Daily Circulation 1660. The Oamaru Mail. MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 1896.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXI, Issue 6464, 27 January 1896, Page 2

Daily Circulation 1660. The Oamaru Mail. MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 1896.

The two Taylors of Christchurch are chi--ing the Liberal electors not a little trouble. It is a pity that there are two of them, because one would be enough ; though they are both Liberals of the first magnitude, one is Prohibitionist and the other is not that, whatever else he may be. So that when people mix these Taylors up at the polls, as they are certain to do, the result iray be e'.ectorally disastrous. The Conservative friends of Mr Lewis—the third candidate—fully nppr.c'ate the dilemma and are not slow to take advantage of it. They poiut, with smug satisfaction, to the curious political position which Prohibition Taylor occupies. He first came out as an out-and-out enemy of the present administration, and punted Seddonism as nothing short of demoniacal. Then, when Mr Scott, the candid candidate on the Government's side, retired, this Mr Taylor—though quite young in years and younger still in politics—was cunning enough to see that if he could only merge Prohibition and outrageous Seddonism, with all its wicked works, the combination would be admirable —for Mr Taylor. This is what he is trying to do now, and the spectacle presented consists of a series of political dissolving views, in which Prohibition and the Seddori Government are seen fading out of sight ever and anon, whilst Mr Taylor himself stands boldly in the foreground clutching at the hazy outlines. Mr Sydenham Taylor is already a politician, in artfulness. He will make his political fortune if he can only induce the electors to take him at his own estimate. That, however, is where the difficulty comes in. People know Mr Seddon and his colleagues—they know approximately what is a Liberal and what a Conservative; but (hey do not know what Mr Taylor is. When people want a representative they do not blindly rush into the arms of asort of political missing link. Mr Taylor asks the people of Christchurch to trust him to judge when the Seddon Ministry deserve their approval and when they merit reprobation. He, never yet having been in the toils of active politics, knows bet-er what can be dee, what ought to be done, and what must be done, than all the Ministers' and all their supporters put together. The Seddonian principles are. worthy of Mr Taylor's admiration and approval; but the men who have nursed those principles, and who, when Mr Taylor was in the political puling stage, gave them form and symmetry and fixed them indelibly in the mind of the nation and also on the Statute Book—these are men whom Mr Taylor would not associate with without buttoning up his pockets. Mr Taylor's attitude is not in harmony with his professions. The man who professes to desire that humankind should be made better by means of improved social conditions should exhibit the attributes of truth and candour as an earnest that his intentions are genuine.

What is taking place in Christchurch is not in the least degree remarkable. Jealousy, ingratitude, and ignorance are usually let loose at election times, and that mostly in the Liberal camp. The Conservatives have less cause for the exercise of these undesirable passions. As a rule the wealthier classes are satisfied to have their interests served by anyone who may be trusted. With them personal ambition is not so prominent a factor as it is with the Liberals, because they already occupy a prominent and comfortable plane in society. There are usually several Liberal —or pseudo-Liberal—-candidates for a seat in Parliament, but only one Conservative. That is the case in Christchurch at present. We have been writing of Mr Prohibition Taylor ; but the Parliamentary gentleman who, a few years ago, was known to the colonists as " Sydenham Taylor"— a Liberal—is also a candidate for the Christchurch vacancy. He lost his seat because, it is alleged, the Government withheld their patronage from him ; and yet he is willing to serve the country and back up the Government, if only sent to Wellington again. Mr Sydenham Taylor does not, however, take to polities as seriously as one could wish, and his chances are not great, Then there is Mr Lewis who joins vith Mr Prohibition Taylor

iii attributing all kinds of rascality to the Government because thoro are no other grounds on which ho could justify his candidature. Mr Lewis has the support of tho Press, and that paper ridicules both the Liberal candidates, whilst tho Lyttolton Times gives support to none. Sydenham Taylor with all his faults would bo preferable to either of the others, because ho is not only Liberal in his views, but lie is also large-minded or wise enough to announce that, though the Government may have treated him badly, that would r.ot induce him to turn his back on men who have done so much for the colony. .As for Mr Prohibition Taylor, his attitude towards the Government, and that of some of his teetotal friends, is mean and contemptible, and will do more harm than enough to the causo of temperance.

