UNHAPPY FRANCE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9644, 17 January 1899, Page 2

UNHAPPY FRANCE.

If the Court of Cassation doolares giCaptain Dreyfus innocent of the crime for which he has been suffering for several years, as our cables indicate it will, then something approaching a olimax will have been reached in France. For some months past the Republio has been on the brink of an outbreak— a conflict between the General Staff and the Civil Law— and M. Dupuy, the Premier, to avert the danger has been making concession after concession to the Army, the officers of which appear to have so far had their own way in the deplorable Dreyfus incident. The Premier has refused to interfere even with the date of the trial, leaving it to tbe Court of Cassation— the highest Court of Appeal in France— to deoide. In speaking of the critical situation to a correspondent of the Figaro, M. Dupuy said—" We have been living for 28 years upon a pious misunderstanding, and it is surpising it can have lasted so long. Wo have placed Bide by side an army and a democrasy. Now it is ony too true that these two institutions have as their foundation contradictory principles, If you weaken the army you jmpeyil natjonal independence ; if you maintain its traditions and rights, civil aoojejiy takes fright cm behajf of liberty. It is the torment of the present generation to be thus pulled hither and thitliQP between these two opposite ideals. We are attached to liberty, but we are bound to maintain the security of the fatherland ; it is the most sacred of duties." From the above it may be Burmised that M. Dapuy was then fearful of the consequences, and now Jihat the President of the Court of Cassation, who is evidently an Anti-Dreyfusito, has withdrawn and is endeavouring to prevent the Court £oming to a deoision, feeling will be stronger than ever and the position even mote critical. If Dreyfus is found innocent and released, a number qf the leading array officials should be punished for the wart they hayo taken in this the crime of the century. JJuder these circumstances the rupture between the General Staff #na the Cjvil Law would be greater than ever, and further developments wjlj be awaited with grave anxiety, i

Messrs Williams and Harper will soil at their mart to-morrow morning, at G. 30 o'clock, SO bundles of fish. In reply to a correspondent we may state , that Burgess, Levi, and Kelly were hanged in 1866 for the Mangatapu murders. A concert is. to be held in theFordell Presbyterian church on Thursday next at 7.30 p.m. Instrumental music wiil be rendered by the Boss family. Mr Rod 1 well requests that all accounts against the Wanganui Bowling Club in connection with the recent tournament be forwarded to him at once. The new M&rtini-Enfield rifles will be issued to the Wanganui Rifles at parade this evening. The rifles are smaller than the Martini-Henris, and cordite is used in place of powder. Ono of the applicants for an old age pension at Invercargill was a native of the United States and had been 43 years in the colony, but as he was not naturalised his claim was not allowed. The Patea Jfress thinks that Mr R. A. Adams, of Patea, is entitled to some consideration should it be thought advisable to ohango the Government candidate in the coming election. Lieutenant Wise, of the Napier Rifles, wns arrested at Christchuroh, on Saturday, on a charge of embezzling the funds of the company, of which he was the treasurer. Enormous numbers of small birds' eggs are being brought into South Malvern (Canterbury) for purchase by the Road Board. Over 13,000 were paid for one day last week. A couple of youths who arrived at Nelson recently from London were arrested on a oharge of drunkenness. On being searched at the police cells one of them possessed the respeotable sum of £158. A patient recently discharged from the Hospital desires to express through the medium of our columns his gratitude to the staff for tbe attention and kindness bestowed on him while an inmate of the institution. It is stated that the late Major Kemp's daughter Wikitoria, in whom her father's recently-determined interest in the Horowhenua Blook vests, will, after the payment of all liens and mortgages, come into something like £20,000. The Americans are availing themselves of the Canadian penny postage scheme by sending letters in bulk to Canada for posting to Britain and the colonies. By this means a saving of three-fifths of the present cost of postage of letters from America is effected. George Smith, eight and a half years of age, son of a miner, was drowned in a dam at Saddle Hill (Dunedin) while bathing. The boy got out of Mb depth. His brother, 12 years of age, recovered the body after being nearly drowned, but life was extinct. Three offendors for drunkenness were brought before Mr O. C. Kettle, S.M., this morning and convicted. Two of them— first offenders— wore or Jored . to coran up for sentence when called upon, and the other, the notorious McCann, was sentenced to 14 days' hard labour. Amongst other visitors to town and who are staying at Chavannes, aro Sir John Hall, and his son, Mr John Duthie, M.H.R., the Hon John Bryce, Mr Spedding (Nelson), Mr Haselden (Hnnterville), Sir Walter Buller, Mr and Mrs Batkin (Wellington). A number of the above left this morning for a trip up river, foratonr through the Hot Lakes district. A correspondent writeß : — " Is a parent who is maintained by a son compelled by law to livo with him, or can Bho live in any other place and still seek maintenance and what amount? We should say that a parent should live with her son unless good cause was Bhown for not so doing. The other questions could be settled by a magistrate. 1 ' The following members of theAramoho Kifle Club have been seleotod to represent the club in the match to take place next Thursday and Saturday against the Wanganui Rifles : Messrs Jas. Purnell, W. H. Churton, T. D. Cummins, G, Ross, J. Graham, W. H. G. Foster, A. Laird, J. Laird, A. W. MoKenzie, T. Mahoney, E. Moult, J. H. Jensen, Allan Cameron, R. Darling, J. Stuart and J. Bates. To-morrow (Wednesday) at 2.30 o'clook Mr J. H. Keesing will sell at his mart a very valuable freohold .town property. The section is situated at the corner of Wicksteed and Campbell Places and is most admirably suited for a warehouse or boarding houee. A very small portion of the buildings is now bringing' in a rental of 15s per week, whilo the remainder is occupied by the owner as the family residence. Being so centrally situated this property must increase in value, and is therefore a most eligible investment. Wo understand that the portion of the main road in the vioinity of Karioi, for which the Wanganui County Council is responsible, is in a most disgraceful state. We have seen a note written by Mr McCanley, of Crowtber and McCauloy, the coach proprietors who have the mail contract between Pipiciki and Waioru, complaining most bitterly of the inattention of the County Council, not only that the rood is not attended to, but that no replies can be got to correspondence on the subjeot of this road. Surely there is a sorew loose somewhere ? Last Friday whilst two Maoris were riding from Mangamahn to the Parapara, a somewhat peculiar accident happened. Ono of the natives, Johnny Moutoa, had strapped to the pommel of the saddle IGlbs of blasting powder. This, whether by friction or the sparks from his pipe exploded, killing the horse and also the horse alongside, ridden by Solomon. Johnny Moutoa was very much burnt about the hands, chest and. face, and ho had to be carried nine miles to his pah, while Solomon was considerably bruised. Moral ; Po not oarry explosives in front of you on horseback. The wonder is, says our informant (Mr Gaugor) that both Maoris wpre not killed as well as their horsgs. Bishop Julius, of Christchurch, in a recent lecture on the Magi, or wise men of the East, spoke highly of the ancient astrologers. The Magi, he said, "were astrologers, -followers of that old philosophy.which has been revived in this contury, and, for aught he knew, in Christchuich, connecting the movements of the heavenly bodies with human life." The ancient astrologers " had attained a marvellous accuracy of observation, and_, considering their instruments, were quite as capable observers as this century could produce.' Referring to the above, the N.Z. Times says apparently the Bishop had not a word to say against the base counterfeits of to-day, and, oonoludes thus:— When a bishop" can speak in these unqualified terms of the professors of an utterly discredited scienoe, is it to he wondered at that policomen, servant girls, and illiterate people generally are deceived by designing quacks ?