certain of the auriferous areas attracting attention in London, Mr. Roe was employed as the trusted agent and adviser of a number of the vendors, and the shareholders of the purchasing companies in turn evinced their confidence in him by electing him as a director and in several cases as managing director of the chief corporations, which have set a splendid example to investors in other parts of the colony by avoiding over capitalisation and subscribing an ample working capital for the systematic and thorough development of the mines with the aid of the most modern machinery and the best mining skill. Mr. Roe has large discretion under power of attorney in dealing with the affairs of all the great English companies of Pilbarra, so that the chairmanship of directors or a seat on the board is the least share of his responsibility regarding properties of which he is the only resident proprietor. Among those are the Consolidated Gold Mines of West Australia Limited, the Imperial West Australian Corporation Limited, Pilbarra United Goldfields Limited, Just In Time Limited, the Yellow Astor Limited, Hong Kong, Foo Choo, Nullagine, Western Shaw, and Mallina Companies. But there is every indication that the wealth of the North-West, satisfactory as the results have already been, are only just beginning to be discovered. New finds are constantly being reported, one of them very recently within two miles of Mr. Roe's house, just on the other side of Mount Welcome. A still more important series of rich reefs have lately been brought to light on the Ashburton River, which lies to the south-westward of Roebourne, 250 miles away, and about 200 miles from the sea-coast. The stone shows gold so freely that Mr. Roe is visiting (1896) England to exhibit it in London, with a view to the flotation of some leases into companies in the market of the world. He has well earned the holiday of the sea voyage.
The climate of Roebourne, which is situated very near the tropics, is during the unduly long summer very trying to the health of Europeans. Albeit, Mr. Roe, who is a man of taste and refinement, has spared no outlay or effort to make his home replete with every surrounding and luxury that can serve to mitigate the fierce noon-day heat. In the design of his handsome and spacious villa he followed a style of semi-Indian architecture, and by means of broad verandahs, thick blinds, stone walls, and punkahs, set an example of adapting a building to the latitude in which it is erected; in this there is plenty of room for Western Australians advantageously to imitate Mr. Roe's lead. Mr. Roe is a Freemason, of whom the ancient institution has reason to be proud. He has filled the chair of the Harding Lodge (English Constitution), and both socially and professionally his influence is beneficially felt throughout the community in which he lives. As a sportsman he holds "straight" on turkey and wild duck when in search of a little relaxation from his many and onerous duties, and has only recently resigned as a steward of the Roebourne Jockey Club. It is the tendency of civilisation to erase individuality, and to make each unit of the population a man mainly of one idea—that idea being his own occupation and how to thrive by sedulously following it and mastering all its branches. The guide books of youth foster this creed of singleness of purpose and preach that art is too wide and human wit too narrow for anyone to conquer more than one craft or profession. The soundness of this advice when it is tendered to recruits of only ordinary capacity on the world's stage cannot be questioned; to do first-class work in many spheres is the mark of the few men who possess indomitable industry, directed by a strong head, eagle-eyed to see and devise means to ends that are beyond the grasp of the weakling. The record of Mr. Roe, diverse and fruitful in its achievements, has been more distinctive than many a one that has formed the material of a separate volume. If he does not write a book the omission will be the first time that he has burked his duty.
THE REVEREND FATHER DUFF.
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Photo by THE REV. FATHER DUFF. Greenham & Evans. |
IT is science that has given us the key wherewith to unlock the mysteries of religious consciousness. For years no attempt was made to penetrate into or account scientifically for the data and specific principles of the highest existence of man, but now in a highly developed age everyone asks for its causes and laws. Men of the church, theologians, and philosophers, availing themselves of the discoveries of the age, have applied them carefully to the domain of religion, and have found that it too is a living growth. By indefatigable energy they have through this one principle of development raised religion to a higher level and established it more firmly than ever. No matter whether there are different creeds, sects, and secessions, they all presuppose the organic unity of mankind, and strive to explain our position as regards the Creator and the universe as a whole.
But a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and some untutored minds laying hold of one argument cling fallaciously to it, and try to pose thereby as sceptics and agnostics. The task
