PASSING NOTES. (From Saturday's Daily Times.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 5

PASSING NOTES. (From Saturday's Daily Times.)

On© more Old Year laid decently on the shelf. One more New Year decently and comfortably installed in his place finds us with yet another set of those equallydivided annual impressions which never lose their perennial freshness. Upon my soul, I never can tell which is the more delightful of the two — the sponging off the old slate or the writing on the new slate ; both are so full of an enjoyment peculiarly their own. Of all "holidays commend m© 'to those of Christmas and New Year. There's a flavour, a "tang" about them lik© nothing else in life. If we can enjoy them all, they are lik© the strange pleasures of Boccaccio's gardens, keenest because they aT© stalked by the shadow of death. It -is safe to say that for th© really busy people all holidays are too short. Especially this is the case with Christmas and New Year holidays, when, having spent ourselves and our substance in a round of benevolent revelries for the general happiness at Christmas, we fall back on New Year as a small 'perquisite peculiarly our own. Perhaps, like wit, our holidays are the brighter for their brevity ; yet I find myself "\ wonderfully* in sympathy with Lamb when he described his return from a holiday thus - % " You cannot conceive the degradation I felt at first, from being accustomed to wander free as air among mountains and bathe in rivers without being controlled by anyone, to come home and work. I felt very little. I had been dreaming I was a very great, man ; but that is going off. I find I shall conform in tim© to tnat state of life to which- it has pleased God to call me." It was,however, to our twentieth century standards, a fairly quiet, even .humdrum, world to which Lamb returned from his holiday of meditating in Oxford and roaming on Skiddaw — a worid untraversed by the automobile, undisturbed by telegraphic news, uninfested by telephone messages ; a world, in fact, to whose unfamiliarity the nearest realisation in our tim© would, be made by, a man released from his Majesty's gaol at th© expiration of, say, a twenty years' sentence. The extraordinary Tapidity of invention in modern times would place a twenty years' convict in th© position of a veritable Rip van Winkle. . ; Keir Hardie continues to afford a 'grateful and harmless topic for the-holiday -and hot-weather frame of mind, to which the lighter * and more inconsequent the 'fare tne more it is acceptable. Perhaps of all. the little man's portentous utterances, the following strikes on© as the most truly ingenuous: — "I don't believe in. interfering in other- people's business, and would resent as insolence anyone coming to th© Old Country from Australia and professing to understand after a few weeks' visit the workings of the Labour movement at Home." ■ Strange, passing strange ! That is precisely the attitude to which we have been attributing certain blazing indiscretions in India. Mental and moral indigestion produced by good intentions working on imperfectly digested information. Funny how some people are too obstinate to let themselves be helped out of a nasty corner ! Yet in view of recent developments we must cry "Pax" to all the little man's mistaken tilting at windmills. As th© shattered stranger within our gates, he willy-nilly claims our hospitable indulgence, though, should th© gods transport him promptly back to England, we should probably emulate Thackeray's delicious description of Werther's Charlotte, who, . .". . when she .saw his body Carried past her on a shutter, Like a well-conducted 1 person, Went on cutting bread-and-butter. A "little- tour round the world, undertaken, in search of health, and entirely devoid of political significance " has proved a. more variegated performance than K. H. contemplated. It is possible that th© intrepid reporter. of talmerston North may yet find himself famous in the

sketches, entitled "A Scamper Round th© World," which the idol of the Indian babu is contributing to one of the English I journals. On the morning that the news ; of K. H.s motor mishap appeared in the ' papers. I was in a quiet inland town, and , heard the news thus : " Great business this 'bout Keir Hardie ; damaged in motor capsize." "Good enough! That'll stop his socialistic rot." "What? Is he a Socialist? Thought he was a beastly Indian agitator." And this is fame !

What is it to us that th© Shackleton Ant- - arctic expedition is but a little one — a pocket one, co to speak. It is our own pocket that' it sits in, and "we have been, and shall be, as interested as the proverbial hen with one chick. Strange that there was no Government boat to tow" the Nimrod to the ice. These appanages -of a. democratic Government are" usually otherwise engaged when anything- but Ministerial trips 'or family, progresses are_re:.j quired, I notice. The personal bred, of a generous outburst of giving' and' receiving both material ." and ' spiritual - things, mad© the . send-#ff . to the little vessel and her great-hearted crew a-_ really; fine thing. ' And' in it alL'there was ,ric-^ thing (among minor detefus) which strikesa pleasanter not© than the dipping, of the | Nimrod's ensign as 'she s passed , the j Amokura with her " fleet in being," brimful of wild enthusiasm on© moment and the very next the proudest boys this side the line one may be sure. The outgoing mail to King Edward the Seventh Land was a happy suggestion, intensifying ' the element of personal ' interest, iust as the unrehearsed presence of the huge Power-, ful brought into" sharpest contrast the insignificance of the latest Antarctic exploring venture. Most people have read more or less eagerly the details of equipment/personnel, objects of the expedition, and plan of procedure: when all is said and done', not one of -all those readers realises the, brooding smenace5 menace of the vast silent places in .which Antarctic explorers o.re eH'2^ilfed when they slip over the , rim of Jl -e living horizon. A passing "dc - of the strange and unfamiliar aspects which even every-day pursuits acquire in the rigours of the Polar regions is gained by the fact that some of tie magnificent photographs with which Peary's ".Nearest the Pole " is illustrated ate the results "of plates exposed for three hours in th© full moonlight of an Arctic December, night. Two years is a long time to wait, but I doubt not that the ovation which will greet the return of the Nimrod will be -worthy rot her send-off.

