CURRENT TOPICS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11047, 26 February 1898, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

The disaster whioh befell the Hawke's Bay district in April.of last year is hawke's bat still vividly remembered. Not belief only was much property' dcfund. stroyed, but 10 gallant men

losfc their lives in attempting to rescue life. As soon as it became known, that distress was likely to ensue subscription lists were opened all over the colony, and a bandsome response was the result. The good that men do is not always iuterred with their hones, despite Shakespeare, and only the other day there was a local illustration of this, whea the Clutaa flood relief fund, raised in 1879, was found to be still available for eases of distress by flood. And the K&itangata. relief fund is another example. With respect to the Hawke's Bay fund, however, the money has all been used iv relief, though of course it has not been handed over in a lamp sum t? the recipients. We observe from the report sent to Mr G. L. Dennisfcon, treasurer of the local relief fund, that the applications for help represented 464 case?, setting down their total loss at £35,506, tha number of sufiarers being 19<V9 men, women, and children. First consideration was given to the women and children of those who lost their lives in going to tha rescue of others in danger. For the women life annuities of 12s a week were purchased, and for the children annuities of 5s per week until they reach the age of 16 years. For this purpose £6713 Is 8d was invested with the A.M.P. Society. la addition tc this £510 was expended in interim relief to the widows and children. There was then remaining the sum of £8870 10a, and tbe excu T tive, after much consideration and investigation, was enabled to allocate to each sufferer a sum equal to 10s in the pound in cash and stores on the assessed loso. The total sum received from all sources was £17,086 2s 3d, besides which clothing and produce received represented £405 15s 6d. After the final allocations had. been

made, including the sotting apart of £400 for the banefifc of a widow who is in the Porirua Asylum, there is a balance in hand of £200 3s lid, which is kept as a contingency fund in the names of the Mayor aud Borough Council of Napier, to b* dealt with by them in the event of any futnre flood catastrophe requiring financial assistance. The account of fcheir proceedings submitted by the executive ia a model of explioiinogs.

The collision \n Rsngitoto Channel between the s.e. Sfrlla and the bsrquentine stkixa and Waitemata was happily uawaitemata attended with lo>s of life, collision, thongk only the pipers ot- the

latter wero saved, and the Auckland press haji since been conjecturing what might have happened had the vessel struct by the Stella been a ferry boat crowded ■with passengers, or an intercolonial steamer coming in laden with precious cargo aud still more precious life. Under the chcutostances j detailed at the nautical inquiry, a steamer, especially at night, is a menace to the whole track iv which she is travelling, and canny will consider that the captain got off lightly by being merely deprived of. the opportunity of repeaiing the performance. If auy lives had been lost, the captain's position would have been much more serious. The risk was aggravated by the fact that the habits of the captain were known to his employers;. That is to say, he was cautioned about two years ago by a former employer for drinking. Mr Leyland, one of the directors of the company who own the SteJla, writing to We Herald, admits that after receiving the captain into his employment he mentioned the matter, and the captain assured him he had l( sworn off." Ha denies, however, that the captain's habits ware intemperate. Ifc was known that he was not au Abstainer, but he had not been seen at any time the worse for drink, and his employets had perfect confidence in him. Mr Leyland says : " Fortuitous circumstances, which can. now be explained, were operating that night, and I may fairly claim, in justice to myself, that the over-indulgence of Captain Ksunedy on this occasion was exceptional and not habitual." Unfortunately "fortuitous eircamstancss " operated bo that two of the crew, were intoxicated also, and, by still more evil hap, the duty of steering the vessel devolvsd upoa one i of these very men. Mr Leyland asks what j more he could have done. -He says : " Would you have asked me to have discharged a man for a fault committed nearly two years ago when ha was nob in our employ? Would you ask me to make it a sine qua. won that every m-in in our employ must ; ba a : teetotaller ?" To the latter question the answer is not easy. It may bs said, however, that a captain who has to take a vessel out of harbouc at midnight ought not to drink anything1 likely to briug about risk to the life and property under his charge. ,

