The Ensign. GORE : TUESDAY, MARCH 27. MORE FAVORITISM.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 716, 27 March 1900, Page 2

The Ensign. GORE : TUESDAY, MARCH 27. MORE FAVORITISM.

One is not attracted to the task, seeing that the Premier is now brought within the range of our sympathy as sharing in the fears and anxieties of over a thousand parents in the colony to-day whose sons have heard their country's call and have gone to South Africa in obedience to the summons — one is not attracted, we say, in such circumstances to denouncing the action of the authorities at whose head the Premier stands in placing the Premier's son in a position of grave responsibility in the fourth contingent. But a rank injustice must be exposed. We have nothing whatever to urge against Lieut. Seddon's credit or his fitness to occupy an honored post save his extreme youth and his inexperience. We are firmly of opinion that had justice been' done between man and man, or had the Premier's son possessed as a father a person of less importance and power, the now Lieut. Seddon would have left our shores as an ordinary tiooper in the fourth contingent with some more experienced man in the occupation of the position he holds solely by virtue of his father's official importance and power. In these democratic j days, and under warlike circumstances such as are prevailing, when the very best officers obtainable should bo secured to lead our country's gallant sons against the foe, it is not meet that political influence should be allowed to step in to thwart the colony's laudable ambition to yield the Mother land only its best in officers and men. In the ranks of the fourth contingent are men who by education, ability, and military training are eminently suited to have done fullest justice to a lieutenant's commission — men in whom their comrades would have had the utmost confidence. Why should the claims of these have been ignored merely to secure that the Premier's son should tread the path of military service on velvet carpet he could prove no title to ? This is not a matter in which only a sentimental injustice had been done to men more deserving of recognition ; a wrong has been perpetrated which may easily be fruitful in untoward results. A lieutenant on tho battle-field is no curled and perfumed darling ; his functions demand technical knowledge of no mean order , readiness of resource, an ability to lead and to command men, and above all demand the efforts of one capable of inspiring in others supreme confidence in his judgment under every circumstance. And all this from a lad of nineteen straight from college ! It is neither fair to this youth himself nor to tho men who are to serve under him that such responsibilities should be thrust upon him. Even had tho appointment been made at a time when suitable men for officers were difficult to obtain it would have required considerably greater justification than has been mado available ; but in face of tho fact that there were probably fifty men infinitely better suited for the post than Lieut. Seddon, his being pitchforked into it is a matter for great regret, first on account of the risk of weakening the efficiency of the corps, and second on account of the glaring instance of political favoritism there has been disclosed. Another ease, probably even more highly to be reprobated was the appointment of an individual to a lieutenancy in the fifth contingent, who is stated to have been unable to pass the riding tests necessary to enable him to be selected even as a private in a former contingent. As in the previous case we have quoted, this officer's parent occupies an exalted post in political circles. And so tho wires are pulled ! Political interference (which of late years has made life almost unendurable in New Zealand) was alone responsible for depriving our colonial troops in South Africa of the services of an officer of the highest attainments (we refer to Colonel Fox) and now it has been employed to foist upon our gallant soldiers as leaders two individuals of whom the best that can possibly be wished is that one will not make any serious mistakes, and that the other will be able to sit his horse on parade at least. We are painfully aware that corruption has honeycombed all departments of State service and all walks of political life, but we were not prepared to encounter the shadow of Tammany across the horizon which is now reddening with the rising sun of this colony's military potentialities. But apparently the fiat has gone forth that every consideration must be subverted to the exigencies of party politics, and the servitors obey. Hence we find every possible nook and cranny in the State service from the eminence of the obese departmental head to the lowly station of the most humble tax-gatherer stuffed with creatures of a Liberal Government. Resolving the political policy of the past nine years back to its constituent elements, and regarding carefully the characteristics of each, one is forced to the conclusion that when the time comes for the distribution of the promised Imperial Army commissions in this colony the relatives of political time-ser.vers and sycophants will be discovered to have secured the reward that probably would have fallen to others had merit instead of political color been the ruling consideration.

