Current Topics.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 43, 14 February 1890, Page 1

Current Topics.

AT HOME AND ABROAD.

THE FEDERAL CONFERENCE

of the speech made on tbe occasion by Sir Henry Parkes, who is a warm advocate of the proposed union. He sees nothing in it but what is perfect, and if he does not exactly declare that now or never is the moment for its inception, he at least gives it as his opinion that there is no time like the present. Sir Henry moreover, is displeased at the lightness of the regard paid by the great body of colonists to the question. He compares their going on with birtering and merry-making in neglect of it to the feasting and dancing of the doomed courtiers of Versailles on the eve of the Revolution Equally serious, he gives us to understand, is the neglect now shown to the opportunity that offers. But if, as Sir Henry also tells us, only the " far-seeing students and philosophers of history," —quorum magna part sum— an see the magnitude of the opportunity, surely there is an excuse for the common run of colonists, not having the wild presumption to identify themselves with such, exalted minds. " There cannot be two birth-days of national history iv this country," he tells us again, And have we not long known that the privilege of having two birth-days is reserved for twins alone? A postponement of the beginning of national existence is nevertheless, possible, and this seems to be all that is in question. Concerning ultimate federation no one appears to doubt. But Sir Henry Parkes rationally appeal* to history as showing tbe desirableness of the proposed union. This is proved, indeed, not only by the successes, but also by the failures of the past— and, perhaps, more by its failures than by its successes— examples of parallel relations to those which exist between the colonies being rare, if any such are to be found. History fully warns us as to tbe evils of dis-union between the neighbouring states of kindred races. What, for instance, might not Greece |have done had there been a lasting union among its republics ? The Italian republics, again, of the middle ages owed decline and fall to tbeir disunion and jealousy. Venice envied Genoa, and Genoa was jealous of Pisa. Each attempted especially to injure or destroy the commerce of the other— in one case or other succeeding in the attempt — but to its own injury as well. Venice particularly, the greatest commercial state of all, owed its decline in part to its jealousy of other Italian states noted for their commerce. And if we come to our own times have we not a warning in the recent struggle between Chili and Peru as to what may possibly arise between neighbouring States, peopled by the same race ? Tbe danger of disunion, therefore, which history fully proves, might of itself alone ba sufficient to recommend federation to us. It must again, be admitted that the keeping asunder of the colonies owing to fiscal difficulties would seem a very petty thing. Nay, it would be a very petty thing, and one suggestive of much evil. Must each colony, forsooth, look upoa its neighbour as a designing community, anxious only to take an unfair advantage, and make a dishonest profit of it? It certainly would be much more to the credit of human nature, and much more especially to the honour of that British human nature, upon which Sir Henry Parkes reckons in particular to make the proposed federation a glory of the world, could we accept it as certain that the federal Parliament, as Sir Henry says, might be trusted to do without fear or favour, all that was for the common benefit. Does the old spirit still exist ? are things at bottom indeed as they were of old— when, for example, the people of Genoa in their hour of triumph shoaled up the harbour of Pisa, and put an end for ever to the trade of their commercial rival 1 If we are not in disposition far removed from tho B e evil days, thea neither are we wholly removed from the possibilities, in some extreme case, of which we have spoken as lately exemplified in the case of Chili and Peru. As we all know, if there is auy knowledge which, more than another, it is desirable that a man should possess, that knowledge is the knowledge of himßelf. It would, therefore, prove useful to colonists generally to realise all that is implied in their keeping apart through be fear of fiscal difficulties. We do not, for our own part, pretend

The Federal Conference of the Australian Colonie has been inaugurated at Melbourne by a banquet. The report has brought us principally a summary

to solve the question. Colonial federation weirecognise as desirable Indeed, we recognise it as ultimately a necessity. The doubt, however, seems to be exactly respecting the point as to which Sir Henry Parkes declares himself so confident. Has the right time for forming the federation arrived ? Let us hope that the debate to take place in the Conference to which we allude may result in ma' ng the matter clear. "*

