TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVI, Issue 232, 4 October 1902, Page 1

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Some uneasiness is being expressed in South Africa as to the influence being brought to bear on the natives by the American Ethiopian Mission, a negro religious organisation introduced from the United States. Sir Albert Hhne, Premier of Natal, stated plainly in a recent interview thafc he apprehended danger from the attempt to form a native church. The reason is that the propaganda of the Ethiopian Mission are alleged to be political in character, and likely to have a disturbing influence upon the native tribes. The British Magistrate at Lvbode, in Pondoland, recently reported to the Government that some of the native teachers were endeavoring to impress upon the colored population the doctrine that Africa belonged to the blacks, and that the white men, as foreigners, should " take a back seat* in regard to the affairs of the country. The Magistrate hoped that "the Government will prevent any recognition of these American Native Mission ideas in the territories, as they are the foreboding of a great and fierce struggle in South Africa, which can now,be prevented, but, if allowed, will spread into unquenchable flame far worse than can ever be imagined at present."

Marconi's ambition to link together the British Empire by means of wireless telegraphy is the subject of an article in Pall Mail Magazine. "I shall not be satisfied," said Mr Mar? coni to the writer, "until I can signal direct to New Zealand across ;the Isthmus,of Panama, and send messages to India across the intervening land', using my station at Poldhu for the transmitting of the aerograms to both countries. lam planning' that messages, between ships apart on the ocean shall be as easy to exchange as messages between towns apart on the land are transmitted by the present tele graph system, and that aerial communications over thousands, of miles may be as readily effected as they are now through the submarine cables which connect the hemispheres." Marconi, we are informed, discussed with the late Cecil Rhodes the idea; of the aerograph instead of the wire for the famous Cape-to-Cairo line. He shrewdly holds that the cost of wires will make the existing line a: burdensome one to maintain, ■whereas his stations would reduce the cost to a minimum. The same argument lie applies to the wild Siberian steppes and to the blizzard-swept prairies of Western America.

It >was a large and representative meeting of farmers which' listened to the lecture delivered here last week by Mr Reakes, the Government Veterinarian ; and its resolution approving of the scheme of lectures proposed by the Veterinary Deparfment should carry some weight. Whether the farmers will act up to their promise to take advantage of the scheme when brought into operation remains to ;be seen. The idea is certainly w one that should be encouraged, and might well be extended to cover a comprehensive system of lectures on agricultural and pastoral subjects. Such methods of instruction by experts would largely supply the need for the technical education which is clamored for iv all directions. Farmers, as communities', must keep . themselves abreast' of modern methods or bbey will go to the; wall. That this spirit is not wanting here has been made apparent in several ways of late ; and one of the best of its evidences is the increased energy, and progressiveness of the Marlborough Agricultural and Pastoral Association.