THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES MONDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1900.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11924, 24 December 1900, Page 4

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES MONDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1900.

The letter from ouv Aiickland correspondent which was published in our impression of Saturday last recorded an interesting and significant event—

the" unfurling of the flag "by the boys of St. Stephen's School for Natives. The pupils at the institution include in their number descendants of the Maori warriors who, under Hone Heke, 56 years ago, cut down the hated flagstaff which had been erected by the pakeha at Kororareka. Not improbably, also, there are among them descendants of the other chiefs who, while they sympathised with Heke's dislike of the flagstaff, considered that " it was not worth while to shed blood about a bit of wood." A different sentiment animates the young Natives at St. Stephen's. The flagstaff Avhich they have erected and the flag which flies at its head are a token of their loyalty to the Queen and to the Empire of which they are " proud to be a part." And the spirit of patriotism which has impelled them to join in the movement that has lately, spread rapidly through New Zealand—the movement for the presentation to the public schools of a flag which symbolises the union of the nations comprised in the mother country, and which guarantees the protection of the Empire to the peoples who live beneath its shadow—will nlso impel them to resent any act or any suggestion that would be dishonouring to that flag. Their attitude towards it is a tiibute at once to the success of the British system of colonisation and also to the beneficent influence of the principles upon which British rule throughout the world is founded. The Rev. Mr Fairclough instanced the case of the Maoris is the wholly ad-

mirablo address which he delivered in connection" with the ceremony of " unfurling the flag " at the distribution of prizes at the Union street School last week: "Fifty years ago, savages; now they go to your Parliament, to your schools, to your universities, and stand shoulder to shoulder with iis in our contingents, and become, in fact, Britons because of the magic of this flag, because of its unifying and uplifting power." Thase words convoy no misrepresentation of the present position of the Natives and of their feeling towards the Empire that has absorbed them., They appreciate the liberty that thov enjoy as members of the Empire. But though to school children in New Zealand there could be no more apposite illustration of the respect entertained for the flag by a race that has been subdued by the British than is supplied by the history of the Maoris, there is nothing exceptional iiy this history. It is merely a repetition of what has occurred wherever the bounds of the British Empire have been pushed. The British alone, a French writer somewh.it bitterly confessed in a recent publication, have mastered the secret of colonisation. A million people of French blood are living happily under the British flag in Canada, On the other hand, it has been noted as a curious fact that the Briton will settle nowhere permanently except under his own flag. It gives him a sense of security and a degree of liberty that are nowhere else attainable. The desire of the British for freedom has been said to amount to a passion. Moreover, the traditions of the Empire form a noble heritage for all its subjects without distinction of race—a heritno-n which is to be preserved and upheld before the world with patriotic spirit. The Empire mnv have its trials bsfore it at home and abroad, as it has had in the past. But if this spirit is maintained it may hope to rvmrrsre from those as triumohnntly as it has done hitherto. And it is because the flag, exhibited on appropriate occasions at the schools, mnv be pynppterl to inculcate the •youthful mind-! of Hie pupils with true patriotism that tlm movement to T>'ncn these Institutions in possession of flags seems io 11= a /iH ing and desirable one. Tt is with nlen=ure that we observe it is continuing to spread.

