NOTES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1593, 25 June 1887, Page 4

NOTES.

With all the rest of the world—or to Bpeak strictly by the card, m common with all the vast territories which are comprised within that widespread dominion known as the British Empire — New Zealand has taken her part m the Jubilee rejoicings, and has done it with a heartiness which shows not only that the people of this colony are m loving sympathy with the people of the Mother Country, but that the sentiment of loyalty to the Throne is as strong and warm here as there. Even m our own little corner of this, m Tespect to teiritorial area, almost the least of England's offshoots, we have jubilated with an enthusiasm which refused to be overborne by the sombre influence of lowering skies, actual or metaphorical, even the prevalent commercial depression being for the nonce forgotten m the general rejoicing. And we believe that the whole community ! is all the better for ir. It is just such general response as this to the promptings of a common sentiment that proves the unity of the Biitish people, and cements the scattered portions of the Empire into one indivisible whole. This universal Jubilee rejoicing, indeed, Bhows that the dream of a close political federation of the Empire is but a foreshadowing of the fact of the future, because of the actual unity of sentiment and feeling which already exists.

There are 9f course cynics who regard such things as Jubilee demonstrations as mere examples of the folly of mankind — people of this sort see no good m anything which partakes of the sentimental — and there are others whose democratic instincts are so strong that they have no words strong enough to condemn anything that savors of adulation to Royalty. But, while m these days, slavish subservience is no longer possible, it will, we think, bfi long before the British people decline that loyal homage to the Throne which is inculcated m the Book which bids us, m the same breath, "Fear God and honor the King." Certainty the loyalty of the British people to their Queen jar King will not die out so long as the Crown is worn by one whose rule is so beneficent, and whose personal qualities arc so admirable as are those of Her Majesty. What might not happen if the reigning Monarch were unworthy m life and character it is difficult to say — possibly the Crown would be abolished and an elective Presidency resorted to. But surely it is something to be thankful for that for the last halfcentury the British people have been spared the necessity of considering any such question, the constitutional rule which they have enjoyed being such as compares favorably with that of any country on the face of the globe — be that cpuntry under a Republican, Monarchical, or Autocratic Government. And it is because the whole Empire acknowledges this that the rejoicings at the Qu?en's Jubilee have been so universal and hearty.

There are, however, as we have said, exceptions to every rule, and we have been not a little amused by receiving from a lady an annotated copy of the Jubilee Ode issued as a supplement to this paper, on Tuesday last. The writer, who entirely conceals her identity, not even forwarding a norn de plume, is evidently severely antimonarchical. She growls (we hope she will pardon the expression) that " poor men pay for the powder " used m the royal salutes, declares the idea ot the Queen's people being described as 11 gathering loving-eyed around "her throne " is " funny," and per contra asserts that we must leave out " about 200 millions m India, 5 to 7 millions m Burmah, and 4 to 5 millions m Ireland," the greater part of whom we understand her to assert " hate the Queen with a bitter hatred*" She further annotates some of the loyal expressions as 11 bathos " and "sycophantic," and then proceeds to express her own sentiments as follows : —

"Hail Victoria!" Oh,, the endless line of dead gods and goddesses. With the old Persians it was " Hail Myliiia, the holy mother I M the Hindoos said " Hail Doorga!" and her altars streamed with blood; the Egyptians hailed "Isis, Our Lady, Queen, Mother of God " ; the Greeks and Romans hailed Ceres, Venus, and other sportive ladies. The Roman Catholics hail Mary, Mother of God, and Protestant newspaper editors hail Victoria, mother of Albert Edward Prince of Wales, Prince of Spendthrifts. The people are here still, but other gods and goddesses are jostling these sad old deities, who die 6upine and paralysed, while the tide of thought sets by them. Knowledge comes slowly but does come. The people are finding out that gods, goddesses^ kings, empresses, with the whole host of their priests, flatterers, and parasites, are the drones, the consumers, the non-producers. The day is at hand when these must take to seme honest means of earning a living, and no more fatten on the toil, the ignorance ol the working bees. Hordes of German beggars now ride roughshod over the necks of a people who, m their cups, make the vain boast,

Britons never, never, will bo slaves. Victoria and her brood take a -million sterling from the people, annually, for which they make no adequate return." This is pretty vigorous sort of writing, it must be confessed, and we do not deny that m some respects the fair writer has justice on her side, as for example, m her contention that, royalty has too many dependencies, and makes too many demands upon the purses of the nation. But admitting that, it by no means follows that the abolition of the Crown is a thing to be desired. One thing is certain, and that is that holding such extremely republican ideas as the lady does it would not have done to apply to he> to write a Jubilee ode. She would probably be more m her element m an •« Apostrophe to Dynamite."

In the midst of all these Jubilee reoicings our lady critic's is not the only dissonant voice, very severe and bitter things having been said and written elsewhere than m Ashburtori. Aqd although with revolutionary sentim£n}s we have not the smallest sympathy, We confess that there is one thing, which has caused us, m common, we believe, with millions of other loyal subjects, a feeling of pain, and that is that while her people all over the world, on this

the joyous occasion of her Jubilee, have generously and freely given of their substance for the establishment cf national and local memorials, and the endowment of charitable and benevolent institutions, we have not as yet seen it stated that Her Majesty herself has given any such l hank offer ing to the Giver of all Mercies. It was confidently expected that some royally munificent gift would be made for the establishment of some noble institution for the relief of the sick or the suffering ; and we do not hesitate to say that from the large private fortune which must have been accumulated by the Queen out of an allowance of -£385,000 ] a year, extending over 50 years, it must surely be possible to devote a sum of from to half a million to such a purpose, and if so, then, that this ought to have been done. That Her Majes'y has done nothing of the kind is " the fly m the ointment," and is a subject of deep regret to her people throughout ihe Empire.