The Star. THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1898.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6124, 10 March 1898, Page 2

The Star. THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1898.

In dealing with its annual -unpleasant task of interviewing those ratepayers who ask for a remission of their rates, the £t Albans Borough Council has once more been enlightened as to the connection between our poor, the Charitable Aid Board and the Church Property Trustees, as the following conversation between the Mayor and tin aged applicant for relief will show : — The Mayor : " You have asked for a remission of your rates f" " Yes." "On what grounds ?" " Well, I can't pay them." "Do you live on your own property— a freehold ?" " No, I live on Church property ; got a lease." " Oh, what rent do you pay ?" " Kent ? .£7 a year." "Well, if you cau pay .£7 a year rent to the Church Property Trustees, surely you cun pay the rates which amount to very little." " I pay the rent!^ I don't pay ; the Government pays that." '•' The Government pays it ? What do you mean?" "What do I mean? I mean that the Charitable Aid Board pays !" "Oh, I see; the Board pays the Trustees. Do yoi^ work at all?" « No , 1 don% aM j dout look for any,, either. If anybody hkeß co give mo a bob, well, I live on that and what I can get." The Council, after discussion very properly granted a remission of the rates. I t . couW enforce payment from the owners of the rrtw bu !j uch a *«»»« i^t STt that l th6il% ten^, a man Inthe streets. It S ee m 3 somewhat strange

that a portion of the money collected from the ratepayers for charitable purposes should be handed over to the Church of England as rent of a cottage erected on land given to the Church by the State. The Church Property Trustees are thus provided with funds to pay insurance, depreciation, &c, whilst the St Albana Borough Council, acting on strictly humanitarian grounds, is obliged to remit an old man's rates so that the charitable, land-endowed Church shall not make hia misery still mor<? miserable. The Wellington bye-election has been lost and won, and the strength of the political forces in Parliament remains practically the same as it was prior to the vacancy occuring. Exit Sir Robert Stout: re-enter Mr Duthie, whose side unquestionably gains a good debater. That the Conservative candidate should have proved the victor in this case will scarcely surprise anybody, for he had all the advantages that wealth, position and influence could give, and the support of a thoroughly consolidated party. Mr Kirk, on the other hand, was under many disadvantages, not the least of these being the "pull devil, pull baker" tactics unfortunately adopted by sections of the Liberals. There has been, for example, the extraordinary spectacle of Mr T. E. Taylor orating in the Wellington streets in the interest of the Conservative candidate, animated, as all men may see. by his intense hatred of the Premier. Indeed, the personal element has largely dominated the contest, and bo the real issues, as between Liberalism and Conservatism, have been in a large measure subordinated. In passing, it may be noted that at the beginning of the fight there was a highly edifying display of highly moral "highfalutin " by the " Conservatives : their man was standing alone, waging his battle single-handed. Yet in the end the Conservatives fairly swamped the city with orators brought from far and near. We do not complain the least little bit on that account; we simply point out the beautiful inconsistency that has been displayed. The Conservative journal this morning, as was to have been anticipated, indulges in a large amount of " gosther " about the Purity (with a capital P) of its own following, and the appalling iniquity of all those who work for the country's political progress. However, we have seen that sort of thing just a few times previously, and it does not seem to affect anyone at all seriously. The real lesson of the "Wellington election — a lesson that is not now taught for the first time — is the urgent need for cohesion and unity of purpose in the Liberal ranks. .