PASSING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1899, 26 June 1890, Page 24

PASSING NOTES.

The "universal boycott" is a difficult and perilous subject to write upon, yet there is a fascination in it that I find hard to resist. The possible developments and applications of boycotting are so many, so various, and — as one thinks them out — so surprising 1 Take an example. According to a Dunedin evening paper, a meeting of local capitalists, called by one of the banks with a view to the forming of an employers' union, was suddenly countermanded in consequence of a warning from the " labour party that if any such meeting were held the notes of the bank would be boycotted. Such is the story, told with much circumstantiality, yet a cock and bull Btory for all that, as I unhesitatingly believe. Nevertheless it shows the direction in which the thoughts of some people are running. It would be interesting tc know whether boycotting in some of its possible developments does or does not come within the legal definition of conspiracy. " But supposing it does," says someone, "What then? You could never gtt a conviction I Supposing we boycotted the lawyers, and the jury and the judge, and the police, aud the gaol ! Are you really so dull as not to perceive that the boycott is simply omnipotent V Well, I may be dull, but there is one truth Lhat J see, clear as sunlight. If terrorised by an irresponsible omnipotence, human society will not continue to hold together. We shall all return to a state of nature and the primeval fig leaf. In the good old days of our early ancestors —

When wild in woods the noble savage ran — there was no bribery and corruption amongst members of Parliament, and the universal boycott, when applied, took the summary and merciful form of knocking the boycottee on tho head. These are attractions, certainly ; nevertheless 1 don't propose to myself the enjoyment of them. Before that happy time arrives I hope to emigrate to the freer social atmosphere and more liberal political institutions of Russia,

It is curious that heresy hunters should object to the term " heresy hunt," but they do. The Rev. Mr Finlayson writes a letter to the Times expressly to say so. In particular, he objects to our speaking of the Gibb case as a heresy hunt. Now, it happens that in the Gibb case Mr Finlayson's heresy

hunting was somewhat more pronounced than anybody else's, and a good deal more persevering. It was Mr Finlayson who wanted a committee for the purpose of making further inquiries. It was Mr Finlayson who, when other members of the hunt cried hold, enough 1 clamoured for its being continued. Everybody else seemed contented with the excellent day's work (I was going to say the excellent day's sport) afforded by the Gibb case in the Presbytery, but Mr Finlayson protested that he was not content, and gave formal notice, that he would renew the chase in the Synod. And yet it is Mr Finlayson, who iv the public prints, admonishes us not to speak of the Gibb case as a heresy hunt 1 Well, it may be after all that in strict accuracy he is right. When the quarry is ,run down and run into, the hunt, in the proper sense, may be said to end ; nothing remains then but the worry. The dogs fall to and tear poor Reynard limb from limb. Perhaps Mr Finlayson thinks that this stage is reached in the Gibb case. He has had his run, and now demands his worry. Very well. If he prefers it we will talk henceforth, of the " heresy worry," and forego any further use of the objectionable term " heresy hunt."

From some information supplied to me about the Westminster Confession, its origin and history, I make the following extract : —

It ia an odd thing, don't you think, that tho Presbyterians should get their theology from Westminister, the hoadquartcrß of Episcopacy ! We owo the. standards »Rainnt which lh« Rev. J. A. Gibb is in rebellion to the reforming zoal of the I>ufr.,,P»rliatnpnt. Tho Archbishop of Canterbury, with otbor Enplibh , .Church divines, som/j Independents, and a few Scottish Presbyterians, were appointed by the Locg Parliament in 1643 to consider the condition of the Church with & view to reforming its articles, liturgy, discipline, and government. They mat iv Henry Vll'h chapel, and continued to ait until Cromwfll'a dissolution of tho Rump, when t.boy silently diHappeared, lonving behind thorn as the result of their labours the Ws^tminstor, CoDfesdion of Faith, with the Longer and Shorter Catechisms. If, it reasonable that the ideas about God and Flis govorninont put together by a cnmmi tee of nameleea nobodies in the moat distr*oted period of Engliab history, when angry pawions ar>d mercilesq judgraonts ruled in both Church and S f ato, should bind tbe intelligence and thought of today? It, is not r->aion»ble, nnd I «m perfectly certain that it is fast becoming impose si bin. Thj more tho light of d&y \n let in upon the Rtaudarrtfi of the Church, their hiatory and teachings, the more clearly will it jippear that fchay are an unnecessary burdon and an intolerable yoke.

