COMMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1840, 22 April 1884, Page 2

COMMENTS.

The editor of a new periodical published in London and called New Ideas has sent us No. 2 for review. A first glance convinced us that our little contemporarj' was launched on the world for some purpose, but a careful perusal and a reperusal equally careful have not sufficed to indicate what that purpose precisely is. If we measured its importance by our inability to grasp its objects, New Ideas would be the most important periodical of the nineteenth century. IJy-tlie-bye, its full title is "New Ideas for Thinkers, Tho Text Book for the 20th Century," and perhaps our density is owing to the circumstance of our belonging to the 19th century. We must not, hott'e\er, jump at conclusions. Human natnie lias a horror of did ictie literature. We don't like to be hectored. Cowpei and Wordsworth had each a message for mankind, but they speak with such an offensive air of superiority that ninetenths of us point blank refuse to listen to them. It we are to take pills they must be sugar coated, and our draughts imi&t be seasoned with peppermint or something equally palatable ;and so when a heaven-inspired poet seeks to admonish us he must, if he wish to be successful, talk to us in parables and allegories. The editor of New Ideas appreciates the weakness of his fellows. He has a mission to perform, a politico-social mission, and he seeks to familiarise tne multitude with his ideas by presenting them in the oddest shape ho c.in devise. He trusts that his readeia while wrestling with his orthography, may imbibe some at least of his ideas. This much we gather from a notice of the journal in the Norwich Argus, for a study of No 2 of the peiiodical itself has failed in enabling us to form any decided opinion. The Aigus, which is probably in the confidence of New Ideas, says, ".Socially it ad\ocntesthe nationalisation of the land, distiicl government, and gencial enfranchisement; personally it places the human soul in soul-renewmen-tation, and educationally it is the harmonious classification of ideas." The contents of the number before us include an article on " Shipshodity," the chief purpose of which is to announce that the editor Knows nothing of spelling; "A Limitational Universe"; " Clerical Liquidity "; "A Meditation on Foul Houses,'' which seems to be the most lucidly written peice in the paper, as it deals with the subject of out cast London, and hints at the propriety of confis eating all the ground rents; "An Earnest Appeal to the Poet Laureate," urging Mr Tennyson to give up the notion of taking a peerage ; and " Tho Heredity of an Ego, evolved from the House that Jack Built." It is, of course, unfair to judge of the mci its of New Ideas from its second number. Even the Pickwick Papeis failed to louse public enthusiasm until the third or fouith pait had seen the light, and the gentlemen who evolve these " new ideas'' are, speaking offhand, not so well calculated to "draw" as Dickens. Our new friend, it seems, is the organ of " Comprehensionism," and " Comprehensionism," so the Norwich Argus informs us, "seeks to keep the sonl pine by an absolute system, based upon the head and heait. It asserts that eveiy child is possessed of God, that the woik of the new system is to perpetuate this individuality, and to invest each with an eternal responsibility." The Argus then proceeds :—": —" Only one thoroughly initiated into all the mysteries of Comprehensionism could explain it thoioughly. We think we understand it, and our view of the new creed is that it is old forms of doubt worked up into a new shape, in which the intellect and private judgment are released fiom contiol." Here, doubtless, we have, since " New Ideas" prints this notice as a sort of appendix, the key to " Comprehensionism," and the wan ant for the journal calling itself the text-book of the 20th century. Freethonght must undergo the sugar - coating process like eveiy thing else. Just as we prefer to take our lessons in inoiality fiom the fashionable novelist, and not fiom " The Task," or " The Excursion," so in process of time our freethinking brethren will see fit to discaid their Voltaires, their Tom Paines, and even their Biadlaughs, and go out to welcome the sage who shall preach to them in parables of " Slipshodity."

Mr Collier, M.A., has "been appointed by the Board of Education, to the Cambridge East School, in place of Mr R. D. Stewart, who been removed to Kamo. We understand that Mr Collier's appointment is only temporary.

The Rev. W, Gh Baker, as a deputation fiom the Biitish and Foreign Bible Society, has arranged to deliver his inteiesting and popular lecture on "The Bible in India " in the Public Hall, Cambridge on Monday evening the 28th inst.

The privileges of the Cambridge Jockey Club Autumn Meeting will be sold by auction at Messrs Clark and Gane's Mai t, Cambridge, at 12 o'clock to-morrow. As the meeting promises to be a most successful one, considerable competition is expected at the sale.

