ROUND THE CORNERS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 867, 12 October 1888, Page 17

ROUND THE CORNERS.

The experience of my life tells me there is more evil lurking at the root of intemperance than of any other prominent social vice. For out of intemperance come all sins, chief among which is family, disunions and unhappy, homes. The drunkard knows nothing of duty; ■ he is simply the slave of his vice, and in the abyss in which he lies he drags down wife and family. Drink tempts man to all sorts of evil doings. Murder, robbery, indecency, and assaults, all lie at the drunkard’s door. If all this had not been so very apparent, the intense crusade against drunkenness which has distinguished the last half century would not have been undertaken. The avaters of temperance are numbered by the thousand, the disciples by the tens of thousands. Far and near the fiat has gone forth against excessive drinking, and not without effect, for society is ten times as temperate now as it was fifty years ago. Ethically X : am optimistic, and I believe that the world is better, at all points, now than then, and is steadily progressing, nathless the darling vices that will always need stern repression. -Bat guard must be kept continually, for the snake is only scotched, not killed, and, in the matter of intemperance, especially, theutmost vigilance is demanded. I quite sympathise with that section of the Episcopalian Synod that proposed the establishment of a branch of the Church of England Temperance Society in New Zealand, Nothing but good could have come of the movement, and that it was hindered by the action of the head of the Church in this -district came like a surprise upon the people. For of what service is theCnurch if it is not untiring in the prosecution of all good works ? It requires neither dogma nor doctrine to guide it in such a pursuit. Where sin is to be found, have at it, let it take what form it may. That the Bishop opposed the movement seemed to me to be an expression of the worst form of sacerdotalism, and as much may be said of every cleric who voted with him. But, as.he vetoed, it mattered little how the others went, save as a demonstration of principle. life is a struggle to live, as too many know to their sorrow. But there is living and living from the sheerest animalism to the very higher life, and where should wa look for tho latter if not in the churches ? Good thoughts, good words, and good deeds constitute the very perfection of humanity. Woe to those who, arrogating to themselves the title of “ Christian ” which, read rightly, is the very essence of the higher life, typical of all that’ia best in human nature, stand iu the way of reform and hinder progress.

There were one or two instructive cases at the criminal sittings of the Supreme Court last week. There was a case of indecent exposure in which the defendant rejoiced in a number of aliases, and somehow managed to enlist the sympathy of the jury, for the empanelled ones protested to a man against whipping him. The Judge put the question to them “ Shall the man be whipped,” and the reply was a unanimous “No.” Now, in the first place I must protest against constituting a jury both Judge »nc|

jury. The duty of the jury is merely to express an opinion a 3 to the innocence or guilt of an accused person, and not to sentence. Why did the Judge depart so much from usual procedure as to consult the jury in the matter? It is true there is legal authority for his action : statute providing for such a submission to jury opinion, but submission of the kind is much more honoured in the breach than in the observance, and I do not recollect a previous instance of the kind. The jury have quite enough to do to discharge their normal functions, and as in 999 cases out of 1000 they individually are the very reverse of judicial, the judicial function had much better be centred in the bench and kept there. In the second place I think the Judge was on the right track in suggesting whipping. There are certain offences, among them indecency, that cannot be dealt with so well any other way as by ■whipping. Why then withhold the lasli? Maudlin sentiment alone intervenes. A man for stealing matchboxes and some clothing was sentenced to two years’ hard labour. The circumstances were peculiar. He was under the influence of drink; drink again, my Lord Bishop! No other charges had ever been brought against him, and to gaol for two years ! J ust a bit Stiff it seemed to me. I don’t often meddle with court cases, bnt the opening this time was too noticeable to be overlooked.

I don’t mean to say that the man did pick the fowls alive. It was asserted their necks had been wrung, and for the credit of humanity I shall believe that they were. But the court, before whom the prisoner was charged with cruelty to animals, held a different opinion and found the man guilty and fined him a couple of “.notes ’’ and let him go. Now I hold that the sentence was utterly inadequate to cover the enormity of such an offence. Picking fowls alive is almost equivalent to skinning alive, and must be horrid torture to the victims. Pining fails to meet such a case. Certainly imprisonment without the option of a fine. But could not the eat-o’-nine tails be moat wholesomely administered as punishment for gross cruelty to animals, such as plucking fowls alive, malicious maiming, and so forth.

Bless my soul! the irrespressible Petherick is repressed at last. Down the poll ever so far at the recent elections. Well, a lesson has been administered to that “ reformer ” which, possibly, he may lay to heart when he next succeeds in winning a place at the Council Chamber of the City. And the elections resulted very favourably on the whole, A more reputable Council has not been selected for many years.

The vitality of the " Institootion ” has, I think, been fairly expressed by the remarkably few kicks bestowed by journalistic jackasses on the old lion which, very much misdirected, Btumbled in his tracks but quickly recovered himßelf, and with mane erect, and just a little shaky on his pins, is again facing the world. Newspapers everywhere have, I think, taken up the correct position towards the Bank of New Zealand. No possible good, but an immense amount of mischief, would have been done by heaping up abuse or even playing the part of the candid friend. It is enough that good sound business can be done, that the bank is quite solvent. The bank has merely shaken itself free of trammsls that were insufferable, and alb who understand the position must rejoice that the repulsive process of writing down has been accomplished at last. It has been foreseen for years past, and by none more clearly than by those who have had most use of the bank’s money. Poor bank, it “ shelled out” moat liberally; anything to push the Colony ahead. And the present position is in a great measure due- to the surplus of human over and above.pure banking, nature in the conducting of affairs. If, however, there is more than this to account for, if anyone has deserved “ whopping,” why, let the strokes fall, say I, upon the proper shoulders, People who deliberately undertake heavy public responsibilities, ought to suffer if they do not faithfully discharge them.

I think the old lion had better shift his lair. A nice central position would be the place for' him, say at New Plymouth, or even Foxton, or, peradventure, Greytown Wairarapa, Blenheim; or Nelson. Somewhere round about or betwixt these places. And when comfortably established in his new quarters let him call in counsellors for all parts of the Colony. Nay, friends, not an Auckland “ institootion,” but New Zealand in very good sooth.

Mr Matson of Christchurch has been on a visit, to Victoria, and he, a keen observer,' did not fail to notice the strong points of our go-ahead cousins t’other side of the * ‘ middle ground.” It would not have been Mr Matson if he had not have given his experiences to the world, and the New Zealand world ought to be all the better for having heard them. A pushing, go-ahead, patriotic comtr unity is that of Victoria, according to his showing, especially the last; Yes, that’s it. People make money in Victoria, and, grateful to the country for having been generous to them, proceed to entrench themselves there and then, and stand by the land of their adoption till the last. Hence beautiful suburban residences and properties are rife all about the “ big city.” • Folks settle down in Victoria, they don’t rush away to the “ Mother Country ” and hitch on to the old woman’s apron strings again. But they cling to the beautiful woman who represents Home and Country in Australia. Young, comely, and bounteous, what more could they desire of her. And she of New Zealand is equally attractive, if only regarded with unprejudiced eyes and grateful feelings. Asmodeus.