THE TIME 0' DAY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5021, 9 May 1895, Page 3

THE TIME 0' DAY.

[«Y THE 11 SKXTINKIi."] H Wemingtox, Tuesday. '*oll VOR THE RARITY OK CHRISTIAN CUARITY." Last week, two little mites of boys wore charged, before the Stipendiary Magistrate, with the heinous crime of having robbed, from the Christians' Chapel, nfow stale buns, the remains of the " Christians' " quarterly "bun-worry" feast. The " Christians" cMght the urchins red-handed in the robbery, and no doubt, as part of their creed of stern, unrelenting justice for wrong-doing, they promptly haled the poor little fellows before the " beak " for condign punishment. These boys were duly admonished nnd set free by the Magistrate, who naturally did not regard the alleged burglary as a very . serious offence. But the fact of \ their prosecution at all, for a boyish escapade, speaks little for the fission of that Divine attribute nercy, which should characterise in believers, but which apparently would moro powerfully apply to the sect which has arrogated to itself in contradistinction to other denominations, the title of " Christians," just as if they, and they only, were the true followers. If this kind of justice is part of the ''Christians'" creed, rather would I ling myself, as the Pharisee of old did, and thank God 1 am not as some Christians are. PRESERVING OUIt SCiiXKRY.

The Scenery Preservation Society have taken a big job on hand, and it remains to be seen, whether they will be supported by the public rightthrough to the end, Personally, i am doubtful as to the Society's ultimate chance of achieving very much, from the fact that the people ofjKVellington much prefer the prtcftical to the picturesque. The City of Wellington always has been, and I am afraid always will be, regarded as a place to make money in, and then to get out of it as fast as possible. We have any amount of wealthy people here, who have done nothing to beautify the City, j and care not enough for beauty, even to make their own residences ami grounds pleasing to the eye. Squalor reigns supreme, and business before beauty, is the main consideration, The Scenery Preservation Society is full of new-born enthusiasm, and the members will have to mature the infant very carefully, or it will die a speedy death from the effects of the cold-water which will undoubtedly bo freely poured upon its tender head, when the well-to-do are asked to give in aid of its support. 1 notice from the circular, which the Society is issuing, that branches are shortly to be formed in all the country towns, with the object of collecting funds and applying them loAjLly to the preservation of spots of"tural beauty. There are many "beauty spots" about Masterton, and surely someone in your town will have the energy to take the initiative in forming a branch of the Association there. All information can bo obtained from Mr W, K, Pearson, Hon. Secretary to the Society, by addressing him at Westminster Chambers, Wellington. Cojutry residents should especially romeniber the old saying, that " man made the town, but God made the country." Should not, therefore, all' in the country assist in preserving the creator's handiwork ?

" HONOUR TO THE ItIIAVK." We English are fond of placing on record deeds of " derring-do " and nets of bravery or heroism. And rightly so too, for are we notencourging by these means the practice of some of the noblest attributes of ponv human nature. It is not because weffigard bravery as such a rare that we hasten to record and reward it, but because we know it to be one of tho rational essentials, nnd we honour it accordingly, as keeping up the traditions of the race. If ever a deed of biavery deserved to be placed on record it was that of the two men Moroney and Hougham, who at the imminent pei 11 of their lives rushed repeatedly into the smoke and llames, at the late fatal Tory-street fire, and dragged from the burning room the inanimate forms of the unfortunate man Patrick, and his still more unfortunate wife. The Coroner spoke highly of the men's bravery, and his remarks were endorsed by the lider added to the verdict by the jury. If ever two men earned a reward for conspicious bravery Moroney and Hougham did. I should like to see their act brought umkr the notice of the Ifoyal Society or the Eoyal Albert Society, whichever it is recognises such cases, for such gallantry should not pass without official recognition.

