CURRENT TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIX, Issue 13121, 8 May 1903, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

A great deal has ' .’been said and ■written about

THE IRISH LAND BILL.

the Irish. Land and a

groat deal more trill be said and written about it before it readies the Statute Book. Its prospects, if we may judge from, this distance, are exceptionally 'bright. Except'. for some shrewd criticisms fromi Mr . Michael Daritt and some bitter sneers from one or. two implacable anti-Irisk politicians, it has been received with unanimous praise. 'Mr H. W. Lucy sends the “Sydney Morning Herald” a few notes concerning.the measur'd:

Full disclosure of tihe scheme shows the, first impression to'haiv© been correct. The twelve .millions which the Imperial Exchequer is to provide fori' the soldering of the bargain for the transfer otf Irish estates fails far below the sum rumour named. Moreover, its disbursement will take place under a system that will make almost imperceptible the pinching of the shoe. \ The maximum sum payable in a year is £289(000, and.it will be sometime before the scheme, getting into full action, will absorb so nvudh. Meanwhile, economies equal to a quarter of a million will be effected) in the cost of Irish administration. The pleased House, tbrongedtothotopmostbench of the Strangers' Gallery, learned tihat so far from the taxpayer being called uporn forthwith to fork out he will, for a year or two, positively benefit by tin© transaction, u.e Irish estimates, bv season, of economies effected, being actually lower than at present. To the cynical mind there is, it must be.admitted, something about the affair reminiscent of the eonfidenca trick. "I intend," snys the persuasive Chief Secretary, "to effect on the -Irish Estimates permanent economies equal to a raving of a' quarter of a million a year. But in order to show ■your confidence in me, you must give one iibevity to draw on you for twelve millions in ca.i'h, and supply me with a guaranteed loan that rniay run up to one hundred: millions sterling."

On all si«W, the honesty, boldness and thoroughness of. Mr Wynd'ham's proposals have 'been 'freely acknowledged, bat Mr Lucy reminds us of tie Biblical injunction, " Beware when all men speak -well of thee," which, her'says is especially applicable. to Bills introduced into-the House, of'Commons. In the present case- there is so much at stake, and the measure seems to offer so.splendid an opportunity of securing the. pacification andi prosperity of Ireland, that individual members" may be expected to sacrifice their personal views as to details; and the Ministry, (-which is not in favour in the country just now, is not likely to miss this chance of carrying through at least one great reform'.

A NEW CRtTSADE.

A " prophet " from America turned up at Ballarat a. couple of months ago, and- there met -with a,

White Hills resident named Fitterer, a prominent member of a little band of revivalists. The prophet, whose- name is Joshua Jeffries, ha 3 long black hair and a glib tongue, and.Fitterer fell completely under his influence. Returning to White Hills, Fitterer carried back the! new gospel, whatever it may be, and Jeffries,' who followed him, was warmly welcomed by the .revivalists. The subsequent developments, as described in a Melbourne paper, have caused unbelievers to speak with considerable suspicion of tibe genuineness of the raven-locked prophet. Previously, the White Hills reformers had been content to carry on their work quietly in their owra neighbourhood, their earnestness gaining them a certain amount of respect. White Hills, however, seems to have been too circumscribed a field for the ambitions and activities of Joshua Jeffries. 'Shortly after Ms arrival the re formers Megan to dispose of their property, the prophet, presumably, being the leader and treasurer of the movement. They were not communicative as to their intentions, but they were obviously carrying out the Scriptural injunction to sell all they had, whether to give to the poor or not -has yet to be revealed. They saidthey were going out -into the highways and by-ways-to.preach the gospel. Jeffries addressed a few opeu>air meetings at White Hills, displaying an extensive acquaintance with Biblical phrases, but his theology did not impress the unelected. -When the realisation of the reformers' property seemed to be about complete, Jeffries departed, presumably for Melbourne, promising that when he received Divin© inspiration he would send his followers a '.' call" to ioin him. The " call"

for some of the reformers duly "but the others remained at White Hills in a house destitute of furniture. The position is naturally exciting considerable interest. One of the members "called" is, or -was, possessed of considerable property. Of course the mission may be a perfectly bona fide movement, but some of the reformers' neighbours do cot regard it in that ligM amdi are asking whether it is ■ cot possible for the authorities to interfere.

A YANKEE SALESMAN.

Bendigo had a visit on April 27 from an enterprising American "salesman,"

whose advent had been ex* tensively " billed." His name was Newton„ and on the Monday evening he appeared in full naval uniform, prepared to do business with a, big crowd of people. After* the usual "patter," he opened the sale "by, selling one pound notes for fifteen shillings apiece. He disposed of half-a-dozen at this, price and then sold silver coins at a- re- r duction. Then he sold sis-shilling knives for three shillings. This was in the nature of "ground-baiting." His next move waa more sensational. Holding up a double Albert chain, which he acknowledged waa not worth a few shillings, he intimated! that he was determined to sell it for £lO,, and he cast about for bids. At last a young; man in the crowd expressed his willingness to pay the required amount, and sa great was the delight of the salesman at effecting his purpose that he beamed indulgently on the purchaser/and returned to him his own £lO, besides giving him art extra sovereign and a rolled-gold chrono-. meter, bearing on either case an enamelled portrait of the 'Prince and Princess of Wales. Another chain was disposed of afa £lO, this time to a well-known cabman, buti in this case there was no reward. As busi-. ness; dragged, the price of the brass chains was reduced to £5, at which figure several of the articles changed hands. Prices, gradually dropped, first to £l, and then by degrees to nothing, She sales being! really enormous. Apparently, the pur-: chasers all expected the salesman to reward them handsomely, and with a. fine touch, of shrewdness he took their names and . addresses, and invited some of them on to.; the platform. As the hour was getting; late, drinks were ordered and a comic concert was given, and eventually Newton) slipped away to his hotel by cab. Some of. his victims are said to have wandered about ' the streets all night, kicking themselves.. Next day, Newton got away from Bendigo, promptly, his gains being estimated at fully; £BO. A warrant has been issued for huf arrest on a charge of false pretences. »