THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1895.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10416, 19 July 1895, Page 2

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1895.

The attempt to provide for the unernp%ed by sending parties of men equipped with tools on to the goldfields appears to us not merely as a temporary measure of relief, but as possibly the beginning of the solution'of a very large problem. Politicians and economists hare been alike puzzled by the existence of the large unemployed class, •which is the feature of Australasian colonisation, and have tried all sorts of remedies for the unexpected fact. To get the people on to the unoecupiedlands of the Crown has been the favourite resource hitherto, and we have nothing to say against this method except that under the conditions of • modern agricultural industry some capital is almost as essential to success as thews and sinews. Moreover, it is not every workman who is a born farmer; and to put all on the land is to suppose that human nature can be cut down to one pattern. The scheme for sending men on to the goldfields, at any rate, provides another method of suiting human nature, and it still further provides a fair chance for getting some men permanently rescued from the ranks of irregular, wage - earners. We are disappointed, therefore, that the committee which is administering the funds subscribed by the citizens to provide work for the unemployed have finally declined to make a grant in aid of the object which is sought to be attained. A majority of the committee have not viewed the project with favour from its inception, and before it had attained any definite shape there was perhaps some reason for their belief that they were not justified in voting any of the public money entrusted to their keeping. The case has been yery different within the past week or so, however. A strong addition of pro-

[ minent and intelligent business mon had been added to the original provisional committee, a great quantity of evidence had been taken as to" the localities in vhich "work might be commenced and as to the prospects of success, and there was justification for the belief that there was a reasonable likelihood of a large number of the, unemployed being put into the "way of earning their livelihood and becoming independent of the relief which is being given them through the agency of the works in the city and ■ suburbs. If the committee base their rejection of .the application for a grant from the funds in hand on the ground that the money has-been subscribed by the public on the representation that it -would be expended solely on work in and around the city, then it appears to us that the least they ought to have done was to hav<| ascertained 11 whether or not they, were right in their j belief. This they could easily have done j by calling a meeting of the subscribers. I For ourselves we believe that three out of every four persons who have contributed to the fund would have cordially, welcomed any project which had j for its object the assisting of the unem- | ployed to a means of making an honest | living so long, as there was a reasonable | prospect of that object being attained and of the expenditure of the moneys 1 -voted being carefully looked after. We : hold that the committee in the decision they have, come to ;have failed in [their duty both to the citizens j whose moneys they hold,- aiid : to . the unfortunate men whom they are at present temporarily assisting. We are pleased to notice that the°gentleman whose letter published in our i columns was the means of the goldfields project being brought prominently into notice has determined," notwithstanding the rebuff which the scheme lias' received, to: make d vigorous effort to carry it to Success. He and those who think with him have evory reason for believing that the measure of success that will probably result will be found , sufficient to induce very many of those who ar^ to be' initiated into the business to stick to it. J It. it should be found that,anyconsiderable humber of those who* now make.. their way into the interior ancl commence some sorb of indeperidehtlself-support-ing existence no more come back to patrol the streets, of ■;our towns, ;no more enrol themselves amongst the unemployed, and indeed .cease to be mere wage-earners with intermittent employment ahy 'longer,- then i'he new movement will partake of the nature of a genuine triilmph..' It cannot be! too often repeated "that' the mere wage-earner who continues in that position, from youth to old age is not fulfilling the* true heroic work, of , colonisation which he came here, or ought tb have come here, to undertake; We do not want even inferehtiaily td be thotiglit 'to underrate the value of the obedient servant who toils for wages all his life, and accepts that lowly sphere as the best he is fit for, because he has been too -timid to take his. life in his own hands and work for himself alone, arid not for another: StiU it 'should never be forgotten that continuance in the" Servant's position for a lifetime in the colonies shows a something wanting in the manhood of a man, ahd that 'ranch honour is due to those who, at the cost usually of .some' immediate comfort, have struck oiit for themselves and made a modest, However modest", indepen- i dence. When the servant getting" Jl pcr __ week and found" goes on to the larid—say; on 100 acres—he ' seldom betters his position for some years: more often, indeed, he dives more hardly and works harder. He has sacri-i

ficed the coihforts of the: moment for the rise in manhood, and in all that, makes a good ' colonist in the future. But when, instead of givihoup a ■ comfortable ;post on wages, the worker merely gives up that lounge against the lamp-posts of Princes street which is in itself an offence: to every genuine worker, then he drily performs a straight-out duty, rather late, indeed, rather perforce as it were, but not the less he does an excellent thing, fbr which he desefyes the respect of every thinkingmah. We quite agree that the wage-earner m continual employment is fulfilling a useful function : how, indeed, could we all get! on without him ? But the wage-earner in irregular employment has surely had plenty of intimations to move on. And the colonies are full. of opportunities to every workman to better himself. There need not be a single unemployed man in the streets if those who found work getting more and more irregular had taken the hint and left the ranks of servants for that of self-support if not always of employer..

