The Timaru Herald. THURSDAY, MAY 6, 1886.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3618, 6 May 1886, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. THURSDAY, MAY 6, 1886.

The English Press for the most part, and more-,particulftrly the London Press, seems to have been very nearly unanimous m believing tho truth of the Dilke scandal. Whether certain other accusations of immorality recently ■ — and a8 we think rashly — put before the British public, had ba-1 the effect of predisposing the mindß of men to snob belief it is impossible to ascertain, but that some predisposition there was, seems very probable. Judgment was suspended, it is true, until the trial ; but the moment Mr Justice Butt had declared Mrs Crawford guilty and Sir Charles Dilke innocent, the journalists of England jumped almost with one accord, to the conclusion that justice had been defeated ; and many of them went so fur as to accuse judge, plaintiff, respondent, and co-respondent of having conspired to inflict that defeat. The Daily News and the Daily Telegraph declared that the verdict completely established Sir Charles' innocence. The Standard and Daily Chronicle kept a silence, which, especially from the latter was more damning- than adverse comment. But with these fonr exceptions, the important papers — from The Times, which talked guardedly of the injury which the verdict might inflict npon a rising statesman, to the Manchester Courier, which called the whole affair a travesty of justice — all published articles which indicated only too plainly their belief that Sir Charles Dilko had been let-off by a judge who had been " got at." And though it was that fiery little Tory paper, yanily Fair, -which reached the climax by declaring that Mr Justice Butt ought to be removed from the Bench, it was yet remarkable that the consensus of condemnation included papers of every shade of political thought. In all these expressions of opinion we £nd one complaint recurring again and again. It is always urged that Sir Charles Dilke should have gone into the witness-box and submitted himself to cross-examination by Mr Crawford's counsel. The circumstance that three men of good repute — Sir Henry James, Mr Charles Russell, and Mr Chamberlain — coincided m advising him to keep put of the witness box, seems to have carried very little weight with the writers m the journals referred to. And yet it has always been held that •' a man of honour," to quote the good old-fashioned phrase, can do nothing more becoming when placed m circumstances like these of great delicacy and difficulty, than to place himself unreservedly m the hands of those who, being men of recognised position m the world, are willing to direct him m his course of action, and to take npou themselves the responsibility of such direction. For our part we Bbn.ll not hesitate to declare that it is not a thing incredible to us that Sir

Chaises Dilke may bave acted throughout this terrible affair according to hir, and his friends, h'gtest conception of his fluty aa a trin of honour. Those who are bittei">stin accusing Sir Charles Dilke of thG most abandoned profligacy m the first place, and of sharing m a conspiracy to defeat the ends of justice m the second, bave not been slow to point out that when the Prince of Wales was involved m an equally scandalous affair, he went into the witness-bos and was examined without more consideration •than any other gentleman would bave received. They seem to forget, however ; — doubtless from the extreme purity of their own morals they have never had occasion to remember — that a man's first duty is to the woman with whom bis name is or has been connected. The description given by a famous counsel of the evidence of the corespondent m a particularly clear case is rather to the point here. " Did the co-respondent go into the box ?" he was asked, and replied " Yes." " And wbatdidhesay?" " Perjured himself like a gentleman " replied the -old lawyer. Circumstances alter cases, ie ia true, but principles remain always the same. It may be a man's duty to go into tho wituess-bor and deliberately perjure himself m one case, and m another it maybe his d.ity to let his own character suffer by his absence from the witnessbox rather than go into it and then bo forced to hear questions addressed tq him which would irretrievably damage a, woman's character. On this hypothesis we are not assuming that Sir Charles Dilke would bave been reluctant to givd evidence iv the highest degree damaging to. Mrs Crawford m order to clear bis own character from her frightful charges. For on' thiq hypothesis' those charges were groundless, and he waa m no wise bonnd to 'consider one who had' made so wanton