PASSING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2103, 14 June 1894, Page 28

PASSING NOTES.

If the Tuapeka electorate desires to distinguish itself amongst the electorates of the colony, now is its chance. It may elect Mr Scobie Mackenzie, and it may give him, a walk-ovar. Any constituency may have a contested election — there ia nothing in that The way to name and fame and a colonial reputation is to select a man of mark and choke off all competitors. That is a mercy to them, of course — they are spared their election expenses ; and the only persons left to lament themselves in a walk- over are the local editors, disappointed of advertisements. But editors, asarnle, are a generous and self-sacrificing race, always willing to offer themselves up on the altar of the country. The Tuapeka electorate need nob hamper it 3 freedom by a sentiment of delicacy for its local editors. As for Scobie Mackenzie, I am not sure that I ogreo with bis politic?, still venturing to call myse If a Liberal of the Liberals, whereas he, oa the other hand, appears to have grown disgusted wiih the name in its present condition of definement; bat anyhow he is a man of mark — the one man of mark most wanttd in the present Parliament. At Waiherrio did he not run the Minister for Lands within an inch of his life ? Did he not so abate that bumptious functionary's belief in himself that a seiieg of adulatory banquets on the scene of his humiliation have only partially availed to restore it? These services to the country entitle the hero of Waihemo to an ut. contested seat at the first byeelection, and the fortunate chance of paying him this honour falls to Tuapeka. Any friend of the present Government who desires that it may be kept straight ought to pray for Scobie's speedy restoration to the front Opposition bench. If we are to judge from all we read and hear, the elective method as applied to licensing matters is not an unqualified saccess. Take Dunedin for example. I don't know whom most to pity, the licensees whose houses are doomed or the committee whose duty it is to doom them. Fortyseven or bo are on the list, and from them 22 are to be marked oat for destruction. In a fine judicial spii it the committee calls on the 47 to show cause. la respense to the call each produces a lawyer ; and each lawyer produces a company of intelligent, dispassionate, and conscientious witnesses who depose to tLe exceptional respectability cf the licensee, the tuperexcellence of the house, and the absolute necessity it ij to tbe neighbourhood. Forty-seven of them, one by one, and each b.tter fcthan t'other — the committee solemnly listens to the merits of them all (dements there are none), and then addresses itseif to the light and airy ta^k of " weighing the evidence," and " equitably " selecting the 22 that can best be dispensed with 1 Says a correspondent : Poor Mr Carew, a slave to his magisterial prejudices, takes laborious notes of what it said, bub the resb of the committee, fortified by preliminary meetings and private lists, sit like so many graven images, and ate just as open to conviction. Which is precisely what I should do myself were I one of them : or rather I should do more : I should say — as is set forth in the next Note. I should say : " Gentlemen, wa need not trouble you to call evidence. For the purpose of oar decision we will assume that you are in a position to show that every hotel on *he list is architecturally an ornament, commercially a convenience, and socially a uecessi-'y; every hotelkeeper a philanthropist-, a moralist, and a sage. Thank you, gentlemen ; that will do. If you will kindly retire we will consider our verdict. Open the windows, C2n3tatle, please." And then, bad I my way, we should proceed to peaceably and privately apply the knife, settling all disputes by tbot-a mutual concessions and forbearances which gendemea ia times ancient, and modern have always been willing to show. Ant. : These many, then, shall die. Their names are pricked. <■** Oct. : Your brother, too, must die ; consent you, Lepidus ? Lep. : Ido consent. Oct. : Prick him down, Antony. Lep. : Upon condition Pubiius shall not live — who is your sister's son, Mark Antony? Ant. : He shall nob liv.j. Look, with a spot I damn him. This plan would save muc'i titaz and money, and prove quite as satisfactory in the end to everybody — except, perhaps, the lawyers. T.ie fac^ is the judicial and tho eleoMve c-'iii^NC'nnii-phe combined, and I incline in *t,!u< wub another correspondent, who logouuusly suggests that when the next

local option poll is taken, the hotels, instead of the candidates, should be catalogued on the ballot papers, so that we may vote our own reductions and dispense with a committee altogether. This seems a practicable way out of the difficulty, and sure am I that the average elector usually knows quite as much about the hotels as he does about tbe cand. dates.