DIGNITY NOT VEXATION.

that, so hurt bad its citizens been by tbe protracted absence of the Governor from their neighbourhood, they marked tbe sense of their displeasure by refusing to cheer his Excellency on his return there for the celebration of the jubilee. Tne indifference, in fact, of a populace whose city is a seat of high life and a centre of fashion was spoken of as if they had been the vulgar roaring crowd of a mere provincial town, ready to shout themselves hoarse with delight at the unwonted appearance among them of anything above the common. A Governor in Wellington is only a Governor, and nothing more, and the citizen must indeed think little of himself who would turn round to take a second look at him. If Wellington, then, receives her Governor coolly on his returning to her, it is only because' she regards his coming or going as an everyday event. We will not be rude or rustic enough to quote the old proverb " Familiarity breeds contempt." We do not, indeed, suppose that Wellington despises hep Governor, bat neither does she look upon him as a curiosity such as> for example, we of the remoter districts— not to say of the outer barbarians—in Dunedin may consider him. We can, therefore, understand how ridiculous it was to represent the indifferent reception given in Wellington to Lord Onßlow the other day on bis return there as caused by jealousy or annoyance. Is it not a certain repose of manners that " marks the caste of Vere de Vere "7 Wellington, wa are even told, is quite willing regularly to/lend her Governor for visits and toura in other parts of the Colony. And this is consistent with the ways of an Imperial city. London, for instance, lends Her Moat Gracious Majesty the Queen for months together to the Highlands of Scotland— and if Her Majesty prefers Balmoral to the centre of civilisation, why should not a Colonial Governor prefer even a recess of Stewart's Island to Wellington ? As matters are, however, it is perhaps not very important that the Governor of the Colony should absent himself much from the seat of Government. Beyond exceptional occasions, such as that, for instance, of the Exhibition at Dunedin, or those relating to his own relaxation or convenience, there can be no particular reason for such absence. All the information necessary to the fulfilment of the Governor's office may be obtained from hisExcellency'slresposible advisers. Personal experience, indeed, might possibly in his case be attended with a certain degree of danger. The late Sir Anthony Musgrave, for example, maintained for a time' independent views in Queensland, but not with happy results for himself — as previously Sir Arthur Gordon had not found fixed opinions conducive to his comfort in New Zealand. An intelligent man will desire to see and judga for himself, but the chief use he can hope to make of his convictions must be reserved for another sphere, for that privileged House, possibly, where Lord Onslow congratulates himself on possessing a seat without the necessity of wooing a fickle constituency— and there only co far as Imperial legislation can affect the colonies. None of us can believe that, even supposing a Governor to have formed eminently just views, based on his own experience, but differing from those of the party in otßce, he would be able to bring about their adoption. A credulity capable of receiving this is certainly not to be derived from watching colonial politics. It would appear, then, that no very great importance is to be attributed to the moving here and there in the colony of tbe Governor. Personal experience may, indeed, conduce to his own satisfaction and enable him to understand more clearly the various situations, but other results must be comparatively trifling. There is no especial reason, therefore, for us to dispute with Wellington the privileges that confer on her populace so becoming a nonchalance— and, where the viceregal presence is concerned, we of the provincial towns may be content to monopolise the vulgar shout of welcome

Wellington has been offended by a ramour which seemed in some degree to compromise its dignity as a metropolis and seat of Empire. It wis reported

PHENOMENAL FENIANfI.