In t order that a, wise selection of members of tho Education Board may bo made, it is essential that School Committees should bo in possession of the fullest available information about any of the candidates for seats on the Board. For that reason, and not because of any feeling towards tho Rev. A. Cameron, of Anderson's Bay, we invite the attention of Committees to the attitude taken up by that gentleman when a proposal was brought, before the School Committees' Conference in Dunedin 011 the 10th September last. Mr Fraer had submitted to the meeting a statement showing that Committees in Otago did not receive anything like the allowances granted to Committees under other Boards, and that the Otago Board was in such a strong financial position as to be able to distribute Ll/500 a year amongst the schools under its control, and so relieve parents of at least some part of the necessity for supplementing tho inadequate allowances made by the Board. The Kev. Mr Cameron, who is now seeking election to the Board, opposed the application for increased grants, and, in the course of his remarks, said that " the calls upon parents for subscriptions were surely not very large, and it was those who were best able who contributed to the funds." Ho wound up with a statement, that instead of seeking to be lavish because they were so in the north, they should seel; that they in tho north be less lavish. At a later stage of the proceedings, tho Rev. Mr Cameron, finding himself in a hopeless minority, surrendered his position to the extent of specially favoring the Dunedin and other largo schools. The Dunedin Star of the 12oh September, which contains a long report of the proceedings, makes Lliis clear by the following : —" The Rev. Mr Cameron said he quite believed that tho larger schools with janitors required a larger grant. From what lie had heard he was quite prepared to supporL the motion so far as the larger schools were concerned." Now, it seems to us that, before he can claim the support of country School Committees the Rev. Mr Cameron requires to explain his action in this matter, and we think that he will find sonic difficulty in carrying conviction to the minds of Committees that lie did not advocate a policy ol pampering the large schools at the expense of struggling small country schools. In order that Committees may form a proper conception of the position taken by tho Rev. Mr Cameron upon the matter, it may be desirable to add a few facts bearing upon the subject. When the strict average was substituted for the working average in ISBS as the basis of payment of the capitation grant the Otago Board met in part the consequent loss of revenue by reducing the allowances to Committees by one-third—equal to a little over L2OO0 —thus easting upon parents the necessity for taxing themselves in some form in order to enable their School Committees to do their work. Some two years ago the Hon. Mr Reeves reverted to the working average, and so restored to Education Boards their lost revenue. At the time that the Rev. M r Cameron opposed asking for any increase of allowances to small schools the Board had not given back to Committees any part of the L2OOO which had been taken from them, but had kept for its own use and expenditure tho restored grant from the colonial exchequer, and' the appeal which the Rev. Mr Cameron opposed being made to embrace small schools was practically for a restoration of rights. When he urged that parents in country districts should tax themselves in order to strengthen the position of the Board, the then latest balance-shoot — that for 1893 —showed that the Board had a credit balance of L2SSI. As the Rev. Mr Cameron bases his claim for support upon his long connection with education matters and the active interest, taken by him in tho primary schools, it must bo assumed that these facts were within his knowledge ; and yet he declined to support the doing' of an act of simple justice to small schools, and asked for special favors to tho large schools. To put the matter shortly, lie urged that more should be given to those schools which are in a position to indulge in the luxury of janitors, and that starving small schools should be kept in a state of want in order that there might be brought home to country settlers the necessity for practising economy and the beauty of giving. So that the Education Board might, by the possession of an annually recurring large surplus, be tempted to indulge in extravagance, 110 advocated compelling settlers to tax themselves to secure for their children that education to which the State has declared them to be entitled free of charge. In order that tho largo schools might be provided with every comfort and convenience, the Rev. Mr Cameron was content to let country children shiver in cold, tireless schoolrooms, unless their parents were prepared to provide the necessary fuel.

