Wanganui Herald. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1896. THE PREME R'S APITI SPEECH.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 8990, 23 October 1896, Page 2

Wanganui Herald. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1896. THE PREME R'S APITI SPEECH.

Tecs first post-sesaional speech has been made by the Premier, who addressed a large meeting at Apiti on Wednesday evening last. Mr Seddon rapidly sketched the political hietory of the past few years in a, masterly manner, showing clearly that the people having entrusted the affairs of the country to men in whom they had confidence, and who were in sympathy with the masses, tbe result had been the enactment of Liberal laws, the lightening of the burdens of the taxpayers, and the settlement of the people on the land, which in turn assisted to lessen the " unemployed " difficulty, as by the repeal of the obnoxious and mißchieyous Property Tax eight thousand farmerß were relieved from paying a tax upon improvements. If the Liberal Government had done no other good thing than this it would be entitled to the gratitude of the farmers, but it has laid the great majority of the electors under obligations of a like j character, as it has eased their bur- 1 dens by removing the depression | under which the country was suffer- 1 ing, owing to the misrule and extra- j vagance of the reign of the Continuous Conservative Ministry. By enabling tbe people to take up land on lease in perpetuity on a 4 per cent rental the Government bad done much good for those who under the Conservative regime had been kept off the land and compelled to keep to the overcrowded labour markets of the large cities and towns of the colony, or to leave its snores in search of employment. The Advances to Settlers Act had, Mr I Seddon contended, saved the settlers who borrowed under it £14,000 a year, and he might have asserted that it had saved and would increase in saving far larger sums to the general borrowers, as it had cheapened money by at leaßt 2 per cent, all round. To the oft repeated Conservative falsehood that the public credit of New Zealand has suffered from the Liberal rale, and that the colony was

))Bing ruined, Mr Seddon gave an bmphatic denial, saying that when the Liberals took office the N.Z. %\ per cent debentures were £97 15s and the 4 per cents. £107, while last year, 1895, the 3^ per cents were £109 15a and the 4 per cents, were £116 10s. This proved that financiers had confidence in them. It was quite true that the public debt had increased by four millions, but the general taxpayer only paid the interest on £391,774, the balance paying interest on itaelf . The quarter million borrowed to purchase the Cheviot estate was now returning 6 per cent. The results were such that the Conservatives dare not say they would repeal any of the Actß passed by the Liberals. With respect to the sinking funds of local bodies, Mr Seddon stated that their liability ended when they had paid the 5 per cent, for 26 years, and they could not be called upon to pay again. The Conservative Government had seized sinking funds to the tune of £250,000 per annum for some years. He defended the action of the Government in utilising the moEey on the construction of roads and bridges. The speech touched upon many other matters which want of space precludes our reproducing, and closed by an exhortation to the electors to remember that there is no " Middle Party," and that they were either for or against the Government. That is no doubt the chief issue which the electors will have before them in the approaching general elections, and it will be well that they should keep it clearly before them" and not be led away on side issues set up by the opponents of the Government to confuse the minds of the people upon the vital question of the election. There is no chance of a' Middle Party being returned strong enough to hold office a week if it by joining forces with the Conservatives did contrive to oust the Liberal Government, and it is equally certain the strength of the present Opposition will not be added to by the results of the polls. It therefore behoves all true Liberals to be steadfast and true to their principles, and to vote for their party and secure another great and glorious victory for it, such as those which they have won on tbe last two occasions under the leadership of the late John Ballance and his successor, I&ohard John Seddon, both of whom have rendered the Liberals of New Zealand yeoman's service at most opportune moments.

*«• On our tourch page will bo found a large quantity of interesting reading matter.

A branch of the Liberty League has been established in Auokland.

The Feilding Bowling Green was opened on Wednesday.

Tho Hon. W Hall-Jones, Minister far Public Works, passed through Wanganui yesterday.

Awoman named Esther Montague was committed for trial at Dunedin on Monday for stealing £12 from a man.

