The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, May 25, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 996, 25 May 1911, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, May 25, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Thk Government programme in respect to ceremonies for Coronation Day has not yet been published. The local Borough Council has decided, however, to include the laying of the foundation stone of the Coronation Hall as part of the functions for that day. The Council has, further, invited the member for the district to perform this important function.

Referring to our article about the book which Mr Robert Cobb has just completed, we noticed, on glancing through the MS., the following allusion to the Manawatu Herald : “ Its inaugural anniversary I attended in the offices behind Mr A. Gray’s store (now the Post Office Hotel), about the time of which I commence this history. This paper then ruled the coast from Rangitikei to Wellington, and was started and run by Messrs Russell Bros., also landmarks of Time’s history, especially the younger (John), better known to most of us in the Mana watu through subsequently editing the Palmerston Times and latterly the Dannevirke paper, while his brother (George) edited a journal, and became a publisher, in Canterbury, where his constituents twice returned him as their member in Parliament. The former continued to edit the Manawatu Herald for some years ‘ on his own,’ eventually vacating the chair to the late E, S. Thynne, who continued to hold office till his death. During the Russells’ regime Mr Nash, now editor of the Manawatu Standard, was initiated in the mysteries of literary pursuits, which has since placed him in the front rank of the literary world, by his integrity and honesty of purpose, and enabled him to uphold the prestige of the Press.”

Sir Joseph Ward, in an interview with a Loudon Press representative said the Empire was so big and so scattered and its growth so rapid that the necessity of devising a method of united action in great emergencies was vital. It was essential to have in peace lime a system which would always be ready and effective for operation in time of war. He expressed the hope that the Conference would be convinced that it was possible to erect machine!y for the accomplishment of this purpose. Within a quarter of a century the Overseas Dominions would be more powerful in population, wealth and production than the Motherland to-day. He was referring not to accumulated wealth, but to the direct products of the soil and industries. The voice of the Dominions must be heard in

matters of Empire as a whole. The brightest and best intellects of the Old Country and the new ought to combine towards producing a system for invigorating the body and limbs of the greatest Empire the world has seen. The Daily Mail says that the last Conference was directly or indirectly responsible for the confederation of Australia and South Africa, the creation of colonial armies and navies, the reduction of tariffs against British goods, and penny postage. Even more important is the effect that these Conferences have had on the opinions and tendencies of policy throughout the Empire.

Speaking of the operation of the Crimes Amendment Act, the Chief Justice, President of the Prisons Board, said, at the Board’s first meeting, that of 31 prisoners who had made application, twelve would be recommended lor release on probation. He said that almost all the applicants had been seen personally in gaol in New Plymouth, where at present all prisoners of that class were confined, There was no doubt that the Act was a great deterrent, and most of the prisoners were trying hard to earn their release. If they worked, and behaved themselves, they received 6d per day pocket money. Some were saving it and others expending money in books, table luxuries, etc. It was obviously very difficult for old offenders to cast aside all their bad habits in a few months, but in the case of younger men there was greater possibility. In some cases, too, it was evident

that the criminal taint was hereditary, and the Board found many instances in which more than one member of a family had adopted a career of crime. Generally speaking, the Act appeared to justify its existence, and when a prison farm was established its possibilities would be greatly increased.

The Denominational cry is being raised in large centres in respect to the cadet movement, senior and junior denominational cadet corps are being formed. We have previously referred to the objectionable features of senior denominational cadet corps, and the Defence Department should cease to encourage, nay even prohibit them. While the State tolerates Denominational primary schools —denominational junior cadet corps are essential, but separation should end there.

A new political party is looming on the horizon. At the Provincial Conference of the Farmers’ Union, a motion was carried commending the formation of a Farmers’ Political Parly in the Dominion Parliament, It was explained by the President that it was not desired or proposed that the farmers of New Zealand should attempt to elect and send to Parliament members on the same footing as the present recognised parties, Government, Opposition, or Labour, whose objective was to obtain such a majority that they could form an executive who would carry on the whole public business of the Dominion in accordance with their political views. The Farmers’ Party it was now desired to form was a combination which had for its object the return to Parliament of members for the country constituencies who woidd engage themselves to watch all legislation affecting “ The Man on the Land,” aud bind themselves to vote unitedly for or against such legislation in entire disregard of how it affected the status of any recognised political party at present in Parliament or of the fate of any Ministry.

Most of us are accustomed to think of the stenographer as a product of very modern conditions. As a matter of fact, however, the profession was followed as long ago as the days of the Rpman Empire. Poets, who are laughed at nowadays for having private stenographers, had them in the fourth century of our era, and Professor Cole, of Columbia University, in a paper on “ Later Roman Education,” now translates into English for the first time the very complimentary address of the poet Ausonius to his stenographic assistant. Many a modern business man might say the same thing, although in less poetic diction. “Slave,” says Ausonius, “skilful master of swift notes, come hither. Open the double page of thy tablets, where a number of words, each expressed by different points, is written in a single word. I go through great volumes, and like dense hail the words are hurled from my noisy lips, but thine ears are not troubled nor is thy page filled. Thy hand, scarcely moving, Hies over the surface of the wax. I wish my hand had as swift a flight as thy right hand when it anticipates my words. Who, pray, has betrayed me? Who has told you what I was just meditating about saying ? How does your winged right hand steal the secrets of my honest thoughts ?” If we remember that in the fourth century people wrote with sharp points on wax instead of with pens on paper, the picture of Ausonius and his stenographer is surprisingly like that of the business man in office dictating a letter. The greatest difference is that Ausonius’ stenographer was a slave, and the modern stenographer an independent young woman who earns her own living.