DEATH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7191, 4 March 1885, Page 2

DEATH.

On the 4th January, near Dayton, Oregon, U.S., Frances Arabella, wifo of tho Bay. A. G. Boyd, and fourth daughter of the late Roy. John Dewo.

Announcements of Births, Deaths, and Marriages sent for publication from tho country districts require to be verified by the signature either of our agent In tho district from which the announcement is cent, or of tho clergyman of the district.

ment of the country, it becomes our duty to speak out the t'lich that ia in us, and to endeavour to bring the public round to our convictions. And this is the position in which wo find ourselves to-day with regard to tho despatch of the Now South Wales contingent to the S;>udan. We admire and we are proud of the patriotic and chivalrous feeling which prompted the i offer and has secured it so warm a reception throughout Australasia. > We do not doubt that if the opportunityarises the contingent will distingirWiß

itself. We recognise that the proposal is producing an excellent effect both iv England and upon the Continent, and that it has sensibly improved tha position of Australasia in the eyes of the Empire and of the world. It may be open to question whether asa matter of policy Mr I)alley would not be right in spending vast sums of money in any other equally effective way of bringing the claims of Australia home to the Mother Country, and of making the Englishmen who live in the British islands, and especially tho statesmen who guide the counsels of the Empire, understand that blood is thicker than the oceans which part us, that patriotism is no respecter of distance from London, and that Old England has no more loyal sons than those with whom her glorious traditions have, of geographic.il necessity, taken the place of actual KC<ju,-.intance with the island they speak of us " Home." The importance, both practical and sentimental, of making our feelings understood .in England is so great as to be worth considerable sacrifices. But we are sure that no Australian would venture to think of wasting life for such a purpose, and the idea that this is the object of the despatch of the New South Wales contingent to the Soudan would bo repudiated with honor by every colonist.

That the action of the New S.uith Wales Government is unconstitufci mal admits of no question. Directly their offer was accepted they ought to have called Parliament together to ratify it, and their neglect of this duty forms a most objectionable precedent. There is no constitutional principle which has been more jealously guarded than the control of militaty expenditure by Parliament. To this day the standing army of Great Britain is only maintained by an annual vote, the Mutiny Act being renewed from year to year. In the present case the breach of constitutional usage is the worse, because no Australian Parliament has ever yet sanctioned any military expenditure for purely Imperial purposes, or for an . offensive war without the boundaries of the Colony. The military forces of New South Wales are raised and maintained exclusively for the purposes of defence and for service within the Colony. These forces will be materially weakened by the absence of the contingent. The quarrel in which this contingent is to be used is one in which Australasia is bub very remotely concerned. The proposal puts in the thin end of the wedge for Colonial contributions to Imperial expenditure. On the spur of the moment, in a flash of enthusiasm, Mr Dalley, of his own instance, has set the precedent of taking our share, as it is euphemistically put, of the burdens of the Empire, and departed from one of the most important principles in tlie constitution of the Colonies. Sentiment apart, it is worth bearing in iniud that it would bo of more material assistance to the Empire, aa well -a« preferable in our own interests, to employ Imperial troops at 9d to Is a day, instead of weakening our defences by employing Colonial citizens at 8s to 9s a day. There could bo but one justification .for the policy of the New South Wales Government, and that is altogether wanting;. If the Mother Country were hard put to it, we should be less than Englishmen if we did not freely spend our blood and money in her defence. Rut there is no call upon US to be more English than the English, aud to thrust our eit.iz?n-Holdiers into dangers in which no one has ever thought of askiDg the English militia to share. It would be an insult to the British army to suppose that it is not competent to deal with the Mahdi, and no one can seriously contend that there was any need for Colonial assistance. The Imperial Government, in limiting the contingent to one battery of artillery, made it clear that their acceptance of the offer of New South Wales was dictated entirely by considerations of policy, and they were even careful to state that the offer was only accepted " as a compliment." Is it out of compliment, and for compliments, then, that the contingent is to be despatched 1 The truth is that the Government of New South Wales is risking the lives of its citizens, embarking upon a vast expenditure, calculated at £300,000 at the least, and breaking through the fundamental principles of the Constitution aud of our liberties, not on account of any Imperial exigencies, nor for the benefit of the Mother Country, but purely out of sentiment, from a Quixotic and somewhat theatrical patriotism run wild. New South Wales is literally seeking the bubble reputation at the cannon's mouth, and nothing more, for the contingent ia too small to be of any material assistance to the British army. To engage in a quarrel in which our services are not required is foolhardiness as much as courage, and, as applied to nations, shows a thoughtless and distressing disregard for human life on the part of the Ministers who authorise such a policy. It is neither statesmanship nor common sense.

