TOPICS OF THE DAY. (FROM "AUCKLAND S AR" CORRESPONDENT.)

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 232, 10 December 1887, Page 9

TOPICS OF THE DAY. (FROM "AUCKLAND S A R" CORRESPONDENT. )

London, October 21. h Hard Woat*icr sand fi>i& tress. s Haw) wontlicr has set in unusually oavly, and there seems every prospect of a long^ h cold, *.n<l most miseiable winter. The P bitter -cry of outcast London is already making itself loudly heard, and many omin- „ ous threats of robbeiy and violence arc \ mingled with the prayers of the poor fo r * work or relief. On Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, thousands of unmitigated \ and unmi&takab'o loughs assembled 1 in Tiafalgar Square, nominally tor j the purpose of " lcgithnato agitation,*' j Jjut really in the hope of ;i liot and plunder. \ Since our East. End scum tabled the sweets i of "looting" on tli:\t fatal aitevnoon 18 < months ago, they ha\e been on the gui vice < for another opportunity fora amihi uimpus. , On Monday aiteinoon it ically looked for a ] time, as if the longed for moment had arrived. Several inflammatory orators openly : suggested the mob keeping itself to thodis . played richer of the adjacent Strand, and , .a move, full ot mischief, was absolutely ■ made towards, that thoioughfare The 1 police, however, wclc on the watch, and suddenly emerged in strong phalanxes headed by 'mounted sergeants fiom the sui rounding' stieets, They met the mob opposite Cluuin'T Cioss, and a free light ensued, in the oom^o of which numeious heads (official and civilian) Aveic biokcn and much propcity damaged. This occurred at 3 p m., when the ordinary .Strand traiiie \v.b at its busiest. Naturally, ladies vtcrc robbed and huetled, and footpads and pi k-purscs did ti loaring tiade. i confess to seeking sanctuary at the Savage Club. Apropos of the Irish DiiHviilty. The following story which ib vouched for as strictly true by a hienc! of mine and y ill i hope appear in next Saturday's " Spectator," shows what that much abused perconaee the Irish landlord has to put up v.ith in tlie present state ot ailaiif-. The week before last the pioprietor of an estate in Sli<.>o, thoroughly well looked after in all I respects, was receiving (or latlicr eiletting to recehe) his rents. The tenant^ woie all asking for and receiving abatements, when one man came forwaid with demands more e\orbit'int and moic difh cult to meet than any of the ot heirs His rent wa^, about i's, *mkl linally he produced ay hat be s>nid ua r a one pound note— cell the men yhe had in tht icothl. The agent took the note, v\ rote cut a icoeipt,°and hinder! it with five <-o\eicigns to Faddy, who ciied, " What's, this, hiire an' duln t. I yer honour a one pound note." "Not at all,' said the agent, blandly, "a Ln pound note.'' "Oh!w ma ! win al.*'a 1 .*' yelled tbenvn, '• that baste Budget must have pulled the wiong note out cf the stocking; ' and he ieh»ed waning his shillelagh ominously. That 'viino night Paddy °Waft an cited and conveyed^ to durance a ile for ha\ing beaten hi* v ife to a jelly and broken her leg dining the operation. Thiuki!i£ .llcud. I ha\c just dipped into Filth's aut jbiography suiticientiy I > be ablo to tell \ou that it will be th' 1 book of the sea-on. The two volumes litcially teem with good stories Heie io me about the late Loid Dudley, who at tinie^suiFe.-e'l fiom theawk--waid habit of thinking aloud. Once when eomeising with the Queen, he put some question with icgaid \o a point or etiquette at a coming ccn'munia 1 , which had ahcvidy been settled. Her Maje-ly was iultable, and leplied eio^l,), \' IVai me' answeicd that qiu-iio-j !<.">•- bcfoic. "D n hei ! bo ,-he ban ; bO she lia.-,'" thought. Loid Dadley, and if v'o.i'l Fiith i elates that when the King ot Portugal was a! out to be introduced to the late bir E'bsin Land-cei, be opies.sed a A\isb to pay the fatitt a •*mt r ibie compliment. " Kefei to \\\~> [,ictu:cb,"' &aid an Aide-dc camp. >- You know bo io a great animal paiulo-." Imngino the sensation tlie monaich eieatcd when, on the [)ie ceiitation being effected, he ,vud, " DeLghUA to make your acquaintance, bu - Edwin ; I'm so iond of beasts ! ' Tlic Lute Sorgcnnt Ballassilue. This lemindb me of a yarn about the late Sergeant Ual'antine that is going the louncK The great advocate went to dive one night wuh a noncrau 7 iJi i ot uncei tain social prct-en^ion 4 -. " Whom shall I announce rr,ked the pompous butler '('' " Sergeant Bdllantine, plca=e ?'' Whereupon the door was flung open, and the man announced, " Captain liannatiiie, ' at the same time whi&peiing' to the astounded guest, '* Wo 'aye no Sergeants "cie " Bn^lo BillThe American Exhibition