PASSING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1704, 19 July 1884, Page 17

PASSING NOTES.

We aro no doubt a somewhat inflammable community whon religion is, or is thought to bo, in danger, but there seems to mo very little that is genuine in the religious fervours on that soore reported just now from Dunedin East. To judge from the fusillade kept up by a well-drilled corps of letter- writers in the Press, Dunedin East is in a condition of great perturbation and alarm, believing that the political contest in progress there is a duel between Christianity and Freetbought, and that, in deciding between Green and Stout, the elector in reality makes his choice between Christ and Belial, It is very shocking, but no other than this seems to be the character which .one of tho parties to the struggle desires to give to it. It is very shocking, yet not the less is it very ludicrous. Mr Stout may or may not be an incarnation of the Evil One, but fancy the future of Christianity being thought to bo bound up with the political fortunes or misfortunes of Mr M. W. Green ! It may bo assumed without much hesitation that Dunedin East doesn't think anything of the sort— the well-drilled ietter-writers to tho contrary notwithstanding. Nor do these gentlefeel onß-half the horror at Mr Stout on religious grounds that they affect. Their pumped-up emotions of indignation and alarm are only a display of election histrionics. Supposo that by any chance Mr Stout had been a candidate for Duaedin East unopposed. Would they then have remembered his religious opinions or trembled for the Bible and Christianity ? Beyond a doubt they would have received the heretic with open arms, and felt proud to have him as their representative, It is only because an opponent of Green that Stout is an incarnation of the evil one. Religion is in danger — not because Stout gets in, but because Green is kept out. No one will accuse me of any sympathy with Mr Stout'B fads and follies on the subject of religion. They have never been criticised more unsparingly than in Passing Noteß, and the Lyceumites have little reason to love " Civis." It goea against my sense of fairplay altogether, however, to put a man under a ban in politics because I can't agree with him in religion. If I .don't mistake, Dunedin East will be of these sentiments too.

Socmtes, as Plato reports him in tho " Republic," held that poets and poetry ought to be excluded from the model State. We may be pretty sure, then, that if the.- Athenian sage were a' ratepayer in Dunedin Central he' would not record his vote for Mr Bracken. Probably this consideration will not weigh very much with the electors. If Socrates wero a candidate for the seat it is quite certain that they wouldn't vote for Socrates, aad why should they care for Socrates' opinion on the political fitness or unfitnoss of Mr Bracken ? I am not sure, indeed, that I should attach very much value to it myself. At the same time, without appealing to the ancients, I am opposed to poets as politicians. If Mr Bracken could sit for the Moa and the Maori, tho Snows of Mount Cook, or the Scenery of the West Coast Sound*, probably 'nobody would objeot to him. A poet in Parliament, as Mr Bracken urged the other night, may not bo without his' use in mitigating the leaden dulnesa apt to prevail there, But he should

limit himself strictly to that function. The poet's eye in a fine frenzy rolling is of little utility for scrutinising financial statements or poring over blue-books. It should be kept fixed on the illimitable future and Sir George Grey's unborn millions. Above all, the poet in Parliament ought to sit for a poetic place. To choose a poet aa the representative of a community of shopkeepers is to disturb' all our ideas of the inner harmonies of things, to saorifice the unities of art, to affront poetry, and make a joke of politics. Let-Mr Bracken ait for the Pink Terraces or the Francis Joßef Glacier, and leave Dunedin Central for some solid man of prose. He affirms, I observr, that several of our leading legislators have been poets. That accounts probably for the detestable badness of much of their legislation. ' '

Though avowedly a Revolutionist, Mr Kenry George claims to be a man of peace. Neither gunpowder nor dynamite is in his line at all, and ho would repel with horror the thought of civil war. The revolution he preaches, though the biggest thing in that line since 1789, is to be made entirely with rose-water; there will be no bloodshed ; lecturing and pamphleteering, moral suaßiod, and a sense of justice are to do it all. At any rate, George himself professes to think bo. I observe, however, that in " Social Problems " there are indications of his having thought out a programme somewhat different. Thus he says :

The- explosion of a little nitro-glycerina under a few water-mains would make a great city uninhabitable ; the blowing iip of a few railroad bridges and tunnels would bring famine quicker than the wall of circumvallation that Titus drew around Jerusalem ; the pumping of atmospheric air into the gas-mains, and the application of a match, would tear up every street and level every house, 1 Of course Mr George does not recommend that these very unpleasant things should be done." He is describing not what he desires, but whathe fearß. This is what some of the apostles of the new evangel might do, and' probably would do, if the Georgian reforms were denied. The originality of one or two of theae seems to imply that Mr George has bestowed some thought upon them. ' Neither Fenians nor Nihilists have yet hit upon the idea of drowning a great city by blowing up its watermains, or of making its gas supply explosive by pumping in atmospheric air. Possibly they will silently thank the author of "Social Problems " for the hint. Mr George's uncomfortable speculations are of course very far from being intended in that way, but they remind one of O'Connell's ironical appeals to the mob ■ on behalf of the sheriff's officer 'who, had the audacity to serve him with a writ whilst addressing a Repeal meeting. " Don't give the fellow a ducking ! Don't put him under the pump !"— a suggestion that of course was promptly taken.

