NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13396, 26 January 1907, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

RECIPROCITY WITH AUSTRALIA.

Tiik question of reciprocal trade between tin's colony and the Australian Commonwealth will no <](>■'],> shot-try again engage the attention of '».■■'!■ Governments. Since the late treaty v.- .; Small;, dealt with the Premier of this (• iony has publicly expressed the hope thai -.he Government will be able to arrange a treaty that will be drawn up on true reciprocal lines and advantageous to both countries. On the eve of the Premier's departure, via Australia, en route to Europe, the matter is of sufficient importance to again claim attention. The brief interval that lias elapsed since the matter was before the public in the shape of the last treaty has amply demonstrated the wisdom of the Government's action in rejecting the proposals therein contained. At the present time our mar fcels in many lines are just on the point of being captured by Australia; this refers particularly to flour, chaff and grain lines. The duties at present operative, however, prevent this state of things being brought about, and it is quite evident, thai any at-

turn whereby our markets would be thrown open, without any barrier, to the Australian States, would at- once be fatal to the colony's best interests in agriculture and flourmilling. Australia at the present time is enjoying a period of wonderful prosperity; her wheat yield is the largest on record and her surplus in this grain will be very great. She is fully ulive to this, and is eagerly awaiting the opening 141 of fresh outlets. Beneficial influences on trade in many other lines than those above referred to might be brought about hot in the way of preserving our own markets, where our colonial supply is sufficient for requirements, and also in the wise arrangement of tariffs whereby line., of Australian production which we at piesent do very - little with might with advantage be further introduced into this colony. The timber industry, too, is one that requires to he carefully guarded, as tile Australian markets have been, and still are. very valuable outlets for a. large quantity of our timbers. The whole matter is one that calls for very close and expert knowledge being brought to bear upon it.

HEALTHY HEIGHTS. It is well known (says the Lancet) that on the earth's surface at normal level we practically exist in a sediment of bacteria, but as we rise above this level so the number of organisms sensibly diminishes until at last they cease to exist at- all. and the air is bacteriologieslly pure and sterile. The difference in this respect is even marked between the ground floor and the top floor of an ordinary building. The air in the former case is rich in bacteriological flora, while in the latter their number is not only reduced, but the diseaseproducing members are frequently absent altogether If we were guided by this fact, therefore, we should stand a much better chance of escaping bacteriological invasion by living on an elevated floor of a. house rather than on a floor near the level of the street. 'the bacteriological purity of high altitudes has been established by experiment. Chemically speaking also tin* upper strata of air are purer than (he lower, and even in this regard a distinct difference in the quality is seen between the air of the top and of the ground floor in favour of the former. The impurities of tho air at ground level are, of course, explained by the force of gravitation bearing the particles to earth.

THE KING OF SERVIA.

Renter's Vienna correspondent says that, according to advices from Belgrade, the recent talk of a conspiracy against, the. Karageorge House is not entirely without warrant. King Peter is losing ground on all sides. Even the members of the present Government party, the old Radicals (Moderates) are not particularly attached to him, and he is really supported only by the conspirators' party ■who placed him on the throne. The position of the dynasty will come to the fore, first of all in the secret sessions of political clubs and later in the Skupstina. Whether the Servians will decide, upon a foreign prince, as appears to be their whim at the moment, or whether the Radicals, for the purpose of retaining power, will bring about the abdication of the King in favour of his younger son tinder a Regency, is a matter which only the future can determine. The King's second sou is somewhat of a favourite with the people, but the Crown Prince has no following at all. There seems no ground for questioning his mental capacity, but lie may most legitimately be termed " the Wild Prince," who goes his own path and refuses restraint. He is not by any means devoted to the political adherents of his family, and is most outspoken in his language to those about him. He is known to have declared that if he should ever become King, he would hand over the regicides to justice.