The Storyteller. GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. THURSDAY, JULY 6, 1899.

Waikato Argus, Volume VII, Issue 457, 6 July 1899, Page 2

The Storyteller. GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. THURSDAY, JULY 6, 1899.

A SOMEWHAT acrimonious discussion arose on the motion of the Premier to lay the annual police report upon the table of tho House. There is a strong feeling in Parliament, which is unquestionally an echo of public opinion, that appointments and promotions in the police force should be taken out of the hands of Ministers who are liable to political pressure, and vested in the Commissioner who is primarily responsible for the efficiency of the force. The Commissioner must of course be appointed by Ministers, and their power of appointment should end there. It is absurd to place a skilled man in a position and allow him to be interfered with by a Minister who at best can only have a very superficial knowledge of police duty. We can conceive nothing more disheartening to the Commissioner and all ranks of the force than to find a man with political influence promoted over the heads of others whom they recognise as more efficient officers. If promotions are made on auy other grounds than efficiency, zeal and courage, the country and the whole force must suffer, the inducement to excel is weakened in all, and in those who are passed over a feeling of disgust is naturally generated. It may be accepted as an axiom that any body, whether composed of ordinary civil servants, 'soldiers _or police, must suffer if proper provision is not made to secure the retirement of men whoso usefulness is impaired by the loss of energy and power incidental to old age. The Commissioner recognises this fact, and suggests that means be adopted to provide retiring allowances for life, in place of casting adrift the men too old for police duty with one year's pay. The Commissioner, in his report, suggests that a fund to provide an adequate retiring allowance could be established and maintained as follows: (1) A deduction of 5 per cent, from the pay of the men ; (2) 50 per cent, of all emoluments received by members of the force in connection with outside appointments ; (3) a contribution by the Government of an amount on the retirement of each man, equal to that now paid by the Government as compassionate allowance, to provide a nucleus. Items 1 and 2 to accumulate for two years before any allowanco be granted, all returned as medically unfit during that period to receive as hitherto from tho Government a compassionate allowance of one year's pay in the case of sergeants and constables and two years' pay in the case of Inspectors. Tho Commissioner would also transfer to the nucleus the amount standing to the credit of the Police Reward Fund. Taking the pay for the year ended March 31st last, as a basis of calculation, the deduction of 5 per cent, from the pay for two years would realise £8470. The emoluments from outsidd offices may be estimated at £I3OO per annum, 00 per cent, of which would add that sum to the nucleus in two years. The amount, £1683, standing to the credit of the Reward Fund, added to tho above, would give £11,453 to start the proposed fund. The Commissioner enters into other details, which are too lengthy to quote, and suggests that his proposals should be embodied in an Act. Attached to the Commissioner's report is a table giving the proportionate cost of police to population. With the exception of Tasmania, tho cost is less than to any other colony in Australasia. It is of the utmost importance to every country that the police force shall be efficient, and it is to be hoped that the important questions we have ;lealt with above will receive the earnest attention of Parliament ; that non - interference by Ministers with the Commissioner, will, as far as possible, bo insisted upon, and that a scheme for the retiring allowance be adopted. These it appears to us are the two most important matters bearing upon the efficiency of the force.

An extended list of addresses to be given by the Rev. Dr. HosUing, the Liberal candidate for the Waikato seat at the forthcoming general election, will be found in the usual column. A chess match between members of the Hamilton and Te Awamutu Chess Clubs was played at the latter place last night. At seven o'clock Hamilton had won three games and Te Awamutu one. The Auckland Presbytery have unanimously resolved to introduce a Bill into Parliament authorising a plebiscite of the peoplo on the question of reading the Bible daily in the national schools. They invite the co-operation of other churches, and that they ask every candidate for Parliament whether he is iu favour of takiug the plebiscite.

We hear that Mr Richard Reynolds has disposed of a portion of his Trecame property ne.ir Cambridge, to Mr If. Allen, whose laud it adjoins. The area disposed of is something over a hundred acres. The price has not transfer ed, but it is believed to be near ten pounds an acre.

Our Cambridge correspondent writes : I find 1 omitted to mention, in connection with the church parade at St. Andrew's on Sunday, the excellent comet solo, " The Lost Chord," played by Bandmaster Mnnro. It was splendidly rendered. A tew of the inhabitants of Cambridge have forwarded a guinea to the Hamilton Band for so kindly playing on Sunday. A New Zealand Illustrated Magazine is about to be established, and it is intended to bring out the first number on September Ist. It is to be published monthly at a shilling. Previous attempts of the same kind have not proved very successful, but the promoters in the present case are putting a good deal of energy into the enterprise' and are very hoptful as to the result.

It may not be generally known that the use of the Rontgen rays in inexperienced hands may lead to very serious results. A case has occurred in the. South Island where, through the repeated application of the rays, a hole was practically burned through a patient. After a time the tissues penetrated by the rays became absolutely dead and mortified. It is evident (remarks a contemporary) that there is still something to learn about the recently-discovered rays.

The Huntly Liberal Association held a meeting on Tuesday evening for the purpose of meeting Mr Edwards, the Liberal organiser. Mr W. Kay, vicePresident, was in the chair. Mr Edwards addressed the audience and explained the provisional constitution issued by the Liberal Federation. Every electoral district has its branch, and the combined branches form the Liberal Federation of New Zealand. Subordinate to the electoral blanches are the pollingbranches, those formed at polling places such as Te Awamutu or Huntly. Dr. Hoskiug's candidature for Waikato was touched on, as also were the possibilities of a Second Ballot Bill. Mr Edwards was accorded a vote of thanks at the conclusion of his address.