A proposal haa been under consideration by our own Cabinet for sending a New Zealand contingent to the Soudan, and we are glad to see that the Government have dealt with it with, both sense and tact. So far as policy and patriotism are concerned, New South Wales has done all that is possible, and an offer from New Zealand would be a work of supererogation—a mere tardy copy, without the grace of prompt spontaneousnees, and with all the faults of the original. There is absolutely no reason left to warrant our embarking upon an expenditure of several hundred thousand pounds for a war which England is perfectly able to manage for herself. Military expenditure, like charity, should begin at home, and it is neither patriotic nor sensible to lavish money upon aiding England in a petty war whilst we refuse to expend the £400,000 which is urgently required for the defence of the Colony. We could only compare such a course to the action of a man who gives away money to his friends whilst he refuses to pay his debts. Let us be just before we are generous. When we are in a position to defend ourselves it will be time enough to think of attacking the Mahdi.. The one good that we hope will result from this war fever is to arouse the Government to the necessity of putting the Colony in an efficient state of defence. In the words of Sir Henry Pabkes, "Our first duty as loyal subjects is to maintain the honour and integrity of the Empire in our own country." Mr Dalley is at present surrounded with a halo of praise, but when history comes to deal with this incident vre ara confident that it

will bo to Sir HenhT ParKßS' cool judgment and courage thut ita tribute will be paid.

Oa our fourth page will be found local reports, letters to the editor, and other matter. News from the Soudan Btates that the Egyptian garrison at Kasßala, a town situate about half-way between Khartoum and the Ksd Sea, and towards the boundary of Abyssinia, has had a severe engagement with the rebels and been badly defeated. The embarkation of the Now South Wales contingent took glace yesterday. The march of the troops 4M|HBk||Mu^3witnessed by a numerous and enW^^^^^Htataj^hepublic^anj the Governor siuWfflrei^^H^dK^^l language prior to their departure. Tho Government have resolved not to otter ft contingent of men from this Colony for service in the Soudan. One reason is that no force from here could now be despatched in time to be of use during the present season's operations in Egypt, and that Parliament itself will meet in time to decide whether an offer shall be made for next season, The Government will specially thank all those who offered their services in various parts of the Colony. Tho New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Rimutaka, with the Home mails, arrived at Wellington yesterday morning. Her passage from Plymouth occupied 45 days. Mr Anthony Froude and Lord Blphinstone arrived at Auckland yesterday from Sydney. Mr W. Downie Stewart, M.H.R., addresses his constituents of Dunedin West, in the North Dunedin Drillshed, on Friday evening. Wo loam from Wellington that when the Kimutaka left England, Mr S. C. Farr, secre tary of the Christchurch Acclimatisation Society, was in Edinburgh endeavouring to collect a quantity of ova from the northern streams for shipment to New Zealand. Professor Ewart, a noted pisciculturist, had pro mised to assist him, and the cold weather then prevailing was considered favourable to Mr Farr's efforts. The total number of passengers carried by the city tramways during the three race days was 28,000. That number includes the race traffic. The trams conveyed to and from the races a total of 5700 passengers. A meeting of the North-East Valley School Committee was held in the schoolhouse on Monday evening. Present: Messrs Cameron (in tha chair), Caldar, Hislop, Macandrew, and Reeves. Amongst other business, it was decided to appoint a monthly visiting committee, Messrs Macandraw and Reeves boing appointed for the ensuing month. Our Wellington correspondent telegraphs : — " I have learnt from a reliable source that some important changes are contemplated in tho Public Works Department. It is stat9d that Mr Blackett will probably shortly retire from the public service on a pension, and that Mr O'Connor, at present undersecretary, is not unlikely to succeed him as enginoer-in-chief. The latter, I understand, takes immediate leave of abaencei and will employ his time in an extended tour of inspection of the public works of the Colony. He will be succeeded as undersecretary of Public Works by Mr Thomas Mackay, late Native land purchase commissioner on the West Coast," Professor Black continues to draw large audiences at Resfton, and his lectures are thoroughly appreciated by the mining population. He opened a testing class on Monday evening, but tho number of students was double what was expected, and as many could not be accommodated in the laboratory, more extonsive arrangements have since been made, The first meeting of the new Licensing Committee for the Port Chalmers district was held yesterday, and an extension of one hour was granted to all tho holders of publicans' liconac-s; while the Chairman of the Committee (Dr Drysdale) stated that they had decided to suppress Sunday trading, and if the police succeeded in proving any infringement of the Act they would deal with the offender with the utmost rigour. A serious acoidoit happaned on the OavershiHn tramway yesterday to n boy seven years of ago, named William Fra3er, As the car from Caverahum v/as passing along David street between 12 and 1 o'clock, the conductor and driver heard the scream of a child from the off side. The car was stopped almost immediately, and the boy Eraser was found almost under the fore wheel. The flesh of the inside of his right leg was torn from tho thigh to the ankle. He was taken to the Hospital, and attended to by Dr Roberts, Previous to the accident, it appears the boy bad jumped on to the side of the car, and was standing on the axle-box without the knowledge of the conductor. He then fell and received the injury mentioned. No blamo o»u ba attached to the driver or conductor. The practice among boys of riding on the cars in the manner described ia a very froquant one, and ia persisted in in spite of the warnings of the conductors and the occasional use of the drivers' whips. It is to be hoped, however, that the accident which occurred yesterday will act as a deterrent in future. A social gathering in connection with the anniversary of the Cargill road Wesleyan Church Sunday school was held in the church building last evening, and was attended by about 200 adults and a considerable number of children. The chair was occupied by the Rev Mr Smalloy, and short addresses were delivered by the Chairman, tho Rev. J. Berry, Rev. Mr Taylor (of Christchurch), and Messrs Back and Duke, the co-superintendents of the school. Mr Stothart, the secretary, read the annual report, from which it appeared that since the school started, four and a-half years ago, the attendance had increased from 10 to 303 scholars; that the present teaching staff, number 28, was insufficient for the work ; and that during the past year tho increase had been— scholars 57, and teachers two. The total in. coma for the year had been £60 7s 6d, and the expenditure £51 53 lOd, including a donation of £10 to the Church Extension Fund. During the evening refreshments were served, and the Sunday-school choir sang a number of hymns in a very pleasing manner.

