ECHOES OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1192, 4 January 1895, Page 21

ECHOES OF THE WEEK.

.Satire's my weapon, but I’m too discruot To run uinuuk and tilt at all I meet. Pops

BY SCRUTATOR.

A PRESSMAN’S holidays are like angels’ visits, “few and far between,” and are consequently greatly enjoyed. “ Scrutator” took his own particular Christmas jaunt to Wanganui, and had what the Americans call a “real good time.” Surely no prettier town exists in tho Colony than Wanganui, and, although everything looked rather scorched from the long drought, the river was as beautiful as ever with its willow-clad banks, and tho picturesquelysituated little town boro an unusually lively aspect. Wanganui is making good progress. In \a walk round and about I noticed dozens of unmistakably new houses, neat, comfortable-looking places all of them —this surely does not look much lilco serious depression.

INDEED, one hears far more about depression than one sees. Up the line, at Palmerston, and at Feilding, thoro were crowds of comfortably, well dressed people, hosts of smiling, rosy-faced, smartly clad « kiddies,” and as for long faces and dismal howls about hard times, I never came across any such depressing outwai'd signs of inward grief. Here and there a farmer would “grizzle” a little about low prices for produce, and this is a serious matter and will be more serious unless wo can have some bettor news from the Old Country, but in the towns there was but little sign of anything save steady progress. In Wanganui especially, everything - seemed bright and busy. At Mar bon, where I stopped a night, there wore also signs of progress in the shape of new buildings, a decided improvement in this somowhat old-fasliionod township being the enlarging of the local hall, which was very much neodod.

AT Wanganui I had a look round tho Collegiate School. Mr Empson was absent —your sensible schoolmaster always bolts away from the scene of his monotonous toil directly tho last boarder lias “ vamosed tho rancho !”—and noted with pleasure how many improvements have been made since last I visited that now famous school. The library especially attracted my attention, and a roal English fives court brought back pleasant memories of happy hours spent at fives in a Yorkshire school a good many years ago. Tho school is, I am glad to see, very highly spokon of in Wanganui, although, in one or two quarters, I heard complaints that thoro is a tendency to the growth of what might be callod a “class” feoling amongst tho boarders against the day boys. I sincerely hope that such a feeling, if it do exist —which I trust it does not —will be sternly suppressed by the masters, for, had it not been for the vory genorous support given by tho townspeople in sending their poys to tho school in tho early days thereof, the school would never have attained to its present importance. This I know to be a fact, from a personal knowledge of the said early days.

npIIE Girls’ High School, too, is a fine ■|, building, and on all sides I' heard yrspm praise of tho work done there. It aeOins to be quite a model institution. What with the Collegiate School, and the Gilds’ High School, and tho Technical and Art School, Wanganui is remarkably well off for scholastic institutions, and it is not surprising that a good many well-to-do people should have taken up their residence in the town in order that their children may take advantage of the educational facilities afforded thereby. A pretty town, on a glorious river, a healthy climate and excellent schools —no wonder Wanganui is becoming an ideal homo for tho lucky ones who can afford to take life easy.

THE “ glorious river ” I said. Well, it is a glorious river, a broad, steadilyflowing stream, with lovely willow-clad bivuks, an ideal river for boating and swimming and aquatic delights generally, and, boat of all, a magnificent water highway to the interior. And as such a highway the river has been very practically recognised by Mr Ilntrick, who owns the two Bmnrt river steamers, tho Wnirere and the Manuwai. The former has been running for a couple of years or so, tho latter is a now boat, not long from London, where, like the Wnirere, it was built by Messrs Yarrow and Co., the famous steam launch constructors. The Wairero is a comfortable little boat with a commodious upper deck, a rootny little cabin and, what is best of all, a light draught and a splendid speed, 15 knots, I believe. Light as is her draught, tho river is so low at certain points during the summer months that when a Becond boat was ordered, a lighter draught still was stipulated for, and now the Manuwai, which is a stern-wlieeler, very similar in appearance to an American river ferry boat, draws only 18 inches ! There is-a splendid saloon on a hurricane deck, circular chairs, rich velvet seats and hangings, gilt galore and every luxury ; ladies’ saloon, lavatories, and conveniences generally “ too numerous to be specified,” as the auctioneer’s advertisement would put it.

THE river was so low at the time of my visit that Mr Hatriclc didn’t like tho idea of sending up his new boat, which cost him nearly J 25000, to plough through shingle and fight the giddy snag, and so Christmas morning found myself and several other Wellingtonians on board the Wairoro, bound for Pipiriki. Alas for tho vanity of human hopes, wo only got to a point aboxit four miles south of Atone. For months there has boon no rain up in the interior, and after the Porakino rapid had been reached it was soon evident that the boat could not get up. The Wairore fought the rapids splendidly, tho gentlemen got ashore and ploughed through ferns and scrub, and Maori nettles and

thistles tho size of young palm trees, making acquaintance as a compensation, with the most delicious Cape gooseberries, which grow wild in great quantities. Wire ropes were hitched on to the trees on the banks, tho donkey engine snorted and tho winch rattled, but finally, when some 28 milos up tho river, all further progress was impossible. A groat disappointment in-' deod, for the second half of the trip discloses scenory fifty times more picturesque than tho first half, but tho stoppage was inevitable.

