TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 124, 24 November 1908, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Rumour, which is usually malicious before a general eleV Just Before tion, has been largely the Battle, humorous during the past day or two. Somebody, hoping to discredit Mr. Herdman, went through Wellington North whispering that the reformer was a "German." Mr. Herdman does not happen to be a German, though why a Germau, born and bred in New Zealaad, shoirld not be competent to have a voico in pplitics, the humorous rumourist dul not indicate. Other playful persons, so it is alleged, also traversed Wellington North hinting that it would not be nee essary for Mr. Herdman's supporters to go to the poll to-day, because he had secured a majority of 900 at the first ballot. A Government wag in South Wellington spread a droll canard that Mt. Wright favoured a "wholesale immigration" of Chinese into New Zealand, though the candidate had vigorously announced that he was opposed to the importation of Asiatics and other undesirable aliens. In other districts the "lyiug jade" has been more troublesome than in Wellington. Some candidates have complained bitterly about the "base charges" circulated against them, and they may have good cause for their com- ! plaint, but it is well known that a candidate may hope to gain a sympathetic -rote by telling the electors that he has been wickedly traduced by his enemies. v\ c think that election slanders help the persons against whom they are directed rather than the creators of the malicious statements. We doubt whether many elections have been won in New Zealand by the circulation of mean personalities, for New Zealanders, in the mass, are pre-eminently British in their ideas about fair play. The man who stabs at a back in the dark generally finds that the blade of treacherous steel turns against his own hand. That was the experience of more than one candidate at the first ballot, and it may be repeated for others at the second. During the past twelve months all who „, are interested in mo Wool Outlook, our principal ex- . port — w^ool — • nave had an anxious time. Since tho opening of the New Zealand sales, however, the outlook has brightened considerably. It is as difficult to correctly assign the causes making for the reaction m woo] values as it is to tell at this early stage whether such a reaction is permanent or temporary in its nature. As trade in America has gradually attained an even keel, buying from that quarter has become more spirited. Although it is only the better qualities that*, the Americans are seeking, yet theijr' orders stimulate buyers of other nation^ alities, and consequently tho area of c,omjjetition has suddenly widened, to,.tha

great benefit of our woolgrowers. There is a feeling that many manufacturers, finding themselves short of wool, are now compelled to cover, and this may have contributed to some temporary improvement in values. However, after making all allowances, there appears to be substantial ground for believing that we are about to witness a strong upward movement. A complete recovery, of course, is not possible until there is substantial improvement in industrial conditions in the great manufacturing countries. It is a good sign, however, that a mor.e confident feeling is manifesting itself in England, and this phould react beneficially upon the London sales opening to-day. If the advances recorded in the Dominion are confirmed by London, the present series may ses an increase of from a sixth to a fifth in the values of coarse and medium crossbreds, as compared with the closing prices of the September series. I Mr. G. W. Russell, a Ministerial candi- „_ TT . date, who is opposing The Unwisdom the Government's noof the mince for Avon toBare Majority, day, has justly com- , . plained about the uniauvness of No-license extremists in trying to discount him because he" is opposed to' the folly of a bare majority for the closing of the hotels or for the re-opening of them. The No-license Party, flushed with the wino of success, craves for more and more on the instant. It is not satisfied with a glass at'a time, but wants to knock the head off the bottle,' and take it all down at a gulp, reckless whether it cuts its lips in the process or not. By these tactics the antiliquor people are likely to introduce bitterness, something akin to the old sectarian brand, into contests where reason, above all, must have a part. It is our belief that tho No-license Party, if it persists in its demand for the bare majority, will lose groimd in thi3 country; even if it begins with a sweeping round of success. (The opponents of the open ba-r must remember that they have to rely for their triumphs on thousands of moderates who vote No-license while the local option law is reasonable, but would vote the other way if the law was likely to operate unreasonably and grotesquely. The demand for the "bare majority" is growing louder, and if the LiqAioa- Party had the wisdom of the serpent it might encourage the cry to become louder still, for in the long run the "bare majority" is likely to open far more hotels than it closes. Becently the Attorney-General strove to comfort the Government, i The _ after the numbers for tbje Consolation first event ot the twoStakes, day Parliamentary r^oe meeting were hoif^ed, ■that the vote for the Ministerial 'party in Auckland province had improved in comparison with the figures fo^> 1905, though Mr. Massey had been vigorously preaching Opposition gospel m the northern districts. The Auckland Herald has taken the same figures, and derives some joy from the fact tb#t the votes recorded for "selected" G-overnment candidates totalled 47,965, while the tally against the "selected" -was 53,173. Figures are, indeed, "bairn to hurt minds." By a little rhetoric the national debt can be made to appear mostly as a national asset, and the borrowed millions, which make soaie folk groan, are held up to be a cause for rejoicing by others. In Christchurch a representative of the Licensed Victuallers' Association found comfort in the local option figures on the night of last Tuesday, when leaders of the No-lkense party were breaking into songs of thanksgiving over the same numbers. So, tonight, whatever story the Post's board may tell, the peopie of rival parties may find something to soothe them in the magic of figures. The average man is blessed with a faculty for making figures give him a message of joy. If the thrill will not come to him while he stands on his feet to read them, he will stand on his head, or, Nelson-like, he will look at them through a blind eye : somehow he may -make them bring him peace of mind. Ifc was a painful and humiliating item. that appeared yesfcenday A in our cable news regardDeploTable ing the " punitive expediIncident. tion" in the New He- ■ brides island of Espiritu Santo. A storekeeper and his-two grownup daughters had been boutally murdered by a party of nati\ies, and H.M.S. Prometheus was sent to administer justice. An armed party from the ship, guided by natiwe police, surprised the village where the murderers lived, but not very successfully, for the inhabitants fled to the hills. The nartive police, we are told, fired on the fugitives, and killed six women and a child. The pursuit was continued. We can imagine the feelings with which officers and men brought up in the traditions of the British navy regarded the first victims of the expedition. Probably the "police" got out of hand and the native savage reasserted itself; b-sit this deplorable event, as recorded, casts a slur on the navy and the nation. Enquiry will doubtless be held by the naval authorities, and we think the public is entitled to some fuller explanation than is contained in the Press Association item. The offenders may quite possibly escape altogether, and vicarious vengeance be dealt out to others before the affair is ended. There are anti-British publications in. Belgium and elsewhere that make the most of incidents such as this, and the ship's company of the Prometheus should have, as uo doubt they will desire to have, the opportunity of vindicating them-, selves.