John Pope has been committed for trial on a charge of attempting to murder his wife at Governor's Bay on March 1. Mrs Pope received- a serious ganshot wound in the shoulder, but is now out of danger. A dramatic incident occurred at the Masterton Bailway " station last week. One of the contingent was leaving behind him, amongst other- little things, a heart-broken sweetheart. The poor girl had ridden a . number of miles to catch the early train, and as her lover left, she fell in a faint, and had to be carried back to town. On the Elderslie estate near Oaniaru, for which the Government recently paid £8 10s per acre, some very heavy yields are being recorded. One section threshed 126J bushels of oats per acre ; 80 of barley, and 45 of wheat. Another section, 330 acres of wheat averaged 50 bushels. A suggestion has been made (says the 'Press') which is worthy of consideration, and that is that Englishmen should wear a rose on April 23rd, St. George's Day. The English people are not. as a rule, demonstrative outwardly, and hence they very seldom . are seen to wear the emblems of nationality like the Irish and-the Scotch, who prize these above all. But this is a unique occasion, one in which the Empire as a whole has asserted itself, and on the anniversary of the patron saint of England, Britishers all should do honor. In the Wellington Magistrate's court on Friday the charge preferred against John Deighton of murdering his infant daughter was begun ; Mr Jellicoe defended. Dr Mackin, who examined the body after the murder, was the only witness, and a further adjournment was made for a week. The greater portion of the afternoon was occupied in argument as to the admission of notes made by Dr Mackin, and statements to him by accused. There were sharp passages between the Magistrate and Mr Jellicoe, the latter, at one time, threatening to withdraw from the ease, but, eventually, he cooled down, on Mr Haselden's saying he was not going to be terrified in that wayThe Governor has forwarded tbe following cablegram to the Premier, which he received from the Secretary of State for the colonies. " The Secretary of State for War offers ten royal artillery and twenty infantry commissions for gentlemen selected from your colony, after consultation with the Imperial officer commanding the local forces. Candidates must be British subjects, of good character, between the ages of 20 and 30, unmarried, passed by the medical board as fit tor service according to the regulations of 1899, paragraph 1 anpondix a. Send names of nominees with certificate of birth, stating the branch for which recommended, and in the case of Koyal artillery, whether Held or garrison artillery is preferred. The preference of the candidates will be considered as far as possible." A singular accident occurred to a - schoolboy, says the Auckland ' Herald,' recently. In returning from school he passed the cemetery bridge, and noticed a smouldering fire in some long grass. He endeavored to beat it out with his -school bag. The burning material proved to be phosphorus, and stuck to the bag. When the boy knocked it off it stuck to his fingers, burning them severely. He rubbed his hand on his trousers to remoye the phosphorus, with the result that his leg was also burned. How the phosphorus came to be there is n mystery which has not been explained. The ' Lyttelton Times ' is evidently not at all pleased at the speech given by Mr J. Allon, M.H.lt., on the occasion of Mr I. W. Raymond's social on Wednesday evening last, being telegraphed all over the colony, and remarks editorially, also biliously: "llememberiug how indignantly tbe Press Association has repudiated the suggestion that it is not altogether free from party bias, it is a little amusing to find its agent at; Wyndham telegraphing all over the country a report of a banquet given in that out-of-the-way village to Mr I. W. liaymoud, the defeated Conservative candidate for Mataura at the last general election. There are probably not a score of people on this side of the Waitaki who know Mr Haymond even by name, and there are certainly not half that number who care two straws whether he was feasted or neglected by his political friends." At Dunedin on Friday Lieut. Seddon, of the fourth contingent, was made the recipiout of a number of presents from his father's colleagues, the Hon. Mr MeKenzie, on behalf of the other members of the Government, handing him a silver-mounted spirit flask, with the inscription : " Good luck, from his father's colleagues ; March, 1900." A gold sovereign case, with a similar inscription, and a hunting crop were also handed to Lieut. Seddon. The recipient feelingly replied, saying that he intended to try and merit the success predicted for him, and he hoped ere long to again meet his and his father's tried friends. The Premier said this was probably the last chance he would have of speaking to his son ere his departure. He advised him to be manly, straightforward, and upright, and above all things to observe implicit