PASSING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1652, 21 July 1883, Page 17

PASSING NOTES.

The Parliamentary function of Mr M. W. Green seems to be to provide innocent amuse ment for serious politicians. Early in the session he announced himself as in "a transition state of mind " — sitting on a rail, in fact, between Government and Opposition, and undecided on which side to drop off. Later he detailed to the delighted Houße a dream, in which he had imagined himself "holding a position of public trust " — doubtless a seat on the Treasury benches — as misappropriating public funds, and as being sent to prison by the inexorable Major Atkinson in spite of tears and promises of amendment. Interpretin this highly suggestive vision of the night "by the rule of contrary," he gathered from it that the Major and himself were "going to w»rk in friendship and amity." Yet in the same speech he "feared that the present Government was not the model of purity and justice that we had supposed," charged them with conniving at the escape of a criminal from his bail, and ended by voting for Mr Montgomery's motion to censure them for a violation of the Public Revenue* Act. Such was the transitionary and fluctuating condition of the hon. gentleman's mind three weeks ago. On Friday last he addressed to the Opposition whip a letter announcing that he had decided to support the Government " until sush time as I find them to act no flagrantly that to support them longer would bo a crime." In other words, M. W. G. has not only made up his mind, but made it up with a vengeance. The Government that three weeks ago he was ready to turn out he will henceforth support with more than feminine devotion. They may count on his vote, nofc only as long as their policy pleases him, or until better men can be found, but until they act "so flagrantly that to support them would be a crime !" Probably such an obsequious profession of political faith was never roado before. Not content with becoming a convert, the member for Dunedin East has apparently transformed himself into a Ministerial chattel. The transfer of Mr Green's feather-weight will not alter the balance of parties, but then a vote is always a vote. So long as the Government stop short of suspending the Constitution Act and confiscating the public liberties they are solemly assured of the obedience of M. \V. G.

Poor Mr Fish has fallen upon troublous times. The Harbour Board have wounded his susceptibilities by a real or imaginary breach of confidence, and he has been referred to by Mr Seddon in the House of Representatives as an " inflated blatherskite." There is at least nothing imaginary about this latter wrong, and the member for Dun6din South — the champion of the vigorous and inornate style of oratory — is indeed hoist with his own petard. It was fondly hoped that a reformation had been effected in the irrepressible Mr Seddon, whose manners are reported to have lately gained much of persuasive mildness, but like the traditional redskia.,of Mr Fennimore Cooper, civilisation irks him, and he has elapsed into a state of barbarism. lam sony though, that as the first sign of his retrogression he should have dealt our own Mr Fish such a very ugly knock. The hot blood of the latter might have urged him to follow his assailant into the arena of personal abuse, which would have been annoying just as his political education was progressing so nicely. Fortunately, however, this was averted, and Mr Fish has contented himself with representing to his party — let us hope with the moderation of the typical Englishman — that he " really can't stand this sort of thing, don't you know." If these kind of personalities are indulged in, Mr Fish threatens to leave the Opposition ranks, which Burely means that he will subordinate hin political principles to his dread of personal abuse, or that, ho will revenge upon the whole party the misdeeds of the giddy Seddon. Tho defection of Mr Fish would certainly look singular following so closely upon that of Mr M. W. Green. Surely it would be said that these gentlemen were inspired simultaneously with a longing for the lorwes and fishes of the Government, and that they adopted characteristically different methods of reaching the desired haven— Mr Green wafted gently over by conviction, with his conscience at the helm, and Mr Fish driven by the cold breath of ingrati - tudo aud calumny.

The insiJQoliir-Genoral puts forth an annual jeremiad ovor tho backwardness and stupidity of candidates for a teacher's certificate in

Class E, the lowest rang of the State School ladder. In his Education Report he generally favours Parliament and the public with examples of the information wrung from some of these unfortunates under the torture of examination— e.g., that an hypothesis is a machine for drawing up water ; that Newton shot the apple off his son's head ; that Achilles was killed by Hannibal, for which the eyes of the latter were put out by Queen Ophthalmia, &c, &c. The effect of these revelations year after year has been to represent the New Zealand pupil teacher as a prodigy of imbecility. You gathered from the tone of the InspectorGeneral's complainings that nothing quite so bad had ever been discovered elsewhere. Nor is it consolatory to know that such iB not the case. New Zealand holds no bad pre-eminenca in ignorance. An official report upon the examinations lately conducted in the State schools of South Africa describes results quite as distressing aB anything recorded here. Precisely similar complaints, moreover, come from America. In Adams County, Illinois, an examination is reported of " teachers holding first-grade certificates." A local paper gives the following results : —

One teacher named as three living American poets— Shakespeare, Byron, and Longfellow. One teacher thought Shakespeare was dead ; thought he died in Indiana about twenty years ago. Another said "Pilgrim's Progress" was written by Longfellow. . Another said "Uncle Tom's Cabin" was written by Byron. . , Another thought a bicycle was a musical mBtrument. Another did not know what a telephone was. Another thought that Frehnghuysen was a machine. Several had not heard of the Vienna or United States floods, or of the Star route trial. Most of them are men teachers, and these are only part of the answers. After all it is nothing surprising to find that all over the world the junior members of any given profession are imperfectly educated. Unfledged lawyers, doctors, and clergymen would probably cut quite as poor a figure as pupil-teachers if an Inspector-General examined them annually and published the results.

