TOPICS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2426, 4 February 1895, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY

From Our Special Correspondent. London, December 3i. Popular prejudice favours dying in “ the odour of sanctity,” but a the death great many excellent folks OP sir JOHN would undoubtedly (if they Thompson, had any say in the matter) prefer to expire in an atmosphere redolent of the “very best society." I gather this from remarks overheard in 'bus and railway concerning the sudden death of Sit John Thompson. The Canadian Premier, as you will have heard by cable, succumbed to heart disease on Wednesday whilst on a visit to the Queen at Windsor- I saw him at the Colonial Institute the previous evening when he made a short speech, and, barring an inexplicable fit of nervousness, seemed in his usual health. Sir John went to Windsor on Wednesday to be sworn in as a Privy Councillor, and was to have dined with the Queen and slept at the Castle. When taken ill he was just sitting down to lunch with the Household. He first of all fainted, but revived and seemed better. Dr lleid (Her Majesty's physician) was sent for, and was speaking to him about the occurrence. Suddenly the Canadian Premier half choked, and lurched forward into the physician’s arms—quite dead. The Queen fortunately lunches alone, so missed the painful scene. The ladies of the Court were, ’however, all there. They at once withdrew, but nothing could be done. I need hardly say Her Majesty was terribly upset by the tragic event, and at once issued a court circular expressing her sympathy with the relatives of the deceased statesman. By her order the arrangements for the dinner party were cancelled, and a royal command was issued that every mark of respect should be paid to the dead. As Sir John Thompson was a member of the Roman Catholic Church, the Rev. Louginotto, of St. Edward s Catholic Church, Windsor, performed the mortuary services, A keen interest in the paramount events of life, such as marriages, births, and deaths, is a common characteristic of women of every race and social position. It extends even to royalty, and it is a well-known fact that these events, and especially funerals, possess a peculiar interest to the Queen. She exhibited it on this occasion by the action she took in directing the arrangements. The shell containing the body was placed in the Great Hall of the Palace in order that Her Majesty might personally view it, and for this purpose the casket, which was covered with a black velvet pall trimmed with white braid and fringe, was placed immediately opposite the State door, under the clock tower, where the Queen laid two wreaths on the shell. The remains were followed from the palace by several leading officers of the Royal Household, Sir Charles Tapper, High Commissioner for Canada, the wife of Senator Sanford, of Hamilton, Ontario (an intimate friend of Sir John Thompson), her daughters Miss Sanford and Miss Muriel Sanford. The two wreaths laid on the pall by the Queen were from the Royal Conservatories, and attached to one of them was a card bearing the inscription " A mark of sincere respect from Victoria E.T." Her Majesty witnessed the departure of the procession from the archway of the Victoria Tower. As it passed down the hill the curfew bell of Bt. George’s Chapel was tolled. From Great Western station tho remains were conveyed to Paddington, where they were transferred to the care of Mr Qarston, who will arrange for the embalmment of the body, which will then be sent to Ottawa and afterwards to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where the public funeral will take place. It is announced that the British Government has offered to convoy the remains across the Atlantic in a ship of war, a very judicious and graceful act which will do much towards strengthening the bonds between the mother country and Canada. Expressions of condolence have been received from the Marquis of Ripon, numerous colonial representafves, Ghambjra of Commerce, banks and mercantile houses. Amongst those who have paid tributes to the memory of the deceased statesman is Lord Russell of Kdllowen, who was associated with him in tho Behring Sea Arbitration.

At the Colonial Institute dinner on Tuesday Mr Playtord, the South Australian Agent-General, sat next to Sir John Thompson. He spoke very little, in fact Mr Playford was struck by his quietude and reserve. Later at the meeting the Canadian Premier said a few pleasant words on Sir Henry Wilson’s paper. He appeared curiously nervous for an experienced orator, and trembled visibly as he rose. Writing to a South Australian friend next day Mr Play ford remarked on this phenomenon, attributing it to Sir John’s known habit of memorising his speeches. Hardly were the lines penned than newsboys were calling out ” De..th of the Premier of Canada."

