The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1880.

Temuka Leader, Issue 225, 20 January 1880, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1880.

By Home papers received this last mail, we have full particulars of the “ Liberal campaign ” of t'e Right Honorable William Ewart Gladstone, M.P. The veteran statesman, now a week or two over his tlu ee-sci re and ten J'cith, has undeigone a gnat deal of mental and physical effort in support of his political principles. His reception by the Mid-Lothian electors was of the. most flattering kind ; the Music Hall of Edinburgh and the Corn Exchang e of Dalkeith alike rang with applause a« each point was scored by the Liberal Champion, or— as ho is known in contradistinction to the leader of the Oonserva, - tires— “ The Christian Statesman.” .There seems little doubt but that a brilliant and decisive victory will reward the party of iberality and progress ; ami we trust that their accession to power will inaugurate a belter policy both domestic and foreign. In a future issue we may devote our leading columns to considering how far Lord Leaf onsfiehl’s foreign policy of aggression and extension is necessary, prudent, or even justifiable. For the present we shall ust notice Mr Gladstone’s political c un•prigning in its broad fe" tures. It speaks much for the intellect and moral si use of the Scottish people that they can appreciate the sterling \alue of Liberal legislation, in the face of all that the Conservative Administration has done to put a specious veneer over their reckless and immoral policy. It speaks much for the Right Hon W. E. Gladstone that ho has awakened such e thusiasm in a people proverbial for caution. We can trust, at any rate, the electors of MidLotnian not to run after any .politics l panacea : they are shrewd Scotchmen and the reception they have acccorded to Mr Gladstone is all the more surprising and re-assuring. There «re circumstances in whHi political agitation and excitement ere detrimental to the public well-being : demagogues a.i<i stump orators may

bp, and often are. unprofitable citizens, bnfc in much t!ie greater miiiib-T of c.vSi'S a free and earnest discussion of questions of poll y is attended only wit 1 1 good. Wo have no sympathy with thos.- who would restrict political discus, sio -s to the club and the drawing-room. It is far more necessary that m t’tera should be understood by the working-man, and we take it as a good sign of the times to hoar politics in the smitny or the taproom. It is not strange, however, to find Mr Gladstone already charged with pandering to the passions of the mob, and giving them not sense but <l verbosity.

Of course that if a mere assertion, and it lias b en put to the charge of every great orator, Howe's er good his cause, and however sound his argummts. It wrl be remembered that the Coiiserva" tive Press of Now Zealand answered Sir George Gray’s eloquent arguments and appeals ssith the simpl * rejoinder —“ verbosity.”

L’ttle Snip the drapers’ assistant,Crookshanks the dancing-master, or Mistress Soapsuds the washerwoman of aristocratic sentiments, could all despatch Sir George Grey with the simple epithets, “Old stump orator,” “ (rushing old fool.” It is needless to say that something very much the same is said of Mr Ghh stone, when no fallacy can be found, in bis arguments, and no refutation of them is forthcoming. B it *• verbosity ” means many w'rds and few ideas : the verbose man is one who, like Gratiano, “ speaks an lufi ite deal of nqtbing, and whose reasons are as two grains of wheat hid in two biisbel-s of cbhff : yon shall seek all clay ere you find them, and when you have them they are not worth the sear- h.” Now. this is not applicable to either William Ewart Gladstone or Sir G-orge Grey.

