FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1904. THE WEEK.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8144, 16 December 1904, Page 2

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1904. THE WEEK.

No single event perhaps in the whole course of the war has had so rapid and far-reaching effect as the capture of Metre Hill in the Port Arthur defences.- It is itself described by a British officer who witnessed it, as an unprecedented feat. The Russians resisted even to hemming in the first line of defence with a cordon of reserves, who fired on and destroyed any who shrank. Between fury of attack and stubbornness of defence final possession alone awards the palm of victory to the Japanese, for in bravery there was equality of merit. But it is in the quickly following results, not in the actual possession of a fort dominating others, that the victory of Metre Hill marks an epoch. From that fortress, over* intervening hills and defences, the Russian fleets' topmast spars could be seen, as it snugged its renovated hulls under shelter of the land. The perfection of highangle fire, which has characterised the Japanese attack throughout, was again in evidence, the massive hulls of the warships were found with unerring accuracy, and the whole fleet of warships and cruisers sunk in succession. The destroyers alone remain to be accounted for; even the clandestinely provisioning junks were wiped from the face of the harbor, and the starvation of the defenders rendered thus more immiment.

How largely were the hopes of Russia centred in the continuance in being of their war-worn yet ineir still effetive fleet, is loudly proclaimed in the result. Her naval life in the Far East depended upon the junction of the Baltic with the Port Arthur fleet. Though a naval base would be wanted during the winter months, with the thorough coaling arrangements made, there was hope of preserving Vladivostok during the winter, and an entry by the combined fleets into its fortified shelter, with the uses of all its repairing facilities in the spring. No sooner was the Port Arthur fleet sunk than a Russian officer, since punished, gave the keynote to the situation in a letter to the Kussian press. The Baltic fleet had no fighting chance with Togo. An agitation followed for its recall, till it is re?orted the Czar thinks it safer in Europe, 'he south-about portion had not rounded the Cape, the Suez contingent was but just clearing the Red Sea, but an unparalleled disturbance of the world's traffic was expected bjr the unheard of demand for a twenty-mile-wide seaway for Russia's Baltic fleet. Commercial nations will breathe easier. It is believed that Nogi has now more leisured moments and can rely on starvation to complete the reduction of the fortress, but strenuous bombardment continues. It is even said he could spare 26,000 men for Oyama in the field.

1 The project of adding the Black Sea fleet I to the Baltic seems to have died the death of the Port Arthur fleet, and officers from the former are being sent to the latter. The passage of the Dardanelles has not been mentioned in the cables since the Port Arthur fleet succumbed. There had been apparent an inclination for throwing the onus on to Turkey, a disposition to forget the mandate of the Powers to Turkey, and a reliance on a secret treaty of Russia with Turkey, to allow the exit of the fleet if it did not return. English papers were against any such concession, but the British Government was grimly dumb. Her friend Austria, however, unostentatiously spoke in an unmistakable manner. Complaints were suddenly made of the actions of Turkish officials in the western Balkans, and in an ultimatum three days were given the Porte for their dismissal. The objective of Austria is Salonika. It is not to be expected that Austria could allow the Russian fleet to emerge from the Black Sea and threaten her Meditteranean shores whilst in Sebastopol Russia had a naval base safe from attack. But since the Port Arthur fleet has been sunk, the near east has returned to its normal troublous aspect. If the Baltic fleet is safest in Europe so is the Black Sea fleet, but the Kaiser who advises the Sultan will keep the Dardanelles sore red and raw for future use.

The agitation for a stoppage of the war seems to be spreading and deepening and is likely to be most embarrassing to the Russian Government. At Vitabsk three regiments rebelled and three commandants committed suicide. Peasants rise against the nobility and burn them out. The collection of the first war-tax is imminent, and the farming community has to pay the cost of war and aggression they do not understand. The situation is pregnant witu alarms and the main guarantee for the preservation of order lies in the sabre of the Cossack.

Speeches in England and Australia have this week renewed interest in the fiscal question, and those of Mr Deakin and Mr Reid have not been among the least interesting and important. That of the Federal Premier strikes one as being remarkably forcible and broad-minded. It is remarkable that with the fiscal issue there is now being associated the question of improving the British army and navy, and upon that the liability of the dependencies and colonies of the Empire to share in the cost of general defence. Events seem to be moving towards a conference, representative of all parts of the Empire to see what can be done. The problem is both huge and intricate.

In Great Britain the prospects of a hard winter in the sense of bad times is accentuated by various indications, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer has issued a formal warning to the nation. The unemployed difficulty is most acute, and though it is bringing out splendid contributions from a few wealthy men and philanthropic effort from many organisations it is to be feared that the whole subject » so complicated and vast that voluntary effort will touch only the fringe of it. It is a sad reflection on our social and economic conditions that in the most advanced country in the world, so far as general civilisation goes, there should be thousands and thousands of unemployed men and women, the bulk of whom are willing and able to work, but have no opportunity of earning means of livelihood.

The Australian Arbitration Act emerged from Parliament in practically' the same state as it wag in when Mr Watson declared its utility destroyed. That was in consequence of a majority of those interested having the power, by vote, to disallow the preference to unionists. Now another menace to unionism has arisen in the denial by the Full Court of the power of the Arbitration Court to make a common rule. The Court had no power to impose an obligation on a person not before it. Fifteen out of 46 agreements registered are influenced by this common rule decision, <

In the colony the great Seddon-Taylor libel case attracts much attention. The Bank of New Zealand meeting shows ever Improving prospects. Interest on deposits hare men, .and an increased price for loans wfll logically follow. At 104« to 106s New Zealand batter at Home tops other colonial produce bnt Danish prices are not approached, though thai is probably the produce of stall-fed cattle. There is a slight improvement in -beef 4>ut New Zreslana mutton is quoted unchanged whilst heavy River Plate sheep fetch <s|d and light 4£d. It is long since to near an approach to $faw Zealand values has been recorded. . . f !?*,.