The Otago Witness. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE SOUTHERN MERCURY. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1888. PASSING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1891, 17 February 1888, Page 21

The Otago Witness. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE SOUTHERN MERCURY. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1888. PASSING NOTES.

All things continue to look promising for war in the spring— as promising as the Devil could desire. Bismarck has made a reassuring speech, and obtained an increase of the landwehr. The Czar is "favourably impressed" by th c paci fie sentiments of Bismarck, and goes on hurrying up his Cossacks. Lord Salisbury " attaches great value to the assurance of the Powers that peace will be maintained" — indeed, so much value does he attach to it that his subordinate, Mr Stanhope, is " framing a scheme for mobilising the British army at 48 hours' notice," which scheme is to be " pushed on with all possible despatch." In short, everybody is talking peace and getting ready for war. How explain this glaring discrepancy between word and action 1 Merc love of lying, perhaps,— lying being in diplomacy and la haute jwlitiquc the most cherished of virtues. But there is another explanation. Nobody wants to fight, unless it is the Czar, also the French, should they see a favouring chance. The Czar talks peace because ho needs time to get his Cossacks to the front, and because he designs meanwhile to amiisc — in the military sense of the word — his adversaries. The Czar answers exactly to the man of whom we read in the Psalms ; " The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart." The other Powers talk peace because they really wish for peace ; they prepare for war because they believe that the Czar means war. France, it is lo be noted, talks neither peace nor has been singularly taciturn throughout. But if France says nothing she thinks the more — (sternum servans sub pectore vxthius. Her part has been determined long ago ; diplomatic lying is useless here. France will be the ally of the Power that first attacks Germany.

When spring unlocks the flowers, then, the diabolic carmagnole, mad war-waltz of the nations, is to betun. Moreover, Britain is to join the dance] This is the one fact of supreme importance telegraphed this week, and for us in the colonies a pleasant fact it is, " Great Britain will defend the coasts of

Austria and Italy against attack by France or Russia "—so we read. Will she equally defend the coasts of Australia and New Zealand? A new and tender interest attaches to the recent appearance of French and Eussian ships in these waters. One was in Port Chalmers three weeks back— a shapely French corvette, esteemed trhilst she stayed a decided ornament to the Port. Possibly ere long she may^ adorn it againtowed in, it may be, at the stern of an English cruiser. Certain it is that if England and France should be at war, we in the colonies should have our baptism of fire. The Eussian scare of three yeaTS back was bad enough, a French scare would be worse, a Franco-Russian scare worse still. Compare the strength of the three navies in first rates, as given by Hazell, 1887 :— SHIPS. DISPLACEMENT. Great Britain ... 43 343,480 France... ... 32 238,432 Russia ... ... 9 68,081 The proportion of smaller vessels will be about the same. Supposing then our venerable mother to engage in a contest with France and Russia combined, we should have the materials of a very pretty scare indeed. My I advice— if it is worth anything— is, that we • j refuse to be scared at all, keep our selfrespect, and " dree our weird," whatever it be, in patience. All the same, let us hope that our venerable mother will refuse to join the European dance of death, and limit her military ambition to the conquest of Ireland. Qu' iraitelle faire dans cette gall re ? " A Believer," who writes to the Southland News, believes that it is within the scope of fasting and prayer to ameliorate the Otago climate. He relates that "in the month of March 1865 there was a day set apart for fasting and prayer for more seasonable weather — and we got it." The inhabitants, he remarks, were fewer then, which makes the miracle more remarkable. But they were presumably of "a more religious nature," whereas now " the heads of families have degenerated "—with a marked result upon the climate. "It is about 25 years," he says, "since we had such a severe turn of boisterous weather." " Will our congregations," he goes on to ask, " unite in setting apart a day, or are they still in unbelief ?" I am afraid they are still in unbelief. There is a fixed conviction in the minds of this community that it i 8 no use to pray against the Otago climate. Our proximity to the Pole and the Antarctic ice, our position within the full sweep of the " roaring forties," are facts which we may regret, but which prayer and fasting will not alter. The true remedy for what "Believer" calls — very presumptuously — " unseasonable weather " is to get New Zealand towed a few degrees to the northward. Would he have us fast and pray for that ? Why not? One miracle is as easy as another. There is no reason to doubt that our climate is the proper climate for our latitude and longitude. " Believer " seems to be dangerously near the state of mind of a certain often-quoted unbeliever who thought hejnight have been consulted with advantage at the creation of the world. Upon the subject of " believers " it may be noted that the Victorian Government has been troubled by a believer who has expounded gratis his views upon the matter-of-fact question of rabbit extirpation. The writer, according to the Argus, describes himself as " your humble servant, and also the servant of the Most High God," and reads the Minister of Lands a pretty homily, declaring that what is wanted for the extermination of the rabbits is not poison or disease germs, but "wisdom such as was given to Joseph, Moses, and Daniel." This believer recommends a day of united supplication, and then he says, " You and your colony will be heard, and God, even our God, shall turn your plague of rabbits into a blessing." The writer, who means well undoubtedly, only falls measurably short of the gentleman who some time back recommended a general petitioning of the Almighty to afflict the Australian rabbit with sterility. The rabbit of course will nibble on serenelj indifferent to motions of this kind on the part of the enemy, but there may be a little disgust underground if intelligence of M. Pasteur's doings penetrates the burrows. At first glance it does seem a bitter touch of irony that professors of the healing ait should be directing their powers to the propagation, not the cure, of disease. M. Pasteur is deliberately (to the rabbits it will appear diabolically) preparing to inoculate with a foul disease (the disease is chicken cholera, but no pun is intended) millions of delightful little animals who would be inoffensive were their families and their appetites not so large. But it is dangerous in any commonwealth to rear inordinately large families, which must be fed at other people's expense, and the rabbits have only their own indiscretion to thank for their present painful position. Still it is not to be wondered at if the rabbit, with one eye upon smiling tracts of vegetation and the other upon M. Pasteur's deadly microbes, should arrive at the conclusion that only man is vile.

