THE WEEK.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7376, 31 January 1902, Page 2

THE WEEK.

After the pause of last week, news of increased activity in a new direction would appear to indicate that what is hoped to bo the last great effort to end the war by Lord Kitchener has commenced, and the advance on the Zoutspanberg district undertaken. Tho number of Boer officers lately captured is large in comparison with the rank and file, and tho addition of Viljoen to the list is the most important since tho capture of Ollivier in the Orange Colony. The capture of British patrols by superior forces of the enemy, though frequent, are nothing abnormal in guerilla warfare, and the balance of success is out of all comparison favourable to the British. The late successes have been owing to night marches of enterprising British colonels by which the enemy was surprised in laager.

Whateveb may be the result ot Van Kuyper's ;very informal note, the repeated offers of loyal assistance made by surrendered Boers in the camps in South Africa, and in their colonies of exile, denote the impatience with which the industrial Boers regard the irreconcilable adventurers in the field. As the Continental Press at last seems convinced that we intend to finish the war by fighting till the Boers surrender, it is hoped that the encouragement given to those in the field, by announcements of intended intervention, will cease.

The hesitation of Liu-kun-yi, one of the Viceroys who preserved the Yang- tee from Boxer operations, to obey an Imperial command to appear at Court, betokens doubt as to the genuine character of the announced reform?. The news that the special concessions to Russia in mining and railway enterprise have been eliminated from tho Manchurian treaty straightens up matters considerably in that province, and, coming from Dr. Morrison, on be relied on.

It is significant that whilst some in Amerioa attribute the German Prince's visit to that country as an opportunity to sound the President on the attitude of the States should Germany tentatively encroach in Venezuela, large sections of press and people are reoalling the material assistance rendered to America when, whilst she was engaged with the Spanish war, Germany was mischievously antagonistic and engaged in promoting a European coalition against the btates. The two great £eotionß of*' the Anglo-Saxon race are, whilst engaged in commercial rivalry, drawing distinctly together politically.

For forty years Morocco has been attempting to get France to delimit the Morocco-Algerian frontier, and French Ministers have been heard to assert that an uncertain frontier line is the stronger nation's opportunity. Last year France advanced to Twat, and whatever disturbance there may be on the frontier is doubtless owing to French aggression from the Moor point of view. Now the death of two French officers on the frontier is called murder, and a French warship is sent to Tangiers Our chief interest in Morocco is the acquirement of Ceuta or its preservation to Spain, who now owns it.

The want of a £on and heir, incapacity, and the general decadence of the family seem to point to Alexander as the last king of tho Obrenovitch dynasty. If nothing intervenes, the visit of Prince Karageorgovitch to St. Petersburg will is all probability result in his being nominated by Eugsia as King of Bervia, as by Russia's help the first Kara George established himself in Servia in 1807.

The Imperial Parliament has struggled through the debates on the various amendments to the Address-in-Eeply, and the result of

the voting has been an endorsement of the policy of the Government as regards South African affairs. A feature has been the aggregation of a number of Radicals under the name of Roseberyites, whose policy apparently is Liberal Imperialism plus some sort of adjustment of Irish affairs. Those affairs are not so free from elements of extreme uneasiness as the optimistic address of the Chief Secretary would lead us to believe.

Tf, as promised by the Premier, the disappointment in respect to tl.e South Afnoan meat oontraots should lead to our making differential duties in favour of the Mother Country, a distinct step in advance will b9 made towards reciprocity, and good from evil will thus come, The Imperial Government has always said that the first advance must come from tha colonies, and now that New Zealand has followed the lead of Canada, and the Imperial Government has been told pretty plainly what colonials want, it is hard to see how the former can avoid negotiations at least.

The discharge of workmen from the various public works continues, and we are told lhat the mouey voted is all expended. Is there any connection between the evident wish to ship men to South Africa and imminence of an unemployed problem ?