The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturday*.) SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 1880.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 499, 13 March 1880, Page 2

The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturday*.) SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 1880.

The Nihilists of Lia.-siii are evidently very hail shots. They have wasted a good deal of ammunition within the last few years, without onoo drawing blood—at least, without drawing the blood they wished to spill. Is there no waste place in all the Rnssias where they could have a little practice without alarming the police? If there is not, would it not be worth while to smid a few of their thorough going patriots to some free country to learn the use of firearms ? It appears to ns that there is a great deal of folly mixed with the determined ingenuity of those Mylhian terrorists. They have displayed an amazing amount of perseverance and cunning in preparing their various plots—gunpowder, dynamite, and other—but they have always failed fur want of a little very common-place shill in execution. The manner in which they circulate and print their literature is marvellous. They bind their hooks in the covers of some well known and popular works, and circulate under that disguise. They enter into the lowest kinds of labour for the sake of coming in contact with the mass of the people. They manage to scatter their journals and pamphlets among thesoldiers, in the public offices, among the jo' ice, and in every m>ok and corner of the Empire. Recently a certain- officer of poiire received certain instructions from the Kmpeior regarding steps to ho taken against Nihilists, hut in the very same pi reel there was, from the Nihilist Centra! Cmimiitt-'O, a threat of immediate assassination, if the instructions were carried out. After several secret printing presses had been seized in St. i'etersbnrgh, and it was thought that a d“aih blow had been given to the production of revolution try li’oratnre, there appeared, the very next morning, aeres of placards announcing that the Nihilist journal would he piinhshcd as uutal, and could he obtain'd at the old place. Fresh subscribers wore kindly invited. All this show; d a (inly wonderful amou t of ingenuity and daring, as do also their

attempts at violence. To undermine a | railway without attracting attention, must involve no small amount of labor, anil implies, in its successful carrying out, an astonishing absence of the traitor element. This latter may, however, be accounted for by the tael that Nihilism is confined, or almost confined, to people above the lower stratum of the Russian population. They are often persons of title, station, culture, and wealth, and Lave, therefore, little tempt ition to seek to better their position by betraying the cause that they have evidently espoused with a sincere conviction that it is h>r the benefit of mankind. This fact also throws light on the method used for blowing up the Winter Palace. It is not cone ivahle that there could have been any real undermining,” as it would imply a tunnel of tremendous extent, and the frozen ground of Russia is not suitable for mining operations. It may be of course that the mining had been liono long before, and was in waiting, but that is rather improbable. We rather incline to the belief that persons —lords and ladies—moving in the Court were the chief actors in the affair, and that they conveyed, under some disguise, the chargt s of dynamite into the Imperial dining saloon and exploded them there, perhaps, with the aid of the electric hells with which the Palace is probably fitted. However, it was done; it was a scheme that altogether left Guy Fawkes in the shade, and should lead to something more than State trials and executions of guilty, or suspected persons. It becomes more and more clear every day that the Russian authorities are not dealing with a small discontented clique that can be scattered by a few hangings, but with a desperate and gigantic confederacy which, like the monster of story, grows two heads for every one that is cut oft’. Tiie whole state of Russian society may. he compared to the railway line over which the Emperor was to enter Moscow, or to the Royal table in the Winter Palace, standing over a mine. It would be well for the august autocrat to read the early chapters of tins I'Vonuh itovolulion. Like the old French monarchy, lie learns nothing and forgets nothing. Like it, he is sitting on the safety-valve for fear the steam should escape, and is continually calling out for more letters and irons to hang on. By sitting on that valve lie is damming up and accumulating a force which, before long, will he worse than dynamite under the table. His position is splendidly shown in the recent cartoon in Punch, where he is flourishing his chains and fetters iu the dark, and exclaiming, “ Aid Ctvsar aid Ahi/uT’ —l will bo C'ajsar or nothing—while all mound him glide shadows with uplifted knives. It is possible that what wo have attributed to want of skill as marksmen and as mine-exploders, has really been part of the deep laid scheme. Perhaps the Nihilists do not wish to assassinate the iimperor, Jest t l:cy should cause n tide of loyalty and sympathy to rise against them. Perhaps they prefer to fail, and excite the sympathy in the other direction by the barbarities to which limy practically drive the Czar’s Government. To he shot, and to be shut at, are as different as sudden death and torture. 1 here, is more to be hoped from the perpetual fear of one tyrant than from the joyous succession of a dozen. If the Emperor can bo biought to foe! not onlv that he is continually covered by the pistol of an enemy—against which he can wear a suit of mail, hut. that he is also walking on dynamite—against which shirts of steel chain are not a perfect defence, he may begin to think that it would be better to give the country a constitution, ami preserve his own, Still | it it be the design of the revolutionary 1 party to simply keep the autocrat ot all the Russias continually sighing,

“ Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown,” wo fear they are spending their strength for naught. It is more difficult for the autocratic party to conceive of the necessity of any change, than it is for the mass of degraded serfs to conceive of the advantage and dignity of representative institutions. Even an autocrat cannot please himself; he is surrounded by a vast mass of fashion and wealth, of which hois the centre, and which acts and re-acts upon him in as powerful and subtile a manner as the body docs upon the mind. The probabilities are, therefore, that the Emperor will stand stupidly firm, being in dread of the daggers of his friends, li he won’t sit on the safety-valve, another will, and the loyal party will look for that other, who will not be ill to find. Men will be shot at for a. shilling a day, much more for the position of autocrat of all the Rnssias.