closed on Saturday, and Buffalo Bill and Co. are pieparing for a tour of the provinces, commencing with Manchester. The scenes of their operations at Cottonopolis will be the r acecourse, whereon on an iron theatie, costing £12,000, is in course of erection. Aristocratic Shopwomcn. The success of Lady Granville Gordon's bonnet shop has led to several more aristocratic but impecunious ladies becoming tradeswomen. Some start business on the sly, others openly. Mrs Wheeler and Mrs Hussey Viran are recent recruits. They have just opened a temporary bn'c-a brae emporium in Mayfair, aud being both of them famed for their taste in house decoration, will piobably do well. Mrs Wheeler was the last and perhaps the best known of the go-called professional beauties. She basked tor a long time in the sunshine of Maryborough House, but tinally irreparably offended an illustrious personage by referring jocularly to the increasing girth of his waist. The Princess of Wales, who usually views her lord and master's innocent amourettes witli placid indulgence, is said to have paid Mrs W. the compliment of being jealous. Theatricals. The stage has just received another iccruifc from " society " in the person of Mi*s Freake, a daughter of Sir Thos. and Lady Freake, whose private theatricals of Cromwell Houses were such a success some seasons ago. Miss Freake is a goodlooking girl, of only average abilities, and will not set the Thames an fire. The iru&ical sensation of the hour is a Miss Gomes, a half-caste cantatrice, bred in Calcutta, whose marvellous singing 1 of "Home, Sweet Home" melts thousands to tears at Co vent Gardens nightly. She has a lovely liquid voice capable of implying infinite tenderness and yearning, and, as a ballad singer, will probably ac!iie\fc the highest honouis. KZr W. T. Stead's (Editor of tlie " Pall Ulall Gazette ") Career. A seini-r.utobiographical sketch which Ml'M 1 ' Stead recr .tly contributed to a religious weekly, &h ;ws that despite much prejudice and arrogance, the apostle of the " new journalism "' is a man of no common kidney. His childhood seems to havo been dull aud xpre3«ive. Mr Stead, sen., a Nonconformt minister of narrow views, talked texts

nd dieted Ins son on Sunday-school! iterating. The result was that when it* I lis twelfth year the boy came across «. oapy if the "Lay of the Lasb Minstrel" it Llmosb'turnca Hius head. For a long *Jraae le would read nothing olse. Ifc was inqposible, ho thotagsit, that any other poenroauld squal that. Later,, however, ho 'dapped nto {{ Mara&Hi," and was reassured. The stead's were too strict to be theatregoers, indeed the editor of the " Pall Mall " ■ms 1 never to this day witnessed * stage play. He had consequently ueadhed the 'vge ot 16 before Shakespeare operated a new rt orld to him. Dicks at that time happened to be publishing the bard in pommy weekly numbers. Stead subscribed, devouring two plays every Saturday evening. He says they enormously widened the horizon of liis life, and added new and vivid colour to existence. It was, however, a little poem by Oliver Wendell Holmes that fh&fc set to work the springs that have made the editor of the " Pull Mall " such a power both for good and evil. He says, "Itis a short poem only eleven verses, called " Extreme Unction " but it made a deeper dent on my lifo than any other printed matter I ever read beloio or since. A rich old man, to whom the sacraments of the church me about to be administered, repels the priest and dies in despair. Here are a few of the stanzas that clung- to me like bmrs haunting me by day and night : — On this bowed head the awful past Once laid its consecrating hands, Tin* future, in its purpose \ ast, Paused, waiting my supreme commands. God bends fiom out the deep, and says - T gave (hoc the j?re il gilt of life. ■\Vas>t thou not called in many wajs? Are nut my caith and lujnven at strife I Now hero I jyasp-What ! lo^o my kind, When tin-- Cast, ebbing breath shall part, "What bands of io\ c and soi \ k a bind This being to the world's sad heail. v * I hear the renpcis singing so Into God's harvest. I that might With them hive chosen, here below G ope, shuddering at the gates oi" niijhU Of these lines the question What band'? of love and service bind Tins being to the world's sk\ heart I stinf me like a spur of fire ; to-day, aftci the lapse of 20 yeais, they ha\e not lost their propelling power. Young Stead was also much mo\ed by the familiar stanza - He's true to God wl o's true to man wherever \wontf i<? clone To the lutinblcst, to the weakest ncvith the allbeholding sun ; Tha, wrong is alco done to us, find they are slaves most base Who v love ol ricjht is foi* themselves, and