an attnck upon him. But we aro crediting him with a firtn intention to avoid exposing the frailty of another woman. He js generally reported to have bad a liaison m his younger days with the mother of Mrs Crawford, and from the' character of the latter lady's depositions it was evident that m that matter email tenderness would be shown either to Sir Charles or to hia fe'low-sinner. .It is obvious that Mrs Crawford bears her mother the mo9t savage malice, and what greater gratification, could, that malice have gained, than the raking up into the light of day of the dead and buried scandals that touched her reputation^ Sir Charles' duty under such circumstances Beems to us to have been unmistakcably to take the course which ko did take. Itis also complained of as an injustice that Mrs Crawford's testimony was admitted as against herself, hut not as against Sir Charles Dilke. Such usage is described as " hnrd on the weaker vessel." But we must say we see nothing hard m it. To begin with it is m accordance with law, definitely provided to meet exactly such cases. And further, it is m accordance with common sense, or so at least it appears to us. For a woman who will accuse herself of gross immorality is either mad or she is utterly shameless and abandoned. If she be mad, her testimouy against anybody is of course valueless. On tho other hand if Bhe ba\o lost virtue and modesty, she is qnite unworthy of belief. Our readers who may have any knowledge of the -world as it ia, will know perfectly well that the statements of a certain unfortunate class are always unreliable, and never more so than when there is a question of shielding one man by damaging another. Now that the Queen's Proctor is to intervene we shall at least have the evidence before us, and be able to form an opinion upon the evidence and not upon the statements of one woman, about whose character there is unhappily not the slightest room for doubt, and tho accusations of her jealous husband, who appears to have been blind to fatuity -up to a certain point, and who may very well have been after that point qnite incapable of forming a correct judgment upon the source of his wrongs. Messrs Mundell hold their regular monthly stock sale at Gora'dino yesterday. There was a fair entry, and satisfactory pricos woro obtained. Tho annual meoting of the GorakVnd Road Board will be held m tho Board's oflleo, Gcruldinc, at noon, today. Tho adjourned • annual mooting of tho Levels Eoad Board will be held m their oflleo at noon to-day. The second day's sports m connection with tho S.O. Amateur Athlotic Club will be hold on tho club's ground, Otipua road, to-day. As thero aro a largo number of events to come off, m which there is somo keon competition, somo good sport is anticipated. Tho tea and concert ii connection with St. Saviour's church, Temuia, paßsed off very successfully last Dight. A detailed account will appear m our next issuo. The bazaar and gift auction will bo held to-day. Tho rcgul?r mooting of tho Torauka Town Board was hold last evervng. A fuU account of the proceedings will appear m to-morrow's Heeai/d. To-morrow a poll wi'l be taken between tho hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. for the return of five membors to servo on tho Geraldine Road Board. Tho polling places are :— Booth near stono bridge, Geraldino Road. Hilton — Schoolroom. Woodbury — Schoolroom . Mr B. E. Hibbard notifies th-s morning that ho is solo agent m South Canterbury for Hayward's Hand-gronado Tiro Extinguisher. Mr Hibbard has somo very flattering testimonials from hotol-koepers, shipowners and numerous individuals who all speak very highly of tho grenade. Wo remind tho mombers of tho Timaru Garrison Band that they are requested to be at tho gymnasium tonight " at 6.45 p.m. sharp, with full uniform and helmets. A scratoh football match will take place this aftornoon on the S.C.F. ground, between members of the T.F.O. and any others who enro to roll up. Play will commence at 2.30 p.m. between sides chosen by tho captnin and vice captain. Mr Michael McGoverin, of Waimato, and a very old reaident of tho district, has just .returned from a prolonged visit to Ireland and other parts of tho Homo country. His numerous Waimato friends aro glad of his safo arrival among them once more. Now that the weather has cleared up, footballing is to bo resumed m earnest m Waimato, where thero are many good playors. Tho local football olub are making arrangements for scratch matches. Tho ground is yet damp, but not to bucli an extent asto preclude its being exorcised upon. i

