The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBEB 14, 1897.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 11023, 14 September 1897, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBEB 14, 1897.

If the recent prosecutions for breaches of the Lotteries Act result in the amendment of the regulations under which art unrons are permitted, they will not have beon in vain. There seem 3to have been hitherto a lack of system observed in the granting of permission to hold these art unions, the necessary authority having been freely granted in some caaas and refused in others of equal or greater merit. Then again it is somewhat of an anomaly that here and in Dunedin proceedings shouid be instituted against the persona carrying out art unions, while in other parts of tho colony similar breaches of the law aro allowed to pass unheeded. Only a week or two ago an Art Union was drawn at Sydenbam, ia which a dog-cart, a marble clock, a bedroom suite, two bicycles, a sewing machine, a gun, a gold watch, and a ton of coal were among the articles drawn for. In that instance the expenses amounted to £350, which prjves that many of tho prizes must have been bought by the promoters for the purpose of raffling. In another case which has come under our notice tho promoters guaranteed to find % purchaser of tho first prize at, we think, £100, which is a rery thin disguise of a money prize. On the other hand, the prizes given in the Art Union on account of which the proceedings were taken in the local conrt last week, were all but oncbonafida gifts, and tho whole of the proceeds, after deducting a small percentage for working expenses, will be devoted to the very worthy object or forming a cycling track and sports ground at Fitzroy. It thus seems rather hard that an example should be made here, whilst infinitely worse offenders elsewhere are allowed to escape altogether. "We have often wondered why the laws of the colony should permit, as they do with the consent of the Colonial Secretary, the ralfling of picture, sotuftnnes only • works of art ' by courU'by, ami inn!i« it an offence to difiporo, by moans of an art union, of other articles, say wood carvings, which

are veritable chers d'eeuvres of art beside some of the pictures raffled. It should, we think, be at the discretion of the Colonial Secretary to grant permission for the holding of an art union, whatever the prizes may be, provided the object is a worthy one, and the conductors trustworthy. The prospectus of a proposed art union should bo submitted to the Colonial Secretary or to some officer appointed by him, showing clearly the nature and value of the prizes, the number of tickets to be issued, | the names of the persons carrying out the art union, and its object, and whatever further information might be deemed necessary. This should be a sufficient warranty to investors of the bona fide nature of their little gamble, and if satisfactory information is given on these points, we do not see that it matters greatly whether the prizes are landscapes in oils, which perhaps not one in five j would care to win, or a bicycle or a suite ot furniture. As to whether raffling is a proper means of raising money is a question upon which there is doubtless some difference of opinion, but one thing is certain, that the gambling instinct is so deeply engraincl into human nature, that in an appeal to that instinct lies the simplest and easiest means of raising money, whether the object is to form a cycling track or to keep \ip a flash racing establishment as the promoters of some of the big racing sweeps do. There at any rate exists the necessity for some amendment in the regulations bearing on the matter, and we hope the recent prosecutions 'will lead to thiß.

At the Borough Council meeting on Monday evening, a resolution was passed endorsing the project started by the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce for obtaining a training ship for the colony. Tho proposal is one that deserves the heartiest support, for it promises* partial solution of a great social difficulty, if, as we should like to tre^ the ship is made to take the pl«ce of our reformatory schools. To show the enormous good that can be done by a properly managed training ship \ro need not look further than New South Wales. That colony some years ago purchased the sailing-ship Sobraon, and fitted her up as a training-ship, at a total cost of £34,000. She is under the command of Captain Mason, and a school is provided on board, presided over by three teachers from the Department of Public Instruction . The ship ia recruited chiefly from the slums of Sydney; boys who have got beyond parental control; boys who havo been in other reformatories and have proved incorrigible ; boys who have been the associates of criminals, and boys who have offended six or seven or more times themselves are all sent to the Sobraon. When a new comer arrives he is given a hot bath, his hair is cut and his clothes are thrown overboard. He then reappears in a new nautical Buit, and spends a day or two in the "observation ■ward," where bis peculiarities and disposition are studied and noted. This brief period of probation over, he ia brought out, included in one of the messes, nnd becomes a member of the ship's company. He is at once made to understand that good conduct will smooth his path The boys are kept on board for twelve months and are then apprenticed on shore. During the 30 years the institution has existed a very large number of waifs and strays have been reformed and turned Into really creditable members of society. No fewer than 3600 boys have passed through the school, with a full average of 90 per cent of proved successes. At the present time, in addition to the 400 boys on board the Sobraon, there are as many more under the supervision of the ship's officers. The net cost in 1896 of trainiug and supervising the 800 boys was £7412, Burely a very moderate price to pay for such an excellent institution, and it would well repay New Zealand to establish a similar training ship to take the place to some extent of the reformatory schools ashore.

The annual meeting of the MartiniHenri Rifle Club will be held on Friday night.

Extensive preparations have been made for tho Star Football Clnb social tomorrow night. The Acclimatisation Socioty released 8000 brown trout in the Kaihihi river on Saturday last.

Mr Kirkby reports having sold 10 acres of suburban property on account of Mr J. Wells to Mr T. Avery at a satisfactory figure.

A seaman on the Mahinapua came to town this (Tuesday) morning for treatment of a scalp wound, which ho sustained through an iron bar falling on his head.

In the Police Court this (Tuesday) afternoon a man named Robert Stateburst, second cook at the Imperial Hotel, who ■was arrested on a warrant by Constable Gray, was charged with obtaining roods and money from H. X. Goldwator, draper, by means of a valueless cheque. Accused was remanded till Friday.

At St. Mary's school-room this evening the last of the series of winter nights' entertainments will be given. A glance at the programme in another column will show that this 'will fully uphold the reputation these entertainments have made for themselves. Among the vocalists the name of Mr Walton, tho woll-known Auckland baritone, will be found.

ThoLighting Committee of the Borough Council waited on the directors of the New Plymouth Can Co. at 3 o'clock on Monday afternoon for the purpo&e of asking for a reduction ia tho price of gas supplied to the Borough, and alao to bring up other matters connected with tho gas supply. The representatives of tho Press were refused admittance to the Board room, and hence no report of the proceedings could be given.

It is computed that if there were a general war amongst the nations 40,000,000 men could be placed in the field ! According to the London Daily Mail's estimate the United States can call npon a greater number of trained soldiers than any othar oountry in tho world. Although the standing army is only 27,000 men, eaoh State has to support its own militia, and should it become necessary as a last resource upwards of 7,500,000 men could assist in maintaining, the independence of the States. To defend tho coast there would bo a navy of some 70 ships with 10,000 men.

Tho story of another dnel comes from Europe. It was not so fierce as the recent encounter in which Prince Henry of Orleans was wounded, but was rather of a Gilbertian order. Tho duel, which was with pistols, was fought at Ajaccio, between M. Carbon, a local journalist, and M. Bodoy, the deputy Mayor. Two shots wore exchanged without effect, and tho woapoas were loaded for tho third time by the seconds and handed to tho principals. Before the word to fire could bo given both men wore overcome with emotion to such an extent that thoy could not fire their pistols. Instead, they embraced, and assured each other that although they feared neither death nor wounds they could not hurt one another. Thereupon the seconds declared honor was talwnVd, and, "ring '.h^ir pistols in ili-i L'ir otm cadi ofn-.r'a head, tha duelliiii rctir-K 1 f< ■>,->-. li ■> S-.OJHO .inn ia arm in th« exuberance t>f Ihoir uewly developed aft'sofciun.