THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 1892.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9314, 4 January 1892, Page 2

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 1892.

At Manchester, on October 10, an interesting ceremony took place which was followed by another of a similar character at Rochdale on October 24. At each of these places a statue of John Bright was unveiled, the spokesman at Manchester being Lord Derby and at Rochdale Mr John Morley. The events were not inopportune. In these days when party expediency and personal ambition are to so large an extent the mainspring of political faction, when the simple integrity of true statesmanship is so widely disregarded, it is salutary to redirect public attention to the career of one to whom conviction was more precious than popularity, who "never sold the truth to serve the hour," whose "armour was his honest though*, and simple truth his utmost skill." In days, too, when economic heresy is prevalent if not triumphant, when even in England I a considerable number of politicians are dallying with Protective nostrums, it is well to recall the teaching of the man whose sagacity and passionate patriotism contributed so largely to the establishment of Freetrade in Great Britain. John Bright was a leal friend of the people from the beginning to the end; nevertheless (to quote Lord Darby), "no politician has ever lived who was less ready to humble himself before the people; to flatter prejudices which he did not share, or to conceal opinions which might make him unpopular." We cannot res-ist quoting the words which follow : " We know ihe kind of popular champion who take 3up a cause as soon as it seems likely to pay, who heads a crowd with determination so long as it cheers and :..follows him, but who hangs back tho mojnent the cheers become faint and

few. We havo plenty of that sort; perhaps we could do with fewer; but not once only, bub again and again, Bright showed himself willing to oppose the- popular opinion of the day when he believed it to be wrong." In short, lie was no adherent of the Ntw Liberalism.

It is as an orator that John Bnght's fame is highest*, and so long as the language lasts his speeches will be treasured as models of English eloquence—now simple, now stately, now impassioned, bub always pure, always tho utterance of the heart. But be. was in the highest sense a statesman as well as an orator, though he made no mark as a legislator or as un administrator. Perhaps, indeod, his mission was higher and 'more valuable than that of the legislator and administrator. To quote from a fine article in the Spectator : "He had that rate gift of being able to make men not merely understand but feel great truth?. While others had to be content with demonstrating and proving, ho was ablo to plant in men's minds a living sense of (hat to which he desired to persuade them. He gave to ideas the something which they need to make them grow and fructify." His political career was governed, according to Lord Derby, by four main ideas—the benefits of Democratic government, the folly of war, the wisdom of a Freetrade policy, and the advantage of treating religion as a thing apart from political affairs. It hatbeen pointed out that, as regards the last point, Lord Derby would have done well to substitute " ecclesiasticism"for "religion," since the sense of religion was a very real part of Bright's political consciousness. It would indeed be difficult to overstate the debt which the British democracy owes to his zealous championship. " The dawn of a better and a brighter clay for the people and the country that I love so well"—it was for that he longed, for that be worked. He contributed more than any other man to tho extension of the parliamentary franchise, and he had an abiding trust in the wisdom and rectitude, of the popular judgment on great questions, provided those questions were fairly presented to tho popular mind. But he was no revolutionist', no rash'innovator, no blind destroyer. Mr Morley said at Rochdale—" He was always the first to appeal to historic precedent, and to the great fathers and principles of English freedom two centuries ago. A political leader did well who strove to keep our English democracy historical, and to praise the great men, our fathers, who begat us." It is to be

trusted that Mr Morley will not neglect to reck his own rede. As reg.ird3 the question of peace and war there can be

