SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1909.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13929, 12 June 1909, Page 2

SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1909.

MR. M'NAB'S AODRESB.

The pordial reception given to Mr. M'Nab last night was something more than a compliment paid to the man, and the great audience were assembled out of something more than curiosity. It was the subject of his address more than anything else which ativacted and aroused the enthusiasm of the people. For a long time there has existed a strong undercurrent of feeling that in the matter of defence New Zealand is getting neither value for its money nor the security it ought to possess in the event of a great vrar among European Powers. At a time when Europe is like an armed camp and when nations are trying to out-do each other in the possession of powerful navies, we cannot afford to rely upon our defencelessness for our security, even supposing we owed no duty to the Empire apart from our duty to ourselves. We do, however, owe a duty to the Empire, and we cannot discharge it by paying £100,000 a year towards the upkeep of the Imperial Navy, nor even by a gift of a Dreadnought or two. We must be prepared to undertake our share of Imperial responsibilities if we accept the protection of the flag. We hold New Zealand, one of the fairest dominions in the Empire, in trust, to defend as well as to enjoy, and if by our neglect an enemy oi the Empire was able to capture the country, or even to use it as a source of supplies from which he could draw at will, then we should have failed in our duty. There is, however, little need to discus.' the question of whether New Zenland ought to have a defencf scheme or not; it is accepted, anc a large sum of money is spent an nually in carrying it out. Thi results are anything but commen surate with the cost. We hay a volunteer force, efficient enougl in its way and as far as it goes but it is numerically weak, an a there is the objection to it urge * by Colonel Okey last night, tha being a voluntary service the oi - ficers have little real control ovt ? the 'men under them. Still w v do not want to say a word again? j the men who give this voluntar « service. They are doing whu '<■ the great majority of the abl< \ bodied male adults of the domir d ion fail to do, that is, they ai \ submitting themselves to militar h training. The objection, rathei » \a that the system is too costl a for its results and that it does nc t provide a sufficient defence fore« " If there is to be a defence fore y c at all it ought to be sufficient fc '" contingencies that may arise, an as the existing system has faile P to provide this it is time a di: £ ferent system was tried. Publi n opinion is rapidly coming to tl •" conclusion that the only effectiv 4 solution of the problem is th it making of military training con *" pulsory upon every male in Nc ». Zealand. When that principle '" agreed to it will be time enoug ta to discuss details of training «" There is, we know, a strong ol jection on the part of many ci * timable people to military trainin r ~ on the ground that it fosters o military spirit and may therefoi add to the risk of war breakin out. Experience, however, teach* th?t the man who is the best abl to fight is generally the last t be aroused into fighting. H is usually a lover of peace, thoug when aroused he will ver quickly restore peace. But Ne 1 Zealand can no more afford t - rely upon the forbearance of othe nations than Great Britain can. W must be prepared for whateve may happen, and there is this t be said for military training, tha it develops qualities which are c the very greatest value in othe spheres besides the military. Th enthusiasm displayed last nigh and at other meetings Mr. M'Na has addressed seems to indicat that public opinion is rapidly ap prroching that stage when propc sals for making military traininj compulsory on every male, sa; from 15 to 25 years of age, might b brought forward with a reasonabl prospect of their being adopted . I is rather to be regretted that Mi M'Nab is shortly leaving Ne^ Zealand on a prolonged tour, b€ n cause having carried the matte jj so far he is the man of all other ' , to pursue it to the logical end.

The municipal J>aths will be closed during July and August. The Drainage Committee of the Now Plymouth Borough Council is recommending the council to instruct the engineer to take proceedings against all persona whose properties have not boon connected with the sewers. The cases are to be taken in batches of twelve. The applications for the position of pound keepor and dog tax collector for the Borough of New Plymouth were discussed at a meeting of tha Works Committee yesterday. Altogether there are nine applicants for the positions, and some of the letters afford very amoaing reading. One man has held the boxing championship of a re- i gimen^ for five yearn, and has also wrestled with Professor Smytbe, the "Sandow Model," and competed with Gukio Tani at jiu-jitau. Evidently he thinks one of the qualifications of a pound keeper are such that should he ever get into troubl* he will be able to protect himself and " uphold the dignity, of his office." Another says "should you not have anyone suitable for your office of pound keeper and dog tax collector, J beg to apply," whilst another boaata that he it "well known to Sergeant Haddrell and a Justice of the Peace. He does not say, however, whether In an official capacity or otherwise. One man ji a butcher at a local freezing worki, and says he has "had plenty of exporience in handling cattle." Two of the applicant* ley atreu on the fact that they are abstainers, «nd another that he v a barman.

