CURRENT TOPICS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 6970, 9 November 1909, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS

THE LAND AND ITS VALUE. Dealing witu the land ,question the “Southland Daily News’’ remarks; “When a man has made a choice deliberately of a particular tenure by which to hold his land, there is no reason why political agitation should got him to change his mind with a view to changing His bargain. The change is a fatal weapon against the men who advocate it. They are perpetually preaching about the danger of doing business with the masses who, they never cease declaring, will at‘the first opportunity use their political power to got out of their obligations. But this agitation on their own part, directed against the bargain made with the State and demanding a new bargain at the point of the franchise bayonet, is an instance of tho very danger they protest against so virtuously whenever a now thing is proposed. They are urging tho tenants of the State to rob the landlord by threatening to use their votes. They me urging tho tenants to do a most unprincipled thing. Between them and the road agent wiio orders his victims to'empty their pockets into the wallet of his mate while ho holds his revol|vor pointed at their heads there is absolutely no difference. They are the freebooters of politics, marked, quoted, signed, and solf-caufcssed. All their long campaigns against Liberal measures, especially against the policy of advancing money to settlers and buying land to lease to settlers, were really masquerades in the fancy dress of virjtue. ■ They assumed a sanctity which they did not have. Every agitation of theirs may bo now translated into one phrase: “Put a brake on tho party of progress.” One day they denounce the danger of tho improper use of votes, another day they advise as claraourously that votes shall bo used with extreme impropriety. Between tho two there is no difference. A BARONET'S BOUNTY. Tho desperate straits to which the Budget will reduce British Baronets has been revealed by one Sir AudlcJ. Noeld, Bart., tho owner of 14,000 acres, who has been compelled to reduce his bonus to the two Hullavington Boots and Clothing Clubs by a shilling per card and to state that after the present winter this munificent donation will be discontinued. Tho bad news was convoyed to the unfortunate proletariat in tins district by the local vicar. Apparently the intention is to transfer tho Neold capital, “abroad.” It transpires that the downtrodden nobleman owns an estate at Hendon of some seventy acres. Five years ago it was all agricultural land, rated at about £2 per acre. Tho building boom, however, which had already consumed largo tracts of formerly agricultural land in tho nearer “Northern Heights” suburbs, then reached Hendon; and Sir Audley, following tho example of other suburban landowners, promptly split his fields up into building plots. These were quickly covered with the usual “Lyntons” and “Xvydenes,” with the result that the ratable value of tho estate, only five years ago assessed at about £2OO, has now reached the neighbourhood of £14,000. The profits of the ground landlord as tho result of this astonishing and rapid riso in values the reader will bo able to appreciate for himself. Tho population of Central Hendon, in which the. Neeld estate-is situated, was 11,000 at the 1901 census; in 1908 it had risen to 18,000. It is obvious that the very considerably enhanced value of Sir Audley’s estate has been caused mainly by the action of the community in peopling it in such increased numbers. Sir Audley’s contribution bo it has been limited to the mere possessing of it. His handsome increment was a ‘ gift from the community, by tho side of which his benefactions to the community in the shape of the Boot and Clothing Club contributions that he now proposes to discontinue appear, something less than paltry. What with dukes stopping their supplies of beef and beer to the poor at' Christmas and baronets firmly declining to give shillings to Boot and Clothing Clubs tho state of Old England will be parlous indeed if this; ruffianly Budget passes the Peers. A PEOPLE’S BUDGET. Tiro London correspondent of the Sydney “Daily Telegraph” writes:— “The people are with tho Budget. The labouring classes, in so far as they are represented “by the trades unions and labour members in tho Commons, are with it to a man. And this ia not because the working man is escaping taxation. Plastered all over tho hoardings of London is a giant poster representing a typical working man with his hand raised, and saying: Less beer, less ’baccy, less employment. And they call this a people’s Budget!” This poster is not the propaganda of tho workers. It is put up by the Oppositionists led by Mr Balfour. It is a confession, in short, that the Budget is, as its framers intended it should be, a proposal to spread increased taxation over every section of the community. It tells tho passerby that tho brewer and tlie great landlord are not the only sufferers. The scant response made to this Conservative attempt to stir the workers into opposition discloses that the working man is ready to boar his share of the burden, in the knowledge that the aim of the Budget is good. As Mr Asquith put it at Birmingham, one of the most touching features. of tho opposition to the Budget is the strange solicitude of the great landowner for the working man. _ The working man having the vote, it is desirable to teach him that, contrary to his present opinion, tho Budget will make his living dearer, will hunt capital out of the country, and leave him unemployed.” the battle of life. One of Mr -G. H. Reid’s latest lectures to Australians deals with the battle of life. "What a wonderful speck of dust in the great universe this earth is,’’ he said in Melbourne recently. “let all our men of science are mere speculating children in the face of that majestic mystery, the interval between the living and the not living. I glory in the discoveries of science, but the more keen men of science are tho more they have to confess their utter helplessness. They are as the men who centuries ago dedicated their altar ‘to the unknown gods.’ Sometimes I think though that in the battle of life tho biggest effort is made, not by men but by women. We are beginning to open our eyes now to tho fact that women have a greatbattle to fight, and that manhood owes most of its best qualities to womanhood. Physically viewed, many insects are more wonderful than man, and when 1 marvel at the ant-hills and bee-hives, 1 recognise what benefit we politicians could derive were wo as wise as some insects. Wo boast of the attainments of the present age, but the law of ancient Babylon reached a higher levri than exists to-day. That statute gave

woman exactly similar jiowcrs to tho privileges of man, but we have only just discovered that wo can let her own what she earns.' 1 A SCURVY" TRICK. One of tho delegates .to tho recent Commerce Congress, Mr Thomas William W"ard, of Sheffield, England, had a rather unpleasant experience in Sydney. His correspondence, by some misadventure, was handed over to a young man named George Lewis Ward, an -engineer, who, on the strength cf a power of attorney and other matters contained in it, cabled to tho firm of Thomas Ward, Ltd., Sheffield, and obtained a remittance of £SO through Reuter’s. Last week, at the Quarter Sessions, Mr T. W. Ward, who was leaving for Home, and on that account opposed an application made for a postponement of the hearing of a charge of forgery laid against G. L. Ward, complained bitterly that tho latter had wantonly destroyed his private correspondence, even to letters referring to the death of his mother, (which had taken place since ho left England. After the jury had convicted tho accused of forgery and uttering, Judge Murray said all must very much regret that Mr W 7 ard—thfl real Ward—had been treated in such a scurvy manner, not by tho people of New South Wales, hut by this one .offender. Quito apart from the matter of tho £SO, which would probably bo a mere bagatelle to the firm, tho fact of having his correspondence, which ho valued so highly, so disgracefully destroyed was 7 doubtless the worst offence. The foreman of the jury said Mr Ward had the sympathy of the jury, as he was sure he had of tho public. His Honor made an order for the handing over of a Savings Bank deposit of £2B in tho name of a young lady to whom the accused had given tho money. The accused was remanded for sentence. BIRD DAY IN THE SCHOOLS. Tlie Bird Day in schools, which is to he an annual event, was observed last week throughout the State schools of Victoria. Many people who had never before attempted\to teach children, excepting in "a fatherly fashion, became volunteer teachers of the Education Department, and gave the after, noon nature lesson to tho children (says the “Argus”). Ornithologists connected with different bird clubs, such as the Ornithologists’ Union, the Bird Observers’ Club of Melbourne, and the Field Naturalists’ Club, took as many schools as they could conveniently manage, and the lesson was devoted wholly to birds. Tho Educa-, tion Department had prepared tho pupils for this lesson by devoting the School Paper for the month of October wholly to birds. Short articles were ■written by bird observers, each dealing with some particular species <r phase of bird life. The lessons were of remarkable variety, given often _in styles which tho director of Education does not recognise as being absolutely upon tho best teaching lines. Tho experts had a free hand. Some affected what they considered to be approved teaching methods; others just tactfully chatted to the children, got on good terms with them at the outset, sought to interest them, so that they were not conscious of the fact that they were being taught at all, and probably remembered the lesson all tho better in consequence. There was a great run’ upon tho Museum _ cabin eta for specimens with which to illustrate the lessons. One practical result of Bird Day was that more than. 50,000 children in the State of Victoria gave in their names as members of the Gould Bird Protection Society, and in duo course will receive illustrated cards of membership. “GOD SAVE THE KING.” It does not matter how old King Edward-is to-day. It is his birthday, and he is the King. New Zealanders celebrate every loyal holiday with especial fervour, not perhaps because of the significance of the, occasions, but because they are holidays. It is fitting, however, to recognise that in Edward VII, the Empire has as great a head as it has over had in its wondrous history, and that he rules over an Empire that is -greater and ivider'and more potent for good or evil than any over which his ancestors have held sway. Tho idea that -personal rule is the best rulo has entirely died away. The idea that a great personality may -dominate civilisation and produce a feeling of security by tact, savoir faire, and a love of peace is induced by the amazing success of King Edward. Our King is one of tho world’s greatest diplomats. The methods of a man whoso every movement is chronicled. Whoso every word is heard and proclaimed, whoso every action is interpreted as good or evil, and whose position is tho most potent in the whole world, has to be peculiarly studied to meet with the approval of the watchers.

