POLITICAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9341, 26 October 1893, Page 4

POLITICAL NOTES.

The Seddon Government having adopted the vicious and demoralising principlethe curse of American politics—of " the spoils to the victors," their nominees are now putting forward the preposterous claim to a prescriptive right to re-election, where in the case of a sitting member he can show* that he has given the Government " a loyal support." Thus we have Mr. Jackson Palmer, the mildest-mannered man that ever by the most inexplicable accident became a member of Parliament, complainingthabMr.Monkshouldopposehim. "Have I not represented you for three years " wails the disingenuous youth, and "fulfilled all my pledges ; why therefore should I be opposed." He even goes a step further. He has nob only given a slavish support to the Government, bub with the confidence begotten of little knowledge he ventures to defend its financial jugglery. We learn from this budding Colonial Treasurer that although the public debt has been increased ib really has nob been increased. In other words, although children in the firsb standard in the public schools are taughb that two and two make four they should, according to Mr. Palmer's new method of arithmetic, be taught that the proper answer is three and a-half. Bub one must allow great latitude to Mr. Palmer when he deals with figures. Ib is amusing however, to learn from his own modest lips that bub for his efforts the political enfranchisement of women would have been an unrealised dream. No wonder, after this admission, he should imagine he is entitled to the votes of the ladies. Mr. Palmer has a policy. He is in favour of the Vaile system, and he is opposed to the property tax. If the electors of Waitemata are simple enough to imagine that thab is all that is necessary in a candidate Mr.

Palmer will be elected. Bub we do not think the electors of Waitomata are quite go simple. ,

In turning oyer the pages of an old num. ber of Blackwood* Magazine I came across (writes a correspondent) an article, some of the passages in vhich struck me as capable of being applied very opportunely to our own political situation. There at that time as here now, the country was being asked to decide the greatest and most momentous issue which can be relegated to the people— the choice of wise and prudent and patriotic men to manage and control national affairs. Said the writer—and his words have a force which all thoughtful men in New Zealand will appreciate at the present juncture—" the reign of experimental legislation by a Cabinet of charlatans is preciselj the danger which besets such a constitation as our own. This is the danger which we- have to apprehend. Tie choice lies before tha electors today. On the one side base concession to agitation, promises made only to be broken as heretofore, utter dig. regard of the glorious struggles of the past; attempts to cajole the masses, to entice the crotchet-raoagers, and to take advantage of any momeatary popularity which may serve to / fill their sails and waft them to the wished - for haven of office. If; the electors desire the welfare of their country; if they wish to maintain in the public mind that feeling of confidence so essential to the prosperity of a commercial community like our own; if they intend to secure a strong Government, and to save us from spasmodic and empirical legislation ; if in one word they dejire the peaceful progress and prosperity of our beloved country, they will nob doubt their duty at the present) crisis." They will, we may add, refuse to send back to Parliament men who have nothing to recommend them but a servile cringing under the lash of the Ministerial whip— political jellyfishes and timeservers, whose only aim is to make a living out of politics. They will, we earneitly trust, select as their representatives, men of sterling character and knows capacity, men of independent mind; who will refuse to become the nere creatures of the Government of the day, and who will endeavour to legislate not for the aggrandisement! of party, but for the good and welfare and happiness of the people as a whole.

The admirable and statesmanlike speech of the Hon. Mr. Mitchelson last night will be read with deep interest by every political student, and should be read by every elector. Ic will undoubtedly prove one of the most masterly ' utterances which will be made prior to the elections. Mr. Mitchelson has a thorough grasp of facts and figures, and with these he completely destroyed the illusion created by the high sounding phrases of Ministers and their amusing claims to hart done everything which they have not done. His expose of the non-borrowing fallacy was as complete as it was accurate.

Mr. F. Lawry opened his political campaign in the Parnell Hall last evening. He was greeted with a large and sympathetic audience, and succeeded in holding thei: attention for an hour and three quarters Mr. Lawry's volubility is quite Glad, stonian. He declared himself, as a matter of course, against the Direct Veto Bill which had been introduced during th» -ession by Sir Robert Stout. Ho characterised it as a very inferior piece of legislation for so eminent a man, and remarked that if a boy of his who had passed tin sixth standard could not draft a better Bill, he would subject him to a severe castigation. This is really impressive, But leaving the supposititious boy out of the question, could Mr. Lawry draw a better Bill; and if so, why didn't he do it ? There is evidently not much love lost between the member for Parnell and Sir Robert. Tha greater portion of his address last evening was taken up with endeavouring to put Sir Robert in the worst light possible. ■He described him as an anxious aspirant for office, and as a man who stood before the country as "a defeated Premier." A large number of those present at the meeting were very disappointed that no mention was made by Mr. Lawry as to his present position in contesting the seat against Sir Ger.rg« Grey. Mr. Lawry thought ib best nob to enter upon such a delicate matter, and chose rather to impress upon the electors his right to their support on the grounds that he had. followed the Government through thick and thin, and was still prepared to do so. He did not attempt bo explain his reasons for having gone back on the party that had elected him. With regard to future legislation he had nob any any definite ideas, but hopes to give another address at Parnell before the election.