It is over two months since a bankruptcy occurred in the Canterbury district. Tbore have only been 24 bankruptcies there since the beginning of the year.

Tbe sawmillers of Hawke's Bay have again raised the price of timber 6d per 100 feet all round-

Mrs Ingall, wife of the well known legal manager, lately descended tho Kaparjga mine to a greater depth than any lady in New Zealand had before accomplished.

A good three course dinner and a glass of ale for Gd is now a recognised hotel item ia Sydney. The only trouble is to get the 6d. An old Wellington and West Coast bonifoce P

The result of the year's operations at tho Blfcham 00-eperative dairy faotory is that the suppliers reoeive a fraotion under 2Jd per gallon of lOlbs for the season.

Tbe Advocate is informed that Mr Floyd has sent in bis resignation of his position as overseer on the Government oo operative works with a vinw to contesting the Bangitikei seat.

Miis Amy Johnston, of Blenheim, who has passed a most oreditable examination before tbe Board of Examiners in dentistry in Dunedin, is now tbe third lady dentist who has passed in New Zealand.

The number of artisans and other workmen employed on the co-operate works in New Zealand for September last were :— • Burvoy Depaitmont 1828, Pnblio Works Department 882, and Levin State Farm 21 ; total, 2226.

Booently the Maoris at the Chatham Islands obtained about 600 albatrosses from the sister isjoti, and after preserving tho birds in casks', they had them forwarded by steamer, to be presented as heretofore to Te Whiti at Parihaka.

A man named Bobert Stanley, who is credited with keeping the first hotel in Palmerston North, and who had oharge of the first punt stationed in the Manawatu Gorge, has bfiou committed to the Wellington Lunatio Asylum,

Mr Jones, one of the Manchester delegates, says -.—After travelling tho length of the North Island and listening to all sorts of opinions, I have come to tbe oocclmion that you have a splendid Government and a splendid man at the head of it,

Mr H Wilkie Watson, of the land and Income Tax Department, Wellington, has written 8758 land hand words on an ordinary postoard, and states his ability to write 10,000 words in the same space. He had previously written the Lord's Prayer four times within the ipao» of a threepenny bit.

A well attended meeting of tho Hatvora Fire Brigade was held on Wednesday nieht, when it was deoided to oomiriuoioate with tbo Wanganui Brigade with of holding a West Coast demonstration at Wanganui about March, to be alternate with the colonial demonstration. One new member was eleoted and another proposed. — Hawera Post. A short time ago a discovery of bones wits made in a cave at Mr Sowerby's property, Maltino, says the Hawora Star. The bone", whioh are very large, evidently those of a gigantic extinot bird or animal, said to be in a good state, though rather soft owing to lying so long in a damp place. Mr Stowell, who reoently went to Wellington, reported tbe find to Mr E Tregear, and this gentleman, on behalf of the Polynesian Sooioty, has written to Mr B Hendy asking him to collect the bones and forward them to Wellington for examination. Mr Hendy engaged men to go out and collect the bones, whioh will bo sent to Wellington in a day or two. The cavo where the bones were found is a very large one, and has been explored for a distance of about a mile. Its full extent is at present unknown.

Information has just leaked out of an attempted outrage in Birmingham, and that an accident alone prevented serious loss of life and immense damage to property. Messrs Avery, the well known icalemakers of Dipbeth, reoently reoeived a box measuring about eight inohes square. When the lid was removed the establishment was ntartled to find that the box oontained ! what appeared to bo an infernal machine. I The bomb, whioh was made of metal, was filled with a powerful explosive, It was ingeniously arranged, but in &n endeavour to secure the success of his scheme, the perpetrator fortunately frustrated it. The lid of tho box was so arranged that the process of opening it would release a hammer. The bomb was fitted with a small nippla on whioh was a percussion cap. The hammer on being set free was so situated as to fall on the porcussion cap and fira the mass of explosive material. In order to prevent the oap falling off during transit the author of the outrage had fastened it to the nipple, It was this little provision that upiet the diabolical calculations of the miscreant. Up to the present no olue hag been obtained as to the latter, It is supposed that the attempted outrage was prompted by a feeling of revenge, ;

The N.Z.L. and M.A. Company reoeived the following wire frost their Wellington agents to-day :— " Stonnbird will be ready for cargo to-day. Propose despatching her Saturday evening for Wanganui."

