ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 11656, 17 September 1901, Page 1

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

J [From Oub Special Cobresfondkkt.] TREASURY DEPLETED.—BUSINESS PARALYSED. LONDON, August 10. All Anglo-colonials have hitherto fondly imagined that New Zealand was forging ahead like Pattison'3 whisky, and that she was rapidly establishing her claim to be considered a nation' and a Power in the Southern Seas. But this week Auglo-colo-nia has been staggered to read in its thundering ' Times' or humble half-pennortk of Daily Mail' that the bottom of the colony has dropped out, as it did out of the aforesaid whisky, that the downright regular Royal debauch has drained the Treasury to the dregs, that business is paralysed, and that strong man Seddon is as "full up" of conciliation in labor disputes as most Britons <*re of conciliation in South Africa. Thus the Wellington correspondent of 'The Tunes':—"The finances of the colony are causing the Government much anxiety. The Treasury is depleted, and the Government are borrowing locally small sums at 4 per ? rb indication " that a loan of ±-3,000,000 will be required in addition to the £2,000,000 already authorised. The Premier has sounded a note of warning, and expressed regret that the Government had been led m some degree from their past prudent policy. They were unable to make the estimated receipts for the present year equal totn e expenditure. I understand that the old age pensions have been a severe drain the Government propose increasing the graduated land tax. The congestion of trade disputes before the Conciliation Board is causing great dissatisfaction. The Premier told a labor deputation that they were ndmg the Act to death. The present system is paralysing business, and both sides are sick of it." The Sydney correspondent of the "Daily Mail' cabled in the same i-tram and that Mr Seddon coufesses that the Arbitration Act, of which he was the author, K a failure. The Harmsworth ha-penny wired direct to Wellington for corroboration, and got it—in a somewhat modfitd form.

It is a strange coincidence that these cab.es should arrive in Sydney just when W South Wales is preparing to follow »i Ar ea^?t S 5* am P lc . ™d in London when Mr-Rrchard Bell has brought forward and circulated for general information a Bill providing for conciliation and arbitration in railway labor disputes. The coincidence gives color to the suggestion of the supporters of compulsory arbitration that the totate of affairs in New Zealand is being considerably exaggerated in order to strengthen the hands of of the system both in Sydney aiid London. At the same time the danger of the Act being.ridden to death by the labor unions was apparent from th o bediming. Human nature even on the judicial bench has such strong tend-: ncy to settle complicated quarrels bv splitting the difference that it was always evident that the unions would be tempted to put forward claims without cessation, and make heavy demands on their employers in the hope that the Arbitration Court would not send them altogether empty away. The Agent-General—the real parent of the Compulsory Arbitration Act— cannot feel too pleased at the news that his ow*.< particular hobby horse is being riddden to death, but he is lying low and saying nothing—at present, although I strongly suspect that he murmurs to himself when a'.o'i.e and unobserved "Et tu. Brute."- I anti-' cjpato that, like-the Iron Duke, he "will have a word to say''.next'week on the depleted Treasury allegation at all events. '-- AS OTHERS SEE YOU. Rotorua gets a rattling good advertisement from Mr E. F. Knight, the correspondent of the 'Morning Post.' The weather was " royal " and " the air was keen and pure (save for the sulphurous fumes) and wonderfully exhilarating. The bracing climate of this volcanic region induces ;i feeling of well-being, which we all experienced, and I can thoroughly believe that no finer sanatorium than Rotorua is to be found on the face of the earth." Mr Knight is equally complimentary to the "most democratic of all civilised communities " and to the Ministers who represent the "extreme Radical party." " What to us in Great Britain would seem the wildest. Socialistic doctrines ar e carried into practice, and yet one. finds in New Zealand above all countries a strong Imperialist sentiment, a universal and warm patriotism and lovalty to the Throne. There is no foolish talk here of the dangers of militarism, the abolition of war, and the brotherhood -of nations. There are no pro-Boe.is. The Socialists of this colony have nothing in common with those of Battersea- Park, who would fare badly did they ventilate their theories in this country." The leaders of the Democracy are not like the demagogues of the Old World, but are men of good position, of the highest ability, of broad views, striving for the good of the Commonwealth—men who in Great Britain would probably have attained the highest ranks in politic.il life, not faddists or adventurers, but men to whom one felt it was no dangerous thing to entrust the control of the affairs of a great colony, and always Imperialist to a mau when it comes.to a question of the Empire's largerinterests. The Socialistic policy of Mr Seddon and his colleagues is not like that of the domacratic AusSru.ia.ii Governments. In New South Wales the Government panders to the mob. Its policy tends to concentrate the population in tile great cities, with manifold evil results. Apparently the ideal of the democratic leadei-s in that Stale is that the. working man should, at the expense of the country interests, do a minimum of work for a maximum of pay within easy reach of the town dissipations. But in New Zealand the Democratic Government pursues a very different policy. It opposes centralisation, and its aim is to prevent the concentration of people in the towns. By sweeping alterations hi the laws affecting the tenure of land it encourages the occupation of the back country by a class of peasant proprietors or yeomanry, a policy to which just objections can be raised, inasmuch as there is a somewhat arbitrary dealing, with established rights, but which in all probabi.ity tends to further the true interests of the colony." A LAISSEZ FAIRE MAJORITY.