A TERIUMK EXAMPLE, What a terrible example this Tory-street fire was too, of the awful effects of intemperance, Small wonder is it that the crusade against drink is gaiuing ground, and the supporters of the movement clamour so loud and so long for the suppression of the liquor traffic. Such J awful scenes as this are more eloquent in condemnation of the lice thanallthelsittsinCbrisfendom. The evidence at tho inquest showed beyond a doubt that both Patrick and his unfortunate wife had been dunking, and while in a state of 'j semi-stupefaction the bed-hangings were sot live to by a lighted candle, ttfcjjvhieh stood on the floor, being' over. The fire has lesulted VHRho death of the wife and child, HB)ur readersliavealready learned, what I can hear there is buTO remote charce of Patrick himself suvviving his injuries. ■ ) Without doubt this is one of the most shocking affairs which has happened in Wellington for many a year. is mxmvr.mxr, a lost am ? I notice that the Wellington Education Board have sanctioned tho use in the public schools of / Jackson's vertical handwriting copy , books. Is not this a great mistake P Vortical or uptight handwriting is at no time ornamental and it may easily become illegible, From vertical handwriting to backhand writing is an easy descent and it seems to me, judging the matter from a non-expert's point of view, that if the idea of introducing' this new system is to improve the school children's penmanship that exactly theopposite result will he obtaiued. It is well known that clerks and others who use the pen much are j comparatively free from what is kaown as " liter's cramp," if they atot a free flowing forward style of whilst others who wme vei tically or backwards are frequently sufferers from the painful complaint, from the fact that the pen is held in a cramped and > unnatural position. This strain, after a timo, tells upon, the. muscles of the hand and arm, and cramp or

partial paralysis is very often the result, It may be said that the almost univorsal uso of the typewriter now-a-days lias practically rendered good handwriting a superfluity so far as correspondence is concerned, but it will bo many a long day before the writing machine will take the placo of the pen in, say, keeping books in a merchant's oflice. Ask any business man which he prefers, vertical or forward writing, and his verdict will assuredly he in favor of the latter, 1 therefore say again tliattlieintroclnctionof vertical handwriting is even more a huge mistako than that famous history of New Zealand with which some of the schools were supplied not long ago.

" t'wAS IS TliAFAl,oak's RAY." The news which has recently been going tho round of the papers that several of tho oilicers lost in the Spanish warship " Iteina Regente," which went down with all hands off Cape Trafalgar some months ago, were on board the training corvette " Nautilus," which visited this port several years since, will be received with regret by many people in Wellington, who during the vessel's stay hero speedily became warmly acquainted with the affable and courteous Dons. More than one young lady in Wellington, it was reported at the time, had lost their hearts to the fascinating foreigners, I for the Spaniards, though their knowledge of English was limited, were past masters in the art of fascination. In Christchurcli it was reported there were several engagements which.the faithless Dons met 'with a flowing sail, a favouring breeze, instead of the customary " splice." In fact, most of the Christchurcli society belles were in mourning when the "Nautilus" hoisted up her anchor and sailed out of Lyttclton harbour leaving them all lamenting, lloth here and in Christchurcli more than a pang of passing regret will be felt at the untimely end of those gay young Spaniards who went down in Trafalgar's Bay. |

TUB XEtV SISTERHOOD. Sotlio " ministering angels" at the Hospital, who tend suffering' humanity when "pain and anguish wring the brow," arc in future to be dubbed " sisters." instead of nurses. 1 do not know that 1 like the change | much, There is something soothing about the word nurse, not that I mean to imply " sister" lias the opposite effect, but it seems more in keeping with things for a nurse to be in a hospital than a "sister." It is true that in certain semi-religious nuvsing institutions at home, the ladies arc designated sister so-and-so, and even in some of the Hospitals the practice obtains, but 1 think it will be found that in nearly all the large Hospitals, the ladies who devote their liyes to tending the sick and injri ed, are called nurses. The ladies in the Wellington Hospital do not like the term nurse, and so they have applied to the trustees for permission to be termed " sisters" in future. It was a harmless ambition ami sotheirrequest was granted, and 1 don't suppose they will nurse any the better or the worse for the change. The Trustees seemed to be in a quandary how to call them. The matter is simple. Let the ladies be called Sister lirown or Jones, as the case may be, as similar Christian names are so frequent. Or, failing that, 1 would suggest that a name bo adopted as ladies do when taking the veil in a religious sisterhood.

