TOPICS OF THE DAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4438, 19 August 1901, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

WELLINGTONIAN PRESBYTERIANS. Vague and portentous hints regarding the condition of the Presbyterian Church in the Wellington district are mad e in the “ Outlook,” tie church organ published in Dunedin. In a recent issue the editor says: —“Two letters from Wellington have come to hand which we cannot see our way at present to publish. They speak in strong terms of the great need for some change whereby young men especially may be drawn to the churches. We are perfectly well aware of the widespread dissatisfaction that exists regarding some matters, and ought, perhaps, as a public journal to giv e definite voice to the many vague murmurs that reach us. There are, however, good men and true in the Wellington Presbytery who have the interests of Presbyterianism at heart. We take for granted that they have an eye on the state of matters. To outsiders thp time for action seemed to have come long ago. Perhaps members of Presbytery see difficulties that are not visible to We cannot, with our sense of duty, put the case more mildly.” Perhaps the ‘‘ Outlook ” will be reassured on learning that a new Presbyterian Church in Wellington is about to introduce a_ full brass band to brighten up th Q services, and make them attractive to the young. PROGRESS OF INDIA. The “moral and material progress and condition” of India during the year 18991900 form the subject of a bulky Bluebook just issued in England. The record treats of administration (civil and judicial), legislation, local government, sanitation, famine and nlague, finance taxation, agriculture and mineral resources, trade and manufactures, education and literature, post office and telegraphs, public works, frontiers and native States and, in fact, of every conceivable department /of public activity. The story of the famine and the plague is brought down to tlxe end of 1900. It is noted that the plague, which showed a considerable decline as compared with 1899,seems to have kept for the most part outside the famine zone. The total cost of the famine of 1899-1900 is estimated at £18,390,000, and it is anticipated that' considerable relief expenditure will be necessary in 1901-2. The disappointing results of the census taken in March last, showing an increase of less than seven millions, instead of the normal in crease of nineteen millions, is referred to in this connection, and it is pointed out that losses of population, as compared with 1891, in Baroda, Rajputana, the Central India States, the Bombay States the Central Provinces, the Bombay Presidency, and Hyderabad, are due not only to deaths from famine, but also <o de. crease of births in consequence of famine and scarcity. Including the native States, the total population of India, according to the latest figures given in the Blue-book, thus compares with, that oE ten years ago :—I9OO, 294,266,701.; 1891, 287,317,048; increase, 6,949,653. The Secretary of State for India has received the following telegram from the Viceroy, dated June 28th :‘‘The numbers demanding relief have continued to increase in Bombay, and may bo expected to rise till heavy and good general rainfall enables the people to commence cultivation and sowing. Except on the coast, rainfall light and scattered, and generally insufficient for the purpose ■ of agriculture. Prices risen in the Deccan districts, but are not yet so high as in the famine of 1899-1900. Number of persons in receipt of relief on June 22nd: Bombay. ‘ '0.000; Bombay Native States, 46.000 Baroda, 30,000; Hyderabad, 18,000: Madras, 5000; ‘Central India States, 1000: Central Provinces, 1000. Total, 531,000.”

UNDEIUPAID RAILWAY SERr VANTS. The clerical staff of the New Zealand railways has (says the “ Hawke s Bay Herald”) a good cause of complamt against the Government. They h av ' e been agitating for years to improve their condition and have their department recognised as one of the important branches of the Civil Service of the country. They ask to be placed on the same level as regards salaries as th© postal clerks and others in the different services. They have the longest hours, the most arduous work, and most responsibility of all the departments, and deserve to be re* cognised. At preseni no overtime is granted or extra leave given to compensate for long hours. There is no future before them, and when a man has put in ten or twelve years? service he does his best to set out of it on the first decent opportunity presenting itself. The service thus loses a practical railwayman at a time when he is most useful, and casuals and juniors are shoved in *o fill up the gaps- This practice cannot be. for the good of the service. The economical and safe working of the service depends on the seasoned hands. Ouite a number have recently left the service, including Mr Hudson, assistant general

manager; Mr Rotherham, locomotive superintendent; Mr Triggs, chief clerk engineer’s office; Mr Eden, workshops manager; Mr Bobbie, workshops foreman; and, in addition, three clerks out of the head office, and several station* masters and junior clerks. Most of the above have gone to other countries to bette r railway billets. We have it on good authority that six of the senior men in the service have received tempting offers recently from over tho water, and are considering the situation. One chief of a department has been offered £IOO per year extra to stop. It appears high time that the railway clerks were put on tho same footing as the clerks in tho postal and telegraph service.