A good many erroneous comparisons have boon matin in the course of the South African war between the casualty lists of the army and the casualties of industry. The public has been invited by some imperfectly informed writers to believe that the chances of the reservist, called for service from the mines and workshops of the United Kingdom, meeting with his death or with disablement are not greater in the field than they would hsive been if he had been left at his occupation. One intelligent paper in England even went so far as to assert that the daily industrial casualty lists of killed and wounded workmen in EngInnd show si heavier expenditure of life than that revealed by tbe war lists. This is extremely misleading. Its fallacy is completely demonstrated in an article in the November number of the "Nineteenth Century." The actual numbers exposed to risk in the war have, of course, varied enormously. In the first three months of the war the troops in South Africa did not number more than one-third of the army eventually in the field, and six months had elapsed before the maximum was reached. Then, later on, large numbers were withdrawn from active service through death, wounds, and sickness, until at the end of a year over 40,000 officers and men who had once belonged to the South African war wore taking up part in the operations. For the purposes of accurate calculation; it has been deemed advisable to ascertain the mean strength of the troops during the year, and, adopting an average of the effective strength at the end of each period of three months as the most satisfactory method of arriving at the result, this may be taken to have been 5200 officers and 188,000 non-commissioned officers and men. Of these 52G0 officers no fewer than 384 were killed or died of wounds in the first year of the campaign, 152 died of disease, and 1105 were reported wounded. Of the 188,000 men, 3838 were killed or died of wounds, 5900 died of disease, and 12,081 suffered from nonfatal, wounds. When the ratio per 1000 is worked out, the disproportionate risks which officers have run in South Africa as compared with the risks of the men are thrown into prominent relief. Mr Winston Churehiil has spoken of the ■' glorious disproportion " of mortality between the .British officers ■ and then' men, and the records, showing that the losses among the former were unprecedented in the experience of other campaigus, indicate eloquently that, however amateurish and however incompetent some of them may have proved, there have been no shirkers among them when it came to hard, actual fighting. The rates of loss per 1000 officers are these: Killed or died of wounds, 73; died of disease, 28.0; wounded, 103; total killed and wounded, 201,9 per 1000. The. corresponding figures in regard to the men are: Killed or died of wounds, 20.5; died of disease, 31.4; wounded, 07.4; total killed or wounded, 119.3 per 1000. The officers, it will he seen, have shared almost equally with the men the losses from disease, and have suffered in battle a loss three ami a-half times as great. The figures relating t-r, the officers must, however, be discarded in comparing the war casualty lists with the casualties of industries. It is among the non-commissioned officers and men that the reservists arc to be found, who ox-change the risks of their daily occupation for those of war. And, in order that the comparison in the casualty returns may be a fair one, it is necessary to make a certain deduction from the rates of deaths and wounds. Actuaries have calculated that the rate of mortality of. British troops in countries like South Africa is 15 per 1000 per annum. It must bo.assumed, therefore, that of the 31.4 per 1000 who succumbed to disease 15 would have died in time of peace, and that the difference —16.4 per 1000—only is attributable to the risks of war. A year of war has consequently been responsible for a denth rate from battle, wounds, and disease of 30.9 per 1000—20.5 and 1(5.1— and a non-fatal wound rate of 07.4 per 1000. Now, a return of industrial casualties in Great Britain is available for a year almost exactly corresponding with the first year of the war. It relates to the period extending from September, .1899, to August, 1900. During that time 4308 persons were killed and 89,042 injured by industrial accidents in tho United Kingdom. At the first blush this seems mi appallingly

heavy casualty list. But when it is known that during the year there were 5,416,043 persons exposed to the risk of those accidents the figures present a less dreadful aspect. And when the ratio of casualties is worked out it becomes evident that the individual risk is not very great. The actual rate of deaths to every 1000 men employed is shown to be only 0.79, while the rate per 1000 of injuries was 16.44. In other words, one workman- in every 1260 was killed in tlio year and one in 60 was injured. Wlion this is compared with the fact that one iv every 11 men of the British army in South Africa was killed or wounded in 12 months' fighting, one in 15 was wounded, and one in 20 died of wounds or .disease, the risks of industry arc plainly insignificant alongside those of war.

During the past week C4eorge Samson, Catherine Kirkwood, arid Margaret Dickson, who were inmates of the hospital, died there. The returns for the week are:—Remaining from the week previous. 92 patients; admitted during the week, 23; and discharged, 21. The total patients remaining number 91.

The excellent treatment received by inmates of the Dunedin Hospital is evidently appreciated by the Chinese, who have on several occasions given tangible expression to their gratitude. A spontaneous Christmas offering received by Mr Peter Miller, chairman of The. trustees, is another gratifying instance. On going to business on Saturday morning Mr Miller found awaiting him a certain Chinaman -whom ho recognised as having been an inmate of the hospital for several months. In reply to a question the visitor stated that he was now enjoying the best of health, and congratulated the chairman on appearing hale and hearty. He thert smilingly broached his mission. He had spoilt " a welly good time " in the hospital last Christmas, and would like, now that ho was well and earning money up country, to do something towards giving the present patients "a welly good Klismas time." With this laudable object in view he handed over to Mr Miller his contribution of £2. He added that he would like to show his gratitude for the kind treatment he had received by sending a few shillings on some future occasion; but unfortunately he could not write, but if Mr Miller would give him an addressed envelope he would send some more money when he could spare it. Needless to state that Mr Miller complied with the request, and regards the whole incident as one of the most gratifying in his experience during the many years he has been chairman of the Hospital Trustees.

