ECHOES OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1193, 11 January 1895, Page 21

ECHOES OF THE WEEK.

Satire's mv weapon, but I'm too discreet To ran amuck and tilt at all 1 moot. I'Ol'K, "~BYBCRUTATOn. A HEARTY wolcomo to Dr Wallia, onr now bishop that is to be, and congratulations to himself find good wife upon their ending of a long voyage and their arrival upon the scene of what will bo, I trust, many years of pleasant and useful labours. The now bishop will have much hard and, I fear, also, sometimes, unpleasant work to do. The Anglican Church, in this province at least, whatever may bo the ease elsewhere, is by no moans in touch with the great mass of people. There is a widespread impression that it is the church of tho well-to-do and not of tho poor, and in scores of directions which, might bo mentioned its scope of usefulness may and should bo materially extended. How this can boat; bo done will bo for Dr Wallia to find out for himself, hub I would hove echo the wishes of a great number of Church of England people in tho country that the now bishop may not spend too much of his timo in tho capital of his diocese, but dovoto a very largo proportion of tho year to paying regular visits to the outlying districts. The Wellington diocoso does not, right reverend sir, that is to bo, consist of a few sheets in aristocratic Thorndon, although no doubt it will bo tho aim of certain silly so-called " society" people to make you think so. Go out and about in tho country districts, help on tho struggling littlo churches and their hard working parsons, organise, reform, give help and sympathy throughout the whole of tho diocese—that is what is wanted. The "tame cat" species of Anglican prelate is not wanted here, and, thank goodness, judging by all wo have hoard of you, that is precisely tho kind of bishop you will not bo. Lot ns hope so, at- least. Meanwhile, again aecopt a hearty welcome from a humble scvibo who takes no small interest in tho wolfaro of the good old church of which you aro to bo J the local head.

THE latest news about Sir George Croy —namely, that ho persists in staying in England through tho summor months, and has sorioiu thoughts of standing for an English constituoncy—wUlbeill rocoivod by the hosts of friends tho old gentloman possesses in tho colony. At his ago an entrance into English politio3 should be tabooed. Evon were ho to succeed in gaining a soat, which is not likely, tbo life which lie would have to load would bo ruinous to his already weakened health, jind I question very much whether ho would havo tho slightest iniluonco in the House of Commons when onco, if ever, ho got there. And how about Auckland —his beloved yot dosortod Auckland. Surely it has tho first claim upon him. Certainly the Auckland pooplo havo a right to ask that ho shall no longer delay sending in his resignation as a member of the Now Zealand House of Representatives. To my mind there is something perfectly pitiable in tho prospect of poor old Sir George plunging into tho troubled vortox of Homo politics instead of spending his fast declining days in tho leisured and lettered easo so much more befitting his years and his personal dignity. Tho cable which may toll of his determination to como back to the Colony I shall greet with a loud "Hurrah !" and I doubt not that it will bo received with lil«e enthusiasm by many of tho thousands of tho colonial admirers of tho fine old follow.

MIISBESXNT, tho good soul who com. complained that wo unfortunate Now Zeal and era woro not "receptive" enough, announces th.it sho defers a reply to tho exposures of tho Westminster Gametic, exposures of the groat Thoosophy humbug *• until sho returns from India.' Probably she will, when on India's " cor.il strand " consult hor own particular " Guru " or <• Mahatinn," and derive from that mysterious being some peculiar fortifying spiritual sustenance wherewith to fight the scoffers who assort that the lalo lamented Blavatsky and hor follow Thoosophic wonder workers woro only tho most vulgar tricksters. After tho crushing exposures of tho Westminster Gazette one stands aghast at the human credulity which can swallow Thoosophic miracles. As tho journal in question very aptly remarks, " For he that hath ears to hoar, lot him hear," tho Thoosophic scripture roods, "Ho that hath oyos to soo, let him put his head in a bag." Tho moro I read of Thoosophy and of tho fatuous folly and colossal conceit of its followers, the moro I am delighted that our recent visitor should have seen fit to complain of our " lack of receptivity." Whatever bo our follies, they do not include a tondonoy to swallow tho most idiotic of false creeds, however blatant tho Baalam-liko bawling " Boliovo I believe !" of its moro prominent votaries.

