Newspaper Notions

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 49, 8 June 1901, Page 6

Newspaper Notions

MAYOR AITKEN, of Wellington, is cv idontly not a big enough potato for the Grand Jury yet At the piesent criminal sessions Ins, name figures in the list of potty jurors — Auckland "Observer." * r- ¥■ l\hat sccmi to be certain is that the working of the Conciliation Act will involve mo iv and heavier dutiet> upon goods which can be imported. — Napier "Telegraph "' When each year the Premier finds a surplus of nearly half a million, why not make a reduction in Customs duties to bring the revenue and expenditure into line pp — Opunake "Times." » * # They seem to have a queer idea of penalising cruelty up Auckland way. A man was convicted of cruelty to sheep, and was then let off with a fine of a shilling 1 — Gisborne Times." * * * On the w hole, Mr. Justice Edwards's defence of tual by jury has gone a long way in the- direction of convincing us that the system is, and ought to be, doomed to abolition. — Napier "Telegraph." •* • * Mr. Seddon fills a unique place among the piominent figures in the Empire's political world, and it may be safely asserted that the zenith of his career has not yet been reached. — Hokitika "Times." * * * Our military administration is a complete and hopeless muddle, and the sooner this fact is brought home to the public at large the better it will be for our defensive service — Wanganui "Herald."^ If the rumour that a Governorship awaits Mr. Seddon either in Fiji or in some self-governing colony proves wellfounded, he will not be rewarded above his merits as an Imperial statesman — Auckland "Star." * * * There is almost a revolt among business people throughout the colony against the numerous holidays and halfholidays that have been, and are being, declared in connection with various public functions. — Nelson "Mail." * * » De Wet's wife and eight children are in the charge of the British at Johannesburg. Those awful rjeople are also looking after Mrs. Kruger and thousands upon thousands of Boer women and children. — Sydney "Sunday Times." * * * The question of a new issue of postage stamps has been mooted in England. Why not issue the new stamp in the form of the Union Jack, and thus send our letters out under the fold of the English flag? — London "Daily Mail." * * * An Eltham paper hears that a tradesmen's ring is likely to be formed in one of the leading Taranaki towns to fight the credit system. No need for any such ring. The Limitation of Debts Bill, passed last session, is strong enough to kill all the credit in the colony — Auckland "Observer." * ♦ • Mr. A R Atkinson, with characteristic saicasm wants another Ministerial portfolio allotted He wants a Minister of Barnum. Mr. Atkinson might he asked to accept the suggested -portfolio of Ministerial Showman. Like other former opponents of the Government, he will never be happy until ho sets an appointment of some kind — Inglowood "Record." * * * The singular outcome of the trial of the man Pierard, in Wellington, once sprain draws attention to the limitations of our jury system. All that can be said for such a case as this is that it will help to hasten the abolition of a system the only recommendation of which i« its venerable antiquity — a doubtful recommendation indeed — Christchurch "Truth." •* * * It does not seem to us to strike at the principles of trial bv ]ury to suggest, that a \rrdiot of nine out of twelve men should be sufficient. In Scotland, as is well known, a bare malonty suffices Much time and expense might in this way be avoided It would also, and this is much more important, ho almost impossible to square a jury. — Napier "Herald."

The members of the Federation Commission have had a splendid pleasure tour at the colony's expense — some £5000, we believe — and the subject is settled once and for all, unless some indiscreet person makes a fus& about it. — Palmerston "Standard." * * * Maonland is anxious to get out of the ordinary groove in welcoming the Jook. Premier Seddon suggests that an arch of frozen mutton be set up in Wellington I And an Empire City undertaker proposes the erection of an arch of living children! — Sydney "Bulletin." * * * From personal observation, it seems imperative that, to preserve the attractive appearance of our women, Parliament should at once pass a Bill to suppress the awfulness of the boiled roley pudding tyne of coiffeur which pervades the cities — Adelaide "Quiz." * * * Groat Grovel' What are we coming to p Cabled in all seriousness to the "Mercury," from Melbourne, that "After about half the hand-shaking at the reception had been completed the Duke had to desist for the purpose of separating his crushed fingers!" — Hobart "Clipper." * * * In these days, when a decreasing birth-rate is causing so much alarm, it is cheering to note that at Greenstone there is a young baby in nearly every house, and that last week some forty or fifty of them were awaiting vaccination at the hands of Dr. Scott. — Kumara "Times." * * • The agricultural and country population is still far larger than the towns and cities , but the rate of increase is very much greater in the latter, and no wonder, because it is there that high artificial wages are fixed bv Act of Parliament at the expense of the formei . — Onehunga "Chronicle." * * # The people of Wellington are agitated about a failure, of justice that has occuried in their city, although, by this time, one would think they were becoming accustomed to such incidents, for the metropolis of New Zealand has acquired a notoriety in this re&pect — Carterton "Observer." * • • If there is one type of criminal more than another for whom we ha\ c no sympathy, it is tho profligate and brutal youth or man who> is guilty of criminal assaults upon women and children. For them, the punishment cannot be too sharp, severe, or exemplary. — Waihi "Daily Telegraph." * * * Nothing conduces more to embezzlement than looseness in audit, and yet the present Government — the trustee of the public purse — is never so pleased as when it is breaking down legal safeguards and flouting the Auditor-Gene-ral. — Palmerston "Standard. ' Private letters state that the Adelaide people are grievously annoyed at the action of the Mayor, Mr. Ware, in kissing the Duke of York's hand when in the act of receiving his C.M.G.-ship. In Sydney, people are asking what wouldn't Ware have done had he got a knighthood ? — Sydney "Newsletter." * * * Even-handed justice is what the public asks for in the treatment of offenders of either high or low degree — not that an influential person should be treated differently to one who has practically no friends nor the wherewithal to procure the best legal talent available to plead for him. — Inglewood "Record." * * * If Richard is put in a place where one man does all the governing, there will be some sense in it. He is probably as good a man as they could get to run a province in South Africa. But to make a man like Seddon a mere colonial figure-head would be like offering Kitchenei a billet as a. statue. — Paeroa "Gazette." * ♦ ♦ If the resolution which was so nearly carried in the Wellington Trades Council a day or two ago, "That it has no sympathy with monarchy," did not repic&ent "the sentiments of the working classes," how is it that the various Trades Unions, with the exception of the Shipwrights' Society, have resolved not to make any demonstration on the occasion of the Royal visit? — Greytown "Standard." * * * An alarming proportion of the Melbourne children are growing up without the elements of instruction, there being scarcely any truant inspectors Children with baie feet are not allowed in State schoo's' Free education is only meant for the respectable ' That is to say, those able to pay. State schools are not meant for the poor. Turn 'em out. Bare feet will corrupt shoes and stockings. — Melbourne "Punch."