The powers of light and darkness, as represented by the Salvation and Skeleton Armies, have here, as elsewhere, come into collision, with no very startling damage to either side as yet. The Salvationists, glowing with zeal, led off with the right and succeeded in laying four of their foes by the heels in a police cell, but the cross counter of the Skeletons has perhaps had even more telling effect. They overtly plotted deadly reprisals in a form so vague as to thrill their adversaries with fantastic terrorß. Suoh was the baleful influence exercised upon Salvationists, police, and public, by the mutterings audible at street corners, that for two whole days Dunedin tasted that pleasurable dread which pervaded Paris prior to the great revolution. It was never suggested that the Hussars or City Guards should be turned out, but the enrollment of special constables was freely spoken of, and it needed but some auch demonstration to complete the triumph of the Skeletons. Fancy a rabble figuratively " sitting upon " the powers of law and order by a policy of masterly inactivity. It almoßt inspires a doubt as to whether they be a rabble, or, as is not improbably the case, a useful body of the unregenerate filling the same office towards the Salvationists that her Majesty's Opposition doe 3 towards the Government. It is generally known that the Government does not, as a rule, approve of the Opposition, and the members of the latter occasionally entertain unkind thoughts concerning the Government. We read constantly in the "confessions" of those gentlemen how the thing occurred. They went to Wellington innocently, confident in the virtue of those in power. They, heard, saw, doubted, reflected, negotiated, sometimes even prayed, and finally discovered that they could not consistently with duty, &c, &c. The breach once declared, the two parties treat each other thenceforth with gentlemanly and Christian venom. It is, however, otherwise with ces pauvres squelettes. The utterances of the Salvationists have aroused within them, first curiosity, and then a vague distrust which finds injudicious expression in jibes and catcalls. Then it is that the Salvationists grievously disappoint the hope of their high calling. The individual members of an opposition cannot be rendered jnore tractable by the threat of being " dressed down," and a theological opponent may be slung down stairs by an Army "captain" without any perceptible moral improvement resulting in either party. Now there is a distinct impression abroad that the prowess of the Salvationists should be moral not muscular, and having this in view I would recommend that they readjust at once their relations with the Opposition.

The repetition, redundancy, and general voundaboutness of legal language is to me a perpetual wonder. Instead of making things clearer it seems to involve them in impenetrable mystery. On reading Judge Williams' summing up in the Wain case — and I may say that his Honour is a man for whom I have an especial respect—l came, for instance, across these words :— -" What you have to determine is not only whether the child has been ill treated and abused, but whether, beyond all reasonable doubt, you can trace the death of the child at the time it did die to such illtreatment." The expression I have marked in italics instantly set my brain puzzling to find out its meaning or purport, but though I have involuntarily returned to the enigma a dozen „ times since it remains as inscrutable as ever. It would surely have been impossible for the jury to trace the death of the poor little fellow to any cause whatever at any other time, i.e., at some time when he did not die ! I sometimes eeem to catch just the faintest glimmer of what his Honour meant, but when I try to put it in words, it is again all as dark as Erebus ; and

so I have to leave it in its native incomprehensibility. To my mind it would have been enough simply to have traced the death of tho child to the alleged cause or causes— taking it for granted that the little unfortunate died precisely at the time when he did die, and at no other, not even a moment sooner or later ; but then I am not what is called a legal gentleman, and I maybe all wrong. I am glad, however, that I am not compelled to indite the good matter of these Passing Notes in lawyer's English.

