Annexation.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 237, 14 January 1888, Page 4

Annexation.

' The Canadian 'inaritime 1 provinces, with j here and there an 'exception among'thfe oldschool loyalists, applaud -Atkinson's pro-;" posed plan of annexation to the' United States. The "Globe, '*' a -paper of some-,, influence, published, iri ; St. 'Johto, KevH Brunswick, says; in its-issue of November 26th' :— " It would .y better for the -AMI- 41 call and Canadian people^ and it'Svould nofc r be to the disadvantage of Great 'Britain* if - all the English -'speaking' people on, this- * continent were united in 'one great nation^ The great objection to annexation-is jjure^jra one. '' Thei'e isa-feeling that England might' be hurt by' any expression'dfoesire on nin^paTtto exch'anJe'heFflafr'roi^ ixnother,' bufc- an expression 1 frdm'ner fib'ao^ phb had no objection wpuld&dd-very { lar^el^« fco'tlio numbeit-'df'peo^e'in the taaritto^ provinces wfifotripw-'believe annexatidh fi is> c their, taltimate.destiny.', 'If thesf jprovific^B i *o nGnfosim-irifco. Athes jA.raerioan jKUnioiiitandi.becomk self-^ovfemfMs iijg, States, Ontario Aiid^Qubbec'^du-ld^Ka^es io v fo|lowH. iTlia^ith^se.vprdyinoefi rnigHtiactid kihemgelMesisiquitemuhintthetboundsiofi^ |io^sibility/a»difc : 'the^didaotdfkthemse,iye®l C^iftda ,and Gi^abhßA'itaiavQdttldsriofoirktdpas ihera^any- mpro^,than >tHe^dainibB|ioo vbbr£s pe,opi©t'f Bonn i^o,vjn»^thanFnifclßllStdte'seA T^^piQnfelv ,offic<*>ho.lders » iare^eaEn6Bfr vn& i their oppositi n to Atkinson's aoheuMM' &&, «: f isfaM Sis'* J f>^ '■'* * '*

Th<s. Trafalgar Square Jteotlngs v Serious as was last Sunday's conflict between the forces of law and disorder ib has } thank Heaven, had one good result. ' ,^he daily meeting in Trafalgar Square of, the dowdies, thieves and larrikins self-styled 41 the unemployed" are finally at an end, and we shall henceforward be able ,to walk down Cockspur-streeb, the Strand, or Northumberland Avenue of an afternoon, without running imminent risk of being 'hustled, bonneted or pick- pocketed. r How seriously the tradesmen of these localities have suffered from theso-called "meetings" very few seem to be aware. The monthly average of visitors tothatgreatoaravanserai, the Grand Hotel, fell off in October the manager says one thousand persons and, the jewellers, art-publishers, and chemists around (whose business depends chiefly upon French and American visitors) likewise complain that their takings have ..within Bix weeks dwindled down.to nothing. It is characteristic of the curious crookedness of Mr Stead's mind that he cannot see reason in the demand's of the heavily taxed and rentedle^sees of the properties adjacent to Trafalgar Square for peace and quietness. Though Hyde Park is near and obviously, the proper place for a large gathering the editor of the " Pall Mall " urges the masses t3 stick firmly to Trafalgar Square. Why they should do sowhenplentyotherinfinitely more suitable localities available he totally fails to explain. The inalienable right of " free speech" has in no way been menaced. All the masses are asked by the Government to do is to meet where they will not interfere with trade or traffic, and otherwise be a nuisance. Next session the whole question of public meetings and processions in London will be brougnt b'etore Parliament and thoroughly discussed, probably by a select committe. It certainly ought nob to be difficult to r,c~ gulate matters to the satisfaction ofall, save the'dangerous element to. whom (ever since that fatal Febuary day, 2 "years ago) a public meeting means a possible riot and looting. ' _ \ " .

The Riot on Sunday. I was not in Town on Sunday or I should certainly have tried to witness the proceediugs from the old National-Liberal Club which overlooks Trafalgar Square. A gentleman who did go there, however, tells me had considerable difficulty in gettin3 away again. Towards dard the police were far too tired and angry to care to distinguish between innocent passers by and and their enemies " the roughs," and many a well-meaning 'Arry must have gone home -with a sore head and a solid determination never again to mix with a mob. t You will probably have- heard almost enough about the riot itself by cabfe and via America.

The Commission on Spiritualism. To all believers in Spiritualism or Spiritual phonomena I #ovid earnestly commend the Report of the Seybert Commission recently presented to the University of Philadelphia, U.S.A., and published by Leppincotts of Few York, Mr Seybert was an pnthusiastic spiritualist who left the University a large sum of money to be expended in fairly and honestly examining mediums and their methods etc. In accordance with his wishes' the. Commission was consequently moBt carefully formed, persons prejudiced against spiritualism being strictly excluded. The Chairman was three-parts a Spiritualist and the Vice Chairman favourably disposed towards Spiritualistic theories, besides being an intimate friend of the deceased Mr Seybert. Tho Secretary and the others members of the Commission graduates of the University, admittedly fair - minded and impartial. The sincere wish of all concerned was to sift Spiritualism to the bottom, from table- turning and spirii-rapping to material manifestations. They tackled every medium who would come before Miem invariably agreeing to his regulations, and and sitting as often as he cared to do' so. These seances were reported by sworn shorthand writers and can consequently be relied upon. , They form most interesting reading as" indeed does the whole book. The. conclusion the Committee reluctantly came to after six months hard work was that "Spiritualism is a fraud ' worked by rogues and supported by the weak-minded." They are, however, still open to conviction and "will gladly examined any medium who cares to expose his phenomena before them. No hearsay evidence, however, will 1 be accepted as it is fotfnd that even when describing the same seance Spritualists'are hopelessly inaccurate and contradictory.

O'Donnell's Action Against the " Times" , Mr O'DonnelFs action against the ".Times" is, much against Mr Parnell's wishes, proceeding through the,, initial stages, but there is little chance of , its being heard before January. The^inspireis of the "Tiniest" campaign campaign against the Irish party are jubilant at the prospect ,of. fit least getting the, leading Parnellites into the witness bqx, and boast of the possession of certain inosfc. damaging documents. What they-3_rg : we shall learn at the trial. According:; to report, the ' Times " syndicate paid £3000 for them. . , m — ; ' .-