Makaraka Notes.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 486, 29 July 1890, Page 2

Makaraka Notes.

[FROM OUB OWN OOBBSSPONDBNT-1 The Matawhero Literary and Debating Society held its usual fortnightly meeting on Friday evening last, when there was a good attendance of ladies and gentlemen. Three new members were elected, and the roll number is now 43. The business of the evening commenced by the President (Mr Harris) delivering an opening address, ot which the following is a condensed summary :— Objects to be attained. The ueoessity of an ideal. Indulgence given to those who take part. These Societies are often the nurseries where some village Hampden receives the ethics of hie future political life. Members to help one another to understand great social questions of the day. The pursuit of knowledge likened to the culture ot a few flowers from a large garden stocked with beautiful varieties. Milton’s advice “ Not to know at large of things remote, from use obscure and subtle, but to know that which before us lies in daily lite ia the prims wisdom.” That one thing rtands for Socialism, which is to change the faos of the whole civilised world, which is to adjust the differences between labor and capital, and to effect the abolition of pauperism. Th i aweeping away of epidemics and contagious diseases. Education, secondary or technical, to be within the reagh of all. All the environments of life to be improved, and lastly the development of the perfect man and woman. The President concluded as follows: I would beg of you to know this, that as we have started this society, we must not falter nor turn back. Let us then sympathise with each other’s efforts in the promotion of tbe common weal, io adding to our stock ot knowledge, in seeking for ths truih, for ws are told “ It is noble to seek the truth, and it is beautiful to find it.” Thus if we humbly aud earnestly apply ourselves, Light 1 and still more Light will be our reward. (Applause.) Mr J. W. Bright, the Society's Vice-Presi-dent, then took the Chair, and Mr Harris, as a basis for debate, gave a sketch of Mr Gladstone’s life and works, Mr Birrell, in an eloquent and able manner, pronou iced an eulngium ipm the grcat statetmsn—thii Goliath of intellects—who could, in the mi st of a debate, when invectives were being hur ed at one another, turn the hymn Bock of AtU into Greek, whose budgets were poems, dec. The evening's sitting was closed by a f<W good humored and pithy remarks from tte Chairman. Mr F. Parker announced that ho would give an essay on “ Human Nature '* at the next fortnightly meeting.