The Hon. John M'Kenzic passed through Oamaru, by express?, this afternoon, on his way South, The following is the Labor Bureau's report 011 the state of trade in Oamaru in December : Building trades —Still busy, carpenters and masona fully employed. Engineering trade—Much improved since last month. Clothing trade—Busy. Retail trades—A good business being done. Unskilled labor—There have been no applications for employment during December. The men s»nt to Government works in October are returning, but they will probably find employment during the harvesting season. The Kurow School Committee have nominated the Rev. A. Cameron and Mr Dallas for the Education Board. In the course of a case at the Shorcdituh County Court recently, in which a waitress named Dynes sued a coffee-tavern keeper named Tebbitt, of Old street, E.C., for a month's wages due and a month's wages in lieu of notice, a lamentable state of affairs was disclosed. The plaintiff, who is only IS years of age, in. giving evidence, said that she never got to bed before a quarter to one, and she was expected to be up again at half-past four. She was discharged because she was not down till five. Judgment was given for the plaintiff with costs. This is not an isolated instance of the oppression from which employees in London and elsewhere in the United Kingdom suffer, because protest would mean instant dismissal and loss of the means of living. Such downtrodden humanity can only be liberated from their condition of slavery by drastic laws, and Great Britain will yet, in this matter, be compelled to take a leaf out of New Zealand's book. A correspondent writes : —Captain and Mrs Hill, of the Salvation Army, fare welled from Oamaru yesterday, after seven months' fighting, to take charge of the Millon corps. Since their advent amongst us they have done good work, and have made many friends. Their successors, Captain and Mis Goldfinch, now stationed in Palmerston, have had a long experience, and the fact that they have been in command at Ashburton and Invercargill with good result 3 proves their efficiency. They are both vocalists, which will be appreciated by one and all. Their reception meeting will take place on Thursday next. Dr Andrew Wilson was once travelling in a railway carriage to a town where he was to deliver a Gilchrist lecture. In the curriage with him was an elderly gentleman who, observing the juvenile appearance of the doctor, turned to him and said : " Young man, if you have nothing solid and instructive to engage your attention this evening, I will present you with a ticket for a Gilchrist lecture, to be delivered to-night in W——. I know how you young commercial gentlemen spend your evening*, so tako my advice and come and listen to the lecture.' Dr Wilson accepted the ticket and had the felicity of seeing the end of the joke ; for at the hall door the donor of the ticket welcomed him effusively, and was about to conduct him to a front seat when his identity was made known and Dr Wilson returned him tho ticket with many thanksj

At the Courthouse this morning, before Major Keddell, S.M., Archibald M'lnnis •tvas charged, on the information of the Stock Inspector, with failing to brand 65 sheep. Defendant pleaded guilty, and his Worship inflicted a penalty of Is a head on 65 sheep, with costs 7s. The Nelson Star announces that Mr Norman Gurr, the celebrated sprinter, has been appointed .Superintendent for New Zealand of the Colonial Mutual Life Association.

Mary Jane Lawson, who, a short time bick was fined L2O, in default three weeks' imprisonment, for sly grog-selling, at Preservation Inlet, has gone to gaol. Miss R- W. M'Kerrow, B.A , Dunedin> has been appointed first assistant at the Prince Albert College, Auckland, and Hiss E M. Rainforth, M.A., Oamaru, second assistant.

The Rev. J. Cramp, the well-known Wesleyaa minister, was married in Nelson, on Tuesday last, to Mrs Barker, a resident of Richmond. Mr Faulin predicted last night: Light to strong S. F. to N.E. winds ; rain showers, anil thick mist on the east coast; barometer unready ; indications stormy and electrical. Mr J. J- Ramsay, of Hyde, (says the Otago Daily Times) has been in communication •with the Premier about; the men dismissed from the Otago Central railway works, and oniterstand, in response to his renre°en»tiins the Premier has decided that the" married men with families, who are actnallv hard np, are to be given another month's work. Mr Farnie has proceeded to jfvde to arrange matters.

gpe,iking in the Aberdeen Music Hall recently, Mrs Fyvie Mayo said that it was the fashion to speak as if there was one law of rL'ht in national politics and another in private morality, but she held that the same names should be given to public crimes as private vices. Instead of talking about " the goltltields of South Africa " and the specula' ions therein, why should they not say, •'Great Gold Robbery in South Africa," — "Succc-sful re-elling of the stolen goods in Great Britain V Why did they not talk about the British Burglary at Chitral"— Why did not the papers announce " The C'omina -Murder in Ashantce'r' The system of having double names for the same thing did not alter the truth. Writing of Mr " Sydenham" Taylor, "Bohemian," in the Christchurch Pre-s, savs ; —" This sturdy democrat and edncatioaat authority who, it will Le remembered, declined an invitation to a Government Honae dinner on trre ground that he 'didn't meal out,'" was indirectly responsible for one of the brightest mot* ever uttered in the Hou?e. He was on his legs dilating on the advantages of this "ere glorious system of education. And in course of time he got round, as he always did, to the Sydenham school—the model school in the model borough of this model member of Parliament. '.Sir,'said Mr Taylor, 'I have a school in my eye ,' ' No, Mr Taylor,' interpolated Dr Fitohett, ' only a pupil, Mr Taylor.' " A writer on the staff of the New Age (an English paper which reduces everything to a common-sense Christian standard) a<Tees with Lord Rosebery that Parliamentary contests are being less and less settled by political considerations. Despite laws to prevent bribery and corruption they are increasing. Speaking at a public dinner a short time ago in the south of England, a public otliesr expressed a hope that at the coming election there would be plenty of " thick uns and thin nns " (meaning sovereigns and half sovereigns') about, and instead of being hissed out of The society of gentlemen of honor his remark was met with loud laughter, (hi the polling d.iy, in a borough within an easy railway journey from London I saw a gentleman with clerical coat and collar in the midst of a howling, drunken mob lending patronage to a free distribution of beer.

