OUR WELLINGTON LETTER.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 12, 22 March 1911, Page 4

OUR WELLINGTON LETTER.

WELLINGTON, March 18. The Coronation Exodus. FOR die last few weeks every steam* er leaving here for Sydney has been “packed to the doors,” so to speak, and the direct liners for London have had all their first and second saloon accommodation engaged for weeks beforehand. The reason is the unusual exodus’ by New Zealanders Londonwards, attracted in chief part by the prospect of seeing the coronation. Whether they will all get good places for the big ceremony and the procession is, of course, extremely doubtful. There will, perhaps, be a couple of thousand New Zealanders in London at the coronation time, and they will all exjreet the High Commissioner to interest himself on their behalf. Amongst the prominent Wellington!a ns who have left for London are Mrs. Sedclon and most of her family. Young Captain Dick Seddon leaves to-morrow for England to undergo a course of military training, and he will fall in with the New Zealand Coronation Contingent of soldiers when it assembles in London. Chief Judge Jackson Palmer, of the Native Land Court, goes to London also; ho has not been in very good health lately, and has been granted six months leave of absence. Many prominent South Islanders have passed though here on their way to the Old Land. Amongst them is Mr. G. H. Whit com be. of Christchurch. managing director of the publishing and bookselling firm of Whitcombe and Tombs; he intends seeing the coronation and remaining in England for two years or so, developing the business of his firm. Mr. Whitcombe, who has done a great deal in the way of publishing Irooks on New Zealand subjects by New Zealand authors takes with him the MSS. of eeveral new books, which he intends publishing in London.

The Territorial Defence Scheme. The military training camp at Tauherenikau. near Featherston, is over, after a strenuous two months. Those officers and non-coms who have successfully emerged from the ordeal are now posted to their various districts; the list published in the dailies this week occupied nearly a column. Their first duties will be to compile the rolls of all young men liable to serve in the Territorial forces in their district. Then they will be required to keep up the specified establishment of corps in their areas by railing upon the youths from time to time to report themselves as to their training. One result will be that the existing volunteer corps will be confined chiefly to those under twenty-one years of age; the idea is to form the older men into a reserve force. All these things take time, and the work of registration In the various areas will probably occupy most of the winter. The Defence Department expects to be able to hold the first general training camp up on the Waimarino plains early next summer. Amongst the New Zealand soldiers who Lav* received important appointments in the reorganised defence forces is Captain J. T. Bosworth, of Auckland, who is to be Assistant-adjutant and Assistant Quarter master-general in the Wellington district. This appointment is very generally approved of here by officers who know Captain Bosworth. He has been a hard-working volunteer officer for many a year in the “A” Battery of Field Artillery in Auckland, and he saw service in two of New Zealand’s Contingents in the Boer War. His service in the Telegraph Department in Auckland will assist him when he takes up bis new administrative duties in Wellington. Kipling in one of his soldier-songs savs that *‘tl»e backbone of the army is the non-com ini-sioned man.** The truth of this was pretty conclusively proved in nt least one respect at the Tauherenikau Camp. As a sort of “breaking up ceremony” the officers and non-com*, held a sports gymkhana on the camp ground. In the preM-nce of Major-General Godley. Nearly all the sports competitions wore carried <»fT by the sergeant majors of the forces. The most exciting event was the tug <»f war Ix-twern officers and stafT—erg« ants-ma jnr. which wa«» won by the noncoms. Their superior weight was irreaintible* •beef*’ told every time. The

oflieers are mostly on the slim side in build; they wanted a real weighty anchor man, as for instance, Colonel Collins of the Treasury, whose stalwart, fair, round figure graces most military gatherings seen this way. A Suggested Maori Troupe for London. I hear that on good authority that a cablegram was received by the Government this week from the High Commissioner in London, asking whether 'the New Zealand authorities could arrange to dispatch a troupe of fifty Maoris, including four wood-carvers, to London to take part in Kiralfy’s big Empire Festival, or whatever it 'is called at Coronation time. The company, the message added, would have to leave New Zealand in three weeks time. The news has no't been given to the daily newspapers alt the time of writing; why. it is hard to say, for the Government are seldom reticent about a message of thait kind. But no doutt the native authorities are holding back until they have thought the matter out hard.