no doubt that the views of Englishmen have been greatly, if imperceptibly, influenced by John Bright's teaching and sxsrople. He is sometimes referred to as au advocate of peace-afc-any-price, bufctbis is quite a mistake, as is proved by his attitudo during the Civil War in America. His nourago and independence of popn'ar favour were strikingly, displayed at the time of the Crimean War, when, speaking "amid the din. of arms and the clamour of a venal press," ho declared that he had the consolation, which he trusted would be his.to the last moment of his existence—the " priceless consolation " — that no word of his had ever tended to the squandering of his country's .treasure or the spilling of one single drop of his country's blood. We have alluded to the fact that certain politicians in England havp taken to talking Protection, but it is satisfactory to know that this folly receives no encouragement fr.om really prominent statesmen. At the Mansion House on November 9, Lord Salisbury I (according to the cable) said he " was convinced that' the country -would adhere to the policy of Freetratle," and at Birmingham, a fortnight later, he " expressed his continued adherence to the principles of Freetrade," stating that the Government "shunned dangerous wanderings into regions of economic error." Mr Gladstone, in his very interesting speech on receiving the freedom of the City of New" castle (a speech contrasting most favourably with his political harangue), referred at length to the subject, expressing his belief that the " retrograde" action of America would last but "for the moment," and glorying in England's " solitary witness." He declared that the vast improvement effected in the condition of the masses during the past half century was mainly due to the operation of the legislative change from Protection to freedom. "The custody of such results," added Mr Gladstone, "is a sacred duty. It is a duty that will require all your firmness . . . but my confident expectation is that, as England was faithful to the charge of political freedom, and set a good example to the world long before they were prepared to receive it, x so again you will be faithful to your vocation, and that it shall be recorded by those who shall come after us, by the pen of th»impartial historian, that, for the purpose of establishing the rights of industry, of giving every man fair play, and enabling him to turn to the best account, according to his best judgments, the gifts, mental or corporeal, with which God has endowed him, England here also was the standard-bearer of the. nations, and taught them the safe, the just, and the honourable way to durable public prosperity." These are inspiring and refreshing words, conceived in the bosfc spirit of patriotic wisdom—words which Bright himself might have uttered.

The Trustees of the Benevolent Institution are certainly to be congratulated on the step they took in sending an inspector round some of the contributing districts in order to have the cases of those receiving charitable aid investigated. The revelationsas to the waste of public money which has been going on are so startling as to necessitate the most serious attention. The inspector's report does not state how long relief had been given in the 72 glaring cases, a synopsis of which we published on Thursday, and we do not know precisely how much the weekly allowances now stopped amounted to exactly. A rough calculation, however, shows that something like L4OO per annum of public money has been gathered from the working public by taxation and unworthily bestowed, through the gross negligence of those to whom the care of our public charity has been committed. The Benevolent Trustees are to blame for not having investigated these cases before this, but it is easy to understand why they were unwilling to incur the expense of a travelling inspector, and why they felt justified in accepting the recommendations of responsible bodies and relying on their discretion. If the conduct of the trustees is in some degree blamable, what terms are we to use suificiently savcre to fit the case of those local bodjes who have di pharged their duties as advisers to the trustees with such culpable laxity as to allow the scandals we have referred to to grow up unchecked. Wo do not know, or care to inquire into, the causes which have led the erring councils into the ling course of dishonesty of which they have been found guilty. Cases have not been unknown in the past wheie personal int:rest has led individual members of country bodk s to recommend cases for relief with the object of getting their own accounts paid. We prefer, however, to believe that carelessnessratherthan personal dishonesty has been the cause of the misappropriation of public moneys which has just been exposed. The members of the offending bodies occupy