I suppose it ia the old Adam, but for the life of me I can't help chuckling at those wholesale licenses so daringly granted by Mr Hawkins. The prohibitionists will of coarse move heaven, earth, and the Supreme Court, but — the old Adam again, — at the peril of being found guilty of contempt, like Or Dawson, I make bold to express the wish that their prey may escape them. They have had a good innings, these prohibitionists. They have captured every hotel, every accommodation house, and every bottle license in tbe Clutha, and might well be content. But no ; the more they get the more they want, and unless they are stayed I look forward to the time when they will search everybody who enters the district and confiscate the secret, silent-, and surreptitious flask wherewith the wayfarer of the future may seek to temper the inclemency of what will be known as Cold Water Clutha. As for the wholesale license itself, there ia doubtless good reason for the special favour with which the law regards it — though what that reason ia I cannot pretend to say. If the majority of the committee be reprobate there may haply be found two righteous men amongst them, and to these tbe seeker after a wholesale license can apply ; whilst if there be not so many as two he may go to the cbairmaa alone. It is possibly a particular example of the principle de minimis non curat lex. A publican selh by the glass, tbe bottle licensee by the bottle, and glasses and bottlej are lef fc'to the local option vote as being trifles whereof the law takes no note. But a wholesale license connotes a minimum of two gallons, and two gallons are eight pints — a something that tbe law can perceive, and, perceiving, protects. If this explanation is not satisfactory we must await Mr A. S. Adams's exposition.

It is about time we attempted to get a general and comprehensive view of the proposals submitted for the Stuart memorial. Startling in their originality are some of them ; taken as a whole they bewilder by their variety. We cannot begin too soon to examine, compare, perpend, and thus get ready to exercise an intelligent judgment; for > although tbe ultimate responsibility of selection will devolve upon some person or persons at present unknown, we shall doubtless all contrive to have a say in it somehow. I have compiled a list ; any inventor inadvertently omitted may have tbe matter put right next week : 1. A statue— preferably in the middle of the Octagon, as a sort of mean term between the t<vo Burnses. The traffic to "go round." 2. A free library. 3. A reformatory for drunkards. 4. University scholarships. 5. A new wing to the Hospital— the " Stuart Wing." 6. Relief works for the unemployed. 7. A Sailors' Home. 8. A causeway across the harbour to Grant's Braes. 9. Sea wall and esplanade at St. Clair — the " Stuart Parade." 10. An artificial mound (to be called "Mount Stuart"), with a monumental effigy on the top of ifc, in Victoria Park. [This, I believe, is somewhere in the neighbourhood of Mornington, which neighbourhood, according to the author of the idea, is obviously the only suitable locality for a Stuart memorial.] This catalogue, at any rate, affords us scope and verge enough. And we ought not to complain that every man with a doctrine, a theory, a fad, a crotchet, or an axe to grind, seems to have seen possibilities in tbe Smart memorial. Human nature is human na'uro. Anyhow hero are 10 distinct suggestions — quite enough to 'pick and choose amongst — and we may hereafter make up tbe round dozen. Samebody may yet propose to build the new gaol, or 10 put a steeple on St. Paul's Church. The peop'e who have set their hearts on a sta-ue show a quality of courage that constrains my admiration. They are prepared to see their beloved pastor and master done into bronze by an artist on the other side of the world who will work from photographs, a post mortem face casting, and written descriptions. They are brave people. When the Moorhouse statue in Cbristchuroh arrived from England, tbe committee of subscribers that superintended its unpacking exclaimed with one voice that they had been cheated and betrayed. Nob a lineament could they recognise 1 The artist apparently had sent them the wrong brazen image. It was a ludicrous situation : Spectaltim admissi Risum teneatis amici t But they made the best of it, and the features of the Moorhouse etatue — which with due modification of costume might have stood just as well for Oliver Cromwell or John Huss — have now supp'anted those of the original Moorhouse in the memories of even his most intimate friends. The moral of this U that great men who are commemorated by statues otigbt to have been dead some tiiri^, so as to give people an opportunity of forgettirg wnat they were like. All that we can make sure ot, if the Stuart memorial is to be a status, is that some British artist will take our money and send us in return a brorz3 casting of a Presbyterian minister in gown and bands. Toe Enox Church people of the next generation will perhaps be able to bring themselves to believe that this was Dr Stuart. SpeakiDg for myself, I consider bronze an unsuitable material, and beg that the fact may bo remembered if at any time in tbe future there should be a question of Betting up a statue to " Civis." I should wish to go dowa to posterity as a white man. Apropos, wou'.d there be any impropriety in givicg Burns in the Octagon three good coats ot luminous paint? He( seems to need it, particularly at night. The after dark effect would be very fine — ghostly, ethereal I A book auction catalogue circulated in Dantdin this week recalls by its happy misspellings tbe best efforts in that line of Mr Montagu Pj m. In the department of classics the auctioneer offers "(Homer's Iliad,"

