PASSING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1970, 22 August 1889, Page 21

PASSING NOTES.

"What does the visit of the Emperor of Germany to England mean?" "Simply nothing — except, of course, that Germany would like us as an ally." Question and answer, this, from a Melbourne paper's report of' an interview with Mr Christie Murray, pressman and novelist, who, as I note with pleasure, - has come to this part of the world on a turing tour. No doubt the .Emperor's visit to England means just that and nothing more. Nobody has had the hardihood to suggest that it was intended as a mark of affection for his relations — filial piety towards his grandmother the Queen, ; or personal regard for his uncle the Prince of Wales. The Emperor meant ' business, and his visit was a visit to Lord Salisbury rather than to his own flesh and blood. Germany, says Mr Christie Murray, would be glad to have us as an ally. Very naturally. The Triple Alliance would be all the stronger ; France, or any other mauvais sujet in- the European household, would be the more easily overawed and kept in order. The Berlin papers announced on the 15th that the Emperor had " arranged a rapprochement (guarded term !) between England and the Triple Alliance,". but this "rapprochement" Sir James Ferguson on the ,J6th denied. We may safely believe the denial. A rapprochement that would mean active partnership ia the next big European war is not arranged so easily — not with England at any rate. Lord Salisbury no doubt offered his Imperial guest any amount of moral support,' and promised him his prayers; if the rapproche-ing went any further than that, lam much mistaken. As Mr Christie Murray says, the Emperor's visit means sv simply nothing," because its object was business, and the business didn't come off. In all his attempts to be agreeable — even in making his venerable grandmother a colbnel of dragoons— doubtless the Emperor had strictly an eye to business. The Education Board has at last fulminated its ." censure " against Mr White: It is to be hoped that Mr White still lives. He has made no sign, but may be in reasonable health for all that, and even in fairish spirits. What visible effect, if any, the Board itself expected to follow its censure does hot appear. If there is going to be no effect at all, the situation recalls a famous incident in the "Jackdaw of Rheims" — Never was heard such a terrible curse ; But what gave rise To no little surprise, Nobody seemed one penny the worse. However, the Board has relieved its feelings and expressed its unshaken faith in its own impeccability, which is something. Observe, I don't undertake to justify Mr White. Whether he is right or wrong in his talk of " favouritism " I have no means of knowing. That is not the point. The point is that when a teacher in the public schools does his teaching honestly and well — as Mr White does — he , may probably contrive to go on existing, even though, under the censure of the Education Board. A teacher, qua .teacher, is to be judged by his teaching, not by his politics, nor by his opinions about his departmental superiors. He is bound to obey, but is he also bound to love and honour 1 If he is not — and I don't see that he is, — the Board's " censure " of Mr White is merely the Cardinal's curse — vox etproaterea nihil. From all I can learn it would seem that the last no-confidence debate was a very critical one for the Government. For the last three days the balance of power lay in the hands of less than half a dozen men, and right well they used it. Thus, Mr Fish is pledged up to the hilt against the property tax. But the defeat of the Government might lead to a dissolution and a general election. A general election would damage the Exhibition and peril the Otago Central railway. Moreover, it would be personally inconvenient. An amalgamated constituency is very different from .Dunedin South; and then, too, that little difficulty with the Painters' Union is not settled. So Mr Fish voted for the property tax, and — as report hath it— he got a pledge that there should be no dissolution, and that, if possible, this Parliament should be extended for a year so as to pub off the elections until after the next census is taken. Mr Downie Stewart has always been an unknown quantity in every political problem. His friends say that he selects the good and rejects the evil of both sides, and is thus never in perfect harmony with either of them. His enemies say he is the most consistent rail-sitter in the House. It all depends upon the way you put it. For two days he walked up and down the lobbies wrapped in silence as with a cloak. Both sides approached him. The Opposition urged the iniquity of the property tax, his pledges against it, and the fact that Mr Samuel had ratted to the Government. Mr Samuel, I may explain, has always been a stone of stumbling to Mr Stewart when minded to enter the Opposition camp. He is a clever Taranaki lawyer, who has hitherto worked with the Opposition and for the Attorney-generalship. The Government urged many things that I wot not of ; but it is whispered that just before the division was taken Mr Stewart's providential path to the "aye" lobby was made- clear to him by a hint that a Minister would retire at the end of the session, when the services of a good lawyer (not Mr Samuel) would be needed as Minister of Justice or Attorney-general. Mr Stewart, they say, is now a strong Government supporter. Mr Eugene O'Conor, commonly known as the " Buller lion," had long been pressing the claims of the Mohikrnui railway without, success. The Opposition became

