The Evening Star TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1871.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2722, 7 November 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1871.

In the excitement that necessarily follows transactions similar to the murder of Bishop Patteson, the judgment is too often liable to be warped, and while deserved indignation is heaped upon one party, another not without blame, is liable to be overlooked. Much as we admire the noble selfsacrifice that leads men, nursed in luxury, to devote their lives and energies to raising populations from a savage to a civilised condition; and much as we sympathise with them in that super-human generosity that leads to excusing their own murderers on account of their ignorance, we cannot see that a crime that involves in itself gross injustice, and is evidence of a dangerous enmity towards all Europeans, offenders or not, should bo allowed to pass unpunished. None can be more sincere than ourselves in condemning the new form of slave trade that has grown up within these last few years in the South Pacific. It was our lot to take a very humble part in the struggle for emancipating the West Indian slave, and we have had no reason to change our views, nor to imagine that what was an outrage upon human rights then, is the less so now, although glossed over with the euphonious title of a “ con- “ tract for labor.” But the matter does not rest solely bet iveen the outraged barbarians and their educated deceivers. All nations are interested in it. It is perfectly true that the Home Government should interfere to put a stop to the traffic which no law, human or divine, can justify ; but it is equally necessary that those savage races should learn the power of the Empire to punish those who do not distinguish between the guilty and the innocent. Had the outrage perpetrated upon Bishop Patteson been committed upon the captain and crews of one, or fifty of those South Sea slave traders, no one with right feelings would have condemned the natives. They are as much pirates as the old Buccaneers, who used to harass the Spanish settlements in these seas in the sixteenth century, and the natives have an equal right to resist their agressions as any civilised power has to defend its coasts. There can be no reason why the law of nations should be violated because one country is powerful and another weak. The strong one alone has the means to retain a check over its own subjects, and therefore a traffic so fraught with injustice should be promptly suppressed by the Home Government, There ought to be no hesitation about it. The practice of kidnapping is inexcusable and ouc-bided. It is founded upon the power of knowledge over ignorance. But the natives, no matter from what motive, have committed a most unjustifiable outrage: they have made the innocent suffer for the guilty. We are aware that in excuse for their conduct, their uncultivated notions of right and wrong may be pleaded, and so far they must stand excused morally; but society is still outraged, and should that outrage pass unpunished, not only will Bishop Patteson and his companions have suffered, but the lives of all missionaries, and all well-intentioned traders, and all shipwrecked seamen or passengers, will bo endangered. We cannot see, therefore, that it would be just to overlook the affair. By one means or another the knowledge of it spreads from island to island, and by the same process the intelligence of retribution would be disseminated. What is done should be done wisely and temperately; but something is necessary to mark our sense of the injustice of indiscriminate revenge and the determination of the British Government to protect the innocent. To insist on the surrender of the actual murderers would be a dignified course, We know that the refusal to give them up would involve the employment of force, and that suffering to the Natives is involved ; but we see no help for it, unless we are content to allow all the inhabitants of the islands of the Pacific to arrive at the conclusion that Great Britain is powerless to punish, and that therefore they may, without fear, commit any outrage, no matter how unprovoked. We fear the consequence would be that in the end, instead of peaceful traffic, every trader would be armed, and a feud grow up that would lead to the most disastrous results.

The University.—The present session of the University closes on tLie sth December. The Police. —A public inquiry into the conduct of the police at the late fire at Invercargill is now being held. The 'om missiouer of Police is watching the inquiry, which is being conductedjhy Mr M'Culloch, RM.

Eifle Shooting in Sydney.—A match was fired in Sydney recently, by some members of the Smad Bore Eifle Club, when some astonishing scores were made by two of the members. The wind was from the left, strong and variable in force, and the light was usually changeable. The conditions were ten shots at 500 and 600 yards. AMr Lynch made only one less than the highest possible score at each range, and M r Brownlow made the highest possible at 500 yards, and 30 out of 40 at 600 yards. Eoslyn.—The Eoslyn Mutual Improvement Society’s concert on Friday evening was crowded in every part of the building in which it was held. Mr Jas. Kilgour occupied tnc chair. The concert was given to raise funds for adding to the Eoslyn Public Library, which has been quite recently established. The most pleasing feature of the performance was the really talented display made by the Kaikorai Philharmonic Society. Associations of this description are generally ephemeral in their character ; but in the Kaikorai, under the able management of Mr Lister, the taste for vocal music of a high character has taken possession of all having a taste for the art. Messrs Coates and Sinclair gave well-appre-ciated assistance, and Mr Mitchell was as amusing and as highly applauded as usual. Tbs performance terminated with a wellsustained farce, “Turn Him Out,” acted by the juveniles of the Choral Society. The committee anticipate an addition of Lls to their library fund. Concert. —The entertainment at the Masonic Hall last evening was in aid of the Benevolent Institution, and, despite its being under the patronage of the Mayor aud Corporation and the Caledonian Society, the attendance was only limited. The weather may have bad a pr: judicial influence ;hut we are inclined to believe that many who .would have been present were not, because the character of theentertainmentwas, from some unexplained cause, left in doubt. To those who attended it must have been a pleasant surprise, for a better night’s amusement has not been given for a long time. The first part of the programme comprised vocal and instrumental selections. Miss Webb and an amateur were the lady singers. It was the first appearance of the amateur, and as such she acquitted herself very creditably. A cornet duet by the Messrs Oliver, the sword dance by Mr Murray, and Mr Forbes’ comic songs, were deservedly applauded; in the two last-mentioned cases encores being insisted on. The second part was reserved for the debut of a troupe of negro minstrels, who call themselves the “Sable Orphans.” Possessing among themselves the material with which to make first-class musicians, we shall be surprised if they do not achieve for themselves a reputation above that obtained by any similar band that has been yet organised here. Sonae of the voices, notably the principal tenor and the bassos, are exceedingly fine ; and there are among the instrumentalists some old faces and recognised favorites. Practice, however, is much wanted ; and we might be pardoned if we suggested the desirability of having a musical conductor. We shall nob on this occasion notice the efforts of the various pe-formets ; hut we feel it only right to say that the “ tambo ” is a host in himself, besides possessing the rare merit of knowing how to play his instrument. The Mayor occupied the chair.

A Special General Meeting of the Licensed Victualler's Association will he held this evening at the Fire Brigade Booms at 7.30.