The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1908. THE OPPOSITION PARTY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2344, 10 November 1908, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1908. THE OPPOSITION PARTY.

That large section of the community which considers that the majority held by the present Ministry in Parliament has been too great for tile good of the country will be glad to learn that the prospects of substantial additions being made to the ranks of the Opposition are very rosy indeed. The leader of that party, Mr. Massey, has been making a great impression during his tour of the Dominion, and his vigorous personality seems to be quite overshadowing that of the Premier. Speaking editorially on this topic, the Wellington morning daily, the “Dominion,” remarks:

“Our Ministerial friends have for so long been assuring us that the Opposition is - dead that they must find it difficult to explain the dismaying activity of Mr Massey. By his energy, the brightness and vigor of his speeches, and the extraordinary enthusiasm that he has inspired in tlie huge audiences that have everywhere thronged to hear him, lie has become the most prominent figure in the campaign. Already oven the Prime Minister \s complaining of the amount of space which the newspapers have seen tit to set apart for him, but Mr Massey can h irdly bo blamed if the m wspapers think that an interview with him is well worth a column > so. It is a most hopeful sign iflat, the Leader of the Opposition is able to carry a platform campaign through the country so successfully, and ho is to be congratulated upon liis innovation. He had an advantage to begin with. The country lias for so long witnessed the unedifying spectacle of -Ministers careering through the Dominion at the public expense, in search of votes, which are paid for in the shape of grants and doles of one kind and another, that it is a refreshing change to find a prominent politician travelling through both islands—and paying bis own hotel bills —offering the public, in return for its support, not roads and bridges, bue 4acts which the public should know, and the policy of reform of which the country stands so urgently in need. Nobody can quite of the outlook for clean and sober politics and prudent finance when ho receives such satisfactory evidence that there are other passages to the hearts and heads of the eleceors than through their pockets.” The Wellington “Evening Post” has also been impressed by the remarkable manner in which the Leader of the Opposition was received at the Fculding meeting, and states frankly that of the two programmes before the country that of the Opposition is decidedly the more comprehensive and attractive. After all, the conclusion .is by no means surprising, and! its assertion by so influential -and independent a journal as the “Post” should effectually silence the ridiculous jibe of Government partisans that the Opposition lias no policy. .Ag we have pointed out on many former occasions, it is the sheerest folly to assume that all the ability, all the honesty, and 'all the progressiveness are the sole prerogatives of (lie party which lias held the reins of power for the past 17 years- Some of the brightest, intellects in the political world of the Dominion are supporting tlio Opposition programme, which is one thoroughly in sympathy with tuo needjs of -a democratic community. There was a time when the people could! be readily frightened by the bugbear of Conservatism las applied to the Opposition, but no-one heeds that ridiculous bogey nowadays. As a matter of fact, the sentiment that a strengthened Opposition would be .of immense benefit to the, country is undoubtedly gaining ground, and we shall be quite prepared to find the fact emphasised in a practical manlier next week.

A general meeting of the Gisborne Co-operative Building Society will be held in Townley’s Hall, at 8.30 p.m. to-day. At the Police Court yesterday morning, before Mr; J. Townley, J.P., a first offender for drunkenness was convicted and dealt with in tlio -usual manner.

Mr. George Davies is announced to deliver an address at Matawhero Schoolroom to-morrow at 8 p.m., on the effects of No-license in the Nolicense districts of the Dominion. In connection with the -Cook -County elections, the Hon. Capt. Tucker will give an address at the Ormond Hall at 8 p.m., and Mr. A. Fordo Matthews at the Ivaiti iScliool at 7.0 i) p.m. to-day. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Gisborne Borough Council' will not be held on Tuesday evenng next •on account of the elections taking place on that day; but the Council •will meet on the following Friday evening.

It is -requested that parents or guardians desiring to send their children, to the High School next year will fill up the application forms as soon as possible. Forms can be posted to any address or may bo obtained from Mr. W. Morgan, secretary.

