OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 328, 23 July 1889, Page 3

OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

[IBOM OCB OWX CORRBSMWDXST.J Bydxxy, July 8. PBOTXCTIOSIBTS V. WtaBTBADBBS. The eeat at Bedfern has gone to the Protectionists by a very narrow majority. The Free Trade papers attribute the rebuff to the enthusiasm and determination displayed by ihe victors and to the lack of these qualities in the ranks of the vanquished. Thia finding is doubtless true. And it constitutes an important admission— namely, that there is something in the Protectionist cause which arouses enthusiasm, whilst there is an absence of this all-important element on the Other side. It must be remembered that of men are not made enthusiastic by any determinate volition of their own. Still Ism are they made enthusiastic by any ex cathedra utterances of other men, in the way of solemn declarations that they ought to be ■o Not even when the exhortcrs occupy the position of the Herald and Telegraph do such directions awaken any response in the minds of the masses. They must see something to arouse enthusiasm, some intelligent welldirected effort to remove the ills under which the country labors, especially to stimulate industry so as to absorb the unemployed and develop to the utmost national resources. I am not now arguing that Protection is the best means of achieving this end, although experience of the United States and of Victoria shows pretty clearly that Protection is not incompatible with very vigorous national prosperity. But Ido say that Protectionists openly and visibly direct their efforts to secure these desirable ends, and vast numbers sympathise with the efforts, and are not disposed to be severely critical about the means which are employed. The Freetraders, on the other hand, give the impression that they don’t care whether industries are ruined, whether men by X thousands are unemployed, or whether the ' -country generally goes to the dogs provided H*%coeß there on Freetrade lines. This is not im attitude which awakens the appreciation bt any of the nobler faculties, and, as long as < it is maintained further Protectionist victories may ba expected, except, of course, where there is a strong feeling of self-interest on the other Bide. DISEASE TO CUBE DISEASE. ■K The puerile headed people who imagine V ' that to escape disease it is necessary to infect their flocks and herds with disease, are agitating etrongly tor the general adoption of U Pasteur's system of inoculation as a preventative of anthrax, Anthrax, or Cumberland disease, is one of the most terrible loourEe* of the aniffifcl creation, and ip order to secure themselves against it they propose to spread it broadcast over the country. This in life* providing against fire by scattering narks. Not only will they scatter anthrax, Mt with it all inooulable taints of the animala from which tbs virus Is taken will be communicated, to say nothing of the dangers arising - from ordinary pyaemia or bloodpoisoning. It is, of course, impossible to argue with these people from first principles. Their logical faculties must be in a very confused state before they could entertain the idea of obtaining any good results from a practice so revolting. Having entertained it, the hope of gain or distinction, or of evading the operation of natural laws by some magic hocus-pocus conveyed by a bit of filth on the point of a lancet, keeps them staunch in their new-found heresy, on the principle that “ a gift blinds tbesyes,’’ But if, reasoning from first principles is ineffective, the logic of facts cannot be gain, said, It is no new heaven-born expedient Which M. Pasteur is offering the people of New South Wales. It is a theory which has been tried and found wanting—absolutely exploded and condemned in the minds of all men who are capable of judging evidence. But it is part of the policy of those who are interested to keep the evidence concealed, so far as it conflicts with their wishes, and only to bring into prominence that which can be wrested into a support of their views. Dr. W. C. Wilkinson made a very valuable contr I ution to the literature of this subject in a pater published in the Sydney Morning Heral’S a few days ago. He shows very , clearly /that the results of adopting the praclyse must be very unsatisfactory, if not - tefnbly disastrous, and that to make it compulsory, or even common, would be little ghprt of insanity, MB BASTLBY’S VISIT. Lovers of music have been delighted by the advent of Mr Santley, -a veteran English singer whose name alone is sufficient to draw good audiences. I cannot follow the musical critics through the maze of technical terms . ta which they describe Mr Santley's singing, put the crowded houses and hearty applause show that the season, which, by the way, Closes on Saturday, is an unqualified success.

SLAYING AT SOLDIBBS. The costly results of playing at soldiers with improved artillery as toys has come to light in some papers laid before the Legislative Council, ft is stated that three rifled 80 pounders at Steel Point have become so much choked up with rust that a few feet from *b e fnu“' e !*■ Vras impossible to tell Whether the gins were smooth bores or rifled. The guns, it is. feared, are permanently damaged, as the rust has eaten into the metal, and the slightest datpp will farther Increase the damage. Right up to the time that this discovery was made the guns were described in official reports as being “ clean and fit for service," whereas their condition U such that It may be necessary to condemn them. For three months the papers revealing this state of affairs have been in the possession of the Government, but nothing appears to have been done. But certainly the facts Which are' revealed are not much worse than the doings of the Casual Labor Board, which cost a quarter of a million, and which were allowed to go on for twelve months before a atop was put to them, Perhaps,'therefore, ft would Be unreasonable to expect the Government to take any notice of the matter, especially as Its general policy of “drift" appears to be almost universally condoned.

SHE DAVIES AFFAIR. _/ 5-he case against Mr John Davies, 0-M G , was charged at the Police Court with embezzled the funds of the Casual * Lanor Board, was dismissed on its merits by Mr Stipendiary Fisher, who decided that although the evidence revealed laxness In dealing with public moneys no prima facie Base of frauds had been made out. The ijepl-lon to me seems unassailable. I am pertain that no ordin'ary'incfividual would be convicted by a jury on such evidence as was adduced, and although the public indignation In this case la very s’rong, it is highly undesirable that any judicial proceeding should be biassed by popular feeling, Resides, the xeyalsfjonf qonqeming the'Hornsby anti Holt-Sutherland roads, by which certain Minis' era themselves were shown to have profited, are of far graver public import than any trifling quibble as to the disposal of certain cheques. The one involves thousands of sounds, the other tens, The one reveals the principles on which the Board conducted its operations. The other mainly resolves itself

into the question whether Mr Davies was or was not a methodical man of business thoroughly posted-tn all the intricacies of bookkeeping by double entry. Now, no one !iV«r suspected him of any great proficiency n the latter accomplishment. Then fore the naiilry to A certain extent is devoid of interest, whereas the other involves questions of the deepest importance as affecting the principle, of upright administration, tWISDLBBS AND TBEIIt DOPES. Thelsst hope of Taranganba gharefiplders has Been'Ebattered. You will remember that ipe Company was floated with a capital of one million, and with a flourish of trumpets which

fleolared the mine to be a second Mt. Morgan, At one time the shares were actually selling at gprite which represented a value of three quarters of a million. Experts gave glowing reports which inflated the credulity and avarice of the gambling section of the public to tbe highest pitch. One estimate led to the popplusion that thero was golden stone in light worth from ten to twenty millions of money—l forget which. One of the directors' reports states that the vendor of the property—a Mr Robert Boss—was always able to obtain spiltmens which gave m oat encouraging assays of gold', but that ethers experienced that difficulty in confirming these results. After ab incomprehensible period of inaction, tn* Qaeenslaad Government at last instructed

their geologist—Mr Jack—to make an ex haustive examination of the ground. He.has done so, and his report praotloilly declares that tbe so cubed " mine " is of no more value than the surrounding country. He used tests so delicate that they would hava ddleo'ed the presence of gold in sea water, but in the majority of cases without results. In those cases in which “ ti e color " of gold was perceptible the quantity was no greater than is to be found in any quartz country in Australia. It is to be hoped that the matter will not be allowed to rest ivfiere it la at present.