At the ordinary monthly meeting of the Taotaoroa Road Board, held at the Duke of Cambridge Hotel on Saturday last, no business of any public importance was done, beyond nominating two new members for the ensuing year. Messrs Elbs and Brunskill, the retiring members, were re-nominated.

Mr Hewitt has determined to proceed immediately with the erection of the new horse bazaar, at the corner of Duke Street, opposite the Criterion Hotel. Tenders are called for the work. The ground is already being cleared, and the building which, we understand will be a pattern ot its kind, will be completed at no very distant date.

In the Supreme Court, Auckland, on Saturday, His Honour Mr Justice Gillies pronounced a decree nisi in the case Swanson v. Swanson and Piripi te Wirihana, a petition for divorce. The petitioner is a clerk in the Native Lands Court, and the co-respondent is a natiye assessor. The respondent is a native woman, Ample testimony was adduced to prove adultery, and there was no defence.

At a special meeting of the Kirikiriroa Road' Board on Saturday last, for the purpose of opening tenders for raising the road across the swamp beyond the Tauwhare Temperance Hotel, the tender of Mr Clarkin was accepted at 9d per yard. There were several other tender ranging from Is 3d to 9d.

To the Editor.—Sir,—Would you be so kind as to rectify an error which crept into your last issue, in which you stated that the net proceeds from the Catholic concert were fit. This is a typographical error, and quite unintentional I am sure. Our net proceeds are over,£l7,~

The dates of the annual meetings of the Tamahere, Eiiikinroa, Taotaoroaand Cambridge Road Boards, and other information concerning the same, will be found in our advertising columns. < i

A man named Samuel Bannebt was found in a helplessly drunken state lying in the gutter outride S. Peter's Church, Hamilton, on Sunday evening, after service. The police were communicated with, and Bennett was accommodated with much more comfortable quarters m the lock up. He was brought before the Resident Magistrate yesterday morning, and fined 5s and costs, with the \isual alternative.

On Saturday last a number of valuable dogs in Hamilton were poisoned, and many died. Beyond the f.ict that the agent employed was strychnine, the owners of the animals are quite unable, to trace, the cau«e. It will be seen that the Mayor offer* a reward of £20 for such information as will lead to the conviction of the poisoner, and the Inspector of Nuisances has a notice m reference to the same matter.

On Saturday afternoon His Excellency the Governor invested Miss Crisp, the superintendent of nurses at the Auckland Hospital, with the Order of the Red Cross. The presentation was made in the ball-room of Government House, in the presence of a large assembly of ladies and gentlemen, including Lady Jervois, Miss Jervois, the Mayor and Mayoress, and ths medical staff of the Hospital. Miss Crisp earned the distinction while serving in the military hospitals in Zululand and Egypt.

Signor Otto Hug, the Swiss medical clairvoyant, arrived in Hamilton yesterday, and will remain for a week at Gwynne's cottage, where he may be consulted by those anxious to have their ailments diagnosed. Mr David Carnachan, of Cambiidge, called at our office yesterday, and bore strong testimony to Signor Hug's method of treatment, by which he obtained relief from a veiy painful affection. The Signor has been in Auckland for the past four months, and holds excellent testimonials from many of the leading residents.

The Cambridge race-course presents a very brisk appeal ance of a morning at the piesent time, with horses doing their training for the ensuing meeting. The coming meeting piomises to bj the most successful which has evei taken place in Waikato, and the Stewards anticipate an unusually large attendance should the weather keep fine. The socretaiy, Mr Scott, is to be congiatulated upon the encouraging natuie of the nominations, and this with the many other aiiwngements _of the ireeting bespeak the energy with which that gentleman has dischaiged his duties.

Mr Henry George, in an article on " Over pioduotion," which appears in the List number of the " North American Review," ridicules the bugbear of the partisans of scarcity and monopoly, and then goes to expose whnt he calls " the fallacies of Protection." He tells his readers that reduced production, low wages, and diminished profits are the natural lesults of those lestiictions which unwise leglis.ition imposes upon freedom of exchange; and he leminds them also that " taxe* upon the exenange of commodities aie as much taxes upon the pioduction of commodities as taxes directly levied upon produc ion," and th'sis a system of taxation which " creates monopolies.'" In conclusion, he Tdmonishos his countiymen that tlie only thing needed to restore the industry organism of the United States to a sound and healthy condition is freedom.