When Mr Hindmarsh compared the tenuity of the 1897 volume of Statutes labour with the portly tome of 189£ to

and his audience at Wellington he law-making, was, perhaps unconsciously,

illustrating a law of which the democracy is discovering the truth. This law is that progress and prosperity dp not necessarily, folio?/ the making of laws. The P/emier thunders agaiDst t'ae Legislative Council for "retarding" legisliiMoa by rejecting Oid Age Pension and other Bills, whereas it is possible foat by so acting they have prevented the commission of an injury to the classes least able to endure it. The, number of laws afiacting the labourer passed in tha United States during the last 10 years is marvellous; yet the workman's paradise has not been gained. Mr. F. J. Sfcimson, a leading lawyar of: Boston, has made au exhaustive examination, into these laws for the "Atlantic Monthly." He finds that there is no class in the community so well organised, politically speaking, as"" thaji. of industrial labour, or that there is no large body of voters so ready to demand and-so able to effect legislation; for in the last1 ten years no fewer than 1639 laws affecting labour interests have been passed in the' States and Territories. Of these, however, 114 statutes have been declared unconstitutional; while of the .43 principles or lines, of action ia which legislation has been essayed the constitutionality; of no less than 23 is in doubfc. The difficulty is that1 ; such statutes are usually restrictive of liberty and mast be ..• ; rejected by the courts. The popular belief, carefully inculcated by law-makers and wouldibe lawmakers, is that a law can amend nature as well as human nature. No law ever yet put upon a statute book influenced public opinion, which must precede and not follow .legislation. When, therefore, Mr Hindrnsrsb pointed to the slender volume of Statutes, for 1897, the crowd should not have hooted Mr Seddon; they should have cheered the Opposition aud the Lagislative Council. No one can dogmatically gay that the rejected bills would have operated for che well-being of the community; all reasonable conclusions point in an opposite

direction,

Most ratepayers grumble when the demand for rates makes its appearance, and a strike yet however onerous they may against be no one thinks of fUtly. *etaxes. fusing to pay them. In British

countries rebellion against taxation takes constitutional forms instead of that form of direct, .violence employed by Wat Tyler against the poll tax collector. The aggrieved ratepayer seek* out another likeminded tohims«lf and they.conspire with others to oust the offending municipal {[representative, or perhaps, more ambitious, they endeavour to make a change in the personality of their parliamentary representative. But in some parts of tho world they are hot disposed to wait for the tardy opinion of the law. In Bohemia the German population hare repeatedly threatened to organise a strike against taxes unless their rights, or what they consider such, are respected. The Standard, somewhat whimsically disclosing this, speculates upon what would happen if a civil insurrection were to arise in a modern State. It points out that very few Continental Governments raise any very large proportion of their revenue by direct taxation, and those who would refuse to pay would be mostly poor people. But " the customs duties would still be paid, and there would be enough to meet the immediate needs of the Government and to pay the army and the police regularly,—the first thing needful, under such circumstances. The indirect taxes, then, woald give the Government time to look round and arrange means for meeting tbe difficulty before them. Though a Government cannot prosecute two million people all at once, it can very easily select certain men to proceed against. Naturally it would select the ringleaders, for ringleaders there mast be in any such movement ac we are supposing." It is, however, important to recollect that iv Continental countries the army is the nation, and a strike could not take place on a great scale unless with the sympathy and approval of the army. This is puttiug ia another way what everybody is beginning to realise—that any future revolutions abroad will be military revolutions. Kings who put arms and military' training in the possession of all their adult subjects, with or without their consent, are on dangerous eminences, and a revolt against an obnoxious tax might, under such circumstances, assume a very dangerous aspect.

In the comparison made in our leading columns yesterday between the water rate levied on a dwelling and a warehouse, an error crept in which somewhat weakened the force of the contrast. In the cage of a cottage assessed at a value of £50 per annum and a warehouse beside it valued at £100, the owner of the cottage pays £3 10s per annum an a water rate, while the owner of the warehouse payz only £2 10s. The colonial mails which left Auckland on the 22md January per the R. 81.5. Mariposa reached London on the 24th insfc., one day late. In consequence of storms having delayed the transmission of work on the overland: line in Australia, no cables from Home or abroad came to hand last night. The detention of the Miowera at Sydney has disarranged thu Vancouver mail service, and businessmen and others should therefore take advantage of the mail which closes on Monday for the United Kingdom and Continent of Europe via Melbourne.

His Excrllonoy the Govaruor will pay an official visit to WaikouMti on the. 7oh p-ox. He will visit Alexandra on the 12fch, Roxburgh on the 13th, Lawrence on the 14i;h aud 15th, and Kaitangati and Milton on the 16th March.