Whilst attending the Ottawa Conference Mr. Playford saw a good deal of both Sir John and Lady Thompson. , He bad more especially several long talks with the latter, a very clever and, capable woman, of whom he conceived the , highest opinion, , The qualities which endeared Sir John to the Canadians wore his invincible political integrity and high honour. “It is d— —■ d hard to get Sir. John to promise anything, but when he does pledge himself, the thing you want (whatever it may be) is os good as done,’’ sold an admhing opponent recently.

The unfortunate victim of hereditary mania, Reginald Saunderson, was the brought over from Ireland Kensington bn Saturday last in custody mdbdeb. of. tour stalwart officers, and on Monday a coroner’s jury found him guilty of the killing -of Augusta Dawes. This tribunal, 'as you of course know, only decides the cause of death, Consequently the question of the prisoner’s sahity Was not entered upon, The artist Who witnessed the murder was no less a celebrity than Mr Herbert Schmala. He had a charm>ing canvas “The Awakening of Love " in the last Academy, and is one of the most successful painters belonging to the foreign colony in London. I hear his nerves were so fearfully shaken by what bo saw of the catastrophe that after chasing Saunderson ineffectually he went home to his house,m Addison road, and—though unaccustomed to spirits—drank a half bottle of brandy. Even then he could hardly bring himself to face the terrible corpse and to give the alarm, and it was with profoundest relief that on returning to Holland road he found the police already there. Next morning, when he read the papers, Mr Schmalz felt inclined to keep his terrible adventure to himself, but an English friend assured him he would not be acting rightly if he did so, and ultimately the authorities were informed. The inquest merely outlined the story, which I sent you last mail. Saunderson’a behaviour was so extraordinary that wherever ho went daring the period intervening between the murder and his arrest he was suspected to be dangerous, and the wires were sot in motion. The boy’s father in Switzerland knew something terrible must have happened before ho hoard what it was, and the police were searching for Saunderson long before they connected him with the Kensington murder. It is interesting to learn that had Saunderson managed to conceal, his homicidal tendencies a few months longer he would have been shipped off to learn farming in your part of the world, and doubtless in lime have provided occupation for a colonial jury. This would have been pleasanter for bis friends and relations, though hardly for you. The case will raise a number of points of interest to the legal world. There is, of course, the question where imbecility ends apd Iflnaoy begins. There will also ho the point whether the murder was committed in an imbecile moment or in a sane moment, and whether a person, only- occasionally insane or imbecile is legally responsible for a crime committed in a lucid moment. Possibly, however, all these may be settled at tbe outset by the court ruling that Saunderson is not in a condition of mind to plead.

Tub Kensington murder having in a small way revived the “Jack the the ebal Ripper *’ scare the authorities ntFPBfl have thought it well to aoknowledge—what many have long suspected—viz., that the mysterious hero of the Whitechapel horrors is dead. The Sun, you will recollect, made a rare tqdo over the supposed discovery of this assassin some months back, but the police quietly pooh-poohed its wonderful yarn. The Sun's maniac undoubtedly posed as the “one and only original Ripper,” who,:like the Christy Minstrels, bad " never performed out of London,” and his admiring relatives warmly, supported his claim. The police, however, pointed out that there were selfconfessed Rippers in every asylum in Great Britain. The character is a favourite one even yet with madmen, as Saundcrson's case shows. When, however, the statements of these self-confessed « Jacks ” were examined they invariably went to pieces, and; the Sun’s allegations proved no exception to the general rule. 1 hey looked plausible enough in print, but half the testimony.; proved unreliable, and the rest was obviously invented. The real Jack, it seems, belonged, as many suspected all along, to the medical profession, or rather was a student. His friends at last discovered the horrible truth, and had him confined in a private a sylum. When he died a year ago the evidence in their pOs-, session was submitted to Scotland Yard, and convinced them they had at last found the gruesome Ripper,