There was a very general inquiry, and an equally general lack o£ information, in town yesterday as to the authority upon which the Auckland Liberal Association assumed to themselves the duty of choosing the candidates to represent Auckladd in the Government interests. The secretary who signed the announcement was first- questioned by a Herald representative. He at first said he was not! prepared to answer such questions, but afterwards admitted thab the Association had no definite authority. It was, he said, a matter of usage. The chairman also did nob seem to think that the public had any right to know the candidates they were to be asked to support, as Government nominees wore really Government nominees or nob, and said that the matter was a Cabineb secret which could not be divulged ; bub h, practically admitted thab the Association had no authority to acb in this matter fop the Government, when he added that "ab any rate the Government would not interfere with the. choice they might make." To people of plain dealing it seems a simple thing for them to have said whether they had any authority, and if so, what; bub this is evidently nob the way of the Liberal Association.

Mr. Adam Porter in an advertisement elsewhere, intimates that he has received copies of circulars and platforms from various political societies in Auckland, with a request in some cases that he will answer the questions therein contained, in writing within a given date. He makes it very plain that he declines to be catechised privately by any political society, bub con« siders the proper place to answer all questions is on the platform in the presence of men of all shades of public opinion." Something more than that is needed. A candidate should be prepared to place unmistakably and clearly before the electors his own political platform, and the path he intends to pursue in Parliament, apart from any "heckling" or questioning. The Ten Commandments and the Apostles' Creed, upon which the Christian Faith is largely based, are formulated in a very short space, and it should surely be possible for a candidate for Parliamentary honors to crystallise his political creed into the same reasonable dimensions.

We have intelligence from New Plymouth to the effect that ib has < been resolved to request Colonel Trimble to contest the seat with Mr. E. M. Smith. ' He has consented,

and a large and influential committee to secure his return has been formed. Colonel Trimble is no stranger to Parliamentary life. He sat in Parliament for 'many years for a Taranaki constituency. Owing to his business and political experience, and his reputation for personal integrity and uprightness, he was deservedly esteemed by his fellowmembers, and his views on public questions, always commanded attention and respect. Alter his retirement from Parliament he was appointed a Native Land Court Judge, an office which he held tor some time. The prospect before Mr. E. M. Smith is not the most inviting, and ho will have to manifest the activity of the proverbial lamplighter, if he is again to shine in the General Assembly. _________