not lor all their race. Under the *timulv-> of those ideas he cea>ed to dream, nnu devoted himself to ni«ht school work, teaching, and other methods of directly setung the poor and ignoiant. Hi-^ introduction to newspapers was due intnely to a. decile to establish chaiity oi^uni^atioti -oc-icti'j^ in theNoith of England. In ng ; t-iHng the subject young "btcad found new ppnper help indig pensible. Ho lirsl wrote letters to the editor, and then volunteered editorials on the subject. This led quite unexpectedly to the otter of tlic cuitoi&liip of the "Noilhem Koho/' How Stead succeeded a^ journalist we know. His ni ticks in the " E'jho " attracted the atlPiition th ->t of Mr Gladstone and then oi Mr John Moreiy. The latter otlcred him thesub-editorshipof the P.M.G., and subsequently recommended him to the pioprietor as bis successor. Tne paper was on the down tiack wliui Stead assumed the reins, it soon picked up again, howI e\cr, and is now in all probability the most ; influential ncv spapcr in the three kingdom^. Stead's ticmendous cnerrjy and obstinate self-assurance make him most mischievous oCL-asior.ally, \\ hen determined on canying a point he becomes utteily unscrupulous. The Lip-~ki/(V^to was an instance of this, an'l so, ot com se, was the famous Aim^trong case. Most men would never ha\c got over the latter. A- a journalist puie and simple the editor of the '• Pall M.di (Ui/etto ' is at the fop of his piofes-ion, foi he understands the public, and what the public want perfectly. His ambition is to h.i\e the control of a great morning paper, and to conduct it on the lines- of the " new jomnalism."' At one time, it was thought' the "Daily News" would be delivered ovei to him. Heath of Miss Muloch. The author of that, in many respects, matchless novel, "John Halifax, OJentlomau," is dead, and cuiiously enou^li, like her noble but somewhat priggish hero, she succumbed suddenly to hcait disease. jSlisfo Muloch (or rather. "Mi-5 Ciaik, for that was her married name) commenced writing in 1849, her iirsfc story being " The Ogil vies." It achieved a fair measure of success, and was quickly followed by " Olive ' and "The Head of the Family," average novels of the " eminently-fitted-for-home-reading " sort. "John Halifax " was published in 1857, and forthwith took the world by storm. It has probably influenced more young lives beneficially than any work of fiction ever written. During the last thirty' years some dozen editions have been exhausted, and the story still sells readily at six shillings. No better book can possibly be given a lad of 14 or 15, and ib is as suitable for a working man's son as for a juvenile peer. " A Noble Life " is probably Miss Mu loch's most popular book. It was not published till 1862, but mefc with unanimous praise. Of her other stories I like King Arthur best. _ Many used to mix up Mrs Craik with her daughter Georgiana, M. Craik (the author of "Sydney," "Hero Trevelyan," etc.,) who also achieved some success as a writer of harmless, " goody " tales. In reality nothing.could be more different than the work of the two women. Most of Mrs Craik's earlier books are published by McMillans at 2s. Her later ones can be obtained only in Hurst and Blackett's six shilling series. The Imperial Institute. Sir Frederick Abel s memorandum has disappointed those prophets of evil who have been predicting the collapse of the Imperial Institute through lack ot lunds. The oiiginal estimate of the cost was a quarter of a million, but this made no allowance for endowment, the belief of the promoters apparently being that if the building once came into existence either the public or the state would furnish it with an adequate income. Bearing in mind the forlorn financial condition to which the Albert Hall has come through similar optimism, it is a matter foe congratulation that even if the subscription list receive no augmentation, the Imperial Institute would start with amoderate endowment, provided the estimate for the building be not exceeded. The official memorandum shows something over £400,000 aa the aggregate amount of donations up to date, more than .two-third of which fa in hand and invested. The Prince of Wales proposes, neveithelcss, to l.ccp the list open, with the object of augmenting the endowment fund, In so deciding he shows sound judgment. it is the universal experience in public undertakings of this character that the building operations largely exceed the original estimates. As the work progresses new wants come to light, a thousand or two expended here would be well laid out, and another thousand there