Brave words I— whioh,<l commend to the judicial notice of Mr Finlayson and his friends. It is the remarkable and unfortu-, nate fate of the " standards " that they are. never uplifted without attracting a shower of missiles, and of the "fundamentals " that whenever insisted on they produce a volcanic upheaval. I notice.tbat the First Kirk minis-i ter, in his heretical sermon as read before, the Presbytery, allows himself to doubt the wisdom of St. Paul and the sincerity of Stl James. Nobody complained of that. It was, not there that the heresy came in, but in his doubting the infallibility of the sacrosanct Confession. The general upsidedownednesa! of the Presby terial mind could not be better 'illustrated. J A • correspondent sends me the follow-) ing : — " Happening to be in Wellington when Dr Fitchett, M.H.R., arrived in that city after his sojourn in . Europe, it occurred tq me. ,th.abtiit, would be a good thing to inter? view him on behalf of the Witness. It would, be pleasant, to see the doctor in any oase, bu^ as it was certain he had returned laden with, solid information concerning the Industrie^ of the colony, a visit to him might be inj st ructive as well as pleasant. Why should Mr Thomas Mackenzie, M.H.R., have a mono[ poly of the interviewing 7 Was not the doctor his faithful companion on the way, in position as a legislator equally responsiblei bringing to bear upon industrial questions a mind ' still more aoute 7 A distinguished Protectionist, too, who would view thi industrial world from a different standpoint;, and seek for information in channels which the honest soul of free-trader Tom would abhor. A touch of scholarship and of philolsophy would surely — so I argued — enhance the value of the information to be got from the Doctor. Here, then, was a glorious op* portunity, which the pressmen were evidently neglecting. I, at least, would take occasion by the hand and give to the readers of the Otago Witness a column or two of informal tion abont frozen meat, and f}ax, and coals, and a variety of other things, which would, now that the ses&ion was commencing, be of more than ordinary importance. Who knows but that a bill may be founded on the information to be extracted? Inquiry revealed the fact that Doctor Fitchett was to be found at Gilmer's Royal Oak Hotel, corner of Manners and some other street — I forget the name. To the Royal Oak, therefore, I bent my steps, and was fortunate enough to find the doctor at home. A waiter, carrying a salver on which there appeared to be a bottle of soda water, and another of some darker fluid, name unknown, obligingly informed me that '! as he was going there himself he would show me the way to the doctor's room*" I iound that legislator surrounded by Hansards and parliamentary papers.

Briefly I stated the object of my visit. !'I have done myself the honour to interview you, Doctor," 1 said, " on the subject of your experiences in Ijurope, more especially in connection with the great industries of the colony. .In particular the frozen meat trade js one "

" To be sure, my dear fellow, to be sure," interrupted the Doctor, briskly. " Well, now, my experiences in Europe were delightful, simply delightful. There was Rome now — imagine being in Rome I and the Roman women ! D,id you ever see the Roman women 7 no— well then your education is not complete yet : the raven hair 1 the languishing black eyes ! the graceful carriage, the hands, the feet — vyhew, man, you have a lot to learn, I can tell you, and "

" I have not the slightest doubt, Doctor, that they are all you describe, But I confess that at present I am most concerned with the question of frozen meat, and the trade " "Steady, my deaj fellow, steady. We

