THE New Zealand Mail. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY, 5 1892. TABLE TALK.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1040, 5 February 1892, Page 22

THE New Zealand Mail. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY, 5 1892. TABLE TALK.

We went carefully through Mr Stead’s ghost stories the other day. _ ‘ Real ghost stories 1 he called them with that marvellous faculty he has for being ‘ cock sure ’ of everything. We read, we thrilled, we fell into the coalpit. We came to the conclusion that there was nothing in it that had not already been given to the world by the Society ofPsychicalßesearclx. The who.'e case for the ghosts unquestionably does stand upon the basis laid by the Society. There are in the volumes published by the Society 600 cases recorded. From these Mr Stead culled the most striking, but mismanaged his cuttings, for he had at the last moment to leave out the chapter he had put together in Haunted Houses. He had added some few things from his own experience, and of his own collection. The former, the stories of his presentiments, do not satisfy any rule of evidence at all, not having stood any test of crossexamination, and not having been corroborated by any of the witnesses he referred to. The only people they are likely to impress are the gentlemen-who like to have presentiments about the result of horse races, of dealing out packs of cards, of spinning roulettes, of tossing coins, and other such transactions. A man with reliable presentiments would be worth his weight in gold to them.

But the publications of the Psychical Research Society are on quite a different footing, it is claimed. They are the “ gallant six hundred •” who have been through the liery jaws of searching examination. Thousands of their companions remained in tnat consuming furnace ; they alone came forih refined by the flames. Since that time . they have been regarded as the unassailably established produ of the strictest investigation, strikingly buttressed without and pillared within by the best and most reliable testimony. “That is what we live for,” says the Psychical Society ; Mr Edmund Gurney said it when he was living ; Professor Sedgwick says it now' in his place. A staff of professors and learned pundits re-echoes. Nothing can be more certain than their ideas of a new base achieved on the march onward. To what wonders the march onward may lead mankind, Mr Stead, as I pointed out the other day, enlightened us in his zealous, suggestive way, which overleaps intermediate darkness to paint glowing lights afar . off. The future of the world was contained in the one word ‘ telepathy.’ Let us consider one moment what this involves. Suppose we perfect the new science, and every one of us acquires the power ol reading thoughts far and near, of penetrating into interiors, of hopping from Peru to Pekin in less than a second of time, and by some mystery getting to Peru without leaving the city of the brother of the sun and moon ; having suppos“d these things, let us imagine the world become in consequence the Palace - of Truth. What a world ! See the fathers whose sons are to inherit their entailed estates ; they read the. thoughts of their offspring, they behold the post obits they have given to those birds of prey who have forced them to take most of the cash in bad sherry and worse pictures ; they hear the filial aspirations which go up in secret for deliverance/ from the shackles, i.e., for but pen refuses to write more plainly ; and finally as the son comes in to breakfast with a smile on his lips, and bis brothers and sisters crowd round him, what a meeting of accomplished thought-readers ! what a happy family ! Of course, this is not the typical family. Every family is not cursed with a prodigal young Hopeful ; every family has not a skeleton in its cupboard, as the cynics believe. But there i 3 wickedness in the world, and in the sweet by-and-bye we shall all see it —if the Psychicals and Mr Stead can be trusted.

Take another picture—the young wife, with a child in the cradle, a crowing, short-coated, bare-legged, chubby, roundeyed, half-bald, 'wholly-quaint monarch of the small world which is governed by a regard for his habits, which are inconvenient, to sa}/ the least of it—the young husband taking up his offspring, the monarch, in his manly arms, addressing it in the language of affection even more idiotic than the language which bis mother has invented to give emphatic point to the glances of those dancing blue eyes of hers as she hovers about His Majesty Number One, the. grandest, best, &c., &c., &c , and very much &c. Such is the picture. His Majesty having no mind, can neither read nor be read—he simply crow?. But his happy parents ? That young wife is the soul of virtue ; her purity is unsullied as the mirror which no breath can come near ; unsuspecting as the roundeyed child in the cradle beside her ; she adores the young husband, who without floubt is just as much the first of men as ■His Majesty Round Orb is tliefirstbf children. Suddenly the gift of thought-reading

awakes in her ; telepathy offers itself to her ; like one in a dream, she is carried away. Merciful God ! She sees all the past life of the man of her adorations ;_she goes personally in the Mahatma fashion, through his old haunts; shuddering at the painted cheeks, at the loud laughter, worst of all sounds of tragedy, at the waste of time, means, health, opportunity, the dissipation of good traditions, principles, aspirations, ideals. But there is one comfort, surely—this Prodigal flung away the husks of the swine, he repen'ed drearily, he returned to the house ot his father. They killed the fatted calf for him, they plucked for the feast the best grapes of the vineyard, the best fruit of the orchard, the choicest flowers of the garden. He was sprinkled with hyssop, he was washed clean, he was clothed in the finest linen, purple was thrown over his shoulders, perfume was showered upon him. He was admitted again into, the family as one of the sons of the house.