JCAN sympathise with Mr Hatrick, for this was, I beliovo, tho first time tho Wairero has not boon able to got right up to Pipirilci. Tho rain, which has since fallen, must have set the river right, but tourists contemplating a trip to the Lakes via ihe Wanganui—a conch runs from Pipiriki to Toknanu—would do well, at any rate in a dry season like this, to wire to the agents of the steamer in Wanganui to know if the river be “right." The agents have arranged for a pigeon express from Pipiriki, and by this means will he able to know exactly what water there is in the upper rapids. Tho scenery is indescribably bountiful, everehanging in character, with a wealth of ferns and other vegetation which is of every shade of green, and of all trips for a’ tourist that up the Wanganui is Lhe most delightful—but be sure there is water enough on the upper rapids to allow the boat to reach Pipiriki.

I WAS told in Wanganui that by the expenditure of about LISOO at Pipiriki. the river could he so improved that the steamers could then go about 80 miles furthor up. Beyond Pipiriki the scenery is even wilder and more bo uitiful than below that point, and tho Wanganui people one. and all ought to join hands and peg away at the Government through their member, the indefatigable Mr Willis, until they have got the required sum for comp'eting the work. The Wanganui has boon callod the New Zealand Rhine. It is a much more beautiful stream than the famous German river, and in days to come the tourists who will ascend it will be counted by thousands every year. Meanwhile, to nIL who contemplate a trip this season —they needn’t bo frightened of lack of water after the recent heavy rains—lot me strongly recommend tho perusal of a most excellent guide published by Mr Willis, of Wanganui. It describes the new tourist route from Auckland to Wellington by the Hot Lakes, Taupo, Tokaanu, Pipiriki, and the Wanganui River, and thon on to Wellington by train. Tho guide has been written by Mr G. F. Allen, a well-known surveyor and naturalist, in a popular style, and contains some excellent photogravure illustrations and a perfect host of maps and plans. The description of the Ruapehu district is alone worth the price of the book, which is a bulky, though portable, volume whose general get-up is a crodit to its printer and publisher. 1 know of no other tourist guide which gives such a wealth of information concerning tho Hot Lakes and other tourist districts in this island in so handy and readable a form, and I cheerfully give it a free “ ad./’ feeling sure that a perusal of its pages will tempt many townsfolk to undertake a holiday trip which, for plentitudo of attractions, cannot be equalled in the Southern Hemisphere.

BEFORE concluding those few rambling notes ou my holiday trip, I would like to echo the grievous complaints which went up from a ccuple of hundred or so of passengers to Wanganui on the Friday before Xmas Day. The morning train was some twenty-five minutes late in leaving Wellington. This was not through any fault of Mr Gould, for there were a host of extra passougers with a perfect mountain of luggage, and the delay was romedied on the way up foa the train “made it up,” and got to Palmerston at tho duo time. No. what I have to growl about was at Palmerston. Here although it was holiday time and a rnci o child might have known that there would be a big crowd of extra passengers from Napier and Wellington, bound northwards, there was tho same old short four car train of ordinary traffic times drawn up to recoivo the people. The consequence was a frantic rush for the carriages, a wild meliio in which men, women, children, bags and parcels were mixed up in almost inextricable confusion, and all this in a beat which was almost tropical. Then, of course, the officials awoke from their slumber, and after, a long delay more carriages were hitched on. but there appeared to be no one in authority to keep order on the platform, and when the additional cars were hitched on there wis a now rush, this time very nearly resulting in loss of life, for in thou frantic haste to secure seats two or three passengers jumped onto the moving cars and were positively pushed off them onto tho lino by the crowd behind. A more complete and lamentable exhibition of official mismanagement could not well be imagined. Forethought and a regard for discipline and order ato evidently not the attributes of railway management at the Palmerston station. Later on in Wanganui I heard that almost similar scenes wore enacted at Palmerston on the Saturday and the Monday. Someone blundered and blundered badly.

FROM pretty Wanganui down to dusty Wellington again, back to the driving of the pen, to furbishing up the good old scissors, to a replenishing of tho paste pot, back to the reading of newspapers and the making of them. The Now Year is upon us, and let it be a now year of honest hard work lor all of us. Thero’s nothing like work, and plenty of it. It dissipates privato worries, is death to boredom and weariness, it is tho best of all “ cursos ’ bless you, I would not, poor pressman that I am, swap places with tho most colossal millionaire that America has produced, and given but reasonable time to do it in, journalistic work is, after all, the pleasantest occupation in the world. One is in touch with one’s fellow men, eager to seize on any scrap of news that may interest them, keenly alive to every new development which a turn of tho political

whirligig may bring, watchful of all great events in Europe and in Australia. Heroin lies interest, and when work and interest are combined the former becomes no very hard task. This week much of my space has gone in scrappy jottings on a holidays, let the remainder be devoted to more serious things.

