The Wairarapa Daily WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1890. SOCIAL REFORM.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3404, 8 January 1890, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1890. SOCIAL REFORM.

In opening a public library at Clapbam, Sir John Lubbock said:— '.' Many complained of the increase iu the rates; but lie very much doubted whether Free Libraries cost the ratepayers anything at all—whether they did not save more than the penny rate. Ho pointed out that'biil a fraction of the crime and misery of the coimtryiaroßß from actual wickedness or from .unavoidable misfortune, ; the great sources of crime beingdrink and ignorance. Iu 1878 the revenue derived from spirits-not the amount spent in spirits—but merely the tax on it, amounted to the enormous sum of £21,000,000;' in 1880 it had fallen to £ 1 y,000,000; in 3 885 to JB 18,000,000 and it had sinco still further slightly fallen, showing a diminution in ten years of over £3,000,000, or over 14 per cent. . Was it not a sad thought that when they spokt of a publichouse they meant a place for the Bale of intoxicating drink? Tliej were there establishing a true public-' house of a very different character. He thought it was difficult to oyer estimate the advantages, of free libraries, They wero not only a source of innocent pleasure, but were also a groat moral influence" There is a certain degree of truth in tho lesson drawn by Sir John Lubbock, but we fancy ho over-estimates tho benefits obtainable I'roin free libraries, Man, taken in the aggregate, is neither a drinking nor a reading biped, He has a tendency to kill time occasionally by resorting to a public-house, also by perusing books which interest him, but he is essentially a social and gregarious being. The tendency of poor human nature is very much tho same in Ne,v Zealand an at Home. A man, after his day's work is over, after his business hours are duly despatched, wants some relaxation, needs some little stitualent to his jaded : mind or weary body, and ho naturally goes to the only pla:e' whore he .can get it. In a placo like Mastertou where is there an assembly room in which men can congregate and enjoy social converse and harmless amusement? It is true there are occasional meetings'at which an effort is made to supply a need of this kind, but at the most they only partly meet the difficulty, What is needed is an assembly room, whoso doors are always open to its members', where suoh amusements as conversation, musio, reading, or even cards or billiards are obtainable. The time | will '..dome,-. perhaps, whpir such assemblies can be organised in' every township on such lines.that men may take their wives and daughters to them, aud ; all;selfrespecting people iri the community meet there in a friendly reunion, In England a free library may be a panacea for much that is evil, but out here in this colony it might be possible to bring about still better results by establishing facilities for sooial reunion on the lines we have indicated. The conditionXofcoldniarei'isterice.which often include' 1 small houses, large families, and many household cares, do-' not offer,as great;facilities for social intercourse as obtain at home, This drawback might be remedied if .each township had an assembly 1 room' wjiiph could; be as a sortof drawing rpom at wlijch any well conducted person of either sex could spend a pleasantevening. Tljerearo some pepjtle in every community who are so happily,circumstanced that they can command'as rnuoh. sooial' »iijoyme»t as but it ia

desirable thttt all be on this footing, and all uiigliffit they united to: establish • some Taort,- of public drawing room to which everyone >?bo could be. trusted to' behave '.'with decoruni and; prop'riotV' woiiW have ready access. ...'...>

A-raward in offered to Hie recovory of a light bay mare lostfrom the Upper Plain. .:. . ...„„.. ..„,,;...., :;.■■■

In Iho cnokot match, Wellington v ; Auckland, .tho ■ ]atioi-w(irt"fi«itßh' by 10; wickets'. . ' ''"."' '■"

The Wairarapa Jubilbo committee by a majority of one decidedagainst permitting the sale of intosioating liquors at the Jubilee picnic in the Mastevton Park. Twonty.three vote'd'.fdr and twenty four against the motion.

The Chairman of the Wellington City Licensing Oommittue, ; Mi'J R Bl.ir, has intimated his intention of refusing any applications for a conditional license tc. Bell lii|Uor|atthechildren'B fete on Jubilee Day." , ■■ ~■.;■;■.■. ■■'.:

A meeting of cricketers is convened for Wednesday 15th inafc at 8 p.m, at Mr Hash's rooms for the purpose of revis fog .by-laws, and other important business. ••• • '.;' : ■ • •

Mastortdu is lo.bo represented at the Grand Band Contest to bo held in AVollraijtou early in February,.Mr Pearson's Prirato Band having rosolvedtocouipote, and we have no doubt that they will uphold the musical reputation the'Wairarapa Valley has gained." Bonaparte's house at Lonstwood, St Holona, is now a barn, tho room he died in is a stable; and where the'imperial body lay in stale may bn found a machine for grinding cum. Mr F. H. Wood lias,on sale the celebrated Massey,' Toronto, reaper and binder. Onn has just arrived, and is set up leady for work. Several of"these machines can now bo seen in full work in different parts of the Wairarapa.. Mr Wood is agent for the Wairarapa, and he will supply terms and further particulars mi application,' Sir Thomas and Lady Mcllwraith and party of nine leave Wellington to-day by rail for tho north, .passing through ■Vlasterton and Fnily-Milu Bush. .' Out of ninety poems received in competition' for tho three prizes offend by the proprietor* of the Evening Post, of liftum guineas, ton guineas, and five guineas, for tho best ■ poems nn Mv

