ASTONISHING IGNORANCE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12440, 18 December 1903, Page 5

ASTONISHING IGNORANCE.

The ignorance of the British press about anything concerning the Antipodean colonies is proverbial but it is astonishing to find a leading trade journal lika The Mark Lane Express printing in its editorial columns suoh rubbish as the following '—"Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, are entirely differently placed. They possess beautiful climates, but no white labour. The tyP® of colonist who goes to these three regions may "be intellectually the salt of the earth, but physically ihe is effete. . . He can beg, or ai.. least borrow, but, to dig he is ashamed. Eight shillings a day plus food., and drink will not procure an .agrienlturab labourer in any of the colonies ■South of the' Ecpator, anci the, Labour Bill would break iha effect of a duty three or four times what Mr Chamberlain propose. When *ny of these regions has a good corn crop it isa" pure gift of nature." We have no white labour! We are physically effete i To dig we are ashamed J A, ,, good corn crop is a pure gift ' of ,( nature ! What arrant nonsense ! Why, in^ew Zealand there is no coloured labour, beyond a few ChhfessieMfcs'f ior- being physically. effe^-^rer-hould 1 -think the specimens of JNew, Zealanders seen in London in khaki at the time of the Coronation festivities would have convixiced Londoners' that colonials can give points to the . people of the ( Mother Country in the inalter of physique, even if the events of theJßoer war u had not proved it. Ashamed io dig ! Why, fully a half of our male population are directly engaged , in f the . cultivation of - the land, in breeding, _n.d rearing animals, or in obtaining raw prodncts from natural sources. And cannot we grow corn ? In 1901, after supplying all our wants, the colony exported over 'thirteen million bushels' of grain. All we want is a profitable market and. even , that total "could be largely exceeded. It .pays better, however, although more, labour is required, to produce butter and cheese. Eeally, English newspapers ought to make themselves a little better acquainted with their subjects, and perhaps they "would not make themselves look so foolish. ' f

Mr W. F". , Brooking forwards a parcel _of_Vßaoks. for J3ushmen.'\ A Mr "C: i Clarke Jias purchased the Terminus Hotel property. Messrs, W. J. Co. haye a replace advertisement in this issue. At the Haymarket? yards to-morrow, Mr Newton ' King wijOt sell a quantity of., seeond-class-'-timberir doors; etc. Mr H. F. Russell, agent for the North. British Insurance Company, forwards ? a« neat desk' 'calendar for 1904. '\ . --; ;' Captain Ed^win wired at- 12.30 p.m. to-day :— Strong- winds to gale from between north and west and southwest after 12^4S>nrs .ron r now. Glass fall again?stforf, tides 'high,' sea "heavy. A display of fireworks will be. given in the jßecreati<»n Grounds on Boxing sight, th"c 26th inst., in aid of the South African Fallen Troopers Public Memorial to be erected on Marsland Hill.

The meeting advertised io take place this; t evening: in connection with the Friendly Societies picnic will not take* place. Subscription lists are to fee left with Mr Jack Bennett as soon as possible. It, was stated at. the meeting held on Wednesday to consider 'the reduction of insurance rates, that the companies doing: business in New Plymouth, were receiving between £12,000 and £15,000 ,per annum in premium

Si l, Mb^ Madman, and Mr D. Berry, the New Zealand promoters o f a company to develop mineral resources, and Mr Farmer Kihg-; the represent tive of the company, formed in LonS".-,^ by **» express train this (Friday) morning f o r Wellington. Ihey will interview the Government on certain matters, and will th en Proceed to Parapara in the kelson district, and thence to Westport, returning here in about a fortnight. To-morrow , Messrs JBewley' and Griffiths will sell the balance of the bankrupt stock of Amin Burke, There are a number of useful lines, and bargains s&ould be numerous. After which they wilf sell a useful lot of crockery for ,whiclf the Co-operative Soacty has no room. The above will v?-fn + a i* er t. ? eir poultr y sale »t •11-30 at which they will offer a W e quantity of pu re bred and of £ poultry. From the publishers, through Mr T Avery s agency, we have received the Christmas number of the Sydney Mail the - leading feature of which is the beautiful illustrations of typical Australian scenes. -The literary contents include a short poem by Will Ogilvie entitled » The Settler's. Wife,'' a£ w f fe y f J ,l Br ? d y> «»*i«ed " The Wool Boads, " and a numiber of short Btories by colonial writers. As a supplemeitt is given a coloured picture, "Across the Black-soil plains » after G W Lambert's painting i n the National Art Gallery of New South Wales.