That there is " a good time coming " is a belief which every patriot is bound to encourage. All the better if we can be brought to believe that it is coming scon. There are persons who tell me this week that they detect a premonitory fluttering about the pulse of this colony lhat indicates a revival. The discovery is the more meritorious because the immediate cause of these grateful sensations proves to be an apparently small matter. A lynx-eyed few, always on the lookrout for hopeful indications, have observed the name of V. Pyke, M.H.R., among the passengers from Dunedin to Melbourne by the Mararoa. That is the birth of surmise. The genial Vincent has left us for a space. Wherefore ? Then surmise grows into definite reasoning. Victoria, we know, is at the present moment in possession of a "boom," a possession of vast intrinsic value, and in respect of which she is warmly envied by the other colonies who are "boomless." What a "boom" really is no one knows precisely, but even the uninitiated are aware that it differs somewhat from the lengthy spars in use on shipboard. Whatever the Victorian boom may be, whatever form it may take, nothing, think the sanguine, can be move evident than that Mr Vincent Pyke has gone to saw off a large piece of it and. transport the same to New

Zealand shores. Some hold that a big mining enterprise is in the eye of V. P. — something that will compel Otago's sunny fountains to shell out their golden sand, — and this surmise let us hope is correct. If so, we will receive Dunstan's member with a brass band on his return, illuminate him, drink his health, and do our best to impair his digestion. Even at the present moment he is not plain Mr Pyke, M.H.K., but the "Honorable Vincent"; for that distinguished title crouches watchfully upon Victorian shores and fastens upon any gentleman who has ever held office in that colony directly he lands. Thus equipped the Honorable Vincent may do much for New Zealand if he sets about it the right way, Eetrenchment is but feeble and flabby diet. We want a strong and not unwholesome stimulant. To discover wherein true greatness lies has always been a pet problem, and its solution has never been universally satisfactory, because people do differ so much in their ideas of what is admirable and what isn't. As I half hinted in referring to the redoubtable John L. Sullivan last week, there seems a probability that a large mass of the people will once more begin to hold that true greatness lies in bone and muscle. 1 have struck Mr Sullivan's trail again within the last few days, and I have little doubt that it is the trail of a man who is making tracks fast for that pinnacle on which the world's heroes are enthroned. The scene referred to was at the Crystal Palace, and the occasion the first appearance therein of Mr J. L. S. Everybody who was anybody was present, it seems, from peers of the realm downwards, and proceedings began with the appearance of a small man in a large dress coat, with a queer solitaire in his spacious shirt front. His speech was the soul of wit —in respect to brevity. " I have the honour to introduce," said he, " the greatest man in the world, John L. Sullivan." Simplicity itself, you see. A quiet matter-of-fact assumption of a distinction that hardly admitted of dispute. But it was disputed, nevertheless, in a certain fashion. The chronicler says: — This stirred up a turmoil. The names of British champions were yelled in discordant chorus. Then " the greatest" came out. His remarks were also characteristic. " Gentlemen and ladies," he began, putting the gentlemen first, " I'm obliged to youse for this reception." At this there were more hostile remarks from the front, mixed with hisses. John L. stared angrily around and then delivered himself of this classic comment: "Gentlemen and ladies, lam used to hisses. There are always a lot of hogs in every audience. Thanking you, I remain, yours truly." Then the distinguished personage awkwardly bowed himself off and the sparring programme began. The Crystal Palace audience, it will be noticed, composed of everybody who was* anybody, with