NEWS ITEMS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8634, 2 October 1899, Page 4

NEWS ITEMS.

Mr Hastie, of Feilding, has presented to the Government a section 66ft by 76ft on the corner opposite her hotel as a site fora post oilice. It ia understood that the plans have been drawn for a building estimated to cost £2700. Mr G. Hutchison alluded to tho danger of the Premier breaking down under the strain of political work, which drew from Mr Seddon the remark : " The world would go on just the same." "Not quite the same, only a little better 1" was the reply of the member for Patea. A Masterton man invested £1 in pur chasini? the debris of the late big fire in that township, and in turning over some rubbish shortly afterwards he picked up a gold watch, a cheque, and an assortment of coinß and spectacles, all (says the Daily Times) practically in an uninjured condition. „jMr Turnbull, a Dnnedinite recently in i he Transvaal, says:— "lf there is war it will take our men six months to reach Pretoria. The Boers have paid Krupp alone in five years £5,000,000 for war material, and this has been paid for out of the public revenues without any auditing. Auditors are superfluous with the authorilies there." At Hunterville a few days ago, according to a country exchange. Mr Langbert was marking at the rifle range, when a bullet L-ime through the earthworks and entered tho collar of his coat on the left side, lodging in the lappet. It gave Mr Lambert :i considerable shock, but further than putting a hole through the cont, did uo damage. The Critic says :—" Hee Hem Smith is nothing if not modest At the meeting in Now Plymouth, at which he was chosen to contest the seat, he made a speech returning thanks, and, after alluding to the fact that Thompson and Cadman were leaving the Ministry, hinted that, when tho Cabinet was reconstructed, the initials of one of its members would be Hee Hem Hess. The Ngaire Co-operative upholds its reputation of being the most profitably worked dairy factory in the district (says the Taranaki Herald). The suppliers have already received 8d per lb for the past season's butter-fat, and there is another penny to be distributed. Ninepeuce per pound for butter fat means as nearly as possible fourpencß per gallou for milk. The coming season promises to be considerably better.

Sir Thomas Lipton declared while al Greenock, prior to leaving for New York, that hia yachting expenses amounted to fully £20,000 a year. A large proportion of this goes to the sixty picked yachtsmen whom he constantly employs. Yachting is a comparatively new sport with Sir Thomas, for two years ago he was quite ignorant on sailing matters. He has, however, entered into the matter with such enthusiasm that there is not much on the subject of which he hag not now an expert knowledge. I Alexander Armit, the injured footballer, is (the Dunedin Star states)^ still very cheery and confident of coming out of the hospital as' well as ever he was. Last Thursday morning he was inclined to vomit, and did not appear to be ao well, but he rallied next day, when, as he remarked himself, he felt a little better. It is now close on four weeks since Armit was admitted to the hospital, and, with the exception of having recovered some feeling from the neck to the lower part of the body, very little change has been noticeable in his condition.

At Bloemfontein, on the " day of humiliation " recently, when prayers were offered up for peace, an extraordinary incident occurred. Shortly after the services a heavy thunderstorm broke over the town, and the artillery fort appeared to be the particular object round which brilliant flashes of lightning played. One flash hit the uew artillery stables and- killed 23 horses, all of which were fastened to the mnnge^rs by chains. Those which were tied b"y leather " reins " escaped. The loss is estimated at £800. None of the i artillerymen were hurt. I

Tho Woman's World states that the secret marriage of the late Czarewitch was, j of course, an open secret in Russia. The girl with whom he contracted a secret alliance was a telegraph clerk when he met her, but of very good birth They had several sons, and these may possibly be given titles of some sort. At least the Czarewitch was allowed to remain faithful to his morganatic union, and had not to reproach himself with the desertion of his children as certain other royalties have. The affair, which has only just become public property in Europe, is much talked of. It ia pointed out as an instance of the perilous position of the great Liberal Party nli present, that the Government is kept in power by three Maori votes. If the three Maori members who support the Government (Messrs Wi Pere, Parata, and Kaihau) were to cross the floor of the House, say on some native policy measure, Mr Seddon would actually find himself in a minority of one. This is in striking contrast to the time when he was followed into the lobby by a majority of from 24 to 30, and it may be regarded as a sign of the times that the most strenuous whipping-up on ano-confidonce motion cannot secure for Ministers a majority of more than five votes.— H.B. Herald correspondent.

Japan's new law relative to religions has excited much discussion. All sects, Pagan or Christian, are placed under the control of the local Governor. Without permission, no church can be built or meetings held. The regulations demand detailed information regarding the pastor before the beginning of religious work. Tho propagators of a faith must no before the Governor with full details of the scheme of faith, and the finances must be accounted for, and tho personal history of the applicant, the preacher, and the members outlined iv writing. Among the questions to be answered are why such buildings are necessary, method of the religion, and tho reason for the selection of the pastor.

During a discussion on rabbits in the House the Premier introduced the question of rats — political rats, with special reference to v particulai variety hailing from Palmerston iVorth. As generally happens when he rubs the wrong way the representative of the district mentioned, Air Seddon did not escape unscathed. Of rats and ratting, said Mr l'irani, the Premier knew about as much as anybody. What were two of his present colleagues? Could the Premier show him an instance where the Colonial Secretary ever supported a Liberal Government before he became a Minister? Could the Premier show him an instance where the Minister of Defence ever supported a Liberal Government before be became a Minister ? A Member : " The Stout- Vogcl Government." Mr Pirani : Why, the Premier recently stated that that was the most Tory Government the colony had ever hid. Tlio Premier's acquaintance with this class of political rodents naturally gave him the right to speak with authority. Mr Se.ldon also had referred to the rats in Palmerston North. Would honorable members believe it ? The two Government candidates for PulmersUm at the coming general election bad always supported and voted with tlio Conseivative Party. And wli.it was 1 the Organiser of the 'Liberal Federation League V Why, for eight years that gentleman was an orgairser for the Primrose League at Home. Thus, from the Premier's point of view, he ought to b« considered a champion rat. After this discourse on political rats there was a heavy hlciico. — Post.

