ON THINGS IN GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12055, 27 August 1902, Page 3

ON THINGS IN GENERAL

' / THE DARK SIDE OF LIFE. • « The periodical 1 sittings of the Supreme Court do not give rise to pleasant thoughts, It is humiliating and disheartening to think that, in spite of all our churches, schools, and free libraries, and of our,liquor laws and labour legislation, we are still a long way from abolishing the criminal.* Of course, we may comfort ourselves with the thought that if "in ; spite of these agencies for human betterment, things are as bad -as they are, how much worse the world would have been if no such efforts to keep men straight had been made. Thoughtful people are losing their faith in panaceas. ' A hundred years ago universal education was going to do away with crime,' and make us all happy, .but it has not done so; the next cure all was universal franchise; then came labour legislation ; and we have been assured almost daily for years that prohibition really is the cure, if the country would only try it. My own opinion is that, from a moral point of view, men cannot be dealt with in the mass. Society can only be lifted by cultivating the moral sense of the individual men and women of which society is composed.~. It is a'slow process, but the great law of evolution reminds us that nature'is mighty slow in accomplishing her mightiest works, i I am afraid the moral panacea business must be given up, and we must go back to the ancient "line upon line; here a little and there a little" method. It is not so exciting, but it is surer. . DIFFERENT KINDS OF CRIMINALS.

A study of the recent criminal sittings.of .our Supreme Court reveals quite a variety 'of criminal types. This is an interesting,; if not very pleasant, study. A few days ago the Chief Justice of Victoria, speaking at a meeting ,of. the Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society, pointed out that thero were many criminals who defied God i and man. Men' of this class were admitted to the legion of honour among their fellows. When out of gaol they did their worst with intention, and when they entered the.gaol they were decorated by other criminals with 'the badge of merit. It was difficult to know ; what to do with them, for they were of the type which was beyond redemption. The best that could bo done was to hold them in durance, so that they ere unable to perpetuate their species. The second .class of criminal recognised man's power like a. philosopher, and when in gaol was so ready to bow to it that he was of exceptional behaviour, but when released lie as readily pursued his natural bent in crime. The third class was that of the petty crimiral, the man who was a habitual drunkard. He could be viewed only with despair. His criminality was a joke, in the sense that no one• thought him responsible, and to hope that be would reform was out of the question. All that could be done was not to be bitter in the sentences inflicted, because people who understood him knew that such bitterness was useless. Finally, there was that body of offenders of whom we could hope, the man who entered gaol, not necessarily bad at heart, but who left it branded as a criminal, and the price of whose next meal must frequently be crime unless help was given him. It was here that an institution such as the Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society was most useful, but in tho whole category of criminals there was no absolution from effort. He was sorry, that the annual report complained that'so many of the men helped returned to their vices, but it was still necessary to labour on and to hope. . WANTED A 'name.; '-'-"*■

Now that we are all Imperialists the words "colonies" and "colonists"; are falling into disfavour, and we want somebody to invent now names for what these words stand for. " Colonial" somehow seems to jar upon our ears as it never jarred before, as a word of foreign origin, and meaning in its primary sense something very different from what in reality it means to-day. The difficulty is to find an apt and appropriate substitute— an English word that; will fit the case as a glove is supposed to fit the hand. Here is a chance for our etymologists. Have any of the readers of the Herald a suggestion to make? HOW WE SPEND SUNDAY.

It is said that the drowsy dulness of the English Sunday has : been relieved by i the fashion which has recently come into vogue at Home of spending the week-end away from home—at the seaside or in the country. I have often ■ wondered how •. the people of Auckland pass their time on Sunday. What do they do? .We know that they do ' not go from home, that only a small proportion of them attend church, that they do not crowd the public parks, or show themselves in their multitude anywhere. Do they pottor in their gardens or loaf about the house, or doze in their armchairs after an uncommonly good dinner? Mr. Upton some years ago declared that' the ideal way of spending the Sunday was to lie on your back reading a book. An unusually observant friend of mine declares ; that the majority spend the day in reading the Herald Supplement. Well, that is far better in S every way' than seeking excitement and distraction, in jaunts into the country, in picnics, and "outings." KING LEWANIKA.

A cablegram published in yesterday's Herald gave us the interesting information that King Lewanika, of Barotseland (South Africa), who went to England to see King Edward crowned, has sailed for his kingdom, where he intends adopting European methods. Hitherto' attempts to turn black men into white men have been rather discouraging, and if they were not pathetic they would have been ludicrous. The wiser missionaries now encourage native converts to stick to all their ancient manners and customs, which are not absolutely inconsistent with Christian ideas.' The plan is to Christianise not Europeanise them. A "he" native can be a Christian without wearing a belltopper, though he must retire from the head-hunting profession, and the converted native lady need not go in for tight-lacing and a trailing skirt. Still, of course, the missionary has to point out, as Mark Twain has remarked, that "a dog tooth necklace and a pair of spectacles is hardly sufficient clothing to come to divine service in." But what are the European methods that Lewanika intends to startle his dusky subjects with. Of course they must have a racecourse and a football ground to begin with. .'I. wonder what his views are on the totalisator! Perhaps he will decide the matter by a referendum. "Parliament, of course, will be a necessity, and the elections will be a welcome addition to. the amusements of his people. No doubt Lewanika has" consulted with Mr. Seddou as to labour legislation, but his people, it reports are true, are far ahead of New Zealand in this line. They would be horrified at the thought of eight hours a day tor work. Still there is room for a law prohibiting work between meals. I suppose Lewanika will set up a divorce court, for during his stay in England he seems to have made a special study of this question. We are told he occupied a seat on the Bench at the English Divorce Court, and that the proceedings were fully explained to him. -In his country polygamy prevails, and he him-self-is said to be tho happy possessor of , 16 wives, so 1 there should be plenty of material for the' Divorce Court to work upon. However, lie may think British divorce methods too cumbersome, aud perhaps he has more expeditious ways of his own of getting rid of troublesome wives. All things considered the future history of Barotseland should prove interesting, if Lewanika does not change his mind as regards the introduction of European methods. : . A GOOD STORY.

It is bad luck for Melbourne that the Bishop of Stepney (Dr. Cosmo Lang) has declined the offer of the Bishopric of Melbourne. He is young (under 40), a brilliant scholar, a fine preacher, and a great worker; in fact, just the sort of man they want to give new life to the Anglican Church in Victoria; but lit, evidently thinks it his duty to continue his labours among the East London poor. Some good stories are told of Bishop Lang and his aptness of repartee. One of the best refers to the time when he was vicar of Portsoa, 0110 of the largest and most populous parishes in England. The late Queen, who, in her latter years, liked occasionally to sec some of the younger clergy, commanded his attendance at Osborne on two or three occasions, and highly relished his readiness in conversation. On one occasion, not long before her death, the Queen said to the youthful bachelor vicar; "I hear, Mr. Lang, excellent accounts of your work* at Portsea, and I find that you actually keep a staff of 12 curates. Yon should take to yourself a wife: 1 believe you would be able to do with at. least two curates less."' " Ah, 110, madam," came the ready answer— answer that delighted the Queen —" that would scarcely do; if 1 have, a curate who does not suit I can get rid of him, but I could not do the same with a wife!" -, - The General.