MR REEVES is back from Australia, and Mr Ward is going to London. These arc tho two chief political points of the day. Mr Reeves, I notice, has been belaboured with the twin bludgeons of the Age and tho Argus. Ho has, I read, returned the blows with interest. Personally, it is very amusing to me to notice what air absurd importance is attached to what tlioso two Australian “ leading journals ” say about New Zealand and New Zealanders. Never should it be forgotten —when we read how thoso organs and spokesmen of selfish wealth and privilege attack New Zealand Liberalism —that the Age and tho Argus aided and abetted that vast conspiracy of financial seallawags which was called the Melbourne Boom. Month after month thoso papers, in which the pooplo foolishly trusted as being honest and truthful watchdogs of the public interest, puffed up visionary and dishonest enterprises for the sake of the big advertisements that tlxoy brought in their train. Not one word of caution and prudence did there appear when in tho earlier days of the “boom,” tho advertisement pages of the Age and Argus were stuffed out with fat advertisements of bogus companies, of rascally schemes, the final result of which was so disastrous. Not a word. There was a conspiracy of silence, and tho two journals battoned upon tho plunder of the investors. Even when the crash came, these so-callod “ leading journals " bolstered up the rotten enterprises by giving incomplete and “ doctored ” reports of the meetings of shareholders, and even when public indignation compelled the prosecution of a few—very few—-of the chief culprits, these same journals suppressed large portions of tho damning evidence that was given, and sought by special pleading of the most dishonest kind to soften tho blow which the hands of justice wore compelled to meto out.

AND yet thoso are the papers whoso every word that can be construed into anything dorogatory to Now Zealand Ministers is eagorly fastened upon and gloated over by our Opposition press. The “ opinion of tho Age and the Argus,” forsooth, the opinion of tho Australian “ loading journals.” Bah ! what is their opinion worth ? Mr Reeves can afford to laugh at it, and so can any other honest man. If ever journalism were degraded, it has been by these so-callod “leading journals” of Australia, and why New Zealand newspaper proprietors allow their agent in Sydney to cable ovor, at great length, what thoso papers say about us, is a perfect mystery.

rHE Sydney papers arc just as bad. Take the Daily Telegraph for instance, a paper once supposed to be democratic, but now an abject toady to the “Fat Man," to tlio company manager,to the swindieate promoter, a fawning servile “ Jeames ” of the selfish capitalist class. This paper, so a cable informs us, has been pleased to give a review of the past y ear from a financial standpoint. I quote the cablegram as follows : The Daily Telegraph says that .naturally in countries possessing bodios of legislators inexperienced in financial matters, and with largo democratic and even socialistic ole* ments in their midst, so deprossed a year could hardly fail to bring forth extensive efforts at experimental legislation. Such efforts happily had not made much progress except in Now Zealand. The Telegraph predicts that whon the ohroniolos of 1895 come to bo written it will bo found that the year 1894 marked the extremity of depression.

6 6 OUCH efforts happily lmd not made io much progress except in New Zealand.’' l)o you notice the sneer ? The Telegraph, like the other “Fat Man” organs of Australia, hates New Zealand Liberalism, and hates it. more than over just now when, both in New South Wales and Victoria, public opinion, despite the “ leading journals,” has authorised the imitation of that very experimental legislation winch the hide-bound Toryism of the Telegraph finds so repugnant. I should liko to know which country shows the better record in politics for the last few years, New South Wales or New Zealand P In the Australian colony there has been tho most flagrant corruption, Parliamentary scandal after scandal, financial collapse after financial collapse; in New Zealand, good if not brilliant progress, both in politics and in commerco. It is the fashion amongst these Australian papers to sneer at the New Zealand labour party, to jeer at our progressive legislation, to attempt the besmirchmcnt and belittling of a ministry which‘is of the people and for the people, but facts are stubborn things, and despite the capitalistically dictated and directed “leading journals,” there ison the other side a gradual public awakening to the truth that the country is not for the middlemen and the banks and tho squatters—for the privileged few, in fact —but for tho great mass of the people. Lot tho heathen rage and imagine a vain thing —the downfall of New Zealand’s credit and prosperity —but it will not come yet awhile: it will never come as tho result of honest, able efforts to improve the condition of tho pooplo, to stop the greedy paw of tho land monopolist and tho grasping fist of tho company usurer. “ Leading journals ” forsooth, that are quoted so approvingly by tho Opposition press. 'Their opinion is but the opinion of one man, tho writer of tho articles quoted; tho daily press of Australia does, not represent tho voice, tho opinion of tho pooplo, as no doubt Mr Beeves discovered whon he was on tho other side. Tho more bitterly ho is attacked by the Age and tho Argus and the Sydney Telegraph, the more I shall bo convinced

that he and his colleagues are on the right tracks. I HAVE to thank several correspondents for their kindly wishes for the new year and must also apologise for holding over a couple of letters. Space is limited this week and several topics on which 1 have notes must stand over until next week, when I hope to have an extra lengthy budget.