.jpg)
Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 6
[miscellaneous paragraphs]
We have to acknowledge receipt from Mr Isaac Pitman, Bath, of a parcel of phonetic literature, including a copy of the Phonetic Journal of 18th ult., in which appears a recent article from Typo on spelling reform, printed in the reformed spelling (first stage). There is also the first sheet of the revised version of the New Testament in Phonotypy, in which the readings recommended by the American Revision Company are introduced into the text. A very interesting prefatory note informs us that the work has been prepared for use in the English mission schools in Africa. Life is too short to initiate the converts into the intricacies of English spelling; consequently natives are taught English by means of Pitman's Phonetic Reading Books, and large supplies of the Phonetic New Testament (which bears date 1892) have been sent for use at the stations.
Amsterdam (says the Export Journal) contains 100 printing offices, 60 lithographic printers, and 130 bookbinders. The oldest printing office is the Stadsdrukkerij, or municipal printing office and bindery, which has been in existence since 1700.
The Publisher's Circular, England, in an article on newspapers versus books, says: « It is a deplorable fact, as authors can testify, that books, though held by Milton to be ' the life-blood of a nation,' do not receive the attention they merit either from press or public. The health of a racehorse, the exploits of a pugilist, the squabbles of a vestry, are all matters of livelier public interest than the finest achievement in letters or philosophy. At the same time, it must be acknowledged that, in England at least, matters are rapidly improving. The editors of daily and weekly papers, whether in obedience to the demands of their readers, or from higher motives, are devoting more and more space and attention to literature. »
The late prosecution, Syms against Haggen, reported elsewhere, strongly illustrates a fundamental defect in the libel law of the colony. The surprise expressed by the magistrate will be shared by the public. We express no opinion as to the merits of the case. Mr Haggen may have been wholly wrong or entirely in the right; but the lower Court had no option but to commit him. In a criminal charge of any other nature the complainant may be cross-examined, and a manifestly frivolous or malicious prosecution is in most cases checked at the outset. In a criminal libel case, however, as Mr Turnbull remarked, a perfectly innocent man is in no better position than a guilty one—however strong his defence, or however weak the prosecution, he must submit to the injury and indignity of a committal for trial.
The month of July has been signalized by fire, disaster, and physical as well as social convulsions. A great fire at St. John's, Newfoundland, not only destroyed two-thirds of the city, including the entire business quarter, but extended to neighboring villages. While it was still burning, a great fire broke out in Christiansand, Norway, and swept away one-half of the city. Some concern was caused by the misreading of the telegram, which made it appear that Christiania, the capital, had suffered from the visitation. The fires were attended with some loss of lives, tremendous destruction of property, and have rendered thousands homeless and destitute. Eruptions of Mounts iEtna and Vesuvius are also reported, with the destruction of villages; and lastly, part of the island of Sanguir, in the Celebes Sea, has blown up, with great destruction of life.
The Wairoa Guardian has a two-column article on the female franchise, to which it is strongly opposed. It sets out with the statement that the reform is « one of the great planks of the total abstinence platform. » A writer who can thus confound two things so entirely independent of each other should really refrain from venturing an opinion upon either. One thing is clear—the country has made up its mind to confer the female franchise. What is not so clear is what the results will be. We believe that socially and politically they will be infinitesimal. The women of New Zealand, who have unmistakably expressed their sentiments, will vote as the men vote, and will be divided in much the same proportions. Those who look for revolutionary legislation in any direction will be disappointed. The granting of the « residential » qualification was a far more risky and revolutionary experiment, and has led to the polling of thousands of bogus votes at each general election. In future we may expect to find elections conducted with greater decorum, and printers will rejoice in the double bulk of the rolls.
