NOTES AND COMMENTS.

West Coast Times, 11 April 1912, Page 2

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

“ Aiuiii, ” discourses in the Dunedin “Evening Star” of the new Mini-try: “ I have seen Peter Buck throw the allot and load a liaka. I have often admired Mr. Colvin’s beard. 1 know Mr. Buxton’s father when he, a beaming old farmer, was in tho House, i think 1 also knew Air. lianan’s father when he used to keep “The Temple ol Science”—or “Temple of Truth,” was itr I’m getting mixed in Invercargill, iv. an the family 1 ombstones wore scientific"- with planets and tho .figures of Pylhagorcan problem.- in geometry on them. Not a bad start for a Minister of Edncal ion ! I have also met Mr. Lnn i'ensen, a. lineut gi-oier, interested in the wholesale spirit business. Iml; tint was long ago. 1 suppose ho has n-M mil. Mr. .Myers hasn't sold out, lv.it p;vlmp; hj - will, i don’t know an;-, thing oi !ns nurils; as a Invwer, except t-iir.t I haven’t seen Ids beer aduv tired-in Dunedin, while I have soon M ■■igh.t’s ;wl. i• f i ■l l in Auckland; However, Oliver Cromwell was a brewer, and lie went into podid.; with Tome ; uccors. But tint’s a

bmg tuna ago. Mr. Russell, I think, began as a lawyer’s clerk, became a parson, loft that for journalism, and s > iortli. Air. Ell, having no property, was tlie father of the Hating nr Unimnroved Values. It is a .Ministry of all th ; ' talents. Long may they wane.

Auckland during holy wee;;, the Bishop roundly denounced cur pro eat prison system. “It is an abominable when a being is put to death through ontragns of society,’’ said Bishop Crossley in the course of one oi Ids mid-day addresses. Tho subject of Ids acid res-i was “Tho Crucifixion.” At the close his Lordship said he had hoped to have said sometiling about the criminal system, but time had fMiLnd hhii. l ‘iS'oM l .otij77os Igo to tho gaol,” lie proceeded, “to hold service. I wish 1 could bring the men of Auckland to see that sight I held that under tho Cross of Jesus Christ no right exists to punish cny man, unless it he to improve him or arrest him in his criminal career, and I tell you that your system of criminal punishment is a system of revenge.” (Hoar, hear). His Lordship further stated that until the people of Now Zealand made their system of punishment arrcstful instead of revengeful, it would not be in keeping with the spirit of the Church. “It never will be co,” he contimicd, “until you bring this swearing, cursing criminal to become a man of penitence and reform,”

Air. F. M. B. Fisiieji, ALP., in the course of a letter to tho Marlborough “Express,” says:—“ Air. Thomas Mackenzie may do bettor than his predecessor. It will be a difficult task for li m to manage a mutinous and rebellious crow. And Air. Mackenzie's past is against him—his ‘Hansard 1 past, I refer to. Of course, there are two Air. Mackenzie’s, I admit. . There is the ‘Tom’ Alackonzie that was, and the ‘Tom’ Mackenzie that is. The one that is, is not responsible for the one that waes. Nor is the one that was in any way connected with the one that is. It is practically certain, however, that the Alackenzio that is would much rather be the Mackenzie that was, for the Alackenzie that is knows full well that the Alackenzie that was, was a much better man than the Alackenzie that is. We all have that feeling. However, one cannot help admiring tho .bravery of a captain who puts to sea Iv. itli a mutinous and rebellious prow, in a worm-eaten, rotten vessel, and with r, short supply of ration;—probably not more than four months', supply.”

The Charitable. Aid Heard meeting to have been hold last night was po tno" ‘d until tins evening at the usual llOUi*. r:r. Clayton, Government dairy expert. was in ivmnara yesterday at the insygation of those intere- ted In il e ■. r Vi-hmy.t ot a !>utt t factory thcit. Mr. Clay ten made a thorough in spectin" of the di-triet in order to choose a sice for the factory. 1w acceptances for the Westland Trotting Club’s meeting to-day are puhhslrd in this is-im. Everything points to a successful gathering, as nxcvilert fields will V- the order of the Pay, A charge of 2s will be mad* for admission to the course,

Airland Mrs J. P, Beirnc of Grcymoutli were passengers by the Arahura yesterday for Picton, whence they go to their new home, tho Grosvcnor Hotel, Blenheim. A number of friends saw them off at the wharf and wished them success.

“I attribute my present position to the land boom of 1908,” stated a judgment debtor from Wellington in the Ekctahuna Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. “Then you have been speculating?” remarked counsel for plaintiff. !- Your assumption is entirely wrong,” replied the debtor. “I am two or three hundred pounds to the bad through others who had speculated being unable to pay mo.”