Zealand's Jubilee, Mr J. K, Fitzgerald, the judge has aw.ivdod the prizes to Mr U. L. James, Parliamentary Library, Wellington,-first,'Air 0. U.nibehi, Tolegraph Department, Dunedin, second, and Air E. f regear, Wellington, third. Returns just issued prove that there | has boen,coincidentally with the growth

of populatinu.in England and Wale's, a romaikaMß decrease in the nuinhor of persons sentenced to penal servitude, and consequently adiminution of serious crimes. For the live years terminating with the close of 1804 tiio annual average of sentences to penal servitude was 2800 For the four years eudiiif? 1888, it hid I tallon to 952.

A hundred yean ago, legal penalties of hll kinds vera very severe in 17.97.the Archbishop of Canterbury wye notice of his intention to bringabillin Parliament enacting that any person conjicted of playing at any mine of dunce on Sunday should he hablo to transportation tu Botany Hay for seven yoars. To the owner of tho house whore 'gaming was permitted was awarded the mild [tonally of transportation for life, A most barefaced and cowardly assault was perpetrated upon Mr Edwin Arnold baskotmakor, otc, of Willis-street Wellington late on Saturday night It jeppcars that Mr Arnold cloned bis shop at about 11 o'clock on Saturday and in company with his wife sat down, to

have a quiet read.' A few minutes before midnight hewing footsteps iiuhe alley at the back ot his houso ho went out to see who was there and .was confronted by two nieu, who on being told thoy wero on private ground and asked

what, was their business therfl, Btated they wanted to get to a fish shop at the end uf ihe street, Mr Arnold told thorn thoro was no fish shop tho way thoy wanted to go, whereupon one of the uien said ho would gotho way ho wanted to and throwing himself into n fighting attitude invited Mr Arnold to "coins ou" while Ihe other seized up n prop, Mr Arnold, however, thought discretion tho better part of valour, and ' retired " to the house, closing and locking tho door after him. The man with the prop then commenced smashing one of the windows with it as tho other man, seizins! up a coal scuttlo, completed the destruction of tho window by dashing it through it. Mrs Arnold was all this time standing at her front door calling for tho polico, and although Bevorat peraons passed by none ot them offarcd to roi.der her any assistance. Mr Arnold than wont out himself to s'eo if he could find a policeman and on going round tho corner of Manners-street he found his two assai'anta thore. Ho at once wont up to them and askod them to go to the police sfation with him, which they very willingly jagrood to do. When they arrived within a few yards of the station-honse door, howeve", one of them strnok hiin n heavy blow mi the nnso and knocked him down and ran away. Ho at onco gave chase and cjufht ono of the men, but hi* comrade returning to his assistance. Mr Arnold very reluctantly hud to let him go, and went to got the nsakance of the police. Constable Baskiville being in the station at the time, went with Mr Arnold after the men, and succeeded in tracing them as far as Taranaki street, where they lost sight .of. them altoßothor. Mr Arnold states that ho would know the men again, so there is some hopes of the miscreants being brought to book, "Press,"