The demolition of an historic building—Her Majesty's Theatre— furnishes the London Standard with a text for a very interesting article. « The Paris Opera House, » it says, « Académie Royale, Nationale, Impériale, as it has turn by turn been called, has, like Her Majesty's Theatre, been twice burned down and once demolished…. A strange fate was reserved for it in its new home. In 1820, the Duke de Berri having been struck by an assassin on the steps of the Opera House, and the last sacrament having been administered to him within its walls, the church required that, as an expiatory measure, the profane building should be destroyed; and it had to meet the fate which now, for reasons of a very different kind, awaits the Opera House in the Haymarket. » Here, too, is an item for those interested in music-lore:— « From Handel to Verdi, a great many composers of the highest fame have written specially for the King's Theatre. According to Mr Ebers, who managed this house for seven years, Rossini composed for it an opera which somehow went astray, and after being deposited at some banker's was never redeemed. » The MS. opera may yet come to light, and what a « find » it will be!
page 53
An export duty on oysters is the latest whim of the New Zealand Government. Except the one broad principle which underlies all protective legislation—that restraints on trade and exchange are necessarily beneficial—no intelligible reason can be assigned for this new and vexatious impost.
In reference to a coal-seam which has been on fire for twenty years, the N.Z. Minister of Mines informed the House in all seriousness that there had been « no waste, » as the fire had converted it into a valuable mine of coke! The hon. and scientific gentleman ought really to have gone a little farther. He might also have stated how many millions of feet of illuminating gas had been generated, and were only waiting to be tapped.
In the House a few days ago, Mr Hogg, the member for Masterton, advanced as evidence that the native vote was purchasable, and that the political education of the Maori was not advanced to a stage to justify the conferring of the franchise, that Maoris had always voted against him. « That, » Mr Buchanan retorted, « is the strongest evidence of the intelligence of the race and their fitness to exercise the franchise that could be advanced. » Mr Shera added that he knew half-castes and Maoris to be as superior to the member for Masterton as gold was to brass, and the House broke out into delighted applause.
Mr Eolleston, the leader of the opposition, has expressed the opinion that the true policy for New Zealand to adopt is the removal of the vexatious restrictions from trade and commerce, the abstaining from unnecessary State interference, the securing of individual liberty and freedom, and the absence of class legislation. What New Zealand requires is steady industry, a really liberal land law, steady progress, and the building up of an educated people capable of solving for themselves the great social problems which are constantly arising.
The civil war in Pittsburg is a curious commentary on Mr millionaire Carnegie's glowing eulogium of « Triumphant Democracy. » The smothered discontent among the great ironmaster's operatives has broken out in open revolt, and the « socialistic » arguments of fire, steel, and dynamite have been freely used. The representatives of law and order have been beaten and put to death, even after surrender, and a brigade of military have had to be sent to the scene of strife. Socialistic governments in Australia, ignoring the experience of the great Eepublic, are even now busily sowing the dragon's teeth, which promise in due time to yield just such a harvest as is being gathered in Pittsburg.
Our lively brother « Cyclops » of the Mataura Ensign has had the distinction of having one of his parodies recited in the House of Eepresentatives with dramatic effect by Mr Scobie McKenzie, who, however, did not give his authority. It refers to the visit of the Hon. John McKenzie, Minister of Lands, to Gore. This is the first stanza:—
Hail to the chief who in triumph advances!
Hail to the « Shepherd who came from the hills » !
See how the sun from his plaid waistcoat glances!
Hear how the pibroch his startled ear fills!
Sporran and philabeg
Hide yet reveal each leg;
Braw Jock McKenzie, Du ho, ieroe!
This kind of thing is well enough in the literary columns of a newspaper; but seems scarcely in place in a hall of legislature.
Such faith as may still remain in the value of official information on public matters will receive a rude shock in the matter of the Star advertising, which was certainly withdrawn, though no one has been found to assume responsibility for the act. The local official says he had explicit instructions from the department; the head of the department as distinctly asserts that the local officer had full discretion. There is no room for misunderstanding, as the verbal denials are supplemented by official statements in writing, which may be found in « Hansard, » and which flatly contradict each other. Under the land laws, the instructions to the commissioner should be open to inspection by any one who applies in office hours and pays a shilling fee. According to constitutional usage, any member may claim that a copy of such papers shall be laid on the table of the House. The commissioner refuses access to his instructions, and the Minister of Lands declines to support his version of the matter by producing the papers. The question could be finally settled in five minutes if it suited the executive that it should be settled. Meanwhile the public may draw their own conclusions. There is a larger principle here involved than the implied corrupt abuse of patronage. The trustworthiness of the whole of our official records is laid open to grave suspicion.
