What the Papers Say.

Observer, Volume XV, Issue 822, 29 September 1894, Page 4

What the Papers Say.

So far as the general run of almond-eyed gentry are concerned they spend very little money and live almost entirely on the smell of the proverbial oily rag.' They have ruined San Francisco as a field for European tradesmen, and they are doing their best in that direction in Melbourne. Surely, they are not going to be allowed to carry "out the same injurious policy in this fair land.— Christchurch Truth.

The women's political organisations in Maoriland are, so far, mainly composed of , ambitious' creatures from the puritan sects, and their meetings open and end with prayers, by parsons. It is thus obvious that only a portion of the community is -therein^ tolerated, and that these miscalled ' public ' institutions are mostly parsonical catch- pennies. — Sy dney Bulletin.

' Scragging has been made to do duty for play, by the Sydney footballers, and so far the N.Z. Union has not said a word against the brutality that disfigured the matches at Auckland and Taranaki. In both cases the New Zealanders proved a trifle ' tough,' and the ' scragging ' did not tell very well. Without in any way desiring to under-rate or cast a slur on the men who have been sent here as a representative team from New South Wales, it may be said that the Union of that colony has played it very low down on New Zealand. — (Jhristchurch Star.

All the educative forces connected with Volunteering are identical with the interests of peace, and in spreading efficiency, the system deserves better support than it receives from the State. Military experts may demand facilities for concentrating the Volunteer force and of creating supports for the Permanent forces, and members of the House inveigh against soldiering as useless expense, but the spirit of the Volunteer movement is of great value, and should be encouraged as in keeping with the conscientious discharge of civil responsibilities. — Nelson Star.

Mr Crowther said in the House that on the platform not a candidate dared touch the education system ; but on Friday night added he, every man of them found fault with it. Quite correct, Crowther.—Christchurch Truth.

Tasmanians have just discovered, to their great surprise, that they have a 20 per cent. ad valorem duty on corpses, which came under ' articles not otherwise enumerated.' —Sydney Bulletin. • • •

Most of the visiting Sydney footballers wear those hideous bell-bottomed trousers made so familiar by pictures in the Bulletin. Fortunately they won't play in them. If they did one would be tempted to drop the time - honoured word ' scrummage ' and to substitute for it 'push.' The clubs, which have sacrificed a great deal to keep faith with the N.Z. Union, should demand to know why an inferior team has been foisted upon them, and why the men who were expected to represent New South Wales are not present in the visiting team. It is perfectly well-known that the best men in the neighbouring colony are the University players — where are they? — Napier Herald.

The gross expenditure of the North Canterbury Charitable Aid Board totals close on £15,000 per annum, and the cost of administration is nearly £1500 per annum! In the items salaries and wages are included — A secretary at £350 per annum. Assistant secretary at £140 per annum. Second assistant at £90 per annum. Third assistant at £50 per annum. An inspector at £170 per annum. And a doctor at £200 per annum. Here have we a total of £1000 per annum against Otago's £470. Is this not a monstrous state of things ? Was it ever contemplated by the Legislature, or can it be sanctioned by the public that fat billets should be created for a small army of officials and a lavish expenditure go on in this way while the starving poor are pinched and turned empty away ? — Christchurch Star.

According to an analysis which has been supplied by an English chemist, of a specimen of the delicacy retailed as ice cream, it was comprised of the following appetising ingredients : — Cornflour, milk, water, sugar, tartaric acid, anilyne dye, lead, antimony, hairs, and finally four fat lice, the latter possibly being added to impart body t.o the tasty compound. When in addition to this it is remembered that the milk which enters into the composition of the article has been proved in many instances to come from daries infected with typhoid, there is ample reas m why caution should be exercised in connection with the consumption of this luxury. — Sydney Sunday Times.

Our prisons and asylums and hospitals and homes should be opened to the inspection of officially-appointed, intelligent and capable women. - As it is, our women are excluded from a work for which they are particularly adapted, and it is to be hoped that the Government will lose no time in taking, in the interests of afflicted and unfortunate humanity, whatever steps may be necessary to remove this remnant of their disability. — Cantertmry Times.

There is only one thing we regret in the abolition of non-political control in the management of our State Railways, and that is the never ceasing pressure that the Minister will be subjected to in the matter of appointments. — Wanganui Herald.

The "House has now been for 11 weeks in session It is more than six weeks since the Ministerial policy was unfolded in the Budget, and yet the policy Bills are not forthcoming. What is the little game Ministers are playing ? It looks very much as if they intended to keep their important measures back to the last days of the session, and then to use their majority to rush them through the House by all-night sittings without anything like proper discussion. — Wellington Post.

The excesses which have been recently committed in connection with the shearers' strike are well calculated to dishearten and alienate all true friends of Labour and of Unionism. — Sydney Sunday Times.

The Hon. John McKenzie is not a tricky politician, and he has some deficiencies of manner and expression, of which he has often been reminded with characteristic delicacy by the Opposition organs. But the rugged Minister is in earnest, and he is dominated by the one noble purpose, viz., to settle the people on the land. — Napier News.

• • • The proposed bank amalgamation will really lessen the banking risks the colony has undertaken, and will increase the collateral security it holds against those risks. — Wellington l J ost.

It is the height of audacity for the Sydney Morning Herald to attempt to injure the progress and properity of New Zealand by prophecying evil of its attempt to relieve small settlers from the weight of the exorbitant interest they are now paying for loans on mortgage. — Wanganui Herald.

Anything which will tend to promote rifle shooting as a part of the volunteer system deserves support. Does the N.Z. Rifle Association do anything to promote volunteering ? We say decidedly no. It simply encourages pot-shooting, and the prize winners are no addition to the effective strength of the volunteer force, rifle shooting, under the Association being a pursuit, which, in the case of crack shots, is a very lucrative one. It would be far better for the colony to expand the district firing plan and institute a system of representation of corps at a central annual rifle meeting. A° it is now the State contributes towards the prize fund of an association which takes in all comers, and we hold that while the Volunteers are so illsupported as at present, this employment of public money is unjustifiable. — Napier News.

One thing appears to be beyond question. The Premier (in the matter of the new Licensing Bill) is not the mouthpiece of any ' ring,' but is honestly bent on passing a moderate measure and is sincerely desirous that it should become law. — Napier News.

The new Maoriland Legislature is said to be, in the aggregate, younger, rather better looking, and much better dressed than its predecessor. This is obviously one of the first results of female suffrage. The old Legislature was an elderly, slovenly and hard faced congregation, and about as different from its successor as a bull-dog is from a bird of paradise. — Bulletin.