COMMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1970, 21 February 1885, Page 2

COMMENTS.

Most people know who and what the M.vluli is ; few probably know anything of his caily hist jt y, ot of that pottion of Ins life which ptecedod tlit advent of General Goidou at Khaito'.un. Poor Colonel Stewart took great pains to rake up the antecedents of the Prophet. Fioin hisgiaphio account, wiittcn at the beginning of last year, we gather that Mahomet Adimet, the Mahdi, is a Dongolawi, or native of the province of Dongola. His giandfathrr was called Filnl, and lived on the island of Naft Aiti. This island lies east of and opposite to Ordi, the native name for the capital of Dongola. His father was Aluhillahi, by tiade a carpenter. Iv IS.V 2 tins man left anil went to Shiiu'i, a town on the Nile south of Berber. At that time Ins family consisted of three sons and one daughter, called respectively Mahomed Hainid, Mahomet Adimet (tiie Malidi), and Nur-i-l-Shani (Light of Syiia). At Shuuli another son was born, called Abdullah. As a boy, Mahomet Achmet was apprenticpd to Shenfedduen. his uncle, a boat builder residing at Shakebeh, an island opposi'e Senaar Having one day received a beating fiom his uncle, he tan away to Khaitoum, and joined the free school or " Medressii." of a Faki (learned man, head of a sect of Dervishes), who resided at Hoghali, a village east of and close to Khaitoum This school U attached to the tomb of Sheikh Hoghali, the patron stint of Khaitonm, and who is greatly revered by the inhabitants of that town and distiiet. (The Sheikh of this tomb or shrine, although he keeps a fiee school and feeds the poor, denves a very handsome levenue from the gifts of the pious. He claims to be a defendant of the onginal Hogha.li. and through him of Mahomet). Hei^e he lemaincd for tome time studying religion, the tenets of his Snukh, &c , but did not make mnch progress in the more woildly accomplishments of leading and writing. After a time he left and went to Ik'iber, wheie l.c joined anothei fite school kept by a Sheikh Ghubush.at a Milage of that name situated nearly opposite to Mekherref (Beib"i). Tins school is also attached to ashune gieatly vcneiated bj the natives Here Mahomet At hint t letiiained six months completing his leligious education. Thence he Wfiit to Aiadup ( ramaiind Tree) village, south of Kana. Htie in 1870 he became a disciple of another faki — Sheikh Nur-el-Dann (Continuous Light). Nur cl-Daim siib=t(juently oidained him a Sheikh or Faki, and he then left to take up his home in the island of Abba, near Kana, on the White Nile. Huie he began by making a snbten.incnn excavation, into which he made a piactice of retiring to repeat for houis one of the names of the Di-ity, and tins accompanied by fasting, incense- lnuninj?, and prayers. His fame and sanctity Il3' decrees spread far and wide, ami Mahomet Achmet became wealthy, col l«-cted disciples, and inanied sevetal wives, all of whom he was careful to select from among the daughteisof the most influential liaggaia Sheikhs (tiibes owning cattle and horses) and other not ables. To keep within the legalist number (fovn), he was in the habit of di voicing the Mirplus ami taking them on again according to his fancy. About the end of May, 1881, he begau to write to Ins brother Fakis (religious chiefs), and to teach that he was the Malidi foretold by Mahomet, aud that he had a divine mission to reform Islam, to establish a universil equality, a universal hw, a universal religion, and a community of goods ("beyt-ul inai ") ; also that all who did not believe in him should be destioyed, be tlu-y Christian, Mohaminu.ian, or pagan. Among otheis, ho wrote to Mahomet Saleh, awiy learned and inllucntial Faki of Dongola, dnuct ing him to collect his Demshes (followers) and fiiends and to join him at Abba. This Sheikh, instead ot complying with his request, informed the Government, dcclaiing the man must bo mad. Tins infoi 'nation, along with that collected from other quarters, aim mod his Excellency Ri'ouf Pasha, and the result was the expedition of the 3rd or August, 18SI In peison the Mahdi is tall, slim, with a dark beaid and light blown complcction. Like most Dongolawis, he :eads and wiites with dithculty He is local head of the Gheclan or Kadrigc*

order of Dervishes, a school oii^nuti-d l>y Ahrtnl Kader el (Jhulami, who-e tomb is, I l)c!ie\c, at Uagdad. Judg mi,' f i om thus conduct of affairs ami puliev, says Colonel Stcrtart, I should s.n lie li.ul consitlciaUc natural atvlity. The iiiaiiuvf in which he hi.s inaii.i^'.l t lie merge tho tisu.illy tHtcortlant tribes togi-tluM denotes grot tact. Ho had piolubly been prepating tho liiovouu'iit tor Sdrtic time back.

