PASSING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1751, 13 June 1885, Page 18

PASSING NOTES.

Who can say that appeals to Providence (Especially appeals in print) aro vain? List week only I lamented that the world was sadly in need of a sensation ; and, hey presto < what have we now ? As the time oomes round for another periodical tussle with Passing Notes, the Gladstone Ministry, a few months ago so strong, disappears with a fiz and a bang into nether darkness. One brief moment of excite, ment, a sudden opening of the earth, a slight smack of sulphur ia tho air, and they are gone. Nothing remains hut a few Conservative hangers-on,* cheering rather tremulously over the work of thoir hands, and a vision of a few yelling Paiuellilos dancing demoniacally upoa the Beats of the House of Commons. The real movers of the earthquake— Salisbury, Northcote, Hicka-Beach, and Co. — are elsewhere examining anxiously the very doubtful-looking kettle of fish they have purchased, like a pig in a poke. Probably it will not be all beer and skittles with \ them, any more than it was all beer and spirits that carried an adverse vote against the Government. The secret springs that have effected this abrupt upset of the Ministerial chariot may be pretty plainly seen now that the vehicle is fairly overturned. A week or two ago the Government had a substantial majority upon a no-confidenca motion, Shortly afterwards we read that the Redistribution Bill has safely passed she House of Lords, and the next 'day occurs this " unhappy incident" (to borrow a very useful phrase from Russian diplomatists). The Government have been kept in office Bolelyon account of this Seats Bill, and the instant and the moment it iB passed their own seats are politely kicked from under them. The action of the Conservatives in effeoting their coup upon a harmless necessary Budget, and eschewing all mention of foreign policy, iB a3tuto, but it will deceivo no one.' They avoid formally committing themselves to a revereal o£ tho half concluded agreement with Russia, but at the same time tho prospect is doubtful. Oae thing, however, is not doubtful. In spite of Alabama blunders, Soudan slips, and Afghan fiascos, no naino will pasß down moro honoured to succeeding

enerations than that of William Ewr.rt Gladlone, the Grand Old Man, orator, financier, economist, and woodcutter, who finished a brilliant career as he had begun it— plain "Mister."

The Australian Si* Hundred, who wore beard of this week at Colombo on their home-

ward way, are bringing back with them a peck of troubles for Mi 1 Dalley and the Patriotic Ministry, Mr Dalley is very mush in tha position of Frankenstein — he has croatcd a monster and will have to find work for it. Ib is hardly to be expaofcod that haroa r i from tha Soudan, who would havo smaßbad the Mahdi only they could never gcb ftt him, will, without a murmur, retire into private hfe, their appetite for glory unsatisfied. Can you ask a man who baa carap^ignod Rgainat Guman Digna, and who, three months agoj was brigaded with the Guards, and complimented on parade by General Graham— oan you ask such a man to accept pick and shovel work at five shillings a day as one of thn ordinary mob of Colonial " unemployed ? " Depend upon it this is s, question which Mr Dalloy ia just now debating with himself night and day. Ho is, of course, in the throes of composition over the great oration with whitih the returning warriors are to be welcomed homo, and in which they are to be informed that they have covered themeelves with glory ; but this trouble is insignificant compared with that of discovering what to do with them afterward. There was a time when New South Wales meditated warlike operations against Victoria on the <i uestion of Border imposts. There was a timo also when New Guinea or the New Hebrides might have been successfully filibustered. But these chances aro past. All is quiot now on the Potomao— or rathor on tho Murray ; MajorGeneral Scratohley and ths Garmans are in New Guinea ; Frsnch msn-of -war are shepherding the New Hebrides. There is really nothing left to the Australian army but to parade the streets of Sydney chanting — "We're all the way from Suakin, and we've got no work to do." The Fates have used Mr Dalley V6ry badly.