T IKE Mrs Bosant, our latest " avangoJLA list" visitor, tho Rev John McNeill, has, I seo, thought lit to Complain of our "lack of receptivity/' and has boon saying some hard things about Wellington to a Sydney inter viewer. " It is a cold unci sympathetic place" ho plaintively cries, "there is a little clique which calls itself society and ignores everything outside its own particular pale. This fooling has extended to the churches, which are somewhat cold," Poor Mr McNeill! Down south ho was accepted at his own valuation, made much of in such soeioty uh his boul iovetl), driven here and there, his spcechoa, or sermons, or discourses, or whatever ho calls them, reported at groat length by the newspapers. Hero, alas, in Wellington, ho was allowed to come, to speak and to go away without any particular fuss being made about him. Hence those tears I I didn't attend any of his locturoa hero, but I read reports of similar lectures delivered by him in Australia and Dunedin and found them full of a cheap wit, a vulgar pretentiousness to exclusive sclf-righfcooug.

noss, a sneering tone towards tho permanent and recognised Christian workers, an egotism, and, alas, an irreverence abutting on absolute profanity. 80 far from ils being any discredit to Wellington that greater private and public recognition was /not accorded to his so-called mission, 1 consider it a matter upon which our people are to bo congratulated. Nine cases out, often these travelling evangelists do a groat deal more harm than good, and working in'inito evil 111 ill-balanced minds, stirring up a temporary religions hysteria, the after effects are far "from being lastingly beneficial and injuring rather than assisting tho regular work of tho various Christian churches.

AS to the reverend gentleman's complaint concerning tho "little clique which cats itself society," it comes badly from a man who, in various towns, averred his contempt for society so called. If ho is holiest in that contempt why wail because " society " did not attend his lectures P And, touching the "coldness of the Churches," I am not at all surprised from what 1 have heard as to tho general conduct of himself and Mr Burko—tho Sankoy of tho " show" —that tho ministers of tho various congregations should havo boon lacking in personal warmth. In one case at Wellington, Ins accompanying "sweet singer" behaved in so bumptious, discourteous, downright rude a manner to a local minister that tho latter—-an out-spoken Scotsman— turnod round and rated him soundly. At Wanganui tho other day I hoard a somewhat similar complaint. If then there wore any noticeable "lack.of receptivity"— to uso Mrs Bosant's now famous phrase—about tho Wellington pooplo with regard to Messrs McNeill and Burke, those gentlemen wore themselves mainly to blaino.

C CONGRATULATIONS loud and hearty J to Mr W. Maekay, tho Choss Champion of Now Zealand. It is not given to ovoryono to bo a choss enthusiast—as tho erstwhile " People's Goorgo" declared the other night, some of us havo " other hah to cook " —but chess is so quiet, so sober, so domestic, altogether so virtuous a pastime, that it is a pity it is not more generally popular. As to tho now champion, ho is a Wellington man, and he is personally and deservedly popular with all who know him —both clioss emthusiaats and book-lovers. In all sincerity " Scrutator " offers him his congratulations. Mr Mackay's choss record is ono of stoady, sturdy, unremitting perseverance in pursuit of an honourable distinction. Long may ho wear his nowlygainod laurels.

THE Melbourne Argus has boon surpassing its own record for caddishness in reference to its political opponents—a record very difficult to surpass—by remarking of tho Now Zealand Minister of Labour: "Mr Reeves is an effective speakor. His manner is good, and ho appears to have had a smattering of oducation in early life, in which ho differs from tho ordinary agitator." Of course, tho Argus writer knows just as well ai do wo Now Zoalandors that Mr Reeves is ono of tho best educated mon in this Colony, that he is a writer of graceful and cultured verso, that ho is in fact a scholar and a gentleman. , But it could not forego the cheap sneer " a smattering of education," and no doubt vastly plumes itself upon its would-be wit. And yet this is the paper which wo are constantly being told by the Opposition press is a " leading journal." Heaven help them it may lead, if its political malevolence and malignity can so wantonly warp ils sense of fair play and docontcourtesy to a " stranger in the land." When I road of the constantly-recurring dirty devices by which the Tory papers, both hero and on " tho other side,' 5 so persistently seek to discount the popularity of our democratic Ministry, I cannot help thinking thot thoso who* lend their pons and brains to such contemptible work are, as tbo poet Swinburno wrote of somo of his literary onomios, " either blookhoaded blackguards or blackguardly blockheads." Tho attacks nevertheless, Mr Roovos and his eollaguos still survive, and will, go on with their work of attempted progress and reform until tho voice of tho people cries " Hold, enough." And that day is yot far distant.

