TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8154, 5 June 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

Colonel Hume (Inspector of Prisons), who has just compiled a return, says that the number of persons in prison on January Ist this year was 50 greater than the total for the corresponding day last year. Tnis ia not necessarily a cause for alarm, for during last year there was a considerable decrease iu the tally of persons who passed through the gaols. Moreover, there was an increase of over one hundred in the aggregate of individuals who were acquitted after remands. There was an increase in misdemeanants and lunatics, but as explained previously some of the misdemeanours are very trivial, and the police, it is said, have been particularly vigilant. The percentage of prisoners to population last year was 0.0318 (318 in 100.000). Ten years ago it was 0.0762 (762 in 100,000), more than double the present proportion, a state of affairs whioh completely refutes the insinuation implied in the Sydney allegation. At the close of 1904 the percentage of prisoneis in New South Wales was 1,286 (1.286 in 100,000), nearly double New Zealand. ' '*

A peculiar application hau been received by Captain Linn, Secretary of the Koyal Humane Sooiety of New Zealand, and will be considered by the court of directors at their next meeting in Christohuicb. Claim is made for the recognition of the bravery of Mr W. G. K. Kenriok, S.M., Mr E. Wilscn (inspector of police of Greymouth) and Constable E. W. Scott, "for rescuing about 40 persons from being blown up with dynamite in the courthouse at Murchisou, on July 14th, 1905." During the hearing of a case iu oouit the defendant, a man named Sewell, became mad. Going up to the magistrate he said he oouH blow up the crowded court with dynamite he had concealed on bis person. He was scratching something in his pocket, and said that he had only to move his finger and every person present would be '"blown to DlazGs." With great coolness Mr Kenriok listened to his ravings, and finally induced him to leave the court iu company wish his two daughters, Inspector Wilson and Constable Scott, and another person. Uut9ide the court he fired the dynamite, bl«w himselE to pieces, and injured the inspector and others.

The only aggressively defiant antiUnited States Power is Canada (says the Syduey Morning Herald's New York correspondent). But Canadian methods and institutions are—if one may say so, without giving offenoe—really American; and every true friend of this continent should wißh that there should be upon it more thau one phase of democratic development. Run over the musterroll of Canadian ofQoe-holders and many will be found to be by birch Amerioans; and among the Governors of States and even Judgeo of the State Supreme Couits many men are by birth Canadians. Indeed, in a hotly-fought squabble pending just now between the President and the Senate the point most insisted upon is that the appointed man comes of a Tory stock, and was born in Canada, and is therefore said to be an American of a bad kind, a Royalist—worse than an alien from the most degenerate district of Europe. There are many seriously critical disputes with Canada, one of which involves more than a hundred millions of dollars; but to press them now would mean an unpleasant controversy with England, and until the Panama Canal is built and opened to traffic this is something to be avoided, if possible. But the two countries own conjointly the Niagara River, and the cataraot where the river falls 166 feet {into the gorge below; and just at present citizens of both oountiies seem to be striving to see which can do most mischief to

this common possession. Eaob side has bored a tunnel into the river above, and eaob is turning this enormous reservoir of Dower into cash.

) At the Farmers' Union Conference at Auckland last Friday Mr 0. R. Phillips, president, said it bad been stated that the Farmers' Union should abstain from politics. It was absolutely necessary that they should take an interest in polities —not party politios, but farmers politics. Any one who said that the Farmers' Union was an Opposition organisation and was being nsed to oust the present Government was saying what was not true. The speaker then referred to the > question of adopting Parliamentary franchise for loan polls and county and road board eleotions. Upon this question they must pass strong resolutions and inform the Government that they were strongly opposed to the step, and if it was passed they would have to consider what other measures they would have to take to protect themselves. If they could not prevent suoh measures passing through the House of Representatives, they would have to use their strength of hand and trueness of spirit to protect what be believed to be their rights. If it ever became law farmers would be perfeotly justified in resorting to force to prevent it from being carried out. The following motion was carried:—"Seeing the political activity of all organisations in the towns it is desirable that farmers ' should pay more attention to politios." It was also resolved:—"That this meeting of farmers strongly protests against the proposal of the Government to extend the local franchise and pledges itself to resist by every means in its power the threatened attempt to give voting powers to non-ratepayers."