The Imperial Government hive decided to patch up a peace with .Lobengula. Various reports are current. It is said that Sir H. Loch has been instructed to put a stop to the operations of the Chartered Company, and proceed to Bulawayo to make terms with the King. There appears, however, to be some uncertainty as to the precise attitude adopted by Lord Ripon. Bub there ought to be no doubt in the mind of the Colonial Secretary as to the course which should bo pursued in the present juncture, The power of the Matabeles should be completely smashed up once and for all. 1 That is the only policy which will secure for Mashonoland peace and progress. The captain of an insurgent warship has been proclaimed by the insurgentadrairal provisional president of Brazil. The Russian admiral has been assuring the French people that the memories of the reception of the fleet will never fade, that the mutual friendship of the two nations has been cemented, and that the universal prayer in Russia is for the prosperity of France. Complimentary addresses, however, do not constitute international alliances. The situation in Europe is deemed so threatening by the Italian Government that they demand that the army shall be increased. It will be seen by a cablegram in another part of this issue that tho energetic manager of the Canadian-Australian line of steamers has lost no time in chartering a steamer to take up the running of the Miowera from Sydney to Vencouver. The steamer selected is the Arawa, one of the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company's fine fleet of vessels trading between New Zealand and London. The Arawa is at present at Lyttelton, and is timed to leave Sydney on November IS tor Fiji, Honolulu, and Vancouver. The fact of the steamer leaving a Now Zealand port affords a good opportunity for passengers and shippers who may de«iro to avail themselves of the line, as they car: go on by the Arawa direct, and thus save the bother and trouble of transhipment. The Arawa is one of the finest of the company's fleet, and is fitted up with all the latest improvements as regards speed and comfort, her average rate of speed on her first passage from London to the colony having been 14 knots per hour. Being fitted with refrigerating machinery, it might perhaps be worth while for some of our shippers of frozen meat and produce to send along a trial shipment to test tho Canadian market in these commodities. Messrs. L. D. Nathan and Co., are the local agents for the line, and will give intending passengers and shippers all necessary information DO the subject. A telegram was received yesterday by Inspector Hickson from Rawene, stating rhas the body of Constable Hogg had been found by natives at two o'clock that morning, near Kawene. The body was completely dressed save hat being missing. At rhe time of the accident the constable had his oilskin coat on. An inquest was held yesterday, and a verdict of "Found drowned" returned, as in the case of the other occupant of the boat, Mr. H. S. Sodden. The light-fingered gentry are evidently attending the political meetings now being held, less for political than financial reasons. Last evening as Mr. Benge, head teacher of the public school, Devon port, was coming out of the Devonporb Public Hall after hearing Mr. Mitchehon's address, he had his pocket picked of £6. A new emigration company is announced, Called the New Zealand Colonisation Company. It has been started in London under the auspices of the president of the Bank af New Zealand, and with the full approval of the Agent-General of this colony. The chief object is the settling .of farmers and others who have capital upon lands already under cultivation, and which will be divided into farms of various sizes to sui' applicants. Inducements are offered which should tempt nob a few people to the«e shore*. The chief of these inducement? ure assisted passages, and payments for the land by instalments, spread over a number of years. The first instalment being only 20 per cent, of the purchase money will give purchasers the option of retaining most of their capital for expending on cultivation and improvements, or in the purchase of stock. Terms so liberal should " fetch" some of the British farmers. Bub if the gentlemen composing the New Zealand Colonisation Company want to make a thorough success of their organisation they should adopt the policy of the High Commissioner for Canada, who has just recently selected a number of tenant farmers—English, Scottish, and Irish—for the purpose of visiting the Dominion, that after due investigation of the resources of that country they may report upon the same. The mission of these tenant farmers will probably occupy about two months. Travelling facilities will be provided, and necessary expenses paid. Now, if the New Zealand Colonisation Company want to get rid of their large estates in this colony, they had better select, say, half a dozen competent farmers, with a view to their coming out to view the lands, and to ascertain the resources of the colony generally, the company defraying reasonable expenses. Favourable reports from wide-awake British farmers would go a long way towards inducing the class of men wanted here— that is, agriculturists and others with some amount of capital. Tuesday last waR a red letter day in the history of the Co3tley Home, the event being the celebration of the birthdays of Dr. and Mrs. King, by whose munificence a ; sumptuous tea was provided for the old folks, the tables literally groaning under the weight of luxuries, which, it is needless to state, were done ample justice to. After clearing the tables, an excellent entertainment, at which Dr. King presided, was given, consisting of recitations, vocal and instrumental selections, in which the following ladies and gentlemen kindly took part:— Misses Brabazon, Abbott, Otway and Hewiu, Mesdarnes King, Brabazon, and Moss, Messrs. Stebbing, Potter, Otway, King. Downey, and Moss. During an interval in the entertainment, an unlimited supply of fruit was handed round. At the close, the manager, in proposing on behalf of the inmates, a vote of thanks to the ladies and gentlemen who contributed the musical items, and to Dr. and Mrs King for the very handsome provision made for their comfort and happiness, spoke in eulogistic torms of the cordial relations and bond of mutual sympathy existing between the doctor and the inmates of the Home. A correspondent writes ; —There is a little fever of excitement and expectation at present in Hikutaia, the block, minus the few small portions already disposed of, having been offered to the Government for special settlement. Visions of large increase of desirable settlers, the making of the much-needed road to the Thames River, and other delights are frequently present to the imagination of the patient few who have long devoutly wished for some impetus to accelerate the very slow progress of this delightful, bub rather backward, part of the world. The following statistics showing the gradual rise of the sugar industry in the Hawaiian Islands during the past 37 yearsare published in the Sugar Cane :—1855, 261J tons; 1860, 603J ; 1865, 1087 ; 1870, 6258; 1875, 7995; 1878, 17,134; 1879, 20,532; 1880,28,384; 1881,40,554; 1882, 50,905; 1883, 50,874; 1884, 63,601*; 1885, 76,395; 1886, 85,546; 1887, 95,000; 1888, 99,547 1889, 112,707; IS9O, 109,686; 1891, 121,475 ; 1892, 114,214. Agriculturists generally are gratified with the fact that Her Majesty the Queen has conferred a knighthood on Dr. Gilbert, who for half a century has been the collaborateur of Sir John B. Lawes in carrying on the experimental work at Rothamsted, a work which has proved of vast utility in tut progress of agricultural science.