• We have put the whole matter down plainly, because things have this winter arrived at a climax, and because it must be evident to the wages-men that the market for their labour is overstocked, and that they should in their own self-protection endeavour to relieve the pressure by attempting independence for themselves. There is plenty of reliable evidence to show that in the goldfields in the interior of Otago there are numerous places on the creeks and river beds and terraces where wellequipped parties of from three to six or ten men can knock out a week's wage varying from 20s to 40s per man. Such a prospect may not seem very alluring to the unskilled worker however honest, while to the professional street loafer it can have no charms at all. The unskilled labourer will no doubt contrast such a prospect with that of getting 7s or 8s a day on the co-operative works, but when it is remembered thafc these last .are spasmodic in their nature, and that spells of such work at good wages are usually interspersed with intervals of idleness, the advantages of the latter career are seen to have no real existence. Moreover, the business of gold mining nowadays is a skilled business, and the miner who gains his experience on the goldfields is in possession of a trade. For a variety of reasons we heartily wish the new scheme well, and we trust thafc the public meeting which is to be held next Monday night will afford ample evidence that the proposal has the hearty good wishes and support of the community.

The Premier decided to regard Captain Russell's motion intercepting Supply as one of want of confidence, and a debute was commenced yesterday, in which tbe Colonial Treasurer's utterances in London were criticised and defended. The debate stands adjourned. I No bnsiness was transacted in the Council in coneequence of the motion under discussion in the House. Mr Paulin sent us the following forecast a* j 9 o'clock last eveuing:—"Squally S.W. winds j with raiu showers, clearing off in about 16 ! hours ; barometer unsteady."

We have been shown a sample of iron pyrites from the Wakatipu goldfields, which was recently assayed by Mr E. H. Hill, P.C.S., giving the handsome result of 250z 17dwt 12:jr gold to the tan, of which 95 per cent, could be obtained working on a large scale. The piece of gold from 2oz was quite an appreciable quantity. Surely ifc i s time some steps, were taken to recover and work the enormous quantities of auriferous"pyrites close to our doors.

We understand that the s.s. Buteshire on her next trip to London will take with her 1200 live sheep, thus continuing the experiment made by that vessel and the Banffahire. The sheep wiil be shipped at Lyttelton and the Bluff, and it is understood that the venture is being made by Messrs Tutubull, Martin, and Co., whose local representative has purchased the sheep.

A story, whioh is certainly not without ita amuaicg side, is told of a recent appointment of a teacher in this educational district, Among the applicants for a vacancy which occurred in a country district where the bulk cf the residents are true blue Presbyterians was a young man who had had co previous experience under the Otago.Education Board, but compensated for his deficiency ia this respect by forwarding certificates of the highest character from the ministers, past and-present, cf one of the leading Presbyterian churches in Dunedin. This candidate was, on tha strength of these credentials, chosen to fill the vacancy, and on his going to the district he was duly lodged wifch an elder of the local kirk. When Sunday came round ho3t and guest started off for church, bat they were still some distance from the supposed destination of both of them, when the teacher said to his host, " I think I'll leave you here." " What! are ye no' comih' tb the kirk ? " asked the elder in surprise. " That is my churcb," replied the other, pointing to the Roman Catholic Church. The teacher had joined the Roman Catholic Church since his attendance at the Presbyterian Church, but had omitted to forward to the committee ony certificate of character from the priest! In that district there will 'ba less danger ih the future than there hiss been in the past of sectarian appointments being made by the school committee.

We understand ste^s have been taken to have the case of Constable Davis reopened. The Minister for Defence (who has charge of the Police department) is to be petitioned to hold an inquiry into the matter on the alleged ground that the v?tight of evidence was against the finding of the magistrate. .-;,

The annual inspection of the Port Chalmers Volunteer Fire Brigade, was held yesterday ty his Worship the Mayor and members of the borough council. The hose, reel, hydrants, and other equipments were found to ba in perfect order, Snd the members of the brigade in a high state of proficiency.

