OCCASIONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1704, 19 July 1884, Page 25

OCCASIONAL NOTES.

Bt Colonus.

EVOLUTION.

I do not often presume to Criticise my fellowwriters in the Witne3s, but I feel a atrong inclination to defend the theory of Evolution, attacked as it has been by F. A. Joseph. I am much obliged for the interesting intormation this writer gives ua as to the amoeba and all the rest of it, but I am disposed to dispute Boino of the deductions made from the facts. Notwithstanding the contempt with which F. A. Joseph appears to treat the doctrine of Evolution, the theory has, I believe, been adopted by most of the first thinkera of the age, and not only by scientists but by_ some of tbe chief exponers of orthodox religion, suchas, if I am not mistaken, a bishop or two of the Church of England and other clergymen. Awhile since I think 1 read in the Spectator a review ot a work on Evolution, by a Catholic priest, not against but in favour of the theory. F. A. Josoph appears to assume or take it for granted that the theory of evolution is Atheistic aud subversive of religion ! This I hold to be decidedly an error. The theory of evolution ib merely au attempt to specify a modus opevandi, or a process, it has nothing to do with the cause or origin of such process, and does not traverse the orthodox idea ot the Divine Being. F. A. Joseph Hayß the amoeba or protoplasm Imilder possesses a higher order of intelligence than the monkey, which, according to the theory of Evolution, Bhould be next in intelligence to man. Now I hold it to be quite a mistake to call the proceeding of the amoeba or jelly-speck, in selecting grains of sand to build up its spherical " tests,'' intelligence, or at least intelligence of anything like a high order. It is like the building of a bird of its nest, or the bee of its comb, merely the exercise of a function. The amusba constructs its habitation, the bird its nest, and the bee its comb much as a tree senda forth rootß, in the direction it can obtain the best supply of nourishment from. In the performance of such operations there is no exercise of will, the process being purely spontaneous or automatic. Under normal and natural conditions the bird is as certain to build its nest as the tree' is to Bend forth branches. The bird has no more option whether it will build its nest or nottbap the tree has as to whether it will send forth shoots aud branches or not. A man can build a habitation for himself of such a description as he pleases, or has the means of building, or he may refrain from building any habitation at all. In the building of a habitation a man exercises his will. The bird, the bae, and the amoeba must build, and cannot' refraiu from building if in a free and natural condition and if provided with materials, and must build in such a manner aa they are instructed by nature to build in, and in no other way. Ido not mean to assert that none of the lower animals exercise a will. Some of tho lower animals—dogs, monkeys, and others— do sometimes exhibit so much intelligence as might almost lead to the supposition that they have the rudiments of reason, but the building of " testa" by the amoeba, oi its nest by the bird, i and its comb by the bee are no striking indications of intelligence, except of the intelligence of the Creator. I think there can be no doubt that, generally speaking, the intelligence of the more fully developed animals is more pronounced and of a higher order than the intelligence of' the less highly organised animals. The intelligence of the monkey ia probably much greater than the intelligence of the amoeba or jelly speck. The monkey hinißelf, I suppose, originated in a jelly-speck. Are we to suppose that the fully developed creature is Jess intelligent than its embryo ? *It seemß to me that JT. A. Joseph's statement that all animals, without exception, originated from jellyspecks of protoplasm, and in no other way, is an admission of the theory of Evolution. How, then, did the first man, or the first individual of any other species of animal, come into the world ? and where was the jelly-speck of protoplasm out of which such first animal was .evolved? The fact of the matter is that there ; are only two hypotheses of creation conceivable by the mind of man, or, indeed, which can, I think, we may say, exist, whether conceivable by the rn^nd of man or not. One hypothesis is ! the theory of Evolution, the other is that man and all other species of animals were originally 1 preated out of nothing, and have been plumped ! down on to the face of the earth ready made, as we ccc them now. The theory of Evolution seems to bo provable, like a problem in Euclid, by the argumentuvt, ad aAsurduyi, The denial otthetheory oi Evolution involves an absurdity. Tbe most formidable objection to the development of man from a lower animal is the immense gap which exists between the mind of man and the mind of the most intelligent of the lower animals. I expect that the light of reason has gradually dawned on the world, as the light ot the sun dawns gradually in the morning on the face of the 'earth. That the development of tho reason of man has btiou contemporaneous with his bodily development, that as the human head gradually assumed its present form, and the human brain its present character, tbe material development was acpompanied by a corresponding apiiitual development. " i [t is absurd to Buppoge that tbe theory of Evolution is an attempt to entirely solve the problem of creation. 'That tremendous mystery, man, with only his present stock of knowledge, might perhaps as' well attempt to' solve as he might try to fly to the most distant star which illuminates tha heavens at night. The theory of Evolution is only an attempt to read a few pages of the book of nature, and to understand a little of the waya of that Supreme intelligence which is the cause and origin of all that is.