About 40 miles of cable is coming our to the colony by the steuner Bakaia, whioh left London on tbe 19th September. It will be stored at Wellington in reserve, to be used in the event of aocident to the cables now laid down*

At the S.M. Court yesterday, before Mr C. 0. Settle, argument was heard in the case of the A. Hatrick and Co. (MiMarshall) v. Canterbury Farmers' Company (Ltd), Timaru (Mr Barnicoat), olaim for damages for alleged breaoh of warranty of a quantity of oats sold by the defendant lo the plaintiff in May last. Tho argument lasted all the forenoon, and His Worship reserved his decision.

It will be seen by advertisement in an* other oolumn that tenders are invited and will be received at the Borough Counoil Chambers up till noon on Tuesday next for leasing the undermentioned properties:— Town belt, Block 18 and 20, containing about IS acres ; town belt, Block 22, containing about 3 j sores ; lection 01, St Hill Street, containing lrd. Conditions may he seen at the offloe of the Borough solicitors, Messrs Botlase and Barnicoat. ' The self-denial week of tbe Salvation Army doses to-night. The Bwisi village and sale of work yesterday realised ft very fair amount. Five stalls had been erected in the Barraoks, under the charge of members of the Army. The fanoy stall was presid«d over by Miss F Spurdle and junior officer! ; pUin and fanoy still, Mrs Captain Maokey; fern stall and soft drinks, Bro. Bragg j refreshment stall, Band ; and general stall, Sister E Wallace. The musical evening last night was well attended, and to-night a publlo meeting will be held, ?-hes the amounts realiied by tbe contribution oards will be read out,

It is with extreme regret that wo have to record the death of Mrs Horace Dixon, which occurred at her residence yesterday, afcer a prolonged illnesi, The deceased was but 22 years of age, and fell a victim to the dread disease—consumption, bearing her affliction with great fortitude. She was a member of the Wesleyan ohoir, and when health permitted assisted that religious body in many ways. Her death will be sadly lamented by a large circle of friends. We 'tender Mr Dixon and tho Borrowing relatives our sincere sympathy.

When President Faure wa> at Diain the other day, in the oourse of his tour thraagh Brittany, hi espied among the orowd which surged round him at the Sub-Prefecture a priest who had every apptaronce of being a son of toil. Ihe roughness of his hands showed that &fc some period of his life he had done hard, manual work. Upon his broatt was a military medal. Advanoing towards the Abba Dupre, for suoh was tho man's name, the President shook him cordially by tho hand, and elioited from him that he fought in the Franco-Gorman war. At Gravolotto he wai a sergeant in the 41st Line Begiment, and was wounded by a shell. After the war he entered a olerioal seminary.

An Irishman in a mixed company was nettled by tho remark that his countrymen seldom answered a question in a straightforward manner, and challenged proof. The person who had made the statement offered to bet a couple of bottles of wine, for the benefit of the company, that the son of Erin would not give direct answers to three simple questions. The bat was aocepted, and the test applied forthwith. ' Were you respeotably brought up ?' 'I was' (emphatically). 'Did you ever attend sohool f 'I did ' (anxiously and expectantly). ' Can you spell cat V ' Can I spell cat !' this with all the contemptuous inflection that language oau convey. And ths roar of laughter that followed lasted a full minute bnfore the astonished Celt realiied that his expenditure had baen increased by two bottles of wine.