A unionist, writing to a Wellington paper, deplores the disintegration of the trade unions everywhere observable. He attributes it to « the inanimate disposition, selfishness, and individualism manifested of late by many unionists themselves. » He holds that they will find the remedy in legislation. We fear that if he has rightly judged the causes of the failure of unionism, the same force let loose in Parliament could not be expected to improve matters. Legislation can scarcely be expected to animate the lifeless, to make selfish men generous, or convert individualists into socialists. In fact, no nostrum yet compounded has been able to cure mankind of that very mixed quality known as « human nature. »
A paper on the Administration of the Imperial Census of 1891 in India, by Mr Jervoise Athelstane Baines, I.C.S., chief census commissioner for India, was recently read before the Indian section of the Society of Arts. In India, he said, the census was taken in at least 17 languages, several of which required forms in more than one character. A rough calculation indicated that between 80 and 90 million of forms were issued. Taking only those that were probably used, it was found that they weighed about 290 tons, and would cover, if spread out, an area of 1,300 acres, and if put end to end would stretch over 15,000 miles, or from India to England and back. There were 950,000 enumerators, and there was practically a double enumeration; the first being the original one, the second a test of it; so that the chances of accuracy were very good. The cost per 1000 people was as nearly as possible 14s 8d.
The Sydney Morning Herald says:—The restoration of the Victorian railways to political control has been prompt in yielding its first fruits. To the surprise of many—though why anyone should have been surprised is not clear—the new Acting Commissioners, who hold office at the will of the political party in possession, have entered into an arrangement with the general labor unions, under which the members of both bodies, if duly certified by the union secretary, become entitled to exceptional privileges which are denied to other laborers and the community in general. These favored individuals may have return tickets extended to four months, instead of one, as is the usage for common people—under particular conditions that the tickets are to be available only from the place in which the men reside to any station near the border of South Australia or New South Wales. The favor, therefore, is double-barrelled. It is meant, apparently, to facilitate the exodus of the unemployed from Victoria if they only qualify by joining the unions, so that they would be enabled to try their luck in either of the neighboring colonies; and it would tend to show the unions that the favor of the Government can be made to have a tangible value if they only demean themselves in such a manner as to make the Government their friend.
The peculiar contents of certain papers professedly religious organs has always been a puzzle; but some light was thrown on the subject in a late libel action, when it appeared that it is the custom in certain cases to have two editors, one religious and one political, each with full freedom in his own department. The arrangement reminds one of Ingoldsby's German Prince-Bishop, of whom it is recorded:
The Prince-Bishop muttered a curse, and a prayer,
Which his double capacity hit to a nicety;
His Princely, or Lay, half induced him to swear,
His Episcopal moiety said « Benedicite! »
A comparison between the portion devoted to the church and that set apart for the world, the flesh, and devil is at times startling. In the N.Z. Tablet we find quoted from the Irish World an article headed « Lord Leitrim's Death. » It narrates the death in Pennsylvania of the last survivor of the gang of assassins who killed the nobleman in question in 1878—one Hugh Stephens, alias Boyle, a man of « blameless life, » « much respected for his temperance, integrity, and industry. » The murder is euphemistically spoken of as a « death, » a « removal, » &c., any word that could impute the shadow of blame being studiously avoided. The victim, however, was « the worst scoundrel in Europe. » Yet the crime which was carried out by six selected conspirators—we beg pardon— « instruments of justice, » was, even from the World's narrative, one of singular cowardice and atrocity. Not only was the Earl murdered in cold blood by his ambushed foes, but the driver and a bailiff were slain also that there might be no witnesses. Suspicion fell on innocent men; and though they were tried for their lives, the dastardly perpetrators made no effort to divert suspicion from them; and the confession of the still unrepented crime was only made by the assassin at a recent date. As the Tablet quotes the story without comment, it can fairly be presumed that in its secular capacity it shares the approval with which the Irish World treats the crime. As a religious paper, it doubtless holds murder to be a mortal sin.