THE FREETFUL PORCUPINE

Observer, Volume XI, Issue 753, 3 June 1893, Page 5

THE FREETFUL PORCUPINE

A Quill for Everyone.

Very unkind of Mr Justice Conolly to call Wilfred an ignorant writer.

Honours are easy ! Cr. Courtney is a member of the Imperial Institute. Golly !

That was a remarkable divorce case that was being beard in camera- last week. The ground on which the divorce was claimed is without precedent in Auckland.

' Should the Governor of New Zealand be elected by the people, 9 which was destined to become a ' burning question,' has been settled out of hand by the Athenaeum Literary Society, ' who,' we read, ' have no desire to depart from the present system ' So that's all right.

And so the London Oddfellows have decided to' admit women to their order, and the Colonial lodges will doubtless follow suit. But how will the married men like this arrangement? When pain and anguish wriDg tbe brow (and at sundry other times) women are handy to have around, but how about lodge-night £

While credit is being given to those who assisted to bring the murderer Scott to justice, it must not be forgotten that Mr Parker, of Waikomiti, who is now so ill in the Hospital, was the first to give direct information to the police, fie telephoned to them soon after midnight, although he had much difficulty in getting the use of the telephone, and he was the first to suggest that the man was murdered.

"When is that action for illegal arrest going to be brought on by Ernest Forbes ? It has transpired that the Commissioner of Police has expressed his satisfaction with the behavior of the constable, and has commended him for the firm attitude he maintained. Moreover, he refunded to him the cost of counsel to which he was put. This lookß very unlike the promised dismissal of the constable.

The ' idiotic chatterer ' article so mercilessly slated by Mr Justice Con oily in his charge to the grand jury appeared in the so-called ladies paper, the Graphic. It is very amusing to see the Star condemning the prize fights in unmeasured terms while at the same time another journal published by the same pioprietor —and that a ladies' one, too — upholds these same fights and preaches the doctrine that tdey exercise a beneficial and elevating influence upon the community. This is ' running with the hare and hunting with the hounds,' if you like.

It is time some addition was made to the Hospital to do away with the necessity for placing surgical cases in the fever ward. They say that typhoid is not contagious, bat it is a remarkable fact that three patients placed in that ward for surgical treatment took typhoid. Moreover, it is admitted that five nurses and'attendants engaged in the fever ward last year wera seized with typhoid. Whether the disease be contagious or not, these facts are a strong argument why ordinary cases should not be sent into the fever ward. A wooden building at a cost of £300 or £400 would relieve the overcrowding and avoid the danger.

The action of the grand jury in throwing oat the bill against those who were charged with manslaughter in connectioii with the recent prize fight is Btartling, in view of the judge's very direct charge. We are pleased to Bee those concerned freed from trouble, but at the same time the affair is another proof that too much power ia placed in the hands of grand juries. Dr. (iiles, K.M., thought the case should go to trial, and Mr. Justice Conolly spoke strongly in the same direction. In the face of this it is monstrous that twelve wholly irresponsible men should have power to burke the trial and release the [accused. gj Grand juries must go. t

* Rescued by grand jury ' is a trifle more correct than the played out • trial by jury.'

It is reasonable to suppose that Judge Conolly'B high opinion 'of grand juries has undergone a change.

Apropos of our paragraph concerning the ' mismanagement of the managing liquidator,' we are requested to say that mismanagement was not the word used by Mr Justice Conolly. It was ' irregularity.'

An Auckland schoolmistress is dying from overwork. Only several weeks ago, ' Mercutio ' was ridiculing an application she made for leave of absence, asserting that teachers were too fond of holidays. How now?

The horribly insanitary state of Freeman's Bay is a menace to the health of the city, and a disgrace to all around. When a bad outbreak of fever occurs as result of the present shameful state of things, and dozens or scores of lives are sacrificed, perhaps something will be done. The old story ! Besidenta in the western part of the city will be glad to see that Mr Napier has Bet their representatives a worthy example by moving that the reclamation be handed over to the city of Auckland as a perpetual public recreation reserve. But will the city slow-coaches agree to accept it if it is offered them ?

The action of the grand jury in throwing out >he bill in the manslaughter case will seriously shake public confidence in our highest criminal court. It was due to the relatives of the deceased man, to the accused themselves, and to the public at large that the circumstances of Forgie's death should be investigated. The grand jury has, however, prevented an enquiry, and has whitewashed the accused. But what will the public think of the whole affair? In the face of Mr Justice Conolly's interpretation of the law relating to prize fights, the throwing out of the bill is strong reason why grand juries should be abolished altogether. They are a contradiction to our boasted system of trial by jury.

Here is a sweet little bit of pompous self-sufficiency from ' Zamiel ' Beid's lucubrations in the Star, anent the Bees— Cadman charges : ' I know something of Parliamentary enquiries, quite as much as Mr Withy, perJiajis a little more, and 7 do not hesitate to say that as judicial bodies /entertain for them feelings of the profoundest contempt.. They are devoid of every element that is necessary in the constitution of an effective and impartial tribunal.' Apart from everything else, the assumption of superior political experience is impudent. The assertive Beid had two or possibly three seasons' experience in the press gallery at "Wellington. Mr Withy sat in the English House of Commons for years, and was a member of the Mew Zealand Parliament for four sessions. Comment would be quite superfluous.