In all probability the fifty Maoris are intended to supplement Maggie Papakura’s very tame troupe of Rotorua natives, who have lately toured Australia, and who'are now on their way to England, financed by a syndicate of New Zealanders and Australians. However, it is not likely that the Government will take any such step as is suggested.. In the first place, no team of Maoris worth sending away eould be got together in three weeks. Three months would be little enough for the purpose. Meetings of the principal tribes would have to be called, and the best qualified men and women selected. But the principle of the thing is altogether wrong. The Maoris have been exploited in the past for show purposes by private individuals and syndicates. The result of this is to make outsiders look upon them as interesting curiosities, nicely tamed for stage purposes. The Maori is worthy of better things: and he would be more usefullv and profitably employed in farming his lands than in dancing muehbowdlerised hakas and singing pidginMaori songs to tire tune of the “Little Brown Jug” or “Daisy Bell,” for the amusement of Cockney crowds.

A Scientist in the Cannibal Islands. Dr. Albert Lewis, American ethnologist, who has been on a specimen-collecting tour through the wild islands of the Western Pacific, for the Field Museum in Chicago, is an interesting visitor in our midst just now. Dr. Lewis is a pleasantlooking young scientist, with little of the conventional professor about him, except his spectacles. His museum sent him out to New Guinea, New Britain, and the Solomon Islands to gather up weapons, implements, ornaments and other trifles, illustrative of the life and ways of the wooly-headed Papuans and “Man Soloman.” and he has succeeded in so far that he has got about four thousand specimens. Tn fact, he has got pretty well everything but a collection of dried human heads — “’eds are “off” in more senses than one sometimes in the nigger islands of the Western Pacific. Dr. Lewis didn’t lose his—which from the Soloman Islanders’ point of view is quite a pity, for a nice-looking scientists’ head, with its glasses, would look very fine adorning the bows of a war-canoe. "Man Soloman” has a very pretty taste in figureheads. Dr. Lewis tells me that he spent pretty well a year knocking about in German New Guinea, hunting up the fuzzy-headed Papuans in their villages and buying their clubs and bows and arrows and things. The German authorities at Herbertshole treated him well, and he saw some of the country in company witn th? Governor. New Gtt’nea is an immense country; the Dr. travelled Up one of its rivers for quite two hundred miles by steamer. Then he went across to the big island of New Britain, where the merry cannibal still boils or roasts his enemies according to taste, anil where the wild bushmen make occasional raids on the coastal tribes. Thence to the Soloman Islands, where he cruised along the coasts by motor-launches, which were usually in a state of breakdown. Tl* Solomons are safe enough oq the coast, for the most part, but a white man's head isn’t always secure on his shoulders inland, in spite of the "pax Britannica.” Now Dr. Lewu) has

had enough of the tropics and coral reefs and cockroach-infected tradingcraft for a bit, and is going to cool off down in the Otago Lakes country before crossing the Pacific again. During the Doctor’s stay in Wellington, Mr. A. Hamilton, of the Dominion Museum, has taken him under his wing, and has given him much fraternal assistance, such as a room in the Museum, in which to carry out his work. Snobbishness in Hymns—A Minister’s Protest. There is at least one minister of religion down this way who doesn’t make any secret of his aversion for some of the puerile compositions that find a place in church hymn-books. This gentleman is the Rev. A. Thomson, of the Petone Presbyterian Church. “There is a verse in one of our hymns that I never give out to be sung.” said he at a Harvest Thanksgiving service last Sunday. “There is a germ of truth in the words, but they are liable to be misinterpreted. The verse is: ‘The rich man in his castle, The poor man at his gate: God made them high and lowly, . And ordered their estate.’