"the royal axi) axuiext hajie." " The Eoyal and ancient game of golf" seems to have taken a firm hold in Wellington, and it is just as popular amongst the ladies as with the men. There are now two clubs in town, one has its" links "at the Mutt racecourse, ami the new one, which has just been formed, proposes to establish its links at Miramar. Then is no finer game, enthusiasts will tell you, than golf for winter or summer. In the Old Country golf is practically a summer and autumn game, here we have the advantage, owing to our mild winters of being able to play all the year round. Golf requires considerable skill and judgment to excel at it, and it, moveover, provides one with a reasonable amount of exercise which is not at any time too violent. In this respect it i s admirably adapted for ladies who are fond of healthy outdoor exercise.

SUITEIi FOR lIRAZII,. Someone Iras written to the local papers suggesting Rio de Janiero as a new market for our dairy produce. The suggestion is an excellent ono for dairy farming is an unknown industry in Brazil, The climate is not suitable for the rearing of dairy cattle, and consequently butter and cheese are scarce and expensive commodities. Most of the butter it has lieen pointed out, is imported tinned from Denmark, and owing to the long sea voyage it deteriorates greatly in quality beforo it is consumed, There would be nothing easier than to ship dairy produce front New Zealand, which could bo landed in good condition from the cool chambers on the steam-boats, for the journey rarely occupies more than three weeks at the outside, The main consideration, of course, would be to obtain a market first, and this, 110 doubt, could easily be arranged with a little trouble and some preliminary expense, of course, Now that our dairying industry is languishing for want of new outlets, is the time for those interested, to make enquiries as to the possibilities of the suggested market. The matter is well worthy of the careful attention of every dairy farmer and cheese and butter factory in your District, and I liopo you will see your way to draw attention to the subject through your leading columns.

THE REAI, SIMON PUKE. Some time ago an ingenious youth fluttered the dove-cots of Wellington society, by posing as the son of the eminent temperance reformer, Sir Wilfrid Lawson, The youth, who was a tailor by trade and a rogue by choice, was made much of. He was feted, flattered and caressed, until the police found him out and ontertaincd him right royally at the country's expense at the maison de Ganeij. From thence he emerged in duo course, and was lately heard of down the West Coast of tho South Island pursuing his devious courses under several aliases. Tho genuine Simon Pure has, howover, really arrived from England in tho 'Doric,' in the shape of Sir Wilfrid Lawson's bona fide son. Although ouv visitor will bo welcomed for his eminent father's sake, there aro many people here who will be unpleasantly reminded of their credulity in regard to tho young man who so boldly masqueraded in borrowed plumes on a former occasion, when they make tho acquaintance of the real Mr Lawson, SIOIIK AHOUT STAMPS. A week or two ago I delivered

myself of a paragraph relating to New Zealand stamps from the Philatelist's point of view, sinco which I have learnt ono or two facts which will serve to illustrate lioiv keenly the craze has taken on now-a-days, A certain general managor of a Bank, which shall be nameless, has issued an edict which lakes effect throughout the length nnd breadth of the land, that tho used postage stamps recoived on letters at tho various branches are to bo carefully collected and sent to him. This is what ono may term philatelic meanness with a vengeance, for tho G.M. with his princely " screw " is well able to buy stamps for himself, instead of depriving the junior dorks of a perquisite which has been their's from time immemorial. Needless to say tho boys are lilled with immeasurable disgust at this display of meanness on the part of their chief. Stamp dealers at Home and abroad frequently address circulars to the "junior clerk" of "so-aml-so" asking him to collect used N.Z. stamps, for which tlioy oiler certain payments either in money or in kind. Not so very long ago the junior sorting-clerks in a certain Government Department, allured by these circulars, used to make a practice of detaching from cable and telegrams the used stamps with which they did a full trade until the game was discovered, and they were severely punished for their misdeeds. 1 know of a certain stamp collector in this City, who, not long ago, gave for a very rare South American stamp, while a lady in Auckland, whom I know of, has refused £2OO for an extremely scarce 1 2d Mauritius stump. There arc said to be only eight of these stamps in existence,so the value will increase enormously every day. A linn oi solicitors in Hugland, who are apparently enthusiastic stamp collectors, wrote out to a firm in this 'city the other day, offering to send out new books and magazines in exchange for New Zealand stamps. The new black half-penny stamp, as I formerly mentioned, is very much in demand amongst Philatelists, ami quite a lucrative little trade is to be done if one only had the patience to collect them.