Our Olla Podrida.

about Excise and Customs' tluties . Lacklands are mightily indifferent to taxes on real property . Yet , in spite of all this strange indifference , the question naturally crops up , " How shall the Queen ' s Governmeitt be carried on Avithout money ? " We must pay interest on our National Debt , or

be nationally bankrupt . There go some twenty-six millions . We must have an army , that costs fifteen ; and a navy , that costs ten millions ; and a Civil Service and a Post Office , they need twenty millions . SomehoAV Aye require seventy millions in © rder to keep our house in

order . Taxes , therefore , if unpleasant to bear , are inevitable . And , after all , the Income Tax is not heavy ; it yields Avell , and is easily collected , even if the process of

levying and collecting it is sometimes a little inquisitorial . Twopence in the pound is not a heavy charge , even on moderate incomes . If AVC dispense Avith this Ave must find for it a substitute . Will another tax give greater

satisfaction r The Oxford and Cambridge creAvs are IIOAV in full training for the eventful struggle on the 20 th prox . Old 'Varsity oars have been up at their respective almce matres ;

Messrs . Woodgate , Willan and Darbishire at Oxford , Messrs . Chambers and Goldie at Cambridge . Thus the Avork of " coaching " has been prospering , and the accounts Ave read of the work clone hold out a hope of an exciting race . May we be there to witness it .

One or two of the proposed Cabmen ' s shelters have already been opened . The scheme is likely to be a great success . The men take kindly to the tea and coffee , and

enjoy themselves amazingly under cover . The next thing to be done is to persuade the cab owners to give us better vehicles—vehicles that are not stuffy , ramshackle and cramped for room .

The rivalry of railway companies is not generally interesting , except Avhen there is a chance of the public profiting by it . For this reason Ave are glad the decision of the Railway Commissioners is to all intents and purposes in favour of the Midland . The revised railway fares -will

enable us to travel more cheaply ; and , after all , cheap and expeditious travelling must be looked upon as the mison d ' etre of railways . From abroad Ave hear little that is Avortli mentioning . Russia , it seems , is someAvhat angry Avith us , that Ave will

take no further part in the Brussels Congress . It is very well for the OAvners of the big battalions to seek to amend the laAVS of war to their own benefit and the detriment of unhappy neutrals and belligerents , but the owner of the

most powerful navy in the Avorld is fairly entitled to differ Avith them . One thing may comfort us . We have the clear head and firm hand of a Derby to guide our Foreign Office . He Avill not hurry us into a squabble , or do aught to Avound our self-respect .

There has been fighting in Spain , and the young king has undergone his baptism of fire . The accounts of Avhat has happened are somewhat conflicting . Carlist telegrams speak of one , if not two victories on the 3 rd instant . Madrid news tell a different tale . One thing seems

tolerabl y clear . The Alphonsist army has relieved Pamplona , ana some parts of the Carlist lines have been forced . But there is a pause in the progress of events . Is this ominous of good or evil to the Alphonsist cause ? We Avill ansAver this question when the issue is clear , not before . From

France Ave hear that the Assembly has accepted , by 322 to 310 , the amendment of M . Pascal Duprat , providing that the Senate shall be elected by universal suffrage . The vote appears to have taken ever } one by surprise , and is said to have been arrived at through the support of 30 Bonapartists

and the abstention of 50 members of the Extreme Right . The vote , hoAvever , is not a final one . A more attractive item of news is the reception , by the Acadeniie Francaise , of M . Alexandre Dnraas , Avhose speech was a great success . From the United States Ave hear that the Republicans

have been defeated in the House of Representatives . A caucus of the Republican party Avas held on the 2 Gth ult ., Avhen it Avas determined to introduce next day the House Civil Rights Bill , Avhose object is to make illegal the exclusion of negroes from schools , colleges , churches , hotels ,

public cars , railway carriages , & c . Accordingly General Butler , on the 27 th , moved that the House reconsider its resolution of last Session , referring it to the Judiciary

Committee . Had this been carried , the Bill Avould have been again before the House , and might have been adopted , However , Mr . Randall , a leading Democrat , moved that General Butler ' s motion bo not taken into consideration .,

Our Olla Podrida.

and after a Session extending over nearly " 46 ^ hours , " tt , motion for adjournment was carried .

