Current Topics.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 47, 14 March 1890, Page 1

Current Topics

AT HOME AND ABROAD.

What is the use of misrepresentation like the

A STUPID PARAGRAPH.

fillowing? The special correspondent of the Manchester Courier writes, under date Wellington,

November 23, as follows, and his paragraph has been copied bj the Irish limes of January 9 :— " After considerable delay and alteration of dates, the Irish 'envoys,' Mr. Dillon, Mr. Deaay, and Sir T. Kemonde duly made their appearance in Wellington on the loth of November. They landed at Auckland some ten days before, and made their way down country for the most part overland, of course haranguing as they went. The devotees of their cause appeared in force, and made the most of the occasion, but the great majority of the people treated their visit with supreme indifference, and the general feeling was in condemnation of an effort to convert the colony into a battle-ground of English politics, It was this latter view that was maiDly adopted by the Press, though the Irish party has its organs, and does not keep them unemployed. I learnt, for instance, from one Wellington paper that the delegates were met at the station by a large and enthusiastic crowd which cheered them heartily ; bat, as an impartial witness of the scene, I can testify to the presence of some fifty or sixty people only, not all of the most desirable class, who certainly made as much noise as could be expected of them. It is a curious fact that the eternal gale 3at Wellington have a disastrous effect on the human voice, and that no such thing as a hearty cheer can be raised in the town In the evening; the ' envoys held their meeting, to which the prices of admission were so high as effectually to exclude all but the sympathetic, and the proceedings were, of course, most harmonious. So far as I can gather, the reception of Mr, Dillon and his colleagues in Wellington is typical of that which has greeted them in every town that they have visited in New Zealand so far, excepting that perhaps there has been in some cases more overt opposition to them than was displayed here." This "impartial witness" states that an Irish party, belonging to an undesirable class and with newspapers of its own, alone showed any iuterest in the mission of the delegates to this cobny. Bat is it not a patent fact only to be denied by unscrupulous people writing for readers at a distance that men of all class 33 and shade 3of opinion, embracing some of our most prominent citizens and statesmen, gave their strong support to the delegates ? Is it not also a patent fact, only to be contradicted by people who are completely careless as to their word, that the Press of the colony, by no means to be confounded with the organs of an Irish party, with hardly an exception, admitted at least that the delegates' mission was important, and deserving of fair and attentive consideration, while the large majority of the newspapers were the warm advocates of their object? As for the opposition given it was contemptible in Auckland and ridiculous in Wellington, and elsewhere it was not heard of, even by this correspondent himself apparently, who basso much of the remains of honesty about him as to throw doubt on his w own statement in this respect. Has this special correspondent at Wellington, of the Manchester Courier any particular reason for misleading the readers of his newspaoer.or is he foolish enough to believe that a danger is made less by being concealed f The only possible use that can be made of his misrepresentation is to deceive the Unionists as to the disposition of the colony, and, therefore, to help to place them in a false position. We can however, readily be.ieve that a correspondent who is certainly stupid is foolish as well.

A LAST TVOBD OB TWO.

this respect. Everywhere the utmost was done that could be done. From Auckland to Wellington, and from Wellington to Hokitika, Christchurch, and Dunedin, there was but one spirit shown. It was that of a thorough sympathy witn the mission and a determination to promote its object. The results speak incontrovertibly for the

It seems almost superfluous to refer again to the reception every wnere given in New Zealand to the Irish delegates. It was enthusiastic and sincere everywhere, and no district fell behind another in

aucceßS obtained. It is hardly exact, moreover, t speak ef an Irish party in connection with the matter. In many instances Irishmen were less prominent in the receptions and on the platforms than men of other nationalities, and in all instances they had the eympathy ani support of many such men. While, as for the newspapers, we confess that many of the articles published by ar contemporaries were quite as favourable as anything we could ourbelves produce. It is true the Irishmen of the colony did their duty manfully in the matter. The reception given to the delegates in Auckland, and in which they bore their part well, was a presage of what took place everywhere else. In the South we were not more, nor were we less, enthusiastic than they were in the North ; and East and West a like disposition was as ardently manifested There were well proved by the visit to the colony of the Irish delegates, the unvarying fidelity of the Irish immigrant to his far-off home, and his union in this regard with his brother in exile. From a Catholic point of view, again, the mission was most consoling, showing us, as it did, the union of priests and people without a single exception. All this is palpable, and hardly needs to be recalled.

