THE Bay of Plenty Times AND THAMES VALLEY WARDEN,

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1844, 30 May 1885, Page 2

THE Bay of Plenty Times AND THAMES VALLEY WARDEN,

" The Spirit of the Times shall teach me speed,' KING JOHN, ACT IV.

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 1885.

"EGYPTIAN COMPLICATIONS. The hurrying away of British troops from Egypt is likely to prove the forerunner of further complications in that quarter before long, and ia per- 1 haps to Borne extent the consequence of their having already arisen. Ever since Prince Bismarck took to playing oi£ Prance against England on the Egyptian question Mr Gladstone has been casting about for alliances to save England from the disadvantages of complete isolation. But it looks as if he had seriously mistaken the direction in which his preference * should have gone. The two Powers whose good will should, equally though on different grounds, have been cultivated were manifestly Turkey and Italy.. The representatives 'of both these powers have stood by England in all the disputes that have taken place respecting Egyptian fiB >nee and they would also have maintained the same attitude on the subject of controlling the Suez Canal nad ' they . been dealt with in that considerate spirit which is prompted by a proper recognition of facts. <-But has the Gladstone Government! done this? That they have done so j after a fashion is admitted, but the fashion has been such as practically to lose, the support of the one of tHese Powers, while it has securec that pf the other only by concessions that may yet prove embarrassing. Since his last advent to power Mr jGrlad T stone has always shown a particular aversion to having any intimate relations with Turkey, and the fierce denunciations which he launched /against her prior to the Russo-Turkish . war and the fullsome and ill-judged praise he at the same time heaped on Russia made it exceedingly difficult for him to adopt any other course. The effect; of this has been that the Sultan had been brought under the influence of Prince Bismarck and to „ a certain extent even under that of the Czar, while England's alliance has been practically restricted to 'Italy. Hence instead of encouraging . the Sultan in his desire to suppress ; the insurrection in the Soudan, a * country which England had declared ; her. intention to abandon, the Gladstone Government induced Italy to establish her authority at- several points in the Bed Sea, gave her possession of Massowah and are now arranging for her occupancy of , Suakim as a base from which to exercise control over the Soudan. By no doing they have given both political and religious offence to the Porte and have prevented the Sultan from using his influence with the tribal chiefs

and - religious teachers of Afghanistan to induce them, to support the British agaiiist the aggressions of Russia. Lt the same 'time the installing of Italy as a partner -with England in the control of events on the Ked Sea littoral, must have an irritating effect on. France who will consider herself as thus supplanted on her traditional heritage, and also touch the sensitiveness of Austria who regards with jealous eye the expansion of Italian ambition. Nor has Bismarck been slow to use all these circumstances with a view of checkmating the Gladstone Government. He had managed to persuade the Sultan to observe neutrality in the event of hostilities occurring be* tween Russia and England, so that if war had actually arisen England could have conducted operations on the shores of the Black Sea only at the risk of coming into conflict with Turkey and perhaps other Powers as well, in a word at the risk of bringing on a general war. And now he is attempting a similar game with France. He is reported to be urging her to decline the terms of the Egyption convention respecting financial arrangements unless the European control of the Suez Canal is provided for. In this he is sure to succeed, and thus, oven if the Afghan difficulty should for the present be got over, England will find herself confronted with a combination of all the Powers, with the sole exception of Italy. It is possible that, if put to the test, the combination would prove to be weak, and that the strong .antipathy of France to Germany as well as that' of Turkey to Russia would eventually render the alliance inoperative. It is also possible that the admission of Italy to a position of -influence in the Red Sea might have the effect ultimately of inducing both France and Turkey to moderate their demands and deem it prudent to cultivate the goodwill of Britain rather than become the mere tools of Russia and Germany respectively. That, however, will take time to- bring about, and in the meantime England would occupy the embarrassing position of being unable to act with the decision which her situation requires. It is quite true that, in the event of hostile demonstrations arising out of the dispute about the control of Suez Canal, the fleets of Britain and Italy combined would be able to hold their own against the united fleets of all the other Powers ; but, in any operations on land these two Powers would find themselves outnumbered. All these complications actual or probable could easily have been avoided had the Gladstone Government acted promptly in completely suppressing rebellion throughout the whole of Eygpt, and had annexed that country in virtue of the right of conquest and in the interests of civilisation. But the course of hesitation and the want of a bold and well defined policy had the effect of making them lose the splendid opportunity which was offered them. Accordingly instead of England now holding there an undisputed position she finds herself surrounded, with adverse influences which any day may force her either to succumb to them or all but single-handed to assert her supremacy by a fresh appeal to arms.

