CURRENT TOPICS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10630, 23 October 1896, Page 2

CURRENT TOPICS.

Now that the scare has been allayed, it ie opportune to discuss the cireum-NOBTH-BAST stances which c.ime before tha valley. North-East Valley Borough

Council on Friday evening. It appears to ba the ple&siDg custom of some oE the residents of the Valle7 to bary dead animals within a few inches of the surface of the soil, and that without using any means to prevent the danger which must arise from decomposition. Several such cases were reported to the council on Friday evening, and simultaneously it was reported that several cases of scarlsis fever had occurred, while it is well known that diphtheria has reaently carried off several children. JudgiDg from what the report of the meeting Bays, and surmising from what it merely refers to, it *is evident that sanitary matters in tho borough are in such a condition as would disgrace a kraal in Central Africa. A dead horse lying in a watercourse, several deftd animals, lying apparently unburied at Signal Hill, a section in a condition dangerous to health from want of drainage, vrater tables and gutters in such a condition as to be a -public nuisance, premises not provided with privy accommodation, make a formidable list of crimes against sanitary laws for a borough which contains"* population of only 3374 persons. There is no by-law, it seems, to compel people to remember that they are in a civilised community, and the Police Offences Act does not appear to meet the case. Yet the council did not seem greatly put oat about it. It would bo interesting to learn who dratted the by-laws, and how it comes that successive councils have neglected to provide for one of the most elementary things which induce-men to eeek and obtain local govorn.jnenfc.

A concerted attack has besn made on the City Council by those who reserves, desire the improvement of two of the city reserves, and their advahoes were received in such a friendly manner as to give reason for hope that the small favour they ask will be granted and perhaps furthered. The Soulh End claimants aok for permission to reclaim the Oval and have exclusivo possession of it for such games as cricket and foobball for a number of years. There should be no difficulty about granting this, provided tho absolute right of the citizens td the use of it bo preserved. The publio would loec nothing, because nobody uses the Oval itself as a place of recrpfttiou. The surrounding " gardens " are quite sufficient. The North End people want the council to close the side gatso to thereserva and give an association permissioa to charge for { admission on 10 days iv the year, and they will plant and otherwise improve the ground. The residents roundabout have agreed to the closing of tho openings, and if only this is carried out the tracks which intersect the reserve in all directions -will cease to ba a I nuisance to cricketers and others; and the public will not bo inconvenienced. They might even have boldly asked the council for a lease of the inner portion of the reserve, as was formerly suggested. This an open interpretation of the act of 1885 would probably permit.

The case of a teacher who was at Wednesday's mcetiag of the Education Board teachers charged with having madeoffenand eive references to a private rnoEißiTiON. family during &n address on prohibition is pregnant with warning to all persons who are liabla to get a "beeinthoir bonnet." It is only fair to say that the teacher complained of made a genoral and specific denial of the charge. No one pretends that a teacher has lost his civil rights, but there aye well recognised limits that do discreet teacher will overstep. It is not so very long since that this teacher was engaged in a public controversy witli Mr T. Mackenzie, which could not but have had aa injurious result upon the teacher's work and influence. It cannot bo supposed that all the parents in. I the disttict think the teacher justified in his I extreme views, and no public servant; has auy j right to use his position for the purpose of '■ offending all who do noi think as he thinks. The Education Board can only look at the matter from an educational point of view, and if a teacher's actions seem likely to interfere with the proper diccharge of his duties the board has a perfect right to say that they shall be discontinued.

A Queensland official has been inquiring into the system of higher education I higher in Syduey, and spsaks highly of j education, tile training, but brjs that & great number of locally reared undergraduates are quite unable to find congenial employment. From this we conclude that "there is a tendency to form a clans mentally disqualified to earn their living under present, condition*), and that will produce a State danger, and a large uneducated proletariat." That ia to say, We presume, people will sea higher education brings no "bread and butter," and will cease to desire it. Such a view ia a narrow and one-sided one. If the effsc!; of a higher I education is simply to make one unfit for and discontented with the common affairs of life, education has simply been thrown away upon him, and it were batter that he had remained on uneducated clod. The person who looks upon a higher education as a means to an easy livelihood has never beea educated at all in the proper sense of the term. We fear, however, that the "bread and butter" view ot higher education i 9 very common, and thit a great many would consider it an enormous hardship were a graduate to be compelled to hold a plough or chop wood. Aad yet he would probably hold a. plough and chop wood better than the man without education, while there | conld be no comparison »a to mental re- | source. No doubt higher education at pre- | sent costs a good deal of monsy, which is i probably why so msny regard; it as an invesfc- ! meat, bat it is gr*dualiy being oheapsnad; and I who knows ? Some day we may sse not an uneducated but aa educated proletariat. In that day the political carpst-baggor will have been swept to the limbo of anachronisms.

