CURRENT TOPICS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1315, 13 May 1897, Page 32

CURRENT TOPICS.

Last week the cable informed us that the Cretans had answered the the Admirals of the blockading eastern fleet that they still adhered to crisis. their decision of “annexation to Greece or death.” Early in March last the Admirals issued a proclamation calling upon the Cretan insurgents to lay down their arms and trust to the Powers granting complete autonomy to Crete under the suzerainty of the Sultan. “Being anxious, above all, to remedy tho evils which have desolated the island and to avoid a recurrence of the same, the Powers are preparing/*’ they said, “ by common agreement a scheme of action destined to regulate the working of autonomy, restore peace, guarantee to all, without distinction of race or religion, liberty and security of property, and facilitate by the resumption of agriculture and commerce the progressive development of the resources of the island A new era opens out for Crete. Let all lay down their arms. Tho Powors Avish for peace and order. They will, if necessary, dispose of the required authority to assure that their decisions are respected. They rely on the assistance of all, whether Christian or Mahomedan, in the accomplishment of this task, which promises to assure to tho inhabitants concord and prosperity.” Owing to an objection raised 1 by Sir A. Oiliotti, the British Consul, the following words were added to the first paragraph : —‘ Bub leaving the Cretans absolutely independent of the Porte as regards their own internal affairs and interests.” The proclamation was posted Up in Canea, but without the modification proposed by the British Consul. Four of tho insurgent leaders at Akrotiri had an interview with the Admirals, we aro told, on board the Italian flagship. Admiral Canevaro explained tho proclamation of autonomy amd tho reasons for the presence of European troops, and urged them to lay down their arms. The chiefs referred the proposal to tho various leaders throughout the island, and soon after declared that there were only two issues to tho present situa-tion--namely, annexation to Greece or fighting to the death. For weal or woe, these warliko, restless peoplo have determined not to yield, and the result is that, despite the efforts of the allied Powers, fighting goes on in the island, and Mu-sulmans and Christians, Bashi-Bozouks and insurgent Cretans continue to slay each other and destroy the homes of the people, neither side having any great advantage. Tho melancholy pert of it all- is that the fleets of the Christian nations aro oppressing the Ci eta 11 Christians and spilling tln>ir blood in what seems a vain endeavour to compel them to bow their nocks to the yoke or the Great Assassin. In Greece, the position is ?«, humiliating one ; but, apparently, not unexpected. The Greek King and his Ministers relied upon a conflagration in Macedonia, and that the Greek army, aided by the insurgent bands, would be enabled to rapidly overrun that " province. It would appear that the Grecian Government recognised that the state of affairs ia Crete could not be held to constitute a sufficient pretext for the declaration of war, but that a more valid excuse for hostile action was to be found in the refusal of , Turkey to concede to Greece the territory assigned to her by the Conference of Ambassadors in Berlin in June, 1880. The frontier line originally suggested in the 13th protocol of the Berlin Treaty was adopted by the Conference, the boundary extending from the mouth of the river Kalama, opposite the town of Corfu, to the point where the chain of Olympus touches the iEgean Sea, the lake of Janina and the town of Metsovo being thus included in the Hellenic Kingdom. The Powers, however, failed to enforce their decisions upon the Porte, and Greece, notwithstanding her protests, was obliged to accept the present frontier under the convention ratified in Constant inople in August, 1881. Tho Alliens ceriospondont of the Louden Tunes admits that, with regard to this settlement uf (lie frontier, Greece has legitimate grounds uf complaint, not only against Turkey, but also the Powers. Grieve over it as wo may, excuse it how wo will on the pretext of the maintenance of peace, tho fact remains that tho Powers, influenced by tho German Kaiser, have set aside the concern of Britain for Greece, and Germany and Russia control the position ; further, they have compelled Britain and France to submit to the humiliation of Greece h>3 7 the Sultan Abd-ul-Hamid. I If confirmation of this opinion is needed, 1 it is furnished by the Ephcmeris, which, it is understood, is inspired by the Greek Court. That journal at the end of March contained the following: “ The Sultan, desirous of maintaining tho ! peace of Europe, offered to withdraw his 1 army from Crete and hand over the island to King George, to be occupied and administered by Greece, tho Imperial suzerainty being recognised by tho payment of an annual tribute. These proposals were entirely satisfactory to tho Greok Court and the Mahomedan loaders in Crete, who prefer

{ annexation to autonomy. The negotiations, j however, were suddenly stopped by the j Powers, but efforts are being - made to j resume them ou a basis satisfactory to i the Sultan, Greece and the insurgents, lit is believed in diplomatic circles here [ that the German and Austrian Ambassadors ] did their utmost to frustrate a friendly i arrangement between the Porte and the Greek ; Government. Lord Salisbury and M. Ilanoi tjux wore disposed to favour negotiations | between the Sultan and King George.” | The question, then, that comes up for i settlement is : —“ Why has Britain hesij ta.ted to' enforce her demands ; or, failing that, to withdraw from the combination of the Powers ?” It may bo that the Entente cordials with Franco has not yet even been arrived at. Judging by the utterance of Sir Edmund J. Monson, British Ambassador at Paris, which wo publish this morning, British Ministers are still striving to gain that end. "With trouble loomiug iqi largely in South Africa and no firm relationship established between Britain and France the difficulties which beset Lord Salisbury may be easily imagined even by those of us who have to depend upon scant and disjointed cable messages for our information. Viewed in the light of the news contained in Home papers which arrived yesterday, however, reasons are apparent which make it impossible for the Foreign Minister to pay heed to the clamour of the British people for tho punishment of the Turk and the salvation of the Hellenes. Lord Salisbury has gone as far as he is able. He has asked tho Powers to agree to a conference. At the behest of Russia, Austria and Germany that conference has been refused. The only hope for Greece lies in the attitude of France. May we not hope that the latter Power will refuse to much longer aid and abet the tyrant who still holds Alsace and Lorraine ?

The special correspondent in' London of

OUR NEW GOVERNOR.

tho Dunedin '.Star has been interviewing our new Governor, Loid Ranfurly, and as a result has produced some good

“ copy.” It is pleasing to note that among the landlords of Ireland he is classed by the “finest peasantry in the world” as “