They both speak, many words because they have many ideas. They are refined ai.d educated gentlemen, true to the Liberal cree 1 in ‘‘seeking the greatest good for the greatest number.” They have, each of them, a political battle to fight, and an audience to address less subtle and logical ; n its way of thinking than they are themselves. Accordingly they have to speak n familiar language ; they have to be emphatic, and must repeat the same things over and over again. But this is no ground for charging them with talking instead of working—it is easier to make an accusation than to substantiate it. In his speeches Mr Gladstone is uniformly courteous to the Beaconsfiel i Government* though he uses no mincing terms in condemning the policy”, whereby England has been involved in expensive and useless wais, and has brought an infinitude of suffering on herself and ethers in her pursuit of that fugitive phantom—“national gbu'3'.” &_Ofam wo any we ..rejoice at the prospect oE the Liberals shortly returning to power. It only requres a little agitation to inspire right-thinking m m with enthusiasm fora good cause. Where there is a good free Press th re is no danger of a pernicious orator leading men astray ; and in e"ery case the more a good, noble, eloquent man like Mr Gladstone lias to say the better it will be for all. We hope to s-c a similar campaign begun in New Zealand when the next general election comes. It ia at the hustings that the voice of a nation is heard, and the oftener within certain limits the free men of a couniry have occision to exercise their rights of citizenship the better the\ r will be able to exercise their judgment in electing. We consider a liberal franchise and fne discussion of folitical problems to be a high education medium, not. a disorganising force as others regard it. Mr Gladstone is doing a national good service in tuv'ing men’s thoughts to serious m itters of Government, and we are sure the influence of his addresses will not be short-lived. It is a significant matter for reflection that the more interest men take in politics the more do Liberal principles flourish, and the more somnolent and apathetic people are so much the more are Conservatives delighted.

The failure of the English harvest of 1879 would have been a most fearfu] calamity under any other regime, than Free Trade. It is estimated that 24 million quarters of corn are consumed annually in Britain. About two thirds of this supply comes from abroad, so that the deficiency for the year only affects one third of what is consumed. It is well known how much distress to the poor has resulted even now, but su pose there had been a pretty heavy protection duty on corn, and mark the difference. Instead of the usual supply from abroad being 16 million quarters it might have been something like 10 million, and prices would have been h’gher in proportion to the degree of protection. The failure of the Home crop would have caused prices —already unn-cesamly hi ;>h from protection—to rise at a rate much more than in proportion to the deficit of supply. The net result would then be that a wholly inadequate supply of corn would be soi l at enormous prices, while foreign shiploads would sail by to porta where there was no protection. The starvation of the times of the Corn Laws would be repeated, and things would only recover their balance when thousands had perished. As it is—thanks to Free Trade the suffering is being alleviated by foreign importations, and our latest advices te 1 us —‘ Wheat is ea -ier ; two million quarters. , are afloat.” It will cost Britain sixteen millions more than clip average of the last five years to feed bei’ hungry. But they will be fed, mid thousands will .live to swell the anthem of Five- Tiade.

Dflayed Train —By some mis-hamr, the fouling of one of pornis or someth nig of the kind, the tender'd! the engine dr iwing the ordinary rniebday train- from Christchurch to Timarn on Saturday, got off the line at South Rangitata, and the train was delayed a considerable time not arming at Tim -m until an hour and five minutes after the proper time.

Lost Books, Etc. —We are requested to call attention to an advertisement in another column, signed “A. W. Ensor,’ and to state that, if the articles and books mentioned therein are not returned to the owner at once, the matter will be put in the hands of the police.

Postmaster of Tjemuka. —Mr Thomas, Reid, late of the Christchurch Office, has been appointed Telegraphist and Postmaster, also Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths at Temuka, vice Mr W. Smith, lately trans'erred to Christchurch Office.