Jlr. TV. D. Lysnar will speak on the NoLicense question at TYaerenga-a-hika to-night. . To-morrow, evening he will speak at Patutahi, instead- of at Ormond, as at first arranged. Mr. Lysnar has agreed to give place to Mr. G. E. Darton at Patutahi on Friday, so he will siieak at Ormond on that night. A number of insets, issued by Mr. TV. Lissant Clayton, Opposition candidate for/ the Gisborne seat, willr appear in tlio “Gisborne Times” daily this week. They will draw attention to the defects in the administration of the present Government, and will expound the policy of the Opposition. This evening the Rev. \V. Lamb and Mr. W. S. Black will give Nolicense addresses at TVaerenga-a-hika, and the Rev. C. Griffin and Adjutant Dickens will give similar addresses at the Manga pap a School. To-morrow night the Rev. TV. Lamb and Mr. J. East wKI speak at Whatatutu, and the Rev. 0. Griffin and Mr. TV. S. Black at Patutahi. _ .. At -a meeting of the No-Lcense League held in St. Andrew’s Schoolroom last evening, arrangements were made to welcome Mr. A. J. Black, who will arrive in. Gisborne to-morrow to speak in the open air to-morrow night and at TTairoo, on Thursday and Friday. The. Rev. F. TV. Chatterton will reply to Mr. TV. D. Lysnar’-s defence of continuance iii His Majesty’s Theatre on Thursday evening. The following have been added to the telenhone exchange since the issue of the new lists: —125 Albion Stables (Francis and Rougher); 155 Bollen, C. J.. Fresh Food and Ice Supply, Peel Street; 260 Fraser, T., Pouawa, second connection (one long, one short ring); 315 Hargreaves, R., carrier, Clifford -Street; 91 Sun On Lee and Co., laundry, Gladstone Road; 142 Tombleson, Captain J.. Newstead (one long, two short rings); 19S Attwood, Mrs. R., Bella Vista boardinghouse.

There was -a large number of engineers at a meeting called in the Farmers’ Union Club rooms on Saturday evening to meet Mr. A. R. Hislop, secretary to the Australasian Institute of Marine Engineers, who visited Gisborne with the object of forming a branch here. Mr. K. Humphreys (Messrs Niven and Co.) was voted to the chair,, and alter Mr. Hislop had explained the object of the Institute, Messrs K., Humphreys and TV. Johnston were appointed a committee to 'form a branch in Gisborne.

A meeting of the Gisborne Painters’ Union was held at Mr. G. E. Darton‘s office last evening, when tli© following officers were elected: —President. "Mr. T. Williams; vice-presi-dent. Mr. E. R. Atkinson; treasurer, Miv H. Gratten; secretary, Mr. J. H. Hall; auditors, Messrs T. Sells and TV. Morrison; tyler, Mr. A. Pollock ; executive, Messrs Gratten, Rix, Burchell, McLcnnen, and Pearson. The question of drafting new rules and new demands was left in the hands of the executive. During the hearing of an appeal before Judge Haselden in- tlio District Court at Nelson, when counsel engaged were elaborating on various technical questions of procedure and rather minute points of law, his Honor stopped the proceedings to explain his views on such procedure. He said that when lie first sat on the Bench he was inundated with preliminary objections and minute grounds of argument, but lie was fast ridding himself and his Court of these by liis summary manner of dealing with them. It was doubtless difficult not- to wish to retaliate when one was “stumped” by an opponent; blit both the Supreme Court judges and himself were determined to free the Courts to the best of tlieir ability from the delay and annoyance of lengthy and useless arguments. By refusing to uphold objections on merely technical grounds of minute importance, his Honor said lie was confident that more cordial relations were ensured amongst members off the Bar, and the Courts themselves were made more useful 1 and beneficial to the public and, litigants in general. A very interesting exhibit at the Franco-British Exhibition was a violin sent by Mr. James Williamson, of Feilding, Manawatn, New Zealand, and which was made by him entirely from Now Zealand woods, and varnished Avith a varnish of fiis oavii preparation. A writer in tlio “Strad” says:—“Through tlio kindness of Mr. Hooper, the gentleman in charge of the New Zealand section, I ivas able to examine the violin. The belly is of New Zealand pine, and the ribs and back of mottled kauri, a beautiful Avood. The varnish is rather a light yellow, and the tone is strong and clear, especially on the E, A, and D strings. Tlio purfling is clean and regular. The inscription inside states that ‘This violin Avas made by Mr. J. Williamson to commemorate the declaration of peace betAveen Groat Britain and South Africa, 2ud. . Juno, 1902.’ The case containing the violin (also Mr. Williamson’s manufacture) is constructed from a singularly handsome piece of AA r ood, called totaxa knot or burr. It is, I understand, comparatively rare to find a piece of wood so haindsomefy mafiked, and the case, with its brass mountings is an admirable piece of work. It is Avorthy of remark that this exhibit avus tent ovor by the New Zealand Government, who insured it fw S2QQ.”

