ECHOES OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 3439, 21 May 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

ECHOES OF THE WEEK.

Satire's my weapon, but I’m too cliscreej To ruu.arnuck and tilt at all I meet, Pops. BY “ SCRUTATOR.” The reahlt of the Mataura by-elect ion is, I should, say, a foregone conclusion. Mr MeNab must win, and should win easily, for his opponent, Mr Ward, though doubtless a very worthy settler and an amiable enough person privately, is the veriest nonentity in bis political views. Judging by a speech he delivered at a place called Waikawa, the Conservative candidate for Mataura seems to have swallowed and believed the whole of the silly stuff, the doctrine for dolts, which has been circulated broadcast throughout the colony during the past two or three years by the National Ass. gang. He believes in going back to the Property Tax, which to [sensible people, ordinarily well versed in the methods of taxation, and properly informed as to its incidence, is equivalent to saying he is totally out of touch with the trend of public opinion on this subject. Then, again, he has got off by heart, and for the benefit of such Waikawa folk as listened to him—these wore not many, according to the Gore paper reeled off, parrot-like, the long catalogue of Seddonian sins as they exist in the jaundiced virion of Conservative organs such as the Otago Daily Times , the Christchurch Press and the Post. He prated about the alleged seizure of the Sinking Fund, “mouthed" the usual flapdoodle about the autocracy of the Premier, the “ spoils to the victors," and laughed to scorn in a good old Tory style the very idea of an Old Age Pensions Bill. The customary claptrap about the driving away of capital was duly dragged out —in fact, the whole speech was destitute of a single original idea. If elected, Mr Ward would, it is evident, be a mere marionette whose strings would bo palled by Captain Bussell and the Opposition Whip. lam pleased to believe that the electors of Mataura arc not in the least likely to return such a political mediocrity to the House.

Apropos to the Mataura elections it is amusing to notice the dire indignation and wrath exceeding of that dear old journalistic frump, the Christchurch Press. When Mr MoNab’s candidature was first announced, the organ of the Canterbury squattocracy chortled with glee over the possibility of another Left Wing “ heckler" being added to Mr Seddon’s list of personified woes. McNab was plastered over with flatulent flattery, he was “ independent, ” “ high minded,” “ a man of considerable intellectual calibre ” and all the rest of it. But a change came over the spirit of the Press dream when once Mr McNab announced his intention of sticking to the Government on a no-confidence motion. This was quite enough to drive the Press into a positive ecstasy of anger, and it has now treated Mr McNab to one of its usual tirades of would-be-sarcasm and veiled abuse, of which it has ever a stock in hand for the amusement of Liberal candidates. With the usual Smellfungus tactics of the Conservative papers,- where a Liberal candidate is concerned, it makes venomous insinuations as to an alleged connection of Mr MoNab’s firm with the purchase of the Otahuestate; he is a “wobbler”; he is “ servile *; he is prepared to support “New Zealand Tammanyism"; he is given to “petty paltering with grave issues," &0., &c., and finally the candidate who a fortnight ago was to “ walk home" and “be another proof to Mr Seddon that the true Liberals would have none of him" is told .that he will “ woo the Matura constituency in vain." Well, well, what a difference it makes when a man, who differs with the Government on some points, determines, nevertheless, that to oust them from office would be to play into the hands of the landgrabbers, would be to pave the way for the recall to office and power of the great Selfish Party 1 Prophecy is a dangerous thing to indulge in, but I’m very much afraid that the soul of the Christchurch Press will be grieved indeed when the “ numbers go up."