The annual soiree in connection with the Kaikorai Presbyterian Church was held last evening, and notwithstanding the bad weather, passed off very successfully. Tea was served at 7 o'clock to about 300 persons. The ladies who presided at the tables were Mesdames -Bain, Sutherland, Robertson, Watson, Aitken, and Misses Alves, Gardiner, and Callender. After the tea had been disposed of, addresses were delivered by the Revs. R, R. M. Sutherland (pastor of the church), J. M. Sutherland (Taieri), W. Will (Taieri), and A. Cameron (Anderson's Bay). Mr Hood, the treasurer of the church, also made a statement with regard to the financial position of the church. The total amount contributed to tho church funds during the year, he said, was £535 Is lid, of which sum a small balance remained in hand. During the evening the choir (under the conductorship of Mr Stracban) rendered several musical selections very creditably, and Miss M, Oallender presided at the organ,

The Works Committee of the Otago Harbour Board yesterday afternoon accepted tha tender of Kiiicaid, M'Queen, and Co. (£B7O 7s 9ct) for ironwork for the North Heads works ; also the tender of John Hornby (51259 3a 6d) for the erection of 500 ft of section 2 staging, North Heads works.

The Timaru Herald states that " several gentlemen from various parts of Australia, who are possessed of ample means, have lately been visiting South Canterbury, with the object of ascertaining its suitability for settling down in, So far as we can learn, they invariably expressed themselves as being highly pleased with the district, and it is not improbable that ere long there will be an influx of new men and fresh capital from the ' other side.' "

Considerable comment has been called forth in Victoria by a book entitled " Beligion without Superstition," by Mr Justice Williams. The author disbelieves in the doctrine of the Trinity and the immaculate conception; he simply regards Christ as "a noble, heroic, unselfish,! self-denying, pure, good - living human man."

Mr H. E. Goodeve, head master of Hio Rangiora School, writes to tbo Lyttelton Times in reference to the statement that a little girl had died from brain fever induced by home lessons, He says : " Let me leave the public to judge of the facts. After a month's holiday a girl 12 years old returns to school. The merest tyro in school matters knows that no master piles on the agony directly after a standard examination or a long vacation. In f?ct, I believe, the first week the child had no home lessons to do ; on the two nights of the next week she has two easy sums in multiplication of weights and measures. These sums wero similar to tbnse daily dona by her for months previous to her passing Standard IV. > and were not of ;t complicated nature, but required, more mechanical than mental effort. Ou the second day of the weak she is found with other girls playing in the hot buu in the dicaur-hour- with to hat on. I cautioa

