The Wairarapa Daily MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 1884. POVERTY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1582, 14 January 1884, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 1884. POVERTY.

The problem of how to deal with the poor riot only perplexes densely pspulated countries like; England but puzzles even a young colony with sparse inhabitants like Now Zealand. Of course in a country like this the pressure is not coiiiparabie with the .extreme destitution witnessed in the great centres' of life and wealth at home, but still it. exists; amongst : us, and is usually found to' be' associated either directly or indirectly with intemperance or crime. In England, in the United States, and on the Continent every conceivable expedient has been tried either by State legislation or philanthropic enterprise to stem the increase of pauperism, crime, and intemperance. " All three, m6re or less go together and grow together in spite of all checks'which human ingenuity can devise.' AJdeal contemporary the 1 other day suggested . retreats for- in-; obliges as a'paliation of one of three evila;of. : whi9|j;" w& pj&ve a" bitter experience in.'New Zealand,' but, unfortunately, this remedy has already betin tried" in the United States, mid has proved -a failure. "' Perhaps the only real porinnpent successes in dealing with' pauperism, crime, tiiid intemperance are'those recorded during the past five and twenty yoars in the State of Maine. ■ It is idlej however,'to expect to introduce into New Zealand the social reform which has been accomplished in that State; public opinion is not ripe for such a change, uftd only visionaries in the present state of colonial society would attempt tho- impossible task of bringing it about. We rarely get any new-light thrown on the problem which tho civilised world may bo said to be : trying to solve, and which has baffled Statesmen and religious denominations for. centuries,' but no less a person than the leader of the Salvation Army W, in a recent speech, indicated a way by which pauperism, crime, and ' 'intemperance. may bo ..checked, We have little sympathy with General Booth and his followers, but if they in their experiences have- discovered a practical truth which has escaped economists and religious professors, there is no reason wo should not bonetit by thorn. The following is the published expression of General Booth's convictions on the social problem " The .root of tha difficulty Ja.uot material but moral. It is sad euou-jli sliat millions of children should be Rowing up iu liomoi where all regard for decency and'-mora-ify, let alone comfort, is of necessity sot asido; but it seems to me sadder still that 'all. this should be going on in a country whore any- ■ uno might really raise himself above. -that lowest level vrnrc lie only influenced aj' he might be lor good. I will not ask you to ■admit.to your columns any stories of thu happf /l'oniß-and happy Elizas of whom the Salvation Army i:i composed. I will only say that lam personally acquainted ! with thousautls who nav,> been down to the lowest depths—honmleas, penniless, ragged, disgraced, hopoless—aud who are now well known to bo iespect;ibl e people ] i in decent, and, in .many cases, even'comfortable homes, without need of charitable help -nay; ready to help others up. Nothing can be more ridiculous than to attempt todoal with the Rreafc social diflfoiilty as though it had no deeper cause than a want of bricks and mortar. The first And'groat thing to bo done by those who would-im-prove the. condition of the wretched is to get at their hearts.. I and my associates are deemed fanatics for our methods, and we are contont for this to be so; but let thoso who despise and condemn as—if they woulo do good to thn degraded-auply-this heart leverage in any way they think proper, lint do not lot them waste time and money in. the • endeavor, • by mero physical appliances, to lift -up those wlio are sunken and (inking mainly for want olthat .within which can lift and has lifted tho slavo,. and 'tlje' want o! 'which must 4ooner or later abase the prihee. Lot a' little of the brotherly love,which '■ leads the poor, despised, and slauderod Salvationist" out into tho Bfcreets on a dark winter's night to lead others into tho warmth and comfort he hm found to be diffused anions the more educated portions of thecommunity; and before there would be time lot tho erection of a Urge block of industrial dwellings, tens ol thousands of families' now overwhelmed in vice, dirt, and disgrace migbt be raisedinto ic&l hdppinojß."

The sentiments of General Booth will, We think, carry conviction to the minds of many. They explain, to a considerable extent,'the extraordinary influence which his follower have exercised in 'all parts of the world, and they indicate '(he road which others must follow who •take upon themselves the task of com batting with ; intemperance... and its handmaids poverty' and crime, 7/"'' " ■ notifies that during his-visit to .Mamerton, he may: be consalted at the Club Hotel. ' , „ Tli? qtyon Poultry Show is already; .bearipß fruit iii theiiuroduotjoii hew breeds into the Wairara'pa, Harriion,of tho Upper Plain has recently purchased a pon ufLanshnns from Chriatohurcf), artd as they are aveiy lar«« and meaty- aud prolific Uyern,we hare no dou'b't "fhat lingshans will speedily become popular. Yesterday'was the anniversary of the battle of Ohillianwalla in tlid Punjaub, whan 5,300 Britinb troops were'killed or Wotinded, including' a whole artillery regiment, the men. uf which were sabred at their Runs by the Sikh?. The British ; troops took the Gold 20,000 strong under General Lord Qmigh at ultimo 11.45 to attack a force of 60,000 Sikhs under Shere Singh. They fought till 6 p.m., maintained their ground and captured 1G guns, but at the terrible sacrifice above earned, Of llie artillery rogiment wliich was out tu pieces, one rnan and a buy alone escaped tbe slmghior. One who is now a resident of Mmterlon,' Mr E, O. livena fought on tba< day in the gallant. 3rd -'L : ght Dragoons, and received ' the medal commemorating the battle.

We have received from Mr G, S. W, Daltymple,-the local:agent of tho S anSard Insurance Co., a floral almanac for tho current year, which will'ii i'ld its oftn ; f» a'.work of .art with oilier calendars.of the season..'" ' , :

i There ia in the Ciiibete damp'at Maryjborragbj in Victoriai a moat extrtoKlihai'y, Bpeoiraeir cf -female huraaaitym the joelttoo of Mrs Wi Fuok, the European .wjfe of :fl Ohineio resident in' the camp This wtMclting' person iaabdot themoßk nbeas female inthe Colony.. She tarns iwle at-26sii or andv-ihe weight ut saeh that no chair in the camp il capable nf supporting her, A briokworfc atrooiare bat bees erected for Mrs ffi Popfc i» repow spoil. She is a woman of jgeffl9n h#{( mi extraordinary width.