Mr A. E. Fletcher, the editor of The NewAge, views the Venezuela incident as anything but creditable to Great Britain. He argues that Great Britain should have submitted to a court of arbitration, and says : "If Great Britain refuses to go before such a Court what is the only inference we can draw I—That1 —That she is afraid of her own case. One writer says that we are ' not going to be arbitrated out of South America, 1 and others say, with cynical candour that, as arbitration always goes against ns (which is not true) we are not to trouble ourselves about law, but to go and seize whatever we may happen to want. This is disgraceful ; it means a moral sense far below that of the barbarians to whom we c'arry our tracts and our diseases, and it should be repudiated by all right thinking people. We observe that a bishop of the Anglican Church in British Guiana is strong for the Jingo side, giving, as a characteristic reason, that the disputed territory is rich in mineral products. There's nineteenth century Christianity for you !" Mr Sidney Webb lately de-ivered an itl'lress ou "The Future of London," in which he shewed that the great city is not declining, but increasing in immensity and that it is not dependent upon any one manufacture, or, indeed, any industry. Many of the great industries that there have been in Loudon—such as calico printing, silk weaving, and shipbuilding—have passed to other centres, and yet London has gone on increasing in population. The world is a world of great cities, and not of rural centres. England is no exception ; but the larger London grows, the more easy it is to live there. I'eople can travel more easily, get better food, and have their requirements delivered with greater facility. It is the hugest manufactory of human life the world has ever known. Every day 400 children are born; 250 children enter school for the first time; 150 begin married life ; and the same number (lie daily. A Royal Commission, in 1569, said they conhl not imagine that it would ever be necessary to have a water supply for more than 5,000,000. Already the area of "Water London" contains more than 5,i'(l0,000 people, and another Royal Commission reported last year that-, within 40 years from then it would be necessary to supply 11,000,000 with water. The social condition of London is of intense interest, and is occupying the attention of reformers. Mr 0. Booth, in his work, which occupied seven _ years of patient toil, gives a map in which 12S streets are colored black, meaning that the vast majority of the people living in those streets are practically icllerj and semi-criminals ; 12S streets are colored mixed blue and black, 1014 dark blue, where the population is actually in chronic want : '2700 streets are colored light blue, and though the people living in them are not in chronic want, they earn something less than a guinea a week, which is Mr Booth's poverty line. The RegistrarOeneral, in his census, confirms these figures, and states that there are 356,000 people hymg in one-reomed houses in London. J-tiat is to say as many persons as constitute the population of a Bradford, a Leeds, an Edinburgh, or a Dublin live in single rooms. \ hat kiad of children are we rearing up ? Mr y\ e bb. The Registrar-General goes on to say that in over-crowded houses ere are SO J,OOO people in London alone v o were ascertained to be living in a state J„ Un ? C 3to health. There is food for 1,-. n i ? In t ' lese figures. Then, if London inf. of one kind and another they 6 ,-° for. The rates in London r . orn Cd to Ss in the £, the smaller thtf 1 lor lue West End parishes, where t P®°P' e are so poor that they meet this a taxation with difficulty. That is why e crj was raised for a "united London," " "4r t " e richer people might be made to ntn to the needs of the poorer. J ' :^lo P °f Norwich has chosen to mam plain " Mr Sheepshanks " rather than a hefees (L7O) necessary to make him *,* reason for this is that he can , le money much more advan- _ geously and wisely ia his large and poor cuocese. Someone offered LIOO to defray T.- e , ex P en se of winning the honor, but the isnop asked that the money be spent in -.ome other way for the good of the Church.