CURRENT TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15581, 3 April 1911, Page 6

CURRENT TOPICS.

The readers of newsEfTTER for papers in London have London*. had their attention attracted at intervals during recent months by large advertisements which proclaim tho delicacy and purity of New Zealand butter. People are urged to ask for it and to insist upon having it, while impressive figures are quoted regarding tho growth of the dominion's export, trade. The "Daily Chronicle," in tho course of an article on the subject, states that tho development of a great trade in butter between Britain and New Zoaland is " one of the romances of modern commerce." The first consignments of butter and cheese were sent round the world in 1885, and in 1910 the Mother Country received from the dominion 321,915 cwt of butter and 441,884 cwt of cheese, valued at moiethan £5,000,000. Mr Cameron,, Produce Commissioner, had told a reporter who sought information on the subject that the Now Zealand dairy fanner had an enormous advantage in being able to keep his cows on tho natural pasture all the year round. " Some persons," said Mr Cameron, "have an objection-to the rich golden colour of our butter, but that colour is due to the richness of our pastures. A great deal of the butter which comes to this countxy is got from stall-fed cows, and this accounts for its pale colour." What was really needed, he added, was a New Zealand brand, which could bo used by all the factories. Buyers would know then when they were being supplied with tho doninion's butter. Under present conditions a largo part of the supply was bought in Britain by traders and used for blending with and improving other butters. The Produco Commissioner explained the efforts that had been made by the New Zealand Government to maintain a very high standard of quality in the dairy factories. Probably no small number of London people, after leading tho "Daily Chronicle's" article, were possessed of a new desire to taste tho butter that liad travelled 12,000 miles by sea and was being sold fresh at their doors.

An ingenious correa suggestion spondont of the London

roa "Daily Telegraph" has sir ASQTOTH. suggested that Mr Asquith might, if he so desired, subdue the House of Lords without creating three or four hundred new peerages. There is one official position that carries with it the right to sit and vote among tho peers and that is a sealt on the bench of the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, who, with tho Lord Chancellor, form the body of the House of Lords Appellate Tribunal. A holder of this office must bo a barrister of at least fifteen years' standing, but no other qualifications are required. The plan of operations outlined by the corTOspondoiit is quite simple except in its initial step. A Lord of Appeal in Ordinary would havo to be induced to resign and his place would then bo filled by a gentleman holding sound Liberal views. A law put upon the Statute Book in 1887 provides that when one of those lords ceases to sit on the bench, he may retain still his privileges in connection with tho House of Lords. Tho new Lord of Appeal would resign immediately ho had been sworn in. and his place would bo taken by another Liberal, who in turn would return his papers. The process could bo continued indefinitely and every man who was elevated temporarily to tho

appellate bench would havo the right to sit during his life in the House of Lords. The only danger to be apprehended, in tho opinion of the correspondent, is that some individual might declino to resign when ho had become a Lord of Appeal and therefore entitled to draw a salary of £6OOO a year. A rather more sorious objection, perhaps,' is that it would bo scarcely possiblo to transfer the office more than two or three times a week, owing to the necessity of observing various formalities. Several years would elapse before the additions to the numerical strength of tho Hcnso of Lords gave the Liberals a majority in that chamber.

s Tho Indian news,\x echo of papers record the death tub India* of tho Rajah Sheopal mount. Singh, whoso loyalty and courage saved the lives of a number of Europeans during tho dark days of' the Indian Mutiny. Tho moving story of tho defence of the Cawnporo entrenchment and the massacre of helpless British peoplo would probably never have been given to the world by British survivors, had it not been for the Rajah's action. One of the boats which was crowded with fugitives, under the pretended safe-con-duct of Nana Sahib, was fired on in mid-stream, and being without oars, the littlo craft soon drifted into a where it was exposed to a merciless fusillade. In desperation a party of fourteen officers and men landed and charged through the sepoys and villagers in order to allow tho remaining occupants to escape. They fought thoir way to a Hindu temple", which they defended valiantly until they were burnt out. Fighting their way again to the river they found tho boat gone and took to the water. After swimming several miles tho four survivors landed on the opposite shore, only to find themselves surrounded by a band of armed men. They staggered down to make another attempt to escape, when the Rajah Sheopal Singh called upon them not to flee, as they wore among friends. He had the fugitives taken to his father's fort, eight or ten miles away, where they wero treated with the utmost hospitality. Thrco times the Nana called upon the Rajah to surrender his prisoners, and on each occasion ho was informed by tho Rajah that ho was not the vassal of the Nana, but of tho ruler of Oudh, which had shortly before become a British province. Soon afterwards the Rajah succeeded to his father's estates. "The Pioneer" describes him as a straightforward, highly honourable nobleman of the old-fashioned type, and justly observes that "the remembrance of tho part he played in 1867 must endear him to all Englishmen." The incident is one of the few bright spots in a story of almost incrcdib-lo tragedy.