CHRISTCHURCH GOSSIP.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9894, 22 January 1895, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH GOSSIP.

(BY TELEGRAPH.)

[FROM OUB SPBCIATi CORRESPONDENT. Christchurch, Monday.

MB SEDDON AT NAPIER,

The ChrUteburch Press, referring to tbe Premier's recent speech at Napier, considers that there is nothing naw in it —at any rate worbh mentioning. lb goes on to remark :— " He exchanged dimiles with Captain Russell, and he uttered the usual buncombe and blaster about the restoration of prosperity to the colony by the polloy of his Government. Things must be better in Napier than they are here, if his audience could swallow that. If the Premier talked about future prosperity in Chrlßtcbnrch we euppnse he might find some simple miaded porsons to believe him, but nobody would believo him if he talked of the prosperity now existing, for, alas ! theie ia not one of us who does not know from sorrowful experience that onr condition jrmt now is tho very reverse of prosperous. Much of Mr Seddon's time was devoted to the Iniquities of the large landowners ot Hawke's Bay which Imvo ciuEed that district to be worse off than any other in the colony. According to Mr Seddon, it can hardly be bo, if the people there believe that Mr Seddon has restored prosperity, so that be may well be doubted whether ha is right about tho large landowners of that district. But we beg Mr Seddon's pardon ; he did say something new, which was very interesting — be fell foul of the Press Association became it does not report bis ranconr and rant verbatim on every occasion. Our leaders Barely owo a debt or gratitude to the association for exercising a wise discretion. If overy time this aweet Bully Bottom were to rorir for three hours at a stretch on tho same platform the newspapers of the colony had to print it all in fa'l, what o dismal prospect for now?paper readers ! We willingly credit Mr Seddon with much ability, bat he is a most tiresome, dull, irritating apoakcr, and tbe less overybody hears him or t eada bis speeches the better ior them."

JIISHOP SVOUDSWOi?TH. ! The. Bishop of Salisbury, who arrived in Chrlaiclluieh on Saturday night,' preached at the Cathedral yesterday morning ! to an immense coDgregatlOD. Every seat in the bulldlug waß occupied, whilst a large number of people stood In the nave ot ohe Cathedral, evell tha pulpit stairs and ohancel steps being occupied by -bcr80U8 who #6re ansloaa to hear thfi Celebrated Bnglleh .prel.ate. The Bishop's address ivae n" moat able and practical deliverance, sdcl was listened to with the utmost interest by a 'crowded congregation. Hbsald that although it might appear somewhat pfemattire for a stranger, as he was, to offer an opinion on the religions and social condition of the colony, he conld not help referring to the experimental legislation lately initiated by onr rulers, whioh he hoped would prove beneßclal to the colony, but whjoh, of coarse, might be exactly the reverSa', He felt it his duty to refer to the system of secular education whioh New Zealand had introduced, and Which other colonies were copying, but for which he thoiigbt there waa no necessity, and it was certain td have an injurious effect on the rUInR generation. His Lordship thoilght that pome, mean a might ba , found whereby children^ could;' receive religions instruction, eitner before Of diirlng school hours, bat that the teaching should be made easy to the children and not laborious. He spoke at considerable length on this subject, and said that before leaving England he had introduced a bill into the House of Lords in the direction of giviDg parents the right to determine what form or religions teaching their children should receive. The bill had not yet been considered in the "Common?;" and he did

nob know whether he conlil carry it, bat he coald not help thiaking that was the best solntion of the education difficulty. Daring the coarse of his address the Bishop explained the way in which religions instruction was given -in the Board schools of London, Birmingham, and Manchester. In the first two the mlnlßters had access to the schools, both before and after sohool hoars, while in London there were a number of voluntary institutions where certain times were set apart for lessons on sabred history, many of which were taken from the Bible. The results attained by these, schools had proved^ a'o satisfactory that there was not- the slightest idea. of changing the system.. The Church did not ask that. religious instruction should be made compulsory, but that ministers Bhould have free access to the schools. His Lordship concluded by earnestly requesting bis hearer?, and all Church workers, to do their duty in this matter, which was a vital one to the whole . nation. He also referred incidentally to tie consecration to the Bishopric of Waiopu which was that day trnkioc place at Napier, an eVent which he considered of great interest) to the New Zealand Church.

THE MAOLACHLAN'S "ADDRESS." The whole of the Christchurch papers contain reports of tbe extraordinary spectacle presented by the member ior Ashburton to bis constituents at Rakaia on Friday night, The special correspondent of the Lyttellon Times referring to Mr Maclacblan's meeting, says :— " Mr Maclachan was announced to speak at Rakai3, and at 8 o'clock he rolled in and staggered on to the stage. Mr M.ac!achlan said he felt it a great insult to the member for Ashburton: " There were several

J.P.'s in the place, a lob of nobodies, and he would resent such an insult and make It hot for them." After describing the attempts made to bbtaio a chairman the correspondent sayß, "Mr Maclachlan, who was staggering about a good deal, resented the remark of the chairman that be was the worse for liquor. Ho said that he thought he was the. ' better for liquor,' and be would go on. " A t this time it seemed very likely that the member would topple off the stage. He made two or three attempts to address the meeting, bat only succeeded in saying that during the session several bills had been placed before htm as member for the Ash burton electorate, the most important of which was given to him in July. He thought it referred to the gaaranbee of debentures of the Bank of New Zealand. He could say no more, and the people dispersed! A few mlnubes afterwards he fell off the Btage. I was then a conple of chains away, but I heard the thud. It is a wonder tbab he did not injure himself. Theecane was the moat disgraceful I have ever witnessed here, The Lyttdton Times, the Ministerial organ, referring to tbe affair says, " There can be no two opinions among decent people about the enormity of Mr Maolachlan's offence. When a member appears before his constituents in a condition which it would be charitable to describe as 'incapable' he simply sacrifices their confidence and invites their contempt. No apology could repair an error of this sort. There Is now only one course by which Mr Maclachlan can serve bis electorate, and that Is by placing bis resignation in the hands of the Speaker. We hope to hear that he has performed his duty without waiting for the inevitable request from his constituents."

SAVING THE GOVEKNMENT. Mr Moolachlsn'a defence of his vote in the House on the appointment of Colonel Fraser as Sergeant-at-Arnis is somewhat characteristic. He told hi; constituents at Aehbnrton last week that be voted for Ihe appointment in order to save the Government, of which be is a faithfnl follower. With respect to the two million guarantee to the Bank of New Zealand, he said that members voted for it to make Bure that they conld cash their cheques for tbelr pay. With respecb to the Colonial Treasurer, Mr Maclachlan .sayß Mr Ward is a " wizard in finance," and no colony with him as Treasurer conld possibly go wionp.