phenomenon that it was anywhere eke ? We should haye thought the contrary would be the case. Surely contact with an enlightened, a pious, and a humane Scotch population, such as, in the days of the Fenians, that of Otago chiefly was, ought to have produced a different effect. Evil communications, as we are authoritatively told, corrupt good manners. And we should naturally expect tbat,jon the other band, good communications would mend evil manners, Such expectations, it seems, would have been disappointed so far as the Otago gold-fields were concerned. Sir George Bowen, in short, in a book recently published by him, narrates how a grisly and marrow-freezing plot was formed by the Fenians of the Southern gold-fields, that is of course the gold-fields of Otago, to assassinate him when he was Governor of New Zealand. Sir George adds, in vindication perhaps of his own harmlessnesa rather than by way of excuse for the Fenians, that it was the Governor they would have murdered and not Sir George Bowen. The distinction however, is one that might have snited the famous Monsieur de la Palisse. The likeness, indeed, between Sir George and the famous Monsieur de la Paliase is marked, especially with regard to this assassination. " II fut, par un triste Eort, Bleßce dune main cruelle ; On croi*, puisqu' il en est mort, Que laplaie etait mortelle."

Had Sir George BoweD, as Governor of New Zealand, been wounded by the Fenians of the Otago gold-fields, and had he died of the wound we should certainly believe that the wound was mortal. We ahould, pei baps, have had even logic enough to conclude that Sir George Bowen bad with the Governor experienced its mortality. Neither as Governor, however, nor a 9 plain Sir George Bowen, waß Sir George Bowen assassinated by the Fenians, and, therefore, again like Monsieur de la Palisse, he did not die of the assassination. History, or at least autobiography does not record what it was that checked the ferocity of the Fenians. Was it, for example, the cool valour of their intended victim? Whether as Governor or individual — " cove" Bob the Grinder would say— Sir George Bowen tells us he did not alter his ways. He went about as usual, but with a new and more heroic meaning attached to his shirt-front — on which was now written, for those who had eyes to see, the valiant words, " Strike here." But what became of those fe'eniana of the Southern gold-fields who had conceived so ferocious an idea ? Did their idea, for example, act upon them like spontaneous combustion and consume them utterly 1 By a fate more complete than even that of the Kilkenny cats have they perished utterly, even to the uttermost morsel, leaving no fragments behind ? Why, their skulls would have been worth something to show in one of our local museums. Maori heads are still preserved among us because of their curious marks on the outside, Why should not heads curiously marked on the inside ba similarly honoured ? Ouriou3, indeed, must have been the traces left in the brain by that idea of assassinating Sir George Bowen in spite of his being Sir. George Bowen, and merely because he was Governor of New Zealand. But certainly, had Sir George Bowen deserved assassination or anything elae remarkable, it must have been in some other character than that proper to him as an individual. What became of those Fenians of the Otago gold-fields we ask again. Sir George Bowen who alone was acquainted with their existence, and that only by rumour it appears, perhaps can tall. Did they die of the spontaneous combustion of their ferocious idea, leaving not so much as a brass button of their nethermost garment unconsumod, to testify to their existence 1 Or did they die of the stupidity of which such an idea must necessarily have been begotten, and which would have been enough of itself to bring about tbeir death ? Otago at any rate lies under suspicion as having harboured Fenians of a particularly ridiculous character, and capable of even making assassination itßelf absurd. Is this the way, indeeJ, in which Irish wit becomes misdirected by Scotch associations? But; as to Sir George Bowen whether as Governor or individual, we fancy that neither Fenianism nor anything else of any consequence had much to fear from him. We may apply to him again words descriptive of Monsieur de la Palisse.

" 11 ne renversa que ceux Qu'il cut l'addresse d' abattre."