Auckland, so all of Us know who devote any attention to the study of the labour question, is the home, par excellence, of the Sweater. Wages are lower there than in any other city in New Zealand, and the Fat Man who wails and whines about “this ’ere d- d Seddon crowd a-ruin4ng the adjeotived country,” is found on the Waitemata in greater profusion than anywhere else in the colony. In Auckland, the labour legislation for which the Ballanoe-Seddon governments have beenresponsible, is hated with exceeding fervour, and from Auckland, too, it is shrewdly suspioioned there flows regularly to London a turgid stream of malicious misrepresentation and atrabilious abuse of the labour measures. One of the prosiest and most foolish of Auckland citizens, a gentleman whose particular bee in his bonnet is the Conciliation and Arbitration Bill, is a Mr Ewington,' personally I believe an amiable, harmless citizen, but politically one to whom the mere mention of progressive Liberalism is as a rod rag to a bull. The Auckland morning paper, the New Zealand Herald, regularly contains long letters from Mr Ewington’s pen, letters which prove to the •satisfaction of the writer, if to that of no one else, that the unfortunate colony is fast proceeding so that unhappy state colloquially termed by Mr Mantalini “ the demnition bowwows.” Mr Ewington has lately taken to a wider field, and has published in London, through the kindly offices of an English Fat Man organisation, bearing the pompous and pretentious title of

“ The National Association Liberal Defence League," a long, dreary pamphlet on Mr Beeves’ measure. ,Mr Ewington, who is nothing if not long winded, heads the pamphlet “ The Truth About the New Zealand Compulsory Conciliation and Arbitration Act."—“ An Exposure of a Mischievous State Socialist Experiment." According to this portentously-entitled effusion Mr Beeves’ Act is ruining New Zealand industries, driving men out of employment, lessening wages and doing several other things too numerous to mention. Indeed its general tone is so pessimistic that one can only wonder that its author could possibly continue to live in a colony in which such' dreadful deeds are done as those for which., the Conoilia-

tion and Arbitration Act are alleged to be responsible.

The English Conservative papers, which cordially hate our progressive legislation, and never miss an opportunity of misrepresenting its tenour and effects, have seized upon Mr Ewington’s pamphlet as a peg upon which to hang dreary diatribes against Antipodean Radicalism, with the usual moral that New Zealand is a dangerous place for John! Bull to invest money in, and that Mr Seddon and his colleagues must be bundled! bag and baggage out of office before the English Capitalist (good old Capitalist I) will feel any confidence, in the colony. All this rubbish, although, palpable rubbish might have worked some small evil to our credit it not been, happily for the colony, but unfortunately for Mr Ewingtqn, that we have in Mr Beeves, ijot only an Agent-Qenerai who will not sit still and hear the colony reviled, but the author of an Act who, whenever it is attacked is always ready and remarkably well able to defend the measure* Mr Reeves has therefore fallen upon the Auckland Fat Man champion and has smitten him hip and thigh. Poor Mr Ewingtdn's figures, Mr Reeves shows to be completely out of date and inaccurate, and on almost every question of sheer fact be proves the critic of his act to bo absolutely and ridiculously in the wrong. The so called “ exposure " is exhibited in its true light, as the mischievous maunderings of a perhaps well meaning but foolish and ignorant person,

So long as Mr Beeves remains in London, -it is evident that these unpatriotic attacks upon our labour legislation will be moat promptly and effectively combatted.

Mention of the Ewiugtou pamphlet reminds one that his pet organ, the New Zealand Herald, has been having a tilt at Vancouver mail service. The Herald detests the Vancouver soruice and calls it a “ costly nuisance." This, of course, is because the Vancouver boats call at Wellington and not at the capital of GumLand. As a matter of fact the Vancouver boats are every trip taking more cargo and passengers, and although in one or t\Vo instances there was a slight delay in the delivery of the mail, it was due to unavoidable circumstances. If any mail service should be abolished it is the San Francisco service. The colony ought to support the Vancouver service. It is an enterprise of imperial and not only colonial importance and value, it forms a great connecting link between scattered portions of the Empire, and in the long run it is much more likely to be of commercial value to New Zealand than the 'Frisco service. The spirit of the colony to-day is happily not that of Auckland, namely, narrow minded provincialism, and the time has gone by when Auckland is to dictate to the colony on mail service or any other questions. The sooner the Auckland papers recognise this solid truth the better.