" Xenophon'a Analysis," " Suetonius Lives of the Ceasars," " Demosthenes Olvnthias," "Luaretius," and "Catullus Tibullus." " Zrumpit's [Zrumpt's] Latin Grammar " also belongs to classics, but "Xenophon's Opera" he probably understands as a musical work. There are a good many law books, amongst which may be mentioned as of special interest " Roscoe's Niri Primus Evidence," " Turner's Chancery Practices," and " Fry's Pacific [Specific] Performance." The auctioneer and tbe printer together have had a merry innings amongst the titles of the law books, whereof the above three may be taken as a sample. Then in addition to many " bumdles " of books the titles of which are not specified we have a "Bolus Library" (for "Bolus" I venture to conjecture Bonn's), the " Homolist" and Paley's Theology (qy Paley's); "Matthew Arnold's Literature and Dogmas," " Blum's Undersigned Coincidences," " Annuals [Annals] of Peninsular Campaigns," and the " Mill of the Flo3s "—which last recalls an earlier labourer in the same field : "Mill on Liberty; ditto on the Floss." Altogether this Dunedin book catajogne is a credit to the community that produced it, and deserves a permanent plasa amongst the curiosities of local literature. Civis.

We understand that Mr Scobie Mackenzie has definitely acceded to the request made that he should become a candidate for the Tuapeka seat. The Tuapeka Times states that Mr Mackenzie suggested that a conference of representative members of the party should be held in a central part of the electorate, to whom should be delegated the power of arbitrating between Mr Rawlins and himself, their decision as to which should retire and which come forward to be accepted as final. Mr Rawlins is said to have declined to agree to this. Our contemporary understands that the Hon . Mr Larnach will stand as a staunch Ministerialist with the support of the Government, but as he has made no sign as yet our Lawrence correspondent inclines to the opinion that Mr Fraser will be the Government candidate. Mr Scobie Mackenzie has in our advertising columns a short announcement of his intention to contest the vacancy in the House of Representatives for the Tuapeka district;.- Mr Mackenzie will address the electors at Lawrence on Tuesday evening next. The May number of the Review of Reviews (Australasian edition) contains highly interesting character sketches of the old Hungarian patriot, Louis Kossuth, and of the modern radical politician, Mr Henry Labouchere. There is the usual readable summary of politics, European and colonial ; many pages of firstclass literary matter, with- the brightness and sparkle the readers of the Review of Reviews are accustomed to ; numerous illustrations, some of which are very good, and the best of the cartoons from the comic pipers. New Zealand matters have a liberal amount of space accorded them, and two columns are devoted to the much - advertised eccentricities of the Mayoress of Onehunga. References are also made to tbe proposed annexation of Samoa, to Sir R. stout's address on the " Aims and j Methods of the Liberal Party," and to Mr j Edward Reeves's article in the Westminster Review on " The Land Laws of New Zealand."

Several chains of gorse and broom fences around gardens in the village of Woodbury, near Geraldine, are being destroyed by a dodder plant, which covers them like bunches of hay and saps the life out of the roots.

The City Licensing Committee, with the exception of two short intervals, sat from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday, hearing evidence and addresses of counsel in favour of granting licenses in the cases which had been adjourned at the first meeting of committee, and when the sitting ended the whole of the cases had not been dealt with; A renewal was granted in the case of the Southern Hotel) Princes street, and the application for the Newmarket Hotel was withdrawn, but in all the other cases decision was deferred. The question of an extension till 11 o'clock was also discussed, but in this matter also no decision was arrived at. The Committee sat again on Wednesday — the third day of their sitting — for about; bis hours, and dealt with the remaining applications for publicans' and bottle licenses and for extensions of licenses which have been already granted. Generally speaking, the evidence which was adduced in support of the applications for publicans' licenses was the same in each case. There was no cross-examination of the witnesses, and there was evidence to show that all the threatened hotels were well conducted — several were said to ba the best conducted in the district, and one was declared by an enthusiastic witness to be the best conducted in the land — and also to prove that they are only patronised by respectable people. There was, unfortunately, no evidence to show where the criminal classes get supplied with liquor. The committee deferred their decisions in all cases but one, and in that— the case of the Liverpool Arms Hotel, in Filleul street — a license was refused, the applies nfc, who is understood to have retired from the struggle, and to have sold off bis furniture and effects, having failed for the second time to answer to his name when it was called, The committee will sit again at noon to-day, when it is expected that they will announce what bouses it is proposed to close. •