What is the reason that Fenianism in the goldfields of Otago was a mcch more wanton, a much more aggressive, and a much more blood-thirsty

Farming life in t he United States, it would appear, is the most charming of al' methods of existenceAt least such is the conclusion to be derived from

ABCADIA OUTDONH.

a lecture given the other day ia Wellington by a gentleman named Spawn, who haa visited New Zealand for the purpose of inaugurating among us a branch of a fruit-drying industry in which he is interested. Farmers in the United States, it appears, farm comparatively small quantities of land. They are never without a crop of some sort or other to take to market, and they are helped, in all their operations by their neighbours. Miss WethtraH's famous description in the " Wide Wide World " of a " bee," it seems*

is after all no fable,— though, let us hope, the Miss Fortunes of the situation are few and far between, and perhaps, also, if the business of the hour was a little less tempered by aggressive Methodism an improvement might be marked. But for prosperity, neighbour linosß, sociability and all that makes life pleasant, tbe career of the farmer in the United States is of more than Arcadian happiness— that is, on Mr. Spawn's showing. No wonder that the " tramp "is looked upon as such a despicable character. What privilege could be more valuable than the privilege he rejects— that of becoming a steady farm labourer— if so obliging and neighbourly a people need any hired labour 1 What wonder that Mr. Henry George must come abroad in search of an audience more favourable to bis panacea of landnationalisation. We can easily fancy the hearing he must get among such a population as that Mr. Spawn speaks of. Nor is it difficult to fancy what the reception of the collector of land-tax or Government rents would be were he to appear on the scene. Decidedly Mr. George has a better chance of being heard in quarters where a monopoly of unlimited areas is the rule ; where neighbourlinesß ia unknown ; the " bee "" — out of a book — has never been heard of, and the equatter, the sheep, and the bullock maintain their solitary reign* — Not, however, that the monopolist abroad will prove better disposed to hear Mr. George than is the farmer at home. Perhaps, indeed, he will be worse disposed to hear him since his chances of success — though not very great anywhere— are greater. Mr. Spawn's especial object, meantime, is, as we have said, the inauguration among as of a fruit-drying industry, for which he owds a patent, and of which he speaks in terms that can hardly be exceeded. Mr. Spawn's process, it appears, merely takes the water out of the fruit. It doeß not, for example, reduce it to a condition of nastiness, floating it, sodden and soft, in a kind of doubtful broth ; or making it into an indescribable mash, out of which, by the aid of sugar, it may be developed into something that, amongst the credulous and eaßily-pleased, takes the name of jam. It leaves the fruit intact and entire, making it merely dryi light, and portable, and so well preserved that at any interval of time' by adding the water that haa been taken away, you can make it once more plump, fresb, and palatable. Mr. Spawn gives estimates of tbe value of an acre of fruit capable of being so treated, and the figures are encouraging indeed. If there be any fault to be found with them it ia, perhaps, that they seem almost Utopian. We do not, meantime; undertake to answer for the exactness of the statements to which we allude. We have not had an opportunity of making personal examination into the matter.and without doing so we should not be justified in speaking decisively. There is no particular reason, however, to doubt the statements that are made on the subject. Successful fruitgrowing .is certainly a very profitable occupation, and one of the chief elements of success is a ready market. But this fruit preserved, as Mr. Spawn descri bea it, can always command. Every industry, moreover, that promises to promote the great work of settlement in the colony is most deserving of attention, and that of which we speak seems well calculated for such an end.— And fortunate is the country whose agricultural population may be truly described as Mr. Spawn describes that of the United States. We could certainly desire no higher develoj >ment for the future of New Zealand than must be proved by a si] nilar condition of its country districts. It would be well if Bigns w ere discernible of a genuine intention on the part of the powers that be to work for such a desirable consummation.

A CANDID EXPRESSION.

