The Evening Star. TUESDAY, MAY 28. 1872.

Evening Star, Issue 2893, 28 May 1872, Page 2

The Evening Star. TUESDAY, MAY 28. 1872.

Were it not that the Very Reverend Bishop Mohan has chosen to attack the social -liberties of his own flock in his address on Sunday evening last, wo should not have considered it necessary to notice it. Every minister who confines himself to preaching the doctrines of his Church in regard to a future state, excepting such doctrines have a natural tendency to immorality, should be allowed to do so without interference by the Press. But when ho steps out of liis sphere and brings his spiritual artillery to bear directly upon social liberty, it is necessary a stand should be made against him, and even Ids own people warned that ho is stepping beyond his province and assuming a position that renders resistance necessary. Dr. Moran, by his reckless denunciation of those who have signed the petition in favor of a system of education capable of being made applicable to the children of all sectarians, has strikingly shown the danger of allowing clerical interference in social arrangements. He assumes a position which points to the spiritual bondage in which all men would be placed -were they to allow such an assumption of power by the Church as is claimed by the Reverend Bishop. He has held up men who dare to assert the right of thinking ami acting for themselves to the reprobation of the rest of the members of the Church with which they arc connected, lie has denounced those who are members of a philanthropic society as heretics, and has thus shown unmistakably that the Church for which he claims so much is of a persecuting, intolerant spirit; and if men will but realise the lesson, that on that ground alone its dictation is dangerous to civil and religious liberty. Had those who are denounced been guilty of crime, oven then the sympathies of a Christian minister should have been shewn in pity for them and in earnest desire for their reclamation. It is the mission of Christianity to relieve the distressed and raise the. fallen. But it is equally its mission to sustain those who stand : to free the human mind from superstition, and to strike off those spiritual fetters which tend to narrow the sphere of human thought and action. Most, perhaps all those men who were so publicly denounced by Dr Moran on Sunday night, are amongst the truly estimable of our fellow-citizens. Many of them are well educated, and quite able to judge for themselves as to the tendency of any course of action they may choose to adopt. They are fully aware that they are responsible beings ; that they owe certain duties to society, and that, whether the Church to which they belong recognises or denounces them, they cannot ignore their duties at its bidding without violating their consciences : and if their consciences condemn them, that Being who formed them thus must condemn them also. This is higher teaching than the special dogmas of any Church : which it must be borne in mind is only an association of a number of people holding a doctrine in common. Dr Moran’s fault is that he cannot discern the limits to which ecclesiastical authority should ,be allowed to go by society. His mode of advocating what he terms “justice to the Roman Catholics” proves precisely the opposite to his intention. As the authoritative expositor of his Church’s doctrines, he warns, by his conduct, that society has every right to withhold its help to teaching theories inconsistent with civil

and religious liberty : nay, more : that in fact to specially subsidise a system of education based upon powers capable of being exerted so tyrannically as he himself administers them, is to nurse within our midst a means of subverting our most cherished institutions. So far as the Most Reverend Bishop claims to be a religious teacher, we have no difference with him. Let him confine himself to the duties of his office : we shall not trouble him. But when he steps into the arena of social politics and claims spiritual authority for endeavouring to coerce the Legislature into granting privileges, which his own example shews can be used so dangerously, we must warn him that the only effect will be to rouse a spirit of resistance even amongst his own people. Social rights are too well understood by the majority to bo subjected to the domination of a priesthood, no matter by what name they are known. But it is not a question of majority or minority—it is one of right and wrong. We are quite aware there are others of like spirit with Dr Moran in other Churches, who arc sticklers for their own mode of educating children. We therefore say at once that if his Lordship is wrong, they cannot be right, and the only just system of national education is the secular. Tt is nonsense to say it cannot be accepted. Such an assertion is not worth argument in reply, because secularism manifestly gives equal rights to all. Let each denomination graft its teachings upon it as best it may.

Telegraphic'. —A telegraph station was to-day opened at Motcuka, in the province of Nelson.

Meeting of Parliament. - The Weie Zealand Gazette of May 23, convenes the Assembly on July 16 for the despatch of business.

Personal. —We have been shown private letters which state that the Rev. J. C. Williams, late of Dunedin, has been lecturing to large audiences in San Francisco on “ Ireland.”

The Karori Asylum.—The Provincial Government of Wellington has instructed the inspector of police there to prosecute Mr and Mrs Sutherland, late master and matron of the Karori Lunatic Asylum. They will be charged with the illusage of patients. Theatrical. —Mr Bachelder, of “ American War ” notoriety, was a passenger by the Nebraska, and brings with him a colloscan pautiscope of a tour across the American continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. He is accompanied by Professor Loga and a wonderful automaton slack-rope vaultcr.