The poor child who was given to him for wife knew so much in a general sort of way, nothing like the horrible reality as this wonderful telepathy has just located it to her —still /she knew something. But he was reformed, and, thank Heaven, he is free from those horrors.

Reformed ! “Ho ! Ho !” What mocking Fiend is this with finger cf scorn pointed ? Pointed at the man lifting up the King of the Cradle yonder, and addressing it in the broken language of innocent childhood ? In the Middle Ages the lepers had to cover their loathsome faces with

merciful pure covering of white. They had to ring a bell as they walked. the highway, so that the King’s lieges might avoid contact with the loathsome abomination. What hideous leper is this ? His voice of endearment to his child sounds like that dreadful bell. His false reputation is the white cloth over the awful corruption of his face scarred and seamed. “ Reformed ? Ho ! Ho ! ’ mocks the fiend. He is no more reformed than J"udas and Barrabas were reformed. Even as he talks to the child, his thoughts wander to the woman who has marked him for her own. At this very moment there is a letter in his pocket with the hour of meeting appointed, bidding him ‘ come.’ He is deceiving that bright, pure, little wife, he is making a cloak of the swaddling clothes of his chiTd. Is he then given over utterly to evil ? Weak, poor wretch that he is, what his end will be who can tell ? Telepathy tells not the future. It really reveals the past arid painis the present in its true colours.

Is it not good to live in the palace of truth? Makelthe world a palace of truth and all lies, all pretences, all humbugs, all deceit, are at once banished. When you see tlirongh and through everybody, of what fuse is it for that liook-nosed Semitic to tell you that ‘ S’help me, I’m giving that ting avay at less dan cost brice*?’ ‘Dab vatch did cost me fifty guineas. Let you have it for two. pound.’ —lt will be an absurd forumula. Picking pocke's will become a lost art, the writing of prospectuses must be relegated to some of the planets out of the reach of great, reforming telepathy ; no horse will ever require any warrantry, no race will need a tipster, no woman of forty will ever seek to pass for the lady who is addressed in the song in the immortal words ‘ Gome, kiss me sweet and twenty. ’ The burglar will leave off burgling, the coster ■will cease to jump upon his mother, policemen will join the ranks of the unemployed, and diplomacy wiil in high politics and low bargains beam alike stainless and trustworthy. It will in short be Aracadia and the golden age of the past, with the milleniunx of the future all rolled into one.

Will it? Men are made by nature inequal. The practice of telepathy cannot change that. With telepathy the clever people will bamboozle the ethers, just as they do now. Brains will monopolise the new service, and then the world . will simply be the world of the ‘ Devil on two sticks,’ in which Asmodeus took his fx-iend round the city, taking off the roofs to shew him what went on in the interior's. If ever that day comes, the people will rise up and hang every telepathist to the nearest lamp-post. I remember seeing snobs horsewhipped for loafing about in places where ladies used to bathe. If they deserved horsewhipping (which they aid most richly) who propose to invade the privacy of our . houses certainly deserve hanging. What is more, if they persist they will most certainly be hanged an d the verdict of mankind will be, ‘ Serve ’em right.’

If it comes to that, what right has anybody to practice an art or science which must lead to the wholesale invasion of domestic privacy ? Let the tribe of Mahatmas, Theosoplxists, learned professors, and foels without learning, answer if they can.