The following special messages to the Press Association, dated London, Api il the 10th and 20th, have been published :—Sii Henry Loch sails for Victoria on the 28th May.—Mr Gladstone has recovered his health.—The Piemier of Manitoba has declai ed that that State will separate from the Dominion unless it is more fairly tieated by the Fedeial Government.—An Australian wheat cargo, April shipment, has been sold at 40-., and another one at (id less. It is understood that the Egyptian army will not be touched by the British proposals, which indicate a limited protectoi ate.—The Fiench Press shows an increasing hostility to the establishment of a British protectoi ate, and rejoices over Sir Vernon Haicomt's disavowal of any intention of annexation.— The Standaid strongly condemns M. Ferry's treatment of Australia. Mr Murray Smith leminds the Times th.it a conflict with France would be imminent if the coloniet prevented convict-, rmdei the Rccidivistcs Bill from landing.—The Obsei ver says that the anger of the Australian colonies on the Recidiviste question is natural and legitimate, and it denounces the folly of France in persisting in the matter.

The following letter under the heading, (t A practical means of kveiling drunkenness " appeared in ii recent issue of the N.Z. Times :—Hotel licenses should be diwded into two classes —one to sell wines, beer, and spirits, to be granted to only a few of the largest and lnn^t centrally situated houses in town and counti y districts ; the other to sell u inca and beer only. No bats in either case to be allowed, but all diinks seived in a large loom for the purpose, supplied with small tables and chairs, and all diinks served by a male waiter. No female waiter should bo allowed. No drink should be allowed to be taken off the premises in this class of license. Rpstaurant licenses should be granted ; the few most centially-situated and which furnish the best accommodation should be granted spirit licenses ; all others, wine and beer licenses only. No bais should be allowed, but drink supplied in a room similar to that in hotels. No female waiters to be allowed. Bid room 3 in this cla'-s of license could be dispensed with. No drink to bo tiken off the premises. In all hotel and restaurant licenses tea and coffee should be sold. A beer license should be granted to storekeeper in the suburban districts for the supply of the labouring clashes to be taken off the premises, and on no account to be consumed on the premises, so that a working man could have his glass of beer at his home without having to go to a publichouse. The doing away with bars would stop shouting and gambling. It would lessen excessive drinking and sly drinking; it would lessen women drinking ; it would lessen after hour and Sunday di inking. By not allowing drink to be taken away from hotel and restaurant licensed houses, it would stop an enormous amount of spirit di inking by women who now send childien and others to bars. It would tend genei ally to lessen drunkenness, and lead people to drink the less harmful wine and beer, instead of spiiits.

The committee appointed at the recent meeting to report upon the proposed Otago Constitutional Association, initiated by the lion. W. Reynolds, propose that the objects of the association shall be, inter alia:—l. To aim at lessening the functions of the Central Government, and enlarging those of the local governing bodies ; (2)_ to secure unity of action amongst all colonists who desire the decentralisation of Go\ eminent functions ; (3) to obtain decentralisation as nearly as may be as follows :—(a) By the creation of local governing bodies for local districts, say, the present educational districts; (b) by the casting of the following functions, amongst others, on the local governing bodies, viz., the maintenance of public order, police, and gaols, providing for hospital and charitable aid, management of education, administiation of lands 1, maintaining and constructing main roads and bridges, providing for sheep and cattle inspection, abating the rabbit nuisance, and conserving forests. (4.) To obtain local revenue for the local bodies as follows :— (a) A sum per pupil from the consolidated revenue as an educational grant; (b) a sum per head from the general revenue for efficient policemen and warders of gaols ; (c) the payment of all sums earned by the dis tricts over four per cent on cost to the districts ; (d) the districts to be allowed to tax either by way of a property tax, a land tax, or a rate as levied by counties. 5. To obtain provisions for allowing districts to be taxed to pay at least two per cent on the cost of railways in the districts, should the net revenue from the railways in the districts not reach four per cent on the cost. G. To obtain a promise that no local body be allowed to borrow save vrifch the consent of twothirds of the voters voting on the question of a loan, and that provision be made for a special tax to pay interest and sinking fund on the loan to be raised, 7. To obtain pro* vision limiting the power of the General Government to borrow for any new works save with the consent of two-thirds of those voting on a direct vote, taken throughout the colony. 8. To obtain provision that no future be made in the constitution without the consent of two-thirds of each House of Parliament. 9. To urge, should the constitution of the Legislative Council be altered, that, the members be elected by # the'local governing.bodies. 10. To prohibit the r General Government raising taxes by the'propertyjindome, or land tax, save to repay interest and sinkingfund fop taws''hirwf^p 'wised 1 * for. ,»ew works* ti'> >■*-•■<'"■'' • -zJJ- f<