This same book, "Social Problems," reada to me like a veritable Apocalypse — a revelation of coming doom. The attitude of one's own mind towards the doctrines of the book matters ' little ; the impression it leaves is the same in any case. You have Beentbe handwriting on the wall. The reader may hate or despise the Georgian propaganda for himself, yet be compelled to recognise the dangerous fascination it is certain, to have for others. Amongst the discontented landless millions of 'the old world. its doctrines, once understood, must spread like a prairie fire. I see nothing to stop them. And when the millions believe in George the hour of doom for the landlord and the public' creditor will have struck. For, be it well observed, part of the Georgian gospel is the repudiation of national debts. The doctrine that > one generation rray bind another is a " preposterous assumption. " Read this :— '

If a man were to come to me and say, '.' Hei c is a promissory note which your great-grand-father gave to my great-grandfather, and which. . you will oblige me by payjusr;" I would laugK' at him, and tell him that if he wanted to col* lect hia note he had better hunt up the men, that made it ; that I had nothing to do with ■ my great-grandfather's promises. And if he were to insist upon payment, and to call my attention to the terms of tho bond in which my great-grandfather expressly stipulated with his great-prand father that I should pay him, I would only laugh the more, and be the more certain that he was a lunatic. Tho ominous feature is that these views are advanced not as a policy of spoliation but aa the most assured results of moral and political science. Mr George preaches with the fervour ■ of an evangelist who has discovered an omitted chapter of the Gospel. So Dreaohed Rousseau, Voltaire, Diderot and company, and they made the French Revolution. The wiredrawn artificialities of the " Gospel according to Jean Jacqiris " had such terrible consequence because they inspired the sans eulolte with a frenzied conviction that he had been robbed of his heritage, and that eternal justice authorised him to reclaim it. What Rousseau's Conlrat Social did for that generation George* "Social Problems" will do for this — only it will do it more efficiently.

The British juryman has always been an in* teresting study, but a study that must be investigated with some awe as well as curiosity. Aa he exists at the x present day bo he has existed for many years past. He may not by any means bo trampled upon or stroked the - wrong way, neither may his motives, actions, or thoughts be harshly misconstrued. He must be treated with the gingerly care usually bestowed upon a Dresden-china, shepherdess, or a ' child with tho measles. And all this is not unreasonable, for the juryman is the ultimate receptacle for a certain condensed essence of facts, and of wisdom thereunto appertaining, which has previously passed through so many refining processes that it is fitting it should be finally entrusted to nothing but a chosen vossel. The juryman has to be instructed by the Court, which has to be instructed by the barristers, who have to be instructed by the attorneys, who have to be instructed by their clients, who, presumably, are the men that really understand tho business .in hand. The *

dazriing distinction conferred upon the common juryman has of course its counterbalancing unpleasantnesses. Although courted and caressed like a prince by gentlemen- of the long robe, he is a, prince in. captivity, and may not eat, drink, or sleep without permission asked and obtained. These are very humiliating and tery fcemper-tryinec disabilities. The forbears «f H R.H. the Printe «f Walea can certainly never have adopted the motto "Ichdien," I 6erp«, with reference to service oh the jury list.

