The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men. Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. THURSDAY, NOV. 5, 1891.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3013, 5 November 1891, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men. Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. THURSDAY, NOV. 5, 1891.

Tick main object of General Booth's visit to tho colonies was unquestionably to secure grants of land from the different Governments on which to establish his farms for tho reception of a portion of the submerged millions, and on whose behalf he has raised enormous sums of money from the benevolent and philanthropic. The proposition cannot bo entertained for one moment by tho Government of this colony. We have no room for the class ho would send us; wo have too many voters of the sort in each of our towns already. If there were a certainty that his unfortunates would remain on the farms, wo might, however, from philanthropic motives, give him a few acres to experiment upon. The probabilities of success of any project put forth by a man who has a record must be estimated by tho results of attempts already made. Some time has elapsed since General Booth's great social scheme was set upon a practical footing in London, but at this end of the world, at any rate, we have heard very little about its working. Some details havo, however, come to light which cannot fail to excite misgiving in the minds of the most enthusiastic believers in the man and his doings. It is not with the Salvation Army in its religious aspect that we have now to do. A correspondent to the Loudon Times, who after the manner of "Vagabond," of Australasia h»s, for the sake of accurate information, spont a wook in one of tho Salvation Shelters and a similar period in the Church Army Labour Home, The correspondent is evidently in full sympathy with tho General's objects, and his criticism is not couched in a captious •pirit. but the facts show that thoro are already vory grave defocts in the Salvationist organisation. For purposes of comparison ho gives those boariug on the same points in connection with the rival institution. His first point is that tho Church Army Home was cleanly, and that of the Salvationist filthy. To use his own language : " In tho Church Homo each new comer must take a bath, his clothcii arc fumigated, if he has not L'ut it, a change of linen in given to iiini. In tlu: Salvation Home there is absolutely no effort of the kind, and many who come there are in a filthy condition. As a fact he was compelled to destroy every article of clothing lie had worn in the place, and take copious medical Ijatns before he could rid himself of the souvenirs of a week's stay." In reference to pay and remuneration the work in the Church homes is as yet only making firewood bundles, the Salvation homo? hav"» Dfcher employments, lie takes, therefore, for comparison this one branch. Tho work of a full clay is 400 bundles by three men. The pay in the Salvation home is IOJd, and

they soil at 2s 7d. In the Church Is Old, and they sell at .Is 2d. ) Counting Saturday a half-day, a man can under the Church army earn about 7s 4d per week, under the Salvation about 3s. The former charges each man 6s for board and lodging and a man very often has to draw 8d or Is at the week's end. The Salvation Army gives a man on full work ticket food per week of the nominal value of 5s lOd. It is next to impossible for a man to have even a copper for his own use, one man had, however, earned in tive montks just 4d above his keep. A man leaving after five mouths would lie exactly in the position in which he entered, a man after the same term in the Church home would have about a sovereign to carry him on. The food is stated to be very* superior in quantity and quality in the Church home. As regards sleeping accommodation, in tho Church home each man has an iron bedstead, a good supply of bedding, and a clean night-shirt weekly. The Salvationists provide a coffin like box, into this fits what is like a long stuffed leather cased carriage seat for a mattress and all other things combined. The only covering is a leather apron, and the writer remarks : —" Intensely cold the " doss" is. It appears that every effort is made by the Church authorities to procure work for the inmates, on the contrary if a Salvation resident hears of a situation and leaves to secure it, and is unsuccessful his nex% meal is forfeited. Thte " General" promised that no man should be compelled to attend the religious meetings. The men must be in by 8 o'clock, the hour at which the meetings commence, and none are allowed in any other room than that in which they are held. This is practically compulsion. The writer asks, how is it that the Church army which estimates the cost per man at 6s is able to give good food and really superior sleeping, and the Salvation Army reckoning the cost at 7s can only give very inferior food and sleeping. Wo have now called attention to these facts for the reason that there is a probability that the army in this colony will endeavour to bring political pressure to bear iu order to secure the grant of land which their General covets. It is well therefore that those who from ignorance of facts might throw their weight iuto the scale should know the indifferent manner in which a branch of the scheme is conducted under the very eyes of the heads of the Army. The difference in charge and the accommodation given for it, which has been depicted above, naturally leads to the question : Is it part of the scheme to make these homes paying concerns iu order to prosecute other work of the Army. If so, can greater cruelty be conceived than compelling men who are themselves helpless, to continue in that state in order that the small surplus, which might eventually enable them to rise, may be swept into the coffers of the Army, the head of which refuses to render any account of the expenditure of the funds the charitable have placed at his disposal. Tho General in answer to a question as to his settlement schema intimated that thoso placed on the farms should be contented if they can exist. If they once reached this colony this would not long be the case. The agreement the General speaks of compelling his labourers to sign before leaving it is well known could not be enforced by law in the colony. This question was decidod long since when the provincial govornmont of Hawke's Bay attempted to enforce an agreement signed by emigrants before leaving.