As far back as two months ago (April 14), an Australian war correspondent reported that " a feeling of discontent " was " simmering amongst the rank and file of the Contingent." It was a "simmering" due, not to the heat, nor the Arabs, aov the flies, nor the bad water, but to the unexpected and unnatural rigour of the Sydney Commissariat in the matter of jams and marmalade. Hundreds of cases of theso delicacies were carried to the Soudan— "tha Rifts of an enfcbuaiastio peoplo "—but none were servad out on the passage. " The purser could have made a pile of money by selling pots of ji»n had ho been allowed- to keep a private store on board." The soul of the Aus traliau soldier, it would seem, goeth out strangely after a pot of jam. " Tha mouths of the man watered, ' continues the correspondent, " when they saw tho pots of jam and manna lade on the storeroom shelves " — reserved, doubtless, for the denotation of the officers — and they remarked to themselves, gloomily, " Wait till we get back to Sydney, an i we will sea about this." yiuions of indignation moetin&a in the Domain floated before their eyos— of resolutions denouncing Dalley, of Par itevmentary Committees to inquire into the distribution of join and marmaUdo during the Saudan Campaign. But tba worst part of their grievance remains to be told. When landed at Suakim the Contingent's fancy Btores— "tbe gifts of an enthusiastic people"— were "built up in tho form of a defensible wall " on the desert sand, there being no room for them in dooi'B. Hero they were left when the Contingent moved forward, and then wero f rater naily lootod by the British Array ! The correspondent's account of this diamal affair is as follows :

The storas were left without a guard or a BiDglo soutry to look after thsm. What might bays been expected happened. During night they wero sot upon by camp f jllowen, natives,' soldiers from neighbouring camps, and looted in tho moot profligate manner. Cases of jam, tobacco, t.ea. piuservad meats, salt, vegetables, biscuits, &0., wore smithed open, haokad abouf;, and emptied. Some were carried off in bulk. Pillage and plunder watr on merriiy all along the line, and when daylight canw ifc disclosed a scene of 'wanton dastrucUou and woeful waste, the like of which has not been aver witnessed before at Suakim. Osman Digna would have regarded the kwu of & huodred men as a cheap prica to pay for aucb a havoc. The ground was strewn with brokon boxes, ovor which had Fallen apparently a shower of dinned provisions. Pots of meat aad tins of preserved potatoes were a«ove in by pickaxes or crowbars, and cast aaido as unsuitable loot. Mounds of tea lay about in soyeral directions, with half-empty cases alongside, and lumps of bottled tablesalt, like hailstones of an abnormal size. A fatigue party were engaged to day " gathering up the fragments." This calamity the describes as " anunusually substantial cause for grumbling." No doubt. Thß enthusiastic donors of the stores will be unanimously of that opinion. We may look out for some lively discussions in the Sydney Pre3s and Parliament.

The return of the Six Hundred being the topic of tho hour, I am inundated with correspondence on the subject. Here is a sketch of the approaching interview between Colonel Haultain — tho representative to be despatched from New Zealand — and Colonel Richardson: —

1 can form a good mental picture of how the interview should and probably will be conducted. What dramatists would call the "scene," may be anywhere. It may bo the Bmoking-room of the clvb — it may ba a snug apartment in Colonel Richardson's official quarters, but wherever it is, there will Colonel R. be "discovered." He being there discovered, the next thing must obviously be " enter Colonel Haultain," as unless that gentleman does ihen and there enter, plainly no interview take place under tho circumstances. If I am anything of a prophet the dialogue will then proceed as follows : —

Col. Haull^in : — How do, dear boy — Stout's compliments— •congratulations — all that isort of thing. Would have trotted over himsolf, but for accident of (.ho Premiership — office— assures you he never intrigued for. Thinkß Contingent done deucad good thing for Colonies as things turned out— (winking into a chair), There — relief to gel it over. Thanks ! I do, sometimes — (Takes a cigar).

Colonel Richardson riaos, straightens nim^lf, places one hand botween tho bnttonn ot his undress js.ckst aad reefca cha othar ligbtiy upon the table.

Colonel R. — The fact that those representing the people of n powerful and prosperous Co'ouy bo nearly akin to u<», have sirctched acrrisn the f-.oa tho hand of fe'lowahip to a few ro]- liars, who Bimply ia the path of duty linve tro 1 the burning rands of (J.)l H,— Oh ! drop that ! at least— beg par lon — is ih' le much of it? Uul. R-— Ocly five pa^os -but as you please — 1 will h.'-tnl it to the reporters, I fancy ray olr ii; would be tho batter way. C >1. H. —By all inaann. And now lot's chat. Qiv.n us tho history < f the t> ffair. What happon\d wbon you go<; to Suafeiiri ? Col. R —Paraded, and saw Graham. He wft- deeply aft'ocled. Said he never knew wh-.fc ifc fniii liko before to have Australian ooliaern under his command. Made a speech to '-ha men.

