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Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 4

[miscellaneous paragraphs]

Paper and Press criticises the vanity of American « society. » In a democratic country, the use of crests is a little out of place, but they are used in profusion by people of unknown pedigree, and in such a manner as to betray ludicrous ignorance of all rules of heraldry. The barest resemblance in name to that of a titled English family is made the pretext for annexing the crest and escutcheon; but even this excuse is sometimes wanting. One family sports the arms of the English royal family, and a lady of fashion has adopted the American flag as her device.

The snobbish practice—to which both the press and clergy have been addicted—of referring to colonial bishops as « his lordship » has had its death-blow. At the late Synod in Christchurch one of the members had the courage to move that the word « Lord » before the words « Bishop of Christchurch, » in a motion under consideration be deleted. There were almost as many « noes » as « ayes, » but Bishop Julius, who was presiding, said « It's utterly wrong, you know, » and the question being again put the objectionable title was struck out. The President deserves credit as the first bishop in the colony to protest against being addressed by a title to which he has no claim.

A correspondent writes:—The first three branches of grammar are taught in the public schools, but a knowledge, or at least a sense, for prosody is supposed to come by nature. And so it should, and would, if a fair proportion of the school-time were devoted to reading in class, for the selections of poetry in the reading-books, though including very much second-rate versification, are at least sufficiently extensive. But if the A B C of scansion were commonly taught, a compositor would not be likely to break up a quotation in the following fashion, which is as it appeared at the end of a speech of Mr Jellicoe's in all the Wellington newspapers:—

Let all the ends thou aim'st at
Be thy country's, thy God's, and truth.

Our American exchanges record the death, in Boston, of John Boyle O'Reilly, author, poet, and editor. He had been suffering from insomnia, and had resorted to chloral, with fatal results. His life has been an eventful one. He was brought up as a printer, and became also an expert shorthand writer. In 1863 he was a prominent Fenian, and, the better to carry out the designs of the society, enlisted in the Prince of Wales's Own Dragoons, and seduously « missioned » the regiment. Being detected, he was sentenced to be shot as a traitor; but the British Government, with a humanity no other State would have shown, commuted the penalty to penal servitude for life, and afterwards further commuted it to twenty years. He was transported to Australia, where, in 1869, a priest contrived his escape to America. In Boston he obtained a situation on the Pilot, the organ of the Irish section, and in 1874 became part proprietor. He published several volumes of poems, and is described as « the greatest leader and most brilliant mind among the Irish race in America. »

The following brief history of the Auckland Typographical Society, from the Star, will be of interest to the Craft: After several futile attempts to establish some useful combination amongst those employed in the printing trade, the present Auckland Typographical Society was formed in September, 1872, by the companionships of three papers, the Southern Cross, New Zealand Herald, and Evening News. The first president elected was Mr R. Whelan, and the first secretary was Mr R. P. Martin. For the first three years of its existence the Typographical Society had a rather lifeless career, and the first thing that aroused members to a state of greater activity was the introduction into the trade of female compositors. At a meeting held at the Clanricarde Hotel in 1875, a resolution was passed protesting against the innovation, and efforts were made to oppose it, but without success. In the same year another dispute took place owing to what was alleged to be the low rate of pay at the Echo office, and members of the society employed there were out on strike for some weeks until an understanding was arrived at with the proprietors. In 1878 the Society became a branch of the New Zealand Typographical Association, the headquarters of which are at Wellington, and for several years it was successfully carried on with various changes of officers. On the 17th October, 1887, the whole of the books and documents belonging to the Society, with the exception of the annual reports, were destroyed by a fire which occurred at the residence of Mr Hocking, the then secretary. A new set of books were promptly obtained, and a fresh start made, ever since which the Society has made very substantial progress. In June of the present year it was deemed desirable to secede from the New Zealand Executive owing to its cumbersome machinery, and to reform the Society, including all branches of the trade. This was accordingly done, and the present Society embraces not only compositors, but also machinists, lithographers, stereotypers, bookbinders, paper-rulers, &c. A new set of rules were framed, and many concessions were obtained from employers, the most important of which was the adoption of eight hours as a day's work, and the regulation of female labor. The officers of the Society acknowledged having met with the utmost courtesy at the hands of the employers, with one or two isolated exceptions. The Typographical Society has 130 members, and its officers are Mr R. B. Nesbitt (president), and Mr F. Christmas (secretary and treasurer). During the maritime strike the Typographical Society contributed no less than £130 in levies towards the strike fund.