The Star. THE WEEK.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LI, Issue 9101, 25 May 1906, Page 4

The Star.

THE WEEK.

Delivered every evening, by 6 o^clook in Hawera Manai*, Nonnariby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatqkl, Kaponga, Awatuna, Opnnake, Otakeho. Manntahi, Alton, Hurleyrille, Patea, ana Waverley.

FRIDAY, MAY 25,. 1906.

Although, from time to time some veTy disquieting news 1 ' Teaches us from South Africa, it does not appear on the whole that Bambaata's rebellion is likely ;>to result in the white man being swept into the sea by the blacks. Good progress is being made in the difficult task of suppressing the outbreak and the weight of the information available points to an early patching-up if not a complete settlement of the difficulty. At Home it will have been .noticed that the Government has been assailed by Mr Keir-Hardie "for sitting supinely by and permitting the butchery of unarmed natives." Nobody, Mr Ha-rdie says, believes there has been any native prising.. There may be a grain of truth in what Mr Baaxfie says. It must be rememEered • that only a comparatively small section, is in revolt, and *■ that its members are very inadequately armed. The most significant? feature of the ■ situation is Natal's withdrawal from the position of boastful independence which she assumed when the Imperial authorities intervened in connection. with the recent executions. Her p&eudo self-reliance' has vanished, and a parade of British bluejackets and guns, just 'to impress the natives with the fact thatij the Empire stands behind the- col*. ony,j would now be;«vety welcome. Itigfo a common weakness on the part of States to affect a strength and resolution which has no existence in fact and it is' as. 1 well for all parties concerned that the* political leaden -in Natal have : abandoned -thedr foolish attitude. However quickly the'

present rising may be overcome the black | peril in South Africa remains and the

utmost harmony between the colonial and

Imperial authorities requires to be maintained in order that they may cordially and mutually cope with emergencies whenever any such may arise.

Very important consequences are almost bound to follow the rejection of the Labor party's bill to prevent the importation of aliens under contract during a labor dispute. By its attitude the House of Lords has flung 'opposing elements against each i other and, as the Daily .News says, has I fired the first shot in a fierce and longawaited battle for popular rights. At this end of the world the proposal is a commonplace, a recognised legislative feature, t^t, at Home it has. severely shocked "the^ classes." The Education Bill still remains under discussion and not unexpectedly * some 2 very heated controversy has been provoked. The question of secularism as against spiritual teaching as an addition to the school curriculum never has been and probably never will be dispasstonatejy considered. ■-; It presses too closely upon our most tender convictions. This much must be said that the Bannerman Ministry apparently remains undisturbed' by the , great outcry Which has been made against its proposals. The progress -.of democratic thought in Britain was again shown in, the,, representative deputation which waited upon Sir Henry Campbell-Banner-man, asking for political suffrage for womanhood. The Premier, in declining to adopt the platform of the deputation, pleaded patience — and was hissed. Although temporarily checked it seems beyond doubt that the .enfranchisement of British women will be accomplished before long.

During the progress, of the last elections in Great Britain, which resulted in ,the rout of the Unionists, one of the greatest of the sins levelled- against Mr Balfour and his-Mfollowens^was their policy 'with regard -to Chinese labor in South Africa J Allegations of gross cruelty and negligence were levelled against the Unionists and the agitation no doubt contributed largely ta their defeat. But< immediately Sir Henry Campbell-BanneTmaa and his party were returned' to office the wild ,talk .ceased. To a certain extent faith was kept, for measures were adopted to afford the Chinee© an escape from the iniquitous bondage; in which they were said to have- bean, placed by the Band- 1 lords- and the Imperial The I result of these liberating provisions was i cabled,,yesterday. < Twelve Chinese (of tihe many- thourfands^on th& Band) have applied for repatriation. But perhaps it was not sb/much the question of treatment as the principle of the employment of Chinese which told against the Government.

The political burlesque in Russia stall coistirru«g> to bey. played <td/ an^'-onsatisned a^nd disappoLnted jpeople. ■■■ -The opening of Parliament was a ghastly mockery of political emancipation and the sham has been but- awkwardly^sufi|ained v . .. ? TVhatever may betthe roal jdesigrefe ofj'the Czar it is evident that the bureaucrats will not felin 1 quishi -their- power 1 - without a' ; struggle T( JJ&ere ,ie, ayC^ntujnous^ plotting ;in ip^pg^ess for the^veTinrovg of ,the liberat^onists and the displacement of De Witte- } /Wijbo-priew mpnt^Bß ago- w.iE|6 as the .p,olitical savioui 1 of. his -people, was .a great victory for the reactionaries. .The. turmoil having .been smoothed' dd]tvn by fair promises and the. issue of several, Imperial manifestoes. therVis now a movement in favor of the jestabli&hment of the dreaded Trepoff as Dictator. ° Worn out 'with their struggle the Russian masses are just now in no condition to successfully rise against the military- organisation ' of- their rulersi But presently,, when they have rested and regained the courage which ha£ been temporarily ' crushed, another deluge of blood may be expected.' The penalty of polt tical suppression /will , inevitably be a i bursting, of- the compressed elements.

Those to whom Universal Peace .is an ideal will be amongst the foremost supporters of the advocates for reduced armaments, a present-day feature of national life which imposes a terrible burden on the people. It is an,, accepted maxim -that to be prepared for war is the best guarantee of peace, but it is, probable that a review of the history of nations would ■ show that-non-preparation has prevented' very many more ware •' than preparation. For the disarmament proposals to be practicable they must be universal 'and this seems to be an impossible dream, for many years to come, at any rate. Those who may epeak with authority affirm that the car"cumstances in. which France finds herself renders at "quite impossible for her to join in the movement, whilst Germany is apparently actuated by a consuming ambition to. ultimately own the strongest navy in the world. And "the biggest navy" under. German control will not be maintained for ornamental purposes. We need not go beyond these twd instances. The altitude of France and Germany shatters the hope for disarmament."

This week has been somewhat eventful in the .history of Australia ; . Mr Seddon has, visited there. Sydney has just had its Seddon week and the capitate of Victoria and South Australia are being similarly blessed. The round 'of banqueting and speech-making knows no break. The copious accounts which have been wired of Mr Seddon's^sayfogs are so distinctly Seddonian in style and sentiment that they might almost have been written in advance by New Zealand papers. But the Premier >must* be gratified at the warmth of, his reception, and New Zeaiandeisj whatever their "political faith, must feel Borne pleasure in having a Prime Miniate* to whom homag&vis so ungrudgingly paddl We venture toysay that if>*Ee Premier of the Commonwealth; (winch is in territorial importance very much greater than this .* colony) were to visit New Zealand the event would' not arouse a tithe/ of the interest wbicfiis displayed" in Mr Seddon's progress through Australia.

The milking season is rapidly drawiog to a close, and after their period of strenuors

toil .dairymen will be able. to. seek rec-*-^

tion in rest or change ol occupation. Fatmers are to be congratulated upon the good prices which have been maintained, and the prospects for theintore. On. the other hand tn.e farmers who a coupe of years ago abandoned .dajLrvjiftg.. for woolgrowing, have had a Toyal . taiveet and the prices and predictions wMoh axe being cabled must be very gratifying.