THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 1896.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10618, 13 March 1896, Page 2

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 1896.

We dire not prepared to say that the Trustees of the Institution have acted wrongly in making requisition to the Charitable Aid Board for the flill sum recommended by their Finance Committee —viz., .£11,50.0. The. sum is almost appallingly large, considering that ill 1892 the requisition only amounted to .£BSOO, but it cannot be said that the trustees are to blame. When we remember the circumstances of last year—£ll,ooo being spent by the trustee^ over and above the largesum subscribed by the citizens and subsidised by the Government —we feel bound to say that there will be nO ground for dissatisfaction if the present requisition prove adequate for the demands of the year. No ground, that is, for special dissatisfaction under the circumstances: ground for general dissatisfaction with the Bystfem and the whole state ojl matters therfe assuredly is. Mr Soiomon thinks that the ratio of allowances might be -reduced, but there is no evidence to warrant us in recommending siich an invidious course. Time after time the chairman and other trustees hav6 given assurances that the allowance's are restricted to the lowest possible figure, and oh Wednesday Mr Green remarked th^t "oftentimes they were so economical that he wondered _ how these ;people lived On the dole they got." The disquieting fact is, not that the allowances are excessive;'but that the number of applicants increases year by year. According to Mr Bbidgman, " poverty is increasing every day, and every individual is getting poorer every day," and allowing for exaggeration wis fear that there is too much truth in the statement. A suggestive comment, surely, on the periodical boasts of the Premier regarding 'the happiness and prosperity that the Government and its policy have conferred upon the country! Moreover, as Mr Green pointed out, many of the ratepapers are as much to be pitied as the avowed paupers :" A further source of wonder to him was how some of the people managed to contribute their charitable aid rate. In the part oE-the country lie represented he knew of several cases where families had to reduce their cattle in order to pay this rate. The system was a bad one, but it was difficult to know how to devise another. One thing was certain, - that the couritry settlers could not^ bear the burden, and the quicker the matter' iwaa brought to a head, and'

another system tried the bettor." It ;is sincerely to be trusted that Parliament will deal with the question in a serious and practical spirit during the coming session. The existing system has proved a dismal failure; it is hardly too much to say that nothing could be worse. It is out of the question that these large annual increases of expenditure should be tolerated much longer, and yet there is not the slightest prospect of improvement -without a change of principle. Pauperism is being encouraged by the system— that is the long and the short of the matter, —and something must be done to reduce the number of applicants for charitable aid, and, if possible, to readjust the burden of taxation. As for the present year, we repeat that the trustees have only done what they seemed obliged to do. The citizens cannot be expected to renew'the exceptional effort of last winter; in many cases it -would be quite impossible to repeat it, and we are not sure that such a repetition -would be wise, even if it were possible. In view of last year's experience, and in the lack of any prospect of outside help, it would hardly have been possible for the trustees to ask for less than £11,500, especially as they have no legal right to incur an overdraft. At the same time, though we do not disapprove of the amount of the requisition and cannot say that there has been or is likely to be any extravagance in administering the funds, we may take the opportunity of impressing upon the trustees tHe imperative need of vigilance and economy. If any portion of the £11,500 can possibly be saved, saved it must be. Mr Hayses remarked on Wednesday : " It does not follow if we got. £20,000 that we Should spend more than ia necessary." Still the temptation to- unjustifiable liberality might be increased by the possession of more than was absolutely necessary, and beyond the demands of absolute J necessity the trustees must not think of going. Their task is not of an enviable nature, and no one can offer them counsel without being constrained at the same time to offer them -sympathy.

In his speech to his constituents at | Caversham on Tuesday Mr Morrison alluded good humouredly to the charge of crudity which has more than once been brought against him in respect of his political views. To forestall your critics is ' perhaps to weaken their criticism, but anyhow the,truth is that ■Mr Morrison's crudity remains as conspicuous as ■ ever. Not that there was a bad tone about his speech, however : he spoke in a seemly enough fashion, and if he was a little dull he was not violent. We should be inclined to say, without offence, that his faults were of the head rather than the will. And really he set himself a terribly difficult task. He is avowedly a party man—a faithful Ministerialist, —and thus he felt called upon to defend the Ministerial policy. To make black appear wliite is a trying, not to say impossible, feat: and perhaps Mr Morrison did not fail more conspicuously than some of. his comrades under similar circumstances. To demonstrate the genuine character of Mr Ward's last "surplus," to justify the Ministerial treatment of the sinking funds, to make out that the Treasurer neither offended with his tongue in London nor mismanaged the tariff business in the House of Eepresentatives — these are the hopeless tasks to which the constant Ministerialist has to turn his mind. The maiden in the old story, who was set to spin straw into gold, was aided by fairjr powers, but who shall help the desperate "Liberal" to whitewash his parliamentary leaders ? If we do not follow Mr Morrison through his various subjects, it is because each of them has been treated in detail by us more than once—in some cases again arid again,—and no new argument .was advanced on Tuesday night. A word may be said concerning Mr Morrison's treatment of the licensing question. One of his illustrations was strangely infelicitous. "On the licensing question he* entirely approved of the proposal to deal with Bellamy's by a vote of the members of both Houses, to be taken at the beginning of each Parliaihent—a bare majority to decide. The House by affirming that had done a good deal to destroy thecontention that the drink traffic should be regulated by a three-fifths majority, ahd to be consistent Parliament must allow a majority to decide the licensing question." But surely the closing of Bellamy's would be a case of reduction, not of prohibition. There would be a license less in Wellington, but our thirsty legislators would still be able to get their beer or whisky at the expense of a little exercise. Parliament allows the electors to effect reduction by a bare majority, and treats itself in the same way. Mr Morrison is, as we have said, avowedly a partisan—to use his own words, " a party man, elected on party lines." He got a vote of confidence from the 140 or so persons assembled on Tuesday night, but it may be that his boast of partisanship will hardly serve him in good stead at the end of the year. Day by day the anti-party movement is advancing, and We should be sorry to think that the electors of Caversham had no share in it.

With reference to the statements current that there were deficit* in connection with the accounts of the secretary of the Otago distriot M.U.1.0.0.F., we have the very best authority for stating that the rumour has beion proved groundless, the übusl annual audit which took place this week quite exonerating him from all blame in this respect. *'

The meeting of the Harbour Board was held yesterday afternoon, and the ordinary business transacted, correspondence and reports being dealt with. Committees were appointed for the ensuing .year, and the board then went into committee to oonsider special reports on the electrical lighting plant and the new pumping machinery.' The machinery placed on' the dredge was reported to be working satisfactorily, and to be removing 300 tons of solid matter per hour. Captain M'Kinnon and Mr J. Thomson, tho new members, took thoir seats at the board for the first time yesterday. .

At a speoial meeting of the committee of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday it was resolved that the following telegram be forwarded to the Commissioner of Taxes:—" The committee of this Chamber urge the impropriety of atbitcarily assessing profit oo consignments at 7£ per cent, for purposes of income tax. The fact is that consignments very rarely leave auy profit beyond the merchant's commission, which is already taxed as part of hiß income. A similar policy on the part of tho British Government would be ruinous to tbe New Zealand export trade."

The name of Marion M. Donaldson, one of Signor Squirise's pupils, was inadvertently omitted from the list of those who had secured a pass certificate in the Trinity College instrumental music examinations.

We learn from Mr Farnie, the agent of the Labour department, that it is not correct, as stated by Mr Green and reported in onr issue of yesterday, that the wives of the working men employed by Government were supported by the trustees of the Benevolent Institution. In support of this he states that a few months ago he called upon the seoretary of the trustees in reference to a report of a similar nature, wheu it was found that there was only one family assisted by the trustees, and they were to be put off the books tho following week.

Mr Paulin's forecast at 7.15 last evening was: "Light to moderate S.W. to S.B. to N.B. winds, and flne for about 21 hours ; barometer | unsteady."

District Judge Ward has been appointed by the Government to conduct tho inquiry into the circumstances connected with the suicide of Mr Macalister at Ashburn Hall.

We understand that the district where the pulsion wheel was recently erectod, near Otakia, has been declared a drainage distriot.

Mr J. P. Maitland, commissioner of Crbwn lands, is at present on a visit to North Otago. The Oamaru Mail learns from him that it is intended, if possible, to ballot for sections in the Ardgowan estate in May, and to give possession about June 1, in order that the successful applicants may have an opportunity to plough the land during tho winter should the weather prove favourable for the work. The sections have been laid off in accordance with the advice given by Mr T. Duncan, M.H.R., and the areas will range from 10 to 200 acres, while the rougher part of the land will, of course, be let in larger blocks. The subdivision of the estate is about completed, and the pre. paration of the necessary plans will be put in hand without delay.

The Union Company's steamer Brunner yesterday conveyed the inmates of the Benevolent Institution to the heads on their annual excursion. The party included, besides a large number of tho inmates, 36 boys from the Industrial School, and the following trustees : — Messrs R. Chißholm, C. Haynes, J. Green, C. Allan, and A. Solomon. The officers of the steamer and the trustees did what they could to make the excursionists enjoy themselves, and in this they were thoroughly successful. The pleasure of tha trip was considerably enhanced by the presence of the school bind, who played a number of selections at intervals during the day.

The Lyttelton Times has received a legal opinion that the conviction of Dr de Renzi for assault will not entail his removal from the medical register. It is quite true that "The Medical Registration Act 1669 '■'. provides that any practitioner convicted of a misdemeanour shall be struck" off the register, but since that measure was placed on the Statute Book the meaning of the word "misdemeanour" has been extended by the Criminal Code Act to embrace all offences. It is a ruling interpretation that a penal act cannot be extended to embrace offences subsequently created unless provision io made for bringing them within its operation. This means, in plain language, that if a common assault was not a misdemeanour contemplated by the Medical Registration Act 27 years ago, it cannot be mado a misdemeanour now. If it could, the position of the medical practitioner would be a very precarious one. If he even placed his hands upon the shoulders of another person without consent he would bs guilty of a technical assault and a misdemeanour entailing the removal of his name from the register. ' I

At tha Port Chalmera Police Court yesterday forenoon John Morrison for drunkenness was convicted and discharged. Mr J. MorgaD, J.P., presided.

Startling news (writes a contemporary) comes from the United States with reference to Japanese competition. Mr Stewart told the Senate recently there were agents from the Land of the Rising Sun in the States offering for sale bicycles, watches, doors, window sashes, cooperage, hats, gloves, and other wearing apparel 50 per cent, helow the price of the same articles made in tha United States. - If all this be true, it looks as if the expectation of competition from cheap Asiatic labour in the trade of the world was to be realised sooner and more keenly than any of us expeetsd. If the Japanese, with their fine faculty for imitation and their wonderful cleverness in detail, begin to make bicycles for exportation, it is very evident that they are equal to competing with the white men in all sorts of skilled industry.

There are some interesting figures (says the Home News) showing the drink bills of tbe different Australian colonies in the National Temperance League's Annual—a valuable storehouse of facts on the temperance question— just issued. In 1891 New South Wales spent £4,061,921 in intoxicating liquor, Victoria £3,759,181, and- New Zealand £2,081,710. For the purposes of comparison the annual expenditure on drink per head of the population in the United Kingdom and the colonies is appended :—Queensland, £1 17s 6d ; United Kingdom, £3 12s 3d; New South Wales, £3 5s 8d ; Victoria, £3 Is; New Zealand, £2 17s 2d per head. New Zealand is not only more sober now than at any other period, but is also one of the most sober countries in the world. ,

Commenting on the French population statistics for 1891, just published, the Pall Mall Gazette says :—" There were 39,768 more births than deaths—a figure which has not been topped in Franco since 1869. Unfortunately, the births, compared with 1893, show a falling off of 19,281. The bilance on the right side is brought about by a more than corresponding decrease in the deaths ; 51,906 fewer people died in 1891 than in the preceding year. This method of increasing population is not very satisfactory, excepting indeed to the 51,906 people who did not die. The figures of previous years, during which the mortality remained fairly constant, do not encourage the hope that the death rate may be kept down to the present level permanently. Marriages, moreover, have fallen off to this tune of 632. The principle of 'Divorcons,' too, seems to meet with increasiog public favour, as 235 more couples were legally severed than in the previous year. The net reßult of the whole movement is an increase of population to the extent of 1 in 1000. Unluckily you can't do very much colonising on decimal 1 per cent."

According to the annual report of the trustees of the Public Library of New South Wales, the number of country libraries applying for the loan of boxes of books has increased from 81 in 1891 to 91 last jear; and 164 boxes, containing 12,893 volumes, have been sent ont, as against 155 boxes, with 12,380 volumes. The trustees have expended over £1200 already in connection with the supply of books to such libraries. Byron's comedy " Old Soldiers," which is to be produced at the City Hall on Saturday evening for the benefit of Mr J. Manville, ,is now being actively rehearsed, and a satisfactory representation is expected. A number of tickets have been sold, and a large attendance is anticipated.

The second entertainment by Professor and Madame Davis, the expbsers of spiritistic manifestations, was given in the Princess Theatre last evening. The programme was to some extent the s&mo as on the opening night, bnt a ' number of new items were introduced. Professor Davis performed a number of exceedingly clever and highly amusing conjuring tricks. Then the cabinet seance, with materialisations and exhibition of "spooks," followed, and was completely successful. The spirit writing and other manifestations were equally good, and the psychomancy of Madame Stella Davis fairly astonished the audience. That the entertainment was satisfactory was evidenced by tho attention, laughter, and applause of the audience. Another similar performance will be given this evening.

Mdlle. Trebelli, ths famous vocalist, who will give her opening concert in Dunedin on Wednesday "next, arrived by the Rotomahana yesterday.

" The Land of the Moa " is bjing produced in Melbourne with the author, Mr George Leitch, sustaining the principal comedy part.

'All claims against the barque Helen Denny are to be sent to Dalgety and 00. (Limited) before noon to-day. The annual meeting of the Boslyn Association Football Club will be held (o-night. Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co. will sell horses from Lake Wanaka on Saturday. Offers for the lease of the Queen's Hotel. Oamaru. will he received vii ta the 01th 'mat

Mr W. A. Walton will sell freehold properties ou Friday, March 29, Mr A. Morrison will address the Roslyn electors to-night. The banks will be closed on Tuesday next. ,-' The annual meeting of the Pirates Football Clnb will be held this evening. The Borough'of North-East Valley valuation lists are open for inspection,

The dates on which the Assessment Courts for the various suburban boroughs will sit are advertised elsewhere. . Messrs James Snmson and Co. will sell property in the township of Moeraki on Saturday. Mr C. Taylor, of the firm of Taylor and Sons, Christchurch and Napier, is opeuing,a branch of the firm's business as dyers, i-c. in Duneilin. Mr Taylor has long been a member of the Napier City Band. , .. ■

Professor Bickerton, of Chriatchurch,' professor of chemistry and Colonial analyst, says Loasbv's "Wahoo" is purely herbal. Sufferers from indigestion unanimously vote it the only., specific remedy for that trouble. 2s 6d ; all chemists and grocers.—Advt.

John Hisi.or, Watch maker aud 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.]. , Carter and Co. are now making their first autumn show. Large shipment just arrived ex Aorangi. Novelties in all departments. Prices strictly moderate. See Carter's windows.—Advt,

In Mollison and Co.'s advertisement it will be noticed that their first display of this season's autumn and winter goods will he on Tuesday, 10th March, and following days. Lady customers are specially invited.—Advt.

jVlesurs Kidd and Co., surgical and mechanical dentists, notifythat they have commenced business opposite Cargill's Monument, Princes st.— [Advt. jjtes»rs A. and J. M'Faki.aku beg to call attention to their advertisement over the leader. Any orders entrusted to them will receive the best attrition. —rAi>vr.l Xmas and New Year Presents.—Three shipments opened this month. Stock full in all departments with .latest novelties.—G. and T. "Young, direct importers, 88 l'rinces street.—Advt.

Who is Peter Dick i— The most reliable Watchmaker, Moray place, Duuedin (opp. Coffee Palace). Watches cleaned, 5s [mainsprings, 4s 6d.—Advt.