Monday next, the Prince of Wales' Birthday, will be observed as a general holiday by the banks throughout Waikato.

Ticks are ravaging the Xurra« jnng (New South Wales) district. Animals of all kinds die from their attacks, even calves and foals.

Major Tisdall, Audit Inspector, is at present in Waikato, auditing tho accounts of the various local bodies, as up to September 30tli.

An authority in the N.Z. Mail, referring to the present lamentable mortality aiming sheep, says :—One of the causes, if not tho principal cause, is the want of change of pasture, and the overstocking of the land.

The growth of Methodism in the British army and navy has of late been remarkable. Thoro are some 20,000 declared Wesleyans in the two branches of the service, and the sum of £500 is paid to officiating ministers in the form of capitation grant.

Particulars of the lots to be offered at Mr W. J. Hunter's next Te Awamutu sale, appear in this issuo. A flax-mill plant, six-roomed cottage and five acres of land, buildings, etc., will be submitted. We would refer our readers to tho advertisement.

The depredations of stoats and weasels in tho Manawatu districts are said to be becoming serious. Recently Mr Lewis, of Bunnythnrpe, fouud nine ducks and two hens lying dead with holes in their throats through which the vermin had sucked their blood.

The only business at the Resident Magistrate's Court at Hamilton yesterday, was the formal withdrawal of the three remaining charges under the Beer Duty Act against Charles Lines. The charges against Mrs Innes were struck out. The Court then adjourned till Friday, the :>oth inst.

The Ashburton Guardian, referriu» to the amendod electorates, says:— " One of the five present members for the Selwyn-Waitaki district will have to «o the wall, and the question is practically narrowed down to one between Mr Rhodos and Major Steward for the possession of the Paruora seat."

Mr McNicol's pen of fat wethers for competition at the Auckland show will be hard to beat. A good judge, after looking them over on Friday lust, estimated their weight aS 381b per quarter. Sheen weighing between HO and 1501b are not met with every day.

Mr J. W. Kelly, M.H.8., condemns strongly the hte sittings of the House. He told tho Invercargilhtes that when the Land Bill—that most important measure—was before tho Honso, thoro woro only fifteen members present out of a Honso of seventy-two; and taking the session all through, the attendance after 10..'!0 p.m. did not average more than thirty-rive.

The following was actually writton by a boy in tho third standard in m «chool not fifty miles from Talmerston last week :—' Spring is the first season of the year. All tho flowers como out in spring. Lambs also come out in spring. The calves also come out in spring. Wo bow our seed in spring. Wo begin to shear sheep also in spring. In Auckland there ara aalt-springs, but I havo never seen ths». The buihes aro coverod with flower* jn th« »pring.'—Standard.

At the meeting of the Waikato HoHpital Board yesterday, "" tender whatever was received for Lot .">!), Hamilton, lately handed over to the Hoard for an endowment

Through inadvertence several lots in Mr W. J. Hunter'* advertisements ro his Ohaupo nnd Rangiriri salea were transposed in our lant isauo, and have been corrected in thin.

A ball will be given at Huntly on the 13th inst. by the Huntly Football Club, which promises to be one of the most successful (ratherinjis of the kind held in the township for some years.

Constable Wild arrived in Hamilton by train yesterdiy, beinfj temporarily stationed hure during the absence of the local police at Waipiro. It looked like old times to see '"Jonathan's" burly form in the streets aßain.

The fever -ward at the Waikato District Hospital was re-opened on tho 3rd, for the reception of a patient sufferinß from erysipelas. This one patient necessitates tho employment of an nurse in addition to the regular staff of five nurses.

Visitors to Auckland should inspect Mr Goodson's London Arcades, situated in various parts of the city. A largo stock has just been received, and one of the features of these establishments is tho perfect freedom with which visitors may inspect the goods without the necessity of purchasing.

