heads Doing herded together in an undesirable manner, made by a deputation to the Minister of Justice yesterday, drew from Mr M'Gowan the statement that lie had never looked on the prison at the Heads as a prfcon, but rather as a place where work for defence purposes was being done. Keeping tho prisoners there saved them from being brought up and down the harbor, he said, and as to the men having to sleep in large dormitories instead of being isolated, ho considered it more desirable to have twenty men sleeping in a large dormitory than to have a number of email dormitories holding five or six men each. Mr M'Gowan also remarked that he had just been through' the Dunedin Prison, and thought it one of the best in the colony, only he thought the prisoners needed better lighting.

Two matters came before the Council of Churches last night over which thore was a possibility of a sectarian dispute arising, but delegates were evidently in no mood for this. First there was a letter from seven passengers on the s.s. Medic, trading between Liverpool and Australia. Four of these passengers hailed from New South Wales, and one each from Now Zealand, Victoria, and Scotland, one or two being ministers. They stated that they were Nonconformists, and that the Anglican Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge had accredited agents travelling on emigrant steamers as chaplains, whose business it was to seek to attach passengers to tlie Anglican Church by securing their confidence, finding out their destination, and forwarding their addresses to tho Anglican authorities at the several ports*, with tho apparent object of proselytising members of Nonconformist Churches. The seven signatories, who have apparently circularised other bodies of a like nature to the Council of Churches, urged that steps fihould be taken to form a Nonconformist society to carry on a similar work on emigrant steamers. The Council of Churches referred the matter to their Executive. The other matter involving the sectarian question was a. motion by the Rev. J. T. Hinton that the Council shonld express a strong feeling of the impropriety and mischitvousness of the inquiry of the census into tho religion of the people. Mr Hintcn's reasons for the abolition of the " religious column" in the census paper* were that tho State should'not meddle with or inquire into tho religious opinions of the people, and that certain sects, basing their claims on census returns, might ask aid from the State to which they were not entitled. Mr Hinton affirmed that the census statistics of religion were utterly misleading and untrue. Ho mentioned, as an instance, that an Anglican clergyman at Orange, N.S.W., had said to him -. " Anyone who has not enough interest in religion to put himself down as belonging to any Church wo claim for the Church, of England." The motion hung fire for a little, was then seconded pro forma, but a delegate immediately "moved tho previous question," and this was carried. - At the monthly meeting of the Dunediu Athenseum Committee, held last evening (Mr Whiteon presiding), it was reported that 138 volumes had been added to the library since the beginning of the year, and that forty-four new members had joiited the institution since last meeting. A copy of a 'Life of Watt Whitman' was received from Mr W. H. Trimble, and Guy's Hospital Medical School Calendar for 1905 from that institution. A number of improvements to the building were approved, and it was decided to order three new magazines for the reading room. At the Police Court this morning the Corporation made practical objection in the form, of a summons to the practice apparently indulged in Avith some frequency of drivers pulling their carts right close to the footpaths, so that one wheel is in the channel. Mr W. C. MacGregor, the Corporation's counsel, said that incalculable harm was done in this way. It was an off Plica that' occurred hundreds of times aday, and caused great expenditure in repairs. Most people probably have the idea that v.hen one of the electric cars is full they have the right to a seat in the mot<jrmaa's compartment. There is a regulation on the front of the cars which, in negative way, says that four people may do so when the- rest of the car is fulL But apparently this is a privilege which may be granted, but cannot be demanded. Indeed, another clause says that a passenger must leave a platform if so requested by the conductor. Tho important point for passengers is that (as we are authoritatively. informed) they may be allowed this privilege on the north line, but not on the south line, on account of the intricacy of the traffic presumably. A_man who was before the Police Court thTs morning charged with refusing (near Ogg's* Corner) to leave the niotorman's platform when requested to do so, evidently thought that he- possessedi this right, and the Magistrate (Mr Graham) upSeld him, too. As far as the evidence went, however, it showed that the request to leave had been made by both motorman and conductor without effect. And according to the Act this is an offence. Mr W. C. MacGregor (counsel for the Corporation) insisted strongly on this obviously Tinanswerahle point, but the Magistrate held to his decision. Counsel intimated v that the matter could not rest there. At the annual picnic of the Macandrew road School, held at Evansdale, several groups in the morning went on exploring expeditions in different directions, witile others remained in the grounds in games or in the preparation of lunch. In the afternoon racing, jumping, and other athletic-events-were carried oat, and-by six o'clock the exenrsionists were ready to return to town. Before leaving, Mr Dalton, the chairman, addressed the parents and children, thanking them for the help they had given the School Committee. He also spoke in complimentary terms of the work of the school and the* staff. The Taieri and Peninsula Company have decided to throw in their lot with the Oamaru bay at the International Exhibition, assisting the display with an extuoit of butter. This is the only exhibit (says the ' Mail') that the company will make, ■which surely is proof positive of the directors' confidence in the local product to sustain the good name,of the institution. The defalcations of the late town clerk at Marton (wiio recently received & : term of'-hn©nsoJHaieaiti_toralJsd. £l,lBO. . . ■■ >