I have been led to indulge ia tha foregoing remarks by some rather rain hope of fathoming or explaining the eccentricities of juryme*. Why does the juror, who ie probably a pleasant and harmless creature out of court, after the empanelling process shed the manifold graces and virtues that may" hare adorned him and become touchy, " cranklike," and "Y»rUbleaDjbheßh»de By 'the light qulvariDgr aspen aado Sometimeß, no 'doubt, it is because his feet are cold or because he wants his dinner. But not always. On Tuesday last, for instance— the weather warm and bright, and a hearty meal scarcely half an hour disposed of —twelve jurymen entered an indignant protest at a gross reflection contained in that morning's paper. The reflection was to the off eot that ono of their number upon their retiring to consider a verdict on the previous day had requested that he might be accommodated with the evening paper. . His Honor was appealed to, round robini were signed, and the atmosphere generally grew very stormy. And after all about a question wherein the balance tendod slightly against the jury. If the evening paper was not demanded it might have been Tery reasonably. Let eaoh jury upon retiring be supplied with a dozen evening papers and a dozen Choice «igars, and the transaction of judicial business may be greatly facilitated. Each man would devote himself to » read and a smoke for, say, half am hourj during which time any little unevenness of temper would disappear, and a delicious oalm superveme. The eate ia question was a sheepirtealing ease, and the jurors might therefore logically hay« saij " Sevenom • noa moutom " at the close of the interval, and despatched the matter with little discussion, and no opposition from tbe proverbial obstinate juror. Upon a former occaeion, if I remember rightly, a Dunedin jury trying a murder case requested to be allowed to visit the theatre; compared with. this the request for a copy of the evening paper seems the essence of modesty.

I was rifht after all in my guess, or what I called my "instinctive assurance," that "Chinese" Gordon had not gone off into Central Africa. Lord Edward Fitzmauriee, Under Secretaryfor Foreign Affairs, announced in the House of Commons the other day that intelligence had reached the Government that General Gordon was still at Khartonra, and holding his own against the beßeigerg. He added that the garriHoa made constants sallfes from the town with varying, succosb. This was on the 14th (Monday last), and I hope Mr Gladstone and his subordinate, Lord Gran- . villa— for subordinate in this matter he undoubtedly is— have slept Boundly since. But what {about the promised autuma expedition for the relief of Gordon ? We hear nothing of it now. The summer will soon be ever, and though the weather will be more than comfortably .warm in the Soudan for a few months yet, still it is Burely time the Government were making preparations ■ for the expedition if they are really in earnest. Why n«t bring over Indian troops? The shillyshallying of the Government is not a little mysterious. Possibly that highest of all Jaws, .according to Major Atkinson, for Premiers and their colleagues, the law of self-preservation, may yet, however, oompel Mr Gladstone to redeem his promise, in which case wo may hope that the dispatch of a Brithh expeditionary forcer—coupled with the prayers of Dr Stuart — will relieve the hero of Khartoum from tbe dangers and difficulties of his present position.

Who that has lived some forty years in this wicked world does not remember Mr Banting, first

Under his load of fat, puffing and p&nting,

and then reduced to something like human proportions ? That plump gentleman was for a few months the moßt popular man«nd author of the day. Dickens, Thackeray, and all the rest of them were for the time completely cast into' the shade. The latest novelty in poetry or notion paled its ineffectual fires before Mr Banting's pamphlet. One would have fancied that the whole eivilise'd world had suddenly discovered that it was suffering from what a Quarterly Reviewer, a few years ago, called (in reference, however, to another "party," the Great Napoleon) an " inconvenient degree of embonpoint." All the world, at any rate, wondered after this man-mountain and his method of diminishing himself. I have been told by persons with older memories than my own that no other pamphlet during the last half century or more had snob a run, except one on the Battle of Armageddoa, published a little while. "before the Crimean war. But Mr Banting's' shapeless, waistless bulk and his philanthropic publication have been long forgotten. He himself is most likely dead-—de-livered from, his unwieldy burden of mortal flesh— for ten to one but he grew as fat as ever again before death came to tbe rescue. Extreme obesity is a disease— a ' disease not curable by any sudden alteration of 'diet. If it is leas common than a generation or two back the change is due to improved habits. Gluttony is as foreign to the life of the modern English gentleman aB drunkenness. He no longer gorges at dinner, like the Squire Westerns of the past, any more than he drinks his three or five bottles at a sitting.

Mr Ure, a well-kaowa public servant, for whom few people have an ill wovd, U certainly what the Americana would term ft "solid maY— jo more, senses than one. Tbe good

folk of Dunedin make acquaintance with Mr Ure by proxy, at both extremities of their career, and in person about the middle, when the parlous boon of a marriage license is asked and granted at a very reasonable figure. More than this, Mr Ure is returning officer for the district, and a right good returning officer too, if we may judge by his language and deportment at the nomination of candidates for Dunedin Central. At the very outset of the proceedings Mr Ure intimated in the plainest Saxon that he was not going to allow the public to be bored to death by long speeches, — their time to be wasted at that hour of.the day, &c, &c. "Bored to death I ' Fancy Buch an expression used with reference to political deliverances by such gentlemen as Messrs Bracken and Bradsbaw. Few men in similar circumstances would have displayed equal temerity. Mr Ure, unfortunately late in life, has given indications of qualities that would fit him for a very different Bphere. After tho erperienoe of Tuesday last that gentleman's claims cannot well be questioned. His words are "half battles for the free" and his proper appointment would certainly be that of Speaker in our House of Representatives. And a most refreshing Speaker he would prove towards the small hours when the House grew awearied. But I was almost forgetting Mr Ure's final and most noteworthy exploit. He not only drove Messrs Bradshaw and Bracken submissively in double harness, but upon symptoms of rebellion being manifested by the irrepressible J. G. S. G., sat upon, and incontinently smothered that gentleman. There are some men whose weight and worth are discovered suddenly after long years of modest concealment. Mr Ure is one of those men.. Citis,

