Newspaper Motions

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 41, 13 April 1901, Page 6

Newspaper Motions

IN Victona, nfle-shooting has iccei\ed \ cry hboial encouiageinent fioiu the authonties, and theie is no leason win New Zealand should be behind its neighbour. It would be a mistake to dekn the inauguration of a new dcienco scheme a moment longer, and in that scheme the encouragement of lifle-shooting must play the most impoitant pait — Christchurch ' Times." * * • Public money is Iving spent m eveiy place in the eolon\ except Nelson — Nelson "Mail." * * * New Zealand's hope of success in the future is based on the fact that sho can utilise instead of selling her natural products. — Mastcrton "Stai ." The New Zealand Post Office-, undei its present Postmaster-General (Mr. J. G. Ward), is a decidely enterprising institution — Svdncv "Mail." » *■ * Stratford is on the rise all the time The bakers announce that the price of biead will be (id cash and 7d booked per 41b loaf. Hooray !— Stratford "Post." Rumoiu states that another scandal in high life is on the books in Christchurch. It is asserted that the Divorce Court will unravel matters. — Greytown "Standard." w ♦ • We are not aware that the people of this colony are slow to come forward with voluntary subscriptions when the occasion requires it If Mr. Seddon thinks so. lot him set a, good example. In all New Zealand there is no name that would look more unfamiliar at the head of a subscription list than that of the man who is so ready to accuse other people of meanness — Dunedin "Witness."

We're a nation of shop-keepers, it is true, but when the time conies to test the question, we shall piobably find that we have plenty of boys to mind the shop. — Sydney "Newsletter " * ¥■ * Our rifle champions have proved that Woodville is something more than a dot on the map, and some of our more ostentatious neighbouzs will yet learn to appreciate that fact. — Woodville "Examiner." * * * It is fully expected that the Hon. Mr. Ward will be knighted in connection with the visit of the Duke of Cornwall, and that the mayois of the foui puncipal cities to be \isitod by the Duke and Duchess will recen c knighthood — Law rence "Times " * * * The Sydney Commonwealth celebrations cost £92,000, or which the Government says it got back over £60,000 from the railways in three weeks It is to be hoped the Melbourne festivities show a similai good record. — Adelaide "Critic." » • • With the exception of the late Mr. Levin and Mr. John Plimmer, there is not a single wealthy man in Wellington who has ever unloosed his purse strings and given anything w orth speaking of as a public gift. — Blenheim "Express." * # * The Rivers Commission paid a visit to the district last week What, with commissions, celebrations, and kindred emn^ments, some of our public men need have no fear of losing their superfluous fat for some time to come. — Buller "Post." * * * A local wag has sent us the following in reference to the South African situation Is it true, Mr. Editor, that De Wet is still Steyn (staying) out of leach, and that it will Botha (bother) the British to capture him? — Inglewood "Record." * « • Some of the enemies of progressive legislation have no worse — or better — taunt to fling at the New Zealand Government than this that it is a "grandmotherly" one. Well, it is, at least, a wise old grandmother, and, for all her age, fully abreast of the times — in some respects the lively old dame is a little ahead of them. Our Government's functions are as varied as those of the elephant's trunk, which can shift half a ton of lumber or pick up a number six sewing needle. — Dunedm "Tablet."

Our telegrams this morning note the liberality of the Chinese in the way of subscriptions. In Gisborne the other day Wong King was inquiring for the secretary of the Hospital, to whom he handed a subscription of a pound — a voluntary ogering. — Gi&borne "Times." * * * It is stated, with reference to the approaching royal visit, that only the Court is expected to wear half-mourn-ing. That is all right. Half-mourn-ing will be the rule in Auckland, because nine-tenths of local Society has been through the Court — Auckland "Observer." * * * The game of bowls has spiead to the uttermost corners of the eaith, and Stratfoid, one of the 'newest" towns in the Empire, is the fortunate possessor of the largest gieen between Auckland and Wellington. As a social institution a bowling club has no superior. — Stratford "Post." * * * Look out, girls' here's another good chance. Among York's party, coming to Australia, and, of course, Hobart, is Henry John Innes-Ker, eighth Duke of Roxburgh, a young man of 24, and unmarried. In 1892 he succeeded to the dukedom, which was created m 1707. — Hobart "Clipper." The Government is now pushing on the main trunk railw ay at a decent rate of speed, and there is good reason to hope that in about four years from now the trains will be running all the way to Auckland. We expect to see excursion tickets issued to Auckland during the Christmas holidays of 1904. — Hunterville "Express." * *■ * New Zealanders have picked up a good deal of the American style of "hustling" in matters of business, and of late years they have gone ahead of their Australian neighbours in opening out the trade of the Pacific. Now, they are pushing past Australia's door to get their products first into the African market. — London "Daily Chronicle." • • • Another strange anomaly, connected with the criminal law , was disclosed during the sitting of the District Court m Masterton yesterday. It appears that under the Criminal Code a man may be sentenced to seven years' hard labour, and receive a flogging, for indecent assault, on the uncorroborated testimony of a female. — Masterton "Star."

The Government Gazette of Thursday last fairly teems with Orders in Council. There are over twenty of them. Every thing is now done by Order in Council. — Carterton "Observer." ¥- * * Any monarch who attempted to imitate the morals of the late Queen's predecessors would be sent to the "right about" so quickly that we should not have occasion to repeat the castigation. — Queenstown "Mail." • • ♦ The poor-house ought not to get a footing in New Zealand, even under the less objectionable title of "The Old Men's Home." Such old men who may require aid could be more happily placed with friends and relatives, than collected under one roof, where they must necessarily weary and aggravate one another. — Masterton "Times." ♦ • • Melbourne postmen are reported to dread the arrival of the New Zealand mail. A large number of the letters and papers posted in New Zealand bear only the penny postage stamp. These are surcharged on arrival at Melbourne, and the trouble the , postman have in collecting the deficient postage and fine is heartrending — Westport "News." * ♦ • The Cabinet proposes to set up a tailoring establishment to make all volunteer uniforms and do whatever other tailoring work may be required. To extend the State tailoring establishment so that it should supply ordinary clothes to civilians as well as uniforms to volunteers would not appear to bo a very difficult, or even dangerous, step — Waamate "Advertiser." * * * A great change has come over the Maoris during the last few years in connection with the drinking of intoxicating liquors. The old custom of rum-drinking has almost disappeared, and now draught beer is the principal tipple of the commoner, the chiefs taking kindly to the more aristocratic bottled ale.— Tauranga "Times." • • • Premier Seddon's idea to run a State coal mine in New Zealand is another step — is it forward or backward? — in the direction of socialism. Theorists will hail the proposal with delight, but where does the fairness to one section of the people come in? How much has the New Zealand Government sunk in testing and developing the coal and other mines of the colony compared with private enterprise? — Adelaide "Critic."