Hayden's "Creation" was produced moat successfully at Napior Cathedral on Thursday night. Mr Fenwick, manager of the Bank of New Zealand nt Napier, is retiring from tlio bank's sorvico owing to ill-health. According to the Duncdiu Star, a woman who applied fora prohibition order against her husband at the Dunedin Police Court, stilted that she lnid been married for about 27 years, and during that lime her husband had only been sober about 11 months. The New Zealand Times, commenting on a recent protracted silling of the House, says : — " To pass important legislative measures under rucli conditions is sheer insanity, and it is not to be wondered at that Acts of Parliament require to be frequently tinkered to make them workable, but it is useless to blame Ihe Government or the Opposition for a vicious system, the forms of the House lending themselves too readily to obstruction and late hours. Late sittings mean legislation by biute force, not by reason. Recently a member fainted in the lobby. The Premier in the previous session had an alarming fit of unconsciousness as the outcome of physical exhaustion, but Mr Seddon this session has shown a disposition to meet the reasonable wishes of members regarding the order of business, and the Opposition should reciprocate. A suggestion is that the standing orders should be altered, preventing the House sitting over ten hours or after midnight." The quarrel of the newly-married couple Dallas at New Plymouth, in which Mauiice W. Dallas stabbed his six-months' bride with a pair of scissors, has led to his being sent to gaol for a month. From the evidence given before the Magistrate's Court it seemed that Dallas was jealous and suspicious of his wife's conduct, and made charges which led to an agreement that they should separate. Mrs Dallas had packed up her clothes and handed over her wedding ring, but then accused relented and replaced the ring. In a few minutes, however, another quarrel arose, in which Dallas struck at his wife with a pocket knife. Sho secured the weapon and threw it out of the window. Then he picked up another knife, threatening to kill her and " swing for it," but she secured this also. The question of separation was renewed, but Dallas declared that he would not let his wife " have the laugh at him," and as she was going out he closed the door, picked up a pair of scissors, and struck her with it. The point went through her clothes and made a mark on her body. The medical evidence showed that the wound was not serious, and did not bleed At the session of the Hawke's Bay Anglican Synod last week, Mr J. Thornton moved : "That this Synod desires to call the attention of Churchmen to the action of several Bishops and n largo number of the clergy of New Zealand, who, without committing themselves to any policy for future action, have determined to vote, and have recommended their fellow citizens to vote, ' No license.' That this Synod affirms the sanio principle, and, in view of the approaihitig licensing poll, recommsnds 'No license' as a basis of action for the present year." In the course of the debate Mr W. D. Lysnar strongly opposed the motion, as being detrimental to the best interests of the Church, and an attempt to force public opinion. Ho claimed that prohibitionists admitted that prohibition was a partial failure, but he would advocate the closing of hotel bars if the measure was applied to the whole colony. The Rev. Canon Webb combatted the arguments of the last speaker, and gave instances of the evils of drink, and claimed them as sufficient reason for his attitude as a prohibitionist. He urged the Synod as a whole to make for the cause of righteousness. The Revs. Dean and Wills and Dean Hovell supported the motion, and the Rev. Hobbs opposed it. Some discussion ensued upon the last clause of the motion, some members deprecating the idea of a recommendation which, coming from the Synod, was practically a command. Eventually the clause was amended by omitting the words " that this Synod affirms the same principle," and by inserting " reduction and " before "no license. " The Bishop of Waiapu, speaking to the motion, explained that he was not a prohibitionist, and, while desiring to Bee the present system of hotel bars swept away, he had declined to recommend the clergy to urge their people to vote no license, as such a vote, not being the outcome of a conscientious conviction, would be a calamity, being certain to be reversed at the next poll. The Synod divided on the motion. Ayes : The Right Rev. the President, clergy 13, laity 9. Noes : Clergy 5, laity 6. The motion was therefore carried. Mr Lysnar has handed us the following copy of his letter to the Bishop of Waiapu, which explains his reasons for resigning his seat as a Synodsman : — My Lord : As a mark of protest to the resolution that was passed by the Synod last evening affecting the prohibition question, I beg Your Lordship's leave to resign my position as a Synodsmau for tho Gisborne district. In taking this course, which I feel will not meet with general approval, I may say that Ido so mainly for two reasons. (1.) I feel that by the Synod passing the rpsolution it in effect endorses the extreme actions that certain of the clergy are taking to force 'no license ' upon the people, and in their extreme zeal and unxiety to carry their object they are overstraining their foots to such an extent

that they mislead and unduly influence people to support their extreme views. (2.) That I feel assured that as the law now stands any district thac carries 'no license' will bo injured by it, and at the same time the evil will not be redressed. Under these circumstances I feel that it is improper for a minister of religion to unduly influence the people in order to obtain an extremely difficult social reform of this kind, which can only be effectually brought about by the people having the matter put impartially and fairly before them. In taking this course I wish Your Lordship and the other members vf the Synod to understand that I atn decidedly in favor of the reform of the liquor question, but I do feel that it is unwi6e for the Synod to allow ilself or the Church to be made the medium in the hands of the extreme part) to force so drastic aud yet doubtful reform upon the people. With Your Lordship's permission I would ask leave to withdraw the motion standing in tho order paper in my name."