would improve ; the structure. It may therefore bo safely -calculated that before the new edifice is ready for occupation the amount spent on construction will exceed £300,000, leaving only £100,000 for endowmexit were the subscription list now closed. That would not provide any thing like & sufficient income to accomplish the objects sought. To attempt to work the Institute "on tho cheap " would not only be unworthy, but could not fail to vender it more or loss imperative. Another £100,000 at least is needed to place it on a sound financial footing, and this deficiency should be supplied by the United Kingdom. The Colonies and India have already clone more than could be fairly expected of them, the former having subsidies of £80,000, and the latter £100,000, whereas tho Mother Country, with her incalculable liches, has given only £220,000 — by no means a fair proportion. The New Australian Fleet As a result of the arrangements for the defence of Australia, entered into at the late Colonial Conference, tho exact force which will bo added to the British Fleet in those waters, has ' now been decided upon. The Amphion, a fast cruiser, bearing armour piercing guns, the Archer, Brisk, and Cossack, fast sea-going toipodo boats and the Lizard, gun \cssel, will all bo despatched as soon as fitted, forming a permanent addition to tho naval torce of se\en vessels which has been maintained by tho Impel ial Government for many years. In addition to this, two fast cruisers and four smaller vessels will be kept in Australian ports in reserve, ready fitted out for service when wanted. The cost of maintenance of all these vessels, bath in active sci vice and in reserve, will be borne by the associated colonies, and they will also pay annually 5 per cent, upon the oii«. r inal cost of the vest-el as a sinking fund. Tho piesent arrangement ib to List for 10 years, or only to be terminated by a 3 month's notice. Topiovide ioi the local repair and refit of the^e and all other ships of tho Royal Navy on the station, a repahing yard and docks are to be constructed at Sydney, complete with all tho machinery and appliances necessaiy for the lepairand altcuvtion which may become necessary either from wear or Icar, or the advance of naval science. This w ill be in addition tothc existing depot of stoie.s which has been maintained by thcHomc Government. Orders have been given in England for the constiuction of a large pair of shear legs for the new dockyard, which are to be capable of lifting 160 tons, and will enable guns, boi crs and machinery to be lifted out of or into the ships. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. Sir Edward Waller, of tho corps of Commir-sionaires, has sailed for India en route for Austuilia and New Zealand. He hopes to arrange with tho New Zealand Government for a number of time expired men to be sent periodically to Dunedin, Chri'tchurch, c 1c 1 c. , v, here local agencies of the corps, will be established. An Austialatian singer, professionally known as Mdme Melba, and privately as Mrs Aunstiong, has achieved signal success in Brussels as Gilda in " Rigoletto," this being her first appearance on the European stage. She comes to London next spring. in a special article de\oted to describing the establishment of homes for dipsomaniacs in New Zealand, the " Daily News" gives gieat htdo* to Mr D. MacGircgor, your Inspector of Lunatic Asylums, whose report and proposed scheme for dealing with the vaiious classes of drunkards it considers most useful and suggestive. Mrs Campbell Praed has partially recovered her health, and is busily engaged on pome lemini^cences of her early life on an Australian sheep run far up country. The work is entitled " Studios of Australian Life," and will run serially through a number of papers, commencing early next year. Mr Stephen Fairbairn, one of a long list of bi others who ha\ecome from Australia to Jesus College, Cambridge, and distinguished themselves as oarsmen, sailed for Melbourne last week. He hopes to reappear at Henley Kegatta in 1888 or 1889 with an Antipodean eight, compiising the best available oars in Australia and New Zealand. Mr Robert R. Louis Stevenson has resolved to winter in New Zealand instead of in Colorado, as he at first determined. The brilliant romancist is now on his way to your colony. Tlic Agent-General-An absurd canard, set afloat by hea\en" knows- who, is current in Anglo-colonia society to the effect that Sir George Grey will succeed Sir F. D. Bell as AgentGeneral for New Zealand. One of the weekly papers discusses the probability quite seriously, at the same time remarking that if the " old man eloquent " rofuses the " coveted post " it will be offered to Sir R« Stout. I wish there were, indeed, any chance of Sir Roberts