Current Topics AT HOME AND ABROAD.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 35, 29 December 1893, Page 1

Current Topics AT HOME AND ABROAD.

Thb New Year will hardly find the world showing the improvement that might be expected of the close of a century of which bo many fine things have been said. What we might expect to find is, peaoa aod prosperity lastingly enthroned, and progress travelling briskly on a smooth and broal high- way. What actually presents itself to as is a very different state of things. Distrust seems to reign supreme, and in many instances there is, to qaote Scriptural language, reason for a failure of men's beartß, because of those things tbat are coming upon the earth. We do not intend to speak particularly of oar own colony. We would take with thankfulness a little respite from political discussion in the interval between the late elections and the meeting of Parliament. Nor, perhaps, is the consideration a very weighty one. Doubtless our colonial affairs are of great consequence to ourselves. But, after all, New Zetland is a far off land, a land where a comparatively few people of no particular merit or interest are hidden away from the view of the world — and, though some of us have a conceit that they are going to influence the fortnnss of the nations, the very existence of our country, it appears, la unknown in many places where a universal knowledge is, nevertheless, the boast. For very many years to come " the rustic mur< mar of our bargh " will probably sway us in solitude. Possibly for a generation or two still to come th« condition of the nations will influence New Zealand far more than New Zealand will inflnence tbe condition of the nations. There is peace in the world upon which tbe new year is about to enter — but, as we have eaid, it is a peace that is sadly marred by distrust — a petce that, to quote an old saying, puts its trust in Qod aod keeps its powder dry. Hostile alliances are still being formed ; hostile preparations are being made, and there ia a general expectation of some unwelcome development soon to take place. Tbere is, too, a new and terrible power, giving evidence, with growing frequency, of its presence and increasing strength. What is it that the people want 1 The life of " reasonable and frugal oocnfort " that the Pope demands for them, and declares they have a right to ob'ain ? The recent Socialist success in Germany, the declare* tioa of Socialist principles made by the Labour Conference in Belfast, would seem to say that less rational aims have been adopted, and that a wilder ambition bat gained admittance. There are, it is true, degrees in Socialism, but such is poor human nature that the tendency is towards extremes. In the doings of the anarchists we see of what tbe extremes to be feared are capable. Possibly we hare b ten the advanced guaid of hordes that are destined to destroy the civilisation that so many centuries have had a hand in building up, and which our own fin de tiiclc is supposed to crown. Nothing more ominous can be imagined, for example, than the precautions tbat have been found necessary to safe-guard from the dyoamitard tha most important centres in Paris— the buildings of the Corps LegifUtif which chiefly represents the Government of the country, and those of the Bourse which represents its monetary interests. This necessity bespeaks a hopelessness of dealing with the «vil by tbe ordinary methods of keeping the peace. W« had long heard of this terrible power, these wild horded, that lurked awaiting their opportunity in tbe slums of tbe great cities. They have been compared to the barbarian tribes that descended at the end upou the Roman Empire and trampled it down. Ia civilisation now in a worse con" dition to cope with such an evil tbat it then was? Tbe answer teems doubtful. We bad occasion last week to quote from an eminent writer his views upon the methods by which tbe barbarian invasion was met and overcome. " Had tbe Christian Oburch not existed," he (3uizot) writes again, "the whole world must have been abandoned to purely material force. The Church •lone exercised a moral power." But among tbe bordss that are now advancing, • contempt for tbe Church, their very raiion d'etre, has been bred. Civilisation, therefore, may stand in grtater dangsr than before. A great accountability thus rests upon the leaders of the people. It is their duty to formulate moderate

▲ DOOBTFUL OUT-LOOK.

■nd practical demands, to repress the temptation towards extreme* that i« natural and that mast be encouraged by indefinite proposal! and a holding oat to the imagination of ends that are unattainable. Where the trne cause of the people it concerned, all of as who are of good will mast wish that the coming year maj notably mark iti progress. And if there is also an evil caase, from which disaster to all, inoluding the people themselves, may be feared, the fault lief, not with the people, bat with syitemi that have bred and fostered the threatening power. What the year may bring forth we cannot tsll. The times are doubtful. Ai we have said, the close of tbt century hardly seems to jaitify the boaitiog that has been the rale.

