EGYPTIAN ELECTIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 18533, 16 January 1924, Page 6

EGYPTIAN ELECTIONS.

The Egyptian elections are a reminder that Great Britain has not ceased to have a responsibility for Egypt, though selfgovernment has been granted to its people in domestic affaire. A natural first impression to bo formed from the manner in which native electors have recorded their votes for the new Assembly might be that the concessions made to the children of the Nile, far exceeding the expectations of the great majority of them, have done no more than whet their appetite for more complete independence. The elections have resulted in an overwhelming victory for the party of Zaghkil Pasha, whose policy is declared to bo the entire severance of Egypt from British control. It is not impassible, however, that the triumph which has been accorded to this party has been far more a tribute to the personal popularity of its leader than an endorsement of a policy which every sane Egyptian should regard as hopeless. The penalties which ho, incurred for his long resistance to British rule have made the elderly, unhandsome demagogue with the compelling tongue the idol of the hour. It was inevitable that he should be regarded in that light when once the sentence of banishment which was imposed on him for his incitement to riots was revoked by the British authorities and he was allowed to return to Egypt. But not to revoke it and permit that return would have been to stultify the concession of self-government, made in accordance with promises, which has left tire Egyptians free to choose their own rulers so far as their domestic matters are concerned. The British had no option in the case. But that is not to say that they will allow themselves to be placed in such a position in Egypt that that country, with the strategic position which it occupies between tire West and East, might be mado a clangorous weakness to the British Empire. No regard which any nation may feel for the mere dignity of self-governing neighbors can come before the consideration of its own protection.

Tho promise of self-government made to Egypt has been no empty word. British officials no longer dictate how its internal affairs shall bo conducted. They have been leaving by scores. In a short time it is expected that there will bo no foreign officials in Egypt, for purposes of domestic administration, except those who may bo engaged by special contract, irrespective of the ordinary Civil Service, and who are likely to form still a considerable leaven, in view of tho inexperience of Egyptians, candidly acknowledged by them, for conducting their own affairs. Martial law was revoked last year. When the promise of self-government was made, however, four points were reserved for later settlement. They were as follows(1) Tho security of the communications of the British Empire in Egypt; (2) the defence of Egypt against all foreign aggression, direct or indirect; (5) the protection of foreign interests in Egypt and tho protection of minorities; (4) the Sudan. It was laid down in the Declaration that, pending the conclusion of agreements on these subjects “by free discussion and friendly agreement on both sides, the 1 status quo ’ in all these matters shall remain intact.” It is the status quo which still obtains. It is not likely to be altered by any concessions which would mean either injury to the Sudan, as much entitled as is Egypt to British consideration, or danger to the- British Empire. The prospect of a Labor Government in Great Britain may have bred hopes in the Zaghlulists of their most extreme claims being granted by the party whose sympathy with aggrieved minorities of tho Empire has always been most pronounced. It is more natural to believe that, on the most important of these reservations, the Labor Party, once entrusted with the responsibilities of office, would be not less tenacious of what is really demanded for British safety than any other. The Egyptian Nationalists may make troubles for themselves and for Great Britain by pressing for unreasonable claims. They are not in the least likely to be accorded.

The Burnside works of the New Zealand Refrigerating Company opened for the season''yesterday. Plenty of stock—sheep and lambs, principally lambs—is corning hand; in fact, the supply is so liberal, owing to the dry season that we have had up to a week ago, that there are not quite enough expert slaughtermen available to doal at once with all that am "ff'ering, but that will no doubt be short!' remedied. Killing has begun a fortnight earlier than usual, and all the usual hand; were not quite ready to begin so soon, ft is expected that the works will be fully manned very shortly. As to the prospects of the season, it is somewhat early to indulge in a general prophecy, but it has started well, and ft dry season is usually favorable in Otago. The work;of the South Otago Freezing Company n! Finegand, near Halclutha. also reopened yesterday under favorable condition# n# to tile supply of stock and the orn dmein of men; and the other freezing establish, ment in Otago, the one at Pukeuri June tion. is going strong.