CONCERNING poor "Randy," otherwise Lord Randolph Churchill, a recent cable lias informed us that " ho is improving except for tho paralysis." Bmept for the paralysis, indeed. Surely that is enough. It is moro than enough for most pooplo who aro visited by so awful an affliction. I'm afraid that " Randy" will bo a lost quantity in English politics, even if ho should recover. Rapid his rise, dire his downfall. No man ovor had tho ball of political success moro securely at bis foot, and no man over so foolishly throw away his chances. Why on earth he was ever mad enough to resign tho Chancellorship of tho Exchequer as ho did in 1880 wo shall probably not knoAV until ho dies, but it was a step which not only disgusted his party, but which ruined his prospects of all future ro-climbing into power. Dixy's fireworks woro sometimes successful, but I>olitieal pyrotechnics aro not permanently popular with John Bull, and " Randy," having gone up like the proverbial rocket;, eame down liko tho equally proverbial stick—and has novor boon picked up again. Ho is 48 years of ago, first enterod Parliament in 1874 for tho rotten littlo borough (now disenfranchised) of Woodstock, and married an American lady of groat persona. 1 beauty. His brother, tho Duke of Marlborough, was tho hero of a peculiarly unsavoury case, and afterwards married an American lady whom it is notorious ho also ill - troatod. Had " Randy " boon tho older brother, his life, no doubt, might havo boon different. A brilliant but erratic genius, bo was for years the hopo of the younger Tories, and if ho dies ho will probably bo more deeply regretted than many a bettor man.

JN the last issue to hand of the Review of RoviewH Mr W. T. Stead, as might have boon expected, gushes ftt groat length over

tho virtues of tho late Cznr. To my mind wo have had rather a surfeit of gush of late concerning that deceased potentate, about whom we havo had, I fear, only half truths told. A writer in an English paper asserts that the late CV/ir was by no means so humane a monarch as Mr Stead and other of his obituarists would fain havens believe. Mere, for instance, is an example of his brntalilj of speech and inborn inhumanity : —A certain Madame Tsohrikova ventured to send an open letter to the CV.ar calling attention to the wrongs that were daily being committed under his sovereignity. Among others sho quoted tho instance of two brothers who woro banished by mistake in place of two other brothers of like name but of different family. When tho blunder was at last rectified, tho unhappy victims returned only to find that their mother had died of grief and privation, and that after her death their child-sister had been sold by a boarding-house keeper into worse than shivery. For telling this and other like stories Madame Tsobrikova was sent into oxilo in Vologda, and was evon refused permission, in her serious illness, to go to the capital for a nocossary operation. The Czar's own comment; upon the matter was : " But why should she bother herself about this matter P"

THE Japanoeo evidently don't trust " John " very much, for tho cable tells us that "Japvn refuses to agroo to an armistice during tho negotiations for poaco." Perhaps sho thinks that tho peaco proposals of tho Pekin authorities aro only a. dodge for gaining timo wherein to reorganise their forces, and no doubt she is wise in being on tho safe sido and continuing to hammer away at hor opponent whilst tho latter is still disablod. On tho face of tho cables, however, thoro doesn't seem much chance of tho Chinese rallying. More lamentable exhibitions of of national cowardice havo surely never boon witnessed during any war than thoso of which tho Chinese havo boon guilty. In a recent Pall Mall Budget Phil May has an excellent drawing of a Chinaman with a most woe-bogono countenance, with an inscription by his side, "Now Chinese War Song: 'Wo Don't Want to Fight,' sung with immense success by General Won Lung Sing Small." It is ono of tho happiest of ideas that tho clover Phil has had for somo timo.

