IN THE REPORTERS ROOM

Observer, Volume 9, Issue 532, 2 March 1889, Page 10

IN THE REPORTERS ROOM

By M. T. Case

« is a " visitation," O'Flanagan ?' VV enquired the religious editor. ' There are different sorts. Do you allude to any particular one ?' 1 Of course, I understand the ordinary meaning of the word,' said the religious editor, ' and when a coroner's jury find that a man has died " by the visitation of God," I know that it implies an exceptional style of exit from this vale of tears. But I now seek information as to the j signification of a PresVte rial visitation. Two j or three times has reference been recently made to such a thing.' 1 A Presbyterial visitation is a very useful thing when it is honestly carried out,' replied the police-reporter. 'But, as a rule, these things result in a regular fizzle.' ' What is the modus operandi ?' asked the chief. ' The idea is that when any Presbyterian church goes astern, either in finance or attendance, or'both, the Presbytery shall make a visitation for the purpose of closely and impartially examining into the affairs of the church. As I said before, if the enquiry is honestly conducted, nothing but good should supervene, but I know of very few cases where the result has been satisfactory.' ' It is a pity that such should be the cape,' said the religious editor, 'for in the Presbyterian church, where ministers are fixtures, a thoroughly honest investigation and report should be productive of much benefit.' ' In \ha case referred to in one of the Auckland papers recently, no good result appears to have accrued,' said "the chief. 'Some correspondents appear to be greatly exercised about this matter, but it seems to me that it' the parson and the people who do worship there are satisfied it is no business of those who have seceded from the church.' ' Such is the view I also take of it,' said the police-reporter. ' A large number have left the church for divers reasons, and have cast m their lot with other congregations. That being the case, I hold they have lost the right to discuss the question. They are now members of another flock, and are free of any obligation or liability in connection with the church they have abandoned. If those who have stuck through thick and thin to the church do not complain, if the parson is content to go behind in his screw at the rate of a pound per week— then I contend that it is pure impertinence on the part of others to shove in their oar.' 'I should have thought,' said the religious editor, ' that they would be only too glad to keep clear of it altogether. What do you suppose is their motive for trying to rake up the matter ?' 1 A mixture of false pride and pure cussedness. You see, those of them who live close to the church have now, in some cases, to go a mile or so to church on Sundays, where before they perhaps had only a few hundred yards to walk. On a boiling hot Sunday morning ihis is no joke. Pride will not allow them to adopt the sensible course of dismissing their foolish prejudices and resuming their pew in the local church. Full up of the inconvenience which they now suffer, they are endeavouring, by newspaper correspondence, to bring about a change in the church. Whether they will be successful or not is very hard to determine.' ' Presbyterians appear to be more pugnacious than the usual run of Christians,' remarked the chief. ' I expect that i 3 a result of close adherence to the Westminister Confession of Faith. One of the Southern members of the Presbyterian Assembly was telling his audience the other evening how his good old father used to say, " Never be idle. Bill; always do something, even though it be mischief." And this same clergyman spoke a good word for colonial boys. He deprecated the unwise practice of dubbing them larrikins, when, in many cases, their pranks were only the outcome of ordinary boyish exuberance of spirits. I quite believed him when he maintained that the N.Z. boys were no more larrikins than the boys of Glasgow were when he was a boy some thirty years ago.' ' Before leaving this subject,' said the religious editor, ' I wish to mention a strange remark made by one of the Presbyterian ministers. Speaking of the dual nature of the Saviour, he said He had a human soul, the same as any man. This struck me at the time as very strange indeed. If such be the case, what became of that soul when the Saviour resumed His divine nature ? This is hardly a subject for us to discuss here, but I wish, O'Flanagan, that you would ask the Eev. j J. S. Hill to give us an address on this particu- j lar topic' ' I shall take the earliest opportunity of doing so,' answered the police-reporter, ' and I am sure Mr Hill will be only too glad to oblige you in this matter.' I ' Te Kooti appears to be causing a great commotion, O'FJanagan,' said the chief. 'As a rule, we refrain from political discussions in this office, but the scats of affairs in Poverty Bay just now is such as to demand, the notice of every one. What is your opinion on the subject ?' ' My opinion is that it is a national calamity when public offices are filled by incompetent men. Take the present case. The whole of this trouble, this anxiety, this expense, j this stagnation of trade on the East Coast is caused by what — by nothing else than the vacillating and childish action of the Native Minister. It is no use mincing matters. His action in regard to Te Kooti has been most unwise. The idea of fawning upon such a double-dyed wretch as this pardoned murderer ; taking him round to show him the sights of the city, and making him presents of articles that struck his refined fancy. Good God ! it makes me sick to think of it. Is this man one whit better than Caffrey and Perm ? Is he not rather a thousand times blacker than those two men ? We should stare, I guess, if the Government had pardoned the Great Barrier murderers, and a Minister of the Crown trotted them round as | honoured visitors.' 'But the Government are now acting with greatjfirmness,' said the chief. 'Te Kooti's pro-

gress has been checked, and he will most probably be arrested.' 'Just so, and this is being done by the Premier, while the Native Minister is dawdling about Auckland. What a good job there is one man in the Ministry who possesses a share of common-sense and determination ! Better late than nevei', no doubt, and yet I very much fear that the end is not yet. It will be a specially merciful dispensation of Providence if this episode terminates without bloodshed.' 'Is there not more alarm and fuss than the situation warrants, O'Flanagan ?',demanded the religious editor. ' Some portions of the press, notably Wellington papers, seem to think that the scare is excessive.' ' Those of us who recollect Te Kooti's doings of old days, know full well that the danger is great. If the blood-thirsty ruffian felt himself secure, I believe he would glory in repeating the murderous acts that have made his name infamous. It is all very well for those who dwell securely in large cities to pooh-pooh the alarm felt by the Poverty Bay settlers. If those very people were in the place of the Bast Coast settlers they would expire with fright. I know fully the fearful danger these scattered settlers are "in, and they do well to send their wives and children in to Gisborne.

1 How is if. to end ?' ' II depends entirely on the attitude assumed by the Government. The dangerous natives should be disbanded instantly, and Te Kooti placed in durance vile, or treated like any other ticket-of-leave who transgresses his bounds. If the Government delay the matter further, and lives are lost, the Ministry should stand their trial on the capital charge. I think the public are about full up of some of the members of the Cabinet, and not inclined to put up any longer with their silly and very stupid pranks.' ' In this case it matters so much more than usual. I f paralyses the local trade, drives farmers away from their holdings just when the growing crops are requiring their careful and constant attention, and, what is also very important, tends to discourage people who have an idea of leaving other countries to settle in New Zealand.' 'It is very sad, and makes me feel very bad,' remarked the religious editor. ' I think I must go and imbibe a reviver. One of the young ladies in the composing-room gave me a very good recipe. Half a tumbler of prime Red Heart, two eggs well beat up, and a pint of new milk.' ' What does she use it for ?' ' Her complexion, which is really a very fin© one. She says that, taken internally, it would do me a world of good, and also make my copy more intelligible. 1 ' My writing has deteriorated somewhat, lately,' said the police-reporter. ' I shall join you in this Bed Heart business.'

'I shall join you also,' said the chief. 'My ealigraphy is not so good as I could wish it to be. Red Heart sounds well.'