NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1264, 21 May 1896, Page 31

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Mr Chamberlain the other day promised that when the judicature had done with tho Jameson raid there would be a searching enquiry by a joint committeo of both Houses into the whole question of tho 'Transvaal. If Baron Loch’s conduct comes into revision, as it is certain to do, after what has occurred, there will be a row of tho first class. The Baron, who is a brother-in-law of the Countess of Chosterfiold, and is connected with tho Yilliers, tho Clarendons, and tho Russells, owos his carooi to tho influence of these families, and is likely to havo half the peerage behind him when ho comes under review. The same powerful influence will of courso be exercised in favour of Cecil Rhodes, if Baron Loch’s case and his aro taken togethor. In that caso there will bo a fight, and as Parliamentary Committees are not tho most impartial bodies iu the world, tho venue may havo to be changed before wo hoar tho last of tho business.

Tho Monroo doctrine has cropped up in a humorous way in the palace of tho little King of Spain. Tho boy, looking over the mottoes of tho different nations, came across the English “ Dieu et won droit,” and at once asked for tho American. A smart man standing near promptly answered, “ Dieu cl Mon-roe.” “ Mon-roe is good. If the smart man had added that the Monroo doctrine was originally invented by tho British statesman Canning against the pretensions of Spain to keep her hold on tho Americas, tho story would have been complete.

Tho connection between dogs and sanitation is written largo in tho history of the world’s cities. In Constantinople, where tho insanitary glory of tho Orient is undimmed by scavenging or drainage, the unclaimed dog is a cherished almost deified institution. His numbers are many thousands, he billots himself and his family in separate districts, ho roams at will, and he astonishes tho foreigner. Civilisation simply takes the unclaimed dog and puts him to doath. In tho barbarism of the plague-ridden East, lie is an ally to be encouraged ; in tho civilisation of the West, where tho bills of mortality are low, lie is a nuisance to be suppressed. Wo quite agree with Mr Inspector Doyle, however, that in his suppression civilisation insists on the least painful method. Drowning is most horrible.

While there is talk at Home about, Freetrade and Protection arising out of tho question of a possible Customs Union over the wholo British Empire, there occur certain circumstances which show that foreign nations are not disposed to reciprocate. Tho “ made-in-Germany” products arrive in Britain and aro transmitted to tho colonies in largo quantities. Tho wages fund of tho Mother Country is thereby considerably lessoned, while tho wages fund of tho cheaper labour of tho Continental workers, with their longer hours, is proportionately increased. Thus the course of trade is playing into tho hands of a nation where, as Mr Chamberlain said, “we looked for friendship ” and found something like “hatred” and intrigue against our country.

And now what do we find in the matter of the French occupation and absorption of

Madagascar ? The French Government have officially intimated that the most favoured nation clause shall not bo operative as against French imports, which aro henceforward to bo admitted f ree, while all others are subject to the 10 peifpent. duty at present exigible.

As a consequence of tho war it is impossible to obtain the totals of tho latest imports and exports of the Malagasy Island ; but figures of recent years show that under the now regime of French protection British trade ‘ with Madagascar must suffer. Tho total value of tho imports and exports a few years ago was .£162,000 and £161,000 respectively. Of these tho imports from the United Kingdom were £99,000, and tho exports thereto wore £125,000. In IS9I tho imports from tho United Kingdom to Madagascar amounted to, roundly, £124,000, and tho exports from tho island to £137,500. Tho total amount of tho trade of Madagascar for the year mentioned is not ascertainable, but a comparison of tho British exports of £121,000 with tho total imports to the island for a previous year (£162,000) shows that about three-fourths of the whole came from tho United Kingdom. Franco has determined to stop this, and yet the British Colonies cannot even make arrangements among themselves lest treaty terms with Continonal nations should be infringed. Tho reciprocity is too much on ono side, and thus the “ made in Germany doctrino is expanded to the detriment of our own peoplo, and our own wageearners.