The twenty-fifth annual Wesleyaa Methodist Conference was opened in the Trinity Wesieyan Chuvch la*t night, when there was a larga attendance of visiting minister* and lay representatives from all psrta of the colony aud a very strong muoter of the public. The Rev. P. W. Fairclough, of KMapoi, the retiring president, delivered an address of much interest, in which he dealt, amon* other things, with fcha recent labour smuggle at Home, the dciak evil, gambling, and other social topics. Many marks of approval greeted the address, which was ona of much ability, with here and there'gome remarks o£ quaint humour. The Key. W. G, Paraonsou, formerly stationed afe Sputh Danediti, was elected president for the ensuing year, and brieflf addressed the assemblage. The basiae3s sittings of the couferenca com- | mencs this morning, and it is expected that i they will coatinue for about 10 day*. Appointj meuts have beea made for visiting ministers to : occupy to-morrow the pulpits not only of the. i Wesleyau churches throughout OUgo, but also of a number of churchas of other denominations, ■ | Owing to the indisposition of his Honor Mr I Justice Williams there was no Chamber sitting of the Suoceipe Court yesterday. The criminal | sessions ot the court commence on Monday ' at; half-past 10 o'clock, when Mr Justice I Denniston will preside.

The Hon. John M'Keuzie, Minister for Lauds, accompanied by Mr J. M'Kerrow, Land Purchase Commissioner, paid a viaift of inspection* on Thursday to the Taipo and Awamoa estates, and left Oamaru by the early train for the north yesterday, with the intention of inspecting the Waikakahi estate. The Minister is (the Mail says) personally viewing these estates in order to assist him in determining whether or not ifc is desirable to acquire them for the purpose of closer settlement.

A spacial meeting of the Sub-committee of the Otage Agricultural and Pastoral Society was held on Thursday evening to consider several communications received in connection with the conditions impesed on export cheese for competition at the winter show. It was decided that the entries for the M'Nairn's Cup be received on the same conditions as previous years, and that the decision to store the chesse for two months,, as requested by the National Dairy Association, be rescinded.

Mr John Mill, of Port Chalmers, received a telegram yesterday from his son, who left New Zealand in the steamer Mataura, stating that the passengers had arrived at Liverpool, all well.

A special meeting of the Forbnry School Committee was held last night for the purpose of voting for the vacancies on the Education Board, and it was decided to support the candidature of Dr Brown, Messrs Harraway and Borrie; The Clark's Plat Committee has voted for Messrs Fi-aser, Borne, and Sim ; the Circle Hill Committee for Dr Brown, Messrs Borrie and Sim ; and tho Bald Hill Flat Committee Dr Brown, Messrs Sim and Mitchell.

Messrs John Carroll arid Hugh Calder, J.P's., pretided at thePolsce Court yesterday, when a fifst offender couvicted of drunkenness was discharged. Catherine StevensoD, an old offender was charged with druakeßue t ss otnd with using obscene language. On the application of Mr O'Keilly she was remanded till Monday ia.order t»- see if arrangements could be made to admit her to the Female Refuge.

The successful inauguration of the Daneyirke Water-gasworks was (a correspondent wires) celebrated by a banquet and ball given in honour of the occasion by JHr and Mrs Henderson, to whose order the installation was made. The opening ceremony was performed by the mayoress by the turning on of a tap coanecte.d to. a- very powerful meter lamp, •Which lighted, up the: entire street;. The town was illuminated by » nutnbar of coloured illuminations with, striking effect, while the Towu Hall was tastefully decorated and was brilliantly lighted with Hers of lamps, which filled, the hall with a perfect flood of light,;' while around the hall were tripled lamps with opal globeij and revolving lights. The banquet hall w»s splendidly lighted with' reflecting sunlights, gas&liers with globes of various tints shedding a light ,!of great brilliancy over 200 guests, among "whom were, representatives of the corporations of Marton, Pahiafcua, Woodyille, P«;tone, and Napier.

