Colonial Notes.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVIII, Issue 4, 23 May 1890, Page 2

Colonial Notes.

Our contemporary the Wanganui Chronicle is to be congratulated on the excellent opinion he entertains of his fellow-colonists. Our contemporary is evidently in the same frame of mind as the late Mr. Garlyle was of when he described the population of his country as " mostly fools." Speaking of the Hon. Mr. Hislop our contemporary says: "His greatest fault is that he is somewhat supercilious in manner and sarcastic in expression, and that he never attempte to disguise his contempt for those who are lacking either in reputation or brains. The result is that he is liked by the few but hated by the many." The conclusion is, therefore, that the majority of our colonists are lacking either in reputation or brains. But if this be also Mr. Hislop's opinion he is very consistently a member of a Government whose devotion is to the interests ot the minority.

The Hokitika correppondent of the Lytteltoti Times gives a glowing description of South Weatland. According to this correspondent it only needs population to be a land flowing with milk and honey. The flowers and grass are there, and all that is wanted is the bees and cows, As things are the population may be calculated at something between a thousand and fifteen hundred. The country, nevertheless, is rich in gold and o f ber minerals, and as illustrated by a tarm owned by a Mr. rsolan, at the Okura river, the agricultural capabilities of the district are boundless. There are, for example, potatoes weighing each one or two pounds, a lid ihrougbout, and thick in the soil ; grass fit to be cut in two months from Bowing ; and other things in like proportions. The difficulty is that of bringing the produce to market, but a proposal is made to concentrate efforts on hams and bacon, which are easy of carnage. Until communication is established, in fact, this is the shape which the milk and honey cf the place may profitably take. Ihe correspondent fun her points out that land is to be had on perpetual lease — six hundred and forty acres atone shilling an acre — which should pave the way for settlement. Other recommendations he also mentions. We have, however, quoted sufficient to draw the attention of our readers to what certainly appears to be a very desirable country.

The Napier Daily Telegraph is much exercised over the fate of the town of Tipperary, which he describes as ruined by Mr. O'Brien and the National Lta^ue, with anarcby and socialism stuck to the tails of their coats. He says the whole prosperous community has been driven out of their comfortable dwellings into a few miserable wooden huts. Our contemporary has evidently found it convenient to read with one eye only, keeping the other shut as to the new town built to replace the old one. Our contemporary, however, makes rather an unhappy slip in the case cited by him as a particular example of the mischief that has been done. He tells us of an unfortunate man who had become possessed of one of the best shops \n the town, and who had besides purchased a tenant's intereßt in a farm of Smith Barry's for two thousand pounds. Now, he says, he has lost both shop and farm. But is there not balm in Gilead ? Cannot our contemporary and the land sharks in whose interests he writes console themselves with the comforting assurance that the two thousand pounds in question go into the pocket of the landlord, aB many thousands and tens of thousands have done before them? It is to put an end to such a state of things the man alluded to has suffered, if the case has been traly stated, which we admit seems open to doubt. As to our contemporary's description of Mr. O'Brien and the National League walking about with Socialism and Anarchy stalking; behind them, " ready to enforce their principles by any deed of violence," it is very fine and dramatic and all that kind of thing. But while the results of the Parnell Commission are still before the public to speak in such a way is simply the daring of imbecility.

The recorda of larrinkinism are particularly lively just now Whether we turn to the North, or whether we turn to the South tbe phenomena are striking. The Hastings correspondent of the Napier Ikenxng Nens, for example, mentions incidentally the general habits of the lesser fry as they come under hia observation, and they are not euch as any respectable head of a family would care to encourage. He goes on to describe the doings of an elder trio, who lately mad! a f^i aD< L mt .°. Whoße am ™emeuts there entered the destruction of £34 worth of insuhvors, the piling up of clay on the railway hne, the killing of four sheep, and the fi. ing of two haystacks, besides other minor transactions, the whole forming a rather formidable list. Our contemporary the Tuapeka Times, m anwhile, mentions with some rational ind.gation an attempt made to upset a vehicle in which a party of footballers were returningfrom Milton to Lawrence, by tying a flax rope across the road. •• If this is the outcome of footballing, says our contemporary, "it is about time a new departure was made in the physical education of the colonial youth/ But Per 7* P , 8 J l } WOuld be better t0 fall back U P OD an old departure. The good old days of the birch weu free from such demonstrations as those alluded to. Both North and South, however, some improved discipline, new or o'd, is evidently an imperative requirement

Our festive friend " Cms of the Otago Witness, wishes to know how George Oi. Cappadocia, a fraudulent purveyor of damaged pork came to be the patron saint of England. For our own part we admit! thia is a secret which ecclesiastical history has not revealed to us. iiut perhaps our deficiency lies in an insufficient acquaintance with the intricacies of the Reformation. The substitution of the George in question, for St. George the true patron saint of the country, for example, would not have been out of character with other changes in the religion of the realm, made by bluff King Hal and hia virtuous daughter. From false priests and false biahopg to false saints ought **u° £% a dimcult transition. The matter certainly appertains to the Reformation, and it is the modesty of " Civis " alone tbat accredits him with ignorance of it.