No. Wo can only answer an anxious correspondent with that drastic monosyllable. Captain Russell did not get a vote of confidence, either at Grey town or at Papawai. It is our painful duty to go farther and say that m tho opinion of his own peoplo lie did not deserve ono at either place. “ Much better go back to his sheep and cattle, and give up this sort of tiling of which ho knows nothing; ” that was the comment of many men summoned from the far off hills and valleys to rally round tho party at Groytown. At l’apawai the Captain opened fiercely against tho Government. The Natives firmly declared that they thought nothing ought to be said against the Government unless the Premier was there to answer. Tho Captain thereupon collapsed. Half an hour —with interpretation which means a quarter of an hour—saw tho end ot his rhodomontade. Tho corrugated Buchanan and tho insinuating Hoke pickod up tho pieces as host they could. Tho hospitality of tho Maoris enabled them to cover tho Captain’s sad discomfiture by generalities, and thus the party managed to keep up appearances. But tho proceedings were a dreadful frost nevertheless. It was apparent tho Maoris did not like tho Hawke’s Bay element, and tho Captain’s political friends, knowing it, asked to their boards, “ What tho douce ho was doing to venture there at all?” But tho Captain was loyal to his trado. Frozen moat is down; ho likes a frost nevertheless ; and ho lugubriously enjoyed a big ono, without tho desperate consequence of cashing up.

Do you remember tho schooner \ irginius ? Wo do. Tho Virginias, in 1872 or thoroabouts, carried somoardont young men from an American port, bent on joining tho Cuban insurrection of that day. They wore met |on landing by tho Spaniards, and they wore sot up with their backs to tho nearest wall and shot straightaway, without benefit of clergy. Wo know a man who missed his passage and tolls of his escape with bated breath to this day. It reminds us of a similar story which tho lato Captain Fraser used to toll of the Carlist War of tho early Carlist time. Ho was ardent and young then, and ho was ono of a party who determined to embark and fight for freedom. Ho missed bis passage by some chance, which lie cursed at the time. But his comrades went through the ghastly ceremony we havo sketched in the parallel Cuban story. Those poor souls, it must bo remembered, wore soldiers taken with arms in their hands. They wore amenable to the barbaric Spanish practice, which is to shoot prisoners without mercy. Wo remember, apropos, tho story of a Christino Colonel captured by tho famous Zumalacarrogui. Ho applied for an exchange. Tho chances looked well ; ho was invited to the General’s table. During tho meal a despatch came in. Tho General read it and handed it to the Colonel. “ Your man was shot this morning.” The Colonel read, finished his dinner, looked his last on the wine of Xcrez, made a grave bow, and walked off to meet the firing party. These ho tho Spanish methods of to-day, and the Spanish authorities are still uncompromising. Tho American sailors, however, stand ina different position. They aro net soldiers with arms in their hands. Ifad they been so nothing could have saved them. But they are protected by treaty, which gives them the right to civil trial, without danger of death.

Tho New South Wales Minister of Lands has at last wakened up, and the public is waking up there too. Mr Carruthers said quite lately that “dummyism is ruining the national life.” He had been travelling, and lie had found enormous areas locked up by monopolists, who had perjured their souls to cheat the State out of the property of tho people. Here tho Conservatives cover with ridicule every attempt of tho Lands Department to suppress the curse which is destructive to national life. That having been found, should bo made a note of.

Is the world going back ? Wo have the Olympian games revived, and wo have a scientific doctor plunging fever patients into cold water. It would be well if tho world, while it is turning back to Olympus, wore to go back a little further. In tho Olympian games there wore championships for poetry, musio and eloquence. The

modern return to Olympus is only animal. But as a native of tile newest country under the sky won the big prize, viz., young Mr Flack, of Victoria, we cf tho New World can hope for tiro literary improvement with equanimity. Let us not forgot at tho same time that while Flack was running his 1610 yards in 4min 3350c —about 4tniu 53sec for tho mile, a poor record, sirs Melbourne University gave the Bees of Aristophanes in the original Greek. It is said tho audience saw the jokes of 2000 years ago, and was much amused. Perhaps it did. Anyhow, Aristophanes iu Melbourne shows that the New World has not abandoned mental culture entirely whilo excelling in physical.

