The Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 1875.

Evening Star, Issue 3764, 17 March 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 1875.

Although in the Colonies we are, theoretically, all on an equality so far as social status is concerned, traditional ideas, handed down from our European ancestry, remain with and are fostered among us. What Adam Smith calls the “policy of Europe,” which in his day, and prior to it, “by not leaving things at perfect liberty,” had occasioned inequalities in the value of different employments, has left its root for evil with us, which will not be extirpated excepting through rocial pressure. The “not leaving things at perfect liberty ” led to a classified tion of employments into what are now designated “genteel” and “laborious”—the “genteel ” being all those requiring the use of the pen and tongue, and the “laborious” comprising all involving muscular strength and skill. No matter what intellectual attainments are required to direct the muscles, because the aitizan soils his hands and face, and. in pursuance of his calling wears clothes that contrast with the walking dresses of ladies and gentlemen living on their incomes or having easy billets, a strict social barrier lies been placed between clerical and mechanical employments ; and as it has been the custom to consider the first only fit for a gentleman, there has at all times been a tendency to crowd into it. The consequence is inevitable : compared with labor that is in greater demand in proportion to the numbers seeking engagement, the remuneration is small. In Adam Smith’s day “ajourneyman shoemaker” earned more money than a curate of the Church ; and “men of letters” are described by him as “ unprosperous ”in every part of Europe. Unfortunately for themselves, men trained to the genteel professions are likewise trained to peculiar ideas. We remember several who did not succeed as clergymen, who yet held that, having been ordained, secular employment was forbidden them ; and they preferred living on the charity of others to engaging in any other pursuit. For similar reasons many brought up to clerical employments consider it beneath them to earn an honest livelihood by manual labor, even if they are physically able to perform it: while others, and unfortunately they are the majority, could not work with their hands, if they would. We do not know any class, therefore, more deserving sympathy and consideration than the “ genteel ” ; and this is the more due to them, as upon their integrity and reliability much of the success of many an influential firm—mercantile and banking—depends. To a large extent they are the advisers and companions of their employers. They are paid but poorly considering the responsibilities laid upon them, and, as on the whole they arc faithful to the trust reposed in them, every just man needing the assistance of clerks will feel condemned, if he has through thoughtlessness participated in the unfair burdens laid upon them, complained of in the following communication presented to us a few days ago : Newspapers, as a rule, do not in common take up the same side in argument, but when a vital question arises in the social circle in which every person of the community is more or less interested, previous differences of opinion are laid aside. A grave and important discussion has again cropped up, ou behalf of the overwrought employes in Dunedin, “Clerking” is looked upon as a gentlemanly occupation ; hence the clerk has been hitherto without the necessary consideration that his services demand at the hands of Ids employer. It is not our business now to enter into the question of salary as remuneration, the fact being admitted on all sides that brain-labor and the diligence attenda nt thereon cannot be estimated by money payment, and that something more is necessary. While we emphatically assert that the bookeeper’s integrity and experience, forming such an invaluable adjunct to the merchant, is not requited in comparison with the unskilled laborer, who gets a fair day’s wages for a fair day’s work, and is garbed suitably in clothes of a useful and durable kind—far below in cost those of the clerk, who is expected by society to keep up what is called a “respectable appearance.” This is just about all begets in return, viz., admiration of his apparent gentility, while beneath the surface lies a silent sorrow, a canker in his heart’s core, his manly dignity torn from him by night-work. In the next published dictionary will have to be defined “short-handed,” and, to say the least, _it is reprehensible; while tins state of things is enforced by the employer regarding not that his gains of thousands of pounds annually arise from the application of his employes, who, under the current system, have no redress ynless they throw up their situations. In many cases “those moving things ca’d wives and weans ” will not admit of such a proceeding, owing to the limited resources of Dunedin ; for a capable man, full of integrity, may go idle for a long time for want of suitable opening. Tims, a clerk’s difficulty js the merchant’s opportunity, and the clerk again engages for a bondage something worse than slavery, bearing the yoke again. After 1 such a day’s brain labor as of ten, and even twelve hours, does he leave his work at (say) 11 p.m. a fit subject for society? TTia bed even will not restore his exhausted mental capacity. The pick and shovel man is, in these respects, his superior, because his rest means sleep, which, in his case, is at command, making good the wasted muscular power in seven or eight hours. Not so with the clerk: his mental strain requires ten or twelve hours in bed, and note his appearance almost daily—the dazed eyes, sickly complexion, with “distress of mind” plainly written thereon, arising from wearisome duties, the inhalations of our foul gas, and want of proper times for food, and however dainty this may be the disorganised stomach loathes it. It’s the “ Song of the Shirt ” over again, without being able to look forward—as things now are—to a certain prospect of even participating in a coming holiday ; and we have yet to learn why the clerk, of all men, requires no relaxation from business. There are societies for the propagation of Christianity in foreign parts, while there is much need of something of this sort in our very midst whereby the condition of a suffering class may be improved. It is simply disgraceful ou the part of the merchant that he is wanting in regard to his laborers so worthy of his hire. Where would the capitalist be without his indefatigable servant, who so jealously guards and fructifies his £s. d. The time has come when it behoves every rightthinking man to support the cause of the overwrought classes, and say that this state of things shall not exist.