The Napier Daily Telegraph says that Mr. John Dillon is sometimes called Honest John Dillon." to distinguish him from his colleagues But even that is something, is it not ? Who, for example, would call our contemporary, or any of the land sharks whose organ he is, honest by way of a distinction or in any other way 1 It is to hoped moreover, now that the general elections are approaching that the electors generally will recognise that no such distinction exists among them or their party. If they want an honest man to represent them they must look elsewhere. This fact has been recalled to us by the lelegrapKs remark— whose extreme silliness seems thus in Borne measure relieved.

pffnrtT^ 66 ,- I *" s An g llcan cler^ 80 <eadv to recognise the efforts made by Catholics m the cause of religioua education. Iv ccT gg a ™ ee J i inn S Sta t Wellington, the other evening, for example, Canon Ho well, who had arrived there to take the place, for a time of another clergyman is thus reported :-'< Speaking of religious differences, he pointed out that while respecting convictions all might co-operate in civil and social matters, and they might well imitate the zeal and liberality of their Roman Catholic neighbours m the cause of their Charch in education and in works of chanty " It is necessarily gratifying to Catholics to find that the good they do exercises an influence even beyond the limits of their own com-

A deputation of representatives of tbe working-men to the Premier the other day at Wellington brought out some important points affecting the interests of the classes concerned. It seems for example, that the time allotted to an injured workman to glVeg lV e notice to his employer of his claim upon him ia too short lor the purpose required, The time appointed by the Act is six weeks, but, as a member of the deputation pointed out, cases had occurred on tha West Coast in which men were physically unable to take action for 12 mon.hs and consequently received no recompense. Exception was also taken to the amount, equivalent to three years wages to be recovered in the case of a man killed or seriously injured Tn'e sea men are affected by particular disabilities. The law, for instance leaves it open to doubt whether they are to be looked upon as work' men or domestic servants. In case of illness, too, where the coastal trade is concerned, they are liable to be sent ashore and finally left at a port where they are strangers, and to have their wages stopped from date, and before the expiration of their art.cles. It i 8i 8 complained *%» { tfc i, 7a T P racttcall^ enfranchised, and a proposal is made that they should elect a representative of their own, the master of a vessel acting as returning officer, and handing in the ballot boxes on getting into port Tbe Premier, m referring to this demand, made rather a startling declaration :-«< I should," he said, " go the extreme length of striking a man off the roll if he did not vote. We will have to come ll nn a i 66 ° m n *X "*, man , wiU not excrciße hi 9 ri g hts he not be on the roll -Bu i what wejare not to come to some day is hard to say In all possibility v may be something very different from an extension of freedom-and such leg.slatiun would not appear altogether out of character with the disposition of Sir Harry Atkinson. Another important matter brought to light with regard to the seafarin- life I 8 a practice which prevails of emplo>ing men chosen at random to act 8 t if^ e h~ a w"f that i 8 UOt Only °PP° Bed l ° the interests of skilled labour but also endangers the safety of steam vessels, aud therefore, is of public importance. A statement that is hardly creditable to the farmers of the South was made by a member of the denutation in advocating the introduction of an eight hours Bill The gentleman alluded to said he had often seen men working'in the moonlight down South during the grain season, and that they were not paid for such overtime. But possibly the most serious charge of all was that brought against the con ti act system of the Midland railway. "There were," said one of the deputation, « now on the Midland railway what were known ac 'whisky contracts, 1 where

sub-contractors boarded and lodged their men and supplied them with a liberal amount of ' chain lightning,' so that at the end of each week or fortnight the men had very little money to draw."— A good deal r £ discussion took place as to the various points mentioned, and the Premier gave a general expression of compliance with the desire for amendment. On some of the points at least amendment seems very necessary.