Only two members of the Otago Central Railway League put da an appeaiapee last evening—Messrs Ed. Robeds and J. Jolly, jun. Consequently there was no meeting! The correspondence was- limited to one letter.

, The ATbitralikMi Court sit in Wellington on Thursday, -when the hearing of ; the. application by the Oooks and Stewards' ttawn for enforcement of award as against the Union Ooropainy will be resumed. "It is probable that if there had been anexperimental station, and dairy school in New Zealand ten years ago I shouldn't have been' here to-day." ftjx Kinsella, at his New Plymouth meeting.

An exceptional. assortment of band-made furniture is offered at lower prices than ever. Bander?, 88 George street.—{Advfc.l An open meeting will be held by 'the Alliance Lodge to-morrow, at 8 pjia., when harmony and an address, by Mr EL Sandilands on 'Beautiful Ireland 1 (with dissolving views, if possible) will be given. Messrs Myers, dentists, are- back new building, Octagon and George.streefc^Advt.] Headache and disainess qmckjy dispelled by taking Tamer Jfldce. , [lo9] The Morjungton Band will give an evening concert in the Botanical Gardens to-morrow evening, ccumnencing at eight o'clock. The programme will include the "selections ' Gems of Irish 'Memories of Scotland,' BuorPodka ' Panorama,!' and cake walks, marches, etc. A collection will be taken up in aid of contest expenses. The band will leave the Eost Office about 7.30 p.m., and will proceed to the Gardens in an open car lrindry supplied by the City Council. Tussieura for cough and cold has stood the test of lime. ~ [lo9] A notice to members of Court St. Andrew, A.OJP.,. appears in our advertising columns. The Anglo-N.Z. Cycle Company's closingup sale a great success; still further/concessions; customers who have been unable to receive attention owing to the rush are invited to call again. Shop to let.—[Advt.] To-morrow night, at the Forbury School Gymnasium Hall, a smoke concert to welcome S. Casey, of the New Zealand footballers, will bo given by the Southern Football Club. New costs just opened, in stylish patterns of tweed and rich caracul; price, from 15s 6d to four guineas. At T. Boss's.—[Advt.] The promoters of the Sailors' Rest ask us to direct attention to a conversazione to be held in the Choral Hall to-morrow/ evening at 7.45. A pleasant and profitable time may bo expected. A short musical programme has been arranged, Mr Laidlaw, of the Kaikorai Band, being amongst the performers. There is nothing to equal Witch's Oil for rheumatism, sciatica, deep-seated rheumatic and muscular pains. [lo9] A Highland chief (the Mackintosh of Mackintosh) is the subject of a fine illustration in the current issue of the ' Weekly Press,' which, as usual, will be on sale in Dunedin to-morrow morning. Other interesting pictorial matter consists of some fine snapshots of the reception to the " All Blacks " at Auckland, the annual shooting meeting at Trentham, the New Zealand Polo Association's tournament now in progress at Christchurch, the Melbourne Cricket Club's matches in New Zealand, etc. There is also a capital page illustrations giving the members of the Oamp-bell-Bannerman Cabinet. Mr Hendy, hair specialist, invites inspection new combs, hair nets, brushware, etc,, just landed. Latest hair frames, all colors, Is.—[Advt.] The Biailway Department, notifies that there will be holiday excursion tickets issued in connection with the cricket match M.C.C. v. Otago, commencing nest Friday, and train arrangements are also advertised, including a special train to Port Chalmers at 5.55 p.m. on Saturday. Messrs Myers, dentists, are back in new building, Octagon and George street.—[Advt J The theoretical examinations, Trinity College of Music, London, are announced to be held in Dunedin on June 9, 1906, entries for which close to-morrow. Miss Beatrice Barbh is local secretary. The secret of good health is obtained by taking Dr Ensor's Tamer Juice. [lo9] The annual general meeting of the Pirates Football Club vail be held in the Orphans' Room, Clubhouse, Moray place, this evening.