x\ question from, Mr Bryce on Tuesday night elici.ed from Mr Chamberlain a statement of the report 6f the Confirence on the F.nal Court of Appeal, which is substantially as I foreshadowed. Mr Chamberlain said that the Conference, which was invited for the purpose of eliciting the opinion of the colonies and of the Government of India in regard to a final Court of Appeal, had been finally determined. "No scheme or suggestion was laid before,the Conference of His Majesty's Government, but a general expression of opinion was asked for. After a preliminary discussion at the first meeting, it was agreed that the colonial, delegates should meet separately and formulate resolutions for consideration at a subsequent meeting of the foil Conference. The majority of the delegates, after several private meetings, submitted resolutions to the effect that appeals should continue to lie from the colonics-and from India to His Majesty-in-Conncil, and that appointments to the Judicial Committee should from time to time be made from the Dominion of Canada and New Foundland, the. Commonwealth of Australia, New land, South. Africa, the Crown colonies, and India; that the persons ,so appointed should, if judges, vacate any judicial office held at tho time of such appointment, hold office for life or a-term of years, and should 1 be paid an adequate ealary. , It was farther

suggested that arrangements should be mado for securing a larger attendance of Lords of Appeal at sittings of the Judicial Committee, and that the colonies should suggest such alterations of procedure as might tend to the avoidance of delay, the simplification of procedure, and the lessening of cost. Mr Justice Hodges was of opinion that there should be one Imperial Court of Final Appeal, in which should be vested the appellate jurisd : ction of the House of Lords and the Privy Council. Mr Justice Pearson representing Newfoundland, agreed with the majority of the colonial delegates, subject to the above proposal for one Final Court of Appeal. Sir James Prendergast, while also Pureeing with the majority of the colonial delegates, considered that the time might arrive at no remote date for the establishment of a new Pinal Court of Appeal for the whole Empire, but saw no reason for any colonial representation on the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council oT colonies whose legal systems were substantially the same as that of England It appeared from these opinions that, while not absolutely unanimous, the great majo--1 y _4.- 't 3 dele S ates ™*e opposed to any drastic changes in the present Court of Appeal, and accordingly His Majesty's Government do not propose to suggest such changes, although they will, in accordance with the resolution of the Conference, ask the various Governments concerned to suggest such alterations of procedure as may ! ? n!T. %T desirabl e-" The King's speech on F.bruary 14 contained this promiseof reform: "Certain changes in the constitution of the Court of Final Appeal are rendered necessary in consequence of snTtJT^V t0 *' * M <* has resulted from the expansion of the Empire dunng the last two generations." Tl quite ey.dent that Mr Chamberlain's practical mind contemplated the creation of one prartioxl P,nal Court of Appeal for tht lunpwe but that the Conservative laissez la-re policy proved too strong for him. The Oonfereaco has proved a convenient way of shelving the whole question. y THE DEPAItIURE OF THE DISCOVERY.

mJ i . S «r Ve i y wei B hed ar>chor in Cowes roads last Wednesday, the King and Queen having visited the ship on the preceding. Their Majesties' inspection was not 111 rely cursory. They made a point of visiting nearly all the cabins, conversing ineanfcme with the officers and members of the scientific staff to whom they are allotted, and expressing pleasure at the completing of the arrangements made to secure their comfort.