Large Turnips.— Mr Wheelband ha jnsf sent us some specimens of turnips grown in a paddock o nis "mr Talbot’s, Waitohi Flat. One—the wh.to stone—weighs over 91hs and measures (round) over 2ft 9in. A sample of purple top weighs over 51bs and measures Ift 6in Both bulbs are very solid, and are good proofs of the f utility of (be season. Inquest. —At the Inquest held at Rangitata on Thursday hist, on the bod}' of the man Thomas Thompson, a verdict of Round Drowned was returned A New Way. —A newspaper pr mrl-tor adverifsed for an advert■'semen( canvasser, and his tost of the applicants’ fitness) when they appeared, was to tell them to get out of his office that instant, or he would kick them out. Several timid young men turned tail and left him in disgust ; but one, more brazen faced than the rest, nothing daunted by the threat, coolly sat. himself down, and swore he would not leave until his testimonials had been read. So he locked the door, put the key in his pocket, and handed in his papers. ‘ Ah,’ said the advertiser, ‘ you’ll do, I can sec. I don’t want testimonials ; your style is enough for me. No one will ever succeed as an advertisement canvasser who will bo infinen'-ed by a throat to be kicked-out of any office. Yon evidently understand your business,’ Married Life. —‘l say George, what makes you look s<’ cheerful T said one friend to another recently. ‘ Why didn’t yon hoar, Bob? I’m going to be married next Wednesday.’ ‘ Well, I must confess I see notidng to make you cheerful; 1 should iliink it would make yon feel sad.’ ‘ \Vhy no, my dear fellow, it will be the happiest day of my life. You see,Matilda is a very expensive luxury. She wants to gn to the opera every night ; its cream on the way, a pound of candy while there,and soda-v, iVer on the way home ; and I tell yon it’s a terrible drain on a fellow’s pocket, and I am going to put a stop to it. C. me in and have a cigar.’ A Riddije.— -A damsel was asked, ‘ When a young lady and gentleman have quarrelled, and each considers the other in fault, which of the two ought to be the first to advance towards a reconciliation ?> liar reply was, ‘ The hest-l earted and wisest of the two.’'

A Goddess. —They were husband and w ife, end as they stood for a moment she asked, ‘ What's the on tin 1 top ?’ ‘That’s a goddess,’ lie answered, “And what’s a goddess V ‘ A woman who holds her tongue,’ lie replied. She looks at him sideways, and began planning how to make a plum pie with the stones in it for the benefit of his bad tooth.

Home Education —One of the most important duties of the matron or mother of a family, and for which she should always arrange to have time, is the home education of ch Idren. By this we do not mean a routine ot lessons from books, but that beneficial oral instruction, those practical lessons on the duties of life, which should pervade entirely her inter, course with childr m. It is thus that lessons of love, forbearance, truth, kindness, self-denial, and generosity may be deeply impressed on the ductile mind, and the seeds of true piety and upright behaviour scattered carefully over the prepared soil. Tiie first care should be to distinguish be. tween the different dispositions which nature has given to children—to strengthen the weak and vacillating, soften the obdurate, encourage the timid, and repress the forward —to eradicate weeds, and sow the good seed.

The Property Tax. —The Melbourne Leader, referring to the New Zealand Property Tax, after explaining some of its features, asks, “ Could any system of State espionage be more objeclion ib’e than this? It seems difficult to understand how many people possessing the instincts of Englishmen could submit to it!” To tins the Wanganui Herald tartly aodsthat the Leader “ Might be informed that the people are not likely to submit to it very long ; but a remarkable eoncurror co <>f circumstances having placed in pow-r a Government representing the large landowners of the colony, time is required to perceive the drift of the legislation. ’’

Dunedin.— -An Auckland paper .‘-peaks of Dunedin as a- place where “ *ut ” is generally at a discount, and the *■ whole duty of man ” believed to bo fulfilled by i* the absorption of oatmeal, the Shorter Catechism- and -v.dsky.”

