NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9548, 27 June 1894, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The presence of Earl Spencer at the annual banquet held in connection with the meeting of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows wad, in a way, an official recognition of the importance of that and kindred societies. The retrospect over the last fifty or sixty years which his lordship briefly made, revealed a marvellous change for the bettor in the condition of the people. An important factor in producing that wonderful improvement is represented by the Friendly Societies, to which the labouring classes may proudly point as their own creation. As Lord Spencer remarked, in enumerating some of the matters in which substantial progress had been made, much still remained to be done "before the condition of the working classes could be regarded as wholly satisfactory. They had now, however, free education ; the sanitary condition of their dwellings was a matter with which legislation concerned itself, and also with dangerous trades. This change had been brought about by three things in particular, his lordship pointed out —first, by the interference of Parliament ; second, by an enormous change in public opinion ; but the greatest influence and force was represented by the energy, self - denial, and administrative capacity of the working men themselves. So highly did Lord Spencer estimate Friendly Societies, that he spoke of them as the backbone of the independence of the country. As to the question of old age pensions, he did not think any good could arise from attempting to anticipate the recommendations of the Royal Commission ; but they knewalready that it was impossible to graft such a scheme on any existing friendly society without having further contributions.

Mr. Charles Wyndhain has related to a contributor to "The Strand Magazine" some amusing anecdotes bearing upon the appetite for free admissions to the theatre. One correspondent, whose letter was opened in the interviewer's presence, modestly asked for two places in the dress circle, while observing that he had "no claim on the theatre save his great love for the drama." Another missive was inclosed in a nicelyscented envelope, and was apparently from a lady. It commenced with the words: "Dear sir, will you send us two seats for the matinee on Saturday? A gentleman friend told us you always gave seats away. We want to come to the afternoon performance because Ma hates theatres, and won't let us go if she can help it !" Mr. Wyndham, by way of reminder, labelled the former request '■ D.C.," which may be interpreted "dress circle," or may stand for the less polite expression which he suggested. Mr. Wyndham confesses to giving orders " occasionally," and cites in particular one occasion. It appears that when he is studying a part he likes to take walks in the country. In this way he was practising his part in Mr. Gilbert's "Foggerty'sFairy " in a secluded nook in Hampstead Woods. He had arrived at a scene in which he is supposed to be mad, aud has to describe a murder that he has committed. This he was doing at the top of his voice, entering into the spirit of the business, when a policeman who had been watching him unawares for some time seized him by the collar and announced his intention of taking him to the station-house. An explanation ensued, and the actor succeeded eventually in putting matters straight with the aid of a sovereign and a couple of seats for the first night of " Foggerty."

Mr. Asquith's marriage, writes Mr, Lucy, the well-known London correspondent, strengthens his position ev mly where it was weakest. Soon after he ttecame Home Secretary the bar began to discuss the question : What would become of him when the Ministry went out ? A man, even an ex-Home Secretary, must live, and Mr. Asquith had nothing to live upon save his earnings. Would he go back to the Bar when the Ministry of which he was a member was routed out of office? Such things are common enough in the United States, where the President at the end of bis terns goes back to his school, his office, or his plough. It is very different in this stiffer-backed country. Lord Halsbury, whose opinion was privately taken on the contingency, uncompromisingly asserted it was impossible, though it is true he chiefly based his objection on the high Tory ground that there was no precedent for such a course. Mr. Asquith is the kind of man who creates precedents. In this case, however, he will not be faced by the necessity. lb is said that Sir Charles Tennant, his millionaire father-in-law, came down handsomely in the settlements. In English public life, as is proved by one or two well-known cases in the foremost rank, comparative impecuniosity js no bar to high preferment. But it is undoubtedly a desirable thing that an

English statesman should be free from the eternal lack of pence that vexes public men. The position both of the Duke of Devonshire and Mr. Chamberlain has been powerfolly influenced by the fact (and the knowledge possessed by the public of the fact) that they are absolutely independent of the emoluments of office. Since yesterday, Mr. Asquith? comes within this category, and his position is strengthened accordingly."

