"WHAT THE PAPERS SAY"

Observer, Volume XVI, Issue 925, 19 September 1896, Page 8

"WHAT THE PAPERS SAY"

Thb Kauri Company threatens to close its mills if the Government passes the Mining Bill. That is like the old gag abont people sending their money out of the colony if the Government went in for the Advances to Settlers Act — nothing in it but bluff and blow. — Wellington People. At the present moment preaching threatens to become one of the lost arts; indeed, it is perhaps not too much to say of preachers of the first class that they might almost be counted on the fingers, whilst to number those of the highest distinction the thumbs might suffice. — N.Z. Triad. There is no historic proof whatever that George Washington chopped down a cherry tree, and then declared he couldn't tell a lie. He was a politician, and the potentialities of a politician in the way of lying are unbounded. — Sydney Truth. Premier Seddon's attack on those of his Earty who refused to vote for his million of onds to the London capitalists was moat unwarranted Messrs Montgomery, Tanner, Maslin, Pirani, McNab and others, whom he so bitterly attacked, are as a matter of fact the only members of the party who have been loyal to the no-borrowing policy of the late leader of the party, Mr Ballance. — Wellington People. The best way of identifying ' prohibits ' would be to compel them to wear a badge in a conspicuous place with the word ' Prohibited ' plainly printed thereon. The knowledge that a prohibition order would carry so distasteful an infliction with it would no doubt deter many from running the risk of incurring so humiliating a penalty. — Wanganui Yeoman. In the matter of local loans it is generally recognised that it would be unsafe to entrust the representative body with power to pledge the credit of the ratepayers without the latter exercising a check upon the proposal. Is there any sound reason why the same rule should not apply to Parliamentary borrowing proposals ? The people are taxpayers, and they should be placed in a position to give a diiect vote for or against any further pledging of their credit. —Canterbury Times. A reform of the Legislative Council is an absolute necessity ; for as long as it retains its present status, so long will it continue to obstruct the march of progress. The majority of it's members are so old an infirm, so politically and mentally inane by reaßon of their infirmities, that they cannot reasonably be expected to exercise a healthy mentality in the consideration of public questions. — Nelson Star. Many employers there are who treat their hands well and pay them liberally. But the sweaters, the men who, taking advantage of a glutted market, serve their employees much aa Legree served his niggers — use them up, and when they are used up fill their places with new ones — these are the men who are infinitely more ' undesirable ' than Assyrian hawkers, or even the much-abused Chinese. These are the fellows who fatten on 'human crea tures ' lives,' ns Tom Hood puts it, who thrive and grow rich by paying starvation wages, and own fine houses, drive in their carriages, and live on the fat of the land, at the expense of the poor devils who serve them who know that it is useless to kick against the pricks, and that rebellion means • the sack.' — Christchurch Spectator. The general idea of Socialism is widely accepted amongst the thoughtful part of the middle classes, even where their timidity prevents them definitely joining the movement. — Dunedin Democrat. Whether the Upper House is nominee or elective, the situation is much the same. The Assembly represents the popular will so far as it can be ascertained at the polls. It is understood in a more or less hazy fashion that the popular will must prevail. When the Upper House merely endorses the opinion of the popular Chamber, then it is a nseless excrescence — a voice saying ditto in the wilderness — a mere echo which the country could do as well without. When it reverses the vote of the popular Chamber it contravenes the first great maxim of the «ountry's political system. The people don't govern, and the democracy is a failure. The country elects the Assembly; the Assembly creates the Ministry ; the Minis•try, more or less directly, creates the Council ; and the Council has power to reverse the decisions of the nation, the Assembly, and the Government all combined. — Sydney Bulletin.

The B.N.Z. threw itself at the feet of the Government for assistance, which it got under representations that now turn out to have been utterly unreliable.— Wanganui Yeoman.

There was a time when there was a vitality, a vigour, and a suggestivenesa about the Ministry. There was an enthusiasm also apparent among its followers. Now all has changed. The Party is like Proctor's description of the Moon— extinct volcanoes, a dead world — no life, no freshness, no ideas, no resource everywhere apparent. Ministers now retain the Treasury benches with no sound policy, with no hope, with no ideas. They can only suggest a loan — more borrowed money. It is the inevitable ending of age, and the usefulness of the Ministry is gone.—Wellington Post.

The pity of it is in Maoriland that many of the women who speak so strenuously in support of the freedom _ of the sex, are arrayed against any legislation in favour of Mary Ann. But Mary Ann reads literature from which she learns unmistakably that ' A day will come!'—Melbourne Free Lance.

The Maoriland Midland Railway Co. has left a number of its land-buyers in the lurch by the good old time-payment swindle which has become go familiar of late years The co. obtained its land grant by instalments as it pottered along with its railway, and sold the land to farmers on long terms When a man bought £500 worth of land and paid £50 cash he was required to give a mortgage for the balance of £450, and this document remained in existence until the last instalment was paid. The English co pawned these mortgages, and went on collecting the instalments, and seemingly applied them, not towards paying off the mortgages, but to its own purposes. Consequently, the buyer finds that the whole £450 is still due, and he is no nearer getting his title than he was before. — Sydney Bulletin.

Every shareholder and depositor in the Sank of New Zealand is a State Pauper. There can. be no doubt about it, because they are in receipt of ' State aid.'— Dunedin Democrat. The empty condition of the Hokitika gaol, at a time when the Inspector of Prisons is complaining of lack of accommodation elsewhere, is a piece of unpardonable carelessness, for which the Minister of Justice is responsible. — Canterbury Times. v The whole venom of conservatism is directed towards Mt Seddon at the present time. They want to make the people believe that he is an autocrat and a tyrant. They dare not say anything against his policy, the attempt to prove malaaministrahas utterly failed, and all that remains ia to denounce him as ■& tyrant. What a stupid idea. Mr Seddon is a strong, powerful, masterful man, who leads in the right direction. Are the people going to turn him out to put in Buch a weakling as Captain Kußsell ? — Temuka Leader. We are glad to see that Premier Seddon doeß not allow his position on the Board of of Directors of the mining syndicate to interfere with justice to the northern miners. The Kauri Grab- all Syndicate recognises this, and though it only acquired timber rights, it has, since the mining boom, laid claim to the minerals, as well. Consequently its boss man, Mr Trapp, has been despatched to Wellington to try to euchre the Government in their legislation to maintain the rights of miners. This is the old game of political corruption repeated—Wellington People.