peers of the realm thrown in, did dispute the claim of Mr Sullivan to be " the greatest man in the world." But they disputed it not in favour of the Czar of Russia, or Mr Bass of Burton-on-Trent, or Mr Gladstone, or Prince Bismarck, or Mr Herbert Spencer, or Mr Henniker-Heaton, but in favour of "British champions," which means British pugilists. The moral does not want pointing. A "Bashful Young Man" sends me the following letter received by him this week. It is in a feminine hand, and gives the name and post office address of the writer, items which I suppress: Saturday, February 13. Dear Sir,—l am certain you don't love me, or yon would have asked me to be your wife; but I am very anxious to occupy that position, therefore I put on one side all maidenly modesty and propose to you. Of course you will always throw in my face, in after years, if you accept me, that I courted you, and not you me, but I can pub up with all that; or you may even make a joke of it and tell everyone that I proposed to you, but I have so, little self-respect that I will risk it, for I am neither modest nor retiring, like the little innocent flower, Sunflower. " What are our girls coming to 1" asks the alarmed recipient of this very candid epistle. " Is it the influence of leap year 1 or, dreadful thought, is Dr Belcher right —is it the higher education of women ? You (" Civis ") are a married man, I believe, and experienced in women and their ways (which are at all times mysterious), and can therefore give me some good advice." So I can, no doubt, but don't get excited, my young friend; there is no cause for alarm; you are quite safe.' Woman proposes, but man disposes. She can't make you marry her if you don't want to. Looking at the date of " Sunflower's " letter, I should say it is merely a valentine, copied probably from one she bought in a shop. There is a frankness about this manner of approach which should seta bashful young man quite at his ease. The key of the position is not with the one who asks, but with the one who is asked; the one who is asked can say No 1 Social ethics assign that privilege to women (who seldom exercise it), but I see no reason why it should not in some cases —those, for example, of very bashful young men —be assigned otherwise. It would be a positive mercy to men too timid to " pop " if the girls they have a sneaking regard for were to follow the royal precedent set by Queen Victoria —who proposed to Prince Albert —and " pop " to them. In Leap Year, custom concedes the initiative to women. Paradox though it sounds, I look upon this concession to women as in reality devisedffor the relief of men. Civis.

The young man Wm. Henry Rait, whese strange disappearance a few days ago caused his friends a great deal of anxiety, has returned to Dunedin from Timaru. It now appears that he has been suffering from brain fever brought on be excessive physical exertion in training for a boat race and overmuch office work. He is at present in rather a bad condition, but his medical adviser states that with careful nursing he will probably be well again in a week or two. It appears that in consequence of his strange escapade Mr Rait is likely to acquire a legacy of several thousand pounds, which was left by a relative some time ago. The matter was brought under the notice of Mr Rait's relatives by Sir Robert Stout, who noticed an advertisement making inquiry as to the whereabouts of the family. No particulars regarding the bequest are yet to hand, but it is understood that a very considerable sum has been left to the family by a wealthy relative in Scotland.

Our Glenorchy correspondent writes that most extraordinary weather has prevailed at the Head of Lake Wakatipu during the past week or

two. On Monday last, however, the weather had cleared, and though the usual warm February sun was shining, the hills and mountains were covered with snow, produptog a scene of such grandeur as is seldom witnessed by the ordinary tourist. Mount Barnslaw was never seen to better advantage, its snow-clad peaks standing out in bold relief against the cloudless summer sky.