A Ci T iu us Pet. — A gentleman of somewhat pecnli ir taste adopted a young pig for a pet, and the animal disp'ayed the warmest affection and fidelity towards his master, following him about at homo and ahrorfd,. to the great amusement of who *a\v thisstrargely matched (air. This compunionshio might have lasted to the natural end of piggy's life, but in an unlucky moment ho followed his master to the house of a friend, and sat down to wait patiently for him in the court yard _ It chanced that the butcher had been sent for to lull a pig that morning, and seeing our poor friend sleek and plump, the sequel may be imagined. In spite >f the most cnergdie'expostuhitions on the part of piggy, he was quickly'-despatched to porkland ; 'and, ; sad to relate, his living companion and friend gave a supper party that night at which pork was the principal dish

The Language of Flowers.— The language of flowers is not always eoisthgsent by a Newport flourist to a gentleman who had mislaid or overlooked his bill, wil] show “ Newport. Sir,—As it appears to be useless to try to collect my bi from you, I would say that always keep a list of the ladies to whom bouquets are sent, so that, as in two or throe cases in my experience, when the gentleman forgot to settle, 1 may have somebody else to go to. I have done so in your case and give you tliis notice that, should you fail to settle up before going away this time, I will cer. tainly present bids to the several ladi-s to whom you sent bouquets,ijaiid I have no doubt they will pay for them.”

Advertising.— A ' new ami not allege tiier commend able method of advertising lias 1 <txdy coma into vogue in Wellington (says a krai paper). We refer to the practice of stencilling trade advertisements on the p ivements. Lately, pedestrians have been implored by this channel to “ Ask for Tiger Brandy.” This appears to have aroused the ire of the teetotallers, for now we find (he words “ Certain Death ” put underneath the alcoholic invitation. If tills sort of thing goes on, we may next have the footpaths covered by the public aus and Good Templars with mutual denunciations of each 'Otlvr.

Very “ Ei-ouey.” — A correspondent the Waikato Times sends the following flowery description of a pic-ni; to tha 1 journal, and although he lays poor Oliver Goldsmith under contribution, be apparently do -s not c ire t > acknowledge the source of his insnir.atmn “The pic-nic at Kill ikik i on New Year’s Day was largely ittqnded, and will long bo pleasantly remembered by the gay assemblage of settlers, their f unifies and friends, win* met on that glmieu-s morning in those * sweet fields arr ived in living green.’ Tuero all Hie village train, from Üb->r fice, led up the sports beneath the sprea li g£,treo J there kept high holiday, and ex hanged mutual gr.etiugs of goodwill ami happiness. The committee left nothing undone that co i'd in amy wav contribute to the suce<ss of ’be day. B •neat.h (he spreading f■ .Ids of a largo awning an abundance of t hoica and rare edibles, fruits, and charming viands wore laid out with exquisite t'ste by the young ladies who presided.”

Cheap Sausages.— The Geelong Times exclaims : —How are the mighty fallen ! A greyhound with a pedigree dat ihg’lia-k to Master M‘Grath, was sold by order of the assignee, in an insolvent estate hist week. The auctioneer d lated for u considerable time on the merits of the animal concluding his peroration with—“ Will anybody start the bidding at £2O 1” There was no response for some time, when at length a bold specul itory butcher’s boy shouted out, “ I’ll give you a ‘ bob 5 for him master ! ’ and no advance being made over this libera! offer of a “ boh,” the anima’ was knocked down. A rival butcher’s boy, who was envious of the purchaser, here remarked, “ I suppose your master will lower the price of sausages now ; why he’ll weigh 20!b.”

The Bagpipes in^Tbouble. —A gentleman, who evidently does not hd) from the “land of brown heath and shaggy wood,” writes as follows to the North Otago Times : —“lt is difficult to tell why Scotchmen should like the 1 music ’ of the pipe. Is there no other national instrument tnat could bo substituted for this most soulless of all instruments—ancient and modern. The fiddle for instance. Tell me what feeling can be attracted from the bagpipes, and what amount of military ardour can bo infused into anyone from hearing the interminable drone of this reedy wind-bag. If the Irish, out of sheer disgust, have' relegated their national pipes to the limby of obscurity, surely in the interests of humanity it is not too much to ask our friends from the Tweed to cart theirs to the same place. I admire the kilt, but beg to subscribe myself Anti-Bagpipes;”