NO PAUPERS WANTED.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 9, 16 December 1892, Page 17

NO PAUPERS WANTED.

E'S only a pauper whom nobody owns." And what is more, nobody wants to own him — that is, if, at least, we may believe our contemporary the Wellington Post, with the exception of politicians in New Zealand. President Harrison calls out against the admission of paupers into the United States. He kindly proposes that as much should be charged for such admission per head by way of poll-tax, as would pay the passage of the individual to Australia a statesmanlike way, we may conclude, of suggesting to foreign Governments how they may get rid of their paupers, without attempting to interfere directly in the internal affairs of foreign

But, if we may believe the Wellington Post, Australia has already more paupers than she has any room for. We were about to pay, than she knows what to do with, but that, according to our contemporary, would be a mistake. Australia, he tells us, knows very well what to do with her paupers. Is she not, he asks with a broken voice, shipping them to New Zealand by the hundred ? Nay, he laments, "We shall not be surprised at the Australian steamers bringing here thousands instead of hundreds of men very soon." And really we are loath to take our contemporary at his word, but it would be an insult to his intelligence to do otherwise. The alternative that our contemporary, on his own, showing prefers, is that these men should be permitted by the philanthropists of Melbourne and Sydney to die of starvation. « They can scarcely be buried much more cheaply," he complains, " than they can now be sent to *ew Zealand." We may, however, give our contemporary the benefit of the doubt as to whether he would decide in favour of * rise in the passage money, or of a reduction in the terms of the undertaker.

Meanwhile, we learn with regret that one source of an increase of pauperism in Australia has been the strike at Broken Hill. Besults there are much to be deplored. The funds by which the men were generously supported in their struggle hare run out, and the number of those reduced or in danger of being reduced, to extreme want, is large A circular issued by the committee of relief, of which, by the way, the Bishop of Wiicannia, who befriended the strikers from the beginning and gave them sound advice, is a member, appeals for aid. It gives the number of the men out of woik as 2,500. " This committee earnestly appeals to the people of Australia for help in the present emergency— not on the ground of sympathy with the strikers or their leaders but because of the want and suffering entailed upon innocent women and children. We are impressed with the magnitude of the distress, and we rely with hope upon your generous assistance to cope with it."

But what are paupers ? « Unless some economical means of checking pauper immigration into this country from the neighbouring colonies is adopted," says the Poal " the prospect is appalling." Would it do, then, to lew a poll-tax equivalent to the fare to America ? For President Harbison, perhaps, there is some excuse—though his cro posal that the poll-tax should equal the passage money to Australia is, we admit, sinister— is worthy in fact of Macohiavelli, or, at least, of Lord Chesterfield The paupers alluded to are probably the offscourings of European cities, unable, as well as unwilling, to work. But that the unemployed of these colonies should be so classed, or that there should be a desire to chut them out from any colony is a scandalous thing. Here are men both able and willing to work ; here are broad and fertile lands needing workers Whence then, has such a situation arisen , or what excuse can be offered for it ?

The party that the Port represents hailed the departure of our unemployed with jeering, after their long years of mismanagement had left to the people in question no other tnTT* fj 6 7! *£ understand th * those who aspire to replace the late Government are bent on resumin/its policy, and are mortified at seeing an obstacle placed by immigration in their wav ? Such, at any rate, is the conclusion to be derived from the lamentations of our contemporary. President Harkjson, we say, may be justified in proposing to close the ports of his country against paurjers whn •re justly so-called, but it is an ominous^ ouCtinW

that a disposition is shown among ourselves to shut out men, who are paupers only because they are unemployed.

The annual concert of the Dominican Convent High School, Dnoedin, will be given in St Joseph's schoolroom to-morrow (Thursday) evening at 7 o'clock. The show of work will be held on Friday morning and afternoon. On Friday evening the concert of St Joseph's school will take place. The St Patrick's College "Annual Prfce List, Calendar, and Syllabus of Studies " for 1892 has been issued. The publication is one of great interest to Catholics, proving as it does the marked progress of an educational institntion-of such high importance. The Bey Fathers Downey, 0.5.8., and Hackett who, in search of improved health, some two or three weeks ago started from Auckland on the ronnd trip via Sydney and Melbourne, arrived in Dunedin by the s.B. Wairarapa on Tnesday. The rev gentlemen, we are happy to say, have already received much benefit from their voyage. They were accompanied from Melbourne by the Bey Father Duffy, S.J., who has come to giro a retreat to the Bisters of Notre Dame det Missions at Christcburch. The venerable Jesuit, we may add, is a veteran who, as chaplain to the forces, saw hard service in the Crimean war. The rev visitors, during the stay of the vessel at Dunedin and in the absence of the Bishop, were the guests of the Bey Fathers Murphy and Byan. An art union has been undertaken in connection with the Grand Zealandia Fair, to be held at Wellington io February in aid of the fund for building schools at Newton. The Bey Father Devoy, S.M., V.G., relies upon his friends to give him energetic assistance in the disposal of tickets. " Bbttbb Me than nev.r." Owing tj an accident last week we omitted to welcome, on their return to Duuedin, our highly respected fellow-citizens, Mr and Mrs Henry McCormiok. Mr and Mrs McCormick had been absent some nine or ten months, during which they made a tour in Italy and in the United Kingdom— having the privilege in Borne to be present at a Mass celebrated by the Pope. We are happy now to repair our omission, and bid them cedd mile failthe. " An Antipodean visitor reaches us (Edinburgh Cktholio Herald, October 14) this week in the New Zealand Tablet, a journal which for twenty years has been the upholder of Caiholio interests in that distant laod. The Tablet is a well conducted, well written, nicely presented paper. Uolike its namesake here, it favours Home Bule. We bid it welcome to these shores, and wish it continued I prosperity by its own." We have to thank our esteemed content- [ parary for his muah valued approval and kind word of encouragement. We have received from Messrs Charles Begg and Co. a periodical named the " School Music Beview." This is a very useful and welldesigned work, and should prove a boon to all who are interested in the study of music. As its name signifies, it ia primarily intended for teachers in the schools, and for them it publishes hints, suggestions, and instruction?, that are invaluable. But teachers elsewhere, as well as students, may profit to the full by it. The principal articles in the number before us are " How to teach Bounds," and " Training for telling by ear," and both are worthy of careful reading. There are, besides, a pretty Bong, " Dawn, Gentle Flower," with music and accompaniment, and a trio for S.S.A.,the words from Cowper'a well-known " John Gilpin," the music by G. A. Macfarrtn. Tune and time tests are also given, and, in a word, a quantity of matter that cannot fail to interest and instract. The review is neatly turned out, and the price is almost nominal, only 3s a year, postage included .

In the Australian colonies, (says the Wellington Post) the State holds oat no such promise to the unemployed as here, and generally their requirements and their sufferings are much less Bympathetically regarded by politicians than in New Zealand. In these circumst»nces the exodus from Melbourne and Sydney to New Zealand is entirely the result of the institution of little more than nominal passage rates between Australia and tfew Zealand. Passengers are now taken for one pound sterling per head. Possibly but a few of the unemployed would be able to find evea this small sum, but the philanthropists of Melbonrne and Sydney, and even the unsympathetic politiciare, must be very dense if they do not recognise that the provisions of passage for New Zealand is a cheaper way of disposing of the unemployed than finding them employment or even permitting them to die of starvation. They can scarcely be buried much more cheaply than they can now be sent to New Zealand. We shall not be surprised at the Australian steamers bringing here thousands instead of hundreds of men very soon. Unless some economical means of checking pauper immigration into this country from the neighbouring colonies is adopted the protpeet ii appalling*