obedience in the discharge of the duties which would devolve upon him. Sometimes he would be called upon to do things he might not like, but obedience was a soldier's first duty. He must uphold his officers, and stand by his men. If the latter knew that be understood his work they would would go a long way towards making his life a success. The kindness on the part of his colleagues touched him deeply, but theirs was a friendship which rose above politics, and which nothing would end but the grave. The Hon. Mr McKonzie and the Hon. Mr Ward, on behalf of their respective wives, also handed Lieutenant Seddon souvenirs. Shortly before eight o'clock on Saturday night a lire broke out in a linen closet in Warner's Hotel, Christchurch. The flames spread rapidly, and 27 rooms were burnt out before they were extinguished. About 10.30 tho fire again broke out while the brigade was at another fire,' but the railway fireengine and ' Lyttleton Times ' plant put it out. The insurances total £11,000 in the Zealand office, mostly reinsured. None of the boarders lost anything. Two other fires (though neither was serious) occurred in Christchurch on the same day. A very funny incident was witnessed the other day by a good many people in front of the Hotel de l'Europe, says the. ' Singapore Free Press.' A British blue-jacket was coming slowly along the road, quietly smoking his pipe, when two big foreigners walked past him, turning their heads as they did so, and spitting repeatedly in his direction, in order to exhibit their opinion of Britain in general and that bluejacket in particular. Jack halted, puzzled, but only for a moment. Ho swiftly went at one of them and floored him on the road with a good knock-out stinger under tho chin, tho other foreigner taking to his heels. Jack then, planting one foot with deliberation on the chest of his prostrate insulter, took ofl his hat and sang in a loud voice a stavo of " Bule Britannia." After which, putting his hands together tn an attitude of prayer and looking devoutly upwards, ho ejaculated solemnly, " God Save the Queen." Then, removing his foot from the foreign gentleman's tummy, he " stood clear," looked down at him for a moment, and pulling out a box of matches carefully relit his pipe and leisurely sauntered off, puffing away contentedly without once looking back. The Hon. W. C. Wa'ker, Minister of Education, had a narrow escape from a serious accident on Friday. At the invitation of the Ashburton County Council (reports the ' Lyttelton Times ') he came from Wellington to be present at the opening of the KuapUna water-race. The party drove out to the head works, thirty-two miles from Ashburton, and had just started on the return journey, when the waggonette containing the Minister and four other gentlemen was driven over a small rock, and capsized. The waggonette was smashed, and the party penned inside, but they got out none the worse for the mishap. Is it generally known that Sir George Grey was once offered the Presidency of the Free State ? The following passage is to be found in ' Mr James Milne's memoirs, " The Romance of a Pro-Consul " :— " There can be no harm," said Sir George, " in relating another incident which kept up the kindly link between the Orange Free State and myself. Before my friend, Mr Beitz, accepted the Presidency, he wrote and asked me, Would I be willing to consider the oiler, provided it were made to me? I was then, I think, in tbe quiet of Kuwau Island, and I suppose Mr Keitz believed I might be more actively employed. One did not need to be already a burgher of the Free State, for President Brand had not been ; at all events, that was not a n obstacle. 1 did not see my way to regard the offer, but the making of it manifested ft beautiful trait in Mr Keitz's character. . How many men, being tendered the highest post that their country could confer, would have turned to another, asking, •Will you accept it?'" :

A ship cnptain, 'writing to the ' Hawko's Bay Herald,'-saya that he cleared his ship of rats by giving his men a glass of rum for each one they caught. The work was done thoroughly and well, every rodent in the ship having been trapped or killed and turned into Jamaica rum. Nominations for the Biverto'n races close on Saturday, the meeting as usual taking place on Easter Monday and Tuesday. During the past year the olub has effected oxtensive improvements (including the erection of a new grand stand) at a cost of over £400, and as.a special train has been arranged for from Gore no doubt many district residents will take advantage of the opportunity of visiting this popular seaside resort. The British House of Commons, by 177 votes to 01, negatived the Catholic University Bill. Mr Balfour declared that he sympathised with the movement, and recommends the Irish to prove that they desire education and not ecclesiastical influence. We understand that Mr S. Fletcher's offer to supply Gore with an abundance of pure mountain water is made on the basis of three heads. This, if turned