The collection taken up at Mr. M'Nab's address last evening amounted to £8 Is 9d. The annual capping ceremony took place at Canterbury College yesterday, ] the proceedings being lively, but not C oi rowdy. vis The works committee recommend the 3 New Plymouth Borough Council to fix 1r; electric lights in Buller Street and to Water Lane. ■ The Premier statog that pneumoconi- V osis, or miners' complaint, has not yet _ cost the Government Insurance Depart- • , ment a penny. . ' "Books and Papers for Bushmen and ou People in the Back-blocks, from 'A q t Friend,' " is the wording of a label on ] a] a parcel received this morning. jlOj 10 Mr. Todd, of Frankley Road, has a ]>] red gum tree in blossom, forming a very striking piece of colour in the pa landscape. « t The borough engineer has beon au- \r; thorised to proceed with the work of ar concrete kerbing and channelling of m Devon Street from Hobson Street to p the crown of the hill. l a Lieutenant Shackleton's motor car, used in the late Antarctica expedition, di was shipped to England on Thursday., "l It is understood that it will be pre- a sented to the English Museum. y< Serious complaints are being made "* from all parts of Victoria of overwork- "J irig on the railways. In some places, 1 it is said, men have had to remain on " duty from 24 to 48 hours without being " relieved. The Auckland Star's Ohakune correspondent reports a big eruption at N«anihoe at seven o'clock on Thnrsady night. The flare from the mountain lit up the country for miles around. A heavy report accompanied the shot. In consequence of a complaint made by the borough engineer (Mr. A. H. Kendall), Mr. W. Anderson, one of the borough council employees, has been requested to appear before the council on Monday night. tl Early yesterday morning the dis- t covery was made that the shop of C. tl Smith", draper, Cuba Street, Welling- h ton, was flooded through the bursting $ of a high-pressure filter. It is esti- h mated the damage to stock is between w £700 and £800. a The works committee of the New Q Plymouth Borough Council is divided " on the question whether the Powder- ° ham Street bridge shall be repaired or •> a new structure erected. The matter t. will therefore be referred to the coun- | 1 cil for decision. v A magnificent meteor was seen at the Wellington Heads on Thursday ft evening at 9.10 o'clock, travelling east w to west. Its explosion was like artil- j ( lery in the Straits. The meteor in its flight lit up the country for miles - g around. s Some days ago it was reported that t the body of a fully developed male child t was found in the vicinity of the Wood- ( ville railway station. Some* inyestiga- j tions have been made by the police, and £ yesterday a man and woman were ar- s rested in the Dannevirke district. They \ appear in the Woodville court to-day. ( Next Thursday evening at St. Mary's i Anglican Church the choir will render i a programme of music from Mendelssohn's works, in celebration of the < centenary of the birth of that great < composer. The items comprise selec- 1 tions from "Elijah" and "Lauda Sion." , , . XT c A gun club has lecn formed in New ' Plymouth. At a meeting last night a I it was mentioned that the membership c numbered about thirty. Mr. E. Beal i was appointed secretary pro torn. Jt c * ' was decided to sond for trap and cla\ c . pigeons. An opening shoot will bo held at an early date. 8 j The joys of being a borough councili- ! lor ! The works committee of the Now p Plvnioti + h Borough Council were yesterday engaged from 4 o'clock until a d little "after 7, without interval, dis1 cussing matters to be brought before 1 the monthly meeting to be held on ie I Monday evening. 