The regular meeting of the Royal Masonic Benovolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and the Widows of Freemasons met on the 10 th instant , at Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen Street , Bro . Major Creaton , P . G . D ., in the chair . Bro . Jas . Terry , Secretary , read the minutes ,

which Avere confirmed . He then announced that the sum collected at the late Festival amounted to £ 6 , 68013 s 6 'd 4 lists had come in since , Avith the sum of £ 125 ; 7 lists had yet to be received , and he hoped to be able to announce on a future occasion that the amount would reach £ 6 , 800 .

Bro . Griffiths Smith then proposed that a vote of thanks be accorded to the R . W . The Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot for his able presiding at the late Festival . Bro . J . G . Stevens proposed a vote of thanks to the SteAvards ,

who had so efficiently performed their duties . Bro . Cutbush , of Barnet , presented a railway truck load of shrubs to the Institute , and a vote of thanks Avas accorded to him for his kind gift . Br . R . W . SteAvart proposed that the SteAvards Avho acted at the late Festival be

invited to be present at the Institution on a day to be fixed at a future date . The meeting was then adjourned to the folloAving month . There were present

Bros . C . A . Cottebrune , T . W . White , W . R . Stewart , C . Hogan , Hilton , L . Stean , R . H . Giraud , Griffiths Smith , W . Stephens , J . Newton , J . Bellerby , Hyde Pullen , Jabez Hogg and H . M . Levy .

Our brethren in the provinces are naturally anxious to knoAV something definite in reference to the Installation of the Prince of Wales in the office of Grand Master . The ceremonial is , Ave believe , fixed for April next , but more

than this we do not know at present . We hope , hoAvever , to furnish our readers with full information sufficiently early to enable those Avho reside in the country , and are entitled to be present , to make the necessary preparations for a journey to toAvn .

lhe First Report of the Commission of Inquiry into tho Civil Service has just made its appearance . Judged by the nature of the evidence furnished , it must fail to give satisfaction . The method of making first appointments , of regulating promotion in it , and grading it as a Avhole , Avith

the object of obviating the inconveniences Avhich arise from a difference of pay in it , the possibility of transferring men from one Department to another , and the desirability of employing Writers were the great questions the Commission Avere instructed to report upon . Their views are

decidedly of a sweeping nature . They advocate a continuance of the system of competitive examination , and propose to divide the ordinary Clerks into a higher and loAver grade . In the case of the former , hoAvever , an extra examination in subjects of a kind that will be useful in a

Departmental sense must be undergone , and the head of a Department Avill have the power of selecting a candidate according as he may be useful to his particular office . The candidate has the option of refusing to accept the election , without prejudicing his future chance of an appointment .

The pay proposed for the lower grade is from £ 80 to £ 200 a year , for the higher £ 100 to £ 400 , Avith triennial increments . In addition to such emolument , the head of a Department may grant " duty-pay , " Avhere he considers tho nature of the work is sufficiently important to deserve it ,

or the capacity of the Clerk is above the ordinary staudard . This pay not' to exceed £ 200 in the hi gher , and £ 100 a year in the lower grade . A salary above £ 600 is to constitute a " staff-appointment , " and here again the head of Department is to select his man according to merit ,

or he may fill up the post by the introduction of an " outsider" if he chooses . Promotion in all cases is distinctly dependent upon merit . The employment of Writers is tabooed . It is suggested that a floating staff of 100 be appointed , Avho Avill be transferred wherever

their help is required . These are the main features of the alterations proposed . Considering the extraordinary power which Avill be given to the Heads of Departments , there appears to be no check Avhatever upon jobbery and

favouritism—two of the worst grievances under Avhich the Service labours at present . Nor is there any general improvement in the prospects of the men . £ 400 as a limit of " service-pay " is not equal to the present maximum in many branches , and the "duty-pay , " being dependent