NEWS NOTES Messrs Sv.ainson. and Sevan's stables at Manakau were burned down, on Saturday night. There was an insurance of £l3O on the buildings, and the owners estimate their loss at £2OO. A carrier pigeon has been caught at Point Hals-well prison hearing on Us right leg a rubber band with the number 644 and the letter N, while the left leg is encircled by a metal band inscribed “1493 A.F.C.” The prize'of £1 Is allotted by the Wellington Kennel Club for the best essay on its recent show has been awarded by the judge. Mr P. C. Freeth, managing editor of the “Mow Zealand Times,” to Miss Teresa Mahoney. 24, , Hawkcstone street, Wellington. “Engineering,” of September* 3rd, contains an article descriptive of the Makotote Viaduct, on the North Island Main Trunk line, and a supplement showing the detailed sectional drawings, prepared bv the late Mr Hay, C.E., of the Public Works Department. The description of the work performed at Makototo is naturally technical in character, and should therefore he of particular value bo student engineers and contractors. There will arrive here this week from Sydney that wonderful pair of youthful billiardists. George Gray, aged seventeen, who recently compiled the world’s, record break, and Prod. Lindmm. aged twenty-one. who recently defeated C. Memmott for the championship of Australia. The lads wUI be accompanied, by their fathers, both expert billiard players. Daring the stay of the combination in Wellington the lads will be pitted against one another in a billiard match'. Private tuition will be given by the four players, and the lads are expecting to be engaged by various local clubs for exhibition games. The “Evening News,’! the new Opposition paper at Dannevirke, which has published nineteen issues to date, says it "will not lower itself” by asking for Government advertisements. Of course, it has "the largest circulation" (it announced that on its office window weeks before it published), and is inserting the advertisements free of cost.. As an example of this journal's method wo notice it belatedly publishes the "Dominion’s” canard about Mr McCallum's speech at the Old Identities dinner at Blenheim, regardless of Sir McCallum's denial, which the Wellington journal was obliged to publish in its next issue.

At iho Mount Cook Police Court yva-tc-uhiy, Mr Horace linker, J.P.. pi’etticlin;?, flix inebriates were <l r, alt witu, two first ofFc‘iuler.t: firing Jincri HK in (Iffault AH hour.', one. being ccmvirbri and disoh.irgeri ami a not fir r bring as. in default 21 hours. Samuri yparkvs was lined 10h, iu default 4b hours, and Koh<Tt McCarry was convicted and mv charged. Messrs Wiuchcomhe. Cairn and Co., Sydney, recently railed iq>on their architect, i\lr J. B. Clamp, lor a certificate as to the amount of timber used m the contstructimi of the firm’s wool store a~ I‘vrmout. Sydnov. The figures I'cao-—-30 juflos of 11 x 12] Inch hardwood joistinjf. 4 miles of U x 12 inch ironhark «ndcr-. 3J miles of ironhark posts and bfarcris and 100 miles of 4x1,1 inch kauri flooring boards! The store has a floor upaco of 3G0.0D0 square feet, or eight and a quarter acres. ■ Tin- fourth annual meet ins of the Colon in I Co-operative Building ot Wellington wih held last night. Mr I’ l ™- J.r'r cliainnan, pmelding. Til'* membership of the society lias l«n coiwderjil.lv inrren-ini. Til a profit and loss account allows an increase in da credit bnhincc. The subscriptions rcccivwl m ttif year aimninl.d to ns,and the redemption mono vs to -i—it. Messrs . It. 11 raham and I'. J. ReHeher, rat in hr directors. wen. re-elected. Tim auditors remain as before. A Ann type of cattle steamer, the Adelaide Steamship Company 1 * Junco, arrived in the stream at half-pari:. Vi o clock thi« mm-niii;: with a load of timber from Bunbnry, W(stem Australia. The Junoe. wliick was built in 11107 for the WcsUirn Australia cattle trade, is makrnjT an intomicriiato trip to New Zoalaml during tlie slack reason in the Wept. i 'lais is tho vessel's «u*wikl visit to Wellington. She will berth at the lung's Wharf this morning, Her cargo of jarroh is to lie equally divided between Wellington and Auckland. By Morse lamp the officers of the Junee last night signalled "All well on hoard," and in answer to a question as to the kind of weather experienced replied "Beastly." The Mayor of Wellington (Dr A. TvNewman) * laid the found a tion-storuy yesterd.Tv afternoon of the new King s Theatre, in Taranaki place. The theatre is being erected jointly by tho Pictures Proprietary and the Boyal J icmres Syndicate, Mr F. M. B. M.T., in requesting the Mayor to Jay tho etonc, -nresentwl a silver trowel to his Worship on behalf of the architect, Mr j Bonnie, mid the builders, Messrs Merer and Illingworth. br Newman said ho wu* glad to take part in any movement having for its object the increase in the gaiety of the citv. Since he had been Mnror he had endeavoured to beautify the city in various ways, and ho liked to see now places of amusement being opened where the people could go in tho evening. The theatre will be finished in February.