The Port Chalmers Presbyterian Y.P.S.C.E. held their annual social bn Tuesday eveniog. The Rev; Mr Allan occupied the chair and opened the meetiug. Solos were rendered by Misses Paton and Hume, and a trio by Misses Johnson and J. "Seniles" and Mr Allan. 'Miss J. Miiler presided at the organ. Refreshments were handed found, after which addresses were given by Miss Knight and the Rev. Messrs Griffin and Fisher.. The society now numbers 42 members—viz., 13 active, 18 associate, and 11 honorary. The collections for the year amounted to £4 12s ld, whilst the expenditure—donations to missions, sUtibhery, &c— amounted to £4 Is lOd, thus leaving a credit balance df 10s 3d. The officers for the* year are as follow-i-President,,Rev. Mr Allan; vicspreoident, Miss C. Johnstone; recording secretary, Missi.J. Porteous^; corresponding secretary, Mr W. Gibb; treasurer, Miss M. Menzies; organist, Miss J. Miller; Greetings were given by representatives from various Christian Endeavour societies, -Christian bands, the Salvation Army, aud Port Chalmers Wesleyan Bible class, and a very pleasant evening was concluded by singing "God be with you."

A matinee will be given in the City Hall tomorrow afternoon, for the beaoSt of school children and families, .by the Royal Marionettes. Mr H. Marsdeti wilt show soma dissolving views of London^ Paris, arid ofcher «rea"; cities. The price for children is sixpence sil over the hall. The Cavershani' Industrial School children will be present' by invitation.

On account of the builders' annual social tha monthly'meetiug of the Sanitary Institute is postponed till further notice.

Mr D. M. Spedding wiil sell fruit to-day. The Dunediu Builders' Association hold their social reunion to-night in the Choral Hall. Messrs Wright, Stephenson; and Co. will sell spring-cart and light-harness horses on Saturday. The N.Z.L. and.M.A; Company will offer for sale at an early date the Mount Stuart estate of 2000 acres witli dwelling, &c. We'have to acknowledge receipt of the first number of the " Austialaß;an Homceopathic Medical Gazette." It is edited by Dr ft. S. Stephenson, and published by Mr G. M. Marshall, lhe Gazette is to be a quarterly publication, and is to serve as a,record of the progress of homoeopathy iv the Australasian colonies.

Those who enjoy a good run with the hounds will no doubt be pleased to know that the rendezvous is. at Mr Passmore's, Wakari Valley, this week.

The drawing room lecture advertised in this issue to be delivered by the Rev. T. Tait, M.A., of Melbourne, on Monday,"'i2:id July, in the Choral Hall, is going to introduce to Dunedin sometbine hovel in the way of entertainments. Thix lecture or entertainment has bsen given by Mr Tait several times in Victoria to crowded audiences, and has always proved a great success. With the exception of four or five inushul items, Mi- Tatt carries out the whole programme himself. His humorous recitations are particularly enjoyable. To avoid inconvenience, tickets may be obtained from members of the societies referred to in the advertisement.

I have much pleasnro iri certifying to the curative properties of Mr Loasby's ' Wahoo.' I used it for Piles and Indigestion, with the happiest results. —Davis Hoon, blacksmith, Maclaggan street."—[Advt.] Che>p sale of furniture. Having to remove all pur stock, owing to extensive repaiis, all our stock is now offered for one week at great reductions. J. Anderson and Co., furniture warehouse.— [Advt.] Having admitted Mr R. H. Scott into partnership, we shall now trade under the title of VV. and R. Scott, Tailors and Clothiers (late W. -'cottaud Co) —[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:]. Messrs Kidd and Co., surgical and mechanical dentists, notify that they have commenced business opposite Cargill's Monument, Priiics st.—[Ami ] Mollison and <>.'s annual sale now on. Send for price list of 12 pages. Post free. Mollison and Co., drapers and clothiers, 195 and 197 George street, Dunediu.—[Advt.] Messrs A. andJ. M'Farlane beg to call attention to their advertisement over the leader. Any orders entrusted to them will receivo the best attention.—r.invTj] See G. and T. Young's Christmas advertisement on first page, and note that watch, clock, and Jewellery repairs receive personal supervision of Mr I.G. Young. Competent workmen only employed Satisfaction guaranteed. Moderate prices.—[Adv 1 Specially prepared sodawater for invalids as supplied by Thomson and 00. to the Dunedin and Wellington Hospitals, Union Company's entire licet, and other public institutions. In neariy all cases of sickness Thomson and Co's sodawater is held in high esteem by physicians for its purity and wnolesome action in assimilating with milk and other nutritious liquids Labelled with name and trade mark.—[Advt j '