The seventh of the maximum locomotive l ordered by the Railway Department to be made at the Hillside Workshops is practically completed. The artificers w.il 1 have it out of hand this week. The type is designated the “ W.A.8.” The weigh) in running-order 71 tons lOowt. The sir previously built at Hillside are on service in the North Island, and No. 7 will prob ably go there also, but prior to shipment it is to have a run in Otago on the Mihi waka section. The Hillside shops are busy with general work, and fully staffed. Five hundred bales of the wool recently sold at the Dunedin auctions went by the s.s. Waikouaiti, consigned to order at Sydney. Most likely this will bo one of the 'ots bought for Italy. Wool that goes from Now Zealand to Genoa or Leghorn is usually sent by the Mediterranean route, instead of being shipped via England and then taken across the Continent.

At the West Harbor Borough Council meeting last night, Cr Robb said that lately a number of boys adopted the practice of discharging rifles at random, amp also at will. There was no by-law against it, so far as lie knew, and the local constable had told him that he had no authority and could do nothing. People had complained of shots passing over their houses. The Mayor (Mr H. E. Moller): “ Surely the genera! Act covers anything of this nature. The law forbids indiscriminate siiooting within a borough. ■' The council did not pursue the subject further, and passed on to the next business.

At last night’s meeting of the West Harbor Borough Council, Cr Barker brought up a matter, which he said had been troubling the residents of Ravensbourne for some time, Sandy Beach was quite n fine bathing place, but people were not allowed to cross the railway line, and, consequently, there was no access to the foreshore. A ganger was usually in the vicinity on Sundays, and he stopped people from crossing. Ho would move that the railway authorities be applied to for access to the beach. Ho moved further that the council ask the, mayor to act officially on their behalf when the Minister came here. The motions were seconded by Cr Fraser, and were carried. In commenting on the Finance Committee’s report at last night’s meeting of the. West Harbor Borough Council, the Mayor (Mr R. E. Holler) said that the water account was far too much. There was either a serious leak somewhere or else the people were wasting great quantities of water, and if the latter were the case, he thought that the inspector should be instructed to sue without notice. It was a matter that required urgent attention. It had been ascertained that the City Council meter had been registering correctly, as a test had been made. The account at one time was £4O a month, but during the last six months it had been steadily creeping up until it was now £7O. Evidently the people were overstepping the mark, and it might be sary yet to do away with garden taps. It was a matter they would have to watch, The council decided to wait another month before taking any action.

“ Why is it, gentlemen, at this touraamenlt there ils such a small representation from tlhe south ?” asked Mr F. Meadowcraft (Wcfflkigton) at the bowlers’ smoko conceit, held at Christchurch last evening. Mr Meadow’crotfit £-aid 'ho was no-t going to answer that question. It might mean rcsbifcitiing the centre tournaments if they were going to interfere with the dominion championships. From Dunedin there were only mine rinlks taking part in ilh'is important gathering, although it was only a short journey from Dunedin to Christchurdh. He knew that the bowlers in the south were very fond of doubles play; but personally he believed that the rinks should be held a week before the singles and pairs championships were held.—Our Christchurch correspondent.

A telegram was received late yesterday afternoon by Mr D. Cameron, secretary of the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association, from Wellington stating that June, the Otago challenger for the Sanders Cup, and her crew had arrived safely. Advice has also been received to the effect that the Southland boat Murihiku and the Auckland boat Rona a're expected to reach Wellington to-morrow. Our Christchurch correspondent wires that a proposal that a monster deputation representing all sports bodies in the dominion should wait on the Government next session in support of daylight saving was strongly supported by Mr Meadowcroft, of Wellington (vice-president of the New Zealand Bowling Association), at the bowlers’ smoke concert. Mr Meadowcroft expressed the hope that the deputation would bo a thorough success. Bowlers intended to see that the Daylight Saving Bill was carried. In Wellington bowlers, tennis players, cricketers, and all others who indulged in sport in the summer time were being asked to join, urging the Government to alter the clock so that there womd be one hour longer daylight. “ I hope in Christchurch all sports will do the same,” said Mr Meadowcroft, amidst applause.