-A notice in last week’s Btates that the Government Offices will be closed from noon on Tsovemto the Itegktrar-Gejeral, the estimated population oi the JJo minion (ineluding Maoris .and tne inhabitants of Cook and ot ier isiaiK s) on September 30 was 1,007,844. Iht net increase for the quarter ended September 30 was 0962. The speechmaking capacity of the Prime Minister was put to the test during Iris recent visit to the Southland district. He spoke aK.no fewer than 18 places in his electorate (Awarua), and spoke seven times in one day and six times in another day. Sir Joseph also visited Stewart’s Island, New Zealand’s “farthest South,” which is included in tne Awarua electorate. A syndicate of wealthy W ellington merchants (according to an informant of the Stratford “Post”) has acquired mlling rights over a large area of splendid totara bush, and in connection therewith has commenced _ to build a railway line from Kakahi, a station on the Main Trunk, to a' 1 point about two miles from To'kaanu. This line, which will run through the middle of the totara area in question, is estimated to cost £IOO,OOO, and it is stated that the natives interested will be paid a royalty of £lO per acre for the milling rights. In his Silverstream address the other evening, Mr. T. M. Veil lord amused his audience somewhat hv giving a description of an emigrant who had been drafted on to a farm upon arrivai of a recent Home boat, ’i he man said he could milk, and the boss left him, bucket in hand, in the cow-yard while he proceeded to a distant shed with a view to harnessing a horse. A little later the new hand came over to him, a woebegone specimen, clothes torn, eye swollen, ear torn, nose broken, etc. Asked what had happened, he replied dolefully: “It’s no use, I can’t get her on her back, nohow.” The “Gore Standard’s-” Tokonui correspondent- writes as follows: “Some of Mr. John. Chisholm’s children, going along the beach at Fortrose, discovered the skeleton of a Maori in a canoe, with a chain, fastened by a padlock, round the leg bone and attached io the canoe. There was also a bouble barrelled blunderbuss with flint locks, a pair of scissors, and other Maori curiosities. # A strong wind had blown the sand away, thus revealing what must have been buried for many years The st-ock of the gun was rusted away, the iron parts being not much more than rust.” Last- year the London County Council established an open-air school at Best-all Wood, from July to October. Despite some adverse conditions, the beneficial results upon the pupils were in every way most marked. The council also arranged for three similar schools this summer season. The “School "World” closes a very interesting article by asking:—“And in proportion as the value of education thus conducted comes to be recognised, so far as it affects the ailing and the weakly, may we not hope that more attention will be given to the real importance and great economy of securing all the lresh air and sunlight possible during school hours for the healthy pupil olsoP” The itinerary of the To„urist Dopartmen.t- for the forthcoming summer season is now in course of preparation, and will be completed next month. At present the Department is working on an interim itinerary. prepared some weeks ago. The completion of the Main Trunk line has rendered a number of alterations necessary, and the new guide-book, when issued, will be found up-to-date in every respect. It will also contain particulars of a new round trip through the Northern peninsula. This trip includes visits to the most picturesque spots in the province, including HeleusviHe, -Dargaville, Kaihu, Teheke, Rawene. Horeke, Kawakawa, Hukerenui,' and Whangarei. The trip can be had for the expenditure in railway and other ' fares of a little over £5. A project is on foot to establish wireless telegraph among the scattered islands of the Pacific Ocean. Capitalists who are interested in the extensive phosphate operations on Ocean -and Pleasant Islands, and in the now work about- to be established on the island of Maketea, of the Paumotu Archipelago are pushing the scheme, and propose to connect nearly all the groups of islands in the South Pacific by the service. It is desired to include in this system the Commonwealth of Australia, the Dominion of New Zealand, the Fijis, the New Hebrides, the Solomon, Samoan, Cook, Society, and' Marquesas Islands, and the phosphate islands of Ocean. Pleasant, and Maliatea. It is expected that the various Governments having possessions in the South Pacific will aid in the establishment of the pixiposed system. Negotiations have already proceeded so far that the success of the efforts seem to be almost assured. Tho name of the proposed concern- is the Pacific Islands RadioTelegraph Company. Of the proposed capital of £70,000 the owners of the phosphate deposits on Ocean and Pleasant Islands have subscribed £lO,000. In this radial' system there will probably be 10 or ”12 circles, the largest having a radius of 1250 miles, and. requiring for "each station an engine of 60 Horse-power. "It has not yet been decided where the main office of tho proposed company will be.