TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9736, 26 May 1897, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Judging from the manner in

The which the colonial Premiers Premiers are to be treated during In London, their stay in London, Mr

' Chamberlain wishes to deeply impress upon them, as representatives of the colonies, his unbounded admiration for and belief in those portions of the Empire, which he, as Secretary of State for the Colonies, has under his especial care. To say that they are to be treated like Princes , is beside the mark*" for the visiting Princes ! will be the Queen's guests for only a fortnight, whereas the Premiers are to enjoy her Majesty's hospitality for a month or six weeks. As we have heard before, tbey are to be lodged at the Hotel Cecil, one of the largest and finest hotels in the world, containing 1700 rooms. The Government has secured 80 on the first and second floors for its colonial guests, who will also have the full use of the dining and drawing rooms. They are to be distinguished from the common herd ot residents' in the hotel by being waited upon by royal liveried servants, in addition to the hotel staff. " Roywill be provided for them, and whenever they wish to drive, to attend a theatre, visit an exhibition, or go Bightseeing, everything will be arranged for them completely free from expense. The hospitality of the city is to be put at their disposal, and they are to be made honorary membersofthebestWest-endClubs."Nothing is said about the resources of Whiteley's, Swan and Edgar's, the Army and Navy Stores, and similar establishments being placed at the disposal of the Premiers and their wives, but no doubt a little thing like that could be easilyarranged if it was suggested to Mr Chamberlain. It —to be hoped that the defer-, ence being paid to these worthy politicians will cause no international unpleasantness, but one can readily imagine that some of the lesser royalties may feel jealous if they are made to play second fiddle to the colonials. They are, however, to be propitiated by one or two small attentions which it is considered the Premiers can do without. For instance, the whole of the Buckingham Palace Hotel, opposite one of the entrances to the Palace, has been taken by the Queen for the week before and the week after the Diamond Jubilee. The hotel will, therefore, become a temporary addition to the Palace. " Sentries will he posted round the building, and the Royal Standard will float above. There are in all twenty-five suites, or 160 rooms, and each of these suites will be occupied by a separate royal personage- and his staff. Servants specially retained by the Queen, and wearing her Majesty's uniform, to the number of forty, will be in attendance night and day to augment the general staff belonging to the hotel. It is intended that the princely visitors shall be supplied from tiie Queen's larder at Buckingham Palace." Except for the sent—es and. the meals from the Queen's table, it will be seen that the princes will be little better off-tban the Pwausra* while the lattee will have the

solid satisfaction of staying on at th nation's expense after the royal visitors haw! either gone back to their native land" op have commenced paying for their own board and lodging. a

One of the moat read Christchurch able of the scries 0 * in a letters written on Hew Visitor's Eyes. Zealand by Mr C. A, Cooper, editor of the Scotsman, is that in which he dealawith tho various cities of the colony, ttn( | naturally to Christchurch people his'vic*. on Christchurch will bo moat interestina - After eaying a few words about LytteHon the harbour, and the Port Hills, Mr CooMt conies to Christchurch, which he found Bat but "singularly beautiful." Trees W says, have been planted everywhere, whigk is not quite so true as it om*ht to be— v«ie the arid desert of the South belt. "Where the shops are, they arc busy/ But the charm of our city, in Mr Cooper> s eyes, was the " delicious quiet," that of a cathedral city, which reigned over most of it, and whioh Christchurch people sometimes find a trifle monotonous. " A lovely little river—the Avon—flows through the town, or part of it. Thickly folioged trees —willows and the like—fringe the banks 0 { that river. Green sward goes down to the water's edge. Under the shade of the trees, lulled by tho murmur of the passing water you may dream dreams of an Island of the Blest, The rise of si trout m the stream t he rustle of the leaves in the light wind, the sound of a church bell, will but increase your delicious sense of enjoyment." This J, very pretty, but it is an idealised picture, The river is indeed lovely in places, but a$ for some other parts it is to be hoped that no "Island of the Blest" ever smelt bo badly. Mr Cooper's picture is one of what the Avon might aud should be all along ita course, and what it would be if the citizens ' made up their mind on the matter. One recognises the same idealistic nots in Mr Cooper's remark that "along; every street iv Christchurch water constantly flows in the channels." As a matter of : fact it does nothing of the sort; it would ba far better for the town if it did. Our late visitor speaks of the " beautiful and com. modious" College buildings, and the fine College Hall, while the Museum cornin for a word of praise. Mr Cooper does not profess to care for Museums, as "their general mustiness rather • weakens their educative character,", but the Christchurch Museum is a good; exception. Finally, Mr Cooper says he thought Christchurch more beautiful than any other town in New Zealand, until ha reached Auckland. The latter place beats it in picturesqueness, but still our cite " has a charm of its own which cannot bi| resisted."