NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11541, 28 November 1900, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

It is the opinion of some politicians at Home that the tenure of office of the new Government is likely to be a short one. Needless to say this opinion is held most largely on the Opposition side, where the wish is no doubt father to the expectation. It is pointed out that the recent elections were fought on a single issue South Africa— and that in a year or two the South African question will have ceased to trouble the British electors, who will then demand a change of Ministry. It is also said that the Government is without a programme, and that the swing of the pendulum, which is one of the great permanent laws of political life, will cause the disappearance of the Ministry. These arguments do not appear tc be particularly convincing. But the Liberal prophet, who indulges in these vaticinations, has another reason for the faith within him, namely, the personal element in the Ministers themselves. He writes: —"It seems probable that there will be no really great reshuffle of the cards. Anybody who knows Lord Salisbury knows that such a reshuffle in the last thing to be expected from him. He has the hatred of sensitive and shy men for new faces; hates to give personal pain: in short, is the last man in the world to apply the sweepingbrush policy; and probably there is not an army or naval or administrative reformer in the country who does not think that the sweeping-brush policy is the great demand of the Empire and the hour. Finally, Ministers themselves have, with one conspicuous exception perhaps, reached the time when they would not find ft dismissal from office wholly unwelcome. Nobody outside the House of Commons can appreciate the wear and tear of life at Westminster—can realise the mental and physical lassitude which it creates. To sit in the one build—and in an atmosphere enervating and close— half-past three to half-past twelve every night; to be always liable to attack; to have to do official work besides, to follow this up with the tumult and dreadful labour of the platform to be shut out for seven months of the year from the theatrefrom healthy open-air exercise— from the things that make life alone tolerable and enjoyable to most Englishmen— this is a strain upon the nerves which no man without House of Commons experience can fully appreciate. And the men who

have to endure all thin are for the most part men of easy fortunes;- of indolent upbringing—of out-of-door tastes. To very few of them is the salary they get from the Treasury a serious consideration. Some of them may even lose money by office. All of them/ 1 certainly t lose most of the joy of life. In two years from now the present holders of office will have that life of endless drudgery I have described for seven long uninterrupted years. Dismissal from office to such men would be not the expulsion from Paradise, but the release from gaol.

Mr. Frank T. Bullen, writing from Gibraltar, says: --" Not so very long ago a telegram went round the papers gravely informing us that the French fleet slipped past the Rock unnoticed, and, therefore, etc., etc. When that news came back ifi Gibraltar from its birthplace men stared at each other and laughed or cursed as their bent was, because the passage of that fleet had been duly chronicled in the local newspaper in the usual way in the next issue after its passing. Not that anyone is crazy enough to suggest that even this most stupendous fortress in the world, armed witn the finest and farthest-carrying guns known, would be able to stop absolutely in any weather or at night the passage of a fleet, even supposing that its garrison was warned of that fleet's approach, which warning they would be most unlikely to receive. But no one would envy the men of such a fleet their task, especially after a visit to the Rock itself, and witnessing a field-day, when from base to summit of its rugged mass, from every imaginable and unimaginable angle of it, burst forth the crimson-hearted putt's of snowy smoke or the red flashes of cordite. > With regard to the personnel of the garrison at Gibraltar, one cannot but feel considerable sympathy for them, 7000 or so splendid feHows, shut up in thiF practically desert island, while so many stirring events are forward in other parts of the world. Strangely enough their principal complaint is that they have not enough to do. At this time of the year, owing to the intense heat which the Rook stores up, its barren sides catching every sunray, and holding it

until the whole mountain is like a vast oven, only about three hours a day are taken up by regimental duties. For thp rest of the time the men are thrown upon their own resources for time-passing, and they do aofc feel very successful at it. When they dc get an opportunity for target practice their keenness is great, and their pride in thdr undoubtedly good marksmanship 's most pleasant to see. Perhaps it would be unwise to give the details of a system by mexns of which every square yard of the surrounding sea is mapped out, so that m a moment the fire of 30 or 40 heavy guns san dc concentrated upon it, and the tiniest object passing through its area be utterly destroyed. Or the way in which every craft, however small, coming within range of those great telescopes up there among, and often above, the clouds, is immediately scrutinised and classified. Sufficient to say that those of our dear friends and neighbours who should be led to believe in the possibility of taking advantage of carelessness, or bad marksmanship, to make a dash upon Gibraltar, would receive such a rude sh.»"k to their rash confidence as would last them for what the sailor calls 'a fud due.' Ihe splendid reception afforded to Sir George White, and the positive affection with which he is regarded by all classes here, make it difficult to enlarge upon what is undoubtedly a very strong feeling in naval circles, viz., that Gibraltar should not be under a military Governor at all. * As a centre for military operations it is naught, as a naval depot it is invaluable. Therefore, naval men argue, with what seems a great show of reason, it should lbe . under the control of an admiral, and the development of its unique naval advantages pressed on with all possible speed.

Some rather curious, but distinctly interesting and suggestive, correspondence between Mr. Chamberlain and the Premier of South Australia is published by the London Times in reference to the status and salary of future Governors of the Australian colonies, in view of the new situation created by the appointment of a Governor-General over all the separate colonies. Mr. Chamberlain points out the increased difficulties that are likely to attend the selection of gentlemen eligible for Governorships under the changed circumstances, and urges that the salaries should be adequate to the proper discharge of the duties of the post, and that in future the Governor of a State should not be expected to supplement his salary from private resources. The Premier of South Australia, in his reply, stated that his Government would be obliged, when under obligation, to bear their share of the cost of a Federal establishment, to reduce the charge upon them in connection with the vice-regal office of the State, as they would also reduce the cost of the legislative and administrative machinery. If, however, as the Governor occupied an Imperial office, the Imperial authorities would agree to pay the whole, or even a part of the salary, then there would be no reason why the total emolument should be reduced. In any case he and his colleagues agreed that no Governor should be expected to supplement his salary from private resources. Mr. Chamberlain, in rejoinder, intimated that it would not be possible to ask the Imperial Parliament to contribute toward the salary attached to the Governorship, and it must therefore be left to the Governments of the different colonies to make such provision as they saw fit. He hoped that they would take a generous view of the matter, and refrain from pressing any proposals that would impair the dignity and influence of the Governor. In a subsequent telegram, Mr. Chamberlain reiterated that the salary was entirely a question for the colonies concerned. The selection of Governors depended on the salaries offered, and he would be glad, therefore, to learn the definite decision as soon as possible. A correspondent of the Times states that a movement is on foot to get Mr. Chamberlain to appoint the present Chief Justices of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland, as Governors of their respective colonies, and that they have all been recommended by their Governments for the office. This seems to suggest all sorts of possibilities in the way of future discus—not to say quarrel— the Colonial Office and the individual colonies federated.