1-1 A well-known solicitor practising in ' a town a few miles outside New Plyre mouth created a great deal of amuse■h ment near the Theatre Royal last 1 night, whilst the Garrison Bandwas 3'3 ' playing selections prior to Mr. M'Nab's id address. He treated a largo crowd to , exhibitions of fancy dancing, including Ht a good attempt at "The Cake Walk.' at I His Worship the Mayor's action in ,f. ' terminating the engagement of the 1 borough inspector has been confirmed er by the works committee. It has been rf . I decided that before any further apI poirtment is made the engineer shall st , prepare a report dealing with the rerv organisation of his staff. This will be * considered at a special meeting of the itt council. c- The returns of the "Wanganui electric tramways for the six months endinr n " Ju c 9 'show that since the installation re 601,357 passengers have been carried The net revenue was £4297, which, afry tor providing interest and sinking ■r fund and maintenanco, leaves a small i ' crodit balance. There were 3378 pa«*y senders carried per day, the revenue ot being 12.52 d per car mile. P A Wellington Press wire says E. B. Russell, actor, sued Allan Hamilton cc yesterday for alleged wrongful dismissal nr from the theatrical company now at the Wellington Opera House. The defence au was that plaintiff was dismissed tor OAO A drunkenness during a recent performance of "In the Ranks." Plaintiff cmif- phatically denied this. Judgment wa< j c given for defendant with costs. , The case in which W. Clarkson sued " c A. Porter for £100, p.n. in part pavve ment of a motor car, was concluded at i Foildiiig on Thursday, says a Press ' le wire. The defence was that defenXX- dant was drunk when he signed the bill and therefore was not responsibly. !W After a lengthy hearing the Magistrate jg decided that Porter was not drunk and judgment was giwn for plaintiff. Accommodation in the West End j g. Gymnasium has been found insufficient y. to fulfil the requirements of the successful euchre parties that are fre- | !B- quently being held in it. The comlff mittee have consequently decided that * the next party in aid of the gymnasium J a funds will be held in the Theatre Royal | probably towards the end of next I month. l S The following letters received from efl places beyond the dominion are lying , at the Chief Post Office, New Plyle month: — .John Barrow, A. Beeston, to Mrs. B. Browne, Patrick Carroll, Mrs. r Delia Conroy. Richard Gilbert. A. Gille hert, Mrs. Sara Hervey, Mri. A. jb. James, Mrs. A. C. Matthews. Miss C. Matthews, Mr. Millington. Miss A. ry Nichols. Miss Flora Niven, T. Orr. B. cvp Price, J. Reynolds, "Wallace Willis. f During tho month of May thero wore slaughtered at tho municipal abattoirs er 140 cows, 27 bullocks, 14 calves, 519 j sheep, 28 lambs, and 165 pigs. Coin'e pared with tho corresponding month er of last year there was an increase of . 25 in the number of lambs killed aiul ' o 36 pigs. Cattle showed a decrease of at 7, calves 16, and sheep 14. Seven cows « and 6 pigs were condemned during 'he ot month. er The onus of proof, in claims for role duction in valuation, heard in the As- , , sessment Court, is upon the objector, who must tender evidence other than his ow n personal opinion, declared Dr. M'Arthur when hearing objections at a te sitting of the court at Wellington on p. Wednesday. It appeared to him that some objectors, acting on the principle °- of "splitting the difference." opened lft . their mouths sufficiently wid, to allow of a possible compromise in the basis i y of their own private opinion. "They )e ask for £100, hoping to get £50." lp The revenue account of tho accident branch of the Government Insurance It Department was laid before Parliament r yesterday. It shows that tho premiums ' paid during the year ended December W §1 last totalled £20,897, and claims paid amounted to £11,926. Salaries cost £2901, and tho expenses of man?r agement are put down at £713. The amount of accident funds at the end rs of the year was £9598. The assets include mortgages on property £40,080, and cash in hand and on current account £1082. — Press Association wire. 0( l Notice is given in last week's Gazette that two beacons have been erected m tlie south side of Awakino River to 'cad sw over the bar at entrance, and two bea- ?'" cons on the east side of the river to aid ? in navigating the tirst bend. The first- '"! mentioned beacons when in line bear L ot approximately S. 25 degrees EME M and ne . will carry red and green lights whon required by vessels entering or leaving the river. The other two beacons when of in line bear approximately N. 53 de;or urees E., and will carry white lights. >re These lights will enly be shown when •ks a vessel is expected to arrive, or is ier leaving the river at night. A beacon si- has also been placed on the rock, which rd is covered at high water, three-quarters i as of a mile north of the bend.