The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 1893. 1892.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2863, 3 January 1893, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 1893. 1892.

While, in New Zealand the past year was characterised chiefly by steady progress, beyond our colony much history has been made. Elections in the United Kingdom and the United j States have taken place, both resulting in the displaceineat of the political party in power. la both cases the new administration promises well, but another year will have to pass before performances can be chronicled. There is one great difference between the two cases, In England the Conservatives left office with Em honorable record of useful legislation and good government, but in America the .Republicans have been ousted after a long reign of power which in its later years was exercised by a corrupt plutocracy in. a manner which was a menace to society—making the rich richer and the poor poorer. Social questions came prominently to the front during the year. General Booth's scheme for lifting the submerged tenth of Darkest England out of the depths of despair andplacing them in positions where they can earn their indepen dence and help others to do the same has unfortunately received a check from want of funds. It is to be hoped that money will be forthcoming to thoroughly test the scheme, which cannot possibly be such a failure as the immense and costiy English Poor Lciw system —which absorbs no less than eleven millions sterling annuallyLabor and capital have been in conflict in many parts of the world—English and Continental coal-miners, American ironworkers, and Australian silverminers have all revolted., and all met defeat. One of the greatest of the social problems of the day is to find means of preventing these disastrous disputes. The great lock-out in the English cotton industry has been forced upon the employers by a prolonged depression in trade, and both masters and men claim our sympathy. The respect for the law which is being shown in Lancashire is in strong contrast to the scenes of bloodshed which disgraced the authorities of Carnegie's Homestead. More governments like that of New Zealand and of London—the London County Council —would soon bring about a better state of affairs. It has been a year of great scandals, public and private. Regarding the latter, let the dead year bury its dead. Tne former have caused the fall of governments, in Canada, in Victoria, and in France, in the last threatening even the stability of the Republic. New Zealand more than the other Australasian colonies . was interested in the Panama Caaal scheme, and it is disheartening to find that its failure has been due not so much to natural difficulties as to the appalling corruption that was practiced by everybody connected with the undertaking. The Australian financial scandals appear to have been equally flagrant, and the cable brings news of an almost identical state of affairs having existed in connection with similar institutions in London. | Two most atrocious murderers, Deeming and Neill, met'their deserts during the year. On the whole it has. been a peaceful year. The usual insurrections in South America, and the inevitable troubles with the north-west frontiers of India—just now disturbed by the aggressive movements of Russia—were the most forfnidab^le. The year's obituary contains many honored names, many that are famous and some that are notorious; The death of the Duke of Clarence sent a thrill of griet and sympathy through the whole nation. Tewtik Pasha, the most enlightened of modern rulers of Egypt, died and his son reigned in his stead—not by any means as a matter of course. Cardinal Manning, the prince of the Roman Church in England; Spurgeon, the most powerful of Nonconformists ; Tennyson, England's poet; 'aivi Whitman and W hittier, of America ;Mr W, H, Smith, the Conservative leader of the-HoujsJe of Commons, and a bimillionaire ; the:' Dukes of iSuthbrland and Marlborough ; Lord Sherhrooke, the " extinct volcano," which in its active state was best known as " .Bob Lowe; Viscount Hampden, who in his previous state was Speaker Brand; millionaires W. Aston, Cyrus Field, and Jay Gould; these are the most prominent names on the roll; but there aye many others ia the worlds of religion, art, science and literature whose services to humanity have been great and whose places will not easily be filled. Australia has had a bad year— very bad. Let us hope that the bountiful harvest and the attention, that is at last being paid to the importance of settling the people oa the land will rescue that country of great possibilities from the financial dough-into which it has fallen, and that its people may yet enjoy a fiq-ppy Ifew Year.