0)1. H.— Ah! fancy T re.^ rf it. And, wh.-^tben? Sriff fatigue duty ? 0 jI. R, — Y.B,Y .8, wo hovered »boul thore awhile, Kefc.mg acclimatised and killing s&ndfliea, and I than told tha rceu they worn to bo brigaded with the Guards. Thoy said it was not their fault, and they couldn't help it General wept, and Baid thay were brave fellows. Also comp'.iniented them upoa their gentlemanly commander.

Cul. H. — But f hpre were some movement?) eh ? You marched on to Tamai ?

Col. R. — Yes, we wpnt there. Saw some Arnb3 on tho way. They wore all struck — Col, H. — Ab ! the men did mako good shoot inp; then ?

Col, R, Struck with the excellen anpearanco of tbe Australian Contingent. Sent a flag of truce to s&y so. The bearer was quite effusive. Said be wanted to come tjack with Ui and take an hotel in the Buburbs. Had to got rid of him quite rudely at last. Col. H.— (Diaappointed) The deuce ! And what next ?

Col. R — Men executed masterly r jtveat through a gorge in time for dinner. Graham made moving speech complimenting them upon their steadiness and good appetite in times of difficulty and hardship. Col. H.— Hardship? Col. R. — Yes ; claret demmed sour, and no

Col. H.— But — great Caesar ! was he always making speeches ? Col. R. — No, only before and after meals and on parade. It was only occasionally that he gave tha Contingent an extra address at evening prayors.

Col. H. — (Gloomily) I see our New Zsaland wars were comparatively crude affairs. We shall know better next time. What happened when you got back to Suakim ? Col. R.— Saw Wolseley Col. H.— (Biightening) Ah ! and he ? Col. R, — Sobbed, sir — literally sobbed, directly he clapped eyes on the Contingent. Said he bad never seen men come off active service so cheerfully, and so nicely brushed and combed, and he hoped never to see it again. Said he couldn't stand tho shock at his age ; with Gordon dead too, and everything going tails up. The more the men cheered him the more he sobbed, until we all broke down. It was a terrible spectacle. The men on picket duty shed tears when Wolseley'B speech was read to them afterwards. What ! are you off ? Don't you want to hear about Hartington's despatch, and how her Majesty sent a message saying that the New South Wales Contingent ?

Col. H. (with a feeble smile)— Thanks, no. I think at this stage we may both— especially you— remark "jam sqtis." Stout should have sent someone with his own oratorical abilities to have transacted this business, /*ft6r the eloquence that tha men have listened to in the field I feel that any efforts of mine would be pale and ineffectual. I will, however, cable the men an address from Wellington. (Shakes hands, and exit,)

. I find that my reference last week to Mr R. T. Booth's sojourn at tho Grand Hotel has occasioned great searchings of heart amongst that gentleman's friends, one of whom favours me, in the columns of the North Otago Times, with an amusing homily on the duty of always adhering to the truth. The homily is amusing bacause the preacher is not slavishly punctilious about adhering to the truth himself. He rebukes me for saying that Mr R. T. Booth made " a prolonged Btay at the Grand," whereas I affirmed nothing about the length of R. T. B.s abode in that bower of bliss. I believe that, as a matter of faot, Mr Booth remained at the Grand until bis committee grew uneasy and induced him to come away, that he flitted to tha Grand from the Coffee Palace, and that he had originally been quartered at a private house, where, however, he could not be prevailed upon to stay. But these details are mere trivialities. Why shouldn't Mr Booth stay at the Grand if he wanted to ? There and no otherwhere would " Oivis " stay if " Oivis,' 1 instead of writing Passing Notes at half-a-crown a line, were a teetotal lecturer at £67 a week— which was R. T, B.s rate of remuneration whilst " in our midst," as the pulpit phrase is. Hera I find myself in complete and unexpected agreement with my friend of the North Otago Times. He says :

We have no patience with the narrow-minded temperance fanatics who would consign a brother to discomfort for the sake ot' an irrational prudery. If temperance reformers aro to meet with tho success wtnch awaits them they must bo less strain tit-laced, and mußt mix with tbe world. It is not at coifoe palaces only that such nun as Mr Booth should display the badge of Biue-ribbonism ; they should rather, if there be any grifc in them at all, show their colours, and, by their abstention, assart their principles in the cmip of the enemy. The principle announced in tho last sentence is identical with that which Gibbon, in a celebrated passage not exactly suitable for quotation, attributes to the early Christians, who, in their conflicts with the flesh, " disdained an ignominious flight," and "encountered the enemy in the closest engagement." If Mr Booth's friends had recognised this principle a little earlier they would not have taken him away from the Grand.