dition of the workiug-clasaes. It will be particularly interesting to watch the methods adopted by him for the fulfilment of the promise jußt given by him to try and modify the evil effects of international competition. Does his Majesty, for example* intend to pose &s an apostle of increased protection 7 It is not, however, usual to hear a potentate allude, as does the Emperor of Qermany, to the possibilities in the possession of a neighbouring' power. His Maji tsty's openly expressed envy of the countless million^ owned by England, as the means of promoting colonisation, is certainly very re markable. The utterance, moreover, seems to imply a condemnation of England, who is not making us 3of her millions for any such pu rpose. England is leaving colonisation pretty much to its own resor ircee, and, what is worse, some of her colonies seem to be rather clo eely imitating tbe example given them by the mother country. The approval of colonisation, again, pronounced by tne Emperor of G< jrmany, seems something of a new departure, for it had been unde rstood hitherto that his Oovernment was inclined to discountenance i anything of the kind— at least, so far as existing emigration fie Ids were concerned. The country, besides, recently annexed by G> ;rmany is hardly fit for colonisation to any extent by Europeans. ..But an Emperor who, to all intents and purposes, a rebukes another power and openly envies the advantages of which it does not avail itself is a rare phenomenon. When, moreover, the Emperor in question is strongly suspected of a desire to turn the world upside down, so that he may himself obtain a victor's laurels* such a phenomenon possibly have its dangers.

The Emperor of Germany seems to be adding to his re] mtation for talkativeness by some rather free expressions of opinion as to ameliorating the con-

UNBLUSHING IMPUDENCE.

M paid to govern ; he must also revile their kith and km beyond sea. In his Edinburgh speech, besides assailing most unfairly the character of Father MoFadden, and eulogising his ftiend and protSge, ' Pether the Packer,' he launched out into a diatribe against the Irish in Great Britain, accusing them of being responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime. If Mr. Balfour meant to convey to his hearers that the Irish contribute an undue share of striouß crime, he was uttering a gross falsehood. Irish names are not conspicuous in connection with the great frauds, the murders, and other shocking crimes with which the police in Great Britain are called upon to deal. When under the influence of drink they are, no doubt, more mercurial than Englishmen, and more likely to enter into petty quarrels; bnt this Joes not justify Mr. Balfour in attributing to them criminal pre-eminence. In making the charge he has proved what he has often Bhown before, that in his public utterances he is utterly reckless of the trnth." Such recklessness, we may add, would be disgraceful at any time, but when it is shown •line very moment the speaker and his colleagues are warning •nd assisting to escape from justice a large body of atrocious criminals, all record of whose crime will thus be excluded from the statistics of the country, it becomes infinitely more so.

What was Mrs. Mackay before she was married ? Or what was she even afterwards, before he r

WHIT WAS SHE ?

husband turned ont a silver-king, and she became distinguished as a millionaire's wife. We know that Mrs. Mackay was not a washerwoman, because the Manchester Ghiardian, which had said that she was one, has apologised to avoid an action for libel, »nd has paid costs and given a sum in charity. Though as to the charitable disposition of the Manchester Guardian in making the donation, it may perhapb be somewhat doubtful. And, by the way, have not the washerwomen now grounds for a libsl action against Mrs. Mackay for casting a stigma on their calling, and more especially for having caused it to be published by implication that none of them could bacome a millionaire's wife without disgracing the position 1 Washerwomen, or at any rate, the better-looking ones among them, have a right to complain that their prospects have been •ndangered. And, as to Mackay himself, good man, did he never make a trial of the common emigrant's lot, and give a lather personally to his shirt or trousers ? But is it the blood of the Mackays or that of the Colonnas, among whom Mrs. Mackay'a daughter has married, that revolts at the notion of the washerwoman ? And surely it might be thought that the blood of the Colonnas would be able to " incarnadine " a whole ocean of soap-sude. It may be doubted as to whether, blood being taken into consideration at all, a brand-new Yankee damsel, who never saw a piece of soap in her life would be a fitter match for a prince of the house than one who had scrubbed through many a bar. But if money, and money alone, can ennoble at all, it can also place a coronet on the brow of a washerwoman. Even had Mrs. Mackay before her marriage been a washerwoman she would still be Mrs. Mackay. We know, however, that Mrs. Mackay was not a washerwoman before she was married. An action for libel, and the apology made by the Manchester Jixamwer, exclude any such suggestion. We also know on what uncommonly foolish grounds a lioel action may be brought against a newspaper, and how there are people actually foolish enough to avail themselves of the facilities thus placed within their reach. Perhapß in some equally foolieh way we mayiyet attain to the knowledge, not revealed by this libel action, of what Mrs. Mackay really was before she was married. The matter appears to be of some importance, although it seems hard to tell why it is so.

