Ashburton Guardina. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1909. THIS AND THAT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXiX, Issue 7727, 22 February 1909, Page 2

Ashburton Guardina. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1909. THIS AND THAT.

When the author ot A the Deserted Village Philosopher and the Vicar of and Wakefield was creatllumobist. ing the character of" his peregrinating mandarin, in his Citizen of the World, he was, like a child with its mother in the sunshine, nestling close up to the warm and genial side of Nature herself, who, even to this day, goes on reproducing Chinese scholars and gentlemen like the one portrayed by her immortal Irish lover and interpreter* Mr tung-liang Hwang, the new Chinese Consul for New Zealand, is a proof of- this, for he is both a philosopher and a humorist of the type ot Goldsmith's citizen of the world. -His appointment to Now Zealand has, he says, no political significance. China, asa nation, has recognised, tor a Jong time past, that her people in other countries .should have a representative, who should safeguard their interests. The lessons of the remarkable development of Japan as a world Power have been indelibly impressed upon the minds of our younger men, who have gone all over Europe and America to study Western ideas, and then returned to give their countrymen the benefit of their experience and knowledge. Other factors in the political evolution of the country arc the rapid extension of the railway and postal services. This is progress along peaceful lines. China is not aggressive. Her attitude is that of self-defence; hence the development of the navy and army; and her desire is to strengthen the peaceful relations existing between the two Empires, Britain and China. Here we have Mr Hwang in his philosophic vein—shrewd, sauvc and diplomatic, with much in his. words, but still more in his mind, as he discourses in Wellington to a Dominion reporter. However, it was while he was in bydnevthat he showed how humorous he caii be. "I am always optimistic, he said- "always hopeful for a greater and ha-opier time to come among all the nations of the earth; and so this evening 1 feel very happy and so grateIful, because 1 consider that this last port I have arrived at is the best, and the time I have spent here is really the best time. When I. arrived at 1* remantle -I. said to myself. ' That is a nice place.' A little later I said This is very good.' At Adelaide I said, Llus is better,' and at Melbourne Better still'; and now I have got here I say. ' This is the best.' " This is hardly bettered even by Shakespeare's John o' Gaunt when he exclaims — All places that the eye of Heaven visits Are to the wise man ports and happy havens. Indeed, what is already known of Mr Hwang will doubtless induce many to think of him in the humour of another Shakespearian character: "We desire yon more acquaintance, good Master Mustardseed " ; and very truly to wish him unqualified success in his honorable mission to this country; namely, the promotion of the enlightenment of his countrymen in New Zealand, and tho promotion of a better understanding between these countrymen and the people of New Zealand.

The current number Suggestive of the Now Zealand Figuhes. Trade Review gives a suggestive summary of the transactions of" the Post OfFi< c Savings Bank during the years 1907 and 1908. The review says that the iig-J lives show that deposits continue to lie made on a full scale, but that at the same time money is being freely withdrawn from that institution. "Local resources are thus being brought into use to meet the requirements of ihe I community, while the investors are. finding more remunerative employmentl for their funds. We have frequently stated our conviction that the favourable terms granted by the Savings Bank were attracting the funds of a class of depositors for whom it was not intended —namely, investors of some means. This class of funds may naturally be attracted by more tempting investments, and thus bo withdrawn on a large scale at a time of scarcity. For instance, the excess of deposits over withdrawals declined from £324,849 in the first quarter of 1907 to £159,950 in the June quarter of I.OOS. In the September quarter of 1908 the withdrawals exceeded the deposits by £12,533, and in the September quarter by £50,410. But to rectify or neutralise'the conditions thus created, the Government has been obtaining funds from outside New Zealand.

The King of Italy's Institute statesmanlike proposOF als for the establishAgeictjltuek. ment at Rome of an Institute of Agriculture for the whole civilised world, have now been carried into effect. The object of thr> institute is to collect, study, and publish, with as little delay as posKiUo, statistics, technical and econo- ■: '. :. concerning the cultivation of agricultural products in the different countries, and the prices ruling in the various markets; to publish the rates of wages prevailing, to make known any new diseases affecting agricultural produce in all parts of the globe, indicating the locality, the mi read of tho disease, and, if possible, the remedies that can bo employer! to combat the disease; to study questions concerning co-operation, assurance, and agricultural credit, and to acquaint the countries affiliated, with the result of the investigations; and to suggest, for the approval of the Governments concerned, measures for the protection of the interests of agriculturists and the amelioration of their conditions.