Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, SEPT. 14. 1899 The Dreyfus Case.

Manawatu Herald, 14 September 1899, Page 2

Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, SEPT. 14. 1899 The Dreyfus Case.

The recondemnation of Captain Dreyfus by the last court-martial which sat at Rennes, has filled the world with dismay, and naturally, for it seemed absolutely certain that his innocence would be admitted. That this has been proved to the multitude is shown by the indignation the result ofthe court-martial has been received, and we only heard from France the other day that Maitre Labori, Captain Dreyfus counsel had asked to have the attaches at the Foreign Ministries examined by commission, an act approved of by the French, German, and Italian governments, yet was refused by the chief of the court-martial. As this was such a significant act of either belief in the accused's innocence, or of an unrelenting hostility which was carried so far as to refuse to hear all the evidence the accused desired to call, it was generally imagined that Dreyfus would be acquitted. A few years ago Dreyfus was condemned and punished in a most horrible manner, but by the devotion of his wife, and by the able pen of M. Zola, his case was laid before the public too powerful to be neglected, and then followed the mysterious murders and suicides of officer after officer whose names were connected with Dreyfus's condemnation. It was also proved that forgeries had been executed to secure his degradation, and a wonderful power was exercised to prevent the case being re-opened. Of no avail, the Court of Cassation, after hearing the case Dreyfus's friends could make out for him, decided tbere was something very suspicious about the first court-martial, and ordered a rehearing, which has just been concluded. It was supposed the prisoner would have a free and open trial, but it cannot be said he has when the court-martial refused to examine wit* nesses on his behalf and refused to believe the statement of the German Emperor that his government had had no relations with Dreyfus. It is enough to make every Englishman's blood boil and we agree with the German newspapers that such conduct has raised a barrier between France and the rest of the world. The courtmartial has been terrorised by the army and given their judgment to keep well with it, as it is not one in accord with the evidence, or in keeping with their recommendations. Dreyfus was found guilty some tew years ago, he was publicly degraded of his title and uniform and banished to a lonely isle.

If this was fitting treatment then and he has since been given an opportunity for a rehearing, at a great expense to the country, and has righteously been again found guilty, it is a curious travesty of justice for his judges to impose on him a lighter .entence and for them also to petition the President of the Republic to remit the degradation of the prisoner from his military rank. If he is guilty he richly deserved the punishment meted out to him, and an attempt to get off on a rehearing, unsuccessfully, should be punished as severely as' the first offence. We incline to the idea that the court-martial condemned Dreyfus to preserve the peace of the country, and that his banishment to a fortress is but the prelude to his being got quietly out of the country. The prisoner intends to appeal to the Court of Cassation and this will be Opposed by the army as vigorously as they feel fitted to act, and thus France has her Minister of War in a particularly dangerous position. Everything depends upon the courage and loyalty of General Galliffet, and it has been said, it will be woe to France if he should ba lacking in either. His position will be a most difficult one, and it will be the hope of those who desire peace that he will be able to act for the best interests of his nation.