A correspondent sends me an authentic aocount of a tea-parly hold in Edinburgh with tha avowed aud most laudable objeot of improving tho marriago prospects of "old maids." The age at which an unmarried woman becomes au old maid has never, so far as I know, been authoritatively determined. .1 fancy, however, that a spiuotcr of 35 and upwards, if not actually "on tho shelf," may bo said to bo within bail of U. Tho lady guests at tho Edinburgh toa-party bad all reached or passed that limit ; the gentlemen invitod to meet them were obdurate bachelors, o«r " weary widowero," wbosa ages ranged ivom 40 to 60. Tha ladiep, aa waa naturalj

were firsfc on the Rcene of action ; the male gu^atti came in slowly and auspiciously, as not knowing how the ground might be laid with sn. res and man traps. Under the benign influence of ten and '* cookies " they lost something of th'tu- first shyness, but still the arts of flirtation eeemed to make little headway :

"It's a CMild nicht," said one fair girl of 89, "but we're fino and cozy hero." '" Was ye speaking, mooi ?" asked her male neighbour.

'" Ay, I'm laying it' 3 a cauld nicht." "Na, it's nae cauld the nicht, woman. It's ov/or het; far mo. I'll .<uva' ooi to tha close an' hao a amoke." This unfeeling rejoinder, and the posaibility it eugt^ested that the men might all secede in a body under a pietaace of drake for " a sraoko " nearly wreoked the wholo enterprise, for one indignant spinster at once jumped up with the remark :

'• My corty, if ony lad loft me that gate, I'd claw his hear) till it was as red an' raw as a she' p's pluck. 1 ' D?sd silenco followed ; the men wore preparing to secure their safety by a rush to the door who a the aulhoi 1 of tho feast, hastily reaching a black bottlo from the cupboard near, interposed with mollifying worde, which aro thus reported :

" Noo, frien's," said she, "ye ken fine I'm nae great orator, but as we aro met here the nicbt, an' I maun tak' the chance afore we pairt, lat mo exprnss the hope that something '11 como oot o' this gathorin'. I canna help aayin' that if every lad here '11 tak' the lass siUi-i' neist him, we'll hae a batch o' happy marriages at tbe holidays, I'll Ray nae mair, but I expect; every man here that haa the spirit n' a flaa '11 soe his neebour hame the nicht." These pointed and judicious remarks, which were followed up by other ladies, who " addressed the meeting in similar terms," had a wholesome effect. The men eat down, the bottle, containing nothing worse than gingerwine, circulated, songs were sung, and when the party broke up "each lad kindly took charge of a lady," Thus ended for the present an experiment, the results of which, as the narrator ambiguously remarks, " time only can show." If there are any results time will show them no doubt ; but maidens of 35 have little encouragement to trust to time. Time is not on their side.

The idea of an old maids' party, it seems to me, is a happy one, and I am of opinion that the Edinburgh example might be generally copied with advantage. Ladies who give a dance or evening party with the charitable design of bringing the sexes together, and so promoting matrimony, should consider the problem presented by the existence of eligible epiustera of " a certain age." It is notorious that old bachelors — when they do marry, which is far too seldom — instead of selecting helpmeets coeval in years with themselves, show a deplorable preference for girls just cut of short frocks. Moreover it is a singular fact that girls just out of ehorfc frocks are peculiarly addicted to the conquest of middle-aged bachelors and widowers with daughters as old as themselves. This evil would appear to be of very anciont date. When the white-armed Nausicaa finds Odysseus stranded on the beach, after giving him clothes and food, she straightway falls in love with him. " Would that such an one might bo my husband," she says to herself as she looks on the castaway's straight back and broad shoulders, and if Odysseus had been at the moment in the mind to " pop," she would have accepted him on tho spot. Yet Nausicaa, tho white-armed, a maiden just out of the nursery, is the prize for which all the Pbaeacian youth are prepared to contend, whilst Odysseus, who has so smitten her fancy, ha 3 at tbis very timo a son of his own, Talemachus to -wit, as big as himself. So perverse is human nature ! Effectual remedy there is none, I believe ; but it might be of some slight service to organise parties on the Edinburgh model, parbiea to which should be admitted no unmarried woman under 85. Civis.