J , Waited upon at Oamaru on Thursday afternoon: by a deputation from Kurow, which urged him to defer insistence upon the poisoning of rabbits'until the month of June, the Minister for Lands (the Mail reports) said he could not comply with the request. To do bo would simply ba to assist in the farming of rabbits and delay the extinction of the peot. He had found that in districts where similar requests had teen granted last year the rabbits had increased until they were as great a nuisance as ever. He had, therefore, decided, in the interests of the country, to insist on the act being carried out as to poisoning. He was so much iv earnest on this point,that if he found that the inspectors did not carry out the provisions of the act he would dismiss them from the service. Subscribers to the Duhedin Liedertafel, which fosters male part siuging only, may be interested to know that Mr J. A. Delany has resigned the post, which he has held for twelve years, of conductor to the Sydney Liedertafel because "lieddrtafelism— i.e., unaccompanied male part singing—has had its time as the principal feature or raison d'etre of a concert." The conducting and directing of unaccompanied part singing only is not of sufficient interest to him. When the Liedertafel had the assistance j at two concerts in each year of a choir of ladies9 voices it was very different, but he is. of opinion i that the return to the old style of male par* sieging is, from an art point of view, a I disastrous retrogression. j Mr Prank.Thornton, who h»3 always been a popular player with Dunsdin audiences, will make a welcome reappearance at the Princess Theatre naxt Saturday night. His opening play is a fares comedy by Robert Buchanan and Charles Ms-rlow, entitled "The Strange Adventures of Miss Brown," in which the clever j comedian apparently has another " Charley's • Aunt," for it has not only proved as great a laugh-maker, but it is also as big a moneymaker. It will be remembered that this successful play, which Iccsl playgoers have bseo awaiting for soms time past, enjoyed phenomenally eucc93sfnl runs in Melbourne and j Sydney, being sufficiently attractive to fill the 1 Bijou Theatre in Melbourne for the entire sea- J son, and it literally packed the Sydney Criterion to overflowing every night of its lengthened run. Mr Thornton is supported by a company specially organised by him for his tour, and after the run of " Mies Brown," which is billed for four nights, there will be almost a nightly change of bill during his brief se*son in Dunedin, which is limited to 12 nights. The success oE the season should be a foregone conclusion.

TO-MORROWS CHURCH SERVICES.

St. Paul's Cathedral.—Holy communion S a.m., matins and litany 11 a.m.', 'evensong 0.30 p.m. Preachers: The Bhhop of Dunedin, morning; the Primate, evening. Knox Church.—Morning, the Rev. S. P. Prior; evening, the Rev. H. R. Pewsbury. North-East Valley Presbyterian Church.— Morning, the Rev. C. Griffin; evening, the Rev S. F. Prior. Trinity Wesleyan Church.—Morning, the Rev. W. Baumber ; afternoon (children's service), the Rev. C. H. Laws : evening, the Rev. W. Morley. Woodhaugh Wealeyan Church. —Morning, the Rev. H. IC. Bailhouse; afternoou (children's service), th« l!ev. H. E. Bellhouse: evening the Rev. C. H. Laws Csrscill road Mission Hall.—Morning, Rev. R. Taylor; afternoon (children's service), Rev. K. Taylor; evening, Rev. W. Baumber. Mosgivl v\"esley»D Church.—Morning,afternoon, and evening, Rev. C. Porter. Broad Ba.y Wesleyan Church.—Afternoon and evening (7 o'clock), Rev. J. H. Gray. Mornington Wesleyau Church.—Morning, Rev. J. Hukes ; afternoon, Rev D. J. Murray. Roslyn Wesleyan Church.—Morning, P.ev. J. T. Pinfold, i?.G.S. ; afternoon (children's service) and evening. Rev. G. Bond. Methodiat Central Mission (Garrison Hall).— Morning, Rev, J. Ward ; afternoon (pleaßant Sunday afternoon), Rev. H. R. Dewsbury • evening. Rev: W. J. Williams. Port Chalmers Wesleyan Church.—Morning, afternoon, and eveni&g, Rev. T. Fee. AH Saints' Church. —Services at' 8 a.m., 11 a.m., and 6.30 p.m. Preacher, tlie Dean. St. Matthew's Church. — H.ily' communion, 8 a.m. ; matinp, with sermon, 11 a.m. ; evensong and eermon, 6.30 p.m. Preacher the Rev. W. Cnrzon-Siggers. St. Andrew's Church.—Morning, Rev. P. Fairclongh ; evening, Rev. W. C. Oliver.

