THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, JANUARY 2, 1911. THE OLD YEAR AND THE NEW.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14567, 2 January 1911, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald. AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, JANUARY 2, 1911. THE OLD YEAR AND THE NEW.

The Old Year closed upon a period of world-wide commercial prosperitywhich has been strangely punctuated by ' numerous symptoms of industrial unrest. In New Zealand and in Australia phenomenally good, seasons and averagely favourable prices have united to increase the national incomes, and to sustain trade. In the United Kingdom trade has been generally buoyant, affording the colonies a buoyant market; while from the continent of Europe and throughout North America come similarly encouraging reports of commercial and industrial activity. Against this, in considering the outlook for the year, must be placed increasing manifestation of industrial dissatisfaction, possibly due in no small measure to the unprecedented increase in prices throughout the great, oont.res. of our civilised populations. • In countries as far apart as the United States and Austria, the popular outcry against the high price of meat and other foodstuffs has led .to 7 organised agitation—in America- against the trusts," in -Austria -against the -tariff, ; • In the United Kingdom, while bread still remains cheap, meat has become noticeably dearer, in some lines an advance of 50 per cent, being announced. This cannot but have had an influence in stirring industrial conflict, already encouraged by the political tumult. • Extraordinary strike scenes occurred in Wales during December, and the industrial outlook for, 1911 is darkened with apprehension of coming disturbances, although it is reasonable to hope that " the increasing appreciation -of conciliation and arbitration may defeat pessimistic forebodings. Politics are always closely associated with commercial and industrial matters, and the political year of 1910 will be remembered as extraordinarily disturbed. ' The : United Kingdom has passed through a constitutional crisis which brought about a general election in January last and another in December. The lamented death of King Edward— under the political circumstances a national loss of incalculable degree induced the opposing British parties to declare a truce, and to attempt the compromise of their differences. But the " Veto Conference" proved a failure, and the recent elections confirmed the Asquith Gover> nent in its majority, and rendered it altogether probable that the coming year will witness sweeping changes in the British Parliamentary system. In New' Zealand, 1910 passed without any political storm, but in the Commonwealth the Labour Party, captured the Federal Government by a ■sufficient working majority and subsequently—by a small majority—won to power ,in New South Wales. In Canada, the long reign of Sir Wilfrid Laurier as • Premier shows signs of ending; in the United States, the Republican Party is much more evidently doomed to defeat. Excepting for a short period in the early 80's, the Republican Party has seated its | candidates, in the White House for half-a-century, and its decline is universally associated with .the rising feeling against commercial and industrial monopolies. South Africa has been happily, united under one Government with the broadest and newest of Constitutions, and promises to become a remarkable monument of the British'"genius for political organisation. Abroad: France has been convulsed by an attempted railway strike ; Portugal has become a Republic China is disturbed by the " reform." movement/ against the Manchu dynasty ; Mexico has crushed a revolution against its perpetual President, the aged Diaz. When we review the whole political situation, it becomes apparent that it is to good seasons that the world owes the commercial prosperity ,of ;the' year, and that under . less advantageous conditions ' grave industrial depression' might have been expected from the very widespread political unrest.