Tho ordinary monthly meeting of tho S. C. Board of Education will bo held this morning. ■ Iho Indian ntid CoJcnial Exhibition was oponccl by Her Majesty the Queen yesterday. A very interesting account of tho ceremony appears m another column. Tho S.C.J C. used their new weighing chair for.the first time yesterday. A strong bluogum bonm line beenorccted m the weighingroom to enrry Iho chair, but as tho beam is not high enough it will bo raised before next meeting. Tho meeting of tho W.iimato Hunt Club which was to havo been held ycelorduy, has been adjourned until to-morrow, Friday, at eleven o'clock, at tho Ship Hotel. Business — To arrango finally about hunting the hounds this season. St. Leon's circus was again crowded to excess lust evening, and every itom was splendidly given and received. An entire 1 chango of programme takes place this evening; and onco again wo hope to see tho tent crowded. large qunntitics of excollont grain from tho .'Waimato district rrp ready for exporta* tion. It includes wheat, oats and borlcy,for which cerenl prices aro low at present, and renders ono disinclined to cMsposo of tbo produes below the rcsei red vnluo put upon it at auction sa'ej. It is oxpected that at tho next grain snlos at Studholruo tho demand will bo greater, and. the bidding inoro spirited than at lnst snlos. . ■ , i Hcres rre now exceedingly numerous' m tho Wailioa district of thcCounty of Woimato, and largo numbers of them have been lately ehot, and caught by tra'ned dfogd, of which latter tboror-e mnny m tho loco' : ty. Babbits nro not at all plcnt'frl m that part of tho county, and iho settleis do not therefore complain of their being euch. a pest as they aioin tho pastoral parts of Otago, : in which thb carrying capacity of many runs is boing materially lessened by bunny. i Tho. return match between the C Battory, N.R. Regiment of .Artillery, and members of tho Timaru Biflo Corps will tako place on tho Otipua rango this afternoon, firing to commence at 1.45 p.m. Thb conditions are eight men a Hido, ranges 300 and 500 yards, 7 shota at each, Wimbledon targets and scoring. Tho following represent the Battery .-—Kent. Jackaon, Sergeanl-MajorElgon, Q.M.S. King, Sorgeants Jack«on, King and Hughes, Coi porol, Waugh, and Gunner. Peters. Emergency men— Bomb. Hughes and Gunner Melton. Tho trustees of tho Waimate Woaloyan Church havo lately been considering which would bp tho most eligible Bito of thoßO offered them for tho purpose of erecting their new church ou, and have, it is understood, mado the necessary selection. The recent loss of the church, by fire, has been a calamity to tho Wesley ans, who aro consequently sympathised with by tho other denominations m Woimate. Liko many other country towns m Now Zealand Waimate would bo iho better of its luxuriant crop of furze being eradicated to obviate its future propagation. Furze, liko tho Bathurst burr m Australia, may bo doaignatod a perfect pest that absorbs the nutriment of the soil, and precludes the growth of grass whorcver tho noxious plant oiists. In Wellington the Borough Council compels every landowner within tho municipal boundary of that city to root up and clear off. all furze or gorso, and the enforcement of a similar law would bo a boon to every municipality. Tho Works Committee of tho Geraldine Town Board met yesterday aftornoon and personally examined some of the works m. hand. After inspecting them a list of fifteen men willing to Jindortako tho work at tho asphalting was read. Although, the actual work could not bo proceeded with until tho pitch, etc., had been obtained, it was considered that the committee could set somo of tho men at preparatory work at once. It was resolved to omploy two old men at lighter work at the water tables, etc, rit 4s per day. It seemed to bo tho opinion that thirteen was too many to employ upon the asphalting, unless tho work wero divided into two parts. The chairman, thought that the rate of wages should bo loworod ; tho work was really begun to give the unemployed something to' do. Ho thought 5s a. day enough and 6s for the gangers, and tlio reßt concurred, and also that the hire of two horso drays Bhpuld bo reduced to 12s a day, and one-horse drays 9s. These suggestions being put m tho form of resolution wero carried unanimously. Madame Summorhoyes and her company kad another good audience last evening, tho c-rclo especially being well filled. As on tho first evening the instrumental pieces were exceptionally well received. We may hero mention that the entertainment is really a first' class drawing room one, and that tho liko of it has seldom if crcr been seen m Timaru before. Madame is quito a finished pianist, and all who are fond of music should certainly go and hoar the play. Tho lesson thoy will thereby learn should provo of the groatest benefit, and thoy will got tho idea