into a reservoir, would be ample to furnish a domestic supply, a stock of water for (ire prevention purposes, and sufficient as well to drive a large portion of the local machinery. If the Council accept the offer, the municipal authorities would have to construct a reservoir at Croydon (the Council holds a suitable reserve in that locality) and to convey the water from thence into Gore. Mr Fletcher, we understand, undertakes to bring the water as far as Croydon, and will chaise the borough so much per annum for the use of a stipulated quantity. A public meeting is to be held in the Gore 6 Town Hull to-morrow evening to discuss ways and means for assisting the fund which is being raised in the colony towards the relief of the starving millions of India who have been brought face to face with death in its most horrible forms owing to a long continued famine. The attendance of members of musical, athletic and other institutions at the meeting is specially desired, as it in probable a series of entertainments of oi c kind and another will be promoted to aid the project. Some little excitement was occasioned in Gore on Friday night prior to the departure of the special excursion train for DunecJin by the circulation of a report that sleepers had been discovered placed across the line in Bast Gore (by some pro-Boer, it was rumored) with the intention of wrecking the train. The matter was investigated by the railway officials here, but it was found that nothing more sensational had occurred than a thin batten, which had evidently dropped from some timber truck, falling on the line, and which subsequently found a resting place on one of the metals. The many district friends of Mr Jas. Allan, who, it will be remembered, managed the Gore branch of the N.Z. Clothing Factory's business (and was previously in the Invercargill and Christchurch branches) for a considerable lime, and went Home for the purposo of obtaining wider experience in his business, will be pleased to learn that he now occupies a high position in one of the best London shops. Mr Allan contemplates going to South Africa when the country is in a more settled state. Owing to something in tho nature of a khaki famine having set in in the colony owing to the enormous d°mands made upon the visible supply of that material, Messrs Boss and Glendinning will be unable to complete the order for uniforms given by the Gore Mounted Kifles for about a couple of months. In the meantime members of the corps will require to possess their patriotic souls with patience and allow their military ardor to be enkindled behind the common or garden order of clothes of commerce. In the Wyndham case I. \V. Raymond v R. Urquhart, a claim for £9 7s 6d, balance due on the sale of a horse, and which was adjourned to Invercnrgill, judgment has been given for plaintiff with costs. The contention of defendant's counsel was that plaintiff, acting as agent for the principal, could not sue to recover the amount, but this point Major Koddcll, S.M., overruled. The N.Z. Express Co. has received word that the paiccls forwarded through its agency for the various New Zealand contingents have arrived at the Cape but have not yot been delivered to the troops and men for whom they are Intended. This is nj doubt owing to the disorganised state of railway communication with tho front, but which has now been restored, and probably the parcels have found their owners safuly by this time. A man whose name has yet been undiscovered fell from the excursion train which left Dunediu for the South on Sunday night, between the two tunnels coming dowu the incline into Mosgiel. Another man jumped off to his assistance, and tbe authorities were apprised of tbe accident at Mosgiel. It was rumored in Gore yesterday that he had died of his injuries, but no particulars whatever are obtainable. It was also stated that the man was a resident of this district. The Excelsior Football Club open the season to-morrow, when a match between sides representing the president and vicepresidents will be played on the Caledonian ground, commencing at 3 p.m.. Sides will be chosen on the ground, and all intending players are asked to put in an appearance A special meeting of members of the club is to bo held in the evening, the principal business to be discussed being the question of union. Mackintosh capo lost. National M. and A. Co. sell suburban sections at Goie on Saturday. Two brown hack mares lost from Gore. Reward. Grand display of new goods shortly at W. Lewis and Co.'s. Tenders wanted for cartage of dredge machinery to Waikaka and Dome Creek. Alterations in time-table of southern trains notified. Nominations for Eiverton Racing Club's annual meeting close on Saturday. Excelsior Football Club opens the season to-morrow and meets to-morrow night. Bay mare, with saddle and bridle, found. Mrs Lovell wants servants for town and country situations. Hereford heifer lost from paddock in East Gore. Faitt and Co. have shares, properties, etc., for sale and notify agencies.