Talk of the Week.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 285, 14 July 1877, Page 13

Talk of the Week.

The Chinese Immigration Question is assuming a very important aspect in the Australian colonies. In no instance has a Government withheld sympathy with th« Queensland people. The Victorian Premier has declared it to be a question on which it was necessary for the united G-overnments of the colonies to speak firmly. In New South Wales three motions are before the Legislative Assembly on the subject. In connection with the motion standing in the name of Mr. Buchanan, expressing sympathy with Queensland in regard to the influx of Chinese, and regretting that the British Government should have disallowed a Bill to restrict Chinese immigration (says the Herald), Sir John Robertson has given the following contingent notice of amendment:— " That this House, having had brought under its consideration the despatch of the Vice-Pre-sident of the Executive Council of Queensland, of date the 20th of April last, and its enclosures, addressed to the Chief Secretary of the Government of this colony, is of opinion that it is desirable, in the interests of the whole of the Australasias, that the Government of New South Wales should represent to the Government in England the expediency of endeavoring to obtain from the Government of China such a modification of the terms of existing treaties between her Majesty the Queen and the Emperor of China as will enable restrictions to be placed on the present exceedingly undesirable flood of Chinese people coming into the Australias." Sir Henry Parkes has also given a contingent notice of amendment, to the following effect:—" That this House, having had under its consideration the despatches and other papers relating to the reservation of the Queensland Goldfields Act Amendment Bill by his Excellency Governor Cairns, desire to express its sympathy with the Government and people of Queensland in their efforts to protect themselves from the danger of excessive Chinese immigration, and will be prepared to support any well-devised and temperate measure calculated to restrict or mitigate the evils to be apprehended from any such influx of Asiatic and African classes. That the foregoing resolution be transmitted by address to his Excellency the Governor." ~.

Important telegrams from the seat of war were received on Saturday, and were issued as an extra. They show that in Asia the Russians have been completely routed. Telegrams were received on Sunday, in reference to the situation in Europe, from which it appears that the Turkish troops have been driven from Sistova. The Bulgarians have risen and sacked the place. Of course, the statement as to the cause of the British fleet being ordered to Besikaßay is one of those diplomatic fictions such as have been frequent between England and Russia lately. The fleet may have been ordered for the purpose mentioned. It remains to protect British interests. Whilst on the subject of the war, we may notice that the current number of the Revue Scientifique contains a remarkably clear description, based upon information the trustworthiness of which it vouches for, of the roads which traverse the theatre of war in Asia Minor. Pour main roads, it states, lead from the B.ussian province of Georgia to Constantinople. The first of these, however, which, starting from Poti, the terminus of the railway from Tiflis to the Black Sea, runs along the coast, is only really practicable as far as the Turkish harbor of Batum. Beyond this point it becomes impassable for wheeled vehicles, answering apparently to the description given by a French traveller of the Caucassian highways—" une route de poste en Caucasus e'est ou il y a ni route ni chevaux." The other three roads entering Turkish territory from Georgia converge and unite atErzerum, from which latter place again three roads run towards Constantinople. Of the former three roads, the first, passing through Tiflis, runs by Gori, Suram, through the pass of Bordjum, then, entering Turkish territory, continues by way of Ardahan, Olti, and Nariman. With the exception of a little bit near Ardahan, this read is said to be good throughout. The second road, coming from Tiflis by Tsalki and over the col of Godefeaur, joins the first at Ardahan. The col of Godehaur is the only difficult part of this route. The third road runs from Alexandropol through KLars • to Ezrerum. Prom Alexandropol three roads branch away, all' leading to Tiflis; while at Kars the main road bifurcates, the two routes reuniting at Erzerum, whither the one runs through Delimussa, the other by way of Kizil-Kelissa. Two other roads run from Erivan to Kars—the one by Koschevanka, the other by Kaghism ; while two more, starting likewise from Erivan, unite at Bajezid and, running thence by Djadin and Teranos, join the main highway from Kars to Erzerum. Lateral communication between the chief routes which thus lead from Tiflis to Erzerum is afforded by transverse roads from Akhaltsich to Alexandropol, from Akhal-

kakkai to Kars, from Ardahan to Kars, from Kars to Olti, and from Koprikoi to Nariman. The telegrams received on Monday confirms the news formerly received. There is now no doubt as to the defeat of the Russians in Asia, and the statement that the Turks repulsed the advanced guard of the invader at Biela turns out, in fact, to mean that a hard battle was fought there, and that the troops under the Grand Duke Nicholas are not making much headway from Sistova. Hitherto, however, the telegrams had led us to suppose that the main body of the Russians had crossed at Simnitza and Sistova, the head-quarters being established at the latter place, and that the invasion of the Dobrudscha was by a subsidiai-y force. But from the last telegrams it is apparent that the Russian main force is in the Dobrudscha, having got south of Babudagh. If so, their passage of the Danube is as nothing to the difficulties which await them before they really invade Turkey, by forcing a passage at the old Roman wall, between the river and Kustendji. If this be the case, and the force under the Grand Duke Nicholas be only a subordinate one, then has he too a difficult task. Suliman Bey, with the troops that lately operated against the Montenegrins, is marching to the aid of Abdul Kerim, the Turkish Commander-in-Chief, and it is quite on the cards that the Russian troops in Bulgaria may be cut off from their base and destroyed, or compelled to fall back across the river, that is if the Turkish monitors will let them. By the news received on Wednesday the Russians admit their utter defeat iu Asia and deny that in Europe. As it will be remembered that they denied their first defeat in Asia, that at Batum (indeed reported a victory there) their accounts of operations in Europe can scarcely be received with credence. The statement that the Turkish commander-in- chief in Bulgaria, Abdul Kerim, is acting on the defensive, argues, that he perhaps awaits merely the pro- ', per moment for striking a decisive blow.

There was no inconsiderable amount of interest concerning the libel case heard at the sittings of the Supreme Court, Wellington, on Wednesday. It was a pity that the case ever came before the Court; but as it did, perhaps the most satisfactory conclusion that could have been arrived at was come to. There will always be in a community people who do not know how to restrain their passions or their pens, and who consider that the best way to conduct a newspaper is to make it remarkably personal, and cause it to resemble the typical Irishman, who hits a head wherever he finds it. This kind of thing pays for the nonce in a fleeting notoriety ; but sooner or later only leads to disaster of all kinds. On the other hand, some people are morbidly sensitive of anything that may be written about them, and too readily seek_ a redress from the law, which public opinion would iu time give them far more satisfactorily. The verdict given in the case Anderson v. Gillon, Kent, and Waters on Wednesday appears to have created some slight degree of confusion as to its exact bearing. Without endeavoring to pronounce a legal opinion upon it, we may point out how it stands. There were two counts in the declaration, the one complaining of the article in reference to plaintiff's conduct as a member of the Wellington Provincial Council, and the other claiming damages on the article alleged to have imputed dishonesty to plaintiff in his commercial relations with the Independent. The jury awarded 40s. on the first count, but found for the defendant on the second count. It is contended that the effect of this split—the difference in the verdict—is that defendant has to pay costs on the first count, and plaintiff pays the costs on the second ; but this by no means implies that the costs will fall equally on both. We hear that* the proportion of the total costs will fall upon plaintiff and defendant respectively in the proportion of 1 to 5, and that the costs will in all amount to about £3OO.