Counter attractions somewhat interfered with the attendance at the usual fortnightly meeting of the Wanganui Literary and Muiioal Society in tho Weileyan sohoolroom last evening. M* W & Bassett (vicepreiident) ocoupied the chair. The principal attraction was the reading of the articles composing 'The Journal' by the editor, Mr W Bose. They wore no* 1 , many in number, but were of an interesting obaraoter. One of them, condemning over indulgence in eport, came in for & good dtal of criticism, as also did the leading article by the editor. Songs were rendered during the erening by Mr H B Woon ('The Place Wheie the Old Horse Died '), Mrs F W Jones (" We'd Better Bide a Woe'}, and Mr h Bassett (' The Deathless Army ') ; Miss Armstrong contributed a piano solo, and Mr H B Woon ably recited 'Tioket of Leave.' A vote of thanks to the editor dosed the prooeedings.

The anniversary of the Mathieson Street Sunday School was oelebrated last evening by a lea and entertainment, the latter being presided over by .Mr F LHadteld, superintendent. The hall and tobies had been tastefully decorated, and the following ladies had oharge of the latter s— Misses James, Wilson (2), Bharpe, Nixon, Vine (2), Furnell, Thomas, and Sidd«ll. The tables having been cleared, a start was made with the nftor mooting, The report of the secretary showed the sobool to be in a flourishing condition. In addition to a number of tuneful choruses nioely rendered by the children and a quartette, recitations were given by Walter Winchoombe, May MoGonagle, Hugh Thomas, Ada Foul, Herbert Purnell, Annie Siddell, Nelly Thomas, Alioe Siddell, Maggie Winohoombe, Brneit Purnell, Lawrence Bae, Lily Puruell, and Harry Siddell ; songs were gives by Misses Staffan, Wilson, and Frioe, and' duets by the Misses Wilson and the Misses Furnell. Prises had been offered for the best recitations, and were awarded by Mr Aitken, who acted as judge, to Lawrence Bae, 1 ; Harry Siddell, 2, Maggie Winohcombe, 1 ; Ada P«ul, 2.

One of the featuresof laitnight's Masonio gathering was the presentation to Lodge ft Andrew, No. 79, N.Z , by P.M. Bro Meuli of an enlarged photograph «t their former matter, the late Bro, John Ballance, in full Masonic regalia. Bro Meuh, who had been to great trouble to get a copy of the original photograph, in presenting it, and speaking with very evident emotion in his voioe, said that there had been a desire on the part of brethren to possess some memento of their late illustrious brother, but there had been difficulties in the way, whiob, however, had been overcome. He did not need to talk to the members present of the qualities of the deoeased honorable gentleman and statesman, but he could say that their late brother had always taken an active part in Freemasonry, and had shown this in his soheme for building the Freemasons' Hall, and his advooaoy of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand from its very inception. He asked the Lodge to accept the photograph, and only hoped it would give members as much pleasure to receive it ai it gave him to present it, W.M. Bro Fairburn, in briefly replying, aocepted the pioture with thanks on behalf of the Lodge, and remarked that it was during the late Bro Ballanoe's term that he was initiated. M.W.G.M. Bro Barron also paid a compliment to the departed brother as a Mason, a politician, and a man.

A very enjoyable Masonic meeting was held in the Freemasons' Hall last night on the occasion of the visit of M.W.9 M. Sto. Barren, B.W.D.G.M. Dr Boor, B.W/P D. &,M. Bro. H J Williams, and V.W.B. See. Bey. Bro. W Bonaldson. The ohair was ably filled by W.M. Bro. Fairbnrn, with Bros. Caiman and Bichardson as his wardens, and there wsb a large ettendenoe of visiting brethren. On the dais besides the Grand Lodge officers were to be seen many old past master! of the lodge. The oeremony of raising to the sublime degree of a Master Mason one of Wanganui's leading oitizon's was performed admirably, tho address by P.M. Bro. Keesing being one of the features of the evening. After the labors of the meeting the brethren retired for light refreshments which were served in an adjoining room. The usual loyal Masonio toasts wera honorod. P.M. Bro. J L Stevenson proposed the Grand Master to which Bro. Barron responded, remarking as he did so that there were now 109 lodges holding oharfcers under the Grand Lodge of N.JS, whereas they had only 4A to start with, Dr Boor, of Nelson, proposed the health of W.M. Bro. Fairburo, who in replying said that the lodge was an old one dating back to 1668, and he believed it had always had the same good name for working which Dr Boor had given it. ' The Visitors ' fell to the W.G.P.M. Spurdl*, and was responded to by B.W.P.D.G-.M. Bro. Burton, Bros. Meldrum, Cohen, and Wilkinson. During the evening songs were rendered by a number of the brethren and the proceedings passed off with a degree of heartiness sometimes found lacking in meetings of a similar nature.

