PASSING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2782, 10 July 1907, Page 5

PASSING NOTES.

(From Saturday's Djiily Times.)

It is a somewhat flagging tune with which Sir • Joseph is " paying the piper" for hie share in the historic Premiers* picnic. Doubtless, a- constant atmosphere of adulation, as expressed in English hospitality on one side of the world and congratulatory telegrams and welcoming addresses on tibe other, is akin to over--doses of a certain quack medicine in its effects — namely, " Conduces to nausea and depression." Thus it was but a dull side to Sir Joseph's coalt of many colours which he displayed to the Wellington interviewers. Bank Monday on " 'Appy 'Ampstead" is a threadbare patch of journalism and impressionism -wbicfh it really is unpardonable to offer us. Not even the red ribbon of innocent personal vanity displayed in the reference to " the motor car of the N.Z. Premier" redeems this episode from dulness. No, there are far better junketings than this to tell U9, if our English magazines are not drawing the long bow. Was there not an evening at the Hotel Cecil, when, after a brilliant official function, several of the Premiers, with their friends, met in a private supper room, and Sir Joseph, immediately after the departure of Sir Wilfrid Lanrier — who would appear to be something of a wet blanket at these simple convivialities — gaily launched himself upon a Maori song. The success that followed this induced our tenial Premier to suggest " A Maori ong" (with action). "All must do as I do," directed Sir Joseph, and presently the chorus "had arrived at "As I shake my fingers, my hands, mv feet, my legs, my head, my body merrily," with everyone delightedly following Sir Joseph's agile movements. The door opened, and Sir Wilfrid Laurier, accompanied b? the Countess Grey, appeared. " For a -fleeting second Laurier iihought all the company had suddenly gone mad. Then Ward, a little flushed with his. exertions, gravely explained. 'The New Zealand dance of peace,' he said. 'Do you keep up the aboriginal customs in Canada, Sir Wilfrid? * "

Apropos of the suggested rebaptasm of New Zealand a correspondent lets his fancy play around' the topic thus:

" Dominion op New JZealaxd." (With apologies to R. X.). The good old name of Colonist E«a been deleted from the list. What will the new mune be? How queer If it should read Dominioneer! Our spacious " Lady of the Snows " For title fit Dominion chose. This wee land, New Zealand, Home of the franchised suffragette, "Will sure be called Domixionette! Lest we forget, lest we forget, How mighty small we are as yet!

" One of the most astounding indications cf ' swelled head ' is the utter loss of a sense of proportion or perspective. For this dear v,'EE Cabbage Patch of an island State of ours to attempt to even itself with the colossal Dominion of Canada or the conti-

- ental Commonwealth of Australia appears to me an unparalleled piece of cheek, and will not fail to bring upoa us the ridicule of an amused world.

•' Perhaps the proposed name may be taken as prophetic of the domineering ascendancy of the Socialistic party, though if you corns to think of ,it ' Commonwealth ' itself is eminently suggestive!"

"An unparalleled piec« of cheek ! " Well, I don't know: the following, taken from the Wellington Post, and penned

within the sacred arcana of the Parliamentary Buildings, seems to me going even one better : >

"... Why should we not adopt the term ' realm ' ? ' The Realm of New Zealand ' sounds well, and has as good, if not a- better, meaning than the word dominion ; and it has not been appropriated by " any- other colony. Moreover, it is the term used by Shakespeare in one of his noblest descriptions of England, a description that would, with very little change? apply equally well to New Zealand —

" ' This royal throne of kings, this scepter'd isle, This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, This other Eden* demi-paradise ; This fortress, built by Nature far herself Against infection and the hand of war; Thiß happy breed of men, this little world, This precious stone set in the silver sea, Which serves it in the office of a w.all, " Or as » moat defensive to a house, Against th« envy of less happier lands; ■ This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.' ' "Alex. S. Malcolm." The "Realm of New Zealand!" » Talk about struggling against the handicap of a name. Let us have the courage of our optimistic convictions, and reoknsten our little islands boldly Utopia, or Utopia of the Pacific, or Experimental

