THE WEEK.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7388, 14 February 1902, Page 2

THE WEEK.

The late "drive" of the Boers by i Lord Kitchener is generally acknowledged by all but the sufferers to have been successful, and as the Boers broke up in the night prior to the final closing of the British lines, its full success will only be apparent as the large area of 70 miles by 60 is cleared. It will not assist De Wet in collecting another commando that when dispersing his men crying " Sauve gui pent" he chose opportunity favouring mostly his own escape, as has been also reported on previous occasions. His method of] rushing the line with stampeded cattle sounds & little Bed Indian. The defences of the block houses have steel wire entanglements, impervious to Boer wire, -flatters, whilst the chain oi-worka is con-

neoted by a wire fence and three foot trench ; and it is one of these that De Wet's bulls charged. Similar works on the north of the Vaal stretch across the two railways, and as far north as Volksrust, and when complete Botha, Shalk Btrgor, and Meyer will be captured or driven out north to be dealt with as opportunity aerves, which will probably be when the new colonial levies arrive. The tactics are reminiscent of the Koman wall against the Piots aud Scots and the Chinese wail against > the outer barbarians.

Tbe late intervention of the Dutch Premier has, though failing in its object, apparently epaaed a way for Boer emissaries to vMit the burghers in tbe field, who, Krifger is satisfied, will make no offer to surrender. That the British will tieat on any other terms is not to be left to the decision of Lord Kitchener, but to himself jointly with Lord Milner. The latter did not entirely approve of Kitchener's leniency at the last negotiations, and the diplomatist has shown himself as anxiou3 to see justice is done to loyalists as the soldier is to display generosity in dealing with a fallen en my, whea he will acknowledge he is fallen.

Whjlßt friendß of tho colonies are in the British Parliament slowly dragging from a reluctact War Office particulars regarding the meat contracts, it ib .probable that we shall not arrive at the true inwnrdnass of the matter till tbe colonial Premiers meet ie London. It has been phown that Bergl is but a dummy of other Germans and Jews, end that he is the same man whom our Mr Cameion exposed for selling River Plate mutton as the best Canterbury. There appear to have been differences in the tenders submitted to various parties, and probably the colonies were never esked to tender for a delivery io tbe troops. On paper we have gained tbe concession that colonial meat shall have the preference, but such a manager and so astute a syndicate will require a lot of watching.

One of the chief complaints lately made against the authorities re sponsible for Imperial defence is that Malta as a naval base is undergarrisoned with 6,000 men, and in the face of that we have the First Lord of the Admiralty saying that Wei-Hai-Wei is valuable aa a naval base, whilst at the same time the Parliamentary TJnder-Secretary is telling Parliament that it is ineligible for fortification and garrison purpose?. It certainly is a poor set off for Port Arthur, to counter-balance which it was seized There is no reason to suppose that the attack on the Berlin Missionary Society's buildings near Canton is anything more than an isolated^ instauce of fanaticism.

Probably for the first time in history has the British Government felt warranted to raise an Imperial voice in the name of the United Kingdom, the Colonies, and India when threatening reprisals ; and in this case it so threatens if the sugar duties on the Continent are not reduced one-half. It assumes that responsibility on the guarantee of the unanimity of Imperial support given during the South African crisis. That Britain is firm and the juncture recognised as important, is shown by the necessity for adjournment by the Conference that the delegates of Germany and Austria may -consult their respective Governments. As Germany will be the, chief sufferer should beet sugar be' ousted from all British markets, the Kaiser must look with a jealous eye on the enterprise of Queensland in engaging twenty thousand German settlers from South Australia to grow cane sugar.

Apart from the distinction already mada between the Premier of New Zealand and that of the heads of the various States of the Australian Commonwealth in regard to the Coronation ceremonies, his poeition will doubtless be much enhanced by the presentation by Mr Humphrey Berkeley of the Fijian petition for annexation to this oolony. This petition, though signed by many thousand Fijians, cannot in the nature of things be looked upon as a choice by thoee natives of New Zealand as a centre of Government in preference to Australia. Tbe natives are not sufficiently educated to make an intelligent political choice, but it may be taken as decisive evidence of great dissatisfaction with the administration under Crown Colony laws.

When Japan was included in the concert ol the civilised Powers of the world, and fought side by side with them in China against barbarian aggression, it established a claim to equal consideration as a leading Power of the world. And perhaps at present ib is the predominant Power in the Farthest East. It is the making of- an epoch when a European country enters into alliance with a colored one on the lines of the most celebrated alliance of the age — that of Germany, Austria, and Italy. It will be seen that the one nation is under no obligation to help another in arms against a single belligerent, but that in the event of another nation joining a belligerent of the allied Power, then material help in arms must be given.