Last evening the Dominion Meteorologsit tolergaphed the following weather summary and forecast: “Tho barometer has risen everywhere and strong westerly winds have changed to southerlies with decreeing force. The weather, has been squally and showery, hut improved. Present indications are for moderate to strong southerly winds; cool and changeable weather and a steady rising barometer.”

During an interval between the events at tho Easter race meeting yesterday, the WcMland Racing . Club entertained the Hon. James Colvin. Mr. E. 11. Robinson proposed tho Minister’s health, felicitating him ui>on his elevation to Cabinet rank. Mr. Colvin briefly responded. Tho Minister congratulated tho Club on its success and proposed tho health of tho president, Mr. E. 1:1. Robinson. Tho latter responded and the pleasant little function terminated.

Tho creed of early rising found a champion at tho Unity Conference on Saturday, when Mr. H. M, Hampton urged his fellow delegates to make 8 a.in. the hour for commencing their deliberations. Mr. Hampton brushed aside a suggestion, mildly advanced by another delegate, that nine o’clock was tho customary hour, and declared that oven Labour men showed their conservatism in minute details. A stout opponent of tho early starting proposal

announced that ho would resist it because Labour always agitated for .shorter hours. The conference eventually decided to sit at 9 a.m.

Tho following passengers arrived by the Christchurch express on Tuesday night:—• Misses E. Guy, Ablett; Mesdamcs Watorston, Ablotl, L. Brower, D. Darroch, W. Dimcan, I)e la Mare, Horroll, D. Jones, Banks, F. Wood, J. Leddy, E. Sangster, and child ; Messrs IT. Gould, R. H. Bushell, F. Wood, J. Lenihan, J. Ablett, C. Jones, J. Rowe, R. Huddlcstouc, Waterskin, R. Nicholson, P. Reed, C. Peek, D. R. Macdcnnid, J. Farrelly, J. Ablett, L. Brower, Daly, J. K. Jeffries, D. Darroch, M. Ball, J. A. Grant, G. W. Hulme, P. Mclntyre, ,C. Porter, L. Woodhouso, W. Clayton, J. B .Naldcr. The following loft for Christchurch yesterday; Misses Pong, O’Neill (2), Adams, Hayes, Davett, I). Parsons, M. Roberts; Mesdamcs Shivas, J. Davie, A. McLean, Berad, McKanc, Du Feu, A. Crocker, Godfrey, R. J. Roth well, R. Loitch, D. Thompson, A. L. Parsons, M. S. Brown, C. Hill, J. McCleavc, J. L. Stubberficld, Bndd, Rothwoll, M. Fitzgerald, .A. Atkinson, G. Anderson, J. Porter, W. L. Prime, F. W. Flammgan, A. P. Harper, Anthony Crocker, D. Ncave,-R. English, J. N. Du Feu, McKanc, A. McLean, M. Dorrington, S. C. fielbna. A. C. Eddy, M. Stevens, Rev. J. Davie, G. 11. Andrews, J. Lorimer, J. W. Beauland, J. M. Taylor, J. Shivas, J. Corcoran. At the Conference of tho Federated Catholic Clubs, held in Wellington recently, the tallowing motion was unanimously carried:—“ That this Conference of the Federated Catholic Chibs of New Zealand expresses its strong condemnation of the attitude of a section ol tho Socialist Party of violent hostility to his Grace, Archbishop Redwood, on account of his recently-issued pastoral letter on Reciali-in, an attitude which displays a hostility towards tho Church itself, rather tlia n a disagreement with tho economic views enunciated in the pastoral, and further expresses tho sympathy and the pledge: the loyal Mipport of the Federated Catholic Clubs throughout New Zealand to his Grace, the Archhislmu, un dm the attack to which he lias been subjected in consequence of the issue of the pastoral.” The way in which some of the dole-

gates to the Unity Conference talket about tho press, in tho course of theii preliminary, discussion on Saturday

was amusing and at times amazing. One delegate who was apparently quite serious, suggested that a. committee should be set up to confer with newspaper reporters in regard to their reports. Tho chairman ( the Hon. J. T. Pan!) at once nipped the suggestion in the hud by stating that be was quite sure that the reporters would not entertain it, and that, in any case, it would not bo right for them to do so. Another delegate urged that the press should be excluded altogether, on the ground that, with reporters present, publicity would bo given to any heated passage's or displays of temper. Possibly, hie remarked, someone might launch an attack at moil who had worked in tho .movement for years, as had recently happened at Dunedin. Some other delegates took up a similar attitude towards tho press, hut one or two admitted that it had its uses at times.