how a piano ought to bo placed. Last night Madame and Miss Anderson pl&yed tho duet "La Gallina," and Madame afterwards played tho bolos " La Traviata " and " Homo,' Sweot Homo," tho old favourite being most exquisitely played. Despite the fact that Mr Hicholls had a slight cold he Bang Tory well indeed tho nuiribors "A Freshening Breeze " and " Tho song of Hybrias the Cretan." Mr Dv Ternot's comic songs woro well received, tho ono about scosicknees being encored. This evoning thero trill be an entire change, of programme Mr Georgo Groasmith's comic operetta will be played, which is entirely now to most colonial audiences, and as a special attraction our Garrison Band will undor tho conductorahip of Mr Wolf, R.A.M , play Wagner, the test piece at tho lato bands contest at Oamaru. A sad accident occurred at Heidelberg, Victoria, to a bridal party, which resulted m the death of the chief bridosmaid, Miss Pratt. The horses attached to the carriage m which the bridal party woro, bolted, and two of tho wheels came off. Several of the occupants were injured, but Miss Pratt sustained such injuries to her head that sho died shortly afterwards. Somo of the volunteers at tho Wanganui onenmpment at Easter appeared to havo behaved rathor badly. A correspondent writes to tho Wellington Press explaining how they " did it " as follows : — " Some 400 or 500 volunteers assemblod at the Salvation Army barracks, and just as tho Army wero going out some twine was stretched aoross the road. Tho result was that half tho army was upset. Then the -volunteers made a rush and secured tho banner and lights, and, forming fours, marched round the town and back to the barracks, whero a scene of the wildest confusion resulted, forms being thrown about, and many of them being considerably damaged."

Tho World says :— Everything Mr Froude has written iB charming to read j an impartial critic ho may not bo, a voracious historian men say ho is not, but ho ia always charming to read. Nearly two years ago tho children of Professor Graham Bell, the telephone patentee, whoso wife is ft douf muto, were stricken with scarlet fever. After being very ill with it, they began to slowly mend, but with every one of them tho hearing beeamo affected, and it i 3 doubtful if they wi" over recover it. Tho following veracious paragraph appears m London Figaro of March G : — " The life of a highly placed colonial Governor is not always a bed of rases. Sir Henry Loch, his frionds nt Homo will rogrot to learn, has hud to leave Government honso, Molbourne, for Mocedon, bocauso the later is m danger of being burnt owing to tho hordes of vagrants living m the domain, nnd because tho evil smells entering the bedrooms from tho Yarra are unbearable. " . The writer of " London Town Talk " m the Melbourne Argus says: — " I havo always thought it a proof of tho superhuman nobjlity of nature m St. Paul that he not only forgave Bntychu3 for falling asleep during hiß discourses, but gavo him the chance of doing it again. Consideration of this kind is so very rare that I cannot resist calling public attention to the bohaviour of a divino m the neighbourhood of Sheffield; who is reputed on. a recent snowy Sunday to have thus addressed his congregation after prayers: — ' It is not, my friends,'- he said, ' because I bayo 1 not a sermon ready for you, for, I. havo a very good one, and one most carefully prepared, m my pocket; but becanso ; I know you have wet boots, and ought to get homo and change tlem, that I hereby dismiss you without a discourse. -The name of this self-denying preacher is'nbt mentioned, but I can fancy few clergymen mbro wortliy of o bishopric." Beferring to Mr Chamberlain's refusal to bo " drawn " by the Fall Mall Gazette as to his part m the CrawfordOilko case, Mr Labonchore says ? \ Truth : — " One day Tal* lcyrand said to my grandfather, 'I always thought you were posst.-Bod with a certain amount ' of sense, but I see that I was m error." ' Why/ aaked my grandfather. ' Bocause/ ho replied, ' I observed .ii a newspaper this morning that you had >contrad ; otod d statement about yourself.' Ac a rule, anyone who replios to a ' newspaper on personal matters is an ass — especially to fact, accompanied by comment. Tho editor does not like being placed m the wrong, and ho gonerally manages to havo the last word. If I saw m a newspaper a statement that I had committed a murder, I doubt whether I should deny it. But if the newspaper were to ask mo whether I could prove an alibi, I most certainly should not seek to do so." From last night's Oamam Mail wo regret to learn that Captain Whitson, lato maetor oi the ship Dunedin, died of heart discoso. Hi was well known hero, aud the news has causec deep