In connection with the Macmoikan freezing process invention, tho Melbourne City Council has now made definite arrangements to commence a trial ot the system under test conditions (says the "Argus.") The commission appointed consists of Air »T, A. Smith, president of the Institute of Engineers; Mr P. Baracchi, Government Astronomer; and 1 rofoesor Love, Melbourne University; consulting with Professor Gilruth as to conditions of meat before and after the completion of tho tests, that gentleman, having large veterinary and bacteriological knowledge and considerable experience in frozen meat in Now Zealand, ilr At. Watson, chief engineer of the Victoria Freezing Works, will represent the proprietor at tho tests. The test about to be undertaken will be, first, to determine the value of the Macmoikan process, as against the system already in vogue at the Government Cool Stores and at other private freezing establishments, and will determine the relative merits of the two systems as to time of freezing and cost of freezing.

"It is generally conceded," states the "Otago Daily Times," "that the publicity ' given to volunteering events through the medium of the general news columns and the special department devoted solely to military news has done much to keep alive public interest in the volunteers anil to assist them in their struggle to maintain efficient strength. .... Application to the local office ’on Friday was met with the polite intimation that in future no item of news of any hind would be furnished to the press, a memo, having been received from the Defence Council-to the effect that on; member of the permanent staff or civilian clerics attached to the District Staff giving information of any kind to the press would be dismissed. The restriction is not made to apply to volunteers. In these days, when it is only by persistent efforts that a working enthusiasm for volunteer service can be maintained, it is, to say the least of it, surprising to find the defence authorities endeavouring to apply the gag in this way, thus adding to the difficulties its muon-worried officers have to contend with in their efforts to gather together companies of even moderate strength." About three weeks ago a Compensation Court sat in 'Wellington for the purpose of inquiring into a claim of .£639 7s 6d made by the Mudgwa.y Estate Land Company against the Hutt Eiver Board in respect of certain lands taken by the board for the purpose of erecting protective works along the banks of the river and for the injurious effect of these works upon the claimants’ property. At the hearing His Honor Mr Justice Sira 'was president of the -Court and Mr H. E. Leighton was assessor for the claimants, while Mr J. B. Harcourt acted in a similar capacity for the respondent board. Mr F. G. Bolton was counsel for the appellants and Mr E. P. Bunny appeared for the board. It was stated that in 1893 a strip of land measuring four and a quarter acres in area was cut off the claimant’s property to the eastward of Pctone. The board bad built a stop-bank along the river frontage, and the use of the land had been lost to the company. The board at that time made an offer of .6250, without prejudice, in full satisfaction of the claim. After a good deal of argument had been heard the case was adjourned until yesterday, when it was announced to the Court bv counsel that the matter, had been settled, and that the company had decided to accept the board’s offer. The Lux Light Company wish it known that the Lux Incandescent Kerosene Gas Lamps give the Cheapest and Most Brilliant Light on Earth. See Te Aro House, Bates and Lees’, Wardell Bros.' Lcydon and Co.. Caterer and Carey, 33. Pearce and Co., E. Hannah and Co., Petone Workshops (where Lux replaced the latest devices in lighting). House Lamps 22s 6d. Lamps up to 2000 .candle-power. 35, 37, 39, Old Customhouse street (back of Opera House), Wellington. •