Disciples of Christ, Stuart street. - Morning andev«oiug, Mr Mazenearb. Subjects • "Christ's Great Prophecy," ami "Sowing and Reaping." Catholic Aposwl'c Church.—Sermon at 6.30 p.m. Messrs James Samsou and Co. will.sell houaehold lurniture, Ac, at their rooms this afternoon ; a butchering business and household furniture at treat King street on the 4th March; privileges for the; Jubilee Day sport? on the 7th March : and freehold prooerty, furniture, <fee, R t Cistle street on the Bth March. Messrs Donald Reid and Co. will cell at Allan, toil on luesday. next, a Oft reaper and binder. Messrs -Daleretr and Uo. will se ll cro-sbred wethsra at Milton next Tuesday dairy cr.ws steers, and heifers at Uurnside next Wednesday"; and halfbred ewt» and wethers at Middlemaich on the 10th Ma-ch. The fftrpEtual Trustees, Estate, and Agency io°t mp ir y V' 11 olTer for salu at lheir roams, on the J<Jta March,'* farm in the Greeu IsUud Bush district. ■ loi^J' G, iiki so" Willsell at Alexandra on the 12th of March steel pipes and a valuable elevatine plant. ! Messrs J Purdie Co. have purchased the i busmsss of Messrs Phillips aud Son,, manufac- ; uu-evs of aerated w&tera and cordials, in Great ' A.ing street. i The annual -meeting of tbe Outram Societies' ! Hall Company (Limited) will be held on the 3rd ! prox. ' ■ ' . ! The nomination of candidates for the office of j councillor for Park Ward, St. Kilda, takes nlace lon Friday next. .' '■ ' ' i wM*, I); M" Spading will hold on the JBth of March an important sale of city and suburban I properties. iThe committee of the Schools' Jubilee Demonstration wish to arrange with personsl for providing suitable amusements^ ' Ths valuation lists for the Borough of Roslyn are now open for inspection, and objections must be lodged by the. 15th March. The result of the Sunlight and Lifebuoy soap competitions for Nuw Zealand it published in another portion of this issue. It has come to the knowledge of the manager of tbe London Dental Institute in Dunediu that a person giving himseif out as a representative of the _ institute is visiting the country district?. Residents out of town.are warned that the institute has no representative whatever in tho country. '■ : ...... A trial of the "^Bonnie" binder will take place at Mr John Somerville's farm, Milburn, on Jllonday afternoon. - ... . : Tenders are invited for additions in brick to the Bruca Woollen MjUs. ' ' : '

Applications are ' invited from certificated teachers capable of taking part in the-general work of the AVang»uui Girls' College and of taking specal charge of The needlework. The Kaitangata Brass Band was present at the mine employees' picnic, last week, and contributed subtantially to the enjoyment of the day. At the Methodi.it Central Mission to-morrow the platform of the Garrison Hall will be occupied by the Ttevs. J. Ward, H. It. Dewsbury, and W. i J-^ilHsms respectively, at 11 a.m ,3 p.m., and 'MO p.m. At tbe pleasant Sunday afternoon people's service Miss A". Clark will recite an i appropriate poeiu entitled " Reading the Appoiuti mentsof the Conference Stationing Sheet:" The , ! Huttop. Orchestra will play "The Holy City." Mrs Wright will sing "Too Late,"MissM'Kerrow aud Mr E.H. Hutten ■'Tired," andVmalequartet will be sung "■ lam wandering down." At night Mr Arthur D. Ross will, sing "When night is I darkest," and a, cornet solo with orchestra} •! accompaniment will be played. John Hisloi-, oldest established. Watchmaker, and Jeweller, 74 Princes street. Good assortment Watches, Clocks, and Jewellery. Spectacles suit all sights.—Advt. Watch and Jewellery Repair's.—G.1 &t! Young, 88 Princes street, have a, large staff of skilled workmen, and special attention is given to all repairs entrusted to them. Jewellery made up to any design. Reduced charges.—Advt. Special for to-morrow at Mollison and Co's "Tip-Top Sale": 75 ladies' umbrellas, slightly' damaged, wprth from 4s Od to 116 63, ail to clear at one price—namely, 2s.lid each.—Advt/ This week's Democrat contains : IllustrationsPicnic Group and At the Club. ■ Articles—The involution ■of Society, The Labour Party, Walker j street Shanties, Prohibition, Who Should be Jurymen, The Industrial Exhibition, The Police Force, Lata Thomas Bracken, Current Topics, Story, In' Care of the Captain, Cycling Notes,'. .Society, Local Marriages, Picnics, Notes on Health, The Theatre, Sporting, The Week/ dtp., &o. Agents wanted ..when not already represented. -Price,ld.—Adyf. .' .' ..■•:.,--.■ ;'f . For, Punctual' Time /-^PJETEit Dick moat reliable Watch waker and Jeweller, opposite Ceffee Palace, Moray, place, Duuedin. Charges strictly moderate.—Advt; ~ ."■..."', '""■ "' .'