The Star. SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 1898. NOTES AND NOTIONS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6138, 26 March 1898, Page 4

The Star. SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 1898. NOTES AND NOTIONS.

In the not improbable event of the appointment of a Royal Commission to adjudicate between tlie Charitable Aid Board and the authorities of the Samaritan Home, one of two things must occur. In questions which are settled by these Commissions, the loser has to pay the cost of the inquiry. Should the Charitable Aid Board lose, the ratepayers will have the pleasure of paying the piper, but should the Commission decide against the Samaritan Home, the authorities of that institution will have to fall back on their own pockets or on public subscriptions. The history of the matter is generally known, but it will bear retelling briefly. Somo charitably-disposed people in Christchurch formed an Association of their own for dealing with vagrant and irreclaimable women, and for that purpose were granted the use of the old Addington Gaol by the Government. The Charitable Aid Board, not sorry to be relieved of the care of this very troublesome class, voted a subsidy to the Samaritan Home for so doing. But the Home authorities considerably enlarged the sphere of their operations, and, taking in male cases, practically ran a relief institution in opposition, as it were, to the Charitable Aid Board. The latter body having experienced the evils of divided authority, discontinued its grant, and trouble commenced.

At the last Board meeting a letter was read from the Secretary of the Samaritan Home, stating that the estimates of the latter body showed a deficiency of .£264 for next year, and asking the Board to make good that amount. The letter further stated that the amount asked for was without prejudice to further claims. This was hardly a conciliatory way of puttii: things, and amounted practically to a breach of diplomatic relations. It is a pity to see two bodies which exist for the relief of the needy among us quarrelling as to who shall administer that relief, but it is evident from the replies sent in by the contributing local bodies that the bulk of public opinion in Canterbury is against divided control. . While recognising

that the Samaritan Home has done good work, the local bodies evidently ara not prepared to advocate the alloaation of public moneys to private individuals who may choose to take up relief work. We should like to see tho Samaritan Home continued for the purpose for which it was initiated, viz., the care of women, and its efforts strictly confined to that. Wera this done, thero seems no reason why the work of the two bodies should overlap, and the Charitable Aid Board might again see its way. to make a grant in aid, reserving, of course, the fullest rights of inspection, and, if necessary, the right to representation on the management.

Here is the North Pole calendar for a period of eight years : —

18 ( J8 — Expedition of Haans Haansen, from Haamerfest, Norway, to find the North Pole. 1899 — Expedition of Torin Torinpsen to • find Haansen. 1900 — Expudition of J him Jhornsen to find Tornipsen. 1901 — Expedition of Jjaik Jjaksen to find Jhornsen. 1902— Return of Jjaksen with relics of Jhornsen. Marble monument erected to the memory of Jhornsen.

1903— Return of Jhornsen with relics of Tormpseii. Brick 'monument erected to Tormpsen. 1901;— Return of Tormpsen with relics of Haansen. Wooden monument erected to Haansen. 1905— Return of Haansen, dead tired. North Pole still standing.

Kissing is scarcely a subject which one expects to be treated seriously, except, perhaps, by the miciobe-maniac, but in the Nuova Antologia, one of the Italian magazines, Signor Ernesto Mancini writes on "Le forme c l'origino del bacio" with much wisdom and interesting decorum. The origin of kissing he attributes to Verms, giving a long list of the meanings attached to kisses on various parts of the face in the course of history. The Emperor Tiberius promulgated an edict against the custom , but when Christianity took the place of Paganism, kissing, like most other things, was pub under rules and regulations. A kiss on the mouth was indicative of peace and brotherhood. Kisses on the cheeks, forehead and hands were given between persons of tho same sex as witness of iraternal feelings. A kiss, however, might be a venal,- and according to St Thomas, a deadly sin, if it was given for the mere pleasure of kissing, and so seriously was the matter regarded that Pope Innocent 111. ordered that lay people should kiss a crucifix or a relic instead Tof kissing the priests. It ; ,13 undoubtedly from this Papal edict that tho custom o/kissing the crucifix came into fashion. V . *

Sib (Java-. Dukpt tells a good story of his schooldays. He was sent to an deaAy conducted by a Presbyterian minister, and

containing about fifty boys, all Protestants' who regarded it as an unpardonable presumption for a Papist to come amongst them. One of his schoolfellows, who afterwards became a noted local preacher, occupied the recreation hour, for Duffy's edification, with tales of Roman Catholic j atrocities. "A. farmer's son— so the story ran, w^nt to confession, and as his offences wore serious the priest made a tally witb chalk on the sleeve of his coat, that the penance might be proportionate to the sins. 'I was too intimate with a neighbour's daughter, yonr Reverence.' ' Very bad,' says the priest, making a stroke on his arm with the chalk. 'There was a baby, your reverence, and, to keep it dark, I made her throw it in the river.' ' Oh, you unfortunate miscreant,' cried the priest, making two long strokes on his arm ; ' I'm afraid you 11 never see purgatory. Anything else ? 'Tes.your reverence, God forgive me, there s something worse. The girl took to fretting; I was afraid she'd tell her people, and I shoved her into a bog-hole.' 'Away with you,' cried the priest, starting to his feet in a rage. ' I can't absolve a double murderer who has hid his crime from punishment.' ' But, your reverence, wait a minute. I forgot to tell you she was a black Prisbiteran.' ' Pooh ! pooh !' says tbe priest, brushing the score off his arm, 'why did you make me dirty my coat?'" . J

THE SONG OF THE SPANISH MAIN. Out in the south, when the day is done, And the gathered winds go free, Where golden-sanded rivers run, Fair islands fade in tho setting sun, And the great ships stagger, one by one, Up from the windy sea.

Out in the south, when a twilight shroud

Hangs over the ocean's rim, Sail on sail, like a floating* cloud, Galleon, brigantine, cannon-browed, Rich from the Indies, homeward crowd, Singing a Spanish hymn.

Out in tho south, when the sun hath set And the lightning flickers pale, The cannon bellow their deadly threat, The ships grind, all in a crimson sweat, And hoarse throats call, " Have you stricKen yet ? " Across the quarter-rail.

Out in the south, in the dead of night,

When I hear the thunder speak, 'Tis the Englishmen in their priae and might, Mad with glory and blind with light, Locked with the Spaniards, left and right, Fighting them cheek to cheek.

Out in the south, when the dawn's pale light

Walks cold on the beaten shore, And the mists of night like clouds of fight, Silvery violet, blinding bright, Drift ra glory from height to height -Where the white-tailed eagles soar;

There comes a song through the salt and spray,

Blood-kin to tho ocean's roar, " All day long down Florcz wny Bichard Gronvillc B<ands at bay. Come and take him if ye may !" Then hush, for evermore.