Tho world’s record for a mile is 4min losoc, and the New Zealand record is liuin ISsec. Tho prestige of Olympia, which has a record for 1610 yards at tho rate of 4min 53sec, requires to be improved.

Tho new typhoid treatment is worth considering a little. The savage races throw all their fever patients into cold water. It is a natural idea that heat requires cooling, and when heat is inconvenient it is natural to plunge tho body into water. Medical science has always told us that in nine cases out of ten the result to the untutored savage is death. But here is Dr Haro,of tho Brisbane Hospital, who puts his typhoid patients on stretchers, and lowers them into a bath of cobl water every four hours, keeping them in the water lor 20 minutes or so, “according to circumstances.” In the beginning this was called barbarous, savage and all that sort of tiling. Tn the end tho figures aro thus: Brisbane Hospital, fivo years before bath system (1895-90), fatalities 13 percent.; live years of the bath system (1890-95), fatalities-81-per cent. They have given 20,000 Jiatlis, “ without the most trivial accident.” Wo commend such a result to the medical fraternity, premising that typhoid fever is not absolutely confined to Brisbane.

“ Another story that lias yet to be told.” It is the usual resource, to which our evening contemporary flies when Mr Ward upsets the carefully prepared pictures of its imagination. This is tho paper man of mystery who always lias a card or two up his sleeve. It is simply untrue that there is another story to be told. It is equally untrue that the name of the. bank designed originally for amalgamation is immaterial to the issue. In that falsehood there is no sort of room for any kind of error. Tho chavgo originally made was that tho Treasurer wished to arrange au amalgamation with tho Colonial Bank in order to save tho enormous overdraft his firm had with that institution. To say that tho name of the hank is not material is a pure and palpable invention. To declare after one story lias utterly broken down that another will bo told, but not at oneo for mysterious reasons, is to add humbug to deliberate invention. The mine of financial opposition criticism is “ petering out.”

There is jubilation in Westport at tho departure of the pioneer of the eoal trade, with a cargo to Valparaiso. As tho bar at Westport is fit for ships drawing 20 feet of water, there is no reason why tho oxport trade should not flourish. There is much need, for the trado which ought to bo the first in these seas, adding largely to the wealth of tho Colony, has been terribly delayed, though vast sums havo been spout on the two West Coast harbours to inaugurate it. After ten years wo have tho first ship. Wo hope there will bo many more.

Tho finding of the Full Court in the Sydney conspiracy cases is deplorable; if it is on the ground that tho speeches made in Parliament by the conspirators are inadmissible as evidence. It is tho first time wo have heard that Parliamentary privilege covers crime. It was originally given to protect virtue.

Long live the bike ! When tho wheel was young some clover scientific man, whoso name wo cannot recall, declared authoritatively that four miles an hour would bo its average pace, on tho ground that man’s leg- power, being limited to four miles on tho average, must be unable to go beyond its limit anyhow. Had the world believed scionco there would have been no wheels. But the world laughed at science, the wheel grew and multiplied. Wo are reminded of tho fact by the sale of Singer’s works fora million sterling.

The cannon ball is a great civiliser. Before the war with Japan railways were accursed things in China. Now they are tho subject of a laudatory edict by tho Emperor, who begins by stating that ho has read tho memorial of the Ministry of War recommending the appointment of a high officer to take cliargo of tho construction of railways. The latter, the Emperor observes, are most important for the maintenance of trade as well as for the employment of the masses of the people. Hence lie lias decided to encourage railways in every way. “For the maintenance of trade and the employment of the masses of the peoplo” is good. The whole case for railways, in fact, could not bo put more pithily, and never has. The edict is practical, too,, for it contains a big railway policy, with plans and specifications, and many references to millions of taels, amongst them “grants of tho privilege of construction to wealthy men in the various provinces who can show a capital of ten million taels or more.” There will be a boom in railway iron presently.

The telephone companies of Great Britain pay 10 per cent, of their receipts to tho State, the payments for tho last five years being £44,000, £50,000, £57,000, £65,000, £72,000. Tho increase is substantial, but rather slow, and tho amqunt is not largo,

Considering the millions of people, tho trade, traffic and wealth.