regret among his many friends. Frou: tho paper named wo learn that tho lato Cap tain Whitson was born at Elyth, Forfarshire m about tho year 1841, so that ho was at the tirao of his death about 45 years of ago. His pcoplo wore formors, and wo bolieve'that hii father is still alive and pursuing that avoca^ tion. Ho came to tho colony 26 years ago m tho Lady Egidia, from which ho deserted. He subsequently -worked at Otepopo at anything his hands could find to do. Af terwarda returning to a seafaring lifo, ho entered the service of Patrick Henderson, and afterwards Shaw Savill aud Co , with whom he remained for 20 years. In one senso ho was the father of tho frozen meat trade, ho having taken the first cargo of meat from New Zealand (Port Chalmers), and tho first from Oamarn, to which placo ho was a staunch friend. Ac captain of tho ship Dunedin it is known tt many how ho by timely attention saved ' the first cargo of frozen meat entrusted to his charge, and thus prevontcd the trade from being blighted m its infancy. Having boeu " launched with- that ship " ho was master of her until incapacitated by sickness, a period of 12 years, during which he met with not a single mishap. Ho was a widower, his wife having died four years ago, leaving him with two daughters (aged 12 and 7 yours), who arc still living at Home. It is said that his life is insured for £1000. As the time for tho oponing of the Colonial and Indian Exhibition draws near inereasod interest is shown m the undertaking, and it is evident that city magnates intend to vi< with retired Colonists and others m the splendour of tho entertainments to be pro vided for tlio visitors to England from tin Colonies and India during the current year A strong hopo is felt m some quarters that as a proof of the interest tnkon by the Queer m the affairs of her vast Empire, the opening ceremony will be performed by Her Majesty, and it is for this reason that the opening daj has not yet been fixed. Every effort ie being made to get tho Eihibition ready by April 15, the day on which tho President, His Boyal Highness tho Prince of Walos, has promised to mako nn inspection of tho several Courts, and tho various Executive Commissioners havo now littlo . tiino on their hands. The Lord Mayor presided the other day at Guildhall at a meeting of tho committco recently appointed to arrange for the entertainment of the Colonists visiting this country during tho coming Exhibition. After considerable discussion, it was unanimously decided to report to the Court tho advisibility of having a State visit to St. Paul's and the giving of a ball at tho Guildhall at a cost not to exceed £3000. The Lord Mayor oipre3sed his intention of ontor taining tho principal visitors at dinner at the Mansion House, and it was suggested thai tho authorities at South Kensington might possibly be prepared to hold a conversazione about tho Bamo time. Tho Mercers Company have voted £1000 towards the Guarantee Fund of tho Exhibition, and it it hoped that the other City Guilds will givo a similar amount. Few, perhaps, save Colonists know the danger of crossing a " rising river." The tides can bo gauged, but thero aro few whe nro ablo to gauge the foreo of the torrents that come down from tho mountains m tht Colonios when tho rainy seasons aro on Hero is a little oxperionce which will give the reader some idea of what is meant : — The rains that have been so welcome to Pouth Africa at largo have caused serious losses to individual farmers. Mr Duncan Bowkcr has had two largo dams washed away on his farm Duncairn. Tho whole of each structure was cleared off, nothing remaining m tho kloof (valley) to show that a dam had ever been there Besides this, his garden was washed away and silted up with sand and other deposit. Tho farm of Messrs Mallan, on tho Koonap, was also tho scene of a flood that destroyed tho garden, and it is belioved that many other places have Buffered m tho same way. Then, again, tho Fish Bivor was tho scene of an exciting escapo tho other day. Messrs Stovenson and Preston wero returning to their farms on tho Koonap, and came to the Fish Biver just as it was rising. Mr Stephenson had crossed, and Mr Preston's waggon had almost reached tho other bank when the increased strength of tho current, confusing tho oxen, they turned down the stream, pulling tho waggon round. Tho disselboom (shaft) snapped and the oxen floated away, but regained tho bank a littlo way further down. Both spans wero then hooked on to tho back of tho wrecked waggon, which was pulled up tho bank to a placo of safety. This had only just been accomplished when tho river came down m a wall of water 20 feet high. Had there booa a Httlo delay nothing more, would.