Speaking at a meeting of the Canterbury District Committee of the British Empire Exhibition, Mr W. H. Nicholson said that a great deal of misunderstanding existed in Britain regarding living conditions in Now Zealand. When he was returning to Now Zealand after his last trip to England there were three young immigrants on board. They had revolvers, bowio knives, and rifles in their possession, and they asked permission to be allowed to sleep on deck in order to get used to the rough conditions under which they expected to live amongst the Natives of New Zealand. Mr Nicholson added that even to-day many erroneous impressions were prevalent in the Old Country as to the conditions of life in New Zealand. He asserted that tiiis was due largely to the class of pictures sent Home. They depicted Maori chiefs in war paint brandishing a mere, and a white man looking across a river at them. " That sort of thing is sixty years old,” Mr Nicholson said.

“It seems to be a farce. This nan has been twice declared an habitual criminal and yet they let him out,” remarked Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Auckland Police Court, when dealing with William Scarbroa, aged thirty-seven, one of several men charged with vagrancy in that they habitually consorted with reputed thieves. “ Of course he is a good prisoner, works well in gaol, and gets round these benevolent gentlemen,” explained Senior-De-tective Hammond.

“ When we were about three days out from Tahiti,” said Captain A. V. H. Waterson, of the Ling Nam, which arrived at Wellington this week from South America, “ the sudden cry of 1 Man overboard ’ went up. I immediately ordered the vessel to be hove to, and conducted its course while the crew responded to the call to lower the boats. These were in the water in quick time, and within twelve minutes of the cry being heard the man was brought up on deck. It was a great performance, considering there was a heavy swell on at the time. He was a Chinese, aged _ eighty-seven years,” continued the captain, “ and had leaped over the rails. He was alive when brought up on deck, but succumbed soon afterwards. At 5 o’clock that night he .was buried at sea in European fasmon.”

Advice received by Messrs Dalgety and Co., Limited, states that Dunedin cargo from Loudon by the P. and ,0- R ner davia was not damaged by a fire which broke out in one of the vessel's holds at Fremantle recently. The cargo was transhipped to the Moeraki at Melbourne, and will reach Dunedin on Saturday. Pas ■iengers by the Moldavia suffered considerable loss through the fire, as a quantity of baggage was practically destroyed. It is stated that a trunk owned by one lady passenger contained a fur coat valued at C 2,000, which was ruined by fire and water.

Methylated spirits is a dangerous liquor to have about in hot weather. At the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court this week the police told of a first offende; for drunkenness who was found in danger of his life in Hagley Park on Saturday afternoon. He had been drinking the spirits and smoking cigarettes, at ilu, onic time throwing nui'ches_ and l.quM carelessly about him. Then he fed into a drunken sleep, and when found I y (ho r-clico he was in the nreldla of a giass lire, which was almost up to lum. ” I cannot say very much of the future of the gold-mining industry, as under tile present conditions the cost of winning gold ss too high to justify any expansion,” remarked His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner, Mr N. Ernslie, to a pressman after his return to Wellington with the other Wellington delegates who toured Westland recently on a business-pleasure trip, but the results being obtained by the JRinm Dredge Company are good enough to prove that large amounts of gold are left in ground already worked over, and if working costs and the costs of plant should revert to the pre-war level there is no doubt that the gold industry can bo revived, and again become prosperous. 1 was very much struck with the very large coal resources, of which the delegates were shown numerous examples. It is clear that Westland holds ample resources to supply all that New Zealand needs, or is likely to need, for a very long time. We were also shown and told of other mineral resources, which will no doubt become of value in due time, but in my opinion the present transport facilities and the complete lack of any local demand make is unlikely that they can be worked profitably in the near future, ft might be .possible to develop the cement industry from the excellent limestone and other deposits available, and there are clay deposits which might be profitably developed into successful brick and tile and earthenware industries. Thu possibilities of the expansion of the West Coast are enormous, but in my opinion the first essential, without which nothing can bo done, is an active policy of land settlement.”

