The Indian Salvationists.

Fair Play, Volume I, Issue 17, 24 February 1894, Page 4

The Indian Salvationists.

"Whatever fault may be found with the tenets and actions of the Salvation Army, two things must be admitted in their favour: they are conscientious and earnest, even to fanaticism, and they do a great deal of good amongst those classes that the average clergyman either cannot reach, or is too fastidious to approach. Their system is to place themselves on a direct equality with the subject of their attentions. There is none of the “ I am holier than thou” business ; on the contrary it is brother; come let us reason together.” "With the merits or demerits of their creed, we have nothing to do, nor is this sketch ntended to criticise their somewhat theatrical public display; we have only to deal with the result of their deeds, and its particular bearing on the population of India. In that country there are many missionaries expounding many creeds. As a rule they are well dressed, in receipt of fair salaries, and preach at intervals in indifferent Hindoostanee to such natives as may care to attend their services. The members of the Salvation Army follow a different line. They put themselves in direct touch with the people by adopting their customs, dress and manners. They live among them, and make a point of familiarising themselves with hie different languages and dialects of the country. • This, of course, has the natural effect that the people will listen respectfully to what they have to say, and the interest naturally aroused by their course of conduct results in the acquiring of many converts to their creed. "We publish above a group of native officers, now visiting New Zealand. The party is five in number, and has recently

finished a year’s tour in Australia, The members of the party arrived at the Bluff in December last, and have since held special meetings in the principal southern cities. Major Musa Bhai, the leader of the party, is a Cinghalese. "When some ten years ago he saw the English “Army” officers in India, dressed like natives, conforming to native customs and eating the same food he carefully and critically watched them, and frequented their houses to see if they lived consistently. He became convinced of their devotion and love to the natives by the self sacrificing fives they led, and joined their ranks, becoming an officer in the Salvation Army shortly and afterwards giving up a good situation in so doing. After he had been in the mission work for some time, he was appointed to tour round different countries advocating the cause of India, with the result that many of the European officers voluntered to go to India to the mission work. He is a man of considerable natural talent and speaks English fluently, besides some native languages. His addresses are very much appreciated by high and low. When in Melbourne, many of the M’s.L.C. attended his meetings. Captain Muthia is a Hindoo, from South India, and three years since he joined the army. He has suffered imprisonment for preaching in the open air. He speaks fluently in English and Tamil, his native language, and has been a very useful officer.

Captain Simasekera is a Cinghalese, from the ancient sacred city of Kandy, Ceylon. He is a very smart, intelligent youth, having had the privilege of an early college training. He reads and writes two languages perfectly, and plays several musical instru. ments. Lieutenant Siya has been a notorious rascal in his day and generation. He is a Ceylonie by birth, aged 45 or so. He was formerly a terrible drunkard, and the ringleader in all the village rows. He bears marks all over his body of wounds received whilst fighting. Three years since lie joined tine Army. He speaks Tamil, Cinghalese, Portuguese, and fairly good English. Ensign Sadanand is an Irishman, who had been some time in Army work in Great Britain. When he went to India he adopted the dress, and customs of the people, in order when engaged in Indian work to have more influence with the natives.

It is not often a decent looking country settler gets taken up for forgery or any other crime in New Zealand, yet this happened at Napier, when Alexander McCutcheon, a local farmer and milkman, pleaded guilty at the late Supreme Court sittings to several charges of forging bills of exchange, the names illegally made use of being those of his own brother and father-in-law. Curiously enough the forgeries were detected during the investigation of another crime for which he was arrested on an information laid by Dr. Moore. The latter, a few months ago, attended Mrs McCutcheon, and had occasion to place her under chloroform while performing a slight operationA few days afterwards the doctor received by post a letter from McCutcheon demanding <£2so, and threatening if he refused to ante up to expose him for some alleged improper conduct towards his wife while under chloroform. The doctor placed the matter in the hands of the police, and at the enquiry which followed one of the forged bills was produced to prove McCutcheon’s signature to the letter. The bill also bore what purported to be the signature of McCutcheon’s father-in-law, W'ho was present and who promptly repudiated the autograph. The discovery of other forgeries quickly followed. Sentenced to five years imprisonment.

A reform that is urgently needed in New Zealand is an amendment of the present system of voting at municipal elections. At present only the ratepayers have votes. At first sight this seems perfectly just on the old-established principle of representation for taxation but, when you come to analyso the position, it will be seen that a very grave injustice is done to thousands of householders, who are excluded from having a say in the election of then’ local representatives, simply because their landlords pay the rates, and add the amount on to the rent, reserving the voting right for themselves.