A Mr Allan, of Wellington, has, I notice, been starting what may be called a New Zealand Boxer movement. His aim is the total abolition of the Asiatic as far as this colony is concerned. Another example of nothing new. History repeats itself unweariedly. < The Maori had* the same objection to strangers — he' cooked and ate his pakeha. But in the end we have cooked him so well that soon he will be entirely digested. A few .years back the Chinese tried to get rid of the Europeans in, tot o, traders, missionaries) and all. We know the end: the. sack of Pekin, a tragedy on which the writer of "Indiscreet Letters from Pekin "~ throws lurid lights. Absit omen! • The Asiatic must be dull indeed who does not see the curious anomalies that— surround his intrusion into Western life. Only a few 'days ago a missionary, returned from China after years of service, said to his interviewer, " Just as Australians are seeking 1 a White Australia, co the Chinese are rallying to the cry of a "Yellow China." A somewhat ominous 1 announcement. Despite all our big talk, we, as a colony, depend an Great Britain for our very existence, and as Mr Allan proposes a policy the very reverse of the world policy of Great Britain, he must evidently toe prepared to .persuade or coerce the Mother Country- to- adopt his views! He must' also in fairness be prepared to advocate the immeddate- removal of all New Zea-' landers. from Ask — a pleasing development for our successful 'directors ' of mines, traders, etc., and a big enough task for, Mv Allan to lay himself out on. ' A crumb of comfort, however, presente, itself in the hope that the Prime- Minister hhr?elf f his views widened by recent experiences, may induce Mr Allan to stay further proceeding* in the Boxer movement. Speaking of, constantly meeting with parties of Japanese observers taking notes on British methods and institutions here, there, and everywhere, in the British Isles, Sir Joseph remarks that "Tijp attachment to out. Empire of 6uoh an exceptionally progres-_ sive and powerful nation as Japan is, in the opinion of the people of Great Britain, of inestimable value to them."

It is pleasant to observe that tihe most tactful monarch of his time will ere long welcome the most versatile royalty of the day. In other words, the German Kaiser and Kaiserin- are to visit King Edward and Queen Alexandra at an' early date. Now" there re something very attractive about the Kaiser. Shakespeare's tribute to the moon might be quoted of him : " Age cannot wither or custom stale hia infinite variety." Like the highest type of humorist, he affords us occasion t to laugh both with him and at- him. Whether as war lord, advocating peace and preparing for war ; as director of the morals of his army, tearing the deoorat-ions from» the breast of an erring young officer and degrading him 1 from his rank; or as the , head of the Royal House, supplementing official disgrace by personal chastisement' and administering a sounding box on the ears to the already humiliated delinquent, the Kaiser is nothing if not impetuottß. Like his fellow-monarch's of Italy and Russia, the Kaiser is a paragon of the domestic virtues, and, like all paragons on the bench of justice, shows -small mercy. Moreover, when a monarch takes upon bimseli the charge of the nation's morality, he has the wherewithal to render the arm of admonition long indeed, and a certain German baron whose little 6tory was summarised under the heading of "An Unhappy Marriage" will probably "hear of 'something to his (moral) advantage" from his Sovereign. The baron in question has been figuring in the London courts m consequence of his wife's application for a judicial separation on the ground of her husband's cruelty and misconduct. It would certainly appear that the baron had been studying Dickens, and living up to a liberal interpretation of Mr Mantalini. Hi 6 Tendering of the part had been apparently most successful, for by dint of threatening to throw himself from the window and otherwise commit suicide he had extorted from the baToness sums amounting to £170,000. Success had been fatal, and, like Mantalini, he had overplayed the part. Though late in the day, it dawned upon his confiding wife that her titled husband was after . all too expensive a luxury. The beggarly pittance of £3000 per annum which the baroness allows him, altogether with the £1000 a, year settled on him by her late father, must henceforth content this modern Mantalini.

" The New Theology "—would not " The N«we«t Theology" be more exact? Have we not been suffering more or less intermittently from new theologies of one brand: or another for more years than we care to count? VZi***- •». vogue had Hep-