The death of Earl Oowley, at the af?e of 80, is announced in our cablegrams. He was a son of the younger brother of the late Duke of Wellington, and gained his earldom by his diplomatic services. He took part in the Conference at Paris in 1856, and, with the Earl of Clarendon, signed the treaty of peaco with Rusiia,

The nominations for the new Parliament, with the exception of Manukau and Manawatu, are now complete. Eleven members of the last House have been returned without opposition — namely, Sir G. Gcey, Hon. E. Mitchelßon, Messrs J Macandrew, W. Barron, J. W. Thomson, V. Pyke, E. Richardson, E. Wakefield, E. Hamlin, J. B. Whyte, and Dr Newman.

The workings in the Kaitangata coal-mine bßinr now fully opened up, the price of the oo*l has been reduced.

Mr Francis Arkwrighfc, formerly a member of the. House of Commons, is a candidate for R&ngitikei at the present election. In a recent address, dealing with the necessity for economy in oarrying on the government, he said that to anyone accustomed to the minute scrutiny which every vote of public money received in the House of Commons, the lavish way in which the Colonial Parliament dealt with such matters was quite astonishing. He ■ever hoard of such a thing as members coolly voting themselves 200 guineas for a fortnight's attendance. He had never seen one of the members who voted for that motion, but he should like to do so, for he thought he would be a curiosity. If any member of the House of Commons did such a thing, the next time he went to visit his constituents yon would find, on looking at the prioes of agricultural produce, that the market for rotten eggs had a decided tendency to harden, with a strong demand for the article.

We are informed that the Directors of the Kaitangata Railway and Coal Company have had under consideration the propriety of immediately opening up their Elliotvale freehold coalfield, of 2200 acres, and connecting same by a short line of only three miles with the main line at Lovell'a Flat. The coal from Elliotvale is' known to be of very superior quality, as shown by Professor Black's reports and also from trials in the railway locomotives. A meeting of shareholders in the Kaitangata Company will be held shortly with a view to giving authority for raising the additional capital required.

Eight boys absconded from the Burnham Industrial School on Sunday evening. One of them turned up at tbe Hospital, and stated he had been walking all night without rest or sleep — a somewhat remarkable feat for a child 10 years of age.

Mr T. Black, Lum3dan, made a request to Mr Driver that he should hand over £100 of his honorarium to the committee defending the action resisting the payment of the Waimea Plains railway rate. Mr Driver could not see his way to devoto the honorarium to such a purpose, but stated that it was his intention to give one-half _ of it to various ; objects throughout the district.

A ukase rather suddenly issued by the Goods Traffic Department of the railways here has spread consternation among the merchants, commission agents, and dealers habitually in the receipt of consignments of grain and produce at Dunedin terminus. Up to Tuesday the practice was to unload the trucks into the sheds, and for which a charge was made by the authorities of 6d per ton for grain, potatoes, &c, and ss' per truck for chaff. Under the new regulations prompt delivery is required from the trucks in the open yard without regard to weather, and it has already happened that the first intimation had by a merchant of the arrival of a consignment from the country to bis order was the appearance of Mollison's laden drays in front of his place of business. In the busy grain season there are frequent irregularities in the arrival of consignments, not from any fault of the consignor or consignee, who would be the sufferers as the rule now stands, but because of delays in transit, Again, it is now possible that grain intended for shipment at Port Chalmers may be carted to the agents' stores in Dunedin from the trucks, thus involving an expense for storage and two cartages. The pertinent question may be put, for what purpose were the goods-sheds built if not to provide the public with reasonable accommodation and conveniences for their goods? At the wharves the authorities do not insist on having goods removed from the ship's slings, but have them conveyed to the sheds, where a reasonable time is given for removal. After all, owing to the action of _ the railway authorities, though great inconvenience may be occasioned to the merchant, the producer will be the sufferer in pocket.