This, we hear, is specially the case in two towns, Napier and Masterton. In the first-named place a wretched, selfish little clique, locally known as the “ Corner Party,” simply boss the whole town as far as its Local Government is concerned. The members of the clique are largely interested in house property all over Napier, but they keep all the votes, adding, as we pointed out above, the amouut of rates on the rent. In Masterton the same thing occurs. The consequence is, in both these and in other towns, that a score or so owners of property simply do as they like, and the public interests suffer. We hope to see the Government deal drastically with the evil next session. “One householder one vote' 1 should be the rule at all municipal elections.

Post on Seddon: “ Mr. Seddon attempting to deal with figures presents almost as ungainly a figure as a hippopotamus gambolling on a mountain top.” Elegant, isn’t it ?

Now, for ‘ Fair Play’ on Post: “ Evening Post attempting to discredit Seddon presents a sight for men and gods. It resembles nothing so much as a toothless, broken-legged, mangy cur, trying to chaw up a full-grown, healthy African lion.

By the way, a certain paper keeps on libelling Seddon —are you listening Messieurs, the proprietors—on the subject of his Feilding reference to the late Premier. We should not be a bit 'surprised if, when the paper in question has gone far enough, Seddon will give it a big start. There are more improbable things than that the late Premier led Seddon to believe he, Dick, was the man, whilst saying much the same thing to Stout. If it can be proved that the late Premier ever led Seddon, or one of Seddon’s friends, to believe that he thought Richard of Kumaru should succeed him, then assuredly the present Premier has got a perfectly lovely cause for action against the paper we allude to. Bide-a-wee, we have a pretty good notion that someone will find himself in remarkably hot water before the affair is done with.

The Bulletin's financial column is very widely read in Australia, and is generally considered to be very shrewdly and accurately inspired. This being the case, we are sorry to find the following nasty jar against that very important institution, the Bank of New Zealand:—

“ Bank of New Zealand shares (£5 5s paid up) which dropped violently within the last few months, still keep down, and buyers last week were offering 67s 6d. There is no visible reason for this

woeful thud except that the profits last year were somo /4000 les than the year before. Also, so far asN.S.W. is concerned, t total deposits show a slight decrease as against those of is mont ago, which seems to suggest that the B.N.Z. did not gather up any large increase of business during the banking collapse as was generally supposed. Probably, however, the one serions misfortune of the Bank ofN.Z. lies in the fact that it has moved its headquarters to London, and become a foreign instead of an Australasian institution, and a representative cf the übiquitous British capitalist. Even its reserve-fund is now kept, not in Maortlan bonds, but in British consols at 2$ per cent., and it is bossed by a British directorate. Maoriland used to be intensely proud of its big bank, but now that it has become only an English bank doing business in Maoriland it has assumed an altogether new aspect.” We must differ very strongly with our contemporary, whoa it says “ the one serious misfortune of the Bank of N.Z. lios in the fact that it has moved its head-quarters to London.” It was, in our opinion, the actual salvation of the bank that the step was taken which the Bulletin deplores. Had the head-quarters remained at Auckland much longer, and the old local hanky-panky games gone on unchecked the probabilities wevo that there would have very soon been no Bank of Jtfow Zealand at all. Tho history of the Bank’s management by the Auckland ring was one of reckless speculation, shameless bolstering up of rotten enterprises and financial jobbery, and corruption worthy almost 0 tho Australian banking rings.

The removal of the head-quarters to London, the purification of the management which followed, undoubtedly saved tho bank from the ruin which was then dogging its steps. Tho ulletin says “ Maoriland used to be intensely proud of its big bank.” So it was, and it is proud of it now, but its pride is accompanied by a feeling of security which assuredly did not exist in the latter days of the local or colonial control. ‘ Fair Play ’ knows what it is talking about when it discusses Bank of New Zealand matters, and it can assure tho Hu lie tin that it was a glorious day for the Bank of New Zealand, and for the people of New Zealand when the bank was rescued from tho control of a greedy and reckless ring, and its affairs placed under sounder, wiser, and more honest control.

Davy Gain, poor dear innocent, challenged Seddon to go down and spout at the open air meetings held by Davy aim his fellow blathcrskiters at the Cuba-strcet corner. There’s nothing like a Prohibitionist for"cheek. A book canvasser or an insurance agent can’t hold a candle to him for brassy front and unmitigated impudence.

The Liberals in the House of Commons arc very wisely maintaining a firm attitude towards tho House of Lords. Tho Peers, as stupid as ever, are sounding their own political deathknell by emasculating the Liberal measures sent up by tho popular chamber, and if Gladstone lives to conduct the next election campaign, he will sweep the country —not on Home R u l e —i )U t on English social legislation, and England is going to be more Radical than ever—that’s, our opinion, and we’re willing to lay long odds that the constitution of tho House of Lords will be very materially amended before another five years have passed by. If the Peers kick too hard, the Upper Chamber may bo wiped out altogether. No great loss if it s.