Last night's meeting of the West Harbor Borough Council ivns attended by the mayor (Mr H. E. Moller), Crs W, Barker, J. Robb, J. Kay, J. Fnasor, G. Smith, and G. Clark. A communication was received from (the Department of Health, WeSllington, notifying that the New Zealand Sanitary Inspectors’ Association would bold its annual conference in Dunedin on January 22, The council adopted the Finance CommStteo’s report, and “ received ” a copy of the Otago Hospital Board’s balance-sheet.

The strong, unmistakable North Country burr was in evidence on the Christchurch railway station soon after the arrival of the ferry train yesterday morning. The partv of operatives for tho Kaiapoi Woollen Manufacturing Cbnrpa.ny’s mill at Kaiapoi were responsible for the idea that a bit of Scotland had been transplanted to Christchurch. A very fine type of man and woman they appeared, the majority of them being under thirty years of ago. Of the thirty-nine in the party thirty-throe are operatives, the remainder being wives and children. AH tho members of the parly come from the town of Galashiels, Selkirkshire, Scotland, situated miles to the south-east of Edinburgh. The arrival of the party is the first fruits of the Empire intorchureh immigration scheme organised by the Y.M.0.A.. which arranges with the heads of the ohurches for tho nomination of emigrants In the present instance the members of the party were nominated by the lour in Kaiapoi. Of the thirty-nine comprising tho party twenty-eight aro Presbyterians and cloven Church of England.—Our Christchurch correspondent. An Auckland Press Association, telegram state that tho other two prisoners who escaped from Mount Eden Gad, Davidson and Helm, wore overtaken amd captured on .llheir way down the channel

The most' reliable news from the remote sheep stations in Otago and Southland ns to the results of the summer mustering is highly satisfactory. One of the leading stock and station agents said to-day that all his back-country clients had found that, tho loss in sheep as a result of tho winter floods and snow storms was lighter than anticipated. Local pastures proved to bo nourishing, and sheep that could not rove about freely found enough feed to not only keep them alive, but preserve their condition to ..some extent. The loss by mortality is not so much as the loss of quality "in the wool. Some of it has become very tender. This tenderness, however, is not so serious a matter as it used to be. Tho modern machines aro bo constructed ns to bind the breaks in tho staple. Viewed all round, the sheep farmers’ portion is quite comfortable, The expected losses arc not deadly, and the prices at the auctions are beyond anticipations.

Mining is proceeding satisfactorily at tho Westport Coal Company's collieries at Millerton and Denniston. Men who went away during the cessation of operations are gradually returning to tho employment ; but there is room for more.

The construction of the Q. M. Thomson wing as an addition to the King Edward Technical College, and for the special purpose of domestic science, has been somewhat hindered by a shortage of bricks; but tho builders have now started to put on the roof, so Mr Angus Marshall and his staff will not have to wail long after the college resumes. Mi' Bishop, secretary of the Coal Mine Owners’ Federation, has returned to Wellington. In the course of an interview ho scouted the idea that a large number of minors had left the West Coast districts, and said he doubted if there would bo more than a very few vacancies in tho ranks of skilled miners when work was resumed in full swing. With respect to the differences at two of the mines as to tho acceptance, of tho terms agreed to at the conference, these were duo to a misunderstanding of the terms sot out, and there was no further' trouble when tiie explanations were made.—Press Association telegram.

Illingaworth’a British-made roll film (s esued in all standard sizes to suit all makes cameras. Obtainable at all dealers.— tl. J. Gill, Frederick street.—[Advt.]. Roll up to the popular weekly dance tonight at the South Dunedin Town Hall. Yes, wo have no bananas or draperyplenty Dolls, Teddies, Tea Sets.—Todds, tor specialists, George street.—[Advt.j

The box plan of the Bums anniversary concert opens at C. Berg and Co.’s to-mor-row (Thursday), Patrons are advised to book early.

The Pacific Starr-Bowkett Building Society invites application for membership in No. 5 Group. Call for booklet, Office, 86 King Edward street. —[Advt.] Worth its weight in gold: “ No-rubbing ” Laundry Help; a seven weeks’ supply can be purchased for Is cash. —M’Farlano and Co.—[Advt.]