Mr Lecky’s new book on “ Democracy and Liberty ” contains many tilings, but not one moro telling than his summing up of tho millionaire question, as thus :

“It is not tho existence of inherited wealth, even on a very large scale, that is likely to shako seriously the respect for property; it is the many instances which the conditions of modern society present of vast wealth acquired by shameful means, employed for shameful purposes, and exercising an altogether undue influence on tho Stato and society. A Jay Gould or a Fisk is more dangerous than Jack Cade.”

There is a curious jauntiness about everybody connected with Arctic exploration, which remains fresh in spite of the failures of the continues. In Queen Elizabeth’s day an intrepid navigator started for the north-west passage in a boat of five and twenty tons. Ho came back, but he did not go through the passage. T!y Franklin’s time a lot' of work had been done of tho same kind, but tho spirit wa3 as jaunty as ever. “ Get there ? of course,” was the motto of tho British Admiralty. Sir John Franklin’s most recent biographer (Mr Traill) discourses amusingly on this theme. Speaking of the rewards promised to tho Arctic ships, ho says :

It was apparently regarded in official as well as unofficial circles as not at all improbable that the largest of these rewards would be actually earned. Indeed, one cannot resist a slight feeling of amusement at noting, after a lapse of nearly SO years, the tone of easy familiarity with which the Admiralty of that period spoke of the North Pole —a tone which almost recalls the wellknown pleasantry about a certain famous critic’s attitude towards the Equator. “Should you reach the Pole, your future courso must mainly depend,” Ac. “If . . . the weather should prove favourable, you are to remain in the vicinity of the Pole for a few days, in order to the more accurately making the observations which it is to be expected your interesting and unexampled situation may furnish you with.” Interesting and unexampled indeed ! “On leaving the Pole you will endeavour,” Ac. “ Should you, either by passing over or near tho Polo or by any lateral direction, make your way to llcliring Straits, you are,” Ac. Such are tho constantly recurring phrases of the instructions issued by the Admiralty/and probably framed by Sir John Barrow himself, for tho conduct, of this expedition ; and their confident handling of their obscure subject is to be attributed not only to the imperfect acquaintance even of tho best geographers of that day with the terraqueous conditions of the Polar regions, but also no doubt to the glorious belief then prevalent, a survival from the great war, that there was no exploit under heaven which tho Britisli Navy and its sailors could not perform, in all probability at the first attempt. Franklin went off with these famous instructions in his cabin, and never returned. And now wo have Dr Nansen out in tho Fram waiting for a current to carry him to tho Polo, as if it was tho most ordinary thing in tho world for a current to do.

Tho late Archdeacon Denison, who died in March last, is thus described in the obituary column of the Times: —“‘Tho Groat Archdeacon of the West/ as Bidden called him, set his face a» a Hint against almost everything that tho nineteenth century calls progress. National education, University reform, liberal interpretation of tho Bible, were all objects of his determined and unceasing hostility. Ho gloried in tho old name of Tory, and to hi.s efforts was largely duo tho expulsion of Mr Gladstone from the representation of Oxford University.” As a controversialist ho was immense ; and many are tho stories told of his battles and crusades, arid many tho jokes made at his expense. Hero are two: “St. George without the Dragon” one divine called him, alluding to his absence of malice ; while Lord Lyttelton dubbed him “ St. Georgo with the drag-off,” by way of describing his impetuosity. In one respect ho and another famous polemic gave a good example which wo commend to our public men. Speaking of tho late Archdeacon on tho Sunday after his death, tho Archdeacon of London said

After a battle royal with the late Dean Stanley in tho bower House of Convocation, whose opinions lie abhorred, and whose latitudinarianism seemed to him utterly poisonous, when both had denounced with winged words the evil and disastrous views of each other, it was a sight to see them go arm in arm to tho deanery for the interval of refreshment, and revive each other and the company with flashes of good-humoured and sympathetic wit. Do you remember Mr Ward’s speech at tho banquet in tho Drillshed last year ? If so, you will remember the way it carried tho audience away in a burst of conviction. The same thing you will remember occurred tho very first time Mr Ward made allusion to the subject in tho House of Representatives. On that occasion tho straightforward simple narrative blew all tho cobwebs of fine drawn insinuations and ovory fabric standing on garbled extracts to the four winds. What Wellington and tho House of Representatives experienced then tiie country districts in tho South have seen during the recess, and the country districts from New Plymouth downwards are seeing now. Tim ground about Unworn and P.itoa and other picturesque and historic spots is covered with the fragments of exploded charges, which the inhabitants are regarding with wonder that they were ever made.