Tin. Camhiidsie Domain Hoard made a ' yri at fuss not lorg since about what a few of its members considered the objec tionable ptnctiic of boating on Like To Knnhi. These gentlemen were very s|iintcil in their opposition — very selfish wo ini^lit nay— and their persistency in «i\ iii 1^ oxprc^ion and force to their own uewi, tejMrdlests of those of the irteat nnjoiity of the public, wa« only equalled by the foolishness of the cornish which tliey thought fit to adopt. The matter having Iwm satisfactorily disposed of we feel loith to acnin rake it out of the asliei of oblivion. We merely tefer to it by way of illnttratinu that when ieal neces sity does arise for the inteifeience of these gentlemen who have evinced such an eagerness to gnatd the public intciest, they are silent and indilTeient. Is the Domain Board aware— it is needless to ask the question — that the Like of late has been converted into a public bathing pond, and that at almost eveiy hour of the dny a striking giotip oi human figures may be been perfoi ming all soits of aquatic c\olutious in full view of all the wOlw 01 hi and hi-> wife ? Of course many voices will be raised in icady lesponse, "But they are boys, only boys, and what dons the world, 01 Ins wife either, care about boys?" It ib very true that few people cue about bojs whose years fauly entitle them to be biought within the category of youth, but when old boys, well passed the mendun of life, take to dusportmg themselves like the wily poipoi-ie tn full uevv of an intelligent, and neivous public, it is near time that the board carefully considcied the matter and passed some byelaw on the subject. Almost every afternoon, when ladies and oth'Mi bethink theiii*cl\ea of seeing Te Koutu in all it* glistening beauty, they aie confronted with this veiy undesiiable and, indeed, unseemly spectacle. It the pi xcticc is to be allowed to continue, then thi' booner the board close* the domain to the public as a reseive lor bithing purposes only, the bettet for all concerned. Wo do not go sjfaras to bay that bathing should be altot;ether piohibited at the Lake, because the place is \ cry safe and \eiy uesiiable for the purpose. We only ask that ablu- ; tionaiy opeiations shall be cuutinuud to a cci tain hour in the morning only, cci tainly [ not later than eight o'clock. Theic aie several other places about the town equally suitable ; theiu is the river, the Kaiapiro cieeU, and the viateifall, which OUKht to be sufficient for the lequirements of the place. We trust the domain bo ml will git c the matter their immediate attention.

Lord Woi.sklky, being merely human, is liable to en, ami m tlie comae of hU career has doubtless committed many mistakes ; but his latest ulunder is his greatest. B foie he started up the Nile, he ought to have seemed the sen ices of the gentleman who writes the military articles for our Auckland morning coutemporaiy. We speak advisedly, for if the gentleman in question is able at this distance to offer advice to our only Geueral, what could he not have done had he been on tho field of action itself ? Like the M.IOIU, our fnend, or latlierour contemporary's fiinicl, lias followed the opeiations m the Soudan with deep interest, though possibly he is not s> anxious, us the natives aic represented to b.-, to "lush into the ti«ht " 15ut let that pass. What we desne to diaw attention to at the present moment ia the righteous indignation winch our contemporary manifests at the criminal neglect nf his aduce by the Commanderin Chief of the Bntish expeditionary force. We use the word " righteous "advisedly also, became L<nd WoUeley ought to be ashamed ol himself. A day or two ago the Heiald, reviewing the situation, \cry sensibly pointed out t iat whatever cUe was done, it would be fatal to letruat— that we shoulil lose our prestige by so doing, and so on, and s>o forth. No counsel could lie souudet, and jet tlie very next cable message biings us news that the troops at Metainmeh have been ordered to retire to Abukela, and that they will probably fall back on Gakdul, and possibly even to Koiti ! Well might our contemporary hold up his hands in amazement ; well might his hinguige have been much stronger than this, which appears in his issue of yisti-nlay . — " That which we .spoke of jerttrd.iy as abovo all things to be avoided, namely, any movement that would have the ap pearance of a retreat, has, according to a message from Cairo, actually occnned ' Lay down your sword, my Loid Wol seley ; resign ; pass in your cheeks ; we have no further use for you ! When good advice was offered you, you s\t in the seitof the scotner. Hencefoith we aie utter hti angers.

The Rev W. A. Swan will officiate iit S. Sti'pl»eii\ (Jhuicli, T.iiiiihtu', to iimiiow. Tlu' ion ice will Ik.' hold .it ole\L-n o'clock in the foiuiiuou.

