The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. “ SATURDAY, MAY 9, 1908. QUEENSLAND POLITICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2186, 9 May 1908, Page 2

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. “ SATURDAY, MAY 9, 1908. QUEENSLAND POLITICS.

■Just when everyone is wondering to what oxtent tho Socialists and Unionists will succeed in (forming a party in the next New Zealand Parliament, it is interesting to note the experience of Queensland with the tlireo .party system. The Northern Australian Stato has gone through the ordeal of two general elections within twelvei months, the last of these two being .among the most strenuous and Ibittor in her history. The result has been to leavo matters, in 60 far as they concerned parties, very much as they were 'before.' Mr Ividston, the present Premier, fought the election, to a large oxtent, on the issue of tho Governor’s .prerogatives, and in that fight he had tho Labor organisation doing battle with him, if not altogether Ifor him as against the Philp party. Mr Kidston, however, found it an exceedingly difficult matter to carry on tho business of the country so long as he was dependent upon the votes of the Labor party and rocontly he made the definite .pronouncement that his compact with that section was at an end. Speaking at Brisbane, he summed up the political situation thus: He said it was very dosirablo that a strong, staple, democratic Government should be established in Queensland. .Some years back, in the Queensland Parliament, there had been three parties, without interfering in any way with the effective control which Ministries had over public business; tout unfortunately that had not been the case during the la6t two years. He ventured to 6ay that no Ministers in the! position in which the Kidston Government had been during the last 18 months could be said to have effective control of the public affairs of the State. They could not expect to got the best services of a man in those circumstances. There were three .parties in Parliament of almost equal strength, and not one of those parties could carry on tho -Government of tho country for 24 hours .without tho assistance of another. As they all knew quite well, tho Kidston Government had keen-working in conjunction, with viie Labor party. The Kidston Govern! ment got their assistance for everything that they (Jho Labor party) •wanted done, but no assistance for anything they (the Kidston Government) wanted done. For one .party to remain in offico and for another to dictate what the party in office should do was not a very good condition of .public affairs. Ho did not want them to understand that ho Labor party were the sinners above all others, or that they were men different from others, or 'from himself. Tho Labor party, if they settled the business of the House in the House, would do so in such a way that there would be no .trouble about that 'business, but unfortunately that party had got into such a system of party management that their line of conduct in the House was not settled in tho House at all. There was no appeal to reason in tho 'House about this matter. Their line of conduct was settled for them’ outside. Though he said it with a great deal of regret, it was none the less true that, in his opinion, it was not possible for them to work with the Labor party any longer. The only other party in the House /was tho Philp Conservative party. Now, he did not hesitate to 6ay that a very largo number of members of his party would find it quite impossible to work with tho Philp party, and the situation was an exceedingly difficult one. It was because he believed that a strong democratic party could be .formed in Queensland that ho had spoken as he did at the close of tho session. He believed that if the members of tho present Assembly, or a considerable majority of them, say, 38 or 40 of them, were to consider their duty to Queensland and make that their first and preliminary business before all else, they could easily work together in carrying out a strong democratic policy that- would send Queensland ahead in a way which had never before been seen.

There is, however, another side to this case and it is capably put by the Sydney “Morning Herald” .which says:—Finding himself firmly seated in the saddle of office, Mr Kidston has repaid the confidence of tho LaLorites by forcing through, with the help of the hitherto condemned Opposition, .a railway policy which was as gall and .wormwood to the Labor ranks. As a matter of fact, the syndicate railways for which he obtained .Parliamentary sanction are entirely in the interests of Queensland’s industrial development; but when they come to be looked into they are found to form part of the policy of the greatest statesman which Queensland has .produced, Sir Thomas ’McIlwraitli, and that surely is enough in Labor eyes. The northern State is just now in Clio enjoyment of a magnificent season, which can give her weather beyond the power of politicians to take away. ‘But she does want political rest. The best thing that could happen i 6 a coalition of Oppositionists and Kidstonites on the basis of an unmistakably progressive platform, ©ut failing this it would be much better to .put the .Labor party unreservedly into .power, and let ft demonstrate what it can do, or what is more to the point, what it cannot do.

.Our epocinll correspondent says the Wellington hairdressers are asking the City Council to licenso and periodically inspect their saloons.