We made arrangements for getting both days’ Wanganui Races telegraphed to ns, but, through some cause or another, only the first day’s have come to hand. We were shown a private telegram of the result of the Cnp. A meeting of ratepayers of the Ilawera lload Board District, will be held at the olßco of the Board, on Monday next, at 4 p.m. ' Mr and Mrs Hart’s Comic Operetta Comp my is announced to appear in Carlyle on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings next. About twelve months ago the above lady and gentleman passed through this town, and great dissappointment was felt at their rot being able to give a performance, owing to the indisposition of Mrs Hart. We have no doubt that the Company will be well received, as the performers are so well known throughout the colon} - , and h-ive given such, general satisfaction. Mr a id Mrs Hart open at Waverloy on Monday evening, ami at 11 aw era on the Ibth and Pi;h.-

Mr F. R. Jackson will hold a sale of stork at Mr TI. I, Jones’ farm, No. 2 Line, Wanganui, on Tuesday next. Nominations for the vacant seat in the County Council, Hawera Riding, close at the Town Hall, Hawera, ut noon to-day. It will be seen by advertisements elsewhere, that tenders are invited by Government for gravelling portions of the .Mountain Road. The Taranaki Herald of Thursday says ; —An application was made by Mr Samuel to-day in the District Court for an order declaring :! complete execution of the deed of arrangement i,, tho estate of Gervasu Disney Hamerlo.i. Mr liaise, on bnhrdf.il! the guarantors (Messrs Uncles and Well.-), opposed the application on the grounds that fraud and misrepresentation had been used by the debtor to influence the guarantors to sign the deed. After hearing the argumentsof counsel. His Honor adjourned the case until to-morrow, to allow Air Samuel to produce further information to the Court.

PATE A COUNTY COUNCIL. Tim adjourned meeting of the above body was held on Tuesday hist. Present —Messrs Winehcomb, Brewer, tiane, Horner, and Hunter. Owing to the absence of Mr Dale, through illness, Mr Horner was voted to the chair. Minutes of previous meetings read ami confirmed. Correspondence read. Report of Foreman of Works road sis follows; Contracts Nos. 54, 55, and 56 have been finished to my satisfaction. Nos. 52, 53, and 57 arc in progress. With regard to contract No. 57, 1 feel much pleasure in stating that the stone, when broken, promises to be of a durable quality, and will, I have no doubt, be found an improvement, on the gravelling system.—The. repairing of road between Hawera and Normanby is nearly completed, and I have, as directed hy yon, instructed the contractor for gravelling High-street to complete the junction of High-street and main road. —The road between Hawera and Waingongoro Bridge will require outlets cut at short intervals, to prevent heavy rains washing away the gravel, and, unless otherwise directed, 1 purpose stationing a man on that portion until the work is completed. —Notice has been served, as ordered, on several parties allowing furze to encroach upon main road.—Tenders for (ho repairing of Tongahoe Bridge has been duly advertised lor, an appropriate estimate for which, together with the plans, etc., will bo laid before yon.—l would suggest that I be allowed to expend two or throe hundred pounds extra on metalling at Mokuia. —Guo. Hauukx. The report of the Surgeon having been road, it was resolved that the sumo be considered in Committee. The Council then went into Committee on tenders, when the billowing were opened for repairing Tongahoe Bridge : Tics. .Johnston, £do (informal): ,1. 11. HJeJKeiizxc*, £,30 10s; 11. .M a J Juv i 1 1 , £79 ios; another tender was received

without signature. The Committee recommended that McKenzie's lender be accepted.

The Surgeon's report was then dealt with, and after examining the steward at length, it was proposed by Mr Hunter, “ Til a l the Clerk bo instructed to write to Dr Croft to the following effect: Owing to a number of complaints having been made with regard to the management of the Hospital, an enquiry has disclosed a stole of things that can scarcely be allowed to continue. We find that the dietary guide for the steward is rarely attended to, and almost entirely left to the steward’s own discretion ; also that the steward receives little or no assistance or support towards keeping order—Loth with reference to cleanliness and to the patients being allowed to leave and return to the Hospital whenever they feel inclined.” On the Council resuming, the report of the Committee was received and adopted. L’roposed by Mr Horner, seconded by Mr Cam', and carried, *' That the Foreman of Works be instructed to prepare plans and estimates to reduce the gradient of the Patea Hill on the east side of the river, and lay them before the Council as its next meeting.” Proposed by Sir Gane, seconded by Mr Hunter, and carried, “ That the Chairman write to the Telegraph Manager, Wellington, calling Ids attention to the following fact;— The County has expended about £SOO forming light side tracks, and the telegraph poles now being erected completely spoils that outlay, to the injury of the ratepayers.” Proposed by Mr Gane, seconded by Mr Hunter, “ That tenders be called for depositing 500 yards (more or less) of stone, from the month of the Tongahoe river, on the Mokoia flat; tenders to close on the 23rd March, at 4 p.m., and that Messrs Horner, Dale, and the mover he appointed a committee to accept same.” An amendment was moved by Mr Brower, seconded by Mr Wunhcomb, “ That no further contracts be let for carting and breaking stone on Mamjwapou.” The resolution was carried. Accounts were passed for payment, and the- Council adjourned.