TOPICS OF THE DAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4439, 20 August 1901, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

A PETITIONER’S GRIEVANCE. A petition from H. Von Blaremberg, of Palmerston North, recently presented to tho Legislative Council, has been referred to the Petitions Committee of that body for consideration. The petitioner states that lie has been caused cruel suffering and irretrievable ruiu by reason of unjust measures wantonly and unlawfully adopted towards him by the administrators of the Public Schools Act of 1577. The petition goes on to allege that tho Public Petitions Committee of the House of Representatives reported in 1894 that Mr Blaremberg’s case was “ one demanding diligent inquiry, and recommended the Government to thoroughly investigate it.” The demanded diligence was displaced by dilatoriness, and, according to tho words of the petitioner, “ no inquiry of any kind has ever been held, but the administrators of tho Public Schools Act did in April of 1895 cause to bo proclaimed through tho public press words and opinions bearing the appearance of a report on an inquiry.” The proclamation was of a subtle and libellous nature on tbe petitioner, according to his Interpretation thereof, and therefore ho prays that his case be thoroughly considered, with a view that “ a grievous and lasting injury” may be from him removed. This case is one in which it would seem that the “ sacred right of petition ” has proved a will-o’-the-wisp delusion. A perusal of the documentarv evidence has convinced us—as it evidently did' the committee of seven years ago-that Mr Von Blaremberg has apparently suffered gross injustice. He has, at any rate, made out a “ prinja faoie ” case for inquiry. and this in the interests of fairplay is th 0 very least that ought to be conceded. Possibly the Government has simpiy overlooked the petitioner’s claim, through the failure of some official to keep the recommendation of, the committee under its notice, in which case proper course would seem to be to petition Ministers to giv 0 effect to that recommendation. If an inquiry had been held the result would presumably have been _ communicated to the PetitionerNothing of this kind having happened, the re-opening of the matter in the way now done gives tho Legislative Council an opportunity of repairing the omission of the past. It would be a very unfortunate state of things if persons with genuine grievances got tho impression that it is useless to appeal for justice, or for a fair hearing, to the highest Court in the land.

INTERESTING RELICS. Some highly interesting relics have been brought tc light (says the “Westminster Gazette”) in the course of the excavations which are being made for the big reservoirs wliioh the East London V ater Company are constructing at Tottenham and Walthamstow, fore, most among which may bo named, pen haps, the remains of an old ship which have been dug up from the old bed of the River Lea. The vessel is about 50ft long, and is of oak, with the exception of the keel, which is of elm. The ribs are held to tho sides by wooden pegs, and the timbers are fastened with roughly finished but well made iron nails. Tbo caulking is done with felt. The floorboards are riveted together with nails. As to tho antiquity opinions vary. Some ascribe it to the Viking age. Otheirs think it formed part of tho fleet built by Alfred tho Great to harry tho Danes, while others incline to the opinion that it is a seventeenth century eel-boat or barge. A dug out boat was nplpq, discovered, which is going to the British Museum. It is estimated to bo 2500 years old. Other interesting relics, discovered during tho excavations include bronze and bone spearheads, iron swords,handcuffs, ancient Saxon clubs and curious mediaeval horseshoes. Bones of extinct animals and many interesting shells have also been found.

PROTECTING ANIMALS FROM CRUELTY. The president of the Berlin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says; —“Among each million inhabitants we find in Great Britain and Ireland 6 guilty of the crime of mur» der, in Germany 11, in Belgium 14, in Prance 16, in Austria 23, in Hungary 67, in Spain 83 and in Italy 95. Now, these figures are approximately prev portional to tho more or less merciful disposition of the people towards poor dumb creatures. Nowhere is cruelty to animals so frequent as in Spain and Italy, i willingly grant that this is not the only ground for the stHkiag difference in the above figures noticed when comparing those which refer to the Latin, Teutonic and Slavonic races.” We have drawn attention to those remarkable facts in consequence of reading the annual report for 1899 of the Naples Society for the Protection of Animals. We knew the Neapolitans were horribly cruel to animals, but wo had no idea of the diabolical instru* ments used in that city and the neighbourhood for inflicting fiendish torments on beasts of burden. No fewer than 32,960 of these things were confiscated by the admirable society whoso operations are doing so much good in Naples during the year 1899. . • • . Until English and* American residents in Naples interfered on the poor animals behalf Naples was a veritable inferno for them, but through the work- of thm society a very marked improvement is noticed by our friends. We are proud to see the names of many we bknown anti-vivisecticnists amongst fhe subscribers to its funds- —The Zoophilist and Animals’ Defender” (London). PAYABLE TRAMWAYS. There are at present in the Sydney metropolitan area about thirty miles of steam tramway, twenty-two miles of electric tramway and two miles of cable tramway, all under Government control. Including Newcastle, where there are about twelve miles of tramway operated bv electric motors, and a few miles of the cable tram in North Sydney, which has been superseded by the electric tram, the Government - has constructed about seventy miles of tram-line, which, with rolling stock, has involved an “X.

penditure of about £2,000.000. From thn last published report of the department covering the year ending June, 1900, the number of passenger fares collected amounted to 00,500,000, and the earnings to £510,000. From, the Treasury figures published within the last few days, it is evident that the tra.rnway returns are increasing by leaps and bounds. There -will ho an excess in the city takings alone of over £IOO.OOO, while Iho revenue from all sources, in. eluding city and suburban. North Sydney and Newcastle, will this year conic to considerably over half a million <n money. This sum, after deducting worKinrr expenses, will represent a retain of ;{ 4-0 per cent, on the capital invested ■ tho preceding year it was 4 per cent, and as money nan ho borrowed by Uic Government at 5 per cent., the ,-iyclney tramway service is now more than st-,f. supporting, and will, at the present rate of development in traffic, soon become a vorv lucrative concern. Tho reduction of fares on tho electric linos has been very great.

HOPE FOlt THE CHINESE. “ There is still hope for the Celestial, writes Mr K. 1). McLeod, who requests us to publish an extract from the ‘ Oban Times ” of 29th Juno last, as it may not only prove of interest to many reader.-, from “Ayoul the Tweed,” hut may also bo found to Iq* the “ elixir of healing for Uio Chinese troubles. 'lbe extract is as follows; —" Prior to the recent enumeration of the inhabitants of the United Kingdom. Mr Maokay, the secretary of tho Dundee Highland Society, addressed an appeal to all persons at all conversant with the Gaelic tongue to make record of the fact opposite their mimes upon the census paper. While expecting Ids appeal to evoke a response from all Gaelic-speaking people between Land’s End and John o’ Groats, ho scarcely anticipated a reply from the Celestial Empire, lie has just received, however, from Mr Rankin, principal of th 0 Anglo-Chineso College at Amoy, a letter, stating that in that part of China no fewer than one hundred persons are able t„ talk fluently in Gaelic. It is extremely interesting to note that the Chinese aro afforded facilities for learn* mg the language, and Unit in the particular college with which Mr .Rankin is connected a Gaelic choir, composed entirely of natives, has been formed, and meets for practice three days a week. Their pronunciation is stated to _be remarkably good.” From the foregoing, it would seem that “John’s” hope of temporal salvation lies in, his becoming a Highlander. Every one in Now Zealand °is familiar with the fact that an. Otago Celestial found this to bo the case, when ho succeeded in getting an extensive local contract by signing his tender “R. Macgrogor.” Another fact pointing to the affinity between tho t'vo races may be found in the circumstance that Mr Quong Tart, a wealthy Sydney Chinaman, is accustomed on festal occasions to array himself in tho picturesque “garb of old Gaul,” and to dance tho Highland fling.