The New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. MONDAY, MARCH 13, 1871.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 2224, 13 March 1871, Page 2

The New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. MONDAY, MARCH 13, 1871.

We have more than once referred to the obvious convenience of a wellascertained position for this colony and the Australias in the event of a general war amongst the Great Powers of the world. Any anxiety on this subject has apparently only come to a few minds. But an event has occurred which shews pretty plainly that, though the idea has given but little uneasiness, it nevertheless exists. The same event, too, exposes not a little the pervorsity of colonial logic. Thus we see a commission, appointed to consider the feasibility of a colonial empire federated for defensive purposes, recommending that some means shall be taken by powers with hands at each other's throats to respect colonial neutrality. The very phraseology, sounds strange in the mouths of men who must be presumed to have received the average amount of mental training. The neutrality of a dependency is, in ordinary circumstances, a political impossibility. Even if it were desirable, it could only be worth attention if practicable, and

it can only be practicable as the result i of an arrangement between the princi- | pal powers concerned upon a basis of i equivalents. AVe live in an age which j has accepted the equity of equivalents I as the natural successor of what was formerly known as the " balance of power." There is no longer a balance of power in Europe. The phrase has become in six short months an anachronism. It would almost appear in the present situation of human affairs, : that the New world is weighted in the ; scales of Providence against the Cld. j And there can be little doubt that the ■ future territories of the English-speak- j ing races will be the American Con- ' tinent and the Islands of the Sourh ' Seas. The island which gave its name i to first European exodus will be a vast i mart and workshop. But the pro- j blems of future life will bo solved in ] the forest, in the bush, the swamp, u: , j in the mine. The query will be j whether industry shall perish that I territorial divisions, many of them the result of purely arbitrary distinctions, shall be permanent. The attitude taken by the middle and working classes in hingland just now is very striking and suggestive. The sympathy with fallen Franco is unmistakeable. But it 13 a sympathy which is partially the offspring of alarm. The designs of Prussia are undoubtedly dynastic and territorial. No good or evil that might befall humanity will induce her to turn from her purpose either to the right hand or to the left. But it is in England and America that the ranks of industry have power to make their voice heard. In these countries liberty is something more than a tradition— it is a necessary existence, an essential of life itself. The supreme interests of both states are involved in the idea of progress, one through her colonies, the other through the waste lands of her vast dominions. Might it not very well be the interest of the governing classes of these great states to declare that government is the guarantee of successful labour, and while they themselves should contend for the satisfaction of some local grievance, either by sea or land, the great social hive might be permitted undisturbed to work out the world's destinv.

Those who make gushing speeches about the English name and glory, should never forget that we live in an era ol' armour-plated ships, and the first general war in which England will be engaged will have for her all vicisittidesofa grand but compulsory experiment. There can be no more enthusiasm expended upon battlefields. We can only say somewhat cynically that the crops will be heavier upon them after a year or two. Aggressive kings must be regarded as moved by a murderous instinct, and their lieutenants and counsellors scientific butchers. What Prussia does to-day, Napoleon might have done had he been victor ; would have doue rather than lose a jot of the advantage which success might have given him. It may be a benefit to the human race if a horror of war should spring up upon these fields, like as the passion flower was said to have sprung up from the spot watered by the tears of the Son of Man. There is little to hope, however ; the industry of the whole world is thrown back a whole generation. Communities so situated as those inhabiting the Australias should bo slow to give way to a prejudice, when their own cities might be seized as the guarantees of a favourable settlement by either of two great powers. In this view they will be the hostages of their own house, divided against itself. England and America might be induced to agree upon an assumption by the colonies of an attitude which would secure them the privilege of immunity. The colonies themselves would have to be consulted. Why should there not be a conference on this subject as well as upon the basis of a protocol ? The subject is surely no less important. Wore of the future happiness of the world depends upon this matter being timely considered than most people a*t present comprehend.

Now and again there appears in the columns of the local journals complaints of the carelessness or inatten- . tion of the sub-euurnerators in leaving census-papers at houses in the several districts- We noticed one in a contemporary of Saturday, dated from Otahuhu, in which it is stated that in several districts around that town census papers have not only not been left, but where left have in some cases not been called for again. What we would point out to persons making such vague statements is that they are taking a wrong course, and one which can be productive of no good. These complaints convey no real information, nor give to the Head Enumerator any help to remedy the omissions that may have been made. Yery different would it be if, even anonymously, the names of persons whose houses have thus been omitted by the subenumerator were forwarded to Mr Lusk. There would then be an opportunity afforded of practically remedying the omission, and when it is remembered that on the basis of our population as a province depends our Provincial revenue until another census is taken, it will be understood how important it is that the census now being taken should be as correct a one as possible. Every man, woman and child appearing on the census roll entitles tins province to £2 of revenue to be received from the General brovernmeut in lieu of the threeeighths formerly assigned to it, and therefore the omission of every household from the returns is a dead loss to the province. In such case it becomes the duty pf every good citizen who has not been visited by a census enumerator to report the same to the Head -h-numerator in Auckland, Mr. E. B. Lusk. We are quite sure that in all cases m which names and places are specially given, the Head Enumerator will instantly attend to the complaints but we should think it utterly impossible for him to take action on such loose statements as those which from time to time appear from country correspondents in the public papers

We would call the attention of our readers to a letter on the subject which appears in another part of to-day's issue.