THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1900.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11544, 1 December 1900, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1900.

The Empire learned from the Diamond Jubilee how popular a thing is an impressive celebration. The Government of New South "Wales and the people of Sydney have settled down to make the official proclamation of the Australian Commonwealth an event to be remembered. The prospects are that they will be altogether successful, even though Sir William Lyne, the New South Wales Premier, has refused to take the initiative for securing a visit from a representative English cricket team and that a protest has been entered against "free beer for the troops." From New Year's Day, 1901, when the Federation will be officially born, for a whole week of public rejoicing and for a further period of dependent events and festivities, the mother-city of the reunited continent will live amid a veritable feu de joie. As our readers are doubtless aware, the rivalry between New South Wales and Victoria was compromised by giving to each claimant the leading part in diverse celebrations. The Commonwealth will be proclaimed at Sydney by Royal Commission on New Year's Day. The first Federal Parliament will be opened at Melbourne by Her Majesty's grandson, the Duke of York, in March. Thus each of the two great Australian cities will have leading place in the formalities, and each will have full opportunity to show how much more enthusiastic it is than the other. Every Australian capital and city and village will, of course, celebrate the proclamation, but Melbourne is naturally reserving her great effort for the legislative function, and for the present the great centre of ; interest is the century-old city of Sydney itself. Advocates of the political equality of the sexes will be at once rejoiced and chagrined to know that a big effort was made to make the introduction of female suffrage one of the modes of rejoicing both in New South Wales and Victoria. Evidently, many thought that such a measure would form a political arch of triumph whereunder the Australian nation would be proud to pass. But the cautious Legislative Council of New South Wales rejected the Bill after the Legislative Assembly had passed it ; in Victoria the same

finality is anticipated if the flame advanced stage is reached. But tke gentler sex will not be without official recognition for all that. The first Governor-General is to make his official landing on the great day at Lady Macquarie's famous chair in the Sydney Domain, by which date Kve all sincerely hope that Lord Hopetoun will have completely recovered from his present illness and that his historic progress will not be shadowed by the remotest remnant of sickness and pain. Lord Hopetoun himself is a familiar figure in the colonies, having endeared himself to our neighbours as the popular Governor of Victoria during the dark years of the early '90' s, and being appointed to his future .high office with the cordial goodwill of all the Premiers. The GovernorGeneralship of Australia must be regarded as already the third in importance of the great civic posts in the Queen's gift outside the United Kingdom. Only the Viceroyalty of India and the Governor-Generalship of the Canadian Dominion can take political precedence. It is therefore gratifying to know that, the post will be so ably filled from the beginning, for the Earl of Hopetoun is not only a worthy representative of one of the most honoured families in North Britain—the earldom itself dating from the time of the Stuarts— personally wins recognition in every walk of life. Although only 40, he has already been High-Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and PaymasterGeneral ; while when only 23 his energies and ability won him party recognition as junior whip in the House of Lords. It is thought by many capable judges that he will make historic name for himself among the great statesmen of our nation; certainly, all Australasians will henceforward watch his career with a sympathetic sense of possession. It has been part of the enlightened policy which has bound the oversea sons of Britain to the Imperial rule, that great colonial positions have long been filled by really representative and honoured men, The Canadian Governor-Gene-rals, since the great federation of 1867, have been high in eminence. The names of Monck, Lisgar, Dufferin, Lome, Lansdowne, Stanley of Preston, and Aberdeen, who have ruled for the Queen at Ottawa, are I among those known in our annals. Australia will confidently look for the same class of Viceroy.

There are various estimates as to what the Sydney celebration will cost the New SoutrT'vV'ales Government, not to mention what it will cost the municipality and the firms and societies who are rivalling one another in preparing arches and decorations for the procession-route, and illuminations everywhere. These estimates range from £20,000 to £250,000. For there are to be banquets and decorations and illuminations, not to mention the entertainment of distinguished visitors and "open house" to soldiers and sailors too. The school children are to demonstrate and have medals. The athletic societies are to demonstrate. The trade societies are to demonstrate. Parliament, Municipal Council, local authorities, and an infinite number of functionaries great and small are to demonstrate likewise. Sir Wilfrid Laurier is expected from Canada, and similarly high dignitaries from every British land.? A whole army of British troops will escort the new Governor-General and a'whole navy of British and foreign ships will demonstrate in the famous harbour. In short, it would seem at first as though so many will be demonstrating that there will be few left to look on. But this is not to be feared. Sydney will be the Mecca of hundreds of thousands of visitors. Free trains have been suggested as a form of celebration, but a compromise has been effected by setting fares unprecedentedly low; half the Eastern colonies will pour Sydney-wards. Warning is given by the Postmaster-General that all intending visitors cannot possibly be properly accommodated, and that cates and dainties are already mounting to famine prices. Which might give the cue to our astute Premier, who always seeks a good advertisement for our colony. It may not be too early to make arrangements for the running of relief ships to the hungering celebrants of eaten-out Sydney.