The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, MAY 22, 1901.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 113, 22 May 1901, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, MAY 22, 1901.

THE CHINESE INDEMNITY. Our cablegrams received yesterday show that the British and Americans, impelled by a sense of justice, have set their faces against the enormity of the demands made by other nations upon China. In view of such messages it is interesting to hear what leading writers say. “ With the cooling of passion and better information as to the facts, the. public sentiment of the Western nations is changing on the subject of the Chinese indemnity.” So states one writer, and then proceeds : “It is now known positively that in the Boxer revolution the lives of 242 Europeans and Americans were sacrificed. It is known, too, that the lives of more than ten times that number of innocent Chinese have been taken by the Christian troops, and that to this must be added the appalling and unspeakable crimes against Chinese, which throw into the shade the cruelties of all the barbarous armies that ever marched. Then, too, the theft of Chinese property runs far into the millions, and the most fruitful provinces of the empire have been laid waste and their people are by thousands perishing of famine.” After these very strong words the indemnity is alluded to : —“ On top of all this to demand an enormous indemnity, that will enslave a poverty smitten people for generations to come, is to pile up an exhibition of revenge and oppression of which history has heretofore, happily, been barren. The reasonable people of the United States are in cordial sympathy with every move of our administration to infuse the Chinese settlement with the principles of humanity and. justice. It does not require a merely Christian sentiment to demand a reasonable and equitable settlement with China.” Allusion is then made to the ethical sense of the people, with the further comment : “ The ethical sense of the people sees as plainly the necessity for it. The only way to deal with China is precisely the way in which a Christian nation- would expect to be dealt with under the same circumstances. In one riot in this country, that in the coal mhies of Wyoming, the Chinese murdered numbered more than half of the whites killed in China by Boxors. Those Chinese were burned to death in their cabins. If requires only the most rudimentary sense of justice to see that, if China is to pay the Christian nations three hundred millions, she should have exacted half that sum for the murder of her people on American soil. But she .did not. She did not exact anything, and took just what this Government chose to offer, which was not as many hundred thousands as the Christian nations want in millions from her.” The writer then goes on to claim that the Western nations have the power to do as they please., “ They can substitute cruelty for kindness, inhumanity for humanity, dishonor for honor, if they choose, and make anything stick by pinning it with bayonets.. But if they do, let them cast off the mask of Christianity and justice and stand forth as naked barbarians, with no better rule than the old law of an eye for an .jeye and a tooth for a tooth.” And there'is no doubt that the spectacle of the manner of dealing with China is not one to be proud of, though the part taken throughout by the British and Americans will ever redound to the credit of the English-speaking races.

Th e steamer Waikare is expected to arrive from Auckland about noon to-day _ Our cablegrams show that the Kanginui wool clip brought sgd at the London wool sales.

Statistics show that in New Zealand lunatics are five times more plentiful than lawyers.

Captain Edwin reported yesterday: “ North to west and south-west gale after 16 hours from now ; glass fall ; tides decrease ; sea moderate.” A reduction in the railway charges on wool is contemplated, so said the Premier at Otaki yesterday. This statement will make people more anxious to see the Karaka railway pushed on. Artesian boring has proved very successful in Wanganui. Our telegrams this morning note that a well with a flow of 700 gallons per minute has been struck, and if is claimed to be the best artesian well in the colony.

The Government Veterinary Surgeon made a post mortem examination of the body of Mr J. A. Harding’s hunter AVariti. It was found that death had resulted from a clot of blood in one of the arteries.

At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr Barton, S.M., James Tyson was, on the evidence of the wife (who related a very sad tale of neglect), ordered to contribute 4)1 a week towards the support of his wife and three children, We understand that the Rev. F. McDonald, of Waipukurau, who arrives in Gisborne next Saturday to conduct the anniversary services of St. Andrew’s Church,' will hold evangelistic Services during next week. The Gisborne Rifles will hold a parade

on Friday evening, and afterwards attend the patriotic entertainment given by Messrs Cooper and Macdermott, in the Theatre Royal. The returned troopers have also been invited to attend the entertainment.

A charge of sheep-stealing againsi

Thomas Gilman and Pene Warn, charges

of disorderly conduct while drunk against Hire Rapana, Ruka, Hira, and Wi AVharekino, and a' charge of horse-stealing against Hone Wiwi, are on the list for the Magistrate’s Court to-day.