Mr J H Eeesing holds his usual sale at 1.80 o'olook to-morrow at his Mart, Victoria Avenue. The goods to be sold include all descriptions of saddlery, furniture, and household requisite*, etc.

Looal playgoers will be pleated to Vim that they will be afforded an opportunity of bearing Mr Charles Godfrey, the eminent London actor-vocalist, suppoittd by his very successful Vaudeville Company. Mr Godfrey will appear at the Oddfellows' Hall on Saturday, the 31st of Ootobe;, ond tho two following nights, Edison's voi-y latest marvel (the kinenutograph) will ulao be exhibited in connection with th< Godfrey season, end must prove a powerful nUraction.

We have reoeived the Ootober number of the Journal of the Department of Labour, whioh contains many interesting and uieful items. Of the labour market tbe Journal says: — Auckland — Trades buiy. Wellington— Fairly brisk. Palmerston North-- Building trades, slowj boot trade, muoh improved ; retail trade, fair; unskilled labour, work is muoh more plentiful. Wanganui — Building trades, busy ; engineering trade, fairly busy j boot trade, all hands fully employed ; clothing trade, brisk; unskilled labour, very few men out of work, Ohingaiti— Building trades, fair; unskilled labour, plenty of work all round the district at buihfelling ; very few men seen on the roads. Marton — Beport similar, no difficulty in obtaining work, and plenty of bushfelling. New Plymouth— Building trades, fairly good ; unskilled labour, all looal men fully employed ; no swaggers noticed on the roads.

A most successful and largely attended social was held in St, Paul's sohoolroom last night under tbe auspices of the Chrittian Bndeavor Society, An interest* ing programme of music, recital, and tong was gone through, and a most ODJoyablo evening was spent. During the interval refreshments were handed round and gave time for the sooial objects of the Society. The following contributed items :— Miiset Maude, Brooks, and Pone, and Masters Gibson, Bobinson, and Yorke a recitation eaoh, the little Jones Sisters gave a ploasini; rendering of ' I don't want to play in your yard,' Miss MoFadgen a violin solo, Mils M flyers' contributions were ' Bonnie Banks of Looh Lomond' and 'The Blind Girl to her Harp,' Mours W Blair and Peter Bell also rendering vocal numbers, Mr G Bruoe, who gainod some notoriety in connection with certain actions of the Prohibition party in Ohristohurch, gave an address on the much talked of question.

A man of muoh misfortune was recently found in a Paris night refnge. His story is lather out of theoommon tup, and is authentic Some ytars since he inherited £1000, moat of whioh he bastsned to spend on a fascinating woman, whom he married, and set up in business on the Avenue de l'Opera. After a fen months of marriage the woman ran away with an admirer, who took her to St Petersburg, and left hsr thsro. She next fell in with a Hussion officor, whom she acoompanied to the Caucasus, where he married her, not knowing that she already had a husband. In time she grew weary of this new yoke, and hearing that her first husband had also married again, she came to Paris to blackmail him, He was tried for bigamy, condemned to tbreo years' imprisonment, and on leaving gaol sought employment from a banker. The latter asked for securities, aad tho applicant for a situation gave him all his money— £2oo. A few days afterwards the banker deoamped from Paris, and tho twice-married man was thrown on ths streets a pauper. In these sad oiroumstances he made his way to a night refuge, where he remained for a while, and has now gone to eoe some friend) in the provinces who may enible him to make ft fresh start in lite.