The Queen, onserving a piano in the ward room, made inquiry as to whether there Mere many musicians among the officers and statt. lo Her Majesty'* amusement she was informed that, in this respect alone,'the expedition «u not well equipped, and that tor musical evenings reliance would have chiefly to be placed on a "pianola," On deck the Queen showed a kindly solicitude HI }? 0 ° f tlle shi P' s P ets ~the one an Aberdeen terrier, named Scamp, belonging to Captain Scott, and the other a white Siberian dog. Scamp, following upon the Queens notice of him, managed to tumble off the ladder on to a yacht lying along' side, but fortunately sustained no injury. At the formal leave-taking the King r expressed the pleasure it had given the Queen Consort and himself to pay a visit to the Discovery before, she sailed on her prolouged voyage ol;'%a pioraiiou. " .' It- had,' lib '. said, been his privilege-in recent times to say gofid-bye to many who had left our shores to maintain the honor of the country in the field of battle. It was now hi's privilege to wish God-speed to a mission which was essentially of a pacific character, and.which, he hoped, was destined to uphold the traditions of.our race in the matter of Polar exploration. His Majesty, after wishing those on board the vessel'a safe, successful, and prosperous voyage, and ,i safe return, confened the Victorian Order on Captain Scott FOR ANTARCTIC' NIGHTS. One of the outward visible signs by which mariners of all nations may know the' Discovery long before she arrives within hailing distance of their craft is the conspicuous windmill on the upper deck, which is the driving agency in the novel lighting arrangements. The current is generated by a dynamo driven by this great windmill both being portable, so that they can be set up on the ice, and connected "with the accumulators by means of a flexible cable. In regard to the wind-power, the great drawback lies in the fact thai while ..it one moment the mill may take 200 revolutions to one minute a strong gust will the next instant raise the speed to 2,000, the rate fallir,ir with equal rapidity upon the lulling of the wind. With a dynamo working M , mcgularly it is impossible to discharge accumulating cells. This difficulty has been overcome by Mr Bergtheil. of U,,. firm of Bergtheil and Young, who are responsible for the lighting. The mi!) drives two dynamos, to one of'whic-h is fitted an arrangement which equalises the current., offering greater resista.nce when the wind is high and less when it falls. Thus, the number of revolutions of the mill can varv from 500 to 2,000 per minute without causing any appreciable difference in the current, which, when the mill stops, is automatically cut off, and when it restarts is switched on to the accumulator, evenly supplying the lamps in the ship. An ingenious contrivance is fitted to the accumulators, causing a bell to ring when too much electricity is being taken from them, thus giving warning that readjustment has become necessary. To prevent thv. accumulators freezing they are placed low down in the vessel, next the engine room, and as the acid will not freeze till 29dcg Fahr. is reached, the chances of the accumulators being " frozen out" are remote. Wi hj the Antarctic cxped'tion under Captain Scott go a number of kites, of the pattern which the United States Weather Bureau have been using of late, years in making observations of the upper atmosphere. There are to be three kind—muns'ovs of sixty square feet of surface, an intermediary kit* about half this size, and some small "Eddy" kites for lifting and sustaining the larger ones. For the purpose of atmospheric observation the.-e kit:s are more useful than balloons, for th.-'tiuh they cannot ascend so high as a. balloon they are much less likely to be lost—a contingency which, when irreplaceable instruments are sent up with them, lias to be considered. Mr P. Alexander has lately invented an ingenious instrument, which by the transmission of Hertzian waves can to a certain extent influence the direction in which a small balloon is sailing. But taking into consideration the smnil deflection which the best steering apparatus has been able to produce on balloons* in a wind the kite seems to be preferable. '