The Agricultural Gazette of August 14 published its annual estimates of the condition of crops in Great Britain and Ireland. The reports, in small type, occupy nearly ten pages of the Gazette, and had been received from upwards of five hundred correspondents, representing every county in England, and a number of counties in Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. Summarised, the reports, on the whole, are the most unfavourable ever published. In fact, taking all crops into consideration, the returns of 1893 are alleged to be worse than any received since 1879, known as the " black Vv' ' i? he Agricultural Gazette remarks ■ " H or England alone the reports are much worse than any received since 1879, and for the southern and south-eastern districts of England they would come out, we believe, even worse than in thab year of unhappy memory. As it is, with considerable portions of Scotland and Ireland included, the over-average returns exceed the underaverage figures for the potato crop alone, and are very much fewer for all the other crops. The hay crop shows up distinctly as the worst on record. Many of our correspondents, referring to the firab cut, state that there was none, and more represent it as the worst they have ever known. A few refer in similar terms to feed, and there is no doubt that if we had had a separate return under that head, it would be the worst ever made. Wheat comes out a little better than in tho returns for 18S8, and barley than in those for ISS7, both being worse than in any other year since 1879. Oats are better than they were in 1887, but worse than our reports showed the crop to be in 1879. Tho bean crop only once before for as many years as we have referred to has been as bad as it is this year, and the pea crop has seldom been lighter. On the .other hand, the potato crop is one of the best ever grown, except in the south and south-east of England and some parts of the home counties. Excepb for the complaints of second growth, it is generally as sound as it is heavy, very few complaints of disease being made. This crop, too, may be regarded as even better than our figures indicate, because it is generally very much over-average in Scotland, Ireland, and the north of England, while it is commonly only a little below the mark whore it is deficient. Turnips may yet grow into an average crop for England as a whole, and for the whole kingdom they may probably be regarded as over-average, as they are exceptionally good in Scotland and Ireland. As for mangels, we never know of a season in which so largo a proportion failed to plant, and had to be replaced with turnips." The excellent programme submitted at the People's Popular Concert last evening had tho effect of drawing a crowded house, the audience being one of the largest and most enthusiastic that ever assembled in the City Hall. The concert opened with a selection, " Bohemian Girl," by the Quintette Orchestra, under the able leadership of Mr. A. R. Hunter. Miss K. Fitzpatrick then sail", "After Sundown," in a manner that pleased all present, and she had twice to bow her acknowledgments. Slio was equally successful in her second song, "Maggie's Secret." Miss E. L. Featon as usual was well received. She sang, " Love's ' Old Sweet Song," and "Fiddle and I," with violin obligato by Mr. W. Davies. Both numbers were encored. Mi3s Mabel Maxwell made her bow before an Auckland audience for the first time. She sang, "II Bacio," and " Dear Heart," and succeeded in gaining the good opinion of the house, each number being loudly encored. Mr. I'ercy Dufaur was in excellent voice. He contributed " The Bedouin's Love Song," and "The Old Sexton," on both occasions being recalled. Mr. John Fuller was heard to advantage in that fine composition, "The Blue Alsatian Mountains." He also sang, " When Other Lips," and in company with Miss E. L. Featon rendered a duet, "In the Dusk of the Twilight." Miss Clarice Brabazon delighted the audience with two pianoforte solos. She also played the accompaniments. Mr. Alex. Smith gave two recitations, both being much appreciated and deservedly encored. The concert on the whole was a most onjoyabie one, and was over in good time. In order to carry out the recommendations of a Report upon Farm Labour Colonies and Farm Settlements, lately issued by a representative committee, a society has been formed in the old country with the title of English Land Colonisation Society. The committee consists of a number of well-known 1 gentlemen, the hon. secretary being Mr. J. C. Kenworthy. The project seems to include taking a farm or farms, and using part of the land for the training of unskilled labour, with a view to settlement upon land either at home or abroad, and then cutting up the remainder into holdings of a size sufficient to maintain a man and his family, combined with the addition of such industries as can be profitably carried on during spare time. Each settler is to put £20 into a holding, an amount which he may have an opportunity of earning on the training farm. It appears that already the society had the offer of over 450 acres of suitable land in Essex, at a rental of £350, but a capital expenditure of £8000 would be required for stock, buildings, cottages, etc. Another farm of 3000 acres is offered in Norfolk on lease at £600 per annum. '£9000 would be sufficient for a working capital, but a further £3000 would be desirable for the permanent improvement of a fenland portion of it. The society will work to secure one or other or both these farms, and also to stimulate local effort in the same direction throughout the country. The farewell concert of the PalmerBeaumont Concert Company will take the form of a complimentary benefit- to Mrs. Palmer, under distinguished patronage, this evening, at the City Hall. A splendid programme has been prepared, as will be seen by our advertising columns, and should attract a large attendance of lovers of good music.