"WHAT THE PAPERS SAY"

Observer, Volume XVI, Issue 965, 26 June 1897, Page 4

"WHAT THE PAPERS SAY"

■It hai been allegedly and on behalf of Ministers that we have in New Zealand a telephone service aa cheap, and efficient as that in any country or colony in the world This, however, is entirely a mistake. In New South Wales, for instance, Sydney and j suburbs have a much more efficient service, whilst the subscription has been reduced to £5 a year, with, results eminently satisfactory to the -department. — Dunedin Star, j Amid an ever - broadening freedom under the British flag daring the past sixty yean, Ireland stands alone as the Cinderella of the Empire; and Ireland's j chief municipal institution is quite within its right and dignity in resenting such neglect by declining to join in a paean of praise towards the head of the Govern- I ment, since politically Queen and Government must be in some sort identical. — Sydney Freeman's Journal. Xt is within the power of the mining community, great as are the other attractions, to make the Auckland exhibition literally a mining exposition, overshadowing, as mineral exhibits may, all others. We ask Coromandfel to interest itself in the Auckland exhibition, and by collecting and forwarding its best specimens, not only advertise itself as a gold producing district, but also rival all other fields in the northern province. — Coroznandel County News. Fetone proposes to signalise the Jubilee Year in a good, sensible fashion by acquiring and dedicating to public purposes an acre of land in the centre of the town. We cannot conceive of a better local memorial, and there should be no difficulty , in raising the necessary amount of the purchase money. — Wellington Post. We hear much of the number of the unfortunate w»men who frequent our streets, but each of them owes her present condition to the villainy of some 'man ' (?). Three-fifths of the cases dealt with by the Women's Protection Society during the year have to do with such men, who have cruelly deceived or wronged those whom they should have cherished and cared for. These scamps might have gone scot free but for the Society bringing them to account for their misdeeds.— Auckland Christian Worker. Over capitalisation of mining properties 18, aa most of our readers will agree, a curse. It has retarded the development of the -industry most markedly in Western Australia, and as far as New Zealand is concerned it has been found necessary to utter- a warning note again and again. — Thames Advertiser. Christcharch is better provided with ' breathing spaces ' for its people than any ! other city in New Zealand. Yet it is anxious to add still another to its many parks and pleasure-grounds. How happy indeed , would Wellington be if it could imitate its Southern neighbour ; but, alas, our breathing spaces are few, far between, and, if the expression may be excused, rather piled up on end. — Wellington Times. Rumoured that the local Alliance will endeavour to induce the Rev. L. M. Isitt to visit. South Australia. If he does come he he is not likely to make much Btir unless he brings an earthqnake with him. The teetotal cause is laid up for the winter. — Adelaide Quiz. Before any Bteps were taken in London to commemorate the sixty years' reign of the Queen, the Prince of Wales stated that bis mother's wish was that the memorial Bhould take the shape of doing something for the poor and the sick. Some people axe not content with such a commemoration. They want to see much gas or electricity consumed, and blazing wood and tax and kerosene. To say that people are not loyal who' object to a waste of gas, electricity, wood and other inflammable sub stanceß, is to misunderstand what loyalty means.— Wellington Post. Complaints come from New Zealand that the emancipated young woman is rapidly displacing the emancipated young man in that country, and taking bis job at about half the wages. As counter hands, clerks and assistants in stores of all sorts, the females are pushing out the males, and as the young men cannot afford to marry under the, circumstances, they have only one course left, and that is to pack up bluey and decamp for other lands where woman is not quite so persistently 'on the job.' If thte sort of thing continues, Maoriland will eventually become a land of women, and its ports will be conspicuously labelled," ' Ladies only.'— Melbourne Punch.

The educational system is sound. From all over the colony come reports of the bad working -of its machinery — cumbrous, prejudiced, inadequate. Alter the machinery, or abandon the system.—Coromandel Sun. Our manufactures do not show much progress, nor our settlement ; and our unemployed are more. Seventeen thousand unemployed on the 12th April, and yet this colony is called a working man's paradise ! What we can show progress in is a growth of our debt, both absolutely and per head. \ Since Mr Seddon became Premier, our debt has increased (inclusive of Advances to Settlers) up to 31st March last by no less a sum than £s,4oß,sol.— Wellington Post. \ -We welcome to the ranks of New Zealand Journalism the ' Joyful News ' an attractively got up monthly, which is to be the organ of the local Helping Hand Mission, and ' The Colonial Inventor,' a well-printed and profusely illustrated monthly, published at Christchurch in the interests of manufacturing industry. It undertakes to keep colonists well abreast of the latest inventions. Messrs "Wildman and Lyell ought to meet with a very large demand for their • New Arcade Album of Auckland Views.' It ia about the most tasteful brochure of the kind we have come across. The views are 20 in number, and have been reproduced in England from photos by a new process, which brings out every detail into the clearest relief. The album is tastefully bound, and ornamented with gilt lettering, and altogether it is as nice a present fox friends at Home as one could wish for. Those who require to use Spectacles will find a very large assortment to suit almost any sight at Miller's Fancy Kepository, 110, Victoria-street. Prices to suit any pocket, viz., 6d, 9d, 1/- and 1/6 per pair. Real Fnglieh Pebbles, 3/9 per pair. Coloured Spectacles for sun and dust,6aand If- per pair, sent post free to any address in New.; Zealand. Anyone mentioning this paper when purchasing or sending will have a case value for 6d presented to them. — Advt.

'Almost every -week-day afcrdwd, 61 men ' and youths is to be found congregated in 'Queen-street at the corner of Vnlcan Lane. This is considerably augmented on race days, to the :: annoyance and inconvenience ■■ of passers-by. Thesel people are aimply .parasites, flying upon what . they fleece from the -ignorant and foolish.- Severe measures should at once be taken to stamp out this pest.— Auckland Christian Worker. Mr Sedfdon has demanded that England should renounce the commercial treaties. with Germany and Belgium^ and gave as a reason that as regards Germany she had violated the treaty by subsidising lines of steamers to the injury of British trade. This is the first time; so far^lß we remember, that this phase of the question has been given expression to, and to our Premier is due the thanks of the nation for bringing it forward.— Waikato Argus. The North Island parsons are busying themselves over the marriage question, and appear to be endeavouring to make marriage as difficult of accomplishment as possible. The marriage laws already existing in the colonies are, if anything, too red tapey already. Why a couple cannot be married before 8 a.m or after 4 pm. is one of these inexplicable mysteries of English law which is allowed to linger on from year to year without change. — Crom well Argus. Our"- New Zealand municipalities have power to undertake the supply of lighting, markets, libraries, baths and other public conveniences; but how few of them have exercised their powers! Considering the abundance of cheap power available in New Zealand, it is surprising to find practically nothing done in the way of -utilising it by the municipal corporations, even when these profess themselves anxious to break down the gas monopoly. — Christchurch Times.