A volume might be written on the Electoral Roll and the absurdities perpetrated in connection with it. And the following would make an attractive item for the book: - Mr Hoffmann, senr., a colonist of over 38 years' standing, a property holder in various parts of the North Island, who has served on grand juries, common juries,, and filled other public offices, had his name struck of the roll because he was naturalised, and a fee of five shillings was demanded of him. This he refused to pay, claiming that he was not a German. He subsequently took legal advice and was told that he could demand to have his name replaced on the roll, and in the event ef a refusal, legally claim a vote at any polling centre in which he resided or where he had property.

The bids were tapering off for the winner of a selling race at Takapuna on Queen's Birthday, when a Maori wno had been greatly interested in the proceedings, chipped in. ' Twenty-nine,' said the auctioneer, * any advance on twentynine? Thirty? Thank you. Going, thirty 1' The hammer was uplifted — it was just about co fall, when the Maori cried • Thirty-one !' ' Thirty-one !' repeated the auctioneer, ' any advance ?' — and down came the hammer. ' Gome around here ' (this to the purchaser, who went at once into the paddock and up to the auctioneer). 'New then,' said the latter, ' out with your money— thirty-one pounds was your bid.' 'Thirty- one pounds be blowed !' exclaimed the Maori ' thirty-one shilling I bid.' There was a, roar of laughter, during which the guile* less native with a partiality for cheap raoe. hoiS6S disappeared.

The latest from Wellington is that the Government/ intend to take the tax off improvements. Grey's occupation will be gone then.

A petition praying Government to grant tbe unemployed £5 a week per man, was awaiting signature the other morning at the corner of Queen and Fort streets. Who was the practical, joker ?

Everyone will be pleased at the success of tbe Devonport Waterworks loan. It is an important experiment in local borrowing, and it will be the means of providing an undoubted booh to the people of Devorport. Mayor Alison has our congratulations.

That was a capital letter from Mr W. Jennings in reply to Mrs Mary Steadman Aldis. It is a singular fact that though Mrs Mary has unlimited sympathy to spare for men of all kinds and alien gumdiggers in particular, she seems to^ have no sisterly feeling whatever towards the wronged and oppressed of her own 862. But has anyone ever seen Mrs Aldis?

There is something very singular about the death of tbe man Barr at One* hunga. Tbe verdict was that death was due to syncope, accelerated by alcoholism. If so, the man must really have been in a dying condition when he was arrested. Why, then, was he allowed to lie so long on the floor of the lock-up, with only a blanket under his head. If the medical evidence is entitled to weight, then somebody must be very much to blame.

What would be thought of a magistrate who sat to adjudicate upon a case in which. he was personally interested? Would not tbe public cry out against such an intolerable injustioe? And yet the case of the magistrate and tbe case of a chemist who examines his own apprentices is on a par. The principle of the latter is thoroughly vicious, and its gross unfairness to other candidates must be at once apparent without any comment from us.

As the result of the par which, appeared in these columns some little time back with regard to the thrashing of a little girl by a pupil teacher, the Board of Education has resolved that in future corporal punishment shall be.inflicted by the headteacher only, or by an assistant teacher in his presence. We should have preferred that assistants should have had nothing to do with tbe chastising of pupils. This might well be left exclusively in the hands of the head-master. However, the resolution just carried is undoubtedly a step in the righl direction.

' A Baptist,' one of the hardshell kind, no doubt, flies to the defence of Pastor Collins. He says the woman who was requested to take her offspring out of the church Sunday morning before last was not endeavouring to soothe it, and that the infant was a nuisance to everyone in the church. Perhapß he means it disturbed their slumbers. Our correspondent thinks the church officers should have acted in the matter and not have. left it to a new minister to speak, after having to bear with the interruption so long. And no doubt he is right.

Funny thing how many ' items J of more or less interest fail to get; into ' the papers.' The dailies, you know. Look at that Mary-street fire the other day. Case in point. . Why was so much time lost in getting the hose attached to the fire-plug ? for the baßt of all reasons : the fire-plug was choked up, buried half a foot or thereabouts, and valuable time was spent in digging it out. Lots about the ' devouring element ' and that sort of thing in the dailies. But not a word adouc the buried plug. Who was responsible ? Wouldn't it be as well if this thing was found out? There may be many other buried fire-plugs about ?

An Auckland harpist met with an embarrasing experience at a local concert the other night, first of all he tried to find some one willing to carry his instrument on to the stage. Seemed to think that to carry on his own harp would spoil the effect of his appearance. But no one would volunteer. Ho he had to do his own carrying. Anticipating an encore, he left the harp behind him on the stage. The encore came, so that was right. But he felt so sure of another encore that he left; the instrument once more where it was. But there was no second encore. This was very awkward for the harpist, who had to return to the stage and bring the instrument off while the audience grinned. Attendants ought to be provided at these entertainments to do the fetching and carrying.