Wanganui Herald. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) SATURDAY NOVEMBER 3, 1833.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5206, 3 November 1883, Page 2

Wanganui Herald. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) SATURDAY NOVEMBER 3, 1833.

A DARK HORSE. __4 The impartial friends of the Government will say that a fresh argument has been supplied against v the system of selecting Ministers on the principle of geographical distribution. The new Minister of Public Works is Mr Mitchelson, who represents the district of Marsden, and who had been a dark horse up till yesterday. It is beyond doubt that the necessity of giv"ig Auckland a member in the place of Mr Whitaker has forced the Go /eminent to accept whatever happened to be available in that quarter. That Mr Mitchelson would have been the person selected for a seat in the Ministry and to hold the important portfolio of Public Works, would hardly have occurred to the ordinary political observer. Mr Mitchelson was a silent member of the House. We are not aware he ever spoke on any subject in Parliament, and it is not generally known that he was a wise man in Committee. Referring back to the general election, we believe he was returned as a patent log-roller, holding in this respect the same position as some members we could name on this Coast. But he enters Ministerial life, for that reason, with the advantage in his favor that nothing is known against him. He has made no enemies, stirred up no political passions, and has neither sins of commission nor omission to account for. With a blank record he enters political life in the higher walk to administer the affairs of the colony. We do not desire to disparage the appointment. It is perhaps in keeping with the policy of the continuous Ministry and of the Premier to exalt the lowly and despise the proud. Finding a mistake had been made in omitting Auckland when the leaujustment of portfolios took place on the retirement of Mr Whitaker, the Premier hurried to the North determined to make a selection from among its members. The Opposition in that part of the colony numbers among it men of ability, eloquence, and experience ; but none of them were to be bribed or cajoled into the acceptance of a portfolio. The logrolleis were of a different class, and it does not much matter which of them happened to be selected. We dare say Mr Mitchelson is as good as Mr Peacock or Mr Hobbs. There is now a fine opening for some of the Ministerial journals to air their 'colonial' views, to show that men of colonial reputation ought to be alone chosen for Ministerial honors, even if they all hailed from Canterbury. For ourselves we think the provincial plan of representation in the Cabinet is thoroughly sound, even when Mitchelsons have to be taken. Centralism is the worst of all known political evils, and we are glad that Auckland has lodged an earnest and,, effectual protest against it, compelling Ministers to go to Marsden for a colleague to illustrate the fact that local or provincial patriotism is not dead.

The second class of the City Rifles fire for the officers' trophy on Monday morning at the ranee. ' The Rev. Father Le Menant Des Chenais, who is well-known in Wanganui as a good -orator, will preach at both services at St. Mary's Church to-morrow. Late English files announce the death of Lady Pringle, relict of the late baronet of that name. This lady's nephew, who is heir to the baronetcy, which unfortunately carries no property with it, is stated by the Feilding paper to be a brewer living in the district, and well-known in Feilding. The examination of the Infant School commences on Thursday next, and it is advisable that parents should see that their children are present on that date. As the attendances have been very irregular of late, owing to sickness and other causes, it is very necessary that all scholars who can possibly attend should do so from now until the date of the examination. Nominations for the Hurdle and Mile Handicaps, and entries for the Maiden Race at the meeting of the Athletic Club, to be held on the 9th November, close to-night at balf-past seven. The entries will be received by Mr J. P. Ellis (the secretary) up to half-past seven, at the Fire Brigade Hall, and it is to be hoped the efforts of the Club to provide a healthy day's amusement for Friday will be successful in drawing good fields. We are requested to state that schedules for prizes, etc. for the forthcoming show of the Hoiticulturral Society, can now be obtained from the secretary, on application. Mr Manley had to refuse several applications formei ly, on account of an insufficient supply at the time. It is announced in another column that all entries must be received by the Sec. on the evening of the day preceding the show, printed forms for which can be procured from the secretary. The arrangements for the show are very complete, and the affair promises to be most successful.