“Now,” said Mr. Thomson, “I do not believe that poverty is ordered by God. It is rather the result of the faulty social conditions under which we live, and for which we live, and for which we ourselves are responsible. This verse seems to uphold the doctrine of Acceptance—a doctrine which I think is false and certainly not uplifting. This is why the verse is always omitted when we sing the hymn.” Mr Thomson’s sentiments will be echoed by a great many New Zealand churchgoers. Intelligent men and women must often feel something like disgust when they are called upon to sing some of the twaddle that the aid-fashioned hymnals hold.

Free Ba+hs for "Wharf Labourers, The Wellington Harbour Board is wellknown as the most enterprising body of its kind in New Zealand. It occasionally makes a blunder, as, for instance, that abortive dock scheme; but its general business methods are excellent, and its well-equipped wharves are justly the pride of the city. The Board’s latest idea is to provide free baths for its employees on the wharves. There are several hundred wharf labourers on the water front, and these men will doubtless greatly appreciate the innovation. The baths proposal was first made three years ago by Mr. R. Fletcher, the present chairman of the Board, and at last the idea has come to fruition. The baths now provided are on the first floor of one of the Board’s big goods stores and the water front, close to the Sailors’ Rest. There are eight enclosed shower-baths, and half-a-dozen wash-hand basins. Hot water, as well aS eold, is provided; all the wharf lumper will have to provide when he comes along after his day’s toil will be his own towel and soap. Dressing-lockers will be provided free later, says the Board chairman, should they be required.

A Proposed Maori Newspaper. I hear that a Maori newspaper, to be published fortnightly, will make its first appearance in Wellington shortly. It will be called, probably, “Te Waka Maori” (“The Maori Canoe”), or “Te Maori.” Mr. Charles R. Parata, native agent (a son of Mr. T. Parata, M.P. for the Southern Maori district), is the moving spirit in the scheme. The native people have long felt the want of a journal which should inform them of the news of the day in their own language, and which shall above all voice the national feeling, and advocate the political and social claims of tlie race and work for a reform in the land laws. There have been many Maori prints at various times, but none of them have ever exercised much influence. This new paper, however, holds promise of useful things.

(3) If it is not, what can we demand in substitution for it? (4) What are to be the rights of labour unions and federation within the law? “On the political side of our movement,” says Mr. McLaren, “we have to. face the glaring faet that in spite of the wide franchise, both local and general*, labour is a very minor quantity in the Parliament and Councils of our country. Parliament is full of representatives of the capitalist and landlord class. Local bodies are much the same in personnel, and meantime the workers are quarrelling amongst themselves about formulas* technical rules, abstraction, and questions of priority, whilst our country is going to the exploiters, and the fat men are becoming even more aggressive. We hard never demanded of the workers in the mass the recognition of the truth that they are the body of the nation, and brain as well, and their proper function: in a democratic country is to govern in polities, as they have to create in thq industries. Also, that their part of politics should be entered on as a real downright business, and not as the pastime of petty debate. It is because I believe strongly that labour is facing grave dangers in this country, and that it also ha<4 grand opportunities (if grasped), that I 1 appeal to you most earnestly to act boldly, in the present period, which is a critical one for Labour.”

Mr H. L. Horning, president of Auckland Trades and Labour Council, whent interviewed last week on the subject said that Mr McLaren was right in hie opinion that a crisis had been reached. The cost of living had gone up. and the workers had got tired of going to the Arbitration Court, which gave them nd satisfaction. The present arbitration law was right enough as far as it went 1 , provided it were properly and impartially administered, but some radical change ■from (present methods was becoming more and more urgent. A large number; of unions had cancelled their registration in disgust, and more contemplated doing so. Mr McLaren’s suggestion regarding a congress was a good one, and he was happy to say that it was already; on its way to fulfilment, in some measure at least. A conference of delegates from all Trades and Labour Councils and from outside unions would be held in Christchurch at Easter, when the very questions raised by Mr McLaren would be discussed. Their object was to fornil a federation which -would embrace workers of all classes in the Dominion. Thai only difficulty that presented itself was the existence of the New Zealand Federation of Labour, which consisted o€ the coal miners and a few others, bufi the differences of opinion between thisi organisation and the great body of workers were comparatively slight, and! he had little doubt that they would fall in with the scheme.