respectable positions, and are, wo feel surt very unlikely indeed to do what is palpably dishonest. What hns happened probably is this: that an honourable unwillingness to be vory hard in cuses of presumed distress, as well as the practical difficulty of finding out the detailed facts in each instance, has led the council as ft whole to "scamp its work." The first thing that suggests itself is that in the future any similar waste of public money should, so to spoak, be localised in each case, and the moneys so misspent should be reclaimed from the local body which has offended. Thero is no process by which this can be done at present,, but legislation is required to enable the central body to bring home its misdeeds in this most practical way to any responsible body who in the future should be found acting with such reckless disregard of common honesty. It would be also desirable to require not merely a collective but a personal recommendation from members of the council or borough sending in cases for relief. Men will do in a corporate capacity what they would refuse to do individually without a much closer scrutiny of the circumstances presented for their consideration. Is it too much to ask that before the public funds are saddled with the relief of any ono indigent person some individual member of a recommending body should be responsible for the statement that the case is deserving in all respects? Now that the. burden of public charity is becoming almost unendurable we think it would be well to formulate certain regulations which might tend to restrain that false benevolence which consists in recommending B to get charity from A. Any casual reader of our synopsis of the cases in which relief has now been stopped will be struck by the evidences of comparative, comfort and even competence in many of those persons who have not been ashamed to loaf on the public. This state of things iis not only entirely opposed to all public justice but it must inflict a very great hardship on the honest and independent struggler who is compelled to find his share of the money which is being misapplied. One rule we would suggest—viz., that no one should receive public alms who has a relation as laid down in the Destitute Persons Act capable of supporting him. . Much more careful inquiry should be made in every instance in this matter, and energetic steps taken to compel the kindred of any applicant for relief to support him. In the cases now made public it will be seen that in several instances daughters and sons were allowing their aged parents to accept public alms. The power of the law should be at once invoked to force these unnatural children to assume their proper responsibilities. The negligence of the county councils has been no doubt encouraged by the fact that a few extra recommendations to give applicants aid made no difference in the amount of money contributed by the county to charity. If it had been so that the recommendation to give a drunken old applicant aid had entailed Ll2 10s per annum on the county funds, we may be quite sure the recommendation would not have been made. Until some change is made the only cure for the evil of indirect responsibility is to be found in doing often what the trustees have just done—thoroughly inspecting and relorting on every case.

The Mahinapua, with the San Francisco mails, was expected to reach Wellington early yesterday morning, but the Press Association have not sent us intimation of her arrival. The Omapere was to take the mail to Lyttelton, and as she would wrive in time to catch the express train the mails should reach Dunedin to-night.

Saturday was almost generally observed ns a holiday. The excursion trips down the harbour made by the steamers Invercargill and' Onslow were well patronised. The second picnic arranged by the Tailoresses' Union was held at Waitati, and was quite as successful as the first one. Fully 1500 persons left town by the two trains which were run. Mr Brock's paddock, in which the picnic was held, was found very suitable, and a varied programme of amusements, which were carried out in good style, rendered the outing a most enjoyable one. St. Claiv, the Nichols' Creek waterfall and the Ross' Creek reservoir were visited by large numbers of picnickers and others bent on enjoyment.

We are informed that the takings at the gates at the Caledonian grounds on New Year's Day exceeded by L3O the amount taken on the first day of last year. The programme for to-day is an attractive one. In wrestling the final' round between Robertson and M'Kinnon takes place, and a special prize is offered for an all-coiners' event, in which Dunn and others will compete. There is also an extra bicycle event in the shape of a test race.

Mr Thomas Brown, of Owake, suggests that provision should be made by law.by which the wages due to working men could be paid to their credit at a post office savings bank, a credit note being handed to them, so-that they could operate upon their accounts when and where it suited their convenience. This he states would displace the vicious practice of payment by cheques, which too frequently have to be exchanged at a publ'.chouse.

At the Port Chalmers Police Court on Saturday Frederick Holgren was charged with stealing one pewter pint pot and towel from the bar of the Port Chalmers Hotel on the Ist inst. Accused, who was caught with the things in his possession by Constable Chisholm, pleaded guilty, and was fined 10s, or in default 48 hours' imprisonment. Messrs A. Thomson and J. Morgan, J.P's., presided.