coming to London. The position and responsibilities of AgentGeneral become more and more important every year, and it is imperatively necessary that Sir Francis Bell's successor should be a first-class man, both politically and socically. eath of Lady Brasscy. A report has been current here that poor Lady Brasseys death was most tragic. Maddened by fever she leapt overboard fol lowed at once by her husband, who was with difficulty saved from sharing his clevei and devoted wife's fate. Lord Brassey is described as quite broken down by the blow. Lady Urassey's Literary Remains. ! It is understood that Lady Brassey, whose premature death has caused a sincere feeling of concern amongst all classes of society, leaves behind a voluminous diary of Australasian experiences, portions of which were sent home from Sydney, and are ; already in the publishers hands. Her ladyship, despite somewhat threatrical predilec1 Lions, was genuinely popular in the London world, and will be much missed. Her house in Park Lane was the scene of many of the most interesting reunions of tho s-eason. Whoever tho "lion " of the hour happened to be you were certain to meet him there. 1 Never shall I forgot the determination with which at the Colonial Institute soiree of a few years back Lady Brassey bore down on 1 Tawhaio and his chiefs, and to the intense disgust of that sleepy and tired potentate insisted on carrying off him and his party 1 to supper in Park Lane. The visits to Normanhurst (the Brassoys ( "show" place and near Hastings] were amongst the most successful excursions of the Colonial Exhibition season and will long bo remembered by those who took part in them. The Solwyn Scandal. , The latest developement of this painful ; affair is a savage attack in "Vanity ; Fair" on Captain Selwyn, M.P., for s having tacitly acauiesced in the "Pall i Mall Gazette's" publication of the story, i Colonel Hallett continues to go about i as usual, and has not even absented himself from, the "Rag" as the great s sen ice club is popularly called. A Hussian i oiiieer draws attention to the fact that if the. ■

gallent Colonel had been his countryman ho would have been court-marshalled and | cashiered long ago. Miss Selwyn is living abroad in strict retirement. Her eyes have been fully opened I to the Colonel's conduct, and she now feels i very bitter towards him. Personal and General. Sir John Gurst says the announcement of his intending visit to New Zealand is premature. Lord Ailesbury's colonial trip will depend on the advice given him by Mr George Lewis whom lie has consulted as to the desirability of proceeding against the Stewards of the Jockey Club for libel. His Lordship emphatically denies that he gavo Martin instructions to " rope " Everitt. He was at Newmarket last week, and with doubtful taste, attended the sale of his horses, which fetched a substantial total. Though unable to set foot on the Heath, the noble lord viewed i the race for the Ccsarcwitch from a distant eeiie on the Cambridge Road. Lord Carnarvon will shortly rccoid qomo of (/he experiences and impressions of hi-. Australasian tour in the " Nintcenhh Century." Mr Edward Jenkins, who has been 4< con- i templafcing" a vi&it to your pail of the world for I don't know how long, is now paid to be really going. The author of " Ginx'p Baby " will, ofcourfce, pay "exed" by lecturing. "it does not appear to be generally known that Mrs Farley wife of the unforUu»ato rector of Cretingham whose throat was cut by his curate somo thiee weeks back, resided for some years in Now Zealand land. She was then the wito of Lieut. Colonel Monte, and v, ell-known in the North Island. When Colonel Monte died, his widow returned to England, and in 1881 espoused poor Mr Farley. Mr \V. Deli&lc Hay" erstwhile of Auckland and the Kaipava and author of "Brighter Britain (a cheaper edition of which is much wanted) has in hand a now novel entitled " Blood" which w.ll be published forthwith by Sivan-Somntn^elrin and Company. A New Zealand gentleman, travelling on the Continent (he comes fiom Hokifcika, I may explain) has been robbed of a pocketbook containing a draft for £600. The thief managed to got it cashed, so tli.it the bank (correspondents of the Bank of Now Zealand) are nicely let in. Mr J. W. Walker, of Long "Diive feme, has arrived in London to lloat a. new a enLure in the Upper Thames di.-tiot. The '• Anglo-New Zealander" say? se\ei.il Now Zealand mining companies aio incubating for the London market. Mr J. i\ Maxwell, of your New Zealand rairwajs, has anived in London from Milan where he rcpiesentcd the colony at Ihe recent Railway Congress. Lord Cairns h engaged to be maii-iccl to Miss Olive Borons.