Mr J. L. Gillies has resigned his seat for the representation of Waikouaitiin the House of Representatives, and Mr George M’Lean has announced his intention of becoming a candidate.

There was no sitting of the Waste Land Board to-day, the Provincial Government offices being closed on account of its being St. Patrick's Day. The Board will meet tomorrow, at 11 am.

“ Gilderoy ” and “The Lakes of Killarnoy ” were last night’s programme at the Princess’s, and to-night a holiday programme ■a put forward, comprising the “Gipsies of Kent,” “The Dream of Life,” and “The Bonnie Fishwife.” The team that is to do battle for South Canterbury on Friday and Saturday is:— E, Fowler, E. J. C. Stevens, T. S. Baker, T. Clark, Hammersley, G. Cook, Smith, W. F. Nellson, J. Peterson, W. Beard, and S. A. Bristol. Play is to commence on Friday, at noon.

A n accident unattended with serious results happened last evening to a lad named Scott, who was in the act of stepping from the 8.8. Tararua on board the hulk Cincinatti, when he missed his footing and fell between the steamer and the hulk. Hie father, who was on board, noticing the lad fall, jumped overboard asd rescued him only the worse for a wetting. The population of the Colony is steadily increasing, On the 31st December, 1874, the total of the European population was estimated at 340,900. The population at the close of 1873 was 295,493, showing an increase in the last twelve months of 44,954. In round numbers, the population of New Zealand was increased by fifty thousand souls last year, being largely in excess of the whole Maori people. An addition to the calendar for the approaching criminal sittings of the Supreme Court is furnished by Oamaru, where one Robert Gunlelt was committed for trial for stealing L2O from the person of a man named James, Topp, at Otepopo, on the 12th inst. The evidence was very conclusive, and the prisoner’s only defence was that he bad been drinking very heavily of late, and was drunk at the time he took the pocket-book. No appointments have been made to the Attorney-Generalship. The ‘Tribune’ says the office will likely remain vacant for a time—will probably not be filled up until after the meeting of Parliament, when it may perchance be placed once more on a basis. This, however, is quite a moot point. Mr Reid will discharge the duties of the office after the resignation of Mr Pendergast, which will be tendered in a few days. At the adjourned meeting last night of those favorable to the establishment of an association of natives of the counties of Ross, Inverness, Argyle, and Bute, Mr Mackerras presiding, the report of the interim com-submi-ting draft rules was adopted, and on Mr J. Grant’s suggestion it was agreed to consider favorably applications from natives of Nairnshire. The meeting was addressed in Gaelic by Mr K. Cameron, of Shag Valley, who congratulated it on the action that had been taken.

We learn from the management of the Princess Theatre that at the termination of the Duvallis’ engagement, Miss May Howard, the American actress, will come here for a fortnight, and she will be succeeded by Mr and Mrs Hoskins, who expect to reach Dunedin about the end of next month. Thus Messrs Steele and Keogh are doing their best to keep their promise to provide novelties. From our Northern exchanges we observe that MrandMrs Hoskins, who are now playing in Auckland, are drawing firstrate houses. They opened with the “Jealous Wife” and the “ Setious Family,” and received a perfect ovation. Oar Arrow contemporary has commenced a curious and decidedly original style of reporting :—lt heads its report of a case of drunkenness with the quotation “Stop, stop, poor drunkard, ” and its report of another case in which the plaintiff sued for a washing-biil, with the suggestive words, “ Soap suds,” And, heading a case of sheep trespass with the phrase “More wool," the ‘Observer’ reporteth “Oh, George Atkins, why didn’t you look after your grown-up sheep, instead of having the ranging gentleman down on you to sue you for allowing 400 of your sheep to eat up the grass on the Crown Range, at Bracken’s Gully, without a license ?”