Here is another admirable example of confusion of thought— this time from a clergyman, and no less a one than the Rev. Stephen Gladstone, son of "the grand old man" himself. In the course of conversation (I quote from an English paper) with a local reporter at Hawarden Rectory this rev. gentleman, speaking about a rumour to the effect that "the time is drawing near, and may any day be announced, when the Premier will forever quit his old seat on the Treasury bench," is stated to have expressed himself thus : " The rumour is quite in accordance with an idea he (the Premier) has entertained for a considerable time. He is of opinion that the old should make way for the young. He has long felt a wish to retire, and it may be that he now sees his way to retirement more clearly." This is all right, and I have quoted the sentence simply as a specimen of solemn commonplace and stilted statement (as though from the prim wellordered lips of Mrs Hannah Moore herself) that tells you nothing but what you know already. But to proceed. In reply to a question whether there was any foundation for the statement that Mr Gladstone is likely to accept a peerage, the Rev. Stephen said : " That is all speculation. I cannot speak with any certainty or authority on the matter, but my opinion is that he will never take a seat in the House of Lords, having done all his work elsewhere." This is delightful, and quite relieves the solemn nothingness of Mr S. G.s communications, if such vague statements can be so called. The worthy gentleman seems never to havesuspected thatitissimply because his father has done his work— such work, that is, as he has done, if I may so say without trenching on the legal style of phraseology— elsewhere that he woxdd (if he should) accept a peerage. If the Premier had done his work in the House of Lords there would have been no rumour as to his being raised to the "ampler ether, the diviner air "of that lofty sphere. His son's reason for his noli episcopal belongs to some Rabelaisian world of non-sequiturs, and the exquisite confusion of thought which it reveals puts me in mind of the Irishman in the novel who lived in London upon the bogs in Ireland, which was the best land in all France and England too.

The oppressive institution of domestic maidservice as existing in these Colonial communities — where Bridget sometimes receives as little as £30 a year, seldom gets out more than three evenings in the week, and is often required to do the washing — has provoked a deed of blood in Melbourne which should strike a salutary warning to the hearts of tyrannical mistresses. It appears from the Police Court report that on the 15th June, Miss Kate Delahunty accepted the situation of general servant in the household of Mrs Marcella Beatty, wife of a commercial traveller, Caroline street, South Yarra. On Monday, the 25th, Miss Delahunty " took her lunch at about 1 o'clock," and afterwards went into the wash-house to do the washing. Somewhat later, Mrs Beatty also entered the wash-house, whereupon Kate remarked, "This place don't suit me," and in response to the question, " Why ? " expressed herself in "offensive and insulting terms." Having to go to the wash tub after lunch Miss Delahunty was no doubt in an inflammatory state of mind, a condition aggravated by her mistress' indiscretion in intruding into the wash-house. Mrs Beatty then retired into the dining-room, where Kate followed her and asked for her wages. Mrs Beatty replied " You have no wages to get ; I had no idea you were going to leave me in a fix like this on washing day, and with a sick baby to mind," and made some reference to Mr Beatty. The young lady then " made use of some disgusting expressions " and remarked that if Mr Beatty interfered she would " break every brick in the yard upon hia head." After thi3 Mrs Beatty thought it prudent to retreat into the parlor, whither Kate followed her equipped for departure with a bundle and an umbrella. Rushing upon her mistress, she struck her a violent blow upon the arm with the umbrella, stood over her for a time in a threatening manner, and abused her in tones loud enough for the neighbours to hear. She afterwards left the house, and Mr Beatty on his return obtained a warrant for her apprehension. Constable Buswell, who interviewed Kate at this stage of the business, found her still armed with the umbrella, with which weapon she struck the officer of the law, damaging his hat and making his nose bleed. Referring to Mrs Beatty, she remarked, "I am sorry I did not kill her." The magistrate, who appeared to take an unsympathetic view of Miss Delahunty's proceedings, sentenced her to three months' imprisonment with hard labour without the option of a fine. She now picks oakum at Pentridge, an occupation less galling to her feelings, perhaps, than that of washing after lunch for the wife of a commercial traveller. The case deserves to be known as a warning to missuses.

The following communication is from a rural district in North Otago. It affords an interesting glimpse of the ferment which seems to be going on beneath the surface of society everywhere respecting the rights and wrongs of private, ownership of land. I should have supposed that rural Otago, where everybody is a landowner in case or in jtossc, would be one of the last places in the world to take this contagion. Apparently the case is otherwise. Frpra Clutha and Mataura in the the South I hear accounts of much the same tenor :—

Henry George's book, "Progress and Poverty," has arrived here; the sensation it is causing is beyond imagination. We hold a small debating society ; my conservative supporters are going now fast to the other side of the House. I shall soon be alone ; to change the subject is hopeless. Please answer the following :—: — Ist. What is your opinion of the book ? 2nd. The London Times' opinion. 3rd. What shall I do to keep my party together ? Perhaps " Civis " would help me out of this awkward position. Except by an immediate distribution of loaves and fishes in the form of fat freeholds, I hardly see how the conservative party in this mhric parliament is going to be kept together. The smartest attack en George's book yet published, is the Quarterly Review article, April of this year. What the Witness thinks on the subject may be learned from a lengthy review of " Progress and Poverty " whioh appeared in these columns some months back. As for the London Times, it also had a review which, curiously enough, coincided in drift with that published here. I don't suggest that the Thunderer of Printing-house Square said ditto to the Colonial journal, but the fact remains that the two reviewers presented a marvellous similarity.

