NOTES ON THE NEWS OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1290, 19 November 1896, Page 30

NOTES ON THE NEWS OF THE WEEK.

“ The ticket, the -whole ticket, and nothing but the ticket ” is the only combina tion which can give the Liberal strength the full scope it requires. Without directing power there can be no scope, without concentration there can be no effect. Gunpowder scattered over the surface of the ground gives, when ignited, only aseries of harmless flashes ; confine that powder in a hole in the rock, it will produce an earthquake ; give it direction as well as concentration, it will batter cities, mow- down regiments of horse and foot, send great ships to the bottom of the sea, change the fate of empires.

Only one thing prevents this combination, so effective for every purpose. It is lack of discipline. Lack of discipline means lack of a true sense of proportion. The true sense of proportion differentiates between private wishes and the general good of the party or the organisation to which we belong. The history of every organisation, even of those presided over by autocrats, is a history of “give and take,” of individual wishes sacrificed to the general plan of general combination. Discipline is the only force that can bind a party together. It is, however, a master as well as a helper ; a master requiring not only the courage to do and dare, but the resignation to suffer, and the readiness of self-sacrifice. In a worthy cause nothing is nobler than the complotest discipline based on self-effacement.

Our good friend Mr Dwan gives us lively ideas from afar, as he used to do when he was nearer. One of these, being eminently practical as -well as lively, we seiect for notice. Phormium is not in favour with the makers of binder t.vine abroad, because it is generally vilely dressed. In other words the flaxdressers of New Zealand have committed the ancient blunder, worse than a crime, of killing the goose with the golden (3<r<rs The remedy is of course simple. Have the stuff inspected and graded at this end, and prohibit the export of everything below a named grade. That is not Mr Dwall’s remedy. His is to set up twine works at home; get rid of the difficulty, Dot by wasting time on the rope-makers abroad, but by becoming rope-makers ourselves. One advantage would be that the rope-makers would keep the dressers in order most effectually ; for they could not treat them with the contemptuous indifference and reckless imputation of motive they devote to the reports of the ropemakers of other countries. Another advantage would be that the export of twine, if a market can be obtained, would be more profitable than the export of the raw material. Hostile tariffs are in the way, we fear.

This reminds us of the agitation, still kept up, we are glad to say, by those interested in the trade, for the purpose of sending an expert to introduce the fibre abroad, and bring back practical ideas. Mr Holmes, late of Blenheim, we understand, is the gentleman selected by the movers, and is generally acceptable to the trade. The Government offered a subsidy of .£250 for the purpose, but were informed that the amount would be inadequate. They thereupon intimated that they would like to know what the trade wa :i prepared to do in the way of subscrip • tionr;. and might see their way to extend their contribution. Those interested in the industry are now engaged in getting this

information, and already a few hundred pounds are in sight on the guarantee lists at Foxton, Blenheim, Wellington and other places. It is eminently just that the men interested should help themselves, and their doing so is the best claim they can have to v Government aid.

Facts are stubborn things. Prohibitionists are always claiming them, but they stubbornly refuse to come into line. Take the holiday here of the 'ninth. There was no lack of liquor in the city and suburbs and all popular resorts. But next day there were just four convictions for drunkenness before the Magistrate. The stubborn fact is that this is a proportion of one in 10,000 of the population. Then take the Christchurch Agricultural Show the other day. There were 22,000 people present and alcoholic refreshment w-as to be had in every direction in unlimited quantity. But only two men -were seen during the whole day the worse for liquor. These facts do not prove the necessity for Prohibition.

A correspondent, -writing over the letters J.K.H., vvrites to say that he listened vvith much pleasure to Mr Bagnail on Tuesday evening at the Opera House, but says it seems to him strange to read on the same page of our journal the special message from Carterton telling of the fate of the missing man Rowe, adding that nearly every morning one reads of something similar. The conclusion he draAvs, though not himself a total abstainer, is that the sooner the democracy, even by a bare majority, do away with the selling of liquor the better. “In politics,” he concludes, “ the majority rules, and why should this question be differently treated?” The reply is that Prohibition does not prohibit. The selling of liquor Avas tried in certain districts some years ago in the Napier Provincial District, in consequence of ono of those things one reads about, and the evil was so intensified that local option brought back the licenses.

The letter of Mr Cameron, manager of the New Zealand Produce Stores Company, Manchester, is startling reading. He declares that all kinds of rubbish is sold openly as Canterbury mutton, and he encloses some samples of the handbills to which he refers as advertising this bad uractice. The prices Avhich he quotes from these are strong proof of the correctness of his statement. When vvhole legs of mutton are sold at fourpence, it is time to enquire vvhat becomes of the meat sold wholesale at over threepence a pound. Here is a nut for those interested to crack quickly. There is a gathering of them here just now for the show. We commend this very important matter to their notice.

By the way, talking of the show, wo wonder whether Wellington has realised that this is the Northern Metropolitan Show, and that it bids fair to be the Metropolitan Show of the whole Colony ? The entries of stock are numerous and of excellent quality. Such a display of cattle has never been got together in the Colony we understand, and they come from all parts of the Colony—Taranaki, the Wairarapa, the Manawatu, Nelson, Otago and Southland. The sheep also are good, especially the Lincolns and Romneys, and they come from all the above localities, except Southland. We understand that the fact that all this stock was on its way to Wellington accounts for the increased number of entries at the Christchurch show last week. The exhibit of fat cattle is, we are informed, the finest seen anywhere in the Colony for many years. In the face of the prospect opened out by these facts, we trust the attendance will be good. It rests with the people of the city to make or mar the show ; and it is certain that if they do not support it by their presence in large numbers they will lose [it altogether before long. Town and country should work together, for the towns live on the country. It is the country that pays everybody’s way.