■ suddenly alive to its importance as a colonial undertaking, and told him so. That afternoon he paired against the Goverutrient. Next day there was much conference between him and the Ministerialists, and he declined to give a pair to either side, On ' the third day the division was taken, and Mr O'Oonor voted for the Government. The Opposition now say that on further reflection they think the railway has no special claims—is, in fact, a gross job — and the Supplementary Estimates are to be closely watched. Tremendous efforts were made by both sides to capture Taipaa. As a rule the guileless Maoris, of whom there are four in the House, divide themselves —two going with the Government, and two with the Opposition on every question. Taipua has always been with the Government, but for some mysterious reason or other the Opposition thought they could carry him off, and for two days Sir Harry and Mr Ballance contended for him as Satan and Michael did for the body of Moses. Sir Harry triumphed, and Taipua helped to save the country. The following contribution to the disoussion of the divorce question, now before Parliament, is based upon some remarks of miae last week: — Dear Cms,-—Your account last week of the trivial and ridiculous reasons for which married people In America can divorce each other reads like a joke, bat it is true nevertheless, and I believe not in the least exaggerated. I have just read Margaret Lee's " Faithful and Unfaithful," a story written to illustcate the state of the marriage laws in America. Without any notice or hint of his intention a husband brings home a decree of divorce in his pocket. He has been able to get it by residing for a year in another State, whilst his wife supposed him to be travelling on business. " I accuse you of nothing," he says, '•but you are too good for me. I'm sick and tired of seeming to live up to a standard that is entirely beyond my reach and my desire. I can't pull you down, and for 10 years you have been exhausting yourself in vain efforts to raise me to your level. The thiDg must end! I leave you the children." And so a wife is divorced, having done nothing to deserve it and without knowing about it. Remembering how near akin the people of America are to ourselves, the knowledge that such things can be makes one tremble for the future of family life in England and in these,colonies. Certainly things have come to a strange pass when a husband can put away his wife because she is "too good" for him." This aeems the reductio ad absurdum. 1 can understand a husband's losing interest in the society of a wife who gives him two black eyes on the morning after their marriage by hitting him with the heel of her boot as he lies in bed. It must also be a trial to constancy when she emphasises 'a curtain lecture by getting up and beating him about the head with her bustle —possibly wire-wove and ironbound. These are cases in which the duty of sticking to your wife "for better or worse" is put to a severe strain. It is all " worse " and no " better," as an ill-assorted couple sometimes tell each other. But in the case quoted from the novelist the husband's only grievance is that his wife is all "better " and no " worse" I Not a likely sort of case to occur in actual fact, I fancy! certainly I never met with one. Supposing it to exist, divorce would be justifiable. Poetically considered, your wife may have been " an angel." — A phantom of delight •When first she gleamed upon your Bight; —when you know her better that illusion passes. In this sublunary sphere permanent association with an angel would involve an amount of wear and tear that few men could stand. What you want in a wife —and I speak out of a sufficient experience —is] A creature not too bright or good For human nature's daily food; For transient sorrows, simple wiles, Praise, blame, love, kisses, tears, and smiles. I agree that a wife may be " too good " for her husband; it often happens. But she ought to avoid being too much too good for him. He might be tempted to migrate to America. An advertisement in the North Otago Times announces a " Grand Entertainment" by the Duntroon Dramatic Club, — Programme — "Christy Minstrels, Wit, Humour, Stump Speech; to conclude with the Laughable Farce • Obliging a Lady,'" and " a dance to follow," —all of which is no doubt strictly regular, the bush bill of fare in due form, ab ovo ad mala, from the nigger melodies to the impromptu " hop," with accompanying whiskies. But note the object of this classical entertainment: "To erect a Tombstone in memory of the late Wm. Elder " 1 I fancy I have met with something like this in Bret Harte's pictures of the oddities of life (and death) on Californian placers or Mexican canyons, but so far as my experience extends it is a novelty in Otago. Wit, humour, laughable farce, and a dance to follow —in aid of a tombstone! The incongruity jars a little on our —what shall I say? — our prejudices, but we live and learn. After all, what is an Irish "wake;" what was the " Carmagnole " which the Parisian mob just a hundred years ago used to dance round the guillotine 1 what were the Dance Macabre and Holbein's " Dance of Death " but similar developments of the horrible grotesque 7 There is nothing new under the sun. You may find historic precedent for anything and everything, not excepting the Duntroon Tombstone Dance. One would like to know whether the inscription on the stone is to include copy of the programme. Civis.