The following is an extract from the Kuox Church quarterly statement which was issued to members yesterday :—" Debt Extinction: It is with very great pleasure that we received the news from Mr A. Cameron, the treasurer, that the object he prosecuted so zealously^and wisely is now accomplished. • The entire indebtedness, amounting to L2SOO, is now safely lodged in the bank. While the church owes ten thousand thanks to Mr Cameron for his unwearied labours in connection with the extinction of the debt, she owes ten thousand times ten thousand thanks to her. Divine Head for disposing her members and friends to make an united effort for an object so extremely desirable, It will be a great festival when we meet as a church to thank God and the brotherhood for this noble effort." The Rev. Dr Stuart referred in terms of gratification from the pulpit to the extinction of the church debt, and remarked that it behoved the office-bearers now to face other measures which he believed the accomplishment of that object entailed.

Few people in Otago give a thought to the possibilities attached to the culture of small fruit in this part of the colony. The climate is specially adapted to the growth of gooseberries and both black and red currants, and if an assured market were opened up tho cultivation of these fruits might be indefinitely extended with advantage to the cultivator and country alike. To show that the matter is receiving some attention in the neighbourhood of Dunedin, we may mention that Mr William Ings, of the Forbury, has this season disposed of 44- 501b boxes of black currants, and 10 tons of gooseberries to Messrs Irvine and Stevenson, besides selling a couple of tons of gooseberries to the shops. Of those sold to Messrs Irvine and Stevenson three tons were specially supplied for canning purposes, the firm finding a market for canned small fruits in the adjacent colonies, where they cannot be grown so favourably. Mr Ings last year disposed of 11 tons of gooseberries, and besides his orchard at the Forbury he has some acres en tho Taieri Plain in small fruits. His sons are all being brought up to the business, and the cultivation will no doubt be extended year by year. Mr Ings showed us a sample of black currants which we should think have never been beaten. The berries were the size of small grapes, as will be readily conceived when we state that there were only 170 to the pound. The bushes though carefully cultivated had not been subjected to any special treatment, and the fruit certainly bore testimony to the favourable season we have experienced,

Harvest is becoming general in the Amberley district, Canterbury. The oats are turning out rather light and much of the wheat is badly filled. The Bruce Herald states that although the recent heavy rains have been unfavourable to the white crops they have done wonders for the turnips. Sowing has hardly ceased, but the rigs are looking as green and healthy as could be wished. At Palmerston North the recent prevailing winds have done a great amount of damage to the growing crops, and in several instances., whole fields were levelled. Should rain fall, the damage will be intensified. Bush fires, aided by the winds have destroyed a great amount of grass. Timber and fences have also been burned.

In an article in the "Nineteenth Century?' Lord Brassey contends that at no distant date further concerted action to provide adequate naval defence for commerce at the antipodes must be considered. He suggests that the colonies should assume the cost of all vessels maintained in Australian waters, and advises the Home Government to permanently station in Australia some ships of obsolete warfare in Europe, though he admits that the colonies are now fully capable of defending their shores from hostile attack. Lord Brassey thinks it would be prudent to institute a roving commission to inquire into the system of Imperial naval defence as a prelude to another colonhl cf.iferen.ee.

The Hiiwcrti Star states that a novel parasite was found in. tho windpipes of three successive sheep which died near Okaiawn. The parasite is a, whitish worm, or maggot, fully half an inch long and a quarter of an inch in diameter. It is pointed at Que end and truncated at the other. There are two round black spots at the broad end which look like eyes. It travels about with a maggot-like action, and must be a very uncomfortable tenant to the sheep which has to carry it. It resembles the larva of wstrus ovis, or sheep bot-fly. There were many lungworms present also.

The marriage of the Marquis of Ailsa the other day had something of a romance attaching to it. The heroine, had, it seems, been out to India in connection with Zenana mission work, and returning by a P. and O. steamer met tho Marquis, who was a fellow passenger. She had been very active in nursing some of the sick on board, and the Marquis soon became interested in her. Interest deepened into affection, and, as love laughs at social distinctions, he had before England was reached proposed marriage.

