Wanganui Herald. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) FRIDAY NOVEMBER 2, 1883.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5205, 2 November 1883, Page 2

Wanganui Herald. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) FRIDAY NOVEMBER 2, 1883.

We referred in our article on the Rotorua Railway Company to W. T. Clarke, who acted as interpreter between the natives and the representative of the Company, and suggested that he had grossly abused his position in advising the natives to accede to the terms proposed. It did not occur to us at the time that this Mr W. T. Clarke was one of the Judges of the Native Land Court— a fact which places his conduct in a still more unfavorable light. The Judges of the Land Court unfortunately do not stand very high in the estimation of anyone, but it could hardly have been supposed that one of them would be found openly acting as the tou^ for a Company engaged in an operation by which a large quantity of native land was to be acquired. What will the Native Minister aay ? The Company is very powerful, with in extended influence, and not to be assailed with impunity. The Native Land Court Judge must have thought this when he became their agent.

A correspondent wants to know " what share Wanganui received last session of the loaves and fishes?" This question ought to be put to Mr Watt, the member for the district. For ourselves, we cannot exactly Bay, the estimates not specifying anything, if we except the long-promised vote for the gaol. The member, when it was shown that he had blundered over the £2000 for the Murimotu road, said he was going in for £30,000 "next session." "Next session" is now last session, and we fail to find even £1000, let alone £30,000. Now, Mr Watt is emphatically a log-rolling member. He was sent in specially to perform that estimable function, much to the everlasting credit of Wanganui. He had promised with a profusion seldom equalled. The old soldiers were to have been liberally dealt with, and any number of £5 notes were to have been forfeited if they did not receive their land. The Catholics were to be gladdened with a grant for their schools, — the promise being fulfilled in the amusing qualification that he would not give them anything unless they could muster 100 children in a school. The old soldiers are still "trailing arms." And where is the money ? Echo answers where ? It is thus clear that the member has failed in his own special line. The log 3 have not been rolled. The people wanted bread — a mess of potage — and what have they got ? In Mr Petrie's speech the other day at Greymcuth, the figures representing a aerious of successful raids on the Treasury, bristled in every sentence. When our meeting take only place, we shall have to be content with figures of speech, brilliant only — overpowering, satisfying.