I wmen even every-aay pursuits acquire m. the rigours of the Polar regions is gained by the fact that some of tie magnificent photographs with which Peary's ".Nearest the Pole " is illustrated ate the results "of plates exposed for three hours in th© full moonlight of an Arctic December, night. Two years is a long time to wait, but I doubt not that the ovation which will greet the return of the Nimrod will be -worthy rot her send-off. According to. recent cablegrams the Black ,Hand society to uphold its sinister reputation.* "From- the sensational point of view it really would have been a pity to miss so striking as "that" supposed restaurant with its "subterranean school for instruction in' the gentle art of stabbing. Now, stabbing is one of thet accomplishments which ' one is apt to consider intuitive — a mechanical action inspired to accuracy by the passion of personal tragedy, or the ~'white heat of political patriotism. It would be interesting to know how many of the successful stabbings for which the stabber has forfeited life or freedom we're committed by pupils who had passed their--" certificate of merit" in the school for murder._ ; Some light would be thrown on the question as to whether instinct, fused .to incandescent, brilliance by supreme passion, is a sufficient teacher in these homicidal arts. Anyway, it is in N'York that we have vgrown to look for all things abnormal in crime, and,, if we did not perpetually remind ourselves of the vastness of that America of which N'York "is the pearl and the " hub," how shocked . we would be at the wickedness of it !' — at the burglaries tot up to £3,200,000 for the year (of grace) 1907, as well as all the varied bill of fare in which the Thaw trial and th© Wall street ©mash-up 'are but items. You observe that the final spurt in burglaries in New York is attributed to "the unusual number of unemployed."' < And yet ,one reads in the same papers of -the | ecarqity of labour on the Pacific Coast, and j of Canada^ inducing an Asiatic response which sete the honest soul of the white" labourer aflame with " yellow peril " indignation. There is evidently, a hitch somewhere, a discrepancy between supply and ; demand. Messieurs, my brothers, tfie"re is still a further "word to. say on_the ■ distribution of labour, though you are_ more ."occupied with the redistribution of wealtji. Harking back, however, to- the subject of burglaries, I am glad to see that i poor ..old -England takes the lead in somegibing. She can scarcely hope, being but i 6mall, to vi© with America's villainies. I j was thankful to see her score with a more jocund thing, to wit, the best practical joke of the season — a motor burglary, the first of its kind : a most gentlemanly achievement, to which the downing flavour for both the Marquis and hi? guests would no doubt be added if they could know themselves famous at the antipodes — even though only as practical jokists. The ingenious suggestion of the Prime Minister fchat we, as a nation, might be permitted to rebuild Parliament Buildings for ourselves is worthy of our Jbsep"h s financial genius ; of his generosity also. Sir Joseph is always ready to add 1 to our little pleasures. Whether we sha.ll rise to th© fine patriotism of the scheme so • manifestly designed for our ethical improvement is perhaps questionable. What ; se-ctions of " the people" would! be eligible • for contribution? Not the youth of the | country. After stating to admiring Eng- ; lish audiences that the.. Government had granted old-age pensions in order that < young people might not be hampered by • the -support of their parents, surely it ■ would be manifestly unkind .to ask them Iq part with their hard earnings for any-_ thing but ourselves. Not the old, for ! the Government * s already supporting' them. Not* the rich, .who will' be hard ' put ' to it (as things are going) to escape annihilation as compjete, as overtook another interesting"- epecies — the 'moa,- Not

' the Labour party or the Socialists : tity, of course, have nothing, or they would noti be Socialists, for by a beautiful law o| Nature as 6<x>n as a man begins to have, property he begins to be conservative — or, rather, develops the conservatism whiobl enabled him to get that little bit of property, however modest. Who, then? Doubtless- the women. Already ii)| imagination I see miles of subscription! lists engineered by these dear enthusiastic) creatures eager to prove their gratitude fop the'tyrivileges— nay, that is indeed a slip—)* J' rights" of liberty, equality, and fraterVj conceded to them by dead and gona^ Ministries. • Gratitude is, -we ,-know, buf( a sense bf favours to come. Here fa ih% crucial moment^ for the women of Nevft "Zealand — the very- tide that, taken at the flood, leads on to — favours to come: a . recognition of their claims to sit in Parlia.- ' ment, the " logical outcome" of "thed^ voting- freedoms. "Sir Joseph's genial com-, i tention that Parliament Houses are -tfig { property, not of "any one city, but ot ever - person in New Zealand," is just the" \ . kin-u of argument to suit th« picturesqneWf ' inaccurate -'feminine mind, and, upon" nra j word ! I should, lake to 'see feminine? legislators verifying -the rash statement ! i Jii> a,nyratej*;6ne may, assume, -that such; 1 questions* as Vwhetiier ,a shirt, - however j brief, may be considered "full dress" for, a doll, together with "searching investigaf tions -as to, "time off" and -".days out L * in - the domestic - service 1 problem^ : might be dealt "with by women as -M.P/'d in a spirit of ljght and leading impossible! to the mere man. - . J