A Forest Levelled. Remarkable damage was done by stand in the vicinity of Bairnsdale (Victoria J on the night of March 9. The fury of thq wind, combined with the great weight of water from the clouds, caused the destruction of an immense area of timber, near Mount Taylor. A Melbourne report states: “A great gap, 10 miles by three! miles, has been made in the dense forest* practically every tree being brought to the ground. Fortunately, there were no homesteads in the midst of this gxeaf mass of fallen timber, and as far as can be learnt no loss of life has resulted. The few settlers who witnessed the wholesale, destruction of the forest were appalled by the awfulness of the scene. Mr. Tt Hanrahan, whose homestead is near Mount Taylor, stated to-day that the noise made by the wind howling through the forest, and the falling of trees, was terrifying. The scene presented to the gaze, where the giants of the forest hadl been levelled to the ground over an ares of 30 square miles, was astonishing. Trees, he stated, had been levelled ad though the whole of them had been grubbed. Miles of telegraph wire had) been buried beneath this timber. All thq outlying roads are more of less blocked with fallen timber, and Bulumwaal-road in particular is quite impassable, even fog horsemen. It is stated by Mr. Hanrahaif that his haystack, weighing four and aA half tons, was lifted bodily and carried « distance of two miles. The maize crops! in the Dindenow and Bairnsdale suffered severely. A great many of then* were laid completely down. These will be ruined. Fnlly 40 per cent of the pri* vate houses in the town and its enviroud suffered some damage either froo| Uta -wind or rain.

Imitating; the Fakeh*. A MAORI MAY HALLET. A sensation was created here yesterday Jfrhen a half-easte woman, who had posed #s the possessor of untold wealth, was Arrested after being identified as Martha STainiri, a habitual criminal., who was released in October last on license. The jvoman, who has very insinuating manners, had completely dazzled business men with stories of alleged wealth. She claimed to be a daughter of Colonel MacDonald, presumably meaning Colonel McDonnell. She was driven about by land tigent's, entertained by them and others, Bnd talked of giving large benefactions for public objects in the town. When she Mas searched the police found she possessed only one penny. Accused was (charged with false pretences this morning and remanded till to-morrow. The Defence Forces. The following is a list of the regiments forming the defence, force as newly organised, showing the territorial association of each. The list is arranged in Ibrder of seniority:— Mounted Rifles: Ist, Mounted Rifles ft Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry) ; 2nd, i(Wellington - West Coast), Mounted Rifles; 3rd (Auckland Mounted Rifles); Sth ( Waikato.) ; sth Mounted Rifles ( Otago Hussars) ; 6th (Manawatu), Mounted Rifles; 7th (Southland), Mounted Rifles; ■Bth (South Canterbury), Mounted Rifles; Sth (Wellington-East Coast), Mounted Rifles; 10th (Nelson), Mounted Rifles.; tlltlr (North Auckland), Mounted Rifles; |J.2th (Otago), Mounted Rifles. . Infantry: Ist (Canterbury), Regiment; 2nd (South Canterbury), Regiment; 3rd [(Auckland)Regiment (“Countess, of Ranfurly’3 Own”) ; 4th Regiment (Otago Rifles); sth Regiment (Wellington Rifles); 6th (Hauraki) Regiment; 7th Regiment (Wellington- West Coast Rifles)• Bth Regiment ('South Rifles); iSfth Regiment (Wellington-East Coast Rifles) ; 10th Regiment (North Otago Rifles; 11th Regiment (Taranaki Rifles) ; [l2th (Nelson) Regiment; 13th (North (Canterbury) Regiment; 14th Regiment [(South Otago Rifles) ; Isth (North Auckland) Regiment; 16th (Waikato) Regiment.