A cricket match will take place to-morrow at 2 o'clock on the school ground, between the Collegiate School and St. John's Wood. A full rehearsal of the programme for the entertainment for young Coakley's benefit will be held in the Princess Theatre this evening at 8 o'clock for members of the troupe. The London Standard — the leading conservative organ— admits that Mr Gladstone's hold on the masses has not relaxed to any appreciable extent. The examination at the Girls' High School are now proceeding, and will probably last far into next week. The classes at present under examination are numbers 4, 5, and 6, the subject being writing. It is probable that Mr Redmond will not after all pay Wanglanui a visit, lie attends a conference at Melbourne, and has to be home by February at the meeting of Parliament. This will be disappointing news to many. A recent police return states that there are not less than 200,000 "vagabonds" strolling through Germany and begging for alms. They are chiefly men in their prime or young people in full vigour, who are too lazy to work. We have been requested to state that Mrs Hoey will be glad to receive presents, either monetary or in the shape of gifts for the Christmas tree, in connection with the entertainment to be £iren to the children attending the Infant School at Christmas. The Rev. Father Le Menant des Chesnais preached at St. Mary's Church yesterday ooth morning and evening, it being All Saint's Day. At the evening service the Rev. gentleman, who will probably officiate again on Sunday, selected as the subject of, his discourse "Tbe Immortality" of the Soul." • American papers report the death of " the .fattest woman in the world," Fanny Conley, a member and one of the special curiosities of Nathan's Cleveland Circus. She was found dead, lying on her face, in the sleeping wagon of the company, and the presumption was that she was unable to turn in her be I without assistance, and was so suffocated. She weighed 4951 b. A nasty acsident happened to Mr T. D. Cummins this morning, while he was cutting some grass with a scythe at his residence. He happened to turn round for a moment while at work, carelessly, and the scythe catching on a piece of wood, slipped, and as he turned back just at the same moment, the blade passed right across the back of his, left hand, inflicting a nastygash right across, and another diagonally. He will be incapacitated from using the hand for some time. The expected visit of Mr W. R. Redmond to Auckland for lecturing purposes (says the Auckland Star) is not to be made after all. Messrs Redmond and J. W. Walshe left the Bluff for Melbourne in order to be present at the forthcoming Convention of the Australasian branches of the Irish National League. Mr M. Landers, of the Thames, has been elected to represent the Auckland branch, and he leaves by the Waihora on Tuesday next. The Messrs Redmond will not be here again until th'-y pass through en route to Great Britain. The Taranaki Herald^ bears testimony to the superior advantages of the port of Waitara in the following report : — On Monday night last Captaia Holford, who waa in charge of the s s Moturoa, experienced a very rough time of it during the heavy gale that prevailed. He took the steam launch under the lee of the outer Sugar Loaf, but as the wind veered round stveral times he was obliged to alter his position, A constant watch had t r j be observed during the night, as the little steamer was in imminent danger. Howevei*, by skilful management she weathered the heavy storm, and was taken into the Waitara River yesterday evening! By common consent, says the New Fork Herald, the Presidential canvass next year? is to be made on a very simple issue. The Democratic cvy will be — "Turn the rascals, out." The Republican cry is to be — "Keeji the rascals out." The tariff will be dropped by common consent. It therefore promise^ to be what vulgar politicians call a "cam* paign of dirt." By that is meant, of course* a canvass in which each party does what ijl can to persuade the voters that the ofche? party cannot safely be trusted with the Gov* eminent, by reason of the pecuniary disj honesty and general wickedness of its leaders. Jacob Terry \u-ites : — The fight between Slade and Mitchell has been declared off; Sullivan is starting upon a sparring-starring tour, and may reach Australia. Professor Miller, from Melbourne, is to be pitted against him in a glove fight ; and Jem Mace, the veteran pugilist, issues the following challenge :—"I: — "I will be happy to meet and box the champion, John L. Sullivan, with gloves in three matches — one to consist- of three rounds, one of four, and one of five ; the event to take place in California, New York, or Europe ; and I will put up a trophy valued at a £1000 against another of equal value that I will win two out of the three matches, and will stake a trophy of like value against one three times the value that I will win all three of the matches, which will take place at Mr Sullivan's convenience, after his present tour, thus enabling us to get a fight for a test of skill— my science against his strength ." It is perhaps needless to* add that all this has reference to the gate-money. There is no honesty about this "'sporting " business. The second of a series of lectures on the question of Christianity versus Freethought, given under the auspices of the Young Men's Christian Association, was delivered in the Fire Brigade Hall last evening. On this occasion the lectuier was the Rev. W. J. Williams, who selected for his subject "The Witness of Christianity to Christ." Mr G. Carson took the chair, and briefly introduced the lecturer, who commenced by making a few remarks oa certain correspondeace which had appeared in the newspapers, and observed that if the letters were not replied to, it was not to be inferred that they were unanswerable. Christianity, he continued, had nothing to dread, but everything to hope for by fair and honest investigation. The rev. gentleman then referred to the persecution of the early Christians and the stern opposition they had to contend against, .was "superstition and ignoraace," a phrase ye X the Freethinker delights to dwell upon, v but he would ask if that was a sufficient explanation of the fact of Christianity existing and retaking its vitality through the L hpttest fire of persecution, the opposition of to-day being merely an echo as compared with the fearful resistance encountered in it 3 infancy. The lecturer then referred to the origin of Christianity, which could only have emanated from a divine* Christ, and in illustration of his argument he pointed out that the foundation of a building could not be seen, and,,its < strength' could only be surmised by the bur- • den it had bear.' After referring to the" golden age of philosophy and art, which, in elevating nations, had proved such a failure, the revv gentleman said that to account for Christ they were bound to admit the Christ of the Gospels. He contended that among many of the plausible reasons put forward by Freethinkers, not one had satisfactorily explained a cause for the existence of Christianity, and fiey had yet one to produce that was not an insult to our intelligence. The opposition without had been nothing to the dissension within the church, and although there were so many different sects, Christianity still was making rapid progress and retained its native incorruptibility among so much corruption. The rev. gentleman ridiculed the idea that Christianity was losing its hold, and pointed out that it had made more progress during the last 81 years than in any part of its previous history. Reference was then made to certain Freethought literature on the personality of Christ, and to the contention that Christianity was a fabrication, and that the Saviour himself was merely an egotistical and pious enthusiast. A few remarks were made on the personal character of Colonel Ingersoll, and the lecturer closed his address by a strong appeal to kis hearers to mak« a personal investigation into the claims of Christianity. The Chairman having announced the next lecture, which will be given on Thursday week by Sir W. Pox, the proceedings terminated with a hearly vote of thanks to the lecturer, on the motion of Mr J. Greenwood. There was a fair attendence, the lecture being attentively listened to throughout.