Wb take the following paragraph from the Liverpool Catholic Times:—" The Irish Chief Secretary is not content with slandering the people whom he

THE DOUBTFUL DOCTOR AGAIN.

even when the judgment of the couit is given against him. The trnth-loving and pious doctor, moreover, is not ashamed, when pushed, to give explanations which nobody can possibly believe, and whose impudence almost makes the very judges on the bench swear, so palpable and daring is it. Such was the case, for example, the other day, with regard to a boy named Gossage, respecting whom Dr. Barnardo's defence was that he did not know what had become of him. He had given the boy over, he said, to a person who was in search of a nice-looking boy, whose parents would not be likely to make enquiries about him, and of whom he, Dr. Bamardo, knew nothing more— an alleged proceeding at which Chief Justice Coleridge showed a good deal of amazement. " A man whom he did not know," said the Chief Justice, " brought him letters from a person he did not know to persons he did not know, and therefore, he handa over the child, who is last seen in a hansom cab with a gentleman who left no address. If this is a fair specimen of Dr. Barnardo's practice the sooner it is stopped the better." " Can any human bsing imagine

The famous Dr. Barnardo continues his kidnapping customs, and still not only detains Catholic children in his " birds' nests," but spirits them away in defiance of the law, and refuses to give them up

such conduct about one's own children ? " exclaimed Mr. Justice Bo wen. " Supposing your child had been dealt with in this way. It is so utterly— l never heard such a statement in my life."— We doubt, however, as to whether Dr. Barnardo really deserved, by the innocence of his behaviour, the declaration made also concerning the matter by the Chief Justice that the Doctor was too good to live. If there be method in madness, as they Bay there sometimes is, we fancy there may sometimes be method in simplicity a 8 well. In fact,we hold in our hands what we consider as proof that Dr. Barnardo knows very well what he is doing. The mail has brought us, as it continually does, a circular and a pamphlet from Dr. Barnardo, and in the circular we are requested to see the article in the pamphlet entitled " Roman Catholics and my Children " —but the article also betrays a fair share of the invention that discovered, for the amazement of Chief Justice Coleridge and the indignation of Mr. Justice Bowen, the unknown gentleman hailing from parts unknown, and proceeding in a hansom cab to parts equally mysterious. The article is made up expressly to suit a purpose. Dr. Barnardo, in short, understands his public. He knows the kind of sensation it is desirable to produce in order to make the pamphlets and circulars he issues with so much industry, and all his many appeals for pecuniary aid, profitable. He is as ready tojdefy the law as he is to concoct a story if he can make anything by it — and he knows that by representing himself as in conflict with the Catholic Church he can make a good deal. People who will not give for charity or for love of the poor will give for spite against against the Catholic Church. Like other adventurers, Dr. Barnardo also knows how to turn bigotry to a profitable account.— lndeed, we have an additional proof of this in our receipt of Dr. Barnardo's circular »nd pamphlet. They have evidently been sent to us to provoke our condemnation of them. But although we are awaie that by the notice we take of them we play into Dr. Barnardo's hand, it is still necessary for us to make the state of the case known to our readers, who might otherwise be deceived in the matter. Bat what are we to think of an apostle of bemvolence who is capable of such a course of proceedings, or what are we to think of an institution in support of which such tricks are played ? Dr. Barnardo gets credit for guilelessness, sincere piety, and good intentions even from some of those who condemn his particular methods. The manner, however, in which he puts his kidnapping practices to profitable use should of itself incline even those charitably disposed people to reconsider their judgment.