The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 1884. THE GRAND OLD MAN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1574, 4 January 1884, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 1884. THE GRAND OLD MAN.

Mil Gladstone has written a kindly letter of excuse to the legislators of New Zealand who sought the distinction of his presence in this colony. Tho maimer in which our Wellington contemporaries comment on his comteous refusal docs honor to their heads and hearts. The Post takes the lead by pointing out the defects of the " grand old man" as a complete letter writer, and the Times gently folds the maligned Premier of Great Britain under its wing and qenerotisly patronises him There was some danger when New Zealand sent an invitation to the " Grand old man" that the overture might have been regarded as a piece of colonial cheek, but Air Gladstone has fortunately taken the proposal good humoredly, if not seriously, and his courteousreply will make other colonics a little jealous- of the attention which this one has obtained, Our contemporary, the Post, however, regards the refusal with disapprobation and endeavors to slate the aged Premier, What effect such an animadversion will have on the " Grand old man" wo cannot say, but we trust tho strictures of our contemporary will not bring his gray hairs in sorrow to the grave. It is dangerous to refuse a colonial ovation! It is terrible to incur the anger of the Evening Post! and perhaps it would be well if Mr Gladstone were, in view of the wrath of our contemporary, to resign the Premiership of Great Britain in order to enjoy the supreme felicity of attending a public banquet in our Empire City, It is a littlo unfriendly on the part of the Post to cavil at the literary merits of Mr Gladstone's letter, Had the "grand old man" enjoyed opportunities of perusing the columns of our contemporary ho might have expressed himself better, but as this privilege has been denied to him tho want of " graceful diction" on his part, alluded to by our contemporary, may be excused, Mr Gladstone's letters are usually regarded in the old country with a certain amount of reverence, but at homo public criticism is less refined than in Wellington newspaper offices, and unlike our contemporary, English critics don't know any better. The acidity of tho Post, however, has been corrected by tho saponaceous article which followed it in tho Times. The Wellington morning journal justly points out the mental benefit and refreshment which Mr Gladstone would have obtained by a visit to this colony. The mind of the "grand old man" would undoubtedly have become enlarged and invigorated by coming in contact with the giant intellects of our Empire City. He has lost a great opportunity, for -we gather from our contemporary that we should not only have been prepared to teach him, but lie would have been willing to leam. Mr Gladstone is a man of singular intelligence, but it is impossible to guage the improvement of which he might havo been capable if ho had only sat for a while at the feet of the Gamaliels of the press in the city of Wellington. According to our contemporary ho would not only be willing to learn, but " he would learn," and his best friends must grieve that he has not availed himself of such a chance. " We could show him," writes the Napoleon of the Times office, " that our alliance is worth having." We wonder whether Mr Gladstone can with justice to the great nation which he represents, trifle with such a noble offer. We are not quite sure whether our contemporary means that it is prepared to ally itself with Mr Gladstone if he will come to Wellington to arrange necessary preliminaries, or whether an alliance between Great Britaiu and New Zealand iB content plated. Either proposition i 8 undoubtedly worthy of the gravest

consideration oftho "grand old man." An alliance of some kind is distinctly proposed, and we scarcely assume that it is merely one between the New Zealand Times and Great Britain, though it possibly may be one between New Zealand and Mr Gladstone. Perhaps our contemporary will clear up this point, Mr Gladstone is usually regarded as the foremost living politician of the nineteenth century, and it is a satisfaction to find that our contemporary goes so far as to say that " Notwithstanding his faults he is a great statesman" " Praise from Sir Hubert Stanley" like this will no doubt go a long way to console Mr Gladstone for any disappointment he may experience from his inability to visit New Zealand, The " grand old man" has capped the honors he has won in the old world by graduating at the office of our contemporary. No doubt the New Zealand Parliament having " struck oil" by securing a direct communication from Mr Gladstone, will now bo encouraged to open up a correspondence with other great men, It might try an invitation to Prince Bismarck, the -Emperor of Bussia, or the Pope of Rome. Such invitations are undoubtedly an economical method of advertising the colony abroad, and may ultimately lead to the alliance which is to be our salvation.

At tho adjourned meeting of Court Wairarapa, A.O.F, hold on Wednesday tho following officer.! were eleoted:-o,li. Bro Beard, S.C.R. Bro Armstrong, S.W. Bro Barnard, J.W. Bro J. Skeet, S.B. Bro Reynolds, J.B. Bro It. Hall. The following officers of the Loyal Groytown Lodge, 1.0.0. F., M.U., were Installed by P.G.M. Bro Loasby on Wednesday owning:—G.M. Bro. Muir, N.G.Bro TockeiyV.G. Bro' Varnham, E.S. Bro F. F. Maxton. • Mr T. P. Arnold, formerly assistant master of (he Greytown school, but latterly of Chiistchurch, has again paid a visit to this district witli a view of a fortnight's trip on the rangos. Ho, in company with two other gentlemen from "Wellington, started from Groytown yesterday. The weather is very unsettled, and not the most pleasant for travelling on tho higher ranges, Mr Cotbett has withdrawn from tho Mastorton municipal directory, The ordinary monthly meeting of the Mastorton Town Lands Trust takes place this evening. Mr JF, H Wood holds a sale of clothing and general merchandise at his Carterton auction rooms to-morrow. iVo learn from our Carterton contemporary that Lady Tancred and her two 6ons, Seymour and ono recently arrived from Europe, will proceed to England by the mad steamer, via San Francisco, which will leave Wellington on Saturday next.