As a result of the recent stabbing affray in Napier a public meeting was held at which the Bishop of Waiapu presided. Resolutions were

passed that it was imperative that steps should be taken to counteract the evils of tlie drink traffic ; that the Government should appoint an officer to test liquors and prosecute offenders; that the clergy be requested to enlarge on the evils of intemperance from the pulpit; that a committee be formed to compel observance of the licensing laws ; and that it is desirable that a station hands club, conducted on total abstinence principles, be formed. It was also decided to form a Napier temperance society to use every legitimate effort to remove the drink traffic from*the district. Referring to the default of the Borough Council, the North Otago Times says:—"The resolution passed by the council at their meeting was—' That the bank be instructed to pay 4 per cent, on account of the L 50,000 loan, pending the receipt of the tabulated statement and circular, informing bondholders of the position of the loans.' It may be stated that the security for the interest on this loan is Is in the pound on the valuation of the borough, -which, at L 36.000, -would yield LIBOO, or exactly 3 3-sths per cent. The Is in the pound is the whole of the security, There is, however, an income of L9OO from this loan, which would yield 1 4-sths per cent, more, or in all 5 2-sths per cent. There are certain charges, however, which reduce these figures a trifle." The test of the whole question is this : If the expenditure of the loan had resulted hi a large profit over the intsrest it is quite certain that the bondholders would not have been offered one penny more than the interest on the bond. ■ "Why, then, should they, having trusted to the honesty of the people of Oamaru, be asked to share the loss ? Mr James A. Valentine, 8.A., at present teaching in the North-East Valley school, has been recommended to the Education Board for the appointment of first assistant in the Balclutha District High Schools During his stay at the North-East Valley, Mr Valentine has, by his kindly and genial disposition, endeared himself to the children and gained the respect of tho regents of the district, and it will be a source of congratulation to his many friends to know that his loss to the Noifch-East Valley will mean a decided advancement in his professional career.

A very enjoyable evening was spent last Tuesday at the Drill Hall, Sandymount, where a Christmas tree was prepared in connection with the Portobello road Church. The Eev. Mr Greig presided. The tree was nicely decorated with the prizes, this work having been performed by Mrs Greig. A number of songs and hymns were rendered in a creditable manner, Miss Audrina Riddell and Miss Denton acting as organists. Songs and recitations were also well rendered by Misses Ferguson, Jessie Riddell, and L. Arnott. A pleasant break in the performance was made by the Rev. Mr Greig, who, on behalf of the Sunday School scholars and .teachers, presented Mr Riddell, their late superintendent, with a pair of gold spectacles, he having removed from the district to become manager of the Peninsula and Taieri Milk Supply Company. Mr Riddell having acknowledged the presentation every Sunday School scholar received a prize—a bag of' lollies, an orange, a'ld a bun. The drawing for the prfces'caused great amusement, and when, old Father Christmas fell to the lot of a lady the result was received with roars of laughter. The Sunday School teachers feel grateful to Mr L. Robertson and his coadjutors for the use of the hall.

The children, and teachers of the Sunday school attached to Holy Trinity Church, Port Chalmers, had ' their annual picnic on the Quarantine Island on Saturday. AW. sorts of sports and games were indulged in, and although tie afternoon was an inclement one, the little folks had a very enjoyable time.

The Scottish national drama "Rob Roy" was produced at the Princess Theatre on Saturday night for the third time. The heavy rain which fell.about theatre-going time did not prejudicially affect the attendance, for the audience crowded the building from floor to ceiling. A few changes in the cast of characters were made for this performance—Mr Walter Bentley taking the part of Bailie Nicol Jarvie, Mr Alderson that of Rob Eoy, and Mr M'Gowan that of Ttashleigh Osbaldistone. Mr Bentley is of greater stature than the Bailie as drawn by Sir Walter Scott, but his impersonation of the character was an admirable one. His by-play was most effective, and the audience laughed and laughed again at the performance. The remaining parts were generally well sustained,, and the production was received with the most unstinted enthusiasm. This evening the psychological drama of " The Bells," in which Mr Bentley, has made one of his most successful impersonations, will be staged. This play proved enormously popular when it was produced at the Lyceum in London many years ago, and its success at'that time had the effect of restoring the fortunes of thathouse. Mr Bentley has had the privilege of playing over 360 times in the cast along with Mr Henry Irving, whose Mathias is acknowledged to have been a marvellous creation.

