TOPICS OF THE TIME.

Evening Post, Volume LII, Issue 58, 31 July 1896, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE TIME.

The expected lias happened in connection with the Banking enquiry. The Committee in the course of its investigations this morning called upon another of the gentlemen in charge of the Bank of New Zealand to produce papers and documents which he considers would divulge private accounts of customers pf the Bank, and he, like the President of the Bank, has deolined to give the information asked for. When Mr. "Watson took up the firm stand he did on this question of ina^g. public the affairs of customers of the Bank an indignant howl was at once raised by the Premier and other members of the Committee, and Mr. Watson was dragged before the House and fined £500 for breach of privilege. This morning Mr. Booth's refusal to give the information was received in a very diffierent manner. The Committee appeared to take it as a matter of course that Mr. Booth should refuse, and accepted the situation without comment. It will be interesting, under the circumstances, to watch developments. Will the 'fining process go on, or will the House accept the inevitable with the best grace possible ?

The Australian cricketers may justly tie proud of having captured the Surrey scalp, especially after the county had made such a good start. The match must have looked very much like ending in a draw when Abel and Hayward were well set in the second innings, and the subsequent turn of events would have been all the more disappointing to the Surrey followers. Abel has made his place pretty seoure for the All England Eleven, while Hayward (who is a nephew' of the famous Thomas Hayward, who 30 odd years ago was the first professional batsman in England) on account of his all-round play has strong claims for inclusion. Holland's illness is to be regretted, as he is one of the best fields Surrey has had for the last year or two. Where is Surrey's luck in having to bat without him ? some one will ask, and echo answers where ? The Oxford captain failed to repeat his first innings performance, . and .Smith made "spectaoles." W. W. Read and Lockwood are not so formidable as of yore, and failed to trouble the scorers much. It may be here mentioned that up to the end of last season W. W. Read had scored 37 centuries during his career, a feat only beaten by two menGrace and Shrewsbury — who up to the same period had notched 107 and 43 centuries respectively. The numbers have been altered this season. In the second innings of the Colonials Donnan, with 35 not out, did best. This player has been batting very consistently of late, having made seven double-figure contributions and one century in his last eight innings. We are pleased to note that Jones was on the spot with the ball. The county championship question will probably be settled this week, as Yorkshire and Surrey are pitted against one another. The match is for $he benefit of George Lohniann, the famous Surrey bowler, who will no doubt net a sum running into four figures, provided, of course, neither side breaks down, and also that good weather is experienced. The first meeting this year was drawn in favour of the Tykes. The cable has from time to time informed us of two Yorkshire and four Surrey defeats. No Australian eleven has prior to this had a fixture with a team got together by Earl De La Warr. The South African team which toured England in 1894 played at Bexhill and defeated a team captained by the eldest son of the then Earl, Viscount Cantelupe. The English team on that occasion could not be classed with the eleven now pitted against the Cornstalks.

The announcement that the Masonic Grand Lodge of England has at last accorded recognition to the Grand Lodge of New Zealand wil} be received with pleasure by all members of the Craft in the colony, under whatever constitution they may be working. It was, of course, a step that could not long be delayed. During the few years the New Zealand Grand Lodge has been established, 107 lodges, numbering an enormous majority of the individual members in the colony, have ranged themselves under its banner, and recognition has been granted by nearly every other supreme body in all quarters of the globe. The action Of the English Grand Lodge practically sets the final seal of, approval upon the New Zealand charter, and draws closer the bonds of unity and brotherhood between members of the Order Jin the two countries. It is to be regretted that the late P.G.M. E. T. Gillon, who laboured hard to obtain recognition of the national Grand Lodge by the parent institution, did not survive to see the full fruition of his hopes. To Freemasons generally, and to Mr. H. D. Bell, their Immediate Past Grand Master, in particular, it will be welcome news that Mr. Bell's recent mission to the Old Country has been crowned with success.

The importance of fostering the dairying industry in New Zealand will be generally admitted. Our butter and cheese are now well known and appreciated in the Home markets, and the Government deserves every credit for the encouragement which it has given to all engaged in the production of those commodities. The appointment of Dairy Experts was a step the wisdom of which has been proved by the improvement in the quality of the butter and cheese which are now sent away to London. Although' the various reforms ' which the Department of Agriculture has, been instrumental in bringing about i have placed the industry on an infinitely more satisfactory footing than it ever occupied before, there are still some improvements in ! the system which it seems to us desirable should be carried out. One matter which the Department should certainly consider is uniformity in the instruction imparted by its different Experts. This point was strongly emphasised at a conference in Hawera a few days ago between the North Island Executive of the National Dairy Association and Mr. MacEwan, the Chief Dairy Expert. One of the ' speakers complained that different Experts had different ideas, and that frequently a manager was in a quandary as to which one's advice he should follow, and it was suggested that the Chief Expert should train his staff to impart definite advice on some system. Mr. MacEwan, in replying, said he hoped that what had been referred to had been done away with. •The object of the Department was simply to hold up a certain standard before factory managers. The question was not the precise methods followed, but the results attained, and if the results were not good, then factory managers were asked to look to methods. Instructors might have their personal opinions about churns and workers, &c. ; but those were only details. The object of the Government in establishing dairy schools was that not only instructors but managers should work on the same lines, and he hoped that it would be allowed they were doing so. The Conference, which dealt with various important is admitted to have brought about an excellent understanding between the Department and the Executive of the National Dairy Association.

Suez Canal returns are always of interest. Apart from the enormous importance of the great waterway to the commerce of the world, of Australasia in particular, it is flattering to the British pride to observe the hold upon the carrying traffic of the world which is denoted by the tremendous preponderance of English ships among those using the Canal. Thus, of the total number of ships which went through last year 2318 were English, 314 German, 278 French, 192 Dutch, 78 Italian, 72 Austrian, 67 Norwegian, 39 Eussian, 38 Turkish 33 Spanish,

5 American, 3 Portuguese, 2 Chinese, 2 Egyptian, 2 Japanese, 2 Swedish, and 1 Danish. The year's traffic comprised 3434 ships of 8,448,383 tons, producing a revenue of "76,934,000 francs, while the 216.938 paesengers produced a revenue of 2,169,000 francs, making, with accessory receipts, a total of 78,426,000 francs. The average duration of the transits was 16 hours 18 minutes, being a reduction of 23 minutes. The total receipts were 4,299,000 francs above those of 1894, and are surpassed only by those of the exceptional year 1891. The French and Italian expeditions to Madagascar and Abyssinia furnished 2,126,000 francs to the receipts. The increased traffic has enabled the directors, while paying a dividend of all but 4 per cent., to assign 3 per cent, to the reserve fund, and to increase the annual allotment for renovation. In noting tho magnitude of the traffic figures, the reflection is suggested that it will be an evil day for England's trade when the exigencies of war practically close to her this great connecting link between Orient and Ocoident.