Mr. Justice Denniston has thrown out what he calls a useful wrinkle for tbe benefit of the Irish party. In commenting the othur day cm an argument advanced by counsel in a ceitun case in the Cour! of Appeal at Wellington, His honour said " if they ( he Irisu party) only kept their people moving round the platforms to the mui?ic of brass bands there would be no meeting." The case was that of an appeal made in the name of Inspector Goodall from Mr.; Justice Ounnolly's judgment setting aside the order that Te Koot shoul i find sureties for the peace or go to gaol for six months. The occasion.it will be remembered, occurred last year when all the fuss arose about Te Kooti's journey to Gisborne. The argument of Mr. Napier, the counsel for the respondent, was that there had been no proof of an unlawful assembly or of anything more than a procession through the country of a native chief and his followers. The Judge's comment was not very pertinent, or of any remarkable brilliancy in any way. It however, shows us the all peivading nature or tbe Irish question and how it haunta the minds of all conditions of men. From Judge Denniston on the Bench, to whoms)ever it is that may be his Honour's antithesis up or down, and that ia an inquiry upon which we lack the hardihood to enter, there is no one tor whom Irish affairs have not an absorbing interest. A reference made in thia case also, and which seemed particularly familiar to us waß that of Mr. Bell, the counsel for the appellant, to an Act of King Edward 111., authorising magistrates to order the finding of sureties of the peace under penalty of imprisonment. Had the learned counsel also been varying his legal atudiea by an attention to affairs in Ireland. Edward 111., as we know, is very much called on there. This case then, has incidentally interested us a good deal. And, though last not least, it has also interested us, because it has made plain to us that our old acquaintance Mr. Justice Denniston, has not allowed the judicial bench to dignify or stiffen him over much, but remains aa pert and lively as ever.

A great fight is being waged in Queensland between the squatters and the shearers. The matter is of particular interest aa it involves the question of whether or not working men's unions shall influence the labour market, and the general condition of tbe labourer. The squatters are confident in their wealth, and if English shipping fails them, as there is some suspicion that it may, believe they can easily supply its place by German vessels But what of the labour unions iv London, who give sympathy and promise aid to their brother workingmen in Australia ? German vessels lying nnloaded at London wharfs, for instance, would be a striking and suggestive spectacte. Even the wealth of the Bquatiera may prove ineffectual in opposition to the extended union not only possible, but probable. The defeat of capital brought about in this way may be a marked event in the history of the universal contest.

A tridnum in honour of the Blessed Peter Chanel was celebrated in St. Patrick's churcb, Sydney, beginning on Sunday, April 27, The celebrant of the opening Mass wna the Bishop of Bathurst and the Cardinal Archbishop, who presided, pronounced the panegyric of the Blessed. The preacher on the morning of the third day was the Bishop of Maitland, who, in the course of an eloquent sermon, spoke very highly of the s-ervices rendered to religion in Australasia by the Marist Fathers. His Lordship also announced that a festival in honour of the martyr would be held at Futuna, the scene of his martyrdom, in September, and in which the Caidinal Archbishop and a number of prelates and priests would take part, The ceremonies were carried out with great splendour, a large body of the clergy being present, and were attended by overflowing congregations.

An amiable sheet named the Presbyterian has a characteristic word or two to say about the martyrdom of the Blessed Chanel. It says that long before his time men were martyred in the South Sea Islands, naming some missionaries of the sects. But every man who has been put to death by savages was not a martyr, and every roving preacher was not?a missionary. The seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, for example, also received a practical lesson from a very ugly quarter as to the futility and risk of entering on a self-appointed mission. The Presbyterian kindly adds that the Marist Fathera have themselves caused the deaths of many Christians in the Loyalty Islands. But were not those islands the scene of the z. alous labours of the Rev. Jones? It is to be feared this gentle editor has got the wrong sow by the ear. It was the Rev. Jorus who was there the encourager of bloodshed, and the very good friend and bro'her Chustian of the assassin. Editors who have in their connection such m;s-ionaries as tbe Key. Junes, and others who could easily be named, ahou d be careful not to throw stones — otherwise they may seriously damage their own dwellings.

Our Noumean contemporary, La France Ausn-ale, contradicts the report sent abroad to the effect that there were SUOO lepers in the island. Our contemporary attributes the leport to tbe malice felt by certain people towards the administration, and especially the Governor. He explains that there is a skin disease prevalent among the natives, measures for whose isolation have been duly taken.

It is proposed to reduce cows' milk to a dry powder, as being better for transportation and superior to condensed milk. The idea originated in Switzerland,