worth Dixon's " New America "" — some* where back in the seventies, if I mistako not> With what surprise and dismay the orthodox read of the. Shakere, tine Bible Communists, Free Lovers, and a score^a£-. other religious freaks. Who troubles about them now? A correspondent sends me ai clipping from a Cardiff paper in which Sir Robert Anderson, formerly chief of tha Criminannvestigation Department, at % meeting of the Y.M.G.A., made a most" violent attack on the Rev. R. I. Campbell and hie especial brand of theology. The. utter absence of patience, toleration,"^ or courtesy exhibited by this Christian speaker -was • such as -might have dbinq * credit to the veriest, heathen, and I don'fe wonder my.7. correspondent felt both dismayed and bewildered!, at these "Christian' amenities." ,Ye 6 one can readily understand how ..utterly and mischievous tihe- New Theology would appear Sir Robert Anderson, whose years of criminal investigation enable him to declare : " Tfoere „is no abomination o £ evil I have not knowledge of, and in London ta-nigbt I could put my hand upon vice so loathsome' that' its very description would revolt you." Yet these criminate, according to Mr Campbell, were but seeking Christ! I commend to my correspondent Dr Fitohett's sensible comments on the New Theology and it§ founder ia the June number of Life. * Thaß broad Churchmen like the Bishop; of Carlisle are actively suggesting the loosening of many bonds o£ conventional observance, wihioh if not loosened will be severed, is, I take it, of more lasting importance than the passing excitement of tie New Theobgy. Tho following example of a complete substitution of the .new ideals for old will probaoly interest my correspondent: — Among the competitors in the amateur boxing competitions promoted by the Birmingham Athletic Club and decided last evemng was one who is described by th» Birmingham Post «s » fine typ« 6f th» muscular cur»te. H« was pitted against P. a. Beasley, and the two boxed at lOst 7lb for » club- gcud medal. It was. one of the best events of the evening, and tha victorji of this former, who was both skilful and courageous, was highly popular. His club members subsequently heartily congratulated him on his display, which was in every r«»Bpect worthy of a member of the Church militant.

The zymotic diseases reported to th* District Health Office during the past month numbered 39, comprised as follows: — Scarlett fever, 12; enteric foyer, 5; diphtheria, 7; tuberculosis, 10; and blood-poisoning 1 , 5»

Several members of the Bruce County; Council Complained on the 2nd, that it was not fair to ridings which, had no indebtedness that they should 'foe saddled with interest 't or the payment of bank- overdraft) which became necessary owing to other ridings being indebted. Cr Nob!e Bug* geste'd that ridings indtebt should put on an extra' rate to reduce the overdraft, and Cr Begg stated that ridings were being encouraged to go into debt because the result of., the indebtedness was being borne tojsome extent by the whole "county. The last-named councillor further contended that it would be necessary at no very distant date -to levy a bridge tax, as it was money for bridges which was largely responsible for the overdraft. No resolution was adopted on the matter, but it was understood that the question would come up again for discussion, when the motion for levying rates to meet expenditure was discussed at the next meeting of the courieil.

In the course *of hjs presidential address at the annual meeting of the Otago Branch of the Navy League on the 2nd, Mr John Roberts stated that they had been ; nf6rmetF by the secretary of thi ladies' branch that Mr* Percival Fenwick ■ had presented *> challenge' Nelson shield for competition by, the- pupils of the Girls' High School, St. Hilda's Collegiate School, end Braemar House School. ' The conditions under which! the shield ie presented are that it shall be held for one year by the school that wins the prize for the league's essay, which is competed for in October of/ each year;) and that the, shield shall become the property of the school that has won the prize three times. The name of the school and that of the pupil will be inscribed on, th« shield.

Dr P. Marshall, Lecture* on Geology ia the Otago School of Mines, gave the first of a. series of winter lectures at the Anderson's Bay Sunday School Hall on July 2. Mr C. E. Owen (chairman of the School Committee) presided, and there was a good attendance, the boys of the Fifth and Sixth Standards at the school being admitted free. The object of the lectures, of which there are four, is to defray portion of the expense incurred in providing school apparatus for the Anderson's Bay, School. Dr Marshall selected as the text" for his remarks, "The Thermal District o£ the North Island" and "A Brief Outline of the Geology of Dunedin and Anderson's Bay," subjects on which he has previously lectured in / an instructive and interesting manner. At the close of the lecture *, cordial vote of thanks was conveyed to Dr Marshall for the information given. Mr P. Austing contributed a flute solo during an interval.

The Milton Mirror states that the hull of the Marguerite Mirabaud is fast disappearing, only part of the foremast being visible at high water on Tune 27. Her position is so precarious that it is generally considered that nobody will board the wreck again, while salvage work will be at the best only chance. Mr Nelson's wire rope used in the work is still fast to the foi^mast, but the rigging has com© down and get foul of it. Mr Scott, Cu-toms oflicrr, who has been ;n; n charge at the scone of the wreck, abandoned her on July 1. _j