i New Parliament Buildings. ~ The council of the New Zealand Institute of Architects decided to send a Strong protest to the Government in regard to the conditions governing the proposed competition for the new Parliamentary lt is felt that the Conditions fall far short of what is required to ensure fair competition. The Church and Lahaar. A remit from the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand was submitted to the Auckland (Presbytery, which read as, follows:—“To appoint committees to learn the aim Of the Labour movement, to keep before all men the purpose of the Christian IChurch, and to foster fraternal relationship between the Church and Labour, and yxhort all ministers to study sympathetically the cause of Labour,, and to seek to assist lawful endeavours of the porkers.” (Rev. Simpson said this, was a most Important matter. It was requested

.hat they should keep up intelligent interest in these Labour movements. He considered a small committee should be set up to keep in touch with Labour movements. Mr. Millar considered, the idea an excellent one. The conference with Labour leaders in Wellington had been most successful. Mr. G. J. Garland moved that the matter be referred to the Committee of Religion and Morals. He said tjie committee should deal with social and moral questions. The multiplication of committees was not a good thing. Bev. Simpson said as the son of a working man his sympathies were with the Labour movement. In Auckland there was a decided infidel Socialist movement, and he thought it would be well for the churches to show plainly their sympathy with the main trend of industrial advance. He would sooner have a special committee set up to deal with such an important matter. There was great need for the church to get into touch with the working men. Finally the matter was referred to the Committee of Religion and Morals.

Ab Escort and a Gun. A man named J. Hanny was charged at the Magistrate’s Court, Napier with firing shots at three men last week, and was remanded. His statement is that men molested him when taking a girl home from a picture show, and afterwards waylaid him near his own residence. He then went into the house and got a shotgun, discharging both barrels with the object, he alleged, of frightening the men. He also states that only one man was struck by a pellet, and that the others were uninjured. The Mines Commission. The following resolution was unanimously passed at a conference of miners’ delegates from Denniston, Granity, Stockton, and Mokihinui, held in Westport: “That this conference enters its strong •protest against the appointment of Messrs. Betts and Fulton on Royal Commission set up by the Government to enquire into the ventilation and sanitation of coal and gold mines throughout the Dominion; further we consider that the Federation of Labour’s recommendation should have been given effect to, and, in event of the federation’s recommendation not being considered, the whole of the miners throughout the Dominion be asked not to give evidence or assist the commission in any way.” Mysterious Court Case.

A certain case which has been the subject of a good deal of talk in the town was again before the Chief Justice (Sir Robt. Stout) on Thursday, and again the proceedings were strictly private. The Registrar told the waiting pressmen that they would not be allowed to be present, and said the Court had made an order to that effect, and that the Chief Justice wished them to withdraw. Subsequently, replying through a subordinate officer of the Court to a question by the Press representatives, the Registrar said that publication of the name of the case was also forbidden. The report from Wellington that the reporters were excluded from some Court proceedings there has attracted a good

deal of attention in Christchurch, and several wild reports concerning the identity of the parties and the nature of the case have been circulated. The rumour that a Wellington public man not unconnected with polities is concerned in a financial difficulty has won its way to the front. “We are not going to speculate concerning the nature of the Wellington case,” says the “Star, “and of course anything in the shape of comment on the action would be improper, but we cannot let the policy pursued by the Court pass without a protest. We cannot conceive circumstances in which the exclusion of the Press from ordinary Court proceedings would be justified. We shall surely find that the exclusion of the reporters from the Supreme Court in Wellington will lead directly to the fullest dissemination of gossip concerning the case. The public will fill in for themselves the details that are not reported, and the grossest exaggeration will be the general rule. In a few days the names of the parties and the stories about the case will be known all over the Dominion. The curiosity of the public has been stimulated, and it will have to be satisfied. It would have been a thousand times better from every point of view if the reporters had been admitted, and a quiet word had been addressed to them from the bench as to the propriety of recording only the bare facts. Such a word would scarcely have been necessary, but it would have served the purpose that the Judge had in view.”