~• Au eccentric clergyman in Cornwall h-id been rnuoh annoyed by a way the members of tho congregation had gut of laukinground t» take etuck of latecomers. Alter enduring the annoyance, for sumo time, be said, on entering the roading desk ono day, " Brethren, 1 regret to any that your attention is called away from your religious duties by your very natural desire to see who conies in behind you. I prnpuso to save you the trouble by naming each porson who niiy enter; aud 1 hopu'thnt the service will be allowed to proceed without ititel--ruptiuii." He thon began. "Dcaily beloved," " : but paused to interpolate" ■" Farmer Stubbins, with his wifo and daughter!" Farmer Stubbins looked rather surprised; but the minister, with perfect gravity, resumed Melioration. rVosently he again paused.. " Sam Curtis and William Digtdel" The| abashed congregatiui kopt their eyes Btudiously fixed on their books. The service proceeded in the' most'orderly manner,', the parson interruptiu? hiruselt every now aud then to name 'some new comer. At last he said, still with the same perfect gravity. "Mrs Symons, of tho EedLion, in: anew bonnet I" In a momeut he felt his mistake: bub it was too lute, : Every feminino head in the congregation had turned round !• . M-.te th.in one-half of all the jews ■■ in tho world, are in Germany, Austria, Hungary, lloumania.und Uuaiia, , : , , : _ Oca sale of dross fabrics o! evory description (luring the present season has very lavßi'ly exceeded any provioiis summer's ttailo. This has doubtless been the resultof the excellent choice we have been able to show. a«. well as'tlie eierlirig value of tho materials.- Our dress department, aud also tho dressmaking rooms, havo been kept bus'ly employed from the commencement of the season up th the present dato at Te Aro House, Wellington, ' . Noiabiv among those new 'dress fabrics are some very prettyaud servicoablo bordered robes, In .the now-colors, and exactly suited to the season,':and at prices to meet all rceuirements, atTe>Aro'Hou'se JVellingfoii, pen'thin black dross;fabrios.aro.inuch appreciated for cool wear during tho hot summor months, and during the past week we have opened out alarfie parcelof these in'blackbsreges, at pricesmuch below thaordinary rates, at Te Aro Heuse, Wellington./': .. , ■/■. . NotwmiOTDisfl tho largo salcswo have thus-made, we have never allowed our stock to ruii.low, but have constantly replenished it from Yurie to tiiiie with the latest fashions and newest goods, at Te Aro House, Wellingtou: .. ■"'''..».■' ; Wliave also received a full assortment qf Chilis silks, surahs, and pongees, in all cploW,Bo that Qtir stock is amply replenished ami capable oi mooting all domanda at Te Afo.HosW,;W»ltogjoa,-,AWr, '

A branch : of._thu jtiw Brigade is about to be furmecl at! Kuri puni, f':-■'■; Mr. '■V.'f": : ;# ! : Two hundred, dry ewes are added t Mr F.H,:Wood's Taratahi'Btock aal v''v ; -'; », '■■f':';i i .yC : : '■■ Messrs Lowes & lorni H i' heir .''usual colunm a summary of thei uotion sales for the ourrent montn. The following aretlie Matterton Volun nors selected to attend the annual meot nc; of the New Zealand Itiflo Assooiatioi V Dunediti:—Major Donald, Lieut :r>ojnps,oh) Oor'pl.: McKcnzie,; Vols Yardeli, Blaino, and'Woolf, "Mr "W. R." Bone has been appointei ole agent in Masterton for the sale o ickots for the Grand Jubilee Art Unioi n aid of the, Wellington EreoPubli jibrary Fund. Quitoan inehof rain hasfallen hcredui ngtho past twelve hours with tho resul hat imny acres of ripe wheat aye. boatei lat with the ground. If the straif'.L mt toobrittleandtheheadstoo lioavy th rops may rise with fino weather sufh' iiimly for the .roaper tu porrorm. it luties sucsosafully, but it in feared. ii nany instances farmors will suffer a loss )n tho other hand the root crops wil IB considerably benefitted, The San Francisco correspondent o he Auckland' Herald says—".Tho e.t 'ealandia has on board two dozen littl ;rey foxes, which woro ordered: som imo ago by tho New Zealand Govern uent, through .Mr R, J. Croighton, th ocftl agent. Those little, animals wil m tried as rabbit] exterminators, am iveryone in California who knows thai isbits is confident that they will go oi)g way toward solving the rabbit pes |iicstion. -These animals aro to b ound only on the small inlands to tlv westward of the southern coast of Ca'i orian, and even there they are not aUI oramon, and aro very difficult to caj uro. Thny live on rabbits, mice, an .11 sorts, of small animals, but they hav tot been known to disturb the sheep o ny of tho inlands, Mono of these littl .nimuls have" ever been brought over t he mainland and set free, and th laturalUts lit tne State generally regan bem as a unique and comparative! larmlusj.variety.ofthe foi tribo. T hoßo whose ideus of foxes are obtaine rom tho ordinary red or grey animal hui>c little fellows will provo a surprise [hey are n«t nearly strung enough t ouch alamb, and a good game roost"! an give one all tho tight it wants. M Jreightoi) feels hopeful that they will d ixoellent service iiratenmmtmg rab iits, and that tho evpunso iti gettni] huui will be amply repaid.' 1 (jood news from Wellington, and quit rue, you can «et a splendid' harrhoniun rom LB,- piano or organ from LIS irgan with divided octave cbuplars all n solid black walnut cases frim U7 I'his heats all tho cheapest homes ii own, Pinnoa tuned for 76, or by tin •iar four visits LI, travelling expenses ddedl All kinds of musical instruments uued,'cleaned, and repaired, new rueda mt in accordeans. Concertinas, liarioniums, and organs; also liberal oxhangt'B made, Any iiistminent may be lurchnsed on the time payment system rom 2s 6d per week. Call and oxhungo your old piano for a new one at U Pinny's Musical Instrument Depot, tanners-street, Wellington. (Hide gent of the 'celebrated Worcester IgailB.)—ADVT