THE AFRICAN BUSH.

extend her influence in Africa, and to reap the full fruits of her enterprise there, seems to have been adopted. Buch, at least, is the conclusion suggested by the news that the French have taken it upon them to prevent one of those frightful slaughters of his subjects of which the King of Dahomey has been constantly accused. Even the King of Dahomey, nevertheless, has found a defender, and we have seen it Btated that his cruelty was grossly exaggerated, if not altogether invented, by Europeans interested in the ultimate fats of his territory. The country over which ha rulfß we may add, is one favoured in the highest degree by nature, and almost incredibly productive ot fruits and vegetables. Experience probably is wanting to show whether, like other places on or near the West Coast of the continent, it would prove the grave of white men. But we are pretty safe in concluding that its climate would not prove very healthy to them. In this respect, however, the na'ions that aspire to colonise Africa must make up their minds to run some risks, and the occupation of Dahomey may not be found more dangerous than that cf many other places. The French, in any case, seem to be entering on the course already pursued by them in Tunis, where we know straits were Imagined and massacres invented to forward the interests of their secret design of annexation. We are told, for example, that French troops in Dahomey are in danger, and that a larger force is spoken of as about to proceed to their rescue. We may be almost certain, therefore, that a protectorate, at least, ia contemplated, and thit the days of the King's independence, let all that has baen relited of his crue.ty be true or false, are numbered. England, meantime, has been suspected of an intention to steal a march on France in the matter of African annexation. One of the negotiations entrusted to Sir John Lintorn Simmons at Rome, for example, is said to have been that of obtaining for the Bishop of Malta jurisdiction overall futnresees established in Africa, a project actively opposed by, Cardinal Lavigerit?, and whose end was decidedly that of utihsiae the Catholic and even the French missions to forward English interests. But, we may remark in passing Cardinal Livigene'a interference proves, at least, t->at bis Eminence has confidence in the fair dealing of the Republic with Catholic affairs outside the boundaries of France. France and England, therefore, hate virtually come into contact with respect to African annexation. The object, however, with which the Uoder-Secretary for the Colonies advised the Government of the Republic to take into consideration the uses to be made of the territory already acquired was thit of fos ering the commercial interests of the country — especially by a system of mutual protection ; and it is with such a view, we may conclude, that France has determined on the annexation of Dahomey. How far the promotion of such interests in such a manner will clash with those of other nations, and more especially wich those of England, remains forjus to see. But commercial rivalry, as we have id before, baa often been productive of evil.

The advice given recently in an official report by the French Under- Secretary of State for the colonies, to the effect that France should seek to

MYSTERIOUS paragraphs continue to reach us

THE CASE OF P. J. BHBBIDAN.

through the cable, which seem to suggest that an attempt is being made in the Hons3 of Commons