The Kev. C. Clark’s lecture on Dickens was repeated at the Queen’s Theatre, and received with cordial manifestations of delight by the audience, who called the lecturer to the footlights at its conclusion. To-night “The Tower of London” will be treated with by Mr Clark, who, in the course of his lecture, will touch upon :—Clarence’s cream, The murder of the Princes, Cardinal Fisher, Sir Thomas Moore and Margaret, The executions of Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey, Sir Walter Kaleigh, Colonel Blood and the crown jewels, The Gunpowder Plot, *c. The reduction of the prices of admission to the stalls and pit to the ordinary rales should help to fill those parts of the theatre.

Another case of drowning has occurred in the Upper Harbour. As the lighter Nightingale was proceeding down the harbor this morning, a man named Benjamin Jordan was struck by the boom and knocked overboard and drowned. Deceased swam for a considerable distance before sinking, but as there was no small boat attached to the lighter, and a strong ebb was flowing at the time, none of those on board (three in number) could render any assistance. From the statement of his mate (Sinclair), it appears that deceased sank on the west side of the channel, opposite the first beacon, and the lighter was proceeding at the time to a point below Mr Macandrew’s house for timber. The Nightingale left the Stuart street jetty at 10 o’clock last night, and the accident occurred at 1 o’clock this morning. The body has not yet been recovered.

Mr Peter Braunigan, late mate of the p.s, Samson, who had been living for a few days at the Queen’s Arms Hotel, Princes street, died suddenly last night. Yesterday afternoon deceased complained of being unwell and it appears that cue of his who was leaving the hotel, being desirous of wishing him good-bye, entered his bedroom and found him dead. Mr Hancock (the landlord), on being informed of the fact, immediately communicated with the police The body was removed to the Hospital, and an inquest will probably be held to-morrow. As a mark of respect to the memory of deceased, the vessels in harbor to-day displayed their bunting half-mast high. “Peter the Pedler,” in the ‘New Zealand Mail,’ tells the following rather good anecdote of the reverend gentleman who is at present on the platform occupying so much attentionOh, these “cannie Scots,” with whom consideration is so much of a habit, and to whom a “consideration” is said to be so dear I 1 heard a rare little story in my wanderings the other night, as to one of the bonnie lasses who come frae Within a mile o’ E iinbro’ town, which I cannot help retailing. Like other good husbands, the Rev. Charles Clark occasionally sands a thought homewards whan he is “ far awa,” although there is as yet no electric wire to carry such a thought from Wellington to Melbourne. In walking meditatively along Willis street or Lambton quay—it is immaterial which—his eye was attracted by some handsome muffs, and he purchased one for transmission by|(a home-

botitad steamer, as a remembrancer at home. In the course of the conversation over the business, and due performance of the reverend gentleman’s share, financially, in the transaction, the lady behind the counter —not more curious than any other of Eve’s daughters would have been—discovered the real identity of the gentleman she was serving. “ And sae ye lecture on puir Oliver Goldsmith, daeye?” “Oh, yes, on Friday,” said the reverend gentleman. “ An’ ye gie us the life and heestory of Boz?” “ Oh, yes, on Saturday.” “ An’ ye preach to the congregation on Sunday !” “ Oh, yes,” responded the lecturer. “ Ah, then,” said Jenny (as she put the minister’s money in the till), “ we’ll patronise ye then ” “When there’s only a collection,” said the reverend to himself.

From a return in the last ‘NewZealand Gazette ’ we observe that in 1874 there were 103 Post office, money order, and Savings’ Bank offices open, as compared with 97 in 1873. The number of orders issued was 62,712, representing L 263,164 7s 9J, as compared with 52,351, and L 219.258 Is 7d ; the number paid was 44,364, representing L 186.394 9s 6d, as against 37,435, representing L 157.456 13s Id. In the Savings’ Bank department, the number of accounts opened w*s 10,346, as compared with 7,382 ; those closed were 5,727, as compared with 3,816. The total amount of the deposits was 1,699,249 14s 3d, as compared with L 580.542 5s sd; and the amount of withdrawals L 620.155 8s 9d, as against L 425 908 3s sd. The excess of withdrawals in 1873overdeposits was only L 83,103 12s I Id, rs compared with L 154.634 2a in 1874.

A meeting of natives of Perthshire, Angus, and Meams will be held in Murray’s Hotel on Friday evening, at 8 o’clock.

Captain Peek, of the Waitava, will deliver a lecture in the Wesleyan Church to-morrow evening. The proceeds will be in aid of the organ fund.

The Rev. Charles Fraser, M.A., Christchurch, has kindly consented to be present, and to deliver a short speech, at the musical entertertainment in the church. North Taieri, on the evening of Friday. It is intended to entertain Mr W. H. Cutten at a dinner prior to his departure for England ; and those willing to act on a committee Tor the purpose are to meet at Watson’s restaurant tomorrow, at 8 p.m.