the timely generosity of his' Excellency in placing Government House at the disposal of" the homeless legislators prevents our being carried off our feet by any impulsive enthusiasms iv; the building line. But for Lord Plunket's* happy inspiration, who can tell where weV might have found ourselves? — "doing ii little bit" to the tune of £12,000 or stf for temporary quarters to house becomr ingly" those plain Labour-party people of simple life. Or even plunged in the fascinating possibilities of a new, a glorious/ an up-to-date "block of buildings, to belong — vicariously — "to" every person in' New Zealand," and to cost? — but, no/ that gale is also, weathered, and there will only be a' little bill of a few thousands' for "rendering Government House" 1 suffi?' «iently suitable and convenient for our pa-* triotic- legislators. ' Very naturally, deErivedof home comforts, striving to maket oth ends meet on their paltry -honor-; arium, let us do what we can to fit these halls of dazzling light' to their intellectual needs. The , really, jjejplexlng question is — or so it seems to me 1 — this; When Government House has been transformed into Parliament, House, .and its • aristocratic"' atmosphere exchanged for . a .whole-souled- flavour -of democracy, .howi shall ;_it' return to its original "uses? Shalt 111 1 We " face the music for ani&Eher little billl^ for still ' more 'necessary alterations ? And when those notable quick-change; artists/ the painters, plastferere,. 4 a.nd paperharigers'.* havejonoe more swept and garnished an& removed the,, highly-charged atmosphere' of legislation, what will that venerable wooden rat-trap, finally represent? We? have, most of; us, had. our.smail personal? experien.ces in "the fearful and wonderful .possibilities opened- up by the'^ph'fas© "repairs and alterations." The very, Bound of the . words ' recalls Leech's in-* imitable 1 drawings of the- experiences '*of Mr ' Briggs, - and awakens the oft-recur-ring regret tnat- in^ all our complacent' advance in 'the field of art there *-is' so little impulse towards th© wit , that finds' its expression in caricature. -- Crvis.. -t

During Christmas week 25 patients, jwer© admitted to the Dunedin. Hospital -end 27 j were discharged. There was, one death 1 during the week — namely, that of - Hannah-; Brown. Th© number of patiente" remaining - in^ the* institute at the ..close of ■ the week' •was 109. -" ' : ,' } t ", • <.' i Information ' has been receive*! ' Ey thtf police that a man named William Wells'," 'an old-age .pensioner, - aged 70 years, was found dead in hie hut. on the Lammor-la-w Ranges on the' 26th* inst. An inquest; was deemed unnecessary. ' J At the" Waitahuna chow on. December 271 ; the following competitive events were 1 'decided: — Tilting at the ring, seven^entries — > J. Moore 1, J. Paulin and J. Bulfiri (equal) 2.' Polo race, 11 entries — D. Ryan 1, J. Paulin. 2. Best jumping hack, 10 entries — Gear Bartlett 1, W. Varcoe 2. Pony trot, five entries— A. M. M'Millan 1, Jos. M.*Williarn 2. Best leaping pony, five entries — Ai> ' Edwards 1, Edward Ryan 2. i % i Prince Ranjitsinhji r (Maharajah Jam* Sahib of Nawanagar) returned recently to ■ England in order to recruit hie* health, and took up his residence at a Weet-end hotel with a numerous retinue. Recently the Jam fell from his horse and broke a bond in the shoulder. Enterio followed, andl his Highne6S became so ill that hie medi£ cal adviser ordered him to England for 1 12 months "for a complete change. Sine© he took up hie * duties as Jam of Nawaf nagar Prinoe Ranjiteinhji has' (saver Mr A. O. Maclaren) administered hie estate in an enlightened and progressive, spirit. ]$ Liberal in polities, he' has Bought the co--operation of his people, and has already^ effected great improvements. A City Irn^ provement Trust has been formed; a housing scheme for thei poor started, and: orders given for the construction of a grain" market, the%rant of which is believed to have b€An hitherto r responsible for a great deal of *plague. This is .only the fringe of the reform movement. Naturally "ifcs has not neglected gpinrt. "He has got a cricket ground on his "estate," 'Bays Mrs Ma«laren, -wand he tells -me it is snaping very well. When I was out there it looked , like beimr a. vAry" good ; ground indeed."-- A"