When at Gisborne, Mr Justice Conolly said that he feared that he would yet have to order the lash, owing to the frequency of offences against women. By our telegrams this morning, it will be seen that the Judge has at last felt impelled to order the lash, a ruffian being sentenced to ten years and two floggings of 25 lashes.

The missionary meeting of St Andrew’s Society of Christian Endeavor, to have been held last evening, was postponed on account of Mr Buckingham’s concert. The meeting will be held on June 4th, when it is expected that Mr H. Laing, who has been engaged for some time on the Poonah Village Mission, will be present to give an account of mission work in India. The following is a return of fever cases treated at the Gisborne Hospital : Period 1892-96 : 1892, 47 cases, 6 deaths ; 1898, 23 cases, 0 deaths ; 1894, 26 cases, 4 deaths ; 1895, 20 cases, 1 death ; 1896, 46 cases, 5 deaths ; total, 162 cases, 16 deaths ; mortality, 9.87 per cent. Period 1897-1901 : 1897,26 cases, 1 death ; 1898, 63 cases, 3 deaths ; 1899, 47 cases, 3 deaths ; 1900, 28 cases, 2 deaths ; 1901, 39 cases, 4 deaths ; total, 203 cases, 13 deaths ; mortality, 6.40 per cent. These cases come from a wide district, and must not be supposed as belonging only to Gis borne."

The American Tobacco Company of New Zealand (Limited) are issuing a handsome plate of the Duke and Duchess of York, in commemoration of the opening of the first Parliament of the Commonwealth and the visit of their Royal Highnesses to Nffiv Zealand. They have decided to present this fine art picture, 21 in. by 26in., printed in colors by Messrs Raphael Tuck, and Sons, London, for 50 Vanity Fair cigarette labels, posted to the American Tobacco Company, Auckland. The picture has been dedicated by special permission to H.R.H. the Duke of York, and specially produced for the American Tobacco Company. -At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, an affiliation ease was called on, Mary Catherine McLaren claiming that Charles Wells was the putative father of a male child of which she was the mother. Mr R. N. Jones appeared for the complainant, and Mr W. D. Lysnar for the defendant. The evidence of the mother and three witnesses was taken. Mr Lysnar asked that the information should be dismissed on the ground of the want of corroborative evidence. His Worship held that the corroborative evidence was not sufficient, and dismissed the case, remarking that it would have been better if the defendant had to go into tho box and deny paternity. At Wellington and Dunedin Messrs Baker Bros., the well-known auctioneers

and estate agents, with their usual enterprise, have undertaken to compile lists of furnished houses and apartments to house the thousands who will flock to those cities to welcome the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall. The firm have given their services gratuitously, and make no charge to either the public or owners of houses and rooms. Messrs Baker Bros, compiled similar lists for the enormous crowds who witnessed the departure of the earlier contingents which left Wellington, Lyttelton, and Dunedin. They also undertook the housing of the country visitors to the Canterbury Jubilee Exhibition and Carnival at Christchurch last November, so it cannot be denied that they have had considerable experience in the accommodation of g.ieat numbers of people. There was a full house at the Theatre Royal last evening, when Mr Edmund H. Buckingham delivered bis popular descriptive lecture, “In His Steps.” The lecture was made additionally attractive by a number of illustrated songs and recitations, upwards of a hundred beautiful colored pictures being shown. Some trouble was experienced early in the evening with the working of the limelight, but

fortunately Mr Charles Cooper came to the rescue, and the difficulty was got over with little delay. The lecture, as the title indicates, had reference to the Bev. Mr Sheldon’s book, “In His Steps,” a resume of which was given by Mr Buckingham, whilst the chief incidents of the story were portrayed with limelight effects. The illustrated songs were much appreciated, and hearty applause followed each number. Mr Buckingham gave pleasing rendering of “'Ora Pro Nobis,” “The Toilers,” “ The Holy City,” and the recitation “ The Little Hero,” the latter being given with good dramatic effect. Mr J. East sang “ The Lost Chord ” and “ The Better Land ” in good style. He was in excellent voice, and both pieces were given with much expression. Miss Heany greatly pleased the audience with her singing of “ The Holy City.” Efforts were made by the audience to obtain an encore, but the young lady could only be persuaded to bow her acknowledgments. At the conclusion of the lecture Mr Buckingham thanked those who had assisted towards the evoning’s entertainment, and specially referred to the services of Mr Cooper, who, he stated, was to give anexhibition in the hall on the following evening.

Church of England Country Services, Sunday next: Waerenga-o-kuri II a.m. (with Holy Communion); Patutahi 7 p.m.— Canon Fox.