London society cannot be aaid to tare bustained a loss by the death of lobd Lwd Ortqrd, for the head of the house founded by Robert Walpole never naiked in London society. He lived','in town and country, somethinglikeareclnse, The line on the newspapers’ contents bills “ Death of Lord Orford " had little significance for nine men out of ten who read it. The dead nobleman had; few interests in life beyond hooks and pictures. He had no place in the political hurly-burly, and it is said only once put in an appearance at the House of Lords for the purpose of giving a vote to Disraeli. He was one of the few in England who retained a devotion to the Stuart cause long after all possible chance of that dynasty being restored-had gone. But be took no active part in the latterday follies of the Order of the White Rose ;• indeed his health did riot permit of much activity in any pursuit during late years. It is curious, however, that the representative of the great statesman who, more than any other, helped to keep the Hanoverian family on the throne, and the Stuarts off it, should have been (as the Daily News puts it)

" an advocate of Legitimacy and a votary in the culture of the Rebel Rose.' To those of the outer world whom Lord Orford admitted to his acquaintanceship ho was a delightful companion, but he bad no sympathy with the times, and was content to live and think in hia own fashion.

Each silly season brings its own monstrosity or phenomenon with the cannibalistic most unvarying regularity. SNAKES Sow it is some vegetable AGAIN. product of gigantic dimensions, anon it is tho influenza, or “ Prndes on the Prowl." ’i his autumn it has been snakes., A python iu tho Zoological Gardens swallowed one of his mates, after tho fashion of his kind, with much solemnity and meditation, and instantly a shoal of scribblers eagerly seized upon the incident as a kind of topical pick-me-up iu the dull season. All kinds of Munchausen stories found their way into tho newspaners. In fact it was a very considerate andthonghtful act on the'part Of tho big python to devour tho other serpent at the proper time, and with the most commendable alacrity other snakes all over the country followed his example. Some of the tales were even harder to swallow than the largest boa oonstiiotor. But the palm must be awarded to Mr Arthur K. Viney, of Cores, Cape Colony. He says that a large black snake was recently killed near the ostrich farm of Mr Mallcrby. As the reptile seemed abnormally developed in the abdomen, ns if he were a sort of alderman among his species, he was cut open, with the result that there was found inside a yellow snake almost as large as the black one. But the yellow snake attracted attention in its turn by its stoutness, and an autopsy revealed a good sized black snake in which were 30 eggs, each of which contained a young snake, apparently not much the worse for tho temporary entombment. This makes a total of 32 snakes inside one snake! After this there has been a lull in tho snake market. We are patiently waiting for some one to beat the Capo man's record. It reminds us of the lines about tho descending scale of fleas preying upon cash other. The " Last Snake” who had absorbed the text largest would bo almost as pathetic an object as the "Last Man," and would remind us of the prone boast of the solo survivor of the Nancy Brig.

The London financial organs are fond of moralising on the commercial SCOTCH delinquences of the colonies. canniness The bank collapses, company defalcations, and tho recent case of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency have furnished the virtuous censors witli inexhaustible texts for solemn homilies on the subject of colonial depravity. What these critics entirely overlook is tho tact that all the great “ booms " were started by the eagerness of English.*capitalists to take advantage of tho high rates of interest offered in Australia and New Zealand, as compared with the home investments. True, the former wore often dangerously speculative, but tho English money lenders took tho risk. When the inevitable reaction came, they posed iu the style of tho heavy father who rebukes his own offspring for imitating tho parental peccadilloes. There ate not lacking, however, ample opportunities- for retaliation. Take one or two of the most recent examples. The London and Scottish Banking and Discount Corporation was the brilliant creation of a person named Beall, who had achieved a shady reputation for fraudulent practices in the city for tho previous ten years. He was assisted in the enterprise by an ex convicti with several aliases. The’ bait they dangled before thu greedy investor was a dividend at the rate of 125 per cent I Tho gudgeons rose to it at once, and in 18 months they awoke to tho disagreeable discovery that they had been duped. But when the crisis came the promoters were by no means at the end of their resources. By packing a meeting with dummy shareholders, they contrived to carry a resolution in favour of voluntary winding up. Utranspiiedin tlcourse of the discussion that the dividend of 125 per cent, was paid in scrip in a variety of worthless concerns. When the- prooosa of liquidation has boon completed, all that will remain of this splendid conception will consist of a pile of waste paper. In another ease of a syndicate it was admitted that in the allotment of dividends, they ware calculated upon “ prospective profits."