The Lyttelton Times says :— " The London wool sales now proceeding are, in every rebpect, the most satisfactory that have been recorded for some years. Competition has remained keen from the opening day, -withdrawals have been unusually small, and prices, which opened with a decided advance on the closing rates of November, have steadily advanced. In 10 days 125,000 bales have been sold of the 380,000 arrivals. It looks like a revival of the palmy days of the wocl market. Good greasy wool (including crossbreds probably) has advanced l^d on November rates, the choice merinos of Victoria from 2d \o 4d ; scoured, 2|d to 3d. Of these three sorts the first has the chief effect on the general average of the wool growers. Taking the Australasian average at five pounds of greasy wool, the rite gives an average of 7Ad per head on the flocks of Australasia. Thus, by the last returns, numbering 86 millions, the rise, excluding the special class of choice Victorian merino and the scoured wools, represents a money value of £2,687,000." Unfortunately the advices which we publish this morning show that our contemporary spoke rather prematuraly, as prices are not maintained. There would be very little New Zealand wool at the present sales, and it remains to be seen whether the market will recover before the next series. According to a Sydney telegram in the Melbourne Argus, the greatest dissatisfaction is expressed by exhibitors from the other colonies in connection with the arrangements at the recent intercolonial agricultural show, and a numerously signed protest against the judging connected with several of the sections is about to be addressed to the council of the Agricultural Society, Specially bitter complaints are made by some of those who exhibited large collections of implements, and the sense of injustice appears to be general. The Mosgiol Presbyterian Church Sabbath School picnic was held on Saturday in a paddock kindly lent for the occasion by Mr John Findlay, North Taieri. Despite the strong breeze, tha spot selected was found most comfortable, a magnificent belt of trees affording complete shelter. The Mosgiel Brass Band kindly gave their services to enliven the gathering, and rendered some pieces (sacred and secular) very pleasingly. Over 200 ohildren were present, as well as a considerable number of teachers and friends. After games and athletic competitions had been mdulged in to their hearts' content, those present gave three hearty cheers for Mr and Mrs Findlay for their kindness in connection with the outing, which was then brought to a close. | A large bush fire was burning on Wednesday eveniug on Pine Hill. It was reported that several of • the settlers' houses had been burnt down, but on investigation this report proved to be exaggerated, though unfortunately one house, a four-roomed cottage, owned by a set* tier named Periniskie, was destroyed. The police have received no particulars, but we understand that the house was insured for £80 in the Norwich Union office. A great sensation has been oaused here (telegraphs our Wellington correspondent) by the sudden announcement of a call of £1 per share in the New Zealand Shipping Company, after an implied understanding that there would be no further calls before 1891. The uncertainty attending the seeding of red clover in the colony induced the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society a couple of years ago to import a number of humble bees with the object of ensuring its greater fertility. The survivors of the consignment — some four or five, if we remember aright — were liberated in the vicinity of Christchurch, and from all accounts lost no time in propagating the species in their new home. The following peason their descendants were observed in the Timaru district, then at Oamaru and Palmerston, and now they have reached DuneJin, quite a number having been seen in the neighbourhood of the city and suburbs thjs season. A specimen oaught in a garden in Smith street was brought to our office on Wednesday, and may be seea by anyone interested. The inseofc is much more attractive in appearance than the common bee. It is beautifully marked with alternate black and orange bars, and is much larger than its more generally appreciated congenrer the honey bee. If with its assistance the red clover, which is of far greater value as a component of pasture than the white, becomes anything like as prolific as the latter, which is self-seeding wherever cattle graze on it, and has consequently spread over the whole face of the country, the thanks of the settlers will be due to the Canterbury Agricultural Society for their aofcion in introducing this useful member of the Bombus family. A public trial took place on Wednesday at Grove farm, Tinwald (Ashburten), of tho Massey reaper and binder, its first appearance in New Zealand, though many of them are runningin Australia. The trial was very successful. Although the crop, whicb was wheat of about 40 bushels to the acre, with a heavy undergrowth of tares, thistles, and other weeds, a pair of very light horses drew the machine through this heavy cutting without the slightest difficulty. The sheaves were well tied, and the stubble was left level and clean, and the machine met with high approbation from tho farmers present. The special recommendations of the machine beside Jfcs light draught are the fewness of part3 — the entire main frame being in two solid pieces, rivets and bolts being thus avoided — and the facility with which worn parts can be replaced. There are numerous other improvements, and the machine (which is made by the Massey Manufacturing Company, Toronto, Canada, will be heard more of another; season. The report of Mr Carew, R.M., into the action of the Education Board, with reference to the Kaikorai School Committee, is strongly in favour of the board, which he thinks should be given full power in the appointment of head teachers of important schools, independent of any conference with school committees.