In connection with tho Alhambra Club’s social, which was postponed to May 21st, we aro asked to state that tho music will be supplied by Miss Moore, and that tickets are obtainublo from the secretary, Mr. Oliver, or tho custodian.

An unfortunate women, named Ada Miller alias' Hansen, was arrested last night for drunkenness and for a breach of a prohibition order, this being hor fourth offence within six months. Sho will appear at tho Police Court this morning.

To-morrow’s services at Wedloy Church will bo conducted by tho Rev. A. B. Chap poll, organising secretary of tho Methodist Bible Class movement. Tho; ovening service will bo especially for young people, tho title of tho address being “Open the'Windows.”

The following names have been added to tho Telephone Exchange; 473, W. P- Porter, commission agent, Union Bank Buildings; 328, H. E. Dodd, privfito residence, Harris Streot; 331, C. L. Ferguson, grocer and fruiterer, Gladstone Road. Deleted: 328, W. J. Hawley; 331, Chilton and Co.

One of tho most charming stories to hand this month is “Cleminfilia’s Highwayman,” a thrilling romance of tho coach-holding days of George IV. Mr. T. Adams, bookseller, has a number of copies on hand and readers of fiction wilt find the novel most interesting. A few copies of “Browster’s Millions” by G. Barr McCutcheon are still left and this book is well worth reading.

So far ns the Opposition party in Parliament is concerned, no protest will bo made to a week’s adjournment of Parliament during tho ensuing session on the occasion of the visit to New Zealand waters of tho navy of tho United States of America—at least such was the impression gained by an “Otago Daily Times” reporter after a conversation with Mr Massey on Friday night. Tho Hon. J. A. McGowan, interviewed in Auckland, made reference to some disparaging remarks as to the value of prison camps. He said such opinions were really of little valuo, compared with tho information possessed bv the .Prisons Department, which showed tho beneficial results of the system. He had watched it closely and the results had been exceedingly satisfactory from tho start He considered our system superior to anything attempted in Great Britain or tho United States, where pnsjn labor comes into competition with free labor, a course which, almost needless to say, would never bo adopted in New Zealand.

A Dunedin resident, who has just returned from a visit to Melbourne, states that a very substantial proportion of public opinion in that city is directed against the Victorian Railway authorities for their policy _of trying to make tho railways yield a substantial profit. During tho 'act financial year, for the first time lnmany years, they have succeeded in do’ >g that; but it is alleged that this end lias been achieved largely by uie employment of inexperienced youths; and also by the curtailing of expenditure in other directions to such an extent that many people entirely dissociated from railway interests have openly predicted serious consequences. Fair’6 Pictures and' Select Entertainers commence a tour of 'Poverty Bay with a performance at Te Kara,ka to-night. The “N.Z. Herald, in speaking of the company, on January 2nd, said, “Fair’s Pictures and Vaudeville Company at tho Royal Albert HnM, Albert Street, continue to do excellent business, and last night, when another entertainment was given, the building was packed. A number of new pictures were presented, including “A Detective’s Tour of the World.” “The Magic .Butterfly Dancer,” “A Message from .the Seas,” and others too numerous to mention. Every item, as on previous evenings, was heartily applauded and the entertainment can be safely recommended to country patrons, where a tour has been mapped out.”

Replying to a deputation which urged the Government purchase of the well-known Pilton station of 33,000 acres, on the Darling Downs, the Queensland Minister for Lancs expounded the Government policy on the re-purcliase of estates. Ho said that so long as the owners of estates were prepared to cut up the whole of their holdings, and on fairly liberal terms, there should be no interference on the part of the •Government. The latter had sufficient scope for its energies on the waste Crown lands and estates,_ tho owners of which had no intention of cutting them up. In this particular case, he said, he had information that the owners were preparing to cut up the estate. The declaration is considered interesting in Queensland, because the Minister stepped in last year and resumed the Jim hour estate when it was being subdivided, involving the Government in an expenditure of half a million and heavy costs before the Appeal Court.

