MASSING NOTES.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume I, Issue 22, 14 May 1892, Page 5

MASSING NOTES.

Mr Bodell, of Tauranga, and other members of the family of Duncan Munro are being sued for the maintenance of the unfortunate criminal-lunatic. It would appear that the reduction of Munro's weekly allowance 'before the unhappy murder is not going to benefit the family much.

The Labour Bureau opened on May 9, and the Auckland agent (Mr Ferguson) has already had some callers who desire easy jobs without going out of town. He has not been able to see his way to assist such. One tradesman has been sent south where work has 'been , promised, and he is to repay the amount when he gets into work. Mr Ferguson is at present collecting*infp"rmation respecting the labour needs on tbe^ Hifcnrangi and Rotorua railway works, and other country districts, in order to give employers the requisite replies if labour is required. Applicants have to guarantee a refund out of their earnings, while, if labour is furnished at the request of employers, the matter will he held responsible for any advance of passage

money,

It is pretty generally known that certain articles of common use—such as billiard-balls, umbrella-handles, &c.—for the making of which natural ivory'was formerly alone admissible, are now moulded under great pressure from a pasty substance, of which the dust or powder of real ivory is only a partial constituent. It is comparatively unknown, however, that a substance termed " lacitus," much like ivory, is now made out of milk r!: Ivory from the cow, and not from the tusk of the elephant, seems a curious revolution even in these days of topsy-turvy invention and discovery. According to a recent note in the " Chemical Trades Journal," this curious substance is thus prepared:—C'irds are taken, mixed with bDrax and:a .mineral salt—such as sugar of lead, blue vitt'iol, or other—and compressed with immense pressure. The resulting mass is hard and resisting, capable of substitution for ivory, celluloid, and ebonite.. Being an animal substance, however, its electrical resistance will in all liklihood be low. We believe; that Mr <W; -Tr Firfchvof puri local condensed milk ■ factory, 'intends to: experiment with this new idea.

;In the; lt Arena/ the Rerv Minot -J/ Savage thus briefly summarises his objections to ,the nationalistic socialism that has been popularised "by Bellamy's "Looking Backward" :—

1. The world ;began in socialism. In the barbaric period the tribe was all and the individual nothing. Every step of 'human progress has kept pace with the rise of the individual.

\2. Military socialism, such as Mr Edward Bellamy advocates, would be another name for universal despotism. It would be the paradise of officialism on one hand, and helpless subordination on the other.

3. Nobody is ready to talk definitely about any other; kind. of nationalism ; for nobody,has outlined any working method.

4. Nationalism, as commonly understood, could mean nothing else bufc the tyranny of the commonplace. And there has never bsen a time in the world's history when the most important thing's that were being done were of apparent utility in the eyes of the crowd. Consider Homer and Virgil, Isaiah and Jesus, ©ante, Shakespere, An-yelo, Copernicus, Galileo, Goethe, Luther, Serve; as, Newton, Darwin, Spancer, Galvani—had nationalism been dominant in their days, how long would it yhave been before , the "intelligent public opinion" of the government board of their departments would have had them up to show cause why they should not "go to work for a living?"

*#* ; "Did you ever kuow /an election which did not involve the death of the Government which conducted it?" asks the " Kapnhga Herald" (S.A.). We have—now and then, bat very, very seldom. As an almost invariable rale the Government goes amash at a general

election because it is so utterly rotten and bad that the country thinks it can't get a worse one. Therefore, it puts the other party in, and at the earliest opportunity it bounces it out again on the ground it is also so bad that it can't be worse. And having bounced out the second party, the electors go back to theifirst one, and find it no better than it was before. The choice Hes between the devil the country knows and the devil it has partly forgotten about, and they,sit on the natiou's chest turn-about. Wherefore, Mr Ballarice, take note.

The Cambridge correspondent of the " Herald" says::— " There is a large gathering of Maoris assembled at Maungakawa, for the opening of the Maori Parliament on Wednesday next. Tawhiao and a number of influential chiefs arrived a few days ago. Considerable importance is, evidently, attached to the proceedings by the Maoris, as they have made arrange- ' ments for printing the debates in Hansard style, and also for the .publication' of a Maori newspaper. To carry out these ideas, they have ipurchased a portion of Mr S. S. Bond's printing plant, which will be removed to Maungakawa, and Mr Bond goes up to put the same in working order for them. A Maori compositor named Hargraves, formerly,on the staff of the Maori paper at; Napier, will have charge of the practical department. Who is to be editor and reporter has not transpired. When the Maoris were informed that it would be cheaper, possibly, for them to get their printing done in one of the Waikato offices* the reply was to the effect that the MreroJnoxAdi , be too strong for the pakeha, and that if he printed all that was said he might find himself in gaol. Evidently the natives intend indulging in some tall talk.

The new Bishop of Nelson, is called Mules. A great many of his family are in the business.