A PROPOS to tho Eastern war, a recent „1\- number of tho Japan Mail, an English paper published at Yokohama, gives somo voty amusing descriptions of tho Avay in which the intensity of Japanese patriotic enthusiasm manifests itself. 'Tho Japanese theatrical managors, shrewd, as showmen usually aro, havo promptly recognised tiro fact that there "is money in tho war" from a theatrical point of view, and a new and gorgeously mounted niolodran:n, representing scones in tho famous battle of PingYang, is now being played with immense success at ono of tho Tokio theatres. I rieod scarcely say that tho Chinese commanders and troops aro not soon to tho best of advantngo in this production; indeed, my .Tapaneso journalistic namesake says that their proceedings aro always of the nature of Mark Twain's when ho beard theory of "Bedouins ahead!" as lie Avas journeying through tho Holy Land in company with tho famous people, the Innocents Abroad. " I dashed at onco to tho roar," says Mark, " to see if any more foes were coming in that direction. Ho did all tho rest of us. Wo all remarked afterwards, that if any Bedouins had come upon us from behind, they would have paid dearly for their rashness.'' The Mail adds that the marching of tho troops, the blood and gunpowder and tho terrific combats, raised tho onthusiasm of tho Japs to tho highest point. Tho realism occasionally appears to have carried tho audience completely away. At one performance, as the actor representing tho Chinese general was Hying along a curious prolongation of the stage peculiar to Japan, a man sprang from ono of the boxes in tho pit, seized the supposed Celestial, and proceeded to give him a sound thrashing, yelling out that lie was a real Chinese and not a disguised Japanese. The disguise being torn oil in the struggle, the enthusiast was uudecoivod, and was compelled to apologiso then and there. The actor, how ever, so far from resenting the treatment, regarded it as a great compliment io tho skill of his make-up ami tho accuracy of his acting. Other equally amusing ii.cidents aro reported by the Mail. For instance, in one scone, wo are told, some Japanoeo soldiers are surprised by a mob of Chinese in ambush, and havo to fight desperately. As it scorned likely that the Japanese would bo adnihilatod, two spectators sprang from the pit, to tho stage and began hitting outright and loftw'iih so much vigour that the psondoOhincso went, down like ninepins. This time the audience did not take it as a, joke, and the excited pair were promptly escorted to tho place where they would have an opportunity of cooling down. So convincing, however, woro Kawakami and his soshi actors, that for tho third timo, shortly afterwards, tho spectators lost their sense of timo and place, and plunged into tho fray. In ono of the scones a Chinese general is attacked by a number of Japanese troopers, and obviously in order to make tho action more interesting, the Chinaman fights with groat skill and valour, and the combat seems undecided. " This bit of realism," says tho Mail, *« never fails to call forth yells of rage from tho audience, who cover tho Chinaman with abuse, and grow indignant if his assailants aro not promptly victorious.' 1 Ono night a lusty countryman was present, and, enraged bojond measure at tho seeming success of tho Ohincso general, ho sprang on tho stage, seized tho actor, beat him unmercifully before anyono coedd interfere, and finally flung him into tho pit, whoro ho fell unconscious. Again tho actor, when ho recovered, took the incident in good part, ano a vernacular journal improves the occasion as follows :—" If our bravo countrymen can act so courageously in mimic warfare, and bo successfully held their own against tho enemy, how great mivt be their valour on the actual field 1 Tho Chinese

must molt away before thorn liko dew beneath the aim's rays."