STUBBORN IN BIN,

Thk Melbourne Argus has been cornered. An examination into the criminal statistics of the Colony by the Ber Mr Savage, an Indendent minister, obliges the Argut to acknowledge that crime has increased oat of all proportion to the increase of the population. The ecamination made by Mr Savage, we may explain, wai under* taken by the rev gentlemau for the purpose of ref oting a itatement made by Dr Moorehouse that secularism in Victoria had been attended by such bad result* — which statement bad been disseminated fay and wide in the Old Country, as an argument in favour of the voluntary schools. Mr Savage, however, found that Dr Moorehooas bad been correct, and, if we understand trim arigb*, that things were even worse than the Bishop believed them to be. Mr Savage's conclusions, we may add, are those referred to by tbe Otago Daily Time* in an article — we hope a sincere article — which we noticed in onr last issue. The Argut, then, is orntred, but still will Dot give in. The cause of godlessnesa is sacred in its eyes, and it calls for tims to seek for a defence of it. " When this ugly business," it plsads, ** has been probed to tbe bottom it will be time enough to talk of legislation." The Argus, again, finds a hope for godlißsnees in the condition of the people of New South Wales and Houth Australia, where things, so far as the criminal statistics go, are comparatively better. Wbat is there, it arks, to differentiate the people of Victoria from the people of those colonies ? "We all belong to the same race substantially," it say?, "and tbe economical and 9ocial conditions under which we live are practically the same." Criminal statistics, however, do not prove everything as to tbe morality of a community. In New Zealand, for example, we also show, in tbe respect alluded to, a cleaner record, and yet the moral condition of the Colony is deplorable. A meeting of the Social Reform Association, held in Duned'n on Monday evening, for example, confirmed in the main the accusations brought against the citizens by the Bey Mr Qibb and the Bey Mr Saunders. What is more, one of tbe gentlemen present entered a protest — which was applauded by tbe meeting, and has since been confirmed by the Daily Times— that things in Dunedin were aot worse than they were elsewhere, and that this city did not compare unfavourably with other parts of the Colony." — It does not follow, then* at least in New Zealand, that because people manage to keep them* selves out of tbe hands of the police they are therefore of blamelese morals. Tbe moral condition of Victoria, io fact, as revealed by Dr Moorehonse, confirmed by Mr Savage, and acknowledged by tbt) Argm, ia uot one whit more deplorable than the moral eon* dition of Dunedin, as revealed by rev ministers and eon* firmed by their committee — who, with tbe Daily Times, as we see, assert it a'so of the whole Colony. We perceive, meantime, that io one point at lea t the Association formed in Dunedin to bring about a better state of things appears to be in agreement with the Melbourne Argus. The Argus has been forced to acknowledge the evil, but it refuses to acknowledge its source, and seeks to defer the evil day of laying tbe axe to tbe root of tbe tree. It will have everything done before a sacrifice is made of godlessaess. We also find that, among their propos?d remedial measures, no men* tion is made by the Dunedin Association of a retort to the religions education of tbe young.

In our woe of last week, we ihowad the fallacy of what is called the " Roman Catholic crime diffl* colty," proposed by at> interviewer to the Bey Mr Savage. We quote, in addition, a note in wbioh Advocate deals with the matter. '• The interviewer,"