Our excellent friend the Trade Review has made a little financial statement of its own about the Customs revenue. Now, wo havo no desire to pose as authorities on the subject, not having devoted to these Customs returns the timo which wo do not possess, or tho brains which wo do. But wo notico that in Opposition circles those figures havo been accepted as correct; and wo think with prudence. At all events, it is evident at a glance to tho morost tyro—let us @ay that schoolboy that some of our con tern-

poraries are so fond of invoking—that the Trade Re view’s JH,049,143 must be nearer the mark than tho Post’s F 1,770,800, if wo remember tho figure aright. We there-

fore invite the Opposition attention to tho more approximate result, in order to compare it with another little financial statement, viz., an increase of the imports of last year over those of tho previous ono of .£336,613. Tho crux of the matter is that the imports increased by s'B (nearly six) per cent., while the Customs revenue increased by 5'2, or barely over five. What about the huge increment of that diabolically calculated tariff ?

This from the Review requires no note or comment except that the North Island will read it with pleasure : The difference in the respective progress of the two islands as shown in the first of the above tables is so striking that we think it worth while to reproduce the figures.

Beginning with a difference of over F 1,200,000, the figures for tho two islands now approximate very closely. We are pleased to see those for the South Island tieginning to show some improvement, and quite expect to see a still more marked advance by the end of the current year.

We have Mr Napier’s lecture on “ Tho British Navy,” with which he inaugurated tho Navy League at Auckland. Wo mean its New Zealand branch, of course, becauso tho League is world wide in its comprehensiveness. Mr Napier lias worked up his subject with great industry, and seems to havo got a fairly good grip of tho same. All honour to the man who looks outwards over the world and is industrious about great things, it is a pity, however, that the position of affairs compels our young liisii to think more about killing mon than about tho things which make the prosperity and honour ol‘ nations. The little brochure is got up in the usual way by the Graphic people, which calls for no particular comment. Everyone who wants a brief review of tho floating thunders of the universe ought to send for Mr Napier’s little study. The enemies of the country ought also to buy it—for the sake of tho photograph, which is fierce enough to warn them off the coast for evermore.

Talking of the Bill recently passed on a subject which is indicated by its title of “ Indecent Evidence Bill,” the Times remarks “ Woaro prepared to welcome any well considered effort either to enforce tho present law against tho publication of indecent matter, or to strengthen it if it is found defective. Wo hope and believe that we do our duty in our choico of matter for publication ; and if tho Lord Chancellor carries his Bill we shall fool bound, none the less, to exercise a second censorship, and to detormino for ourselves what we are to reject as unfit to make its appearance in our columns, oven though it reaches us with the implied sanction of a Judge of tho High Court.” There is a good self-respecting ring about that which impels us to say Amen.

In reading tho obituary of tho late Georgo Crawshay, of tho once very famous firm of Crawshay and Co., contracting engineers, of Gateshead, one is struck with the wonderful mental activity therein recorded. Ono biographer epitomises his life in a very masterly summary, thus : —“ Mr Crawshay was far from confining his energies to tho details of business. Ho throw himself into the anti-corn law agitation with vigour. Hu supported the Chartists, the Polos, the Hungarians, and tho Danes in their various struggles. Ho was a friend of Groto and of Emerson, and a sympathiser with Midhat Pasha and the Turkish reformers, lie was three times Mayor of Gateshead. He wrote verses and love-stories. Ho studied botany, and wrote essays thereon. He was said to be the first man to introduce Turkish baths into England, lie was Turkish Consul at Newcastle. As an employer, lie earned a high reputation among his work-people, but tho firm fell, ami in 1889 Mr Crawshay retired, his fortune lost, to Hazelwood, in Sussex, where lie spent his closing days.” jTo which the practical person will feel j inclined to add that if contracting ou- | gineers who can only succeed by concentrai lion will persist in diffusing their energies among Chartists, Turks, H ungarians and Danes, in practising poetry, writing lovu stories, studying botany, chemistry, As., it is not wonderful that the linn should fall.