to perfect what the Parnell Commission failed in doing. We gather that the evidence of P. J. Sheridan, which the Commission failed to obtain, is being given in some way or another before the House. The Parnell-Commis9ion, nevertheless, in all conscience lasted long enough, and the situation will certainly be •evereiy trying if we are to have it prolongel ad infinitum in Parliament. We are told, for instance, of a cypher message by which it has been revealed that Sheridan offered to disclose the whole history of the Land League, and to produce documents implicating himself. Mr. Parnell, and almost everyone else, as well as to prove the genuiness of the forged letters. It hardly appears, however, that the prod action of any such cypher was nece»ary for the purpose. Sheridan, in fact, had himself already made the revelation referred to, without resorting to cypher, in the plainest possible handwriting, and sworn before a notary public at Monte Vista, Colorado, as far back as May 28, 1889. In this docnment Bhend*n gives a detailed account of his transactions with one Kirby, an agent of the Times, sent over to purchase his evidence on benalf of the paper, and for the complete " pulverisation " of Mr. Parnell and his colleague?, with whom also he had subsequently communicated, both by mail and cable — and very possibly in cypher. We do not, of course, answer for the strict honesty of the proceeding— Poor Pat Molloy, for instance, tried something of the same kind in Dublin, but witn disastrous results. He also was anxious to examine into the manner in which the Times carried on its business, and even obtained in advance a small sum of money in payment for the evidauce he could not give. But he managed to place himself within the reach of the law, and consequently incurred a severe sentence— although one perhaps lightened by the contemplation of the ridicule brought upon the case for the prosecution. P. J. Sheridaa, on the contrary, had the broad Atlantic between him and the law, and was wise enough to keep it so, notwithstanding the expectation that even at the eleventh hour he would put in an appearance in court and gain the large reward promised him by Kirby. Sheridan, moreover, acknowledged that, besides his desire to watch the methods of the Times, he thought of doing a profitable stroke of business by selling his ranch to Kirby at a fancy price, on the pretence that it would be necessary for him to leave the country, and provide for his safely, because of the vengeance he must incur by turning informer. Kirby, however, seems to have been too sharp for this, and to have waitei to pay for Sheridan's services when they were rendered. We have no intention of seeking to defend the morality of Sheridan's action. He probably ihought the Timet deserved all it got, and by its gro9a dishonesty exposed itself to be legitimately taken io. Sheridan concludes his document with this statement, also coafirmed by oath. " I have no information to give that would be useful to the Times or injurious to Mr. Purnell or his friends." The important point, however, is that all the details which wo now receive by cable, as brought out through the. interpretation of a cypher message, had, with much more, been stated on oath by Sheiidan last May, said details being those of a plot formed by said Sheridan to trick the Times, and if possible, to do a profi able stroke of business for himself —he, at the same time, being in possession of no information that could damage the case of Mr. Parnell and his colleagues. This continua'ion of the Parnell commission in Parliament, therefore, can do nothing to rehabilitate that remarkable tribunal in the eyes of common-sense people.

LORD SALISBUEY IN A SCRAPE .

Commons were a disreputable lot, seems likely to be borne out by the facts of the case. Mr. Labouchere hag all along spoken with assurance concerning the matter, and published without restriction his determination to have a full exposure made and justice d)ne. It now transpires that he acted ia sympathy with the Prince of Wales, who commanicated with him through General Knolloys, a member of bis Royal Highness's household, nnd who deserves credit for the course adopted by him from the first. As Mr. Labouchere has told us in Truth, his Royal Highnass, as tbe head of society, is determined to free the country from such a taint. In justice to the Prince of Wa'es, of whom evil has always been far too readily reported and believed, this should be generally acknowledged. It was not, again, because the name of Prince Albert Victor was mertioned in connection with the abominations referred to, that his Royal Highness concerned himaelf. The calumny in question, as is known, arose from the blackguardism of Lord Arthur Somerset, who, on his escape to Constantinople, stated there that he had been sacrificed to conceal a more elevated personage — referring to tbe young Prince. The Prince of Wales, however, had taken his resolution before this, and already moved in the matter. But Lord Salisbury now cuts a pretty figure. He had emphatically denied that he had virtually warned Lord Arthur Somerset that his arrest was contemplated, and now the Colonel of the aristocratic miscreant's regiment comes

Mr. Labouchebe's indignant declaration that, because of their action towards the Cleveland Street scmdals, the majority of the House of

forward and contradicts him. Colonel Montagu says that General Probyn, immediately after an interview with Lord Salisbury, came to him and told him that a warrant was about to be issued for the arrest of Lord Arthur Somerset, pn officer of bis regiment, and that ha forthwith, concerned for the honour of his regiment, sent for Lord Arthur, told him of what was impending, and advised him, if innocent, to stand bis ground, but, if guilty, to blow out his brains. Lord Arthur Somerset, characteristically, did neither the one nor the other, but at once made his escape. A pity it is, we may add, that extradition treaties do not embrace a clause by which his surrender might be made on the demand of the English people. We do not say on that of the English Government, because the Ministry that coanived at the offender's night, and, indeed, secured it, unless forced by the people, would make no demand of the kind. The majority of the House of Commons, moreover, by burking the inquiry moved for by Mr. Labouchere, and for which it ia evident there was a crying and palpable necessity, seems thoroughly to deserve the s igma cast upon them by the defeated mover of being a disreputable lot. It remains to ba Been what the action of the countiy will be, now that the Prime Minister is proved to have condoned felony, protected a criminal of the most atrocious character, encouraged, bj shielding from exposure its degraded votaries, abominable vice, and crowned all by defending himself in Parliament by a lie. If Englishmen are true to themselves and to the honour of their country, Lord Salisbury is indeed in a scrape.