THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 1880.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1852, 29 January 1880, Page 2

THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 1880.

iii matters , of charity tho residents of Christchurch, although open handed, aro at times rather js’ow. “ Bis dafc qux ,eito dat’is not a proverb that they havs-tajken much to heart. Ln Johnsonian phrase “ the Js-.atness of their surroundings appears to affect the celerity of their movements.” With regard to tho contributions from Christchurch towards tho relief of the distress Ireland wo aro somewhat behindhand. t Frora Invercargill, tho West Coast, and other quarters money collected by public subscription has already been forwarded to Dublin, However, no doubt tho Christchurch contribution when it has been been made will do honor to a community that has never shown any nig- I gardness in opening its purse strings st

the call of the distressed. The various churches have, or are to have, collections for the fund, tho Mayor and other individuals have opened subscription lists and a goodly array of concerts aro on tho tapis, which will bo sure to yield a very fair sum. There is another method of relieving tho distress which has also boon mooted, and which will probably bo taken up with zeal in our agricultural districts. Wo refer to the forwarding of agricultural produce direct to Ireland. Mr. J. P. O’Callaghan has been instructed by tho committee of the Irish Relief Fund to endeavour to obtain the co-operation of gentlemen of position and influence with the view of receiving and shipping grain, potatoes, &c., to tho distressed districts. No general meetings have as yet boon hold in the agricultural districts, and the movement is still in an embryo condition, nothing but tho merest preliminaries having been arranged. Mr. O’Oallaghan has, however, already been promised 1300 bushels of oats, and, considering tho small way the affair has gone, this may bo considered very encouraging. Tho Government might bo reckoned upon to convoy the grain free of cost to tho nearest point of embarkation, and it would rest with the shipping companies as to whether seme arrangement could bo made by which the transmission of tho goods in bulk to the old country might bo rendered a satisfactory proceeding. A precedent for such a course as suggested is to bo found in the magnificent donation made to the poor of Ireland during the famine of 184 G and 1847 by the United States. During the unexampled horrors of that time certain Boston merchants petitioned Congress to lend one of tho national war ships for tho purpose of carrying to Ireland a cargo of provisions, and tho United States Representatives voted tho loan of the frigate Macedonian and the sloop Jamestown for the purpose indicated. This was on the 3rd of March, 184*7, ■ and by the 27th tho whole cargo of the Jamestown was stowed away, the said cargo consisting of barrels of provisions, grain, meal, &e. Besides,, there wore 400 barrels of pork, one hundred tierces of hams, and other extras. The Jamestown reached Cork after a voyage of fifteen days, and the cargo was distributed among tho famishing poor. We have merely brougi-t forward this illustration to show that tho same sort of thing as suggested by our Irish Belief Fund Committee has been done before, and although it would of course bo impossible to carry out the same idea here on anything at all like tho same scale, yet it may well be argued that what was possible in those days is also possible in these, when the means of communication are so superior. It has been objected that the goods might indeed be delivered in London to advantage, but that tho cost of transit thence to Ireland would eat up any profit that might accrue. But surely the British Government, when once the contributions wore landed in England, would undertake to forward them free of cost to Ireland. We have alluded to this matter because It is evident that, if tho affair is to bo a success, tho greatest energy should bo used by all sections of the community willing to help in the realisation of the (project. As we have stated above, tho agricultural districts of Canterbury have not yet been canvassed, communication has uot been held with similar districts in Gtago and elsewhere, nor finally is anything known of tho views of the Government or of the shipping companies on tho subject. But tho project is not a mere visionary one. There are elements if reality and success in tho idea if the various parties concerned will pull together with a will. It would be pleasant, moreover, for Canterbury to bo connected with a scheme which as far as the present generation at all events is concerned, contains an elements of freshness and novelty in the method of showing deep interest in the severe sufferings of our fellow countrymen.

Practical illustrations are incessantly coming to the surface of the truth of the remarks that have so constantly hoea made by His Honor Judge Johnston as to the evils produced by the carelessness of tradesmen in taking cheques from people about whom they know nothing whatsoever. ■ It is certainly marvellous, this negligence on the part of individuals who, in the ordinary paths of life, are cautious to an extent. And in other matters besides cheques it would appear that Christchurch tradesmen act in very much the same spirit of anomaly. It would seem as if .anybody who enters this city armed with a.,sufficiently romantic tale, and possessed oi a plausible address can always obtain ■ money or goods at his own sweet will. In the case of an individual brought up to-day before the Resident Magistrate on a,warrant from Wellington charged with obtaining a sum on false pretences, it incidentally transpired that a jeweller of this city had parted with a considerable amount of jewellery to him on a more order -on the prisoner’s father. Wo understand that the confiding jeweller is now in great anxiety aboutius goods, as he is commencing to look upon the order with considerable distrust, and even to have flashes of a suspicion that perchance his customer’s father may not be in the flesh at all. Tradesmen in general are properly very chary about granting credit, but other people besides the Judge are surprised at the occasional recklessness they display. Probably the tension of continued caution is too much, and steam has occasionally to be let off to the benefit of a class who aro quite willing to take advantage of the sudden display of coufideutial amiability.