THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1896.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10562, 8 January 1896, Page 2

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1896.

The appointment of the Hon. W. P. Ebeyes as Agent-general does not come as a surprise to the community. For many weeks it; has been freely predicted that the1 Minister for Labour would be Sir WesTßy PBRCEVAi's successor, and though fW people have ventured to declare that the appointment would be an eminently suitable one, it cannot be said that any strong opposition has1 been shown. As a matter of fact, there •is a certain amount of cause for relief that someone or 6ther of a nnich less fitting character has not been chosen. Mr SBDtitw. j arid his colleagues have no exaltsd ideals in the matter of appointments to public position's^ whether high ov low; they merely have a roush and ready wav of findins

a billet for somebody that they wish to provide for. This appointment to the Agent-generalship is one of, their least objectionable selections, even thdugh we are obliged to add that Mr Beeves has no special qualifications to speak of for the post. His knowledge of public finance is probably no greater than what may be obtained by cramming up for the purposes of a financial debate. On the other hand, lie is a man of reading and culture, arid his literary ability will • doubtless be used, on occasions, to the' advantage of the colony. He is distinctly above the average as a public speaker; he is an eager, if not profound, political student; and he can hold his own in argument or debate. Moreover, he is acquainted with the conditions of the colony, and— perhaps "-too intimately—with the policy of the Government; and if he works hard, seeks good advice; eschews sarcasm, and takes pains to make himself pleasant, there is no reason why he should not, from many points, of view, make a passable Agent-general. To say more would be to express a confidence which we do not feel, and •which, to tell the truth, circumstances do not justify." ■

Nor is it possible ■; for 113 to wax enthusiastic in glancing back over Mr Kbbves's career as a 'Minister. Having criticised him pretty freely for five years, we shall certainly not make a show of withdrawing our animadversions for the sake of farewell compliment. As Minister for Labour he has done some good things—the Conciliation and Arbitration Act being one of them, —but we have disapproved of the majority of his many proposals, and we. have had and have no confidence in the general princij>les and tendencies of his' policy. His sincerity need not be questioned, though we cannot help thinking that he has often been led away by the love of posing as the champion of the masses. On the other hand, he has earned general praise as Minister for Education—a post for which he is admirably suited by temperament and acquirements. Undoubtedly he lias been a great strength to the Ministry in debate. At times, indeed, he was exceedingly effective, despite the bitterness, superficiality, and mere flashiness which too often tended to spoil his speeches. Time will show whether his withdrawal be a source of weakness to the Ministry, but as a man of culture and reading he will be missed, if not mourned,, in a Cabinet where culture and reading are not held in much account, lie has certainly been interesting as a politician, and his career as representative of the colony in London will be attentively watched by the .people of Jvew Zealand. We wish him a happy and useful time.

Lord Salisbury's speech at the Guildhall on Lord Mayor's Day was almost entirely devoted to foreign affairs. The preliminary reference to the result of the general election was .retry brief. The nation had spoken in unmistakable terms in regard to the integrity of the Empire, while the position of the House of Lords in the Constitution had been more exactly defined. Having claimed somitch, thespeaker reminded liis audience that he was Foreign Secretary as well as Prime Minister, and passed on to discuss two external matters of current interest. -First, there was the question of the Ear East, and it may be remembered that Lord Mayor's Day followed close upon the sensational report' concerning commercial arrangements between Russia and China. Lord Salisbury, referred contemptuously, to this "false news," and assured his hearers that there was not the slightest cause for alarm; but it is worth noticing that The Tiinbs thinks that the Prime Minister is. inclined to underrate the importance of recent events in the Far East. British prestige, according to The Times, has suffered from the consequences of tlie late war, while British commercial interests have been seriously threatened, and the Minister " somewhat fails' to appreciate the rapidity with which irrevocable everits are moving in that distant region." Still, nothing more has been heard 6f the objectionable treaty.

Two-thirds of Lord Salisbury's speech, were devoted to the subject of Armenia, and nobody, save the Sultan, could complain of the manner in which the question was treated: But it was neai-ly two months ago that the speech was delivered, and our cablegrams are even now telling of further atrocities. Lord Salisbury -pointed out that the demands of the three Powers had been nominally granted by the' Sultan—viz., that a proportional number of Christian employees should be added to the administration ?in provinces where there were large numbers of Armenians. For his own part he would have preferred a variation of this demand : that the present Mohammedan machinery should go on and should be supervised by a mixed commission; Lord Salisbury, remembers— what too many people forget—that help afforded to the Armenian Christiana must hot take the form" of an antiMohammedan crusade. Special attention may be drawn to his words on this point: "Nbw the reason why I preferred to get rid of the proposal that we should substitute Christian for Moslem officers is that I have a great horror of the Powers of Europe appearing in those countries as the partisans of one religion rather than of the other. It is exceedingly dangerous. Of course we all of us have our own beliefs, but; governing a vast empire like that which exists under tho Queen, we have no other duty than that of absolute impartiality." And the Minister went on to remark that the Queen was mistress of more Mohammedans than the Sultan of Turkey, and tliat those Mohammedan subjects were among the most loyal and most orderly.