The English mails via San Francisco aro due in Auckland this day and • the Tauranga portion may be expected £to reach here by Tuesday's steamer from Auckland. A scratch football match will be played at 3 p.m. to-day. Memberß who have not yot paid their subscriptions are requested to do ao to-day. The County Council will ask Mr Sheehan to move on their behalf in the direction of the I loss sustained by the local body through the reduction of the rates now brought to a minimum value by the action of the Government in the limits effected by the substitued roll in the matter of the rates levied on the Crown and native lands. A correspondent of the Thames Advertiser Haya there are Bigns of returning prosperity at Te Aroha. Yesterday morning Mr Sheehan went across the harbour to Whareroa to meet the natives. On Thursday afternoon Mr Sheehan visited the district school and considered the required increase of accoraodation and other matters oonnected with the district and temporary schools. We will publish in next issue a report of the meeting with the native chiefs which took place yesterday at Whareroa. The adage that "Virtue is its own reward" was exemplified at the "Mutual" meeting on Thursday evening. The weather was very threatening but cleared up at the hour of meeting when about 10 members put in an appearance. The ten however were agreeably surprised and delighted by an unlooked for treat. Mr Hoben assumed the chair and informed the members present that Mr Bell gold-medallist and an elocutionist of rare power had kindly consented to recite for them, and Mr Bell did recite "Edinbro' after Elodden" and "The Outlaw" in a manner which evoked for the recital the warm plaudits of his hearers. The rest of the evening waa filled in with impromptu speaking entered into spiritedly by all the inera-bei-3 and a most enjoyable evening was brought to a close with, a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Bell for the treat afforded. A oordial invitation to the meetings of the Association on his next visit to Tauranga was given. Next Thursday will be visitois' night. : The Hawkes Bay Herald gives an interesting account of a football match played on last Saturday afternoon botweon the Napier Club and a team of natives the Heretaungra men who were captained by J. Warbrick. The Heretaunga men are reported to have completely walked over their opponents whoae lack of combination in play was rendered the more remarkable by the way in which the Tatu f anga man had drilled his team. Gibbonß the captain of the Napier team played excellently. A large number of spectators were on the ground, and shouts of "Kin Eftha" resounded all over the field. Stbangk iNSimBOKDixATiON. — Who has not experienced a sort of malady whon all the faculties seem in rebellion, and labor is absolutely impossible ? It is a condition of nerves and stomach and brain that can only be cured by the use of that irresistible remedy. Hop Bitters.- Road

Mr Sheehan vislWl the Tuurariga Gheese Factory yesterday afternoon, and .will endeai your to strengthen the position of this and other local industries by bringing the matter before the Colonial Treasurer with the view to loans where needed at low rates of interest-, the amounts required to be drawn from the Public Trust fund. ' The Government' agent at Rotorua is calling for tenders, in another column, for the removal of, and additions -to, a cottage in the aboTe township. For particulars see advertiiement. Considering the advanced state of the winter season there are still a good many tourists to be found at Rotorua, besides several at Whakarewarewa. At the Palace Hotel upwards of thirty Tisitors have to bo provided for at present, and excursions to vVairoa and other places are frequent, though the weather has been somewhat boisterous recently. The remarks by Mr Kelly in his brief address to the electors on Thursday last occasioned a good deal of comment and do not carry that commendation with them which would be more than desirable under the circumstances. To take a defeat in good grace ia a true spirit of chivalry. But, to charge the electors with being open to purchase " because of bad times " is not the way for a local mau'to immortalize his own district — By all means defend me from my friends ! A horse -road to Cambridge via Kaimai is now completed through the forest and on the plains in the Thames Valley* This road is laid off with grades not exceeding one foot in IGJ feet and will therefore make a good coach lino when widened, the cost of which ' would bo about £9,000. Tho above road will open up a very rich Country in the Kaimai diatriot. Mr Sheehan telegraphed to the Government, after his interview with the Railway Directors on Thursday, asking 1 the Government to defer any action about the railway until |he, Mr Sheehan, and the Hon. Captain Morris had been able to interview them. A reply was received from Wellington within an hour and a • quarter stating that the Government would carry out Mr Sheehan' s wishes. In the New Zealand Gazette, No. 33 under notice from tho Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, His Excellency directs it to bo notified that the fallow deer turned at large by the Tauranga Acclimatization Society in the Tauranga 'District ; and the offspring of such deer are deemed to be absolutely vested in the Chairman of the said Tauranga Acclimatization Sooiety for a period of three years from date.