liavo been seen of waggon or oiod, unlesß out at sea. The Half-holiday Movement. — The employees of Timaru thank the public of South Canterbury for their hearty sympathy m supporting the lhursday half-holiday movement, which under their continued patvonnge, will provo a lasting benefit, Customers are requested to completo their purchases before one o'clock on Thursdays, to ensure punctual closing. — [AdvtJ Highway Robbery Almost, to sell the poisonous, drunken, purging stuff as medicine to honest men, innocent women, and harmless children to weaken and destroy their systems and health, when pure harmless Hop Bitters can be had that cures always and continually at a trifling cost. Ask druggists or physicians. Read [Adyt.] " You Don't Enow Their Value." — "They curd mo of billiousnrss and kidney complaint, as recommended. , I had a half bottle left, which I ÜBed for my two little girls, who the doctors and neighbours said could not be cured. I am confident I should hare loefc both of them ono night if I had not had the American Co.'s Hop Bitters m my house to use. That is why I say you do not know half the value o£ American Hop Bitters, and do not recommend, them highly enough." See [Advt.] Asiehicah Co's Hop Bitters are the Purest and Best Bittors ever made. They are compounded from Hops, Malt, Buchu, Mandrake, and Dandelion,— tbo oldest, best, and most valuable medicines m the world and contain all the beet and most curative properties Qf all other remedies, being the greatest Blood Purifier, Livor Eegulator, and Life and Health restorer on earth. No disease or ill health can -possibly long.-eiist where they are used, so varied and perfect are their operations. They give new life arid vigor to the aged, and infirm. To all Whose employments cause irregularity, of tb.e bowels, or urinary drgans, or who require, an Appetizer, Tonic, and mild Stimulant,' American Co.'b Hop Bitters ore invaluable, being highly curative, tonic, and stimulating, without intoxicating. .No matter what your feelings' or symptoms are, what the disease or ailment is, übo Hop Bitters. Don't wait until yon are sick, but if you only feel bad or miserable, uso Hop. Bitters at once. It may save ypur life. Hundreds have been savedby so doing. £500 will bo paid for a case they' -will, .not cure or Tielp. Do not suffer or let your friends suffer, but use and urge them to vie American Hop Bitters. Kemember; American Hop Bitters is no vile, drugged; drunken nostrum, but the purest and best medicine ever made. Try tlio Bittors to-day. Get at Chemists or Druggists. Beware of imitations. Genuine has Dr Soule's name blown ,m bottlo. — £Advt.] „.-., SYNOPSIS OF NEW ADVEBTISEMENTS. Jaa. A. Graeio and Co. — Will sell idrsesat their bazaar on the Bth inst. J. Philp — Has a six-roomod house to let at Wai-iti. , - ■■ . Lost— Brooches and earrings, apply at Ballantyno's. ■ "G." — Wants to rent a paddock. : Eiohbaum, ohemist — Has lost s. readyreokoner. B. E. Hibbard — Notifies ho is sole agent for South Canterbury for Hayward'a Hand Grenade. Geraldino Road Board — Bleotion notice. f St. Loon's Circus — Positively the lost night m Timaru. Theatro Eoyal-— Madamo Summerhayos this evening. Timaru Garrison Band — Are requested to bo at tho Gymnasium at C.45 p.m. to-night. : J. D. Slater — Has a choice assortment of ovening flowors at low prices. "- -ir