Tlie Sultan had nominally granted the demands of the Powers : did he intend to carrj out the reforms ? Lord SaJiISBUet was bound to confess that the news from Constantinople was not reassuring, and the events of the last few weeks show that he did well to be doubtful; But he spoke in exceedingly strong and suggestive terms (which were auofced in our issue of Monday), and it is Very disappointing that their immediate result should have been so unsatisfactory. Lord SAtisßUiiY expressed his conviction that the concert of the' Powers in regard to this, question would remain complete, but there is reason to< fetfr that his expectation has not been altogether fulfilled. There are indications of apathy on the part of Russia, one of the three Powers that have specially concerned themselves with the _ cause of the u.er-

secuted subjects of the Sultan; and' nowadays France is only too apt to follow the lead of Eussia. The Standard " hints at a Kusso-Turkish , treaty," and " the Sultan has sont tho ; Czar a, number of handsome presents." Lord Kosebery, as leader of the Opposition, ha.s issued a manifesto, in which, while declaring, that the Armenian situation calls for vengeance,; he admits that "Lord Salisbury's want of success in grappling with the question is due, doubtless, to unknown obstacles, and perhaps .to fear of the t outbreak of a great European war." Meanwhile, it is not jileasant to reflect that the Treaty of Berlin made pro^ vision for the proper government of the Sultan's Armenian subjects, and that now, after the lapse of 17 year-:, the Sultan continues to thwart the expressed will of the European Powers and to outrage tho conscience of humanity.

