The Star. MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1895. To-Day,

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5280, 10 June 1895, Page 2

The Star. MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1895. To-Day,

On the duties and responsibilities of local bodies with regard to the Unemployed question we have several times commented Btrongly, and we are glad to find that the Premier, in replying to the deputation that waited upon him on Saturday, entered with much fulness into this aspect of tbo ever-present problem. For convenience of reference we reproduce in this issue the full text of Mr Seddon's remarks, which deserve to be carefully studied by every member of the community. The position, as the Premier pointed out, was unique. A number of representative men assembled to confer with him on a crucial subject, regarding which they bad no practical suggestion to offer. They met to tell him thas an extraordinarily large number of men were out of work, a far larger number being dependent upon these would-be workers for the means whereby to live, but that the local bodies, who collect rates from the people and pocket Bubsides besides from the general funds of the colony, had, for the moat part, resolved not to part with a Eingle penny in providing work. They met to tell him, moreover, that while men, women and children were suffering from the pangs of hunger, those who fortunately stood beyond the reach of want did not propose to lift a finger for the alleviation of such distress. It did not redound to the credit of the leading citizens, .the Premier thought, to stand idly by and allow, the question to become a dispute as to whose duty it was to find work, while, he was told, there were people absolutely starving in their midst. And Mr Seddon would have been amply justified in making his comment more caustic than this.

What has the Government done, as to its share of the responsibility P Foreseeing some of the difficulty that must arise by reason of low prices and consequent depresion, it induced Parliament to include in the Estimates the sum of .£20,000 for cooperative works. It lias spent that sum, and has besides incurred the onus of three months' unauthorised expenditure. During the last fourteen months, nearly two thousand men have been taken from the three centres — Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin,and given employment through the Labour Bureau. If to this army is added the numbers from other places who have been similarly helped, the claim that the Government has made heroic effort to grapple with a difficulty of more than ordinary magnitude is fully justified. As to land settlement, the real solution of the problem, the Government has been and is endeavouring to obtain suitable areas in this provincial district ; but its movements are controlled, first, by legislative restrictions, and next by common sensa ; for it is obvious that if the land is unsuitable, either as to quality or locality, or if the purchase price and consequent rental is too high, small settlers cannot make a living upon it. This is a work that cannot be unduly hurried. We know that the Government is doing its best and its quickest in this direction, and the issue mu3t be waited for.

And what are the local bodies doing P Practically nothing. Some of them, it eeeme, have large sums of money on deposit, and they got a hint on Saturday that they will do well to lay to heart. " Now is the time to employ these sums for the benefit of the districts, as a change of local government is about to be introduced, and this may result in all those fun<?s being absorbed into the general account." The local bodies, though this year the distress is admittedly more acute, are doing nothing, although help on their part would open a legal avenue for Government aid in the form of subsidy; bo that by their inaction they inflict a twofold wrong on the unemployed. The spring of public benevolence, too, has been dry. Public subscriptions to be spent in return for the doing of some public work would produce pound for pound — another avenue for Government aid; and, as the Premier pointed out, Dunedin is leading the way with a propoßal to raise JBIOOO. Wo trust that Mr Seddon'a straight talk will have large results for good.

Russian detectives rejoice in a high reputation for their lynx-eyed qualities, but, ■. like other detectives in other lands, they are sometimes indebted to pure accident for a part of the " kudos " that they win. They had for some considerable time been engaged in trying to find out how certain counterfeit bank notes found their way j into the Empire. These forgarie3 were in ] brißk circulation in Sb Petersburg and other cities, and that the supply was maintained from an outer source seemed clear. The officers fumed and fussed and ferreted ' at the frontier custom house?, but to j no purpose. One day there came a large ' consignment of pencils, via Germany, and these were inspected — and passed. But ifc happened that a pencil was dropped, and a j picker-up of unconsidered triflea slipped it

into his pocket. Some time next day the official proceeded to cut the pencil, and then the mystery was solved, for the place where there should have been lead was occupied by a counterfeit note carefully rolled up. This clever dodge, which, by the way, Eussian journala credit to Eng- | land, forma another instructive record for the notebooks' of Customs officials all over the world.

Sick, very sick. Has the Christchurch Horticultural Society no vitality left in its composition, or has it metaphorically folded its arms and composed itself for death by inanition ? The proceedings at the annual meeting, reported iv our issue of Saturday, can only be described as flat, stale and unprofitable. The committee passed on to its successors " the desirableness of devising some means to induce the public to take a greater intereat in all branches of horticulture." There was a mild protest, but the chairman was " not aware that the committee had any recommendation to make." Apathy, nothing but apathy. That was the weight of deadly dulness which pressed on the gathering, relieved only by a spirited little speech from Mr Joneß. Of course there was a paEsing reference to the secession of the Chrysanthemum Club, but what did the balance-sheet that was before the meeting disclose? Why, that whilst the total receipts at four shows amounted to .£39 2s 6d, the takings at the fifth— the Chrysanthemum Show -reached .£73 13s ; and, in addition to this, a contribution of £9 133 from the Chrysanthemum Club figures in the Society's receipte. Small wonder that the Chrysanthemum Club has declined any 'longer to have its progressiveneaa hampered. We stated on a former occasion that we should be glad to do all in our power to help the Horticultural Society, but it must first show a disposition to help itself.