Tbi Gladstone Ministry have been defeated on their Budget proposals by a majority of 12, and an amendment proposed by Sir M HicksBeach condemning the proposed iccreftnain the duty on beer and "pints wai carried. At a Cabinet meeting h^lr) rvftorvvnriK it w;-h resolved to resign, and Mr Gladstone has left for Balmoral to inform hor Maj^aty of this decision, Parliament, in the mefintirao ndjourning till Friday. Regarding tho negotiations now being carried on between England and Russia on the Afghan frontier question, Mr Gladstone stated in the House of Commons that it would ba premature to o&y that the difficulty with Russia had passed over.

Parliament was to ba opened on Thursday, when his Bxcallency tho Governor intended to deliver the usual Speech from the Throne. It was not expected that anything but formal business would be transacted, the House then adjourning to Tuesday.

The body which was found at Lovell'a Flat on Tuesday has been identified as that of a swagger named James Barr, a man of 48 or 50 years of ago, and a native of Govao, near Glasgow. The circumstances attending his death aro so far somewhat mysterious. Two other swaersmen pasaing the hut on Lovell's Flat on Tuesday evening heard moans from t within, and entering found the deceased writhing, and apparently in great agony. They remained with him until he died. There are no marks of foul play upon the body, but the circumstances of the case have been desined to necessitate a post mortem examination, which was to be made by Dr E,9id on Wednesday evening, Among tbo deceased's effects was found one of tho labels attached to packages of the "Rough on rats" poison, but there is nothing at all directly pointing to the cause of death.

The trustees of the Women's Otago University Scholarship, funds raisod by public subscription soro^i years ago, have communicated with the University Council, asking that body to take clwpn of tbe num., which haa now increased from £230 to £380. The Council, at a special meeting held on Wednesday, accepted the trust, and it was nfca(.ed that as boon as the revenue from the amount reached £30 per annum tho scholarship would be offered for competitioj;.

Speakiap; at n public banquet r.t York, the Marquis of Ripon, in alluding to tha subject of Imperial Federation, said that befova proceeding to carsy outi that ida», "it was veyy essential that we should have a cleat dsfimti'o'n

of the objects before us, and that we Bhould se« that they were objects which were fair to all the parties, and in which all parties might freely join. The best federation in the world was that which had already commenced, and of which we had examples now— that fraternity of raoes which was being cemented in tbe burning deserts of the Soudan. Nothing would bind together all parta of the British Empire more firmly than that Australians and Englishmen should meet together and ehed their blood in common for the oauso of England in tho ranks of the British army. Wo bad seen exemplified by oar Colonies a noble spirit Buoh as had never been to the Bame extent exemplified before, which was the fruit of that system of freedom and unfettered local government which we had given to thane Colonies, whioh placed England in a position of whioh she might well be proud and which could not bat make a great impression upon the other nations of the world."

Smith, alias Russell, who has been sentenced to three years' imprisonment at Napier for bigamy, was formerly a resident of Oaraaiu (telegraphs our correspondent there). • About three years ago he disappeared, leaving a wife and family here dependent on their relation*. No tidings of his whereabonta were received nntil lately, when it was discovered that he was living in Napier under the assumed name of Rubboll, and that he had married again abont two years ago. The case was one of an aggravated character ; for not only did Smith leave his wife and family dependent upon charity, but he levanted with a large sum, the proceeds of a contract in whiob he and his brother-in-law were partners.

Captain Whitson, of the ship Dunedin (cays our Oamarn correspondent), was presented witb a birthday gift from a number of admirers, consisting of a diamond ring and an esoretoire. The presentation was of course made tbe occasion of much toasting and many compliments. During the course of hio speech tbe Chairman of the Harbour Board stated that arrangements with tbe view of accommodating such vessels as the lonic, Doric, &o. were in progress. Jt was also mentioned that in one day lately 1000 tons of produce alone had been shipped on board steamers, and a share of tha credit for theee accomplishments was accorded to the railway authorities.