EASILY EXPLAINED. the Melbourne

stsß oar ooatsmporarj, " challenged the r«v gentleman to explain haWj if the secular system was, in his opinion, a prolific cause of orlae, tfat> Catholic body showed so badly in the criminal records of th« colony. Onlj very briefly shall we reply to that assertion, aa the explanation has been reiterated in this journal far more than often enough to satisfy anyone who w«s not determined to ignore all and everythiog said in vindication of the good name of the Catholic section of tbe community. In the first place, the Government statist more than once affirmed that tbe off jnces chargeable to Catholics were not nearly so seri us as those proved against other denominations. Their arrest ir conviction for trivial offances is apparently oat of proportion to their number, but against that it should bo remembered that from two causes— one, false entries made by watchhouK'keepera, the other, false profession of Catholicism by Protestant prisoners who wish to escape the longer service of the Protestant Church— tbe return of Catholic offenders is improperly swollen. To that we would add, as often before pointed ou», that criminal statistics are a fallacious index vt the morality of a people, taking the laws of God, and not tbe laws of man, as the standard. To return 'to our mutton,' Mr Savages ready explanation on these points was that 'no comparison can be drawn between the simple teaching of the Bible and the teaching of Romish theology in the Catholic schools.' We quite agree with him, but for a reason the vety opposite to that implied. If there was any force in Mr Savage's objection we should inevitably find that crime of all kinds was far more rife in Ireland than in great Britain, and that in the Catholic parts of the United Kingdom the percentage of illegitimacy was higher than in those in which Protestants largely predominate. But the reverse is the case, as Mr Savage may satisfy himself by looking into the Stateman's Year Book, or any other statistical authority on these qnestions. Even Ulster on these questions caonot stand compsjrison with the Catholic provinces of Ireland, crime generally and illegitimacy being more prevalent where Protestants are found in large numbers. Th* United Kingdom is a field wide enough to test the question, and within that compass Mr Savage has nothing to gain from a comparison between the effects of Bible reading and Catholic theology. It is all the other way, and we venture to say that if the sphere of comparison were widened still more, the result would show that in the production of Christian self-denial and heroism Catholic theology baa done definitely more for toe elevation of the human race and tbe alleviation of human sorrow than bare Bible reading has ever accomplished, or is likely to accomplish. It is a pity that Mr Savage said anything so foolish aa is attributed to him in this case, bnt he could hardfy have avoided the mistake, as he was betrayed into it by a question based on false premises, which ha conld not very well answer otherwise without subjecting the sincerity of his Protestant principles to some suspicion."— Besides the reduction of tbe apparent excess of Catholic criminals to which our contemporary refers— and our readers may remember that we recently quoted from an authoritative book on prison life in London • passage bearing out one of oar contemporary's statements, that as to Protestant prisoners passing for Catholic*, our readers must take into consideration the manner in which the excessive numbers are obtained also in Vic'oria— that is, by comparing the poorer masses ohitny forming tbe Catholic body with tbe great mojority of the wealth and fashion of tbe Colony.

Mb Larnach has been reproached by the Lake THB FRUITS OP WaAatipu Mail with losing his election by bis •wabbuko"? "wabbling" on tbe education question, and thus offending the Catholic votera. Mr Larnaoh does not like to be accused of " wabbliDg "-and. indeed, the word is not ft pretty one, either in sonnd or signification. Consequently he writes to our contemporary to explain, with some heat, that he did not "wabble," but had come to rational and mature conclusions. It had, in fact, according to his own showing, taken three whole years to pervert Mr Larnach and change him from a bold and honest man into a trimmer. Who, after that, can justly accuse Mr Larnach of 11 wabbling " ? He explains that three yeara ago be bad been willing to give aid to the Catholic schools, but finding that other denominations were inclined to ask for the same, he began to scratch his head. Finally he made up his mind— 4 ' No, they shan't have it," and buttoned hia pocket. If he had any conscience in the matter, it seems to have been easily disposed of. Mr Larnach accounts for his defeat in other ways— in none of which we are much interested. It would seem, however, from some of his arguments that he under! took the candidature out of fun and frolic. And here, we may observe in pawing, be was not singular. There, for example, is also Mr Scobie Mackenzie, who, if we may believe tbe Mount Ida Chronicle, is perfectly delighted at hia defeat, and rejoices that he has got rid of a tiresome job and now haa leisure to attend to his private affairs. Mr Larnach does not seem at all delighted. On the contrary, if we may judgs by his letter, he is very cross. But why if it were not for fun and frolic, did he undertake a contest in which he knew be must be beaten 7 He says that all the electors of the Queeeitown district I ad been pledged to h<s opponents for three

months. How, then, did he bop* to win them from their allegianoe? But whether he "wabbled " or whether he attained to bia atate of perversion by slow but steady decrees, it is all the same to us. Mr Laroach had made an ugly right about face, and we are glad he found his level. Mr Fraaer might be no be'ter, but he could not be any worse.

Cub young New Zealanders, it would seem, are not advance to be beaten for want of words when they have an NEW ZEALAND, idea to express. And that of course is the chief thing. Have jonr idea first, as you must catch your hare before you cook it, and then express it. Here, however, is a case in point. A young gentleman — a very young one— apparently however not quite so "green" as might be expected, was being examined, a week or two ago, in a certain BchooJ. The subject waa the catechism, and the question was : " Why was Satan cast out of heaven 1 Here is the answer— an answer fit to Bignalise a captain in the Salvation Army :— " Because he wanted to be boss."— We do not see that there 16 anything to be added to that. We may, however, add a word of advice to teaoberB — to sharpen their wits in provision against the possibility of encountering such junior pupilß. Fancy Miss Peachem, with her " part of speech," there I