The Catholic Times publishes a sensational article on the Kaiwarra murder, in which •• Watchman " attempts to solve the question Who killed Hawkins ? In the article in question the theory set up is as follows :—The numerous unnecessary stabs inflicted could only have been the work of a lunatic; the shape of the wounds shows thbywere inflicted by a muchsharpeued seaman's knife; the shot marks, &c show that Hawkins was attacked with an oldfashioned single-barrelled pisfcol. Arguing from these facts the writer foreshadows his theory, which is that a seaman, afflicted with recurring fits of homicidal mauia, deserted some ship in one of the Southern ports, after stealing from the ship's arm chest an old pisfcol; perpetrated the Waitahuna murder about 20th May, found his way to Wellington, murdered Hawkins, was Been npnr the spot next morning, inserted an dvertisemenfe of an extraordinary character in

the Evening Press, and has now escaped north' wards, where, when the fit seizes him, he will probably soon commit another murder. The sad Btory of the mauner in which a New Zealander who returned td London was " swindled to death " appears In another column. William Harry Lewis, who shot himself in despair at 'being unable to find employment after being swindled out of his savings, was for some years a clerk in the goods office in Dunedin, and was in 1883 transferred to the Waimea Plains railway. When the line was taken over by the Government in 188f, Mr Lewis was appointed {stationmaster at Riversdale. When ifc was decided to remove him to another station he resigned and came to Dunedin, where he was employed for some time in Mr R. H. Leary's office. A week or two before his departure — while awaiting advittes-'-he was engaged as advertising clerk in the Daily Times Office. He left for England last November, and the history of bis career there pursued by misfortuna is told in the extracts which we republish elsewhere. The Oamaru Mail states that there are approximately about 190,000 sacks of wheat and close on 40,000 sacks of oats stored in Oamaru, and chiefly on growers' account. Intimation has been received that Bishop Moran was to sail from England this week by the Orizaba. With reference to the case of Mr William Harry Lewis, the ex-New Zealander who Bhot himself in London, we learn from the local agent of the Colonial Mutual office that the deceased's life was insured for £1000 on the London books of the company, and it is believed the premiums paid were sufficient to keep it "in force, so that the widow would ba entitled to the money. Margaret Morcsi Was received into the hospital on Wednesday forenoon suffering from a fracture of the right leg. She was walking along the Leith Valley, when she slipped and received the injury beforementioned. After medical treatment by Dr Barclay she was able to be removed to her home. Principal Rainy was the recipient on Wednesday afternoon of an address of welcome from the Danedin Presbytery, and was subsequently entertained at a public luncheon, which was attended by over 100 ladies and gentlemen, including clerical representatives of the Episcopalian, Wesley an > and Baptist denominations, and by Presbyterian ministers from districts so remote as Wallace, Catlins, Inch-Clutha, Palmerston, Lawrence, Milton, Waitahuna, and the Strath-Taieri. Principal Rainy, in the course of a vigorous speech, dwelt strongly upon the education question, and urged upon his hearers the advisability of taking action to secure instruction in the Bible story as portion of the school course. Late in the afternoon Principal Rainy laid the foundation stone of the new Presbyterian Church at South Dunedin, where he was presented with another address as well as with a trowel and mallet, and ho concluded a day's arduous labour by delivering a lecture — his fourth speeoh since noon — before a large gathering in Knox Ohurcb. The Rev. W. A. Walton, Wallace Green Presbyterian Church, Berwick, has, according to the Scotsman, been approached as to the probability of his accepting, if called, the post- of colleague, and successor to Dr Stuart, in Knox Church, at a salary of £600, -Mr Walton succeeded at Berwick the Rev. J. Smith, now of Broughton place, Edinburgh. An inquest was held at Hindon, before Mr W. Snow, J.P., and a jury, touching the death of Miles Erwin, who died very suddenly last Satur- j day. J. Brown, in his evidence, stated that deceased was a native of Nenthood, Cumber- j land, England ; & Protestant, a leadminer by occupation, and about 56 years of age. He had been about 28 yearg in New Zealand and had no relations here, but had a nephew in Victoria, j Witness said deceased, feeling cold, on Saturday set fire to some tussocks, and afterwards in- ] formed witness that he had fallen down, his sight having left him. Deceased, on his advice, went to bed, and after being given pome tea, complained of severe pains. Everything possible was done by .witness and others, but the case was considered hopeless. Other evidence having been taken, the jury returned a verdict of "Death from natural causes." The coroner said he was pleased to find that though the population of Hindon was very scattered, yet in a few minutes after deceased had been taken ill he was surrounded by many friends who were willing and anxious to do all in their power to relieve his sufferings. The prospectus of the Upper Waipori Alluvial Gold Dredging Company appears In another column. With a capital of £12,000 in shares of 10a each Ifc is proposed to acquire a claim of 300 acres on the Upper Waipori flat, and work it by means of a bucket-and-ladder dredge. Mr John Logan and Mr Th.o3. Grose are the brokers. Unlike the various medicines, whioh in many cases are but unscientific or incompatible compounds, forced upon the people by extensive advertising, but which, when submitted to the proper testa as aperients, sarsaparillas, purifiers, regulators, or promoters of health, are found to be absolutely useless, Seuter's Syrup No. 2 has gone on, year by year, gaining in the esteem of every careful practitioner, and we feel fully warranted in recommending the use of this invaluable preparation to those suffering from impurities of the blood, biliousness, jaundice, fevers, dyspepsia, and all liver and kidney complaints. Kkuter's Healing Soap for the toilet, nursery, babh, and the healing of skin diseases of every kind and at every stage.