James Thompson, for the larceny of t.HKi, \\.l- blciUfjllt iH'fulO Ml W. T.ljl<»l, J.ri, at To Aw.inintu, yotcul.ij, .md lem mdod till Tue-d.i\.

A Good Templar lodge is about to be stu ti-d.it Canibiiilgf. A Lugo nutii I)fi of member- Ikiu 1 illicitly bi'un >ecuu-il. The ludgi 1 pioiiu^o- to be >i -.uccc-js

The following gentlemen have bi'i'u elected iiiimhljlm-. nf tho Kilukilu Licencing Committee without opposition : --Me»Ms S. Hniid. A. K.i\, W. A. C'>w.ui, JjL-i. r.uiell and William

At the Hamilton Police Court, yo-»t»M(l.iv, before Mi John Kho\., J.l'., AD nu'liii.ite w.ii lined ■">» and <.<><*, with tin- uMi.il .ilti-iii.itiM' of 21 hnuiV linjuiMdinii'iit.

A telegram to the Press Association cUtud London I'Vlniiuy IStli, -^t itu-» tli it the home .uithui ltio-., ft'.uiiij,' .1 i isiii^, li.we decided not ti> iod\ici- the •>tn«n<{tli of tin; giuiirion .it picsont t-Utumcd m ltuland

The following nominations have been louuwil f<n tlio Haii^i.Kihi.i liicimi^imk JJulull — Ml'-SH W- SI.UIK-, J. \V. l'.lldj,'lu.ui, J. <:ia^, T. .1. K.^.-in K. W Koch.', C. .1. StoH-v, W T.«\l<»i,T W. Wcitlu-iill, J. W.ilton, ,1. ]}. Timml ilo.

Another interesting cricket match n .111. m^ed for S.itiud.iv .ittfinoon at Ciimbi ulffi*. Tlio loctl club, «>i ,tt le.i'-t tliu xnitflu niiiinben <»f it, will pl.iy .i*> in mv in. lined niun .is cm ho #ot togotlliT fin the ntc.iMim. l'l.iy will wninuuiiuo .it two o'clock.

The Cambridge Cricket Club has challenged the To Aroha dub to a contest at .in early dak', to bo played ut CainbmJ^c. A cliailuugu lius also been t>eut to Kihikihi. The county match U being arraiiKed for, and should afford an interesting contest.

An advertisement appears in (mother column notifying thnt tho Harvest Festhal at S. IVtei'a, Hamilton, will he celebrated on Tuesday, Match 3id. Wo have been requested to ttt.ite thnt contiibutions of grain and fruit will be lt'cined .it tlio Paison.ijjo during no\t wuuk. The voikeis will bo glad to iccimvu the gi.vm .is soon .is posuble th.it thv'V nny h.i\e tinw to wmk it up.

The Waipa County Council notifies Di.it it proposes to boumv tho Mim of £I'J">4 uiidii tho ltuuds and Budded Act, and to undciUKu ceit.un work* duly unnnior.tted. A poll of the i.itep.vycrt>, to (lett'imtiic whctlici tl»e money Khali bailorlowed 01 nut, will bo taken on tho 17th Mai i'h .it the c unity ch.unbors, Oliaupo. It is only cliuritublo to supposo tlmt tho ci»unoiU«»rs havo furnotten that tho 17th of M.nch is a public holiday.

The sacred concert to be given at Ng.uu.iwabm on TlniKsduy evening next |n onuses to bo ono of uioru than oidnuuy merit. Tlio piogramnio consi-ita of six autlium*, ono qimi totte, ono duot, ono ttio, eight solos and one nihtrunieut.il piece. It is the fiitit of a relies of conceits t<> ho gi\en m various pl.ici's piioi to tlie di>|)<vituie of the Iti'v. J. J)nki>". The jiroccods die to bo in aid of the circuit fund.

We arc asked to say that the help of lnMnbei^ of the c >n;o tuition of S. Ancliow-A Cunlnul^i-, will ho tluukfully li-ctMU'd fit .1 w.nkin? p.uty fi>r tin 1 Harvest Dec "K'tioiH, to be hold in tho suhooliooin on Monday cvoning, .it apvou o'clock A \ motv of d(>\icos li.ue 1)olmi ])Vi?jwird foi dieting with dim, &c. (Jontiibutions nt com mid fruit will aNo 1)0 th fikfiilly u'tcived. Tlio corn should lio siMit in .11 .■•'• >n .is pos ihlc, and tho fruit a d.iy or two before Fnd.iy if conveniont.