£lOOO Worth of Jewellery Stolen. A burglary perpetrated at the business premises of Adolph Kohn, watchmaker and jeweller, of Auckland, sometime between 9.30 o’clock on Sunday evening and the hour of opening the shop on Monday, resulting in a “ swag ” of jewellery of the estimated value of £lOOO being carried off, will stand on the record of crimes committed in Auckland as one of the most astonishing for colossal daring and cleverness of craftsmanship in conceiving and executing the details of the felonious enterprise. The particulars of the crime indicate that those responsible are experienced in the nefarious profession of gaining a livelihood by criminality anj capable of successfully piloting through a “ big job.” The business that has suffered on this occasion is being managed by Mr. F. L. Diddams, in the interests of the estate of the late Mr. Adolph Kohn, and is one of the leading shops of the kind in Auckland. The premises were closed in observance of the statutory half-holiday at 1 o’clock on Saturday afternoon, ana were visited by the manager, in pursuance of general custom to see that everything is safe, at 8 o’clock in the evening. The shop was also passed by him at 5 p.m. on Sunday, and by Mr. Chapman, an assistant, at 9.30 p.m., when nothing appeared to be amiss. It was upon going Ito business at 8 o’clock this morning that it was discovered by Mr. Diddams that the premises had been unlawfully

visited, and valuable stock removed. While a proportion of the very costly and rare jewellery and stones placed in the window for show purposes is transferred to a strong room every night, a certain quantity, for which room cannot be found, is left behind, and it was the latter goods that the burglars directed their attention upon, and the disappearance of which first attracted notice. Not only did the thieves lay hands upon the stock left iu the window, but they also practically cleaned out the show case •resting on the counter, and made a very judicious and careful selection of the jewellery, showing a distinct preference for articles of gold and those of s.mtller size that could be more easily tarried away without having to make up a bulky parcel, and touts be hampered in their movements.

Government Experimental Farm*. At the meeting of the executive of the Farmers’ Union on Thursday the following motion, moved by Major Lusk, was carried: “That the Auckland Farmers’ Union desire respectfully to assure the Government that the farmers of this provincial district are seriously hampered through the scarcity of skilled agricultural labour, and are most anxious to secure the help of the Government in subsidising the shipping companies to the extent of £7, as formerly granted, and urgently request the Government to reconsider their resolution not to assist by granting reduced fares.” The Government’s experimental farms came in for some adverse criticism, and the following motion was carried, “That the union forward to. the other provincial executives for their opinions, as to whether a commission of recognised practical farmers to inquire into the management and practical benefits derived from the Government experimental farms should not be set up. The motion will be sent to the various provincial executives-, and will come forward at the next annual conference of farmers’ unions as an Auckland remit.

A Big Work. The Hon. R. McKenzie, Minister for Public Works, on Wednesday turned the first soil in connection with the drainage of the Rangitaiki and Tarawera swamps, legislation dealing with which was put through last session. The whole work is estimated to cost £50,000. The estimated expenditure on the two subdivisions balances as nearly as possible, that for Tarawera being £23,100, and for Rangitaiki £20,900. The main work on the Tarawera River will cost £11,400, and the big outlet for the Rangitaiki River is estimated to cost £11,500. The work of cleaning out the old drains is now in progress, and machinery has been purchased for dredging the new cuts, and fill be erected almost immediately.

Cottage Hospitals, For some time past the Waitemata Chamber of Commerce has discussed the question of a hospital for the Waitemata district, and with a view to furthering the matter, a deputation recently waited on Dr. Valintine and urged upon him the necessity of securing a site in the district at an early date. At the meeting of the Chamber on Thursday evening, the deputation reported that Dr. Valintine would visit the district when he returns to Auckland, with a view to inspecting suitable sites.