An Australian paper says that a notable occurrence in connection with the potato market consists in the fact that potatoes imported in eases from Germany last week made £S per ton in Sydney the other day. Though these potatoes had been carried 10.000 miles, they brought £2 per ton morethan Ballarat potatoes, which sold at £6 per ton in Sydney on the same day, while Derwents realised enly £5. Even new Sydney potatoes brought only from £6 to £7 per ton. " From time to time," the Warrnambool Standard remarks, "it has been suggested that potatoes should be exported from this district to other places, but it has always been urged that they would not carry well over sea. However, this shipment from Uermany must have carried well or the potatoes would not have brought the price they did. and they must have been carefully picked and packed. In Melbourne new potatoes are at present woylli £3 per ton in bags, but farmers in this district are so busy harvesting their 'grain crops that there is no time for potato digging. Besides, the crops are far from maturity."

The widow of Mr James Kincaid. of tha old firm of Kincaid and M'Queen (Vulcan Foundry), which played an important part in the dredging industry at its inception, died at the residence of Mr John Simon (son-in-iaw) yesterday morning-. The deceased lady was in her eighty-third year, having been born in Groonock in 1818. She came out to Melbourne in the ship Lightning about the year 1E55, and after residing there for seven years came mi to Dunodjn, her husband, along with Mr M'Queen, having preceded her by a few months and started in business. Mrs kincaid had been associated with tha Hanover street Baptist Church since shortly after its commencement, and for many years took an active part in the general work of that body. I'ntil about six months ago the deceased, for one of her years; had enjoyed remarkably good health, but during these last months of her amiable life the feeblener-*. of old age made itself apparent in a marked degree. Mrs Kincaid leaves four daughters, 18 grand-children, and three great-grand-chilriren, to whom she was greatly attached and by whom revered.

M. Piot, a French member of Parliament, whose -fears have been aroused by tlio depopulation of France, has just introduced a bill directed against bachelors. Not satisfied wilb proposing awards for large families, this honourable Deputy desires to levy fines in the shape of special taxes on those married people whose union ha*- remained barren and upon the single of both sexes. Here a distinction seems necessary, if ire would be just. As the subject lends itself to facile jokes. Parisian wit has been at no loss to point out. and that in a fashion at times somewhat light, the injustice of a proposal which assimilates in punishment the celibacy of man, which is nearly always of his own volition, to the celibacy of woman, which in the greater number of cases is altogether involuntary. If the bill is passed it will certainly be amended in this sense. Sceptics, however, have little faith in its efficacy. The nuisance of paying 20 or even 50 francs in an annual tax will not, according to their theory, be held by ingrained" bachelors i~ counterbalance the expenses of a household or the inconveniences of a short-temperec-mother-in-law. At the conclusion of the meeting of the Oaraaru Borough Council on Friday r.ight the Mayor said (according to the North Otago Times) that tho Hon. Major Steward had written to him suggesting Aat a petition should be presented to the Cabinet asking that the completion of railway communication between Oamaru and Nnseby may form in integral part of any railway completion scheme submitted to Parliament. In tho petition it is stnted that the continuation of the line to Naseby would only involve the construction of about 20 miles of railway, while much of the country passed through would bo suitable for settlement. Attention is also drawn to the fact that the construction of the line will bring the interior into closer touch with the port of Oamaru. The council decided to support the petition, which Naseby is also doing.

The Auckland Star's Tongan correspondent writes that the Ton<ran.« have obtained 50 Mauser rifles and ammunition from Sydney as " hardware." Tho King's Guards were already armed with Snider rifles. It is feared that tbe importation of arms miiy lio with tho intention of making some stupid show of rcsislancc to annexation, in emulation of the Boers. There is a strong opinion among Kuropean residents that a British nfliccv should he sent as Adviser to tho Tongan Government, to prevent the latter being guided by irresponsible persons, who, by their knowledge of native character and less reputable means, seem to have got the ear of the, higher officials.

"Sympathiser" sends 5s for the Mrs Kdwards fund.

Messrs H. (iourley and T. Fiddis, the presiding justices at the City Police Court on Saturday morning, convicted and discharged two first offenders for drunkenness, making a proviso in one case that the party should pay 2s cab hire.