Journalistic. —By an Auckland paper we notice that the Volunteer Gazette is defunct. The Auckland correspondent of the Wojkato Times in mentioning the fact, says After a flickering existence of some four months it has expired (so rumour has it) of a diagnostic common to infants—a tightness of the chest. The Circus. —Yesterday’s gale considerably damaged the circus building, rendering it impossible for a performance to be held. Mr Murray, nothing daunted by his ill-fortune, put on twenty men this morning, and will raise a new tent with side walls of timber. The Circus will be re-opened tomorrow evening; when we hope to see a good house to reward the energy of the" proprietor. The Late Accident at the Ocean Beacu. —We are authorised to state, in reply to “Sympathy’s” letter, that so far as the officers of the Scottish Volunteer Company are concerned they have nob “expressed themselves as not called upon to assist in alleviating the distress of the family of the young man who met with the accident,” On the contrary, the company began a subscription on his behalf before the letter appeared. Immigration.—The contractors for the New Zealand railways, says the Home News, have opened an office at Leamington, They offer to pay the passage—to be repaid—of strong healthy men, engaging them for at least two years at a wage of not less than five shillings a day. As a further inducement, the price of provisions in New Zealand is widely published, and has not been without its effect. A good many engagements have been entered into, and by the 20th of this month it is expected that several hundreds will be on their way to Dunedin.

The Mail Service.—The News of the World, referring to the return of Mr Webb to San Francisco, says:—Now that the Victorian Government has determined to aid his mail line from our port, already so liberally subsidised by the Government of New Zealand, its permanent establishment is sure. The Hawaiian Government has also contracted for a mail service to Australia by these steamers, as it has already done for one between Honolulu and San Francisco. It only remains for the United States to do its share. On the 20th April notice of an amendment to the Postal Appropriation Bill was given to the Committee at Washington on that subject, and it is to be hoped that the session of Congress will not terminate before some favorable action is taken Steamships of the calibre of the Nebraska, Nevada, and Dakotah will in future be employed, and will run every twenty-eight days. The great overland route has remained open since our last issue, passengers and mails arriving in time. Ere long we shall have two and a little later three overland routes, and snow blockades ’’ will not trouble us. The Atlantic and Pacific route, on the Thirty-fifth Parallel, will probably become the favorite. Mr Webb speaks in the highest terras of his Colonial visit, of the wonderful progress everywhere manifest, and of the hospitality with which he was universally received. Drawback Regulations. The Auckland Chamber of Commerce have submitted to the Secretary of Customs the following recommendations on the above subject : —That upon a'l goods re-shipped in original packages (with the few exception

it may be necessary to make for the protection of the revenue), the full amount of duty paid should bo recovered, or, if a deduction is made to cover expenses, such deduction should not exceed 5 per cent, of the amount claimed. In dealing with duty-paid goods re-packed for export, it is suggested that the following scale would be a fair one, allowing sufficient margin to meet contingencies unfavorable to the revenue, and, at the same time, affording liberal advantage to merchants On general drapery goods (the bulk of winch, when re-packed, would not greatly exceed that of the original packages), drawback of three-fourths duty ; on blankets, rugs, hats, and bonnets (uotrimraed), twothirds; on millinery and trimmed bonnets and trimmed hats (on which groat difficulty would attend any arrangement), nil; on hardware, three-fourths duty. The above include the principal goods which are not usually exported in original packages, bub the committee consider that some provision should be made to meet the case of goods of local manufacture, e.g., confectionery, windowsashes, boots and shoes, slop clothing, &c., in which goods paying duty are worked up and re-exported in another form. The expense of supervision in all cases to be paid by the shippers.”—The committee also offer the following suggestions with reference to existing restriction upon the export trade : (1.) That the restriction as to destination of goods exported under drawback be removed. (2.) That the list of goods excluded from right to drawback be made as small as | ossibie. (if.) That the limitation of the time within which after import drawback may be claimed should bo abolished. (jj.) lhat the minimum amount recoverable as drawback' be fixed as low as possible. Deputation. —Messrs Walcot, Rattray, M‘Neill, and Fenwick waited upon his Worship the Mayor to-day, with the view of ascertaining whether the Corporation would have any objection to the store in Stuart street, recently in the occupation of Mr Jago, being licensed as a kerosene bond.— Mr Walcot, on behalf of the deputation, stated the many difficulties importers of kerosene labored under in consequence of the high rates charged at present for storing, delivering, and receiving, and also from the inconvenient position of the present bond. It was also stated that the Provincial Government had no objection provided the consent of the Corporation was given.— The Mayor said he could not undertake to say what action the Council might take in the matte# but he thought, providing the windows and doors of the store were made tire-proof, and that no lights were used on the premises, there could not be any great objection to the wishes of the deputation. He suggested, however, that the deputation shonlcf put their wishes into writing; and as the question of time seemed to be of importance, lie would upon its receipt call a special meeting of the Council to consider the subject.—The deputation thanked bis Worship, and withdrew.

We would remind our readers that the entertainment in aid of the Lowing Club takes place at the Masonic Hall to-night.

A meeting of members of the Saturday Half-holiday Association will be held in Lower Hall, Athenaeum, to-morrow (Wednesday) evening at 7.30.

The annual meeting and Adjutant’s inspection of the North Dunedin Rifles will take place to-morrow (Wednesday) evening, in the company’s drill shed, at 7.30 o’clock.

In consequence of necessary alterations to the marquee, the circus will not be open to-night. A brilliant programme, however, is announced for to-morrow.

We have to acknowledge the receipt of LI, in various sums, and L2 l-'fs fid collected to-day by Mr Jas. Brown, junr., towards the Young relief fund.