Dr. W. G. Guinness (who represents the district on the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board), at the invitation of the Chamber, outlined Dr. Valintine’s hospital scheme. He stated that the scheme was a general one for the whole colony, and provided for cottage hospitals in the outer districts, with a resident nurse. In the event of an accident in the outlying districts, the patient would be taken to the cottage hospital, where he would receive first aid and be cared for until able to be moved to the main hospital. The cottage hospitals were primarily receiving bases. Dr. Guinness pointed out that the Board had about 100 acres in the Northeote district, but the deputation had stated that the position was unsuitable for a hospital. He strongly favoured Dr. Valintine’s policy, and felt the possibility of getting a main hospital for the Waitemata district very remote. When Dr. Valintine’s scheme was in operation lie felt sure the Waitemata district wonld receive its share of attention, and he expected the first cottage hospital to be erected in the Wade district. After general discussion the Chamber decided to call together a. deputation to wait Upon Dr. Valintine, when he again visits Auckland, for the purpose of requesting him to visit the district and inspect suitable sites for a hospital. Dr. Guinness was requested to arrange for the deputation.

Self Help. The General Labourers’ Union, numerically one of the largest unions of city workers, is to iiave submitted to it a scheme for the establishment of a benevolent fund (savs a telegram from Christchurch.) The scheme, which has been drawn up by the secretary (Mr A. Paterson), has been discussed by the executive, which has referred it to a general meeting of the menibers. It is proposed that on the date the fund is established 33 1-3 per cent

of the surplus funds of the union are to be transferred from the union fund 'to the beifevolent fund, and that at each subsequent half-yearly audit 50 per cent.' of the surplus fund on the half-year’s working shall be transferred. ' lii addition,' all fines inflicted on inembers are to be paid into the benevolent fund, which is to be further auguniented by voluntary subscriptions, profits from socials and entertainments, and by levies, the last mentioned not to exceed 1/ per member in any one quarter. The objects of the fund are to grant assistance to members in distressed circumstances, through sickness, accident, or unemployment, or to pay members’ contributions when unemployed. No benefit is to accrue to any member whose illness or accident arises from intoxication dr from the excessive use of alcoholic liquors. The funds are to be managed by a committee of five members, in addition to the president and secretary.

An M.P. Attacked. Some excitement was caused in Queenstreet last Wednesday, When an angry Maori wahine made a vigorous attack upon Mr. Henare Kaihau, M.P., outside the office Where Messrs. Kaihau and Mahuta have now established themselves as land agents. A crowd of at least a couple of hundred people gathered in a few minutes, and witnessed Mr. Kaihau’s chastisement. . The irate lady made a vigorous onslaught with her fists, and rained a shower of blows on the burly native member. These he stood unresistingly for a little while, and then Catching his assailant by the wrists held her in a grip from which she could not escape. Not to be daunted, the wahine threw herself on the ground, and began to use her feet, whereupon Mr. Kaihau’s modesty was doubtless overcome. At any rate, he released his hold, and beat a hasty retreat up the street. The wahine was quickly on his tracks, and pulled from her hat a formidablelooking hatpin. Shrilly denouncing the member for Western Maori, she set out in pursuit, followed by a big crowd. The opportune arrival of a policeman at this stage put a finish to the proceedings just as they appeared likely to develop into something exciting.

The Fine Arts. Tn opening the annual exhibition of the Canterbury Society of Arts on Thursday the president (Mr. William Reece) spoke on several points of interest. Tne pictures this year, he said, showed a marked average advance over previous years, and there were a great number of works of real merit and of a size which should make them much sought after, and in this connection it could scarcely be said, as of old, that it was better to buy a commercial reproduction than the work of the local artists. Whilst they recognised the improvement generally, he hoped to see ere long the leading artists develop greater ingenuity and more audacity in the conception and composition of their pictures. It might be claimed that they had not the same materials in the new world as in the old to inspire the painter’s art, but they had human nature, history, and marvellous landscape, and landscape appeared to be the expression of modern art. Here, surely-, might be found inexhaustible material and inspiration, but it had been said that to see the wonderful lights in “open air” painting, now so much in vogue, the artist must “look hard and paint what he sees, not see what he paints.” And there was no doubt, also, that in the moods of nature the painter must paint the emotional experiences of his own soul. He hoped that in time they would have other branches of fine art better represented at the exhibitions, such as sculpture, architecture, and art as applied to industries. With regard to the progress of the society, there was cause for satisfaction, but they had arrived at the stage w hen they should consider a forward policy in the way of creating greater public interest in the fine arts generally. They had a large number of members, but not large enough for a. city of the size of Christchurch ; they had a very creditable nucleus of a permanent gallery, which they must Strive to improve and induce the public to make greater use of.

