TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 71, 26 March 1910, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

♦ That the port and city of Wellington combined still lead The Trade of the Dominion in the Wellington. matter of shipping and trade is amply and ably demonstrated by the Chamber of Commerce in its annual repert. The period under review is the year 1908-9, and facts and figures have been set out by the secretary (Mr. S. Carroll) in such i illuminative fashion that dense indeed must be he who cannot understand them. The Council of the Chamber notes with intense satisfaction, in which all interested in the welfare of the city will share, that the financial stringency following the alarming excess of imports over exports iv the year 1907-8 brought overimportation up with a round turn, so to speak. It taught the country one thing, and the lesson has been taken to heart : that New Zealand cannot for [ long obtain goods from outside without paying for them by her own produce, the fruits won from her own sod. The piocess is still going on, but, like the crustacean, New Zealand is suffering a little inconvenience while the new shell \i hardening. This done, she will be better able to withstand pressure from

without. We-Hingfcon itself has -.Bade a good recovery, and is still growing iv importance. Values of export?, from Wellington for the triennium IPO6-7 to 1908-9 were £10,058,252, and for the previous period £9,177,560, and imports were £13,738,033 for 1906-7 to 1908-9 as against £11,041,981 for the previous period. It is made clear that the drop in Wellington's total exports in 1907-8 and the recovery iv 1908-9 are in both cases heavier in proportion than the similar movements in the other figures for the Dominion, and the import trade of Wellington exhibits a heavier rate of shrinkage than any other port in the country. In shipping Wellington still leads — not in the matter of vessels — but, in what is more important, tonnage. Auckland had 7074 vessels in and out, but the tonnage amounted to 1,594,425 tons, while Wellington's 3474 vessels totalled 2,908,956 tons. An example of the fallacy of taking the number of vessels as evidence of the size of a port is provided by Lyttelton, which had only 1667 vessels in and out, and yet the total tonnage amounted to 2,079,539 tons. Wellington, then, still has the pre-eminence as an exporting, importing, and shipping port, and as the report shows, is steadily growing. With the backing of history the port should continue to expand, 3nd the settlement of what may be called the Main. Trunk Country should give trade at this ond of the Island a great impetus during the next few years. Already wool from the very heart of the Waikato has been diverted from Auckland to Wellington for sale this season, and it is natural thai produce should find its way by the main line south to where the big ships come. The report of the Chamber, taken as a whole, is sanely optimistic, and most helpful in coming to a right judgment of the trade of the Dominion in general and of Wellington in particular. An Order-in-Council con-firms the news about seals given in The Peace for Post recently. In spite of the Seals? spirited protests, especially from Christchurch, the Government invited quotations for the right to slay seals on the outlying islands of New Zealand, but only one tender came in, and it was rejected. Protection, nominally, has been extended to the seals until 30fch June next year, bui» the respite is terminable at the Governor's pleasure, which means that if the right kind of bargainer, from the Government's viewpoint, comes along, war may be declared on the seals. There was much controversy on this subject when the authorities first issued their proposals about calling for tenders. Scientists, who submitted that they had very reliable information, pleaded earnestly that the Government should stay its liand. They said that certain, much-prized species of seals, once abundant, had be«n almost exterminated ; and it was very necessary to give the survivors a chance to Te-estabKßh themselves. The Government, however, seemed to rely more on its own sources of information — not fully_ disclosed — and the prayer of the petitioners was not heeded. The seals can be thaarkful now for the tender failure, and their friend* should seize this lucky opportunity to secure for the once much-harried creatures a more definite and extended period of immunity from, the skin-hunter. Those who wish to safeguard the decimated seal population should co-operate 1 now, and marshal their evidence to convince the Government that even the commercial aspect demands a lengthened term of peace for the furred inhabitant* of the lonely isles.

