THE FREEDOM of the PRESS IN AUSTRIA.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1636, 30 December 1882, Page 4

THE FREEDOM of the PRESS IN AUSTRIA.

. + ]\li'xVrthcr J. Evans, son-in-law of Professor Freeman, writes of his own experience and suffering in the " Austrian the «var aoainst publicity." He says that the world at large has no conception of the deliberate, wholesale, and persistent cffoits of tire Austrian Government to suppress e\ cry item ot independent news as to what is now occurring in Eastern Euiope. In Russia, if the Government is automatic, it never piotu&ics t<) l>»> otheiwise ; but people talk glibly of Austria, as> a great Con-jtitutio.ial Power. Dm ing the troublous events ot the hu,t few yeaih Mr. Evans, who \v.i», engig"d in hteiaiy work iGhiting to the old histoiy, hteiature, andmythsot Dalmatia, acted as the eoi respondent »>t the Minn /ii.shr GtturihiiH, and lias now and then contributed letters to the J'n/l Mull GtizilU, On Match 3Mr K\aus yob a notice of expulsion, but when he endeavoured to leave the country he was arrested, kept seven weeks in solitary confinement in goal, and all his private papers sequestiated and examined. He »i tried for hicdi treason, but the charge broke down, so that he was discharged on condition of leaving Austrian territory within twenty-four hows. No less than six correspondents were arrested on similar chaigea at Eagusa and Cattaro, alone, and one of them was shot without further ado. The official bulletins inform us that '• ordoi ' again reigns in Bosnia and Herzegovina. That ib, that the whole highland population has gone fortli to Montenegro, lea\ing only the ashes of their burnt villages to appeal fiom tyiiinny toGod.

It is shown by statistiea just issued that lafat year there were 17/231 known thieves at laige in England, of whom 12G0 weie in the city of London. A itATHKR good thing has been tofd the Tttnji(/><i Tniuboi a gentleman who lives not one hundred miles from Lawrence. Thib gentleman is noted for being a strict iSdbbataiian, and for being fond of the "bawbecb" also. One of his customers, who owed him the large sum of £2, received letter demanding payment at onee — "if not sooner." The debtor was a farmer, and not being able to sp.ire the time very well through the week, on a certain Sunday calling at Mi* "s private residence, and saying that he had come to pay his account. Mr looked at his irreligious customer vith holy indignation, and said; "No ! Its iSundav, and I can't take the money ; but you can leave it with Mr .So-and-so next door for me."' The debtor exclaimed : " This is a distinction without a didcicnce with a vengeance !" and walked oft to hia mountain home again muttering something about a pious fraud. A iir.MATCJCAr.L], story is told in the memoirs of a Prussian oih'cer of distiuction, in whii'h Geneial Winterfield, one of the most skillnland competent captains of the d.i.y, bore a part. Two men had assaulted an oflicer, and one drew a knife, but no one could toll which was the culprit. The men were drunk and did not know themselves, so both were condemned to death. Then WinterHeld said he would pardon one, but they must decide between them which should die. They agreed to leave it to the cast of a die. The two men took their places by the side of a big drum, and the fast threw two sixes. He groaned in agony. He iolfc that he h.id consigned his comrade to death. But when the second dame to throw he also threw two sixes. " Wonderful ! " cried the lookers-on. They were ordered to shake and throw agaiu. This time the second man threw first— two aces. "Ho ! Good. You will live, Peter." But when Peter came to throw, the dice presented the same two aces. And now the beholders were wonder-stricken indeed. Another throw was ordered, and Peter threw a five and a deuce. The other threw five— deuce. After the excitement had again subsided, the men shook once more. The first threw two fours. "Oh 2 Now throw' fives, and save yourself, Petei'." Peter threw— two fours. At this point the colonel ordered them to stop. He Avent and reported the marvellous result to Winterfield. Said he : " Clearly, General, Providence will have these two men to be saved," ami saved they were. The General dare not oppose the wonderful fate of the dice. It did seem providential, and so he accepted it, and the redeemed soliera lived to prove that the saving fate had given back' to 'Prussia two of the very best and bravest of her sous. Omjar Wilde and His Sctnklowbrs, — Mr. Oscar Wilde's teachings ,seem to be producing widespread misery ,' and turmoil in the United States. There lias been of late the most painful excitement at North Volney, New York, all arising out of aistheticism. It seems that since Mr. Wilde's unfortunate expedition to America many of the young people 'of North Volney have taken to wearing sunflowers as " button-holes." This lias given great offence, to Deacon Campbell, of the ' Methodist ' Church, ' and' < lie recently, expelled .front a prayer-meeiaiijg two ydurig ''inch who thus decorated, and gave notice, that ( in fixture no one would be admitted, into' the church Wearing these badges of ajitheticism.- On ' the'following Suuoay the'Bea'con'tJublicly denounced young ' Mti I Bartlett' 'ftir appearing in church with ''ft " tjuhflower, Bartlett, instead of paying attention*' 'to this.denunciatiori, 'again 'eamSß*fo;chu:rcls the week after' with a'sutffldwe^'attri'cneft! I'to the front of his' coai'^Hf'fhad ip'eVuil? reason' £6tre>eritf 'of' 'hiS "i'#fidefa'c'e;-''f6Vl 'pWrs'o'if. 1 JBi-owa'* *M«4fai f "Dsc6h( Oainjptoft^ft cfu^fifflsfe'thfe^n of wiekedu*ete,ldescend'ed?fi coinltlie'^iilp 1 !!; and UkingMr. Bartlett,^a Voiith offsleudei :