Piercy's portable fences are now , being much inquired after. They are I made at Palmerston, and the cost per ! chain varies with the height of the fence. Particulars will be seen fully set forth in the advertisement in another column. Painters are having a very good innings in town just now and will have for some time to come, as we hear of many buildings in the Main street that are to have attention besides some private houses. There was no meeting ofthe Borough Council on Tuesday night, which had been called about the Fire Inspector arrangement. We are glad the retiring Councillors have left the qnestion to be dealt with by their successors. The Public Works Statement was laid on the table of the House on Tuesday evening. The estimates attached to the Statement provides for the £ for £ subsidy for the Wirokino bridge. The members of the Church of England will hold a Social at the Schoolroom on Wednesday evening next. For the third time a jury has been unable to agree in the case in which Richard S. Henry and John A. Coogan were charged with, conspiracy and attempting to obtain money by means of false pretences, generally known as the " Ethel ringing-in " case. The Crown will not proceed with the case again. The following cablegram has been sent by our legislators to Madame Dreyfus : — " Deepest sympathy from members New Zealand Parliament." The cablegram has been signed by a large number of members of both Houses. At a meeting of the Philosophical Society at Wellington on Tuesday night, Sir James Hector explained the working of the new earthquake recorder lately received from England, which he said was a production of the inventive genius of Mr John Milne. Mr Hoben hoped that with the new instrument it would be possible to register in New Zealand earthquakes that took place in Japan and South America. The instrument would also probably give evidence of tidal movements of the land, similar to but infinitely smaller than the ocean tides. A raid has been made by blacks on the Braeside homestead, Bamboo Creek, Western Australia. Dr Vines was killed, and Mr Hodgson, manager of the station, received a dangerous spear-wound. The Reid Ministry has resigned office, and the Governor has summoned Mr Lyne to form a Ministry. At the last meeting of the Horowhenua Council it was resolved, That tenders be called to metal that portion of the County road from Rowe's corner to the metal near Porotawhao ; tenders to be in by next meeting of the Council. The Mail says, Mr James Aim, of Eit ham, has been chosen from ten applicants to take charge of the Levin dairy factory. j The Coffee Palace in Wanganui ceases to be a coffee palace anymore, j as the Licensing Committee has granted the removal of the license of the Criterion Hotel to it. This does not speak well for the prohibitionist party in Wanganui. More haste less speed. Parliament passed The Municipal Franchise Reform Act this session in a great hurry, and the Hon. Mr W. C. Walker has introduced a bill) the " short " title of which is said to be "The Municipal Franchise Reform Act 1899 Amendment Act 1899." We wonder what our law makers would term a long title ? At a meeting of the Liberal League Federation, at Auckland, Dr Hoskings read a letter from the Premier accepting him as a Government candidate for the Waikato seat in the Liberal interests, and a latter from the Hon. Mr Cadman offering to address meetings in support of his candidature. The Empire Hotel, Palmerston, was discovered to be on fire at 1.30 o'clock on Monday morning. A considerable amount of damage was caused to the walls and roof at one end, but the efforts of the brigade were successful in saving the building. The fire originated in the kitchen, but there is no clue as to its origin. The insurances are : Building, £600 each in the National and Commercial Union Offices ; furniture, effects and stock (including billiard table), £450 in ihe Royal and £300 in the Commercial. The Premier has introduced the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act Amendment Bill. It provides that a. proposal to raise a loan shall be carried if the number of valid votes in favour exceeds the number of votes against each ratepayer having one vote and no more.

The Premier told Mr Duthie that he could rest assured that the present undesirable state of things as regards Court accommodation would be remedied as soon as possible. The wife of a settler in one of the towns along the MartaWatu line was taken suddenly ill on Saturday morning uuder circumstances that are likely to be the subject of a Magisterial enquiry. Part of the vomit was forwarded to the Government Analyst, Mr Skey, who, it is understood, found abundant traces of arsenic. The woman is said to be in a seridtls con-dition-—Post. That Awahuri bridge is always in trouble, the restless Oroua river changing first from one side and then to another. It has cost the interested Counties very rtudh money, the bridge being flow three times the length it was when originally built. At the suggestion of the Chairman of the Manawatu County Council the Government are to be a9ked for the advice of one of their engineers. It is apprehended that £800 will be required tor new protective works. At the tale of property near Hawera by Mr Griffiths, representing the N.2.L. & M.A. Co., the following sections were quitted: — Mr Wink's property : Lot 1, 4 acres 3 roods, Mr H. Halliwell, per acre £40 ; Lot 2, 5 acret, Mr H ardley, per acre £40 ; Lot 3, 5 acres, Mr Sussex, per acre £40 ; Lot 4, 5 acres, Mr Arthur, per acre £40 ; Lot 7, 5 acres, Mr Barrow, per acre £40 ; Lot 15, 6 acres 1 rood, Mr Griffiths, per acre £34 ; Lot 19, 13 acres, per acre, £30 ; Mr Corrie's property; Lot 1, 5 acres o roods 20 perches, Mr Hardlev, per acre £2s ; Lot 2, 7 acres 1 rood 18 perches, Mr Corrie, per acre, £z\ ; Lot 4, 75 acres 2 roods, Mr Goodson, per acre £21 ; Lots 5, 6. and 7 were passed in at "£23, £zx, and £23 respectively. The Rev. A. J. Wills, Vicar of Ormondville, is to pay a visit to Foxton, speaking on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Mr Wills is not only an eloquent speaker, but a powerful writer on the subject of Prohibition, he having written several books on the question.