An Order-in-Council making rules relating to appeals to His Majesty-m-.Counci] appears in this week's Gazette. In the four chief cities and suburban boroughs there were 233 deaths last month. Ninety-eight of the deaths were of children under five year* of age, being 42.06 per cent, of the whole number. Members of the St. John's Bible Class, who are holders of the Lamp j Banner, have gone to Timaru to take part in the annual competition for thu trophy. If accompanied by a certificate from s, responsible Government officer, horns and hoofs from animals slaughtered in New Zealand may now be exported to the Commonwealth of Australia. At 8.57 a.m. to-day the fire brigade received a call to 13, Cambridge-avenue, a five-roomed dwelling occupied by Mr. Henry Flockton, and owned by Mrs. Johanna Flockton. An outbreak of fire had occurred in the front bedroom, and was suppressed before much damage had been done. The bnilding is insured in the Phoenix Office for £500, and the contents* in the South British for £200." Wellington's railway facilities, so far as stations are concerned, give the Chamber of Commerce some concern. The council much regrets the continued inaction of the Government in the matter of providing an adequate and up-to-date railway passenger station in Wellington. The present accommodation, states the report, is quite unworthy of the city and a discredit to the seat of Government; but there are no indications of steps being taken to erect a jew station. Some thirty-five years ago the Auckland Hospital Board borrowed £25,000 under the Public Buildings Act, 1875, with which to erect the hospital. This money was covered by 250 debentures. Since then the board has been slowly reducing this indebtedness, until now only thirteen debentures, representing £1300, remain to be released. The board has now given 'notice to pay off this amount, and the final payment will be made on 11th April. "One Who Knows," a correspondent from Kilbirnie, wants to know what is wrong the early car carrying eight postmen one morning last week — though he says there are only five postmen in Kilbirnie. The City Council, he says, is paid for carrying Postal officials by contract with the Post Office. He remarks also that a number of people did not know of the early car at the time, not having seen the single advertisement, and walked over by Constabje-street. When the car becomes better known, it will be better patronised, he concludes, and the Tramways Department should not give it up without a fair trial. "The Kilbirnie car will pay, and is paying," be says. Reference to the quality of the beer brewed in New Zealand was made by an inebriate who was brought before Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., to-day. \cfused, a visitor, appeared to answer a number of charges arising out of his intemperance. He intimated that he would have to plead guilty to the allegations, because he remembered nothing. "This is the first time I have tasted beer in New Zealand," he said, "and I only had five drinks." In extenuation he urged that he had never been intoxicated before. The magistrate advised that if liquor had such effect on him as to lead him to crime, he had better leave it alone. In connection with the Auckland Education Board's method of sending one name only to school committees in cases of the appointment of teachers when it is found that one applicant for a position stands out prominently above the others, a letter from the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute was read at last meeting of the board, stating that the following resolution was carried unanimously at a ] meeting of the Management Committee : "That the institute expresses its appreciation of the action of the Education Board in submitting only one name for a vacancy when the candidate whose name is submitted has a much higher position on the graded list than the other applicants." The board (says tho Herald) expressed gratification at the tone of the letter. At a public meeting on Thursday held in connection with the London Missionary Society work, some interesting figures were given by Rev. B. Hams as to the society's great work, and the funds raised "for it. The sum of £15,000 was given by 685,807 adherents, an average of less than one-eighth of a penny per week. If one farthing a week were the average, a sum of £37,147 would be raised. The proportion worked out as follows : — Anglican, 368,06b, £4734, or one-sixteenth average per week; Presbyterian, 203,597, £3795, less than one-eighth per week ; Methodist, 89,038, £2915, less than three-sixteenths per week; Baptist, 17,747, £2000, less than id per week , Congregational, 7360, £1500, nearly Id per week. Last year's deficit was £40,000, and as a result work was curtailed, and much urgent work was, perforce, left undone. Yet, added the speaker, in the same year nearly two millions sterling passed through tho totalisator. As compared with Good Friday of 1909, yesterday's tramway returns show an increase of no less a sum than £213 19s 9d. The figures ara : 1910, £434 19s 9d ; 1909, £221. The weather, however, was different on the respective days, being wet in 1909 and beautifully fine yesterday. There was some opposition to running trams on Good Friday, but the figures speak for themselves m showing the public need. Thursday's returns were not so good, being £441 9s lOd for 1910, as opposed to £445 3s 2d for 1909, a decrease of £3 13s 4d. The special Sunday morning cars were well patronised, carrying 1566 adults and 136 children. On the late "specials" from Constable-street and Newtown were 75 and 65 passengers respectively. The receipts from this special service were £44 6s 9d. Many people complained about double fares yesterday, but they were probably unaware that the council has to pay all its tramway men double Tates for work on Good Friday. Regret is expressed by the Chamber of Commerce, in its annual report, that the benefits to the suburban traffic of the duplication of the Hutt line are threatened with serious curtailment by the contemplated restriction of the suburban area from any centre to a distance of ten miles from the town. It appears to the council that the application, in this matter, of a general uniform rule to every varying case would be productive of very unequal treatment; that, rather, every case should be treated intelligently on its merits, and that in the case of Wellington, from its situation, configuration, and surroundings, this rule would operate very harshly and iuireasonably."Henimed in as this city is to an extent that lenders any expansion of its area a natter of extreme difficulty," states the ■eport, "your council is of opinion that •he chamber might reasonable approach the Government and urge that in the case of Wellington it is desirable that suburban settlement along both lines of railway should receive eveiy facility and encouragement at the hands of the raitway authorities. It may also be f airy urged that on the faith of the extension of the suburban area to the Upper Hutt considerable sums of money have been spent in residences."