A good deal of sympathy has been expressed in town by men of all shades of political “colour" with the Hon G. F. Eichardson, who through misfortune and the faults of others had to file, and has lost his seat in the House. Mr Biohardson, so it appears to me, has been treated very harshly and rather meanly by some of his creditors. He will be much missed in the House, where his genial wit and general good-fellowship made him so popular. Apropos to his trouble, people are asking why the great Conservative magnates did not come to the rescue of a gentleman who has been so prominent a member of their party. A comparatively small sum would have prevented the bankruptcy and given Mr Eichardson a chance to pull round a bit, but the money-bags Conservative clique of Wellington seem to have buttoned up their poskets and never even offered assistance.

The Wairarapa Leader, the Carterton Liberal organ, is waking up things political in the district and no mistake. The journal is now under the editorship of Mr J. T. M. Hornsby, formerly of the New Zealand Times, and is conducted by that gentleman with much vigour. I wish the Leader every success under its new management. Wairarapa has too long been without a good stalwart Liberal organ to show that there are two sides of every argument and Mr Hornsby has an excellent opportunity of exposing the tactics of the Selfish Party.

What has become of the “ Asat,” Mr Wragge’s mysteriously named storm, which was to come down upon poor New Zealand with a thud and against which the shipping people wore so solemnly warned. So far “Asat” has not made its appearance, and beyond some disagreeable weather on Sunday nothing particular has happened in the meteorological department. Mr Wragge has a big reputation on the other side as a weather prophet, but his first prediction as to New Zealand has so far been a rank failure. Unless he can do better than this I shall continue to pin my faith in Captain Headwind.

Dr Newman has been ehirping away to the Southern Cross Society on the subject of English politics. He took occasion, I notice, to extol the working of the English Primrose League. The doctor is a Conservative, and is, no doubt, anxious to see his party back again in power, but surely he does not wish to see Primrose League tactics adopted by the colonial Tories and their female friends. For the methods employed by the Primrose League are mainly unblushing bribery and corruption, and, worse still, the boycott is openly adopted by this organisation of “ nobs and snobs." In one Yorkshire town, where I have friends, a local tradesman har dare to call his political soul his own. If he attends a Liberal meeting or makes himself in any way prominent on the Liberal side he is ruthlessly “boycotted ", by the knights and dames of the Primrose League. In the villages the state of things is oven worse, for there the “ parson and squire" element, of which the League largely consists, take very good care that the doles of coal and soup, etc. which are given to the poar during the winter months are strictly confined to those poor devils who own themselves of the right colour. “ Boycotting " tradespeople on account of their political colour is not unknown in New Zealand. It used to exist to a most disgraceful extent, for instance, in Napier, and indeed all through Hawke’s Bay, but I hope and believe it is not general.

The feeling in favour of a State Law Bureau is gaining ground in England amongst the more progressive Liberals, and I shall not be surprised before long to see such an institution loudly called for in this colony, Some of the bills of coats which are sent out by certain lawyers in "Wellington truly come under the designation “ rascally ” hills of costs ” is an historic phrase and first used here by a prominent local lawyer. It is better at any time to avoid going to law, but sometimes it is absolutely necessary, and some more moderate and uniform scale of charges is a crying need. There are many difficulties, however, in the way of a State Law Bureau. If the Law Society would only take up cases of extravagant charges aud let the reform come from inside there would be no necessity for State interference. But such interference will he called for ere long by the public if the “greedy lawyer" bo not reformed by those who have now the power in their hands to make him mend his ways.

