TOPICS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4302, 11 March 1901, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY

VICTORIA COLLEGE AND KEL- . BURNE PARK. Writing with reference to Mr Charles Pharazyu’s offer to contribute ,£IOOO to the funds of Victoria College if a .site for the college is chosen on Ivelburne Park reserve or “some land higher up, Mr R. M. Tolhurst says:—l am worry to see that Mr Pharassyu has renewed the attack on Kelburiie Park by offering £IOOO to Victoria College conditionally on the park being taken for University purposes.' The public should not forget that about £-3000 has already been spent in forming the park, about half of which was found by the citizens of Wellington, for the express purpose of improving the’ limited recreation grounds of the city. Moreover the sixtythree acres of college land was taken for the purposes of a University, and I hope that Mr Travers will be able to reestablish the original trust. Mr Phar.tzyn is not quite ingenuous when lie admits his interest in the Kelbumo Ti a,mway, because he overlooks his large interest in Kelburno township, and his whole interest in Northland. THE CHINESE VEGETABLE MAN. One. of the trades union representatives who interviewed the Premier on Saturday objected to the proposal to sell Hie produce from the Benevolent Home market garden—should one ho os tablished—as he thought, this would interfere with outside labour. Mr Sodden did not attach much weight, to the objection. There wore, ho said, many poor families in want of a few vegetables. and the Charitable Aid Board could easily dispose of the. surplus produce to these families, without: competing with the Chinese—a touch of ironical humour that amused the deputation very much. Mr Seddon went on to say that much as lie disliked the Chinese in competition with white labour, lie did no* think the Chinaman would complain—(laughter)—and if ho did, many people would not pay much heed to his complaint. Mr Seddon struck a nail right homo when he said, in reply to a remark another member .of the deputation, that tho people would Buy the vegetables grown at the Benevolent market garden if they were cheaper than those grown by the Chinese, but if they were not, the people would continue to buy from the Chinese. This, is one of the most serious obstacles in the solution of this problem. The public cry out against the Chinese and ■ their undercutting rates, while they cheerfully continue to purchase the cabbages they sell because they are perhaps a half-penny cheaper than those of the white dealer next door, who is a colonist, with, possibly, wife and family to maintain.

A FORGOTTEN STATESMAN. An interesting lady visitor passed through Wellington on the Mount yesterday, in the person of Mrs Storr, a daughter of Mrs Allom,. who was the first to introduce hees and clover into this colony. -Mrs Storr is travelling for her health’s .sake, but she is also desirous of bringing under the notice of the present generation of New Zealanders in a most emphatic manner what she considers: their neglect of the memory of one who did more for colonisation in'New Zealand than any of his contemporaries or successors. Edward Gibbon Wakefield rs the statesman referred to. This colony is,, of course, one of the monuments to his splendid genius, but there is, Mrs Storr is fearful, a danger that his great services to the cause of colonisation may be forgotten unless his memory is perpetuated in some tangible form. It grieved our visitor very much to observe that while at the recent Jubilee celebrations! at Canterbury tributes were paid to some of the lesser lights, no word was spoken of the man who so kindled with the breath of his enthusiasm the spirits of several of his friends in England that they left their homes and came out here to engage in the task of nation-making, and, incidentally, to earn for themselves “a. reputation, and a name” as pioneers and leaders of men during that stirring epoch. It is nificant of the esteem in winch the life work of Edward Wakefield is held”!n certain quarters to this day that his book “The Art of Civilisation” has been adapted as a standard work by the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Mrs Stow is extremely anxious that this matter should be taken up by some of the more opulent of our citizens, and that a monument should be erected reflecting alike our gratitude a»~individuals and our admiration as a community for the noble and successful results of the life-labour of Edward Gibbon Wakefield.

WESLEYAN CENTURY COMMEMORATION FUND.

Tli© report of-the General Committee of the Wesleyan’ Century Commemoration Fund presented to the conference contained a succinct liistory of the action taken during the past year in carrying out the directions of the last conference. Shortly after conference copies of the historic roll were sent to the cir; cuits through the district secretaries, aud a supply of cards provided for purposes of allocation. Whit Sunday was generally observed as century fund Sunday, and special sermons were preached in most of the churches on behalf of th a fund. The general secretary has visited a large number of circuits, and by his advocacy has sought to enlist the sympathy of the congregations. In some cases he has good reason to complain, not only of the want of preparation for his visits, hurt also of the lack of cooperation. • An attempt was made through the district committees to se-

euro (lie visit of a minister to canvass in each district, and so assist the general secretary, but with only partial success. The committee regrets that in sumo cases there has been great delay in furnishing lists of promises, and in forwarding moneys in band to tho general treasurers. This has caused a large amount of correspondence, which ought to liav.i been unnecessary. The total amount reported as having been promised up to January 98th is JCIO.oGS its Cd, of which sum '£10,064 11s Gd ha' 1 been received by the general treasurers'. '.I he committee can only express disappointment and dissatisfaction with this result. In too many circuits there has been an alm/ist complete Jack of organ!satior. and .scarcely any attempt at personal canvass, and' the committee is confident that the comparative failure of the effort is largely duo to this. The conference, hy resolution last year, altered the original basis of the fund by permitting distinct allocation to church trusts and other objects . Two-third-of tho subscriptions will be allocated to trust objects, and by far the largoi moiety to trusts that arc in comparatively cta.sy circumstances. The committee, in view of the fact that certain trusts are in a serious condition and requiring help, recommended that assistance should be given by the conference to certain trust funds named, including I’Jomc mission and others.