The additional sums of £1 3s from South Wyndham School, and 11s 6d from Broad Bay, have been received by the secretary of the Children's Tararua Memorial Fund at Fortrose.

We have been favoured with the perusal of a private letter from a West Coaat lady who had the pleasure of meeting Bishop Suter after his return quite recently from a tour through Palestine, England, and other countries. The Bishop was full of reminiscences of his travels in various lands, and his conversation was in consequence both instructive and entertaining. Among other things he related that while he was staying with Canon Farrar in London he was requested to preach the annual sermon on the anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth. So he went at night to Westminster Abbey, and there by the light of a solitary lantern wrote his sermon on the Queen's tomb. For two hours he was quite alone in the vast abbey, surrounded by mute memorials of the cele» brated dead. The effect of isolation in suchaplace was to produce sensations never to be forgotten. The Bishop brought out a novelty in visitingcards which is really good. The little Bquare pasteboard appears perfectly plain and white, like an ordinary visiting-card, but when held up to the light shows a beautifully-taken photograph of the person, whose name is neatly engraved in one corner.

A letter has been received by the High School Governors from Sir F. Dillon Bell announcing the appointment of a vice-principal to the Otago Girls' High School. The lady chosen is, as our Edinburgh correspondent stated, Miss Jessie Josephine M'Kean, and her testimonials speak exceedingly well as to her fitness for the post. Amongst other honours she gained a presentation of £50 per annum in 1872, a bursary of £100 per annum in 1876, and an honour certificate in four subjects at the Edinburgh University examination in June 1876. The authorities of the George Watson Ladies' College, Edinburgh, bear testimony to Miss M'Kean's general qualifications, and to her special proficiency in mathematics. She was, indeed, one of the two first ladies in Scotland to obtain honours for this branch of study. Miss M'Kean is unable to leave immediately to enter upon her new duties, but will probably sail for Dunedin direct early in September.

The Rev. Joseph Berry lectured to a crowded audience at the D.V.M.C.A. hall on the 18th upon " The Life of Thomas Cooper, Freethinker and Christian : its Facts and its Lessons." The remarks of the rev. gentleman were both interesting and instructive in a marked degree, and were listened to with more than an ordinary amount of attention. In concluding he spoke" very earnestly as to the advantages of a sound early Christian training, and expressed the utmost confidence in the return of honest doubters who had been reared in the Christian faith. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the lecturer and Mr J. G. Fraser, who occupied the chair.

According to the correspondent of the Lyttelton Times, the three judges who are rumoured as likely to retire are the Chief Justice, Justice Johnston, and Justice Richmond. The present Premier, he adds, would not at all object to being Chief Justice himself ; and Mr Harper, of Christchurch, is spoken of as likely to fill another of the vacant seats on the Bench.

Mr Allan M'Donald, one of the Auckland M.H.R.'s, appears to be an outspoken individual. In a debate the other evening he referred to one member as being fit only to associate with Chinamen.

An important case was decided by Judge Broad in the District Court. A. A. Scaife had entered into an agreement with the late E. Buxton to collect all rents, interests, &c. after his death for a certain commission. The exeoutors declined to abide by the agreement, and Scaife brought an action claiming £200. On behalf of the executors it was contended that the agreement was for an indefinite time, and terminable at any moment. His Honor, in a lengthy decision, gave judgment for £125.

George Michael Gebhardt, a woodcutter, aged 52 Jyears, was killed at Kutnara by a tree falling on him. His death was instantaneous. He leaves a wife and eight children.

Messrs Keid and Duncans announce that they receive orders for Californian tree seeds, each order being kept separate jn transmission and forwarded to customers as received.

MeFsrs Donald Reid and Co. will sell barbed fencing wire on the 21st inst. Tho same firm will sell a portable steam engine at the Phoenix Bond on the same date.

The Southland County Clerk notifies the closing of the Pyramid Bridge for traffic.

Tho address of Harry Rutley, late of Oamaru, is inquired for.

Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co. have agricultural seeds for sale.

A valuaule water-right at the Mataura ia to bo sold by auction at Gore on the 13th prox.

Messrs Stophcnson and Co will hold a clearing sale at the farm of Mr John Watt, Inch-Clutha, on the 24th met.

Mr J 11. Monrad, Wellington, notifies that Messrs Ford and Campbell, Dunedin, have been appointed agents for Hansen's cheese rennet and butter and cheese colouring.

Messrs Connoll and Clowes, Oamaru, will offer for sale by auction on the 28th met. Mr J. H. Barr'a farm at Walareka.

Mr P. Baldwin has dark Brahma fowls for gale.

Messrs Stephen son and Co. will sell a quantity of agricultural machinery by auction on the 2ith inst. at Aehgrove FaTn, InQh-Clutha.