Fortunately there is no occasion, for any answer. If the testimony of the 600 stories investigated by the Psychical Society were good testimony, the world would have to prepare to make telepathy a capital offence. But the testimony is bad. The gallant 600 are nothing more nor less,than 600 gallant impostors ; well meaning all of them ; but rank impostors, nevertheless. They have been

exposed for some years. In the Nineteenth Century long ago Mr Taylor-Innes laid down thelaw: viz.,that theonly corroborations which can be accepted as good of stories of apparitions is the corroboration of documentary evidence. A appears to B on the first of April ; B writes on the same date that he has seen A, and despatches the letter to A, or a mutual friend. That letter would be good corroborative evidence of the apparition. In the whole of the GOO cases there is not one instance of such corroboration. There are heaps of allusions to letters. All the cases profess to be corroborated by such letters. But throughout the whole of the 600, from first to last, not one letter has been shown to the investigators of the Psychical Society. When Mr Taylor-Innes made this charge first, Mr Gurney, Professor Sedgwick, and the others repded. But not a letter, not even the ghost of a letter, was ever produced. Mr Innes has, in one of the latest received magazines, repeated his charge, and pointed out that it has never been met. Where are the letters? Echo still answers ‘Where?’

The answer sweeps away the whole of the gallant 600. Not one of the ‘ real ghost stories' can hold water. Stop, There is one which Mr Taylor Innes has had cast up against him. It was a story of a lady who had been much interested in a frontiersman in the States somewhere, who, being much touched by her kindness, declared, on taking leave of her, that he had made up his mind, in case of death, to pay her a visit. Sure enough, having gone back to his evil courses, and having got shot by some enemy who was far too prompt for him, he did appear to the lady in Switzerland ; and the lady told another lady at once, who recorded the fact in her diary. Saturday Review, which had backed Taylor Innes up throughout his tussle with the Psychical gentlemen, declared this case to be the exception. ‘ There is the much-wanted documentary evidence,’ said the Saturday.

Thereupon the indefatigable Mr Innes returned to the charge,attacking the story with the closest, most vigorous analysis. And,lo ! he proved many things incontescably (1) Mr Jim, the frontiersman aforesaid, appeared to the lady aforesaid, if he appeared at all, several hours before his death, at a time when he could not have had the remotest idea that he was going to be killed. (2) That the diary in which the apparition was recorded was not begun for some months after the story of the apparition Avas told to the writer. What the other things are we need not stop to enquire—these two are enough.

Conclusion, the whole thing is a pack of bastard scientific rubbish. A number of curious coincidences, a nuimber of dreams and presentiments —nothing real, tangible or trustworthy. A mass of hallucinations, sir. Faugh ! Aw r ay with the subject of ghosts, let us have some air, and have a good laugh at Mr Stead and the company of ingenious idiots who are the Society of Psychnical Kesearch.

The annual display of the Heretaunga Mounted Infantry takes place at Newtown Park on the 27th instant. The barque Inverurie, which was admitted to pratique on Friday last, left for Napier on Wednesday. The chief officer has been promoted to the command of the vessel.

The arrivals in the Colony during last month exceeded the departures by 736, thus indicating that tho exodus has ended at last, and that tho tide of immigration is beginning to flow again. OwiDg to Edith Rout, winner of a scholarship at the recent examinations, having gone to reside at Woodville, Isaac Van Staveren, who was next on the list for scholarships, has received the benefit.

A seaboot, containing a portion of a man’s foot, was found on the rocka at Arthur’s Point on Tuesday. It is supposed that the boot and remains belonged to a aeatnan. Any information that may lead to the identification of the remains will be glad received by the police. The Public Works Department has effected an insurance at Lloyd's . for £13,000 upon the Oamaru Dredge for it 3 journey to Taranaki, and the period it is in use at New Plymouth, and we understand the rate of premium is much below that demanded by the offices in New Zealand. ■■• n j §2' A meeting of tho United Hunt Club was held on Wednesday at the Royal Oak Hotel, Mr H. D.Crawford presiding, and there was a large assemblage of members of the Hunt. Mr Levin and Mr Kiddiford were unanim-

ously re-elected president ami vice-president respectively, and Mr H. D. Grawlord was voted once more to the position of master of the bounds, amid much applause. The committee appointed to report as to the management of the Club, submitted their report, which was referred to the Working Committee, which consists of the Master of the Hounds, Dr Cobiil, and Messrs Skerre t, Dyer, Cunningham, Maddox, Wylie, Mills, Lingard. and Cooper. Mr Boyd was elected honorary treasurer, and it was decided that a paid secretary should be appointed, the duties having become too onerous to be undertaken by a private member. A good deal of routiuo business was transacted, and about 20 new members were proposed and duly elected. The Club now consists of something over GO active and about 40 honorary members, and the coming season promises to be in every respect most successful, arrangements having been made to carry on the Club in a more systematic manner than heretofpre.