lie Christmas number of the Town Mr T. Avery. Edward D,yson c on *™ V° me humo « r ous verses on The lourney at Keep-itxiarltc" illustrated by Lionel Lindsay. Another Australian poet, Edward Sorensen relates in what happens " When Uad drives home from town " illustrated by H. J. Fisher. "The Mind Cure," is the title of yet another poem, by E. J. Dempsey. The prose contributors include Barry Pain Lilian Quiller Couch, Ethel Turner/ and other well-known writers. The illustrations are varied and excellent, and include a coloured supplement, " The Miner's Christmas Dinner."

tfor reliable Boota, Shoes and Slippers at a low price go to Dockrill ' a , Devon-street central, whore you will find the largest assortment in the district of Colonial,' English, American, Sana Continental Manufactured Bpofc* Hhoeu and Slippers.*

There arc several points which characterize the bundle carrier on the Mew J&fcCormick binder.* For printing of every description, ©all at Herald Offic*, (hirde-street,

To-ftrorrow Hr Newton King will sell by auction at his mart Mr farm- of "about 10"! acres '6n~ the Junction Boad near Mangoeri ; also several sections on account of the mortgagee in Midhirst and Ngraire. ,;' Rough sea t is reported from Hokiango, Manufcau Heads, Bluff> and '< Pouto, and heavy from Cape Mai'ia [ Van Diemen and Cape Egmont. The \ temperature in - New Plymouth this ' morning Avas 67 deg. in the shade. \

Of 8957 packages of cheese i hipped from New Plymouth to the United Ki*gdom dtiring- the year endod 31st | March last, 8827 were Prst orade, and of 3021 packages shipped to" Ausi r&Jia and South Africa every package was 'first grade.

Tho Chairman of the Hospital and Charitable ' Aid Board desires to, thank __.* and Mrs Gold water,, Mrs Green, Mr Henderson, and 'other friends who kindly assisted in the' concert on Phrursday evening ; also "A Friend" for an invalid's <.ha:r. '

Sic Jos»ph Ward received 3e\\v;al deputations at Waitara yesterday. He promised to give consideration io the following requests :— «Condiii?Aal lo«se; ofportion of railway reserve as a. site for a drill shed ; better ieloj.hon-' ie communication between Wsitora and New Plymouth ; assistance next ses-' sion in passingi a Bill "iefining the area of the Harbour district, ?o as to prevent any additional rate l-cing levied on ratepayers by an outside body ; the need for a verandah ut the railway station ; resumption of the old system of working • tit the wharf siding ; and a mid-day train to JN'ow

Plymouth.

In the S.M. Court this morning Wait Clery, cook, of Wellington, was ordered to pay arrears (£l6 10s). of maintenance for his child at the rate of £1 per week. 'The child is looked after by Mrs Christiansen. m A case for breach of the volunteer regulations was adjourned. T. Hickmate and W. Harland were refused old age pensions on the, ground of misconduct. P. R. Aitken was granted a pension of £18, and a Maori was also irranted a similar .amount. Several applications were adjourned for proof of ajye, and in one instance to make enquiries as to property held by the wife. The entries close on Saturday next for the United Friendly Societies picnic and sports to be held at Sentry Hill on New" Year's Day. Entries close at Mr .Jack Bennett's shop, Devon-street.— Advt. People often wo#der how it is some firms can undersell all others. The secret is in buying direct from the manufacturer, bnying for cash, and selling for cash. H anyone doubts the truthfulness of this statement, a visit to Hhe establishment of 1 C. -C. Ward, who bufers from (he manufacturer, and buys and sells for cash, will satisfy everyone on this point.*