FEIDAY, FEBEUAEY 28. THE WEEK.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7400, 28 February 1902, Page 2

FEIDAY, FEBEUAEY 28. THE WEEK.

In South Africa as much progress as can be expected is being successfully made. The cumber of surrenders in comparison with other casualties shows that in the Transvaal the rot the Boer leaders fear, and wbioh intercepted letters show they are trying to stem, is not to be easily eradicated. As in stubborn fighting, so in determination, the Orange Free Staters are the more thorough of the two. Bteyn ever returns to the neighbourhood of Reilz, notwithstanding his narrow escape in that quarter. There the escapees from the late drive are collected, whilst J the new drive is being brought over the ground from the Brackenbergs towards flarrismith. Great efforts are made by all Boers to escape north, away from the blockhouses and entanglements of the Orange Kiver Colony. From the cable news, it appears that Bergl's contract for the meat supply of the army was signed without any condition that the meat should be colonial ; that a bare promise was obtained that he would give some sort of indefinite preference to colonial meat, but that, when colonial discontent grew, the promise was reduced to writing on January 27th. All it amounts to now appears to be that he will take colonial meat if he can make a sufficient profit out of it. Sufficient profit may mean £6,000,000 in two years, which he tells v* . was made by the old contractors, and there is more opportunity to make that out of the inferior meat of the Argentine than the prime mutton of New Zealand and the grand beef of Queensland. Whilst there is much in the contention of Ministers that an enquiry into all contracts made during the war would disarrange the machinery by which the army in the field is supplied, the limited enquiry recommended t in the Lords* into meat contracts and remount supplies appears not to be open to this objection, as they apparently hinge on favours shown to a shipping '■ ring. ■ Although the Shanhaikwan-Niu- j chwang railway is a Chinese line i with a British Jien over it, there is ] reason in Russia's refusal to restore < it, seeing Ehe conquered the country, until internationai control at Tien- \ tain ceasee. But Germany is the j chief Power objecting to t the aban- c donment of that control, and she is c working it to obtain mineral mono- * polies in Shantung. If Russia's ' j assertion that she wants no privileges \ a greater than other Powers is true, | v and she has been able to convince '

America that Buch is a fact, it would ' appear that Germany's claim to j mining monopolies in Shantung must \ be challenged ere Russia gives way. At present, Prince Ching is reported as inclined to give way to Germany's demands, but if this is done, Russian demands in Manchuria can never be successfully opposed Russian intrigues may be expected, in Korea, but she certainly is not prepared to meet the argument of Japan, which consists of 150,000 warriors. Doubtless the Anglo-Japanese treaty, with the moral support of the United States, will soon straighten out things, as tho motive cf that treaty is the open door.

The reception of Prince Henry in America has been most brilliant and correct, and, so far, tbe tremendous efforts made, semi-officially and in the press of Germany, to create a favourable impression of that country's attitude towards the States have been successful. But it is openly stated, in wires from New York, that the christening of the yacht is but the ostensible reason of the visit, and it is more than suspected that subjects international are to be introduced, if possible, by tho Prince.

Many. things point to the conclusion that the colonial ropresectatives at thrt ooronation will have placed before them for consideration some of the most important questions in relation to Imperial, as distinct from purely British, affairs, which have ever been debated. Not the least far-reaching, and one calculated to raise the whole question of tho relations of the Mother Country with the colonie 0 , will bo thai; of Greater Britain's contribution to tbe Navy, proportionately to its resources, lately alluded to in the Commons by Sir Michael Hicks-800 cb. It will at once occur to all that those resources would be largely inrr-aeed in he event of Britain awarding preferential treatment to the j.roduce of har colonial subjects in coutradistinotion to that of aliens. In proportion as the colonies a?.d the colonies' trade are protected they will doubtless bo willing to contribute.

The following year to a year of plague is generally markad by a recurrencs in ft milder way of the BC.urg6' But the cases roported in Sydney and Brisbane are larger in number that than was expected in the ordinary course of event-, and would appear to be the result largely of insufficent sanitary precautions.

It is safe to say that the reign of disorder ar-d misrule which exists in the Turkish Empire, European and Asiatic, "would not by the Powers be tolerated for a moment ill respect to any other Statp, and only their jealousy permits them to put up with it in Turkey. Now that the ransom has been paid for Miss Stone, and that lady and her companion rekased, it .remains to be seen what action the American Government will take for the recovery of the amount r from Tuvkey and the establishment of guarantees against a recurrence of such a scandal.

The friendly relations between France and Britain are frequently being jeopardised by more or has irresponsible officars and French traders in West Africa. Some time back a raobt promising young British officer was killed byjtwo traders, who were subsequently arrested by British coloured troops. Again, Fadalla, son of tbe Sultan-Adventurer Rabab, having escap2d from the French Soudan icto British territory, was installed in a sultanate in Bornu, the part of Nigeria adjoining Lake Chat. He was here attacked by tbe French and killed. It appears that the trade of Kano, a large town in Sokoto, Northern Nigeria, 13 being exploited by the French on their caravan routes, whilst the .Niger River is its natural outlet. To rectify the last mentioned and inquire into the second of these traosactions a British expedition has been despatched by Sir Frederick Lugard.