TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXV, Issue 75, 1 April 1901, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

The classic event of the sport of rowing, the University boat.race, took place on Saturday, and Oxford defeated Cambridge after what was, evidently, an exciting contest. The " finish " was, indeed, one of the best yet seen, there being nothing bettar on the records excepting the dead heat of the year 1877. The race was in marked- contrast to that of last year when Cambridge won by something, like twenty lengths. Oxford are now 'nine race.3 ahead of Cambridge.

The railways of the Colony continue to boom financially. Speaking at Stratford last week, on the occasion of the turning of the first sod of Taranaki's new line, the Hon, Mr Ward said that there had been an enormous nicvease in the number of passengers and the quantity of goods carried, and there w?,s even now, before the end of ftie financial year, a net gain in the revenue of £80,000. It was now certain that after the end of the financial year the Government would be able to give still further concessions to the users of the railway. In the same speech the Minister announced that there would be a surplus of about £400,000.

A valuable store of knowledge as to the interior of Australia may be expected from the ethnological expedition organised by Professor Spencer and Mr F, 3. Gillen. It starts on its long journey from Alice Springs, keepingaiong the transcontinental telegraph line, and will bo guided by circumstances as to their route right through the centre o£the Australian continent to the Gulf of Carpentaria. The explorers purpose spending some time with various tribes of aborigines

throughout the continent, so as to study their manners, customs, and the other distinctive features of the race. For this purpose they will frequently have to leave the telegraph line and make excursions east and west to fertile spots, whore natives chiefly congregate. When Powell's Creak, which is one of their chief depots, is reached, they will strike out from the telegraph line and go across the border into Queensland, touching at Camooweal. On returning to the line after this deviation, it is the intention of the expedition to proceed northwards, taking in their route the large rivers of the Northern Territory, and, if time permits, they will visit Wyndhara, in West Australia. The magnificent ram which has recently fallen throughout Central Australia will be of great assistance, and, in the opinion of Messrs Spencer and Gillen, ensures the success of the expedition. The members will take with them a firstclass cinematograph, and a fine phono • graph.

Mr Buick has proved himself to be a historian of no mean merit. " Old Marlborough " gives evidence of a faculty for careful research and an admirable sense of proportion in the presentation of facts and personages. The narrative is marked, too, by a clearcut style which allows of no tadiousness. Mr Buick possesses the saving quality of political impartiality, the want of which has been a prominent weakness of not a few New Zealand authors. Our ex-member brings the history of the province down to the year 1890, when he himself became an active participator in public events, deeming it becoming " that some other pen, more free from personal interest, should continue the rarrative." A fitting occasion for the production of the second volume of Marlborough's history would be the Jubilee of the province, which will be celebrated nine years hence. The writer would have a period of twenty years to cover, but his task would not be nearly as difficult as that which Mr Buick has so successfully accomplished.

One of a series of rifle matches for prizes presented by members of the Tin Marina Rifle Club was held on Saturday at Tua Marina. The prize on this occasion was a pig, given by Mr C. Nea!, and the winner was Mr Cuthbei'tson, A Hart being second, and D. Wilson third. There were about twenty shootists.

The Premier has received the following cablegram from the Cape:— "Please accept and convey to the people of New Zealand my warm thanks for the splendid contingent under Col. Banks that has arrived here, and which has now taken the field. We regret losing the men who have served with us during the past year. They have invariably displayed the utmost courage and devotion, and I congratulate New Zealand en having been represented by so magnificent a body of officers and men. Wherever they have been engaged the New Zealanders have always distinguished themse yes chener."

Mr H. E. Moss, of the London Hippod vorae, receives some of the most peculiar and amusing communications from all sorts of people who wish to entertain the public (says M.A.P.) The following letter, apparently from the pen of a polite lunatic, speaks for itself: —MrH. E. Moss, Hippodrome, City. Sir, —Ask you herewith for a engagement as spiritualist—as advertiser • to begin with a salary of £10 per week. I has got the strongest electrical brain in the world, am able to hypnothize animals and human beings. Have been only for one week here in London—was never published —and still am known already by the entire city of London on account of my electrical waves from this, my strong electrical brain. My brain is this very strong that I guarantee you to be able to bring you each night a full house, to be able to force the people each night into your theatre—which one would be flooded with my monster spirituality with my electrical waves.—Respectfully, —-.