A daylight parade of the Wangamri Rides is called for Monday morning next, at 5 o'clock, at Cook'a Gardens. During the past week 4 patients were adoniitted t thu hospital, and 1 was discharged, leaving 21 inmates now at the institution, comprising 17 males and 4 females. Mr Woon has fixed Monday next, at two o'clock, at the Courthouse Wanganui, as the diy for holding a panel of jurors to serve at the ii> xt sittings of the Supremo Court, to be held at Palmerston. Members of the Union Boat Club are requested to muster in force at the general meetiug called for Thursday evening next. At the conclusion of the business, refreshments will be provided, and a pleasant evening spent. The proceedings will include a presentation to Mr Wm. Nicholson, the late Secretary and Treasurer of the Clul>, who, by his energetic action, has done much to promote its welfare, and is now leaving the district. We had yesterday to record an unfortunate accident to Mr Cummins. To-day we have to chronicle with far greater pleasure a piece of smart payment of insurance in connection with the same event. Mr Cummins was insured in the Accident Insurance Company, of which Mr Dudley Eyre has recently been appointed the local agent, and to-day he handed over to him the amonnt of his claim, which will go far to palliate the pain from the unfortunate occurrence, we have no doub\ There grows in the sage-brus and desert lands in Nevada and Utah, a shrub, called by the Indians " tempah," which when made into an infu-iou, cannot be distinguished by taste from the Chinese tea. It is a blood purifier, and Indians and whites use it for medicine. Many of the miners of Eastern Nevada have acquired a taste for ib, and perfer it to the tea of the stores. Its effect is a mild stimulation, about the same as is produced by tea or coffee, and no harmful or injurious effects follow its use. We are pleased to see indications of a successful show at Patea on Wednesday next under the auspices of the local A. and P. Association. A great improvement is promised both in the number and quality of exhibits, and the opening of the railway will facilitate carriage of stcck from greater distances. With good weather there ought tobe a large assemblage of spectators, and we would suggest to the Railway Department the desirability of running a late train from Patea to Wanganui, of which alarge number of settlers would doubtless avail themselves. The Empire City of the States, according to the New York Weekly Times, contains at least 40 or 50 persons who make their living solely by acting as agents for the disposal of children, whose relative?, beingeither unable or unwilling to support them, desire to make them over for a consideration, to some one who will adopt the little waifs. Cne of these agents was recently, interviewed by a reporter, to whom he confi led, amongst other trade secret?, that a light-haired blue- eyed boy of ten, with a dimple in his left cheek, was worth to him as much as a hundred dollars, and a girl of about the same age was worth fully fifty, although her hair was inclined to assume a very unfashionable tint. In another column Mr Jas. Macintosh, of Marton, who has a well-establi-iied reputation for the execution of his oil paintings, notifies that he will shortly hold an art union, at which sixteen pictures from his brush will be disposed of. The subjects are representative of landscape and marine scenery, portraits and ttatuary, some of them being copied from the master artists, and forming really valuable prizes. In addition to the pictures a novelty is introduced, by which each ticket will receive a prize. This novelty consists in large sized photographs of each subject, well executed by Mr Kirkwood. Thete will be 100 tickets, at 15s each for disposal, ami the date of drawing will be shortly notified. London Truth is responsible for the following : — Some months ago Queen Margherita asked a little girl to knit her a pair of silk stockings as a birthday gift, and gave her twenty lire to buy the material. The Queen forgot the circumstance till her birthday came, when she was reminded o£ it by the arrival of a pair of well-knit stockings, and the maker's best wishes. Not to be outdone, Queen Margherita sent a pair to her young friend as a return gift, one stocking being full of lire pieces and the other of bonbors. They were accompanied by a little note — "Tell me, my dear, which you like best." A reply reached the Palace next day — "Dearest Queen — both the stockings have made me shed many bitter tears. Papa took the one with the rroney, and my brother the other." The Ladies Committee of the Benevolent Society held a meeting at Mr J. L. Stevenson's office yesterday afternoon. There were present — Mr Bamber (president), Mesdames R. W. Woon, W. J. Williams, Geo. Beaven, H. Hurley, Tudor, and the secretary (Mr Stevenson ) The president stated that there were eight eases then receiving assistance from the society.and each one was considered separately, with the result that two of the number were struck off the list, and the rest ordered to be continued for the present. It was pointed out that owing to the lowness of the funds (there being no credit babnde as was the case last year), it would be necessary for the ladies to canvass their respective districts for subscriptions. It was decided to carry out this course, the amounts received to be handed in to Mr Liffiton during the present month if possible. This being all the busmess, the committee rose. Denis Kearney (says a New York paper) seems to hare descended to a low estate ! The Central Labor Union shut its doors against the great apostle of the Sand Lots, and Wong China Foo, the editor of the Chinese American, challenged him to mortal combat. Denis refused to answer the Chinaman's communication, assigning as a reason that it was not couched in respectful language ! We can hardly believe that tho Chinese editor had so far learned bad tricks on this continent as to wish to engage in a duel. We suspect that he was only poking fun at Kearney. Re told a reporter that if Denis would accept he would give him his choice of chopsticks, Irish potatoes, or Krupp guns, to fight with. Kearney once made the Pacific coast tremble, and the trembling of the Pacific coast shook the whole nation. Now the working-men turn him out, and a Chinaman challenges him in disrespectful language ! Alas ! Poor Denis ! The Dunedin (says the Otago Times) completed her cargo for London on Wednesday afternoon, when she took in the last of her meat for freezing. This has been supp'ied entirely by the New Zealand and Australian Land Company (Limited), who have engaged her for this trip as well as the two next ones. As on the former voyages of this vessel on which she carried meat, the sheep for her have been slaughtered at the Company's Totara Estate, where excellent accommodation has been provided for hanging and cooling the carcasses. The vveather on this occasion has been very favourable, and the mutton has been loaded in capital order. The following are the particulars of the Company's shipment, viz :—379S: — 379S crossbred wethers from Pareora Estate, 3451 do do from Levels Estate, 1046 do do from Totara Estate, 102 merino do from Totara Estate, 248 lambs from Totara Estate ;— 8645 in all. Says the 'Frisco correspondent of the Daily Times : — Henry Ward Beecher has been lecturing here. He has now got rid of the sacrament of baptism as well aa of future punishment, and thinks that if white men cannot support families, pay taxes, maintain monopolies and "sichlike " for less money than an unmarried Chinese laborer can live upon, they should disappear from the earth. That is the substance of his lectures in brief. The truth is W. H. B. is a humbug. He saw that Ingersoll made money by lecturing on infidelity, and Beecher set up an opposition revival business at Brooklyn, but it did not "pan out " well. He thereupon dropped out of orthodoxy, and attempted to divide the wages of infidelity with the eloquent expounder of no faith. He has succeeded fartially, and having no consideration except for money, he now attacks American industrial civilisation in the interest of organised capital and coolie slave labor. That is all there appears to be in it, Beecher is a pulpit showman, without a particle of religious or morpl principle to guide him. Whether he ever was different is a, point on which I cannot speak. That he has now been delivered over to a reprobate mind is evident to anyone who takes the trouble to follow his life and 1 teachings.