Recently the Lord Mayor of Sydney was asked what was intended to bo done in regard to the reception of tho American Fleet. In reply ho said :—“I think the time has come when we should begin to organise' for a proper reception of the Fleet, in order to prevent the foolish waste of money which occurred at the time of the Commonwealth celebrations. At that time, through want of foresight, thousands of pounds were wasted in plaster arches and temporary flower beds on concrete foundations, and other absurdities, all of which were swept away after the celebration, so that to-day the only record Sydney has of an expenditure of £BO,OOO is a small stone, enclosed by a railing in Centennial-park, to mark the spot where tho Commonwealth was proclaimed. In Melbourne they did things differently, and the work begun at Commonwealth time in St. Kikla-road, Alexandra-avenue, and other places, constitues now a permanent adornment of the city. I want tlie money spent in anticipation of the, arrival of the American Fleet to be 6pent, as far as possible, on tho permanent beautification of tho city, and, with this end in view, I am obtaining reports from the principal officers of the city council as to what works can be put in hand without delay. Of course, the Commonwealth Government must give us a lead as to what they propose to do. The State Government will, no doubt, do its share, and tho city council will not be 'behindhand.”

The “Baroness Orczy” has experienced a misfortune in the law courts (writes the London corespondent of the “Argus”). This lady, whose real name is Mrs Barstow, is the authoress of tho “Scarlet Pimpernel,” one of the most successful works, both as a novel and as dramatised, that wo have had for a generation. Three or four years ago Mrs Barstow was writing short stories of great merit. She mado the acquaintance of Mr Courteney Thorne, tho ’ actor. He encouraged her to write (he “Scarlet Pimpernel,” and he introduced the piece to Mr Fred Terry and Miss Julia Neilson. It was arranged between Mrs Barstow and Mr Thorpe that tho latter should receive 20 per cent, of the lady’s income from the dramatic production. At tho end of three years a dispute arose over the terms of the agreement. Mrs Barstow did not consider that the arrangement ought to run on indefinitely. A jury, however, has decided wholly against her, and Mr Thorpe has been awarded his 20 per cent, on the gross receipts, which is a very modest proportion of the enormous sums which Mr Terry lias netted. Altogether Mrs Barstow has received less than £6,000.

Tlio first fivo riders to finish in tho Gisborne to To Kura'ka road raco on Thursday rode bicycles built by Mosers. H. Anderson and Co.

At tho Baptist itabernaclo to-mor-row evening tho Rev. W. Lamb will proach a special sermon to men. Tho subject announced is “Wanted, Mon I Tho “Divine Call.” A hearty welcome is extended to all. • •

Extensive arrangements aro boing made for tho Eire Brigade social which will bo hold in His Majesty’s Theatre on tho evening of Empire Day, May 25th. A handsome present now on view in Mr H. Gniovo’s window, will bo presented to a lady.

Salvation sorvicos .will be held at 11 a.m., !t p.m. and 7 p.m. at tho Salvation Army Citadel to-morrow. Adj. Dickens will he in charge assisted by Capt. Adams and local soldiery. A detachment will conduct a service at Waerenga-a-hika at 7.30 p.m. Everybody is made welcome.

At a recent meeting of tho South Canterbury Hospital Board, it was decided to erect shelters to accommodate ten consumptive patients in tho hospital grounds. The cost of the shelters is estimated at £2OO. The resident surgeon reported that there were a number of consumptive patients in tho hospital.

•The City Band played an enjoyable programme of music in tho Trafalgar rotunda last evening, a large crowd being in attendance to listen to tho music. The programme will be repeated' in the Recreation Ground' Rotunda to-morrow afternoon. Tho Band will march up from Townley’s corner at half-past two. ,• .. »

Sermons on behalf of the 'British and Foreign Bible Society willl be preached in Holy Trinity Church, St. Andrews Presbyterian Church and the Baptist Tabernacle, to-morrow and collections will be made in aid of me funds of the Society. On Tuesday the Rev. F. H. Spencer, tho colonial agent, will deliver a llimelight lecture in the Baptist Tabernacle. Admission will bo free but a collection will be made.

Peals of laughter greeted the grave announcement of a candidate nominated for the Kaiapoi School Committee who, when his wife was later proposed as a candidate, wished to retire on the ground that one of them must stay at homo to mind the children. The householders refused to hear of his withdrawal, and at the poll he was returned, while his wife was not, the voters thus showing that they thought that the husband should attend to tlie school affairs and the wife stay at home.