Apropos to bills of costs, “ Oriel" of the Melbourne Argus publishes a very hapjty skit at the expense of a certain well-known equity barrister who practices in the Victorian metropolis. ■ The gentleman in question, so it appears, has a hobby for fishing at Port Philip Heads, and having recently had a row with his boatman, asked for his account. This is how it was rendered-” March 20.—T0 receiving letter from yon, with instructions to get boat ready £0 6 8 Getting boat ready, and writing you to say that instructions were noted 0 10 6 March 22.—T0 receiving telegram putting off engagement, and saying you would come later 0 5 6 To not coming later, as promised ... ••• 0 o 6 To personal inconvenience in consequence of disappointment ... ... ... ... 0 10 0 March 24.—T0 writing you with reference to future engagement ... ... ... 068 March 26. —To meeting you at steamer to say that boat was ready 0 7 6 To use of boat for five hours at 2s 6d an hour ... 0 12 6 To instructions as to how to catch schnapper ... ... IXO To ditto, ditto, as to where schnapper was to be caughtl 1 Q To bait ... . ;l ~, ••• 0 0 0 To instructions as to howto bait IXO To consultation re weather ... 0 10 6 To opinion re possibility of rain 110 To landing you safely at wharf 2 3 0 Total .£lO 3 4 With reference to -the sto?y of the Virginius, quoted in last week's ■* Echoes," Mr J, M. Richardson, Sydney street, Wellington, writes me as follows: Dear Scrutator, —I see in “ Echoes of the Week ’’ to-day a partial account of the Yirginius affair. It may ini terest yon to have a full account. At that time I was a sub-lieutenant belonging io the Niohe, commanded by Sir Lambton Lorraine, Bart. We received orders from Commodore Da

Horsey (then senior officer ac Jaiuaci.i) to proceed immediately to Santiago de Cuba to try and save the captain, crew and passengers of the Yirginius, some of whom were British subjects. VTe arrived at Santiago at about eight in the morning, and found on arrival that as soon ns the Spaniards saw us in the distance they had marched the captain and a number of the crew and passengers to the Plaza, and there shot them. Captain Lorraine sent to the Captain-General to request that no further executions slwuld take place till he had had an opportunity of making some enquiries about the matter, receiving the answer that “ the law must take its course.” Sir Lambton, thereupon, steamed as close to the town as he could, having a cutter ahead sounding the way; sent to the Consul and English residents to be ready to take refuge on the shipping at a moment’s notice, and then sent word to the Captain-General that he was in full view of the place, and that if another man was shot he would bio w the place about their ears, sink their gunboats (of which there were two or three in the harbour), raze their forts and then clear out. The result was that the whole of the survivors wore handed over, and on proceeding to Havana we also got the Virginius, which, with the crew, Ccc., was handed to the Americans. She sank in a gale while being convoyed to a port in the States. Sir Lambton shortly afterwards left for England, his time being up, and proceeded by way of the United States, where, according to the papers, he was presented with a silver brick, inscribed, “ This is a brick, and you are another." The Niobo was commanded afterwards by our late Governor, Lord Glasgow, who was then Captain David Boyle, and she ‘ was wrecked on the island of Miguelon, about ten miles to the southward of Newfoundland.—l am, &c., James M. Richardson. P.S.—The Virginius affair took place in 1873. She claimed to be an innocent trader, neither carrying contraband qf war nor rebels. Shose who were shot were shot on mere suspicion. Discussing the bad writing of so many celebrated authors, about which I have often had some good stories in this column, a London paper instances that of the late Dean Stanley. There are many legends as to its almost incredible badness. Kingsley received a letter from him one morning, and, after breakfast, was observed to go apart. 'He struggled with the note for a considerable time, and at last remarked : “ I am sure this letter ot Stanley’s is full of the most beautiful things, but so far the only word I have been able to make out looks very like 1 damn.’" Mr John Murray, who presided at the eighth annual dinner ef the London Correctors of the Press in March last drew upon his experiences, and delighted his audience with another tale ot Stanley’s caoography. The Dean was made to describe his first approach.to Jerusalem — We saw the setting sun gilding the landscape as wo topped the summit, and our eyes were met by the glorious light of Jones. Stanley,it appeared, had written “ Jerus," his abbreviation for Jerusalem. MrW. L. Courtney, who also spoke at the dinner, told how the typesetter had once made him object to “ the extension of women’s tights " 1