The first annual show under the auspices of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association will open to-morrow at Potter's ground, Epsom. A largo number of exhibits are going down from Waikato, and as the railway authorities have granted special fares, a number of residents in this district will, no doubt, attend.

An armed force, consisting of seven constables and eleven members of the Permanent Artillery, left Auckland on Tuesday afternoon for Waipiro, the scene of the native trouble on the East Coast. The whole force was under command of Inspector Emerson, who, with the constables trom the East Coast, will have about 30 men at his disposal.

We heard yesterday that Mr A. Isaacs, of tho Okoroire Sanatorium,is about to proceed to England, with the object of floating a company to take over his now well established business at Okoroire. This sanatorium lias gained a widely extended reputation not only as a pleasant resort for visitors, but mainly on account of the medicinal virtue of the Hot Springs.

The Resident Magistrate at Invercargill has given an interesting decision. A man was charged with causing and allowing cattle to trespass on the railway. Mr liawson, his counsel, held that the word "allow " implied active consent and knowledge, whereas defendant was not aware that the cattle had got on the line till he was served with a summons. The information was dismissed.

Mr W. B. Cox, M.P. for Clare, the McCarthy delegate to the colonies, in a conversation he had with Mr John Marie Grace when the latter was in Auckland, latolv expressed his regret that time and his numerous engagements would not permit him to visit Waikato. Mr Cox said he regretted this very much, as the principles of the starving and indigent portion of the Irish tenantry of Home Rule have many ardent supporters in this district amongst all nationalities and various sections of the public. He sent kindly greetings to all friends of the above principles in Waikato.

At the annual meeting of subscribers to the Mangapiko Library, held in the school-house on the 2nd inst, there were present: Messrs W. Nabbs (in the chair), Davidson, T. 11. Davidson, Hughes, Alexander, McConkey.and Durham. After the balance-sheet had been read and adopted, tho work of selecting a committee was proceeded with. On the motion of Mr Alexander, Messrs Hughes, Davidson, and W. Nabbs wore appointed. It was resolved to open the library every alternate Monday from 7 to 8 p.m. for the selection of books. The annual subscription was fixed at two shillings and sixpence.

For sometime past Messrs Reynolds and Co. have notified in our coloums that they are prepared to receive orders at their Auckland office for the delivery of Christmas presents, consisting of lamb, poultry, etc., to any address in England. The mail which leaves Auckland on Saturday, will be the last opportunity afforded to residents in Waikato of advising their friends at Homo to look out for any consignments they may desire to make. We believe a largo number of orders have been forwarded, and no better plan for bringing the capabilities of this colony before the general public could be adopted than the distribution of New Zealand products in this manner.

The Bev. J. Haselden, Diocesan missionary, is advertised to deliver his lecture on "The Life of Christ," illustrated by fifty-two beautiful lantern pictures, in the hall, Te Awamutu, on Friday, November 13th, at 8 p.m. The admission is very low—only sixpence—so as to give those who have large families the opportunity of letting as many as possible see. and hear this instructive lecture. The Herald, in the report of Mr Haselden's lecture iu Auckland, said :—" Tho many beautiful pictures exhibited created the dnepest interest and admiration, and Mr Haselden's accompanying narrative of the principal incidents in the life of Christ was listened to with the closest and most marked attention." Choice musical selections will belrcndered by St. John's Church choir during the evening.

Mr Larnach does not seem pleased with the run of the political tide. Speaking in reply to the presentation of an address by his lato constituents at South Dunedin, he said :—The chairman has done me the kindness to say that I am a truo Liberal. I can take credit for professing Liberal opinions, but there is another kind of Liberalism grown up in this country of late which can hardly bo called true Liberalism. (Applause). It is more a sham Liberalism; it is a kind of Liberalism that p-etends to look after a single class interest. Now, that is not the Liberalism I profess. Whenever class is ranged against class I feel sure that tho interests of the country wilt surfer, and the interests of all classes of the community will suffer. I must say this, that unless polities are run on different lines to what they have been run on lately I fear the country will still suffer. lam not reflecting on the party to which I belong—that is the Liberal Party —but what I mean to say is that there are gentlemen who compose that party now who really pretend to be Liberals, and they are not acting as true Liberals; they are not acting on the broad principle of Liberalism, and some again have peculiar fads in their ideas of politics which they desire to carry out, aDd these are not only likely to become, but will become, very injurious to the country.