“A cable .worth £3,000” is the title placed over the following paragraph in tho Dairyman:—As the result of the cable sent to England by the secretary of tho National Dairy Association, Mr Joseph Harkness. to Mr Chas. Mackio, the association’s agent in London, tho prices of butter jumped up 10s a hundredweight between Saturday and Monday. On receipt of the cable, Mr Mackie communicated the contents to everyone in the. trade in London, and the rise was the result.

Growing luxuriantly in the orchard of Mr F. A. Nicholson, “Forest Glen,” Five-mile Forest, in the Glenoria district, of tho County of Cumberland, New South Wales, is a somewhat remarkable apple tree. It bears seven distinct varieties of fruit, yielding on the average three gin cases in the year. The original tree was an Aiken’s Seedling, and upon it have been budded or grafted in succession a. Mobb’s Royal, Winter Permain, Granny Sniith, Carrington, Troyitt, and a Five Crown Pippin, all of which varieties are doing well, each coming in its own turn .

Of tho 100,000,000 horses known to exist in the world, 80,000,000, or fourfifths of the entire number, are found in the -temperate zone, and nearly all among Occidental people. The remaining 20,000,000, scattered through tho tropics, aro largely employed in the service of temperate zone’visitors or residents. In the United States and Canada there is one horse for every 372 persons; in South America, one for every seven; in Mexico, one for every twelve; in Japan, one for evory thirty; one for forty in Turkey; for fifty in the Philippines, for about 150 in Africa, and 200 in India and Southern China.

“A mere bogey” is the Auckland city electrical engineer’s definition of the fear of electrolysis that has been voiced in some quarters lately. o\Xr \Vylie, in a report to the town clerk on- the subject, says that electrolysis “would not, under any circumstances take place off our circuit, which is completely insulated.” He adds: “The experiments that are referred to in the paper were made under conditions that cannot occur here. Also, electricity has been - distributed throughout Auckland and suburbs by the Tramways Company for some years, and I have not yet heard of any danger from electrolysis, although they use an earth return, which is, of course, not insulated.”

Active preparations are being made bv the Poverty Bay 'Sheep Dog Trial Club for file annual trials which are to be held at Ormond next week. Everv accommodation will! be made for visitors. Afternoon tea will be provided for lady visitors on the opening day, amd- in t-lie evening a social gathering and dance will be held. On Saturday evening a smoke concert will be beld. The committee consider that the large number of entries received this year justify them in -going outside for a judge, and they have retained the services of Mr Charles Davies, the -popular judge who has presided for so many years with satisfaction to everybody concerned at the Waiapu trials and also at similar gatherings in Hawke’s Bay and elsewhere.

A laborer, who lias just left the cooperative railway works on the Holensvillo Northward extension (says the N.Z. Herald) complains that some of the men had been able to earn only four or five shillings a day. In his own' case, however, the average had been eight shillings, or a- little over. He stated that men were not permitted to work more than 8J hours a day, even for the purpose of making up lost time through bad wealiter. The men should bo allowed to make up their time to 48 hours a week, but under the present regulations this was impossible. Ho also stated that until this week, the men had .not had a pay day for seven weeks, and that thoro was great dissatisfaction on this score, it being considered that a month was quite long enough to wait.

Over 'the signature “Truth” the following remarkable letter recently appeared in the London “'Morning Leader” : “Like many others, I have been- thinking very seriously about emigrating. I -have gone through the -Government handbooks on Canada and- New Zealand; and, taking all tilings into consideration, decided upon the latter. I thought of going in for dairy farming, and expected to_get 'land suitable for pasture fairly cheap, judging 'from the prices given in the handbook. A returned emigrant, however, strongly advises anyone to stav in England. He says that the prices of land given in the handbooks and other particulars are inaccurate. The land is poor, and no good for farming, and instead of being cheap it- is quite the reverse. 'Prices of .provisions are high, and although they say New Zealand could supply the world, they cannot supply themselves, and have fo buy potatoes from America. He adds: “The country at present is overdone, and even worse than in England. I saw more poverty and slums in proportion to the population than in this country. This applies to the principal towns and neighborhoods of the North Island.”

It is estimated on -good authority that, given favorable circumstances, and allowing a fair percentage of deaths through natural causes, a pair of healthy rats will increse and- multiply so fast that one would he astonished. This week it’s rat traps at 8d each, at Parnell’s Popular Saturday Sale.