A meeting of Scandinavians was held at the Albert Hotel on Wednesday for the pdrpose of considering the advisability of appoint iog a Dane to HU the position of Danish Consul,in place of the lata Mr C. J. Toxward. Mr Gorgensen occupied the chair. After some discussion the meeting adjourned until Friday without any decision being arrived at.

Mr H. W. Robinson, Judge of the Assessment Court, has appointed Wednesday, 24th instant, at 11 a.m., aa the time and the Wellington Resident Magistrate’s Court as tho place fob the silting of the Assessment Court for hearing and determining all objections to the valuation lists ol the City of Wellington.

A correspondent informs tl3 that the tenderers for the construction of the Te Aro Railway section are Messrs Crouin, McGrath, Cirmichaol and Sons, Lambert, S. Brown, D. Gillon and Price. The lowest tender is about £5603, the others being £6BOO, £7050, £73do, £7620, £BOOO, and £B7OO, there or thereabouts. The following missing friends are enquired for in Lloyd’s Weekly of December 2?th Anthony Appleton, formerly of Middlesex road. Dalston. sailed in the Ganges, for Auckland in June, 1862, and was last heard of as a Volunteer at St John’3 Redoubt, near Auckland $ sister Mary asks. Jane Chapman, when last heard of was in Christchurch j sister Annie asks. Michael and Cnristopher Fay, of Dunedin,' enlisted in the 2nd Battalion of the 18bh Royal Irish Foot, and about 33 years ago wero sent to New Zealand ‘ their sister enquires. Henry Halier, went to New Zealand, and when last heard of on May 14, 1877, was master Colleen Biwn ; sister Annie enquires. Frederick James, of Walton-on-the-Nsze, Essex, went to Brisbane about 1862, and two years later wrote that he was going to the gold diggings iu New Zealand ; sister Tilly asks. Henry C. Ward left Camberwell, London, in Au ust, 26 years ago, for Australia, and 12 years since last wrote from Victoria, after having been in New Zealand some time ; sister Mary aska.

Recently a curious mistake is reported to have occurred at a wedding at the parish church of Brierly Hill, on the borders of the Black Country. The bridal party by some means had got mixed up, and the bride was actually married to the best man. To make matters worse, the best man happened to be the bride’s sister’s young man. It was clear that the only way out of the bungle was to marry the bride again, and this was done, the register nob having been signed. The csremony was gone through a second time, and this time care was taken that the right man was wedded to the bride. A meeting of creditors in the estate of Franois Joseph Buck, milkman, Lower Hntt, was held in the Official Assignee’s office on Tuesday morning. The debtor submitted a written statement showing that iu July 1889, he began to bring milk from the Hutt to Wellington for anyone who would employ him. He had suffered losses through several horse* dying, and he. had also to pay £l3 os on account of a bill he had backed for a man who had become bankrupt. As several of his creditors had taken out judgment sum mouses against him he bad had to file. Examined by the Official Assignee, the debtor stated that he was married, and had three children. His expenses were about £6 a week, while his earnings was about £1 3a a day. Outside his father’s debts he owed £56. His father held a bill of sale over his furniture. He was not in a position to make any offer. The debtor’s father proposed that no opposition should be offered to bankrupt obtaining his discharge, but the proposition was not seconded. The meeting then adjourned. The Rev E. Walker, of the New Zealand Temperance Alliance, delivered an address on Wednesday in the Wesleyan Church. In the unavoidable absence or the Rev J. J. Lewis, the chair was occupied by Mr C. Luke, who, with a few remarks, introduced Mr Walker. In tho course of his discourse, Mr Wa'kor gave some account of the work, the objects, and the progress of tho Alliance. He explained that it ia not a teetotal association, but a citizens’ alliance to promote a great reform which deeply concerns the trade and prosperity of the country, as well as the moral and domestic happiness of vast numbers of the people. Tho Alliance, he said, seeks by legislative enactment to secure for the people the right of sayiug at the ballot box whether they will or will not permit the liquor traffic. It recognises no political parties, as it sides with whichever one expresses the prohibitionist policy. The temperance movement, he said, is one that is ever going ahead and gaining strength. A series of Alliance meetings was about to be held in Wellington, and he hoped to see a large attendance at them. In conclusion, he expressed the hope that enthusiasm might be given to the people, as the winning post was so near at hand. (Applause.) The Chairman felt sure that if everyone did bis duty, they would soon havo prohibition. He asked the meetiug to record a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Walker. The vote was passed, and Mr Walker briefly returned thanks.