them upon the danger of doing this, In the | evening aha goes home with a b»d headache, In epite of tbia, she, being an industrious girl, never kept in or punished by me in any way> tries to get the sum out, sitting up late. Why did not her parents send her to bed? I maintain that the headache was the cause, and not the effect, of her inability to do the sum. Next day she grows worse, and Dr Gordon baing sent for, pronounces it a case of meningitis. In her delirium, amongst other subjects, she raves of her classmates, her sums, and myself; This is tha only evidence .to substantiate Mr Cunningham's statement, which I consider to bo one moßt unkind to myself. I can assure him that Dr Gordon y^^^^^^s^fH^^u^aah^assertion that homeintend to cutup^m^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^J soil of Now Britaiif rn^^m^^^^^^^^^ Every German immigrant v/iU^^^Sß^^^Bß and six months' rations, also tho Bervicesofj one native, who will ba paid by the Govern, ment and receive first six months' rations; the pay to form a charge against the allotment and to ba repayable in small instalments after the first crop of cane has been crushed. When 100 allotments have been settled and planted, and the cane about to como forward, a wealthy Hamburg firm will erect a large mill, assisted by the Government granting a large bonus on the first 50 tons of sugar exported. The allottee will be required to cultivate sufficient maize, rice, vegetables, and fruit for the sustenance of himself and his family after the first six months, and to pay the coat of the implements, which will be supplied by the Government,

The writer of " London Town Talk " in the Argus says:—"l must be allowed to bear testimony to the general excellence of the mutton imported of late into this country from New Zealand. Much so-called ' frozen meat' is tough and tasteless, when it is not altogether bad ; but the New Zealand meat is seldom tough, very well tasted, and full of gravy. Many of tha London butchers now include it among their regular stock, and are content to receive a moderate price for it from those bouaeholders who find it inconvenient to procure it from the regular agents. Its popularity, however, 13 already causing a considerable rise in price."

The Ashburton correspondent of the Lyttelton Times writes: —"The water-raceß, which now spread themselves like a network over the Ashburton county, are a work of which the whole population is justly proud. As has been frequently said, the irrigation scheme has changed the whole face of Nature, and made life on the plains bearable. Hundreds of farms have been made valuable by the streams which flow through them, transforming a dry ( dreary waste into good productive land. The old proverb says, ' We never know the value of water till the well runs dry.' Only too often has the well been dry to the men on the plains whom the steady • flowing streams now bless; and one would have thought that, considering the easy bye-laws which regulate the maintenance of these streams, and the farmers' experience before their land was perforated with the races, neglect of keeping them clean and in good repair would have been the last crime some of them would be guilty of. But human nature is a strangely-made-up mixture, and it is astonishing how much of selfishness is to be found therein. Though it is well known by every farmer in the district that every gallon he allows to leak from the streams aud run to waste is a loss to bis neighbours farther down, yet there are men so grossly selfish that they persistently neglect to keep the races in order which run through their land, and the result is a deficiency in the Bupply farther down."

At a public meeting held in Norfolk Island recently, the following somewhat extraordinary motion was carried upon "a ballot by 66 votes to 16 : " That if it shall be decided at a public meeting of the Colony, by two thirds of the adult male members present, that the presence of any parson residing in the island is prejudicial to the interests of the community, it shall ba competent for such meeting to pass a resolution expelling such person from the island, and he shall accordingly be expelled in tha first vessel convenient for that purpose." This resolution was aimed at two American evangelists who had made themselves obnoxious by getting up revival meetings, and who were said to have produced dissension in families and led some to condemn the Bervice of the Church of England. The meeting, which was a stormy one, was presided over by Mr Wilkinson, a magistrate who had been sent to the island by the New South Wales Government.

At the Geraldine ft.M. Court on Monday two men, named George Wilson and George Carroll, were charged with the theft of 10 railway tickets and £7 17s 61 in cash from the Orari railway-ctatiou. Carroll was found guilty and sentenced to six months' imprisonmeat; but the Bench decided to dismiss the case against Wilson, as no money or tickets were found on him. Shortly afterwards Wilson (who also goes under the name of Edward Hughes) was charged with stealing £6 15a from the Leviathan Boarding-house, Dunedin, the property of Edward Butterworth. Upon receipt of a telegram from Dunedin, a few hours after accused had been discharged in connection with the robbery at Orari, Detective Kirby went in pursuit of the prisoner, and arrested him between Geraldine and OrariHe pleaded guilty to the charge, and was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, with hard labour.

Mr Hesford's benefit takes place this evening in the Princess Theatre.