The following tenders were received foi thi 1 di jin,ige Wdi'ka pi«po-.od to b» undui taken by the lion. Jainus Williamson on tho Riikuhu rotate : — if. Dillon, £4!)0 2t ; I. Coatee, £14.) ; B. Coleman, £443 ; J. Murphy, £41*2 18i 3.1 ; J. C.i-by, £313 5s ;J. LuMn-r-tonc, t'lUL' 10^. Tlie tutil ltingth of the diain would have lwon 00 chains the width at bottom throe feet, and the amount of htutf to be shifted about 10,000 y«vrds a consider.iltle nmount of which would be in the m>lkl b >ttoin. No tender wa> accepted, as it was co-isuleied they were too high, but it n probnble tliut, if siitiisfactoi y air.uipiMiipnta cm be made pihalely, tho work will be proceeded with.

We are requested to announce tli.it his Lord-hip Dr. Luck, 0.5.8., will anive at Hamilton by this afternoon-, train, and silently after hi.s arrival will piocucd to the church to examine the candidates for confirmation. The bishop will celebiate the 8 a.m. o'clock Mass to inoriownininiii'r, and just befoie the 11 o'clock Mass Ins LowNhip will ble-s tlio Monastery. M:ij<s will then be said m the church, at the end of which the Blessed .S.ici.uncnt will be taken in procession to the Monastery, all the societies and the whole congregation joining in the ceremony. Benediction will theie bu Riven to tho people. At tin- even inff stn vice at 7 pin confirmation will bo given, Vespers Ming, and Benediction with the Blessed Saciainent.

Te Waotu presents an unusually lively appeal ance just now, as in addition to the men in the employment of the W.ukato Timber Company, eleven pairs of sivv\eis are busy cutting telegnph poles fm Air Ibtiaes' contract, and the bush resounds vvitlf the tin;? of »xc» and the crash of falling trees, besides the .sawyeis, .1 number of nil 1 !) are engaged clearing 1 tiacks to the various saw-piN, and hauliuj? the poles fioin them with bullock trains. Mi W. Spong, who has charge, has been vti v eneigetic 111 hi> effoit>, and has Miccei'deil in the face of many difficulties, in olFuotiiig a very good st.ut witli the poh* contrart, and foui team-, left To \Va-«tu for Cam bi idge with poles on Wednesday morning. Some opposition was otfeied by Natanaand other natives at the commencement, but owing to the firm stand made by Mr Isaacs who lit the natives plainly see that lie would not allow them to humbug him, the woi k liaa been allowed to proceed without iiitenuption.

The following special messages to the Press Association, dated London, Fein nary 18tli, h.ive boon pnbli-h.'d : — A number of colonists at home arc subscnbing towards the co^t of Mending the Australian contingent to the Soudan. — Up to the present tho amount of the Oriental Bank call received is upward-* of half n million. — Parliament regarding the New Guinea annexation boundaries n ctill proceeding. — Lord Derby is forwarding to Lord Lyons, tho British Ambassador at Paris, a written protest from tho .se\eral Agents-General against tho depoitatim of recidivistes t<» the Pacific— M»'»srs Donaldson, Andrew*, and Sharland, general merchants, with an agency in Adelaide, ha\e fa ili'd for seventy thousand pound*. The assets of tho him are laiger.— The creditors in tho estate of M«>m-«. Young and Laik, Australian merchant-*, which was sequestrated for their benefit over a yoar ago, havo not yet been paid their third instalment due.

The Rotorua correspondent of the AuckU-id Herald supplies the following account >>f tin* interview between tin 1 Kuro puan ividfiitt .uid tin) Hon. Mi Bill.mco oil Tuesday night .-—The Nitno Minuter received the Kuiopp.in deputation witli the utino-t courtesy, showing a 111.11 Keii continst to his piedecessoi, who met the same deputation last year. No.uly all the same points wjrc brought forward, and were discussed cli'.uly and plca-intly, giung «ati«faction to all. Towaids the pioneer «ettlerh the Native Minister noemed more genially disposed, and thought it was the duty of the Government to show them <•peci.il consideration. He would -«cc that then lea-.es would be validated, and perhaps a fiee selection giwn to them in tho new township when theii leases expired. Tho di imago round alxwt the old settlement would ulmi bo attended to. Regarding the site foi an nnseetanan church, he appointed an hour to visit and choose one that would l)j agree iblo to the wishes of tho inhabitants. In this and e\eiythiii£ el&e brought befoie him Mi ilillaucc appealed to be willing to do all in his powei to make things run smoothly and i»u»et the wishes o{ e\eiy one.