Frank Kinggate, carpenter, formerly of Timarn, found guilty at Melbourne of the charge of bigamy preferred against him, has been sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment. It will be remembered that in 1882 he married a girl named Nora Smith (or Schmidt), who was housemaid in Armctrong's Union Hotel in Stafford street, afterwards, in Melbourne, cruelly deserting her and marrying another girl, who was also employed as a servant ia a hotel.

M'Phee's sawmill, at Long Bush, Southland, which was burnt down on Saturday morning, was insured with the Fire Association for £300, but Mr MThee estimates his loss at £900 above insurance. It ia supposed that a spark from the fire box of the engine started the fire, which was fanned by a strong wind. The building and plant, with tbe exception of tho engine, which was only slightly injured, were totally destroyed. Thejengine alone was insured. A Sydney exchange Bays that Mr J. A. St. John, of St. Louis, has challenged Beach, tba champion sculler, to row a match with Jacob bandar, for 5000dol a-side, at some place in tbe United States to be chosen by the Australian, who is to receive oOOdols for his expenses. Toemer n anxious to row either Hanlan or Beach, Courtney wants to row Hanlan, and Wallace Ross is prepared to meet the champion. Perkins, an English Bculler, has challenged Messenger, and Clifford has a match for the 4fch July with P. Kemp for £100 a-Bide.

Mr W Cnnineham Smith c»Hs for tenders for j? razing sheep on rape, turnip, and native grass land at Hindoo.

Tho National Mortgage and Aereney Company will Pell pure-bred merino sheep, howes. cattle, &c. at Garryowen, Waaniwa, on the 17th mat.

The Wost Ti'ori and Mvingatua ploughing match will be held on the 19th inst. at Mr Tripp's paddock, Outram.

A meetlnpr rf ratep%yers in the Bluertln B'ding will be held at. the aohoolbouse, Purakinni, on Saturday, tho 2<Hh day of June 1885, to decide whether tha road thrown me bn ii blook IV, North Harbour and B ueskin District, ohall bo elf sed or not.

Profeacor Bddgewater des'res us tt call attention to his advertisement in another eolnmn.

The Don Tailoring Company have an announcement in our advertising columns.

The da*e ot t*>e c'eariifr aale to be held by Mr John E 'er. at at M? Henry Fi-tnn's Litt'ewood farm, Good-wo->d, has been altered to Thursday, 18th June. The notification of the change arrived too late for our last issue.

Monsrs J. A. Duthie and Co. will sell Messrs A. and I/. Little's Mount Stuar* optate, subdivided into two farms, a«i Milton, on the SOth Inst.

Mr J J. Prynr rffar* his second shipment of South f en- fßloni fruit.

Messrs Wtlson, Tiino »&rl O will cell Mr Cnl en's Oummie's Busb farm *t fnvercargrill, on the 30th instant.

The price nl fche Mercantile and Bankruptcy Gazette has been reduced to £1 Is per ar.na<n.

M>esra Fraser and Stilling invite tonders for the lease of the Laurlston farm, Saddle Hill, for five years.

A meeting of Waihemo County ratepayers opposed to the penny rate is to be held at Pftlmeraton, on th« 15bh ir.st

The birque Luttorworth was towed to sea on Tuesday afternoon by the s.a. PJmby, and sailed for London, taking the foUowin? car/yo :— ll3l bales wool, 20 do sheepskins, 132 do rabbitslslne, 0 do basils, 3 do rage, 829 ca*ks tallow, 4 do sperm oil, 1553 cases meats, 2190 Backs flour, 36 do oatmeal, 3080 do oats, 10 pkgs sundries.

" Stating " Powfr. —It will be Interesting to athletes, and to all who value the power of physical endurance, to kDow thai at " Home," and in the lister Colonies, an article has of late years come into jrener»l use, which is very strongly recommended ns belnjr an exceedingly pleasant beverage, and which yet lrr» parts, in an unususllv large degree, what is expressively termed " staying power"— in other wordß, nutriment and strength. We refer to OADBUBY'S " COCOA ESSENCE."- [Advt ]