At a meeting of the council of teachers held in Wellington yesterday, Henry Worthington, of Auckland, was elected president, D. White, of Duuedin, secretary, and J. G. Seolt, of Christchurch, treasurer. It was resolved to hold the next meeting in Auckland on the 6th of January next year. At the usual meeting of Court Loyal Enterprise, A.0.F., hold in the Foresters' Hall last ovoning, the newly elected officers wcro installed in their respective offices for the ensuing six months. Mr Wardell, U.M., did duty at the Wellinfjton.Court yesterday. The Customs' revenue for the colony collected during tho mouth of December, 1883, amounted to £103,000, as against £100,403 for the previous month, and aB against £113,290 for December, 1882, Tho Customs for the quarter yielded £331,870, the estimated quarterly avorag.) beiug 1380,000,

About 5000 sheep, purchased by the Gear Oumpauy for refrigerating, have been ;l stuck up" on the boundaries of the Wairarapa district, owing to some runs south of Akiteo, through which they would have to pass, being infeoted, and tho inspector consequently refusing to grant a [orinit, A chimney in Mr Lott'a cottage, near tho Waipoun, was on firo this morning, and tho services of tho firo brigade wore in requisition. A few members with canvasß buckets were promptly on tho roof, and the burning Boot was quickly extinguished. Messrs Lowes and lorns have an addition to.their stock Bale for Wednesday next of ono hundred and twonty crossbred owes. Tho summer season is now well advanced, and notwithstanding the extraordinary amount of rain that has interfered sadly with outdoor exercise as well as with farming operations, tho usual happy cbatigo from winter furs and ulsters to handsome drosses and elegant dolmans has taken place in the .costume of tho ladies, who are fortunate in being aMo to obtain a wonderfully varied selection without travelling from Master, ton, where tho stock of drapery, millinery and clothing of all kinds is extensive and choico at Owen, Schrodeu &Co.'sHall of Commerce, Queen Street. —(Advt.J After savoral years' experience in supplying watches for tho tioloiiial market, Littlejolm and Son, of Lambton Quay, Wellington, have observed the neod for a thoroughly Bound English Levor Watch at a lower price than that usually paid for suoh watches. It is only b) the judicious division of labor and by tho ■manufacture of largo quantities on a uniforuvplan, that we are enabled to meet this want We have now the pleasure of introducing our Six Guinea Hunting Silver Lover. This watch, being simple in design, durable, highly finishod, and accurate, fulfils all tho requirements of a pocket timekeeper, A written guarantee for two years will be given with oaeh watch. Sent by post, securely packed, on receipt of Post Offico order or cheque.-(Advt)

" Bucim-PAiuA."—Quick, complete euro, all annoying Kidney, Bladder, aud U.-inary Diseases. Druggists, Moses, Moss & Co,, Sydney, General Agents. Christmas Presents 11 The opportunity of making an elegant and gratifying present to son oi daughter, brother or sister is brought within reach of all by the special importation of gold and silver jewellery by A, Bisn, Jeweller, Queen-street, for tho Christinas season. Silver presents from Is; gold presents from ss. All goods will be marked in plain figures and a reduction of 10 pel) cent will be made on ordinary prices during the holidays.—Advt, . A Wise Deacon'—"Deacon Wilder, I want you to tell mo how you kept yoursolf aud family so well the past season when all the rest of us have been sick so much, and have had the doctors running to us so often." " Brother Taylor, the answer is very easy. I used Hop Bitters in time, and kept my family well, and saved large doctor's bill'B, Four shillings' worth of it keptjus all well and able to work all the and I will warrant that it has cost you and most of the neighbors.£lo to £IOO apiece to keep sick the samo time, I fancy you'll take my mediciao hereafter, See Gorged mvebs, Bilious, conditions, constipation, piles, dsypepsia, headacbo, cured by "Well's May Apple Pills," 5d and 1b boxes at druggists, Moses, Moss, & Co,, 1 Sydney, General Agents for Australasia,

Mr William Skey, of Taratahi East, offers £2O reward for information which may lead to the conviction of the person who'has stolen fifty sheep from his property. . ■ From enquiries made by the police into the antecedents of the man Oharles Kotth, charged with forging a cheque on Messrs Bapp and Hare, it was found that he had served twelve months' imprisonment in Nelson for a similar. offence, under the name of Hugo Korlh, At first he told the police Hugo was his cousin, but by referenco to our police news of to day it will be seen he admitted to His Worship that he wns the same person. Wells' " Rouau oh Coiura."~Ask for Wells' "Bough on Coma," Quick re lief, complete, permanent oure, Corns, warts, bumona. Moses, Moss &Co Sydney, i General Apejts. I Ws believe that if every one would use Hop Bitters freely thero would bo much less sickness and misery in tho world, and people are fast beginning to find this out, whole families keeping well at a trifling cost by its use. Wo advieo all to try it. Read