When it was said of the flowers of the field that they toil not, neither do they spin, and yet Solomon in all his glory was nob arrayed like one of fcbem, the words were not meant to represent financial value, because the royal garments, even in those primitive days, cost much more than the price of a respectable bouquet. But now gardeners have so far improved upon Nature that, not only in beauty but in money value, a flower brings as much as would be paid for any suit Solomon ever possessed. For example, at a sale of orchids, which Messrs. Protheroe and Morris, Cheapside, London, have conducted by order of the trustees of the late Mr. George Hardy, as much as £168 was given for a Reineckiana, a plant with CO leaved bulbs, 13 breaks, and 12 sheaths ; the same Bum for a Cattleya Skinneri alba ; £157 10s for a Cattleya Mendelii ; £136 10* for a LsaHa purpurata; and £100 for an Odontoglossum vexillarium. Other . prices ranged from ten to fifty guineas, the total sum resulting from the sale being nearly £5000.

Two Italian Anarchists were lately tried in London for having had in their possession the materials for causing explosions. They were found guilty, and sentenced to lengthy periods of imprisonment. One of them named Polti, bad in his possession a copy of a paper printed in Italian, and published in New York,, which contained a sympathetic reference to the death of Vaillant; and also a copybook in which there was a statement to the effect that Polti sympathised with Vaillant and Henry, and that he himself was an Anarchist and was determined to avenge the death of Vaillant. A letter was written by Polti to his parents in Italy, in which he said they would never see him again, and that he had determined to sacrifice his life, fixing upon the date May 16, 1894, as the day when he would be no longer living.

That there is at present a great dearth of cargo for Australia and New Zealand from Great Britain, is shown by the fact of two of the largo steamers -which arrived at this port during the past month arriving with a large portion of their cargo-carrying space filled with coal. The Rangatira came to the colony direct from Penarth, and had on board as much coal as would carry her out and home again, besides having several hundred tons to spare. The Ruahine also had a large quantity of coal on her last voyage out to the colony. The same experience is reported from Sydney and Newcastle, quite a number of vessels having recently arrived at both ports from London, the Continent, and Capetown in ballast to load coal for various ports. The Sydney Morning Herald, in referriug to the arrival of the cargo steamer Maori King, says :—" very few years ago a report that a 4000-ton steamer had arrived in Sydney Harbour in ballast all the way from London would scarcely have been credited. Such is the fact, however, in the case of the fine steamer Maori King that entered Porb Jackson yesterday morning, and dropped anchor in Neutral Bay. Never stopping at any port since she left the English coast, and without an ounce of cargo on board, she has steamed right out to Sydney. There was no cargo to be obtained at home, was the reply to inquiries. Formerly New South Wales could command' tonnage when some of the other colonies had not so much as a ship on the loading berth ; but that is not so now, was another answer made on board, and though the rate of freight is lower to Sydney than to most other places in the Australasian colonies, an inducement of itself to ship to Sydney, still cargo cannot be obtained. So the Maori King came out under engagement to the Orient Company to load frozen meat, etc., at this and other ports."

The assassination of President Carnob has evoked expressions of regret and sympathy with the bereaved family from all parts of the world. At Lyons the antiItalian feeling runs high, and the mob are showing a disposition to run amuck so far as the Italian residents are concerned. Their consulate has been attacked, and their quarter of the city has been fired. The election of a new president takes place to-day. This duty is delegated to the two Chambers acting together. The contest will Ho between M. lJupuy and M. Casimir-Perier. There is great excitement in the Transvaal owing to the enthusiasm displayed by the British residents in Pretoria over the arrival of Sir H. Loch, which the Boers seem to have construed into an insult to their President. A sad shipping disaster is reported. A fishing boat off the coast of New Jersey capsized, and twenty-one of those on board were drowned. Another plot has been discovered in Russia to cause the death of the Czar. It is reported that two Cabinet Ministers are compromised. Sixty thousand Scottish miners have struck.