Lienor in the Kainga. TauiiKUunni, or the white portion of it, which is now much tfie predominant segment of the circle, is ablaze with indignation and a general sense under the waistcoat that can only find expression in words unprintable and explosive. Ahd the word "Kainga” is the big contributor, for under tihe etatutes this growing King

Country township on the Marn Trunk line is a Maori village, despite the fact that at 'the present time its population of 1300 odd souls is mos tly European. And the statutes, although alterable by legislation,'may, while in force, be just as oppressive as were some of the laws of the Medes and Persians. Meanwhile, every townsman and visitor who walks about its streets with a flask of the “creathur” in his pocket is liable to be “run in” and inscribed on the roll of malefactors for all time. Some interesting faclts concerning the present position and attendant anomalies came out before the magistrate who presided at the hearing of the test case this week concerning the introduction of liquor into the kainga. It was urged that a place in which three-fourths or more of the population was European could no longer be classified as a Maori kainga, but the magistrate agreed with -the prosecution . that so long as the boundaries of the kainga had been duly defined by the Maori District Council, approved 'by the Governor, and gazetted, he was bound to accept that definition as accurately defining the limits of the kainga. The place had been gazetted a kainga before European settlement began there, and they must bi* deemed to have known the restrictions at the time they settled in the kainga. A petition has already been circulated and largely signed, requesting the Government either to abolish the kainga restrictions altogether in. Taumarnnui, or to limit them to the one end of the township which is principally occupied by the Maoris. The grievance of the white population of Taumarnnui is that they see no reason why they should be treated differently from Te Kuiti, which is alwo a borough, but which, though containing more Maori inhabitants than Taumarunui, has never been declared a kainga. The amomaly of the position is that in the northern and western half of the settlement of Taumarunui, namely, in Rongaroa, there are no restrictions about introducing liquor—the railway fence being the boundary, with the extraorilinary consequence that 'if a main is found drunk on the eastern side of the main road he is liable to a' fine of CIO or a month’s imprisonment, hut if he is on the western edge of the road

he can only be 'treated as an ordinary, first offender. : . In view- of the fact that the existence of the kainga is being upheld, at all events for the purposes of the Pena® Law concerning the introduction of liquor, there may presently arise several very interesting positions regarding the conflict of the powers given to the Borough Council under the Municipal Corporations Act and the powers vested in the Maori Council under the various Maori Councils Acts, particularly regarding sanitation. One ' somewhat curious ' position, and not without its humorous side, is that the borough collects the dog tax from Europeans and 1 the Alaori District Council collects it from Maoris. As the European dog is taxed at 10/ per head and the Maori kuri at half-a-crown, it is not difficult to understand that most of the dogs are registered as having Maori owners. Again, whereas the European local fathers have no judicial functions whatever, the Maori patriarchs can inflict fiiies for all manner of offences, including breaches of the anti-smoking laws, billiard-room laws, liquor introduction laws, and a number of other misdemeanours. It can be understood what a trial the climate of Taumarunui is to the European citizen, who perforce must stand in strictest sobriety on the main road and see his fellow-townsman enjoy himself without restraint but a few yards distant. Moreover, trie citizens of the borough! of Taumarunui, who reside in the Ronr garoa portion of the town, and are entitled to introduce liquor into their, houses, must, in order to transfer the liquor to their houses, take it some distance along the main road Irefora crossing the railway line at the proper, public crossing. And whilst the liquor is between the station ami public crossing it is within the kainga, and the owner, must thus inevitably break the kainga law. . This phase of the matter.has not yet been decided in the Police Court, but a test case must' come. ■