The Roxburgh correspondent of' the Tuapeka Times writes : — " Since Thursday week last sluicing operations have been suspended in the Amalgamated Co.'s claim owing to a serious break in the race, thus causing the water to overflow the sides of the boxes, and before the racemen had the water turned out of tbe race as many as eight boxes were carried down the hill. Owing to the water cutting a deep gap in the ground where the bjxes formerly rested, excavationb bad to ba made further into the bill in order to get a solid foundation for the new boxes. As the undertaking was a very arduous one, owing to the deep cutting, there is no possibility of the water being again turned into the race sooner than to-morrow, Tuesday." The 14- men arrested during the gambling raid in Wellington on Sunday morning were discharged on Tuesday on a technical ground, but tbe magistrate ordered fresh informations to be laid against them. A. number of others who escaped arrest when the raid was made will be included in the new informations. M, Coloti, better known as Long, alias Smith, has been sentenced to six months' imprisonment for circulating obscene typewritten circulars at Waipawa. An extraordinary affair occurred between 1 and 2 o'clock yesterday morning. A harvester named John Farrell, who lives by himself in a two-roomed house near the Water of Leith, was awakened from his sleep by hearing a noise just outside the building. He got up hastily, and peering oat of the window saw two men itandlog outside, Suddenly they knocked.

loudly at the door, and on the inmate demanding their business they ordered him to come outside. As their tone of voice was threatening the request was not complied with, whereupon the men lifted large boulders from the bed of the Leith and succeeded in smashing in the door. By this time the harvester had lit a candle, and was preparing to resist the invasion, but when the intruders got inside they immediately extinguished the light and grappled with Farrell. The noise of the affray aroused the neighbours, and the two ruffians becoming alarmed took to their heels. The matter was reported to the police, and Constables Stewart and Daubney speedily arrived, but nothing that would indicate the identity of the offenders could be discovered. The motive of the outrage was presumably robbery. Mr Farrell lived by himself, and was known to have saved a little money.

It is proposed during the approaching session to introduce to Parliament some amending legislation for the purpose of affording greater security of tenure to goldminers who have taken ont or may henceforth take out what are known as occupation licenses. At present (says the Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times) the tenure under these licenses is 10 years' occupation, with a reservation to the Crown of the right of resuming the land at a moment's notice and without compensation should it be required for mining purposes. Residence being compulsory upon lands taken up under these licenses, miners complain bitterly of the uncertainty of their tenure, which, they say, deters them from putting up good houses, or from making any systematic cultivation of the soil. Government having considered these complaint ", and found that they were well founded, has resolved to amend either the Land Act or the Mining Act in such a way as to afford greater encouragement for miners holding occupation licenses to make permanent improvements on their sections.

There is evidently a belief in the south that a loan is to be proposed this session. At a mtetiug at Wnikaka last week, at which Mr W. Fraser, M.H.R , was present, it was resolved — " That in view of the probability of a resumption of railway works during the present session of Parliament, this meeting thinks steps should be taken to urge on the Government the exceptional claims of the Gore-Kelso line." It was decided to aslc the co-operation of the county council, the Mayor of Gore, and the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce. It is claimed that the line will pass through a closely settled district, with a probable grain traffic of 300,000 bushels which would be sent to the Bluff. The chairman (Mr F. Milne) suggested that the Government, instead of borrowing, should get a bale of paper and a printing press, and issue promissory notes.

At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Dr Stuart memorial fund, held yesterday afternoon, the secretary reported that collectors had now been appointed to canvass the whole city for subscriptions, and so far the response on the part of the general body of citizens was favourable. A communication was read from Oamaru intimating that there the motejaent had been taken up with enthusiasm and energy. The mayor, clergymen, head teachers of the schools, aided by an influential committee of citizens, had resolved to canvass the whole district from Palm erst on to the Waitaki, and requesting 200 subscription lists to be sent them at once. If the movement is taken up in other districts with similar enthusiasm we may have yet to record a Bum collected worthy of the object*

The Taicri Advocate state 3 that Mi Alexander M 'Donald, of the Taieri, intends competing for the prize for the best machine or process for dressing New Zealand hemp.

The Presbyterian congregation at Lawrence have made a call in favour of the Rev. Mr Will, who received 171 votes against 91 cast for the Rev. Mr Bissetb. Subsequently the call was made unanimous. According to the Lytfcelton Times the Minister for Lands has determined to reintroduce the bill of last session giving the management of education reserves to land boards acting under the advice of the Minister. At ' a meeting of the united ■ ' prohibition leagues of Christchurch, Sydenham, and suburbs the following resolution was agreed to : — " That the united leagues express their intense indignation at the action of the Clutha stipendiary magistrate in granting wholesale licenses to publicans deprived (by the vote of the people) of their publicans' licenses." Ten of the Oamaru unemployed are to be sent to work in the Catling Rivef district. At Zeehan, Tasmania, much indignation is felt at the extravagant reports of Mount Huxley's riches. The property was surveyed thoroughly and prospected in 1887. A Grand National Company prospectus was issued, but no flotation followed. A Sydney commercial traveller named Sullivan was imprisoned for one minute the other day for having given a creature named Dolonine a giievous thrashing for making improper overtures to his daughter aged 14. Judge Coffey commended Sullivan for his action.