NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1262, 7 May 1896, Page 32

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

No one need be surprised at the abandonment of Paul Kruger's visit to England. Tne ■whole business was a litblo toot bin. Oom Paul knew quite well that the enemy relied upon dinners and bowing and scraping to turn his head, and preferred to keep his head screwed the right way for work in his own country, where it is badly wanted. While Afrikanders and Boers are talking excitedly, and Germans are forming regiments, the only force which can restrain is Kruger. Aud if our people beat oif the Matabele without help, that force will bo stronger than over for restraining. The idea of a great African Republic, with Kruger as its first President, no doubt appeals to the ambition of Oom Paul. But that _ old veteran has good sense as well as ambition ; and a victorious British majority will appeal to that finality.

What is the value of official precaution ? The steamer Wendouroo was sent out of the Port of .Melbourne fit only to go quickly to the bottom of the soa. Objection and protest are met by lying in high places. An enquiry is made, and there is more lying. An independent export is appointed to look into the matter and report. He reports that lie could knock a hole through the ship anywhere with a hammer. Yet this ship was sent to sea as seaworthy by a responsible and authoritative body. For that one case it is well. But for "the future who will watch the watchmen? A better question would bo, bow high will fraudulent watchmen be hanged ?

Southland looks well in the light of the census returns, which bear out the many reports of good things wo have hoard of the Southern progress. A number of Canterbury and Otago farmers have taken up land on the great Southland plain during the last few' years. Thus it comes that dairy produce, frozen mutton and <graiu are bursting out of the port of the Mult', alias Campbellfown, which 'lnly record; a growth of Go per cent, of its population. It is one of the bigge.st increases so far recorded of this census.

There is only one thing to be said about tho failure of 'the Chafl'oy Brothers' irrigation colonics in Victoria. It is that works of that magnitude ought not to be in the bands of private individuals. They should bounder tho control of a strong (.J uveinment owning the land at Jirsfc hand.

Cnco more we have the retrenching publicist on tho warpath. And once mora wo have to hear all his twaddle about the bubject. "Wo know exactly how it ought to bo done. Just where tho knife ought to go iii, that is tho very spot wo can point out. Not that we want to retrench any individual salary. Oh, dear no! Perish such empiricism i Hot there are uhj many olficors and 100 many departments. Keep up Ihe Civil Service Association and the true plan of retrenchment can ho worked out easily." What a sublime idea,, Ihe Civil servants debating which of them shall be wiped out. But what is the use of criticising a thing that is only meant to servo as an excuse for beating the Government at some future time. °lt is a cheap thing to declare thai retrenchment is the simplest thing in the world, and to abuso the Government for not effecting retrenchments in the face of the growing wants of an expanding public service.

Tho suggestion to make cordite in ictoria reminds us of the, fact that in their wars with us tho Maoris made their own powder. Why should wo not make our own powder in this country? So long as wo keep up a force, we must keep up enough ammunition for emergencies. We make our cartridges; thoru is no reason why we should not make our own powder. We cannot supply our own lead for the bullets—we beg pardon, projectiles—but we have lead, the scientific people tell us. It is our business to iind it. Two things come distinctly out, of the Pretoria trial. On" is the strength of President Kruger ; and the other is tie' weakness of Mr Chamberlain. The President has from the firs! sot himself to get to the bottom of !!■• ■ >■■■' hi : ry . f C." Jameson raid, ami ',■■■< '.-. s ",-d Li'-ic w :.: a vengeance. '■•>!.>.:-:s s < oeuo.se .•:,; }•,■■ Civditabic i > all wl: . '. suk >■ irt i:i :'. le: ■ been seen hi our tin ■'. i i the :. ■ s e.i.-e. scuiiniciit iff i:i'.'M',v '"• ■', i ■ ■■ : ■•,'.' le Judge, the |-.:i-.--- i.. I C:e li ro :, i!,;;on of Pn-ie■_:■. -ii:.: :.-:::. ■■■■ ■ ■;■■■■ ■■■■■■■■ liess of .' ■ r ' ['.'.' ,:■ aled the •' .'.c <A ('•"■' jee... c.-s. It occurs '.•-. us Li.-: : ... lb- r-i arc a :;;-.:.•)- ]„..•„• of Ar,.-.1Y..!:t.d.'.c.~.rm'.:!v, C. ■ pC : -,i\-: at Pretoria ;--cii!.-.v,:. I i■• :ee:e •:. on ■:■.'. a combined cii'orL uc .' ; b.he ::, , !■• t..:■.:■;»■ al lo the chmavV of L'lo-i;!.'!.:. brae. ■■; ■ :i lraksian : lgeuUL!;u-r.i "b ."ivpv .• l-,i >, their respective U-ovenim-ml ■- V- 1-1 raw un it, joint memorial and get it sent i .• tho Doer P-v.iideeet lhcov>\\ tho Seeretery " ; State. Every Uiipmaster who has strained his eyes through mist for _ rock;, wnich in dirty weather give no sign except th.'j signof strikiu'-', will support the agitation for a lighthouse on tl'.e Poverty IJ iy coast. Tim Ariel Rocks, about a dozen miles or SO from shore, are a terror. A light on

the shore will enable tho sailor to hug the shore in safety. Let us have tho light.

Tho possibility of transmitting disease through tho instrumentality of books has recently been the subject of investigation by French scientists.