One of the candidates for Wakatipu (Mr Hornsby) having made the statement that a Catholic boy educated at a Catholic school would nob be eligible or allowed to compete at a Civil Service examination, Mr M'Kellar, of Cromwell, communicated with tbe Department

in Wellington. He received the following reply from Mr Habens : — " There is no foundation whatever for the assertion that a Catholic boy educated at a Catholic school would not be eligible or allowed to compete at a Civil Service examination. The Government of New Zealand do not recognise any church or any faith ao entitled to precedence of any kind, and treat all men alike, as far as their religious professions are concerned."

About 40 of the nominated immigrants per the Ruapehu, for Dunedin, arrived last evening by the express train from Christchurch. They were first landed at Wellington, and subsequently transhipped to Lyttelton, and a special carriage was set apart for their accommodation from Christchurch. A large proportion are single giila, and altogether the Dunedin contingent of the Ruapehu's immigrants would appear to be a desirable addition to the popula tion.

Messrs James Cullen, James Wright, Peter Dey, James Brown, Robert Brown, and Prank Marshall were nominated to the vacancies in the Taieri Road Boa,rd. As there are seven vacancies, another member has yet to be proposed.

At a special meeting of the Presbytery of Oamaru, to moderate in a call to a minister for Hampden, the Rev. A. Todd, who ha 3 been supplying the district for some time, was unanimously chosen.

The Kaitangata correspondent of the Bruce Herald describes what would appear to have been a tidal wave experienced last Sunday, the water rising some 7ft in the river opposite the township. At Coal Point the sea must have risen .. some 10ft higher than it had ever been seen before, as pools of salt water have been left where they had never been noticed previously. The sea outside was fearful to behold.

The series of Scotch concerts in aid of the Robert Bums Statue I'und, which were so successful in Dunedin during the last two winters, are about to be resumed. The choir have received a supply of Scotch airs, which were arranged for the Glasgow Select Choir, and have been rendered by that body witn great success ; and the Committee are confident that the popularity which the Burns coucerts have hitherto enjoyed will be still fuither in oreased.

At a meeting of the Southland Farmers' Cooperative Society at Invercarcgill on Saturday, the liquidator (Mr J. L. M'Donald) made a statement regarding the position of the Society, from which it appeared that the creditors would be paid about 153 in the pound — a result much more satisfactory than was expected. Among the principal losses made by the Society were the following : Bad debts, £6002 03 2d ; cornsacks venture, £917 2s 4d ; flour venture, £250 ; loss on twine (estimated), £100, T,.he Chairman (Mr J. Gardner, Birchwood) expressed gratification at the manner in which the liquidator had performed his duties, A vote of thanks to Mr M'Donald was proposed by Mr W. A. Lyon, seconded by Mr Eaird, and carried.

Mr John Batbgate offers the ItHy Estate, Pukerau, for lease with or without a purchasing clause.

The annual meeting of the New Zealand Refrige rating Company will be held on the sth prox The retiring director* (Weeara X B. Carnill, J. T. Wrinhti, and Thomas Calender) offer themselves for re-elec-tion.

Mr Alfred Boot, dentist, has published a. treatise on tho teeth, which will be sont free to any address.

Mr E. Mcl'aod offers for rale a freehold estate on a novel inothod. It is proposed to form a, settlement association of 40 metnbora, to take over the whole on advantageous terms, and retail farms amont,' themselves. Each member would have the entiro ontrol over his own farm, and at the Rarne time enjoy all the benefits which accrue from union in the purchase of building and fencing materials, storos, implements, &c, and in tho obtaining of advances at lowest rates when required. Particu'ara will be found elsewhere in this issue.

William Manson is requested to write to his brother at Inveriargill.

Mr Jimes Jackson has a small property at Sandymount for sale. -

Mr lan S. Pimaon will sell sheep and cattle at Gordon on Saturday, lßth inst. On Monday Mr Simson will hold a clearing sale on tbe farm of Mr Duncan.

"Robin Hood'd" advertisement did not arrive in time to appoir along wit.h the other advertisements of its ccl ap»; p» Wo have consequently been specially requested to draw attention to it. The ft'.ldreßS of Fridrich Rehberg is inquired for. Messis Power?, Ruthetfoid and Co 's seventeenth annu%l sale of Tasrmnian stud fheep is to take place in Melbourne during the last week in August.

Mr John R. Hooper undertakes to forn'aid parcels to England fortnightly per direct steamer.

Mr John Skene uudertikes the Bate of /arms, &c, and also grain per sample. Sales ara announced by the Sheriff of sections in Qkreen Island and Mussel burgh.