A meeting of the Hamilton Branch of the Liberal League was held in the Wesleyan Schoolroom last evening, Mr J. S. Bond presiding. Mr A. Edwards, organising secretary of the Liberal Federation of New Zealand, was present and stated the objects of the Federation. He also gave information to those present on the working of the Liberal party in New Zealand. Dr. Hosking was also present and gave a brief outline of his attitude towards the present Government, whose administration he heartily favoured. Atter a number had been enrolled as members of the Federation, votes of thanks were accorded to Mr Edwards and the candidate, the customary vote to the chairman concluding the proceedings. The attention of our readers is drawn to an advertisment which appears in our to-day's issue in the matter of Guanos for the coming season. The Coral Queen Guano is now a well known line in the Waikato, and has given excellent results on turnips when used in conjunctiou with good quality of superphosphate and bonedust. Messrs Kempthorne Prosser and Co. Limited advise that they have a cargo to arrive about the 10th July, this will be of the usual high grade of about 63 per cent phosphate of lime, and it is offered at the low price of £4 7s 6d per ton, if guano is taken ex ship, Auckland. Intending users of the guano will do >vell to place their orders at a very early date, as the vessel carrying the guano is due any time, and by taking from the ship's side they will save 7s 6d per ton.

It is little realised amongsb the public (writes the Melbourne Age) how often it happens that men who at one period of their lives have had at their command all the elements of a prosperous career have in the end come to grief. Amongst the numerous family of nearly 700 iumates at the Benevolent Asylum there are many men who in their younger days held prominent positions in the community. Not more than a week or two ago an ex-member of Parliament was admitted to the fold, aud on Monday the superintendent (Mr A, Laver) intimated that two members of the medical profession who had been inmates had left with his approval, some of their friends having agreed to support thtm outside the walls of the institution. With the advent of winter, there is an unusual rush of applicants, and the committee finds it impossible to provide room for all the deserving applicants that present themselves.

The conditions of labour in Great Britain continue to be highly favourable. In February the wages in Beveral industries were increased, and in March a further advance was reported. According to the " Board of Trade Journal " changes in the rates of wages of about 331,200 workpeople were reported in March, of which number 329,850 received advances averaging per head, and 1,350 sustained decreases averaging 3d per head. The nett result was r-n increase estimated at about 9[d per head in the weekly wages of those affected. The increases were mainly in the mining industry (204.805). iron and steel manufacture (43,025), and texile trades (74,164). Changes affecting about 1,200 workpeople were preceded and disputes causing stoppage of work ; changes affecting 167,000 work-people were arranged under sliding scales, and the remaining change affecting about 163,000 work-people, were arranged by direct negotiations between employers and workpeople, or conceded voluntarily by employers.

We are in receipt of Messrs Yates and Co.'s, seed merchants and growers, Auckland, list of seed potatoes, grain and manures, trees, plants and labour saving implements, and we wish to draw particular attention to a new potato, " Up-to-l)ate," now being introduced by them. It is claimed that this new variety is one of the best, either for field or garden culture. The tubers are long, some flat and others round. It is called a kidney in England, but here it was awarded first prize as the best round. The skin is finely netted, eyes quite on the surface ; very strong grower, practically disease proof ; an enormous cropper, tubers Urge size, with very few small; when cooked it is firm, dry and floury. This variety has commanded top price in Covent Garden. It is of Scotch origin, and very hardy. Recent trials in England show " Up-to-date " to be one of the heaviest croppers. In the list of early varieties we find many well-known and popular varieties, amongst them being :—Early Puritan, Beauty of Hebron, Lapstone Kidney, Breeze's Prolific Shepherd's Pink Eye, Early Rose, Supreme, Early Regents, Port Fairy Pink Eyes and others. The following later varieties are also catalogued : Magnum Bonum, The Prince, Snowfkkes, Blue Derwent, White Elephant, Americau Whites, Fidler's Readiug Giant, etc. In laboursaving implements for garden and orchard cultivation, the firm is offering the " Iron Age " hand implements, wfeich are the best and cheapest laboursaving implements on the market, and the low prices at which they are offered by the firm bring them within the reach of everyone. Messrs Yates and Co. have also made a speciality of introducing different makes of spray pumps, which, considering the spread of various insect and fungus pests, has made the spraying of fruit trees an absolute necessity. These are offered ut very low prices.

The newspapers are commenting upon a reported case of Professor Tuffier, in which it is said lie restored a dead man to life by opening the thorax and manipulating the heart. The report is naturally more startling to the lay mind than to the medical reader, for we well know that until certain chemical changes take place in vital tissues they are not absolutely and functionally dead beyond the possibility of resuscitation. Many physicians can recall cases of revival after apparent dissolution, by continued artificial respiration, injection of stimulants or saline solutions, or some other measure of the kind. Professor Tuffiev's case is, nevertheless, if correctly reported, a striking one, and may rank as a justifiable physiologic experiment on the human subject.—Journal of the American Medical Society, Chicago.

The following is from the Government Insurance Recorder :—" One of the Department's nioet energetic and popular agents, who seeks for business in every possible nook and corner, recently canvassed a large asylum in the South Island. Business was fair among the warders, one individual especially (whom we will call Ebenezer) showing great intelligence and knowledge of life insurance. He thoroughly believed in it, and the agent got him to sign a proposal form without much difficulty. The day's work over, the agent prepared ro return to the bosom of his family, and in bidding farewell to the medical superintendent, through whose courtesy he had been permitted to canvass the institution, he spoke of the great success he had experienced, saying that he had insured several of the warders, including Ebenezer, of whom he was especially proud. An official of this name uot beiug kuown to the superintendent, inquiries were made, and it transpired that one of the warders had, in order to escape the astute canvasser, placed his coat and cap on one of the most intelligent lunatics in his charge as soon as the agent hove in sight."