OH lIE Can terbury Progressive Liberal AsJL sooiation are nothing' it' not original in their ideas as to tho enlargement of the educational syllabus. According to a Christehureh telogram published the other day, they Avish to soo a school of domestic instruction established in tho "City of the Plains." It is a pity, however, that wo are not told tho details of the proposed schonio. Domestic instruction is a vague and general phrase which covers a host of possibilities. Is tho proposed sooool to be specially for the training of domestic servants, or for foraalo children generally P And what is to bo tho curriculum P For instance, as to the cooking lessons, will tho students bo confined to the cooking which in often too truthfully known as plain tho preparation of tho awfully monotonous "chops, steaks mid sausages " of the soeond-rato hotel, or will the democratic soul of the Progressive Liberal revolt, before a menu including the potagea, entrees and entremets or a swell dinner parly. Then again, domestic instruction to be complete, inchulosaknowledgo of how to successfully haggle with a Chinaman, how to keep a dinner hot when "hubby" has been "kept at tho oilice my dear," tho making of beds, tho scrubbing of floors, and all the soemingly minor but vastly important duties of the Mary Ann. And what will tho instructors have have to say on tho subjoct of "evenings oil'," and tho average avorsonoss of the colonial slavey to do anything beyond what she personally finds agreeable P Personally I think it would bo a great deal better Avero tho Canterbury Progressives to try and instil into tho minds of our colonial girls that domestic sorvico is not a hateful thing, that it is fifty times a healthier, bettor, more finally profitable oxistenoo than that of a factory hand.

IT would bo iutorostiug, also, to know how many of those highly progressivo Liborals aro taxpayors, and how they can justify tho proposed establishment of schools—for Canterbury, of courso, wouldn't have a monopoly of them—tho cost of which would bo a very heavy addition to tho already irksome burdens entailed by tho education vote. Mr Seddon, I soo, says " tho movement lias his entire sympathy." I wonder if tho Premier is himflolf acquainted with tho details of the proposed new departure I quite agree with him that it is a groat pity that "technical education is neglected in tho colony to a great extent," but with his implied opposition to higher education I don't agree. I'ho major portion of tho so-called higher education given in Now Zealand doesn't cost tho State a brass farthing, whereas Stato technical education on any cornprohonsivo scale would entail an immonso expenditure.

AVERY good story is going tho rounds of tho Australian papers with reference to an English doctor, who was at one time attached to tho court of a Malay Rajah, but who is now practising in Sydney. Ho had made himself well-nigh indispensable to tho potontato, and, fortunately for him, possessod also tho friendship of his Prime Ministor. On one occasion His Highness, being- slightly indisposed, having' indulged too freely in arrack, a native bovorage which would come under tho sevoro condemnation of Mr J'sitt, for it is peculiarly potent, had taken, by the doctor's advice, a senility; powder, with which he had expressed himself perfectly delighted. Its tendency to boil and flssz " ready to blow your nose off ,v seemed to him to " scatter coolness" around the royal head, which was probably somewhat swollen, and ho scorned so bettor after it that the doctor thought himself justified in joining in a hunting party. Presently a horseman from tho palace in tho confidential employment of the Grand Vizier galloped up to mm. "My master bids mo toll you," he said, " His Highness has broken open your medicine chest and taken, first, all tho white powders, and then all tho blue. ' " Gracious goodness," cried tho doctor, " there were twenty-four of each of them." " My master adds," continued the messenger, dropping his voice, " that you had better make for tho frontier without one moment's delay." Tho doctor put spurs to his horse, and never drew rein until ho was " out of the jurisdiction of the Court."

WE luivo a good many young Jawjors in Wellington, and occasionally I hoav bitter complaints from some of them of tho difliculty they have in making something above tl'ioir office rent. On tho whole, however, slaofl! as legal business may be I should not advertise any of them to emigrant to Madagascar, for in that island country the " gentlemen of tho long robe " must indeed bo hard put to knock out a living. At leaßfc such ia the conclusion ono would arrive nt after reading the following advertisement which appeared in a recent issuo of tho Madagascar Qamelte, published at Antanarivo by J. 15. Underwood Harvey : " Wanted a lawyer, capable of interpreting the laws of China, Siam and Japan. He must also possess a thorough knowledge of tho English constitutional law. No applicant who is not willing to assist at farm work and help in the blacksmith shop need apply. He must also be a\good rider and driver." The refer* once to tho laws of China, Siam and Japan doubtless arises from the fact that there are lurgo numbers of coolie labourers in Madagascar who hail from those far-oil lauds. Tho most, astonishing thing about this astonishing advertisement is to me, at least, the stipulation that the required all-round legal genius should not have been required to be a good shot. In view of the French invasion of the island such a qualification would, one might imagine, have been deemed strclly essential.