1 must go to London first, don't you see ? An enchanting place London is, too, in spite of the smoke. I went to the St. James' Theatre and saw the Jersey Lily — a poem, my dear fellow, a perfect poem. Just fancy the Jersey Lily as the sprightly Rosalind, preparing to disguise herself for flight" — (standing up and quoting) • Were it not better, Because that I am mure than common tall, That I did suit me all points like a man ? A gallantcurt-le-axeiupon my thigh, A boar spear in my hand.' I tell you, man, it was a sight to see. Ever since I have been saying to myself ' Let no face be kept in mind But J;he face of Rosalind.' It 7 was delightful, it was enchanting, it was — " '? I must ask your pardon, Doctor," I broke in,. "if I remind jou that we have not yet touched upon.-the question of frozen meat — a most important one to the colony, and " " Yes, yes,. I know ; all in good time, my boy ! Wb must reach the serious part of my experiences gradually. You have heard of tho Alhamhra, I suppose ? Charming place, lovely forms,, floating gracefulness — this is the style of it " " Really, Doctor," I said, " I am sorry to interrupt you, but we have not yet touched the subject of frozen meat " " All right, now we'll come to it. But, bless me, (pulling out his watch), how the time passes. Quarter to 2. We'll have the frozei\,n\eat business another time. Call again to-morrow. Must be off now — ta, ta." And ttyus ended my interview with the member for Dunedin Central. Decidedly unsatisfactory, wasn't it 1 " Unsatisfactory for the amateur interviewer doubtless, but it seems to me that the member for Dunedin Central must have contemplated exactly that result. Dr Fitchett, whom I may congratulate on his having recently entered the ancient and honourable estate of, matrimony, seems to have affected an absorbing interest in actresses and dancing girls. A likely state of things with " Benedict the married man I " No, the ast.ute Doctor evidently declined to be " drawn," and very cleverly put his tormentor off the scent. Dear Oivis, — The following may be of interest to you and Or Belcher: — The following translation by Graham R. Tomson, says Mr Andrew Lang in " Longman's Magazine," is from a Greek epigram that should have settled the old dispute: had the Greeks cats? Clparly, as this epigram proves, cats were exotic animals in Greece. The lady whom - her lover laments actually threw him over-beeause he did not, and one Nicias did, Bring her cats from Egypt. Ahsinoe's Cats. Arsinoe, the. fair,. the amber-tressed, Is mine no more ; Cold as the unsunned snows are is hep breast, And closed -the door, No more her ivory feet aod tresses braided, Make glad mine,,eyef, , ■ Snapt are my viol-afcringa, my fjowers are faded My love-lamp dies. Yet, once, for dewy myrtle buds and roses, All snmmer long, We searched the twiligb.t-haun.fced garden closes With jest and song. Aye, all is over now— my heart baa thanged Its heaven for hell i And that ill chance whiah all our love estranged In this wise fell \— » A little lion, s,noall» andjdainfcy sweet, (For such there be !) With sea-grey eyas and softly-stepping feet; She prayed of me. For this through lands'Bgyptian far away She bade me pass ; But, in an evil hour I said her nay — And now, alas ! Far-travelled Nicias hath wooed and won Arsinoe With gifts of furry creatures white and dun From over sea. A Southland correspondent writes me that he has "just crossedjthe track of a mean man" whose 1 achievements in that line beat even the Oamaru record reported in this column last week. The Southland mean man is a landed proprietor whose habit it is, when he is travelling, to avoid hotels, and quarter himself 1 upon private settlers. On one occasion, when riding away from a station ab which he had been hospitably entertained, he was followed by a sheep dog, the property of his host, who a few days later wrote saying : " Kindly keep the animal till I can send for him." "You can have the dog," was the reply, "on paying 20s expenses." The same mean man bought a hive of bees from a poor woman living near his estate. Some days paesed before it suited his convenience to send for them, and in the meantime a young swarm, had left the. hive. On learning this fact the mean man demanded half his money back — and got. it, too, by stopping the amount out of the price of a subsequent purchase of fruit. " Thrift, thrift, Horatio ! " This is the way some people get rich. What it is in little rapacities like these that tickles our sense of humour I don't quite Vnow, but certain it is that the tricks of sordid meanness are generally amusing. Possibly we chuckle with a comfortable sense of superiority to such weaknesses ; possibly, on the other hand, the fun lies in our detecting in another ignoble qualities which we carefully conceal in ourselves. I leave it to the philosophers. Anyhow it should be a check on meanness that it invariably excites ridicule as well as disgust. Civis.