The Union Steam Ship Company have decided to run the Corinua on an excursion trip to Oamaru on New Year's Day should circumstances permit. A start will be made from Dnnedin at 7 a.m., and tho White City should be reached at 1 p.m. After a stay of two hours and a-half the return journey will bo commenced, the vessel being dv.c at Dunedin about 9 p.m. As the Corinna bns a lot of accommodation, a splendid trip should result if only the weather proves (ins- ■

Mr \V. L. Moore received notification on Saturday that ho has nassed the final section of the LL.B. degree examination. Mr C. !E. Davey received notice that he has passed the first solicitors' examination.

There was a fair attendance at the Princess Theatre on Saturday night, when M'Adoo's Jubilee Singers gave another of their enjoyable entertainments. The programme was the same ai that presented on the preceding night, and. as usual, it was gone through in an eminently satisfactory manner.' To-night a complete change will bo presented. Op Christmas Night a programme of sacred items will be submitted, ■when Mr Collins, by request, will sing "Nazareth." This will conclude the season here.

. Messrs A. Moritason and Co. will hold a sale of grain and produce at their stores at 10.45 Se's9ra I'Do°nald Reid and Co. notify that their weekly grain sales will not be held to-d-iy or Bext Monday, but will be.resumed on Monday, January 7. Applications are invited for the position of dredgemaster on the Lilliesleaf dredge, Wai-l-.akc.

The Morninqton Borough Council invite tenders for, the purchase of 80 debentures of £100 each in connection with the loan for street improvements. The s.s. Theresa Ward will leave the Bluff wharf on arrival of the first train to-doy, on ■Wednesday next, on January 3, and after the arrival of the 5.10 p.m. train on Saturday 29th inst.

. All claims agaiust the ship Westland, from Liverpool, must be rendered by noon on Tlnirsclay next.

The Porlobello 'bus will leave the Union Bank corner every morning at 10 o'clock, returning from Portobello at 5 p.m.' A special 'bus will leave JDunedin for X Jortobello at 11 so'clock to-night.

. We again draw attention to the advertisement appearing in to-days paper in connection with the Druids' picnic and sports at Evansdale on Wednesday next. This is a fine opportunity lor an enjoyable clay's outing. The art ■union tickets have been selling exceptionally well, and the committee are of opinion that it ■will be a success. The shop which has been opened at No. 30 George street ioi the sale of these tickets has already proved that the committee were wise in opening it. For further particulars we refer our readers to our advertising columns, where particulars as to the train arrangeinpnt.s will be found. The Sailors' Mission will hold their twentyseventh annual Christmas gathering for all seamen in harbour on Christmas evening. Tea will bo on the tables at G o'clock. All seamen on shore at Dnnedin and the Port, ns well as friends of the mission, are invited to be present. For the convenience of the Port Chalmers guests, the Tarewni will leave Dunedvn for Port Chalmers at 10 p.m.

We have to acknowledge receipt of a hftnd-somely-got-ui) little brochure from the head office staff of the Union Steam Ship Company conveying the season's greetings, also a neat little card with the Dunedin Liedertafel's Christmas greetings and good wishes. From ihe officers of the General Post Office, Wellington, we have received Christmas greetings and hearty wishes. The ncatly-got-up double card conveying these bears a design commemorative of tho inauguration of the universal penny post by the colony on the first day of the new century.

Xmas Bargains.—Carter and Co., Duneclin and Invercargill, announce special bargains lor the holiday season. Eead their advertisement. Try Carter and Co.—Advt.

• Kruger does not now think much of Em-ope. "We wonder what he would think of New Zealand if he saw the Men's Keady-made Suits from 22s 6d to 47s 6d, which fit al! builds— short-stout and tall-slender men—now offering for the holidays at the New Zealand Clothing Factory, Octagon.—Atlv'l. ■ For the Christmas and New Year Trade.— Frank Hyams, jeweller and watchmaker, 14 Princes street, is now showing a choice and varied assortment of cow goods suitable lor presents. Novelties in all departments. Call and inspect.—Advt.

G. and T. Young, jewellers, Princes street, having enlarged their premises arc this year making a specially laigc display of goods suitable for Christnma nr,d New Year presents. They guarantee excellent quality and good value.—Advt.

Who is Peter DickY—The most reliable Watchmaker and Jeweller, opposite Coffee Palace, Moray place, Dunedin. Charges strictly moderate.—Advt.