An electrical disturbance about Nelson and Wellington caused an interruption of telegraphic communication last evening for sonn time. Mr PauHd's forecast at 8.15 last evening was:— •' Light to moderate N.S. to N.W. tu S.W. winds and electrical rain ehowers, indications stormy ; barometer unsteady." A Penmaala correspondent writes that Ino severe tfcuaderstormß which passed over the district en Friday and Sunday-last did oouBidereMe damage to the nncut hay crop; which, was laid flat. The hailstones also cub the leaves of the turnip crops. About 11 o'clock last night a man reported to the police constable at Rcslyn that he had sf.en the dead body of a man on Flagste-ff. The body was quite cold, and he had not disturbed it. As it was too late to do anything when the matter was reported, a mounted countable will be despatched at daylight this morniDg to make investigations. The output of coal by the Westport Coal Company (Limited) for the year ending 31-it ! December 1895 was 183,488 tons. I The third prize in the chess tournament at Wanganui has been awarded to Mr Hookham, who tied with Mr Barnes, of Wellington. Mr Meldrum, who won the championship; learned the game as a boy, but has not taken part iv match play until the formation of the Rangibikei Chess Club, some three years ago. Since then he has played for his club at almost all their matches, and generally with success. During the last two years he has held * the club championship, in both years winning without suffering a defeat. He imputes h',3 present success 11 avoiding practicing too much with opponents over the board; performing as practice tiie careful analysis of games by recognised tnasterj. Ths present ia his first try for championship honours. Mr Meldrum has for the past four years practised as a barrister and solicitor r.6 Hunterville.' Mr Pleasante, who takes ttw second prize, learned the movaa of the game about eight years ago, but did not take active interest in the cbess world until the last two years. Sinco then, however, he has played in the two previous champion tourneys, and improved his position every year. He was born in London, and is now 24 years of age. At the last ordinary meeting of the PottobelSo Road Board, at which Mr Dickson presided, Mr Binnie having explained that he had in no way eccrosched on Scott's road, the inspector was instructed to visit the place and report to the next meeting. Mr SeatJn moved—" That in future the board's meetings be held at Broad Bay." Mr Raynbird h?.ving presented a petition in favour of the motion, Mr Macandrew seconded it pro forma. On being put only the mover voted for the motion. The toll collector I reported hiving collected £13 lla for the j month. The inspector wa3 instructed to re- ! port on Mr A. Weir's claim for putting 30yos iat metal on the road leading to his property in •Craigleith. Accounts amounting to £54 14s !8d were passed for payment, and minor busintss transacted. A correspondent of the Wellington Poet has compiled the following statement of the number of itches in Hansard this year occupied by the speeches of the most prominent members on each side of the House :—On the Government side :Mr Seddon 4756 inchss, Mr Ward 3496, Mr J. M'Keuzia 1625, Mr Russell 1193, and MrHogg 816—or a total of 11,981 inches. On the Opposition side he gives: Captain Russel! 1610, Sir.ll.'Stoat 1918, Blr Buchanan 700, Mr Dath-e 112 i, and Mr Bell 694—0r a total of 6043 inches. The Hawke's Bay Herald publishei the following paragraph :—" Little has been heard of. our late bishop since he laid down the crbzier for the staff of the micsioaary iv Persia. But a lato number of the Church Missionary Gleaner gives us just a glimpsa of him, sufficient, however, to show that his surroundings are by no moans devoid of danger. He is at the head of a patty which includes several lady missionaries. Some months ago a woman named Julfa embrr.cad Christianity and was baptised. For thio she was repeatedly and severely beaten by her father and uncle, who threatened to kill her. At length her brother, who was a candidate for baptism, took her to the mi-siou station and plseed her in the care of one of the lady missionaries, Miss Bird. Then the head , men of the village demanded that she should be given up to her father. Bishop Stuart replied that sb.o was free to leave, bat she refused to go ! and he would not give her up, exespt at the dc- I mand of the British consul. An infuriated mob j surrounded1 the mission station, and ths acoount ] from which we quote saya thai had the bishop I kept the woman ' fchera is no doubt the house j would have been entered and the women killed.' | The British consul was awoy> an Armenian net- j ing as his substitute. He declared that Mi-3 lives of all the Europeans were in imminent danger, and as the bishop saw that the woman would certainly be liiurdered if he tried to protect her longer, he gave her up to the actingconsul. He in turn immediately handed ber over to the Persian authorities, under prornis > from the Governor that she would not be hurt." The Lake Ohau correspondent of the Oamara Mail states that the loss of sheep by the snow of last '.Tinter is proving in some cases even more ssrious than was anticipated. At Messrs Uicbtnend and Cowan's stations, Tekapo, only a few hundred sheep were mustered out of ] 20,000 aad 10,000 respestively turned out before winter, while tho CHenmore, Braeraa'r, and Balmoral stations also lose heavily. At ths Wold?, where sheaving is finished, two-thirds of the Sock are said to be missing. Most of the other stations have not yet finished their shearing. The Oamaru Mail reporta the death of Mr A. O. Lsng, late of Keirunga, Windsor. Mr Lang recently sold off his run with ths intention of leaving the colony in search of better health, ha having long been a Sufferer from consumption. Prior to his departure he went, for a change of akj on a visit to Castle Hill, Canterbury, where is death occurred. Before coming to North Otago ho resided in the Napior district, rthere he was associated with Messrs Murray, Koljcrts, and Co. He leaves a widow and one young son. He wss a brother to Mr Andrew Lang, the well-known author. A pyrotechnic display will ba given oh the Caledonian grounds this evening by Mr J. R. Scott. Arrangements have been made for a mote extensive display th»o was arranged for Saturday, and if the weather prove favourable there is likely to be a largo attendance. A fife : brigade competition will also take place, and a j promenade concert will be held. The members of the Diinedm Citizen's' Baud, with Signor Sqimrise at tbeir head, are going to I hoid an operatic carnival in Febroary next. I Many and different attractions will be provided in the shape of marches, dancing, &c; for which the services of Signbr Borzoni have fcoc n secured, but the piece de resistance of the affair witl he the playing by the band of a cbarjetfristic cotapositidn by Signor Squftrire, the tiMe fccifag '' The Battle of Sedan,". wbieu, when performed by his band in the Altert H»Il, on tho 22nd March 1888, in Adelaide, South Australia, roused the audience to enthusiasm, nud several soldiers, now residents in Adelaide, who tcok DCtive part in this battle congratulated the Signor on the realistic effects which he had ; .obtained. ■ &

Tb.B Very Key. Joha Sjanj S.J., .rector of Eiverview College, Sydney, is at present on a. visit to Dancdin. Hp. h to preach at St. Josaph's Cathedral this evening. '.'Blow for Blow" is in active rehearsal by the members pE the Rcscius Amateur Dramatic Society, under the direction of Mr Barris Marßohel. The comedy will ba prodncod at the Princess Theatre'on the24tt and 25tii inst., in aid of the funds of the hospital.