The Choral 'Hall was comfortably filled on Saturday night, when Mr Robert Kennedy gave another of his Scottish entertainments—"A nicht wi' the Jacobites." The entertainment was similar to those already given in this city by Mr' Kennedy, and ths.t it was thoroughly enjoyable goes without saying, for at times the audience waxed enthusiastic in its applause. The story of " bonnie Prince. Charlie" was told in song, interlarded with interesting anecdotesAmong the thirteen vocal items on the programme were "Bonnie Dundee," "Come o'er the stream, Charlie," "Bonnie Prince Charlie," and " The march o' the Cameron men."

The Payne Family brought their season in Dunedin to a close on Saturday evening, when there was another good house at the City Hall. The various performers were quite as successful as on previous occasions in entertaining their patrons.

The members of the dramatic company who are now performing in the Princess Theatre were, with a few local patrons of the stage, entertained by Mr Walter Bentley at supper on Saturday night. Three toasts were proposed— viz., "The Press," "Mr Beutley," and •"The Visitors." The first and last of these were submitted by the host, whose own health was proposed by Mr Lachlan M'Gowan, who, it isnot3worthy, was included in the cast of the performance, nearly 20 years ago, in which Mr Bentley made his professional debut. Mr Bentley acknowledged the toast in an eloquent speech, instinct with love of the profession which he has adopted. He strongly expressed his aspirations for State intervention on behalf of the drama by the endowment of a national college on the system of the conservatoire in Frauce, by which means it might be placed in the position of commanding the respect that is sometimes denied it now. Blr H. J. Walter, in responding to the toast of "The Visitors," related that lie was amongst the audience who witnessed the first appearance of their host of the evening, in an amateur capacity, on the stage, on which occasion, according to Mr Bentr ley's own testimony, he made a mess of the part that was entrusted to him.

Messrs Donald Reid and Co.'s next stock sale ai Greytown takes place to-morrow.

AYe understand that Frank A. Coxhcad, assisted by Mr John Beauclianip, is now taking enamelled cabinet portraits at the small price of 10s 6d per dozen, for one month only. A free invite to ail to'inspect his magnificent premises in .Princes street, opposite Colonial Bank. Take the elevaor.—[Advt.] John Hislop, Watchmaker and Jeweller, 74 Princes street. The oldest established house in town. Repairs of all kinds, Good assortment Watches, Clocks, and Jewellery. Spectacles to suit all sights,— Advt

Thomson, Bndger, and Co. draw the attention of engineers, blacksmiths, and others to their advertisement on page 3.—[AnvT.'J Christmas and New Year presents. Latest novelties in gold brooches set with turquoise and pearls, splendid assortment of gold brooches, bangles, rings, pins, studs, alberts, &c, leather purses, fitted bags, and dressing cases at (J. and T. Young's, 88 Princes street.—[Advt.] JCstablished over a quarter of a century. Of other sodawaters that have come under our notice and take a very high place in Australasia, we would be; remiss if we did not mention that of Messrs Thomson and Co. Dunedin.—Brewers Journal, 1800. —[AdvtJ Eden George and Co. (Limited), the leading photographers of Dunedin, who produce by far the beat work in New Zealand, take one dozen beautifully enamelled cabinets in any position or style, for 15s. One price list adopted, and no extra charges are made to visitors from the country — [Advt.l

Mr Hay, dental surgeon, desires to announce that ho lias secured and equipped, with the most approved appliances in high-class dentistry, suitable oflices at 112 Princes street, immediately opposite Cargills monument.—lAdvt.]