The experiments showed that tho diphtheria bacillus might be carried by this agency, but that the bacilli of typhoid fever and tuberculosis were not so convoyed. The best disinfectant was found to be fumigation with formic aldehyde, but it lias an injurious effect on the binding. Tho only plan recommended as safe after volumes have been exposed to infection was the burning of tho books.

Special attention is being given by the French military authorities to the question of succouring the wounded on battlefields when night comes on after a great battle. Experiments have been made with powerful electric arc lights, but the apparatus has been pronounced cumbrous and practically unavailable under the contemplated conditions. At length it has been practically determined that the ambulance corpsmon shall wear little incandescent glow-lamps in their hats, just like tho ladies of the ballet in a spectacular extravaganza. Each man is to carry a little priinaiy battery in his pocket for the production of the current. The wounded in need of succour will look out for the little moving lights, and if possible drag themselves towards thorn.

Mr Andrew Lang does not agree with Lord Cockburn in the dictum that Jeffrey is "tlm first of English critics." "If," asks Mr Lang in a recent article on criticism, "Jeffrey, with his very limited knowledge, with his yet more limited taste, with the blank places in his perceptions, the numb-

ness, as it were, of many of his sensory nerves—if he, (he assailant, of Scott, tho hammer at Wordsworth, the enthusiast for 'The Paradise of Coquettes'—if he be the first of British critics, is if worth while to bo a British critic at all or to read British criticism ?"

As to Dr Johnson, Mr Lang calls up against him his treatment of " Lycidas" and his general usage of Gray. Against Matthew Arnold, Mr Lang raises the point that he, thought "Enoch Arden" the greatest of all Tennyson's poems, and that Shelley's letters "outshine his songs." Mr Lang adds, " Really, when we reflect on it, one 'wonders that wo have the courage to damn a bad novel or a minor poet."

Satisfactory as the census figures for Wellington are, the suburban boroughs have outdone them. Onslow's increase of 27 per cent, in tho live years, and Melrose's increase, of GO per cent. —which latter, by the way, shows the direction in which population is spreading —are bolder than the city record of 20 per cent. The three between them have new a population of close on 11,00;, of which over 7000 have i ii added .during the last five years.

•■Advance Wellington " is by no moans an empty boast.

The death of Professor Geffken reminds the world of tho famous diary of tho Emperor Frederick which made such a sensation a few years ago after its publication in tho distinguished professor's h'eview. Tho man most aggrieved was Prince Bismarck, who published a reply of exceeding asperity to the strictures on himself. And tho whirligig of time very speedily convinced him that tho bite of a live Emperor is worse than tho bark of a dead one. It is curious that when the Iron < "lancellor was force! to resign no one thought of connecting tho event with his former attitude towards tho father of the man from whom the compulsion came. No doubt history, v Inch analyses motives, will not forget to note tho connection.

r.s Australia's drought the opportunity for tho Now Zealand farmer to sell dear corn? For answer, wo take, the following from a Sydney morning paper: — The supply of American bread-stuffs has been most provident, and shippers havo opened up a lirge trade in foreign wheat with phenomenal results, inasmuch as local values iinvo remained linn almost the whole time, and. n .1 withstanding tins removal of the duty, producers have enjoyed a market cent, per cat,, better than last year. We further iv>i i that aflor n-c-ipt of :; :i t i,w,)') )»•,; did ; from < 'aliforuin, the !,';■ .o'eefive .;h...-t-igO of if'",',- South Wales ■'•his almost bee-i m -t." Tho somew!i it e lid comfort i : added (hat if any ~. i-e wheal i : wanted Now /.calami can •■,;!,'!, in.," I)>;..' tus:> i! lake ; four i i ml lis : j'.ii niaii : iei ,'e st--!cii a m .veil on our grain T ,e ■.•;■ i■,•,•' it ■■'•' : ::, t'.-; clubs in our j ~.•■; :':', . ;' 'i,- : , -.a. e, It- hu'id s oj his ! :'-:• •■'■• n ! •';, M! ,1 -;.,,!:;,,. . iV-111l 111 ' i e.e h; 'i i >'n.p. rr.-ii 1 u-i :, iill uucxphuiie 1 | iui . i|. e w.-r • .i• • ■ = .i: ••! lo 111 il clivti-uyi r | ii 1 ' !i ~i: ■, ! le". i'.i.i'i'.; eiuli. In t nil r, ii w.is | ,-,' -.;, •.',•' I i'.i'i"ii in tiie li rut of a lion -uliohl : ;•.' ■••„■ ,:!! ! h : s i . b'ing c!i I'lgcvl. And there f I'iiily living not a hundred mil •'; away, of | iviii' h t!>o lather minds tho children, and ' I.i ■ ps tlie hou-:e, and cooks tho food, while ! ihe moiiier wins tho bread and attends "• sefuiv"''. The new arrangement is said to v/or!: most satisfactorily. When this sort of thing spreads a little wo shall perhaps havo a revolt, preceded by a resolution affirming that any man who elects to become a lather and attend i to a family is entitled to a j specific share of tho wife's income. Wo

should not bo surprised to hear that resolution scorned on the ground that there are heaps and heaps of men who are positively unfit to be trustod with money. Let us take note that no man has as yet said that about the famous parallel resolution passed at Christchurch. Let us respect the moderation of the fast subsiding male.