POLITICAL.

So far as 'f. cap F#<|kg ont, Sir Julius Vogel does not seem as yet to tjaye ppo'noßed grjy specifio which can be accented pv reljed upon as a remedy for the depression which at present so much tajked about. ,Qn the whole, his advi.ee seems somewhat to resemble that sometimes given to an inebriate who fee)s out of aorta on thjj mornjpg f pllowing a night's carouse — *•' Take a hair of {foe dog th^ bjt y,ou.' ? The present state of the Golony Beßuia $p i#e <# somewhat resemble the condition pf a man who has taken an ovordoso of whisky, and af cei- great ejation is suffering from subsequent d^prespion. While the Colony was imbibing its borrowed Bullions jfc wftg m an. hilaritjvw state, but the appearance on the scene pf the tax-gatherer has reduced it to its sober senses. I think the Colony should bo very cautious as to following any advice to borrow much more money, and undertake another batch of public works, even as regards railways which will pay S5 per cent, on the coat of making. The amount we can safely bon aw must depend upon the population of the Colony, With our comparatively speaking small population our borrowing power must be considered as very limited. It appears quite evident that at presont any Government of New Zealand, unless it resorts to the dangerous and utterly unjustifiable proceeding of paying interest out of loans, will find it an extremely difficult task to raise the

necessary revenue to carry on with^ Sir Julius abuses the property tax, but he doeß not suggest, any more acceptable method of taxation. The Colony is bound somehow or other to cany its weighty burden of taxation, and, however it i» shifted about in the endeavour to make it less felt, there is sure to be a large amount of grumblings It would seem only just that people who have most largely benefited by public works should pay for the benefit they have received from the outlay of publio money. The increased value of landed property in the neighbourhood^ railways is the most tangible evidence of individual benefit arising from public expenditure, but the very difficult task of taxing tho unearned increment of land seems to have proved a failure. There is no doubt also that it is not the landlords only who have benefited by the outlay on public works. Though landlords receive the most lasting benefits, merchants, tradespeople, and storekeepers have also benefited to a considerable extent while works have been in progress. Sir Julius says it was the wish of bis Government that the lands of the Colony should be made responsible for the cost of constructing the railways ; that a railway estate should bo set apart, and the increased value consequent on the construction of railways should pass to the Government ; that land should be raised in price, and that a3 to lands passed' from the Crown, and beuefited by railways, there should be a rating power ; but that these points were not approved. It seems now deplorable that they were not. It would be better for us if the Colony had reaped more and private persons less of the increased value given to land by works. I think Sir Julius iB right in pointing out the absurdity of, when speaking of the debt of the Colony, classing public and private debt together. These are two very different things, and Bhould not ba placed in the same category. Public borrowing affects the nation in general, but it i 3 quite imperceptible how private borrowing can in like manner affect the general community, especially when both lender and borrower are inhabitants of the same 'country. It is very well for Sir Julius to tell ub we Bhould manufacture more and import less. The fact, however, Beerns to be you cannot force manufactures in a country. When people observe a prospect of its proving a profitable busirießß, they will undertake manufacturing, and not before.' As to immigration, it is all very well of Sir Julius to say tbe class of immigrants we want are men who would bring out with them £500 or £1000. No doubt .these are the, sort of people we want, and we would give them a hearty welcome, and be quite prepared to absorb their capital. Unfortunately tho3e people are somewhat Hke Glendower's " spirits from the vasty deep." We may call thorn, but will they come when called ? As to Federation, if 1 recollect aright Sir Julius some years ago expressed an opinion that it would be bettpr for New Zealand not to federate with Australia, but to paddle her own canoe. If bo, he seems to have modified that opinion to some extent. Considering her insular condition, it seems to me advisable that New Zealand should not be tightly bound to Australia, and that she should have ample freedom of legislative action ; and tbe alteration suggested by Sir Julius in the Federation Bill seems advisable in the interests of this country. The arrival of Sir Juliu3 Vogel is likely to ,have considerable effect on the Colony, whether for good or evil I am not prepared at present to prediot. .We should recollect, however, that Sir Julius Vogel is a very clever man, and be on the look out that he does not tempt the Colony to incur further liabilities, and so increase the burden of taxation.