If the diplomacy of Britain is tamo in tho East, the outspokenness of some of tho members of tho House of Commons which enlivened a late debate there is refreshing. For example :—“ Mr Bryce thought the present was not a fitting time for reoi tablisliing cordial relations with a Sovereign who had put to death some 50,00 Pof his innocent subjects. Turkey hud forfeited all claim to the sympathy or to the material support of this country.— .Sir It. Reid insisted that the Government of Turkey were responsible for the dreadful massacres of Christians in Armenia, and that it was monstrous for anyone to suppose that England ought to support a Government like that. It. was the manifest destiny of Russia that she should overrun a part of Turkey, and the sooner she did so the hotter.”

In view of the resolution passed by the United States House of Representatives urging the establishment of an international system of gold and silver coinage, it is instructive to see what some authorities say of bimetallism. Tho Hon Georgo Feel, for instance, said at Brighton a few weeks ago : —" Tho first effect cf bimetallism meant the instantaneous collapse of public credit, which rested merely on tho confidence in gold payments. As to trade

competition, wo should never bo beaten by men on Eastern wages, for tho bost-paul workmen wore roally tho most efficient, and our workmen, thanks to a gold standard of good purchasing power, were moro prosperous than any others in the world. It was truo that a star of the most amazing brilliancy had risen on the Eastern horizon -Japan. Still, JO per cent, of Japan’s trade was with our Empire, and tho actual figures of her competition with us were not above two millions.”

Pity tho sorrows of a poor author who cannot persuade a callous Income Tax Department that his not income is not 50 per cent, more than it really is. The story is going round the English papers of his interview with a surveyor of taxes. The author is the spokesman.

“ Your income is all profit; you havo no outgoings. It all comes from your brain ; you cannot charge anything against your account for that.”

“No outgoings,” I sad. “ What <1 > you call this ? 1 wrote a b> >k nit very long ago about a distant country. In order to make myself competent to treat the subject 1 spent three-four!,lis of the price in visiting and studying it. Do you say these were not outgoings:-”

“No,” said lie; “you never could claim upon that. It is not re loguised by law. Travelling oxpeu-es are not allowe 1. What are outgoings? Well, there is that shop opposite. The man lias bought his stock and pil'd In's money for it that is an outgoing ? ’ “ But tho principle is exactly tin same,” 1 said. “ I could not, produce or sell my wares without giving so much money for the material out of which I make them.” “ It does not matter,” said my friend, “ it is not recognised by the law. The price of the paper on which you write vour lie ok you may reclaim, hut nothing more.” The author had boon charged tho tax on an income of Flsod, while ho has only JL'IOOO a year. Had the above happened in New Z inland we should have had diatribes about tyranny, corruption, incompotoncy, blundering, plundering, and many other tilings; and the climax would have been “ Do we live in Russia?” In Britain there was not oven a smile of compassion for tho poor author mulcted in some Flo more than he ought to have paid. But these things are, after all, better m maged in New Z inland.

Death throws its softening influence over us as wo write. After their struggles in the Legislative Council and their friendships, Sir Patrick Buckley and Dr Pollen have found rest and the peace which passeth understanding. Wo take our sorrowful leave of them both elsewhere this morning; of the strong octogenarian who has gone out at the end of his long career, and of his junior by nearly thirty years who has boen relieved of his harden at tho outset of what ho had hoped would be a substantial period of usefulness in a high and honoured placo. Poaco to their ashes, honour to thoir memory.

Year. VALUE or EXPORTS. N. Island. S. Island. 1892-3 ... .£3,971,413 =£5,195,017 1893 t ... •1,093,235 4,950,443 1894-5 ... 4,203,00.3 4,580,071 1895-3 ... 4,027,298 4,050,805