Spanish newspapers, we are told, are protesting against the " odioas fiction" America of neutrality adopted by tha akd United Stite3 with regavd to ! cunA. Cuba, aud contend that.Americans aro really comiiviag at filibustering. We are further told that General Wejler, who attempted to detain a vesiol which contained a passsnger who had no doubt broken the !»w of neutrality, was mos with a threat that Havana* would be bombarded, and was compelled to give way. No donbt this was humiliating to tho Spanish commander, and it is an illustration of the contempt with which America treats Spain. Had General Weyler a strong Power at hi 9 back he would probably have blown the vessel out of the water rather than be disobsyed. But, representing ouly poor Spain, he must eudure these floats. No doubt the vitality of the Cuban insurrection is maintained by American supplies. The market for weapons and provisions and clothes is too profitable and too near America to bs neglected. Certainly injury is being done by assisting an insurrection which can never succeed. Misgoverned as Cuba has been it is just as well that it should not succeed. The Spanish rale has not been beneficent; anarchy would ensue from a Cuban victory, and the " pearl of the Antilles " would ptobsbly drop like a ripe plum into the mouth of the first claimant. America received a large sum from England by arbitration for help rendered to the Confederates, It may be that America will yafc have to pay Spain for prolonging the Cuban insurrection.

At Wednesday's meeting of the City Council a ktter was received from Mr A. J. Park, solicitor to the Dunedin and Kaikorai Tramway Company, stating that the amendments made by the council in the draft deed of delegation! Older -in - council, and application had been accapted by the company, who wonld lodge with the council the Bum cf £500 to cover the council's costs bbq outlay, as requested by the city solicitors, on the maturity of the company's dap'Jsit early in November. Mr Park trusted that this would be satisfactory to the council, and tfcat they would no»v authorise the insertion of the advertisement in tho newspaper?, as required by "Tho Tramways Act 1891" The letter was referred to the General Committee to act. \

Mr Paulin supplied the following forecast ab il o'clock Josi night:—" Subsidiary electrical disturbances will occur over all stations to the eastward of 168d?g E., and ail stations to tbe westward of tha above degree and to tha south o» 45deg 8. will be subject io heavy electrical rains witbin the next 16 hours. The winds will vary between N.B. and B.S E. and S."

"I have never during my W years' connection with the council teen the mayor tackled and insulted as he has been to-night," said Cr Cole at last night's meeting of the Caversham Council, and Cr Rutherford followed by remarking that daring bi6 20 years' experience as a member he had never seen councillors bo fightable. The trouble arose in connection with the report of tba Works Committee recommending that the footpath in the upper part of Forbury road be asphalted, at a cost of £25. Au explanation was being made by the mayor, which Cr Young characterised ag untrue, a remark he declined to withdraw. Cr Hancock followed this up by asserting that in moving to have a few paltry loads of stone spread ou a footpath at St. Clair, "tha mayor- ought to be ashamed of himself." Tho proceedings, usually of the most staid and serious nature, were quite disorderly for a few minutes. Eventually apologies were tendered and accepted and tho business proceeded. From what can be gathered it appears the ratepayers at St. Clair believe their portion of the district is not receiving fair play in the matter of expenditure, while councillors representing other wards contend that an undue proportion of the revenue is fiudiue its wayto St. Clai>--

A raeetiDg of tXi tho organisations of young people, Sunday school teachers, &c, within the bounds of the Dunedin Presbjtery was held in First Church last night. The meeting was promoted by the- presbytery with the object of creating ah onthusinsm for Christian work and a feeling of loyalty to the church of which those prcssnt were members. There was a very large gathering upon the occasion, the church being crowded. The following members of the presbytery were in attendance:—Tho Revs. J. Gibb, D. Dutton, A. Cameron, E. C. Tennant, J. Kirkland, J. M. M'Kerrow, W. 11. Ash, I. K. M'lutyre, W. Hewitson, I. Jolly, Rutherford Waddell, and 11. J. Porter. Addresses were given by the Rove. J. M. M'Kerrow; B. C. Tenhant, and J. Qibb. Mr A., Ross sang "AVhen night is darkest," and Miss Slew»rt " Angels ever bright and fair." Th» chnirclso rendered two or three anthems; and during an interval in Ihs proceedings refreshments were handed round to all present.

A meeting under the auspices of the Public Schools Religious Education League of the Diocsse of Ihlnedin was held at Bt. Martin's Schoolroom; Norfch-Eitet Valley, on Wednesdey evening. Canon Richards presided and introduced Mr Murray Aston, the secretary of the league, who read a paper on the subject, A branch of the league was formed, aud Messrs Wright and Milward and Meadames Murray and Jones were elected as provisional committee. The weather being inclement, the attendance was small; aHd another meeting was arranged for the 16th prox. The chairman having answered several questions, a vote of thanka was earned without dissent to the lecturer;

A large number of the friends of Mr1 T. Mackouzio, M.H.R , assembled at the railway Btatiou yesterday morning to bid him good-bye, and as tha northern express train moved off he was heartily cheered. Regarding the reported death of Comtsble Murdoch in an encounter with the Mat&beles, his brother in InvercorgiU cabled for particulars, aud received a reply that the story was untrue. During the summer months 100 persona hnve boen daily employed at ther Salvation Army's farm colony, Hadleigb, Essqr, in fruit gathering. The following quantities have been gathered and sent to market:—-About 24 tons of strawberries, 10 tons of raspberries, 15 tons of black currants, 4J tons of red currants, and 6 tons of gooseberries ; — total, 59£ fans—

i realising £1351. This is an increase of niue tons over the previous year's produce, and ot £260 iv the value of tha froit sold.

A lecture on the subject of " Pgyehism and Spiritualism" wes delivered by Bliss Lillian Edgcr, M.A., T.F.S., in the Oddfellows' Hall, Stuerfc street;, last night;, before a rather limited audience. Mr Richardson occupied the chair and briefly introduced the leefcuress, who started by explaining that phe used the word psychiem in a more extended sense than the literal one.

; She proceeded to refer to physical matter as represented in solid, liqnid, and gaseous form. In pcience they always took the beat hypothesiej aud the best hypothesis they could take wss the phenomena which passed ender their immediate notice. If fcbey studied nature the nutuber seven j occurred again and again, snd by analogy they j had ssjven plants. The highest was the spiritual, Bed there were also the astral and the physical planes. In support if » statement that the astral power wss developed ia some, Mies 1 Edger pointed to the existence of thought ! transference, clairvoyance, &c. The development of the astral powers or senses, as a rule, involved a tendency to passivity or negativeness, and what was wanted was that they should.strengthen their will in order that they might be better fitted to distinguish right from wrong.

" That ia a brave little girl," was the comment of the Wellington Benevolent Trustees on Monday (cays the New Zealand Times) as a young girl, a mere child, walked out of the room after appealing to the trustees for help to send her two young brothers and a sister to relatives in Melbourne. " Yes, 8 brave little girl, and the father ought to be flogged," was added emphatically. According to statements at Hie meeting, the father has been earning 8a a day for some tima past and spending it ia driek, and he joined a club lioi long since so as to get his drink cheaper. Meanwhile, this dslieata-lookiDg girl, who wore a forbiddißg-lookiDg patch telling of an operation under which she had lost one oE her eyes, has had to work to keep her younger brothers and sister together. Their mother died about 18 months ago. The ttuateeß resolved to Bend the younger children to Melbourne by the first steamer.

The factious spirit that has bsen displayed by thft followers of the prophets To Whiti and Tohu for some time post has led (cays the Tsrounki Herald) to & dispute over 100 acres of lnnd near the beach at Pihaeia. Last year the followers of Ta Whiti iv that district planted the section with potatoes, aud the land abouS the time waß awarded to Natives, followers of Tohii. The latter allowed the Te Whifci-ites to teke Ih'a potatoes out of the ground, and this year they have beea preparing the ground for crops. Early on Sunday morning a party of Ts Wfliti-itcs ara reported to have gone to the paddock, taken the gates off, and entered on the land. Two of the owners, Tohnites, went to Obnnake for Consfcabio Twomsy, in order to have the intruders turned off the land.

In reference to the Spe&kcrship of the House ot Representatives (s&ys the correspondent of the Lyttelton Times) there is some speculation in consequence of tha determination of Sir Maurice O'Eorke cot to seek re-election. In the Opposition circlas the idea is that Captain Russell has moro of tha necessary qualities thau auy other man likely to be returned. They talk much of his dignity, firmness, courtesy, fairness, and tact. He was once the nominee of his party for the Speakerahip, and they point out tha's the regret at his defeat on that occasion spread »ftervT»rds to the Government side. It is hinted in the street that Sir Maurice should be called to the Upper Home. There will he a vacancy in the chair of tha Council, you know, as by the set of 1891 the Spettkership was mado elective »nd to be held for Sva years. Tho first election undar the act took place in July 1892 i after Sir H. Atkinson's death, when Mr Milter was elected. There will consequently be another election in July. But sll this is, of course, mere gossip.

The St. Petersburg correspondent of the Daily News sends an account of a new subi marine boat which is approaching completion at Ci'ODßtadt and will soon be put to its triaU. The boat is to be driven by electricity, supplied by accumulators sufficient to lust for a two hours' run, and is to have » spaed of 10 knots an hour. It is adapted for travelling along the surface of the wnter, and for submerging itself to a depth of not more than 7ft, by the aid of horizontal rudders. Its use is to approach sufficiently near to the enemy's vessels to effectively launch the torpedoes which it carries without on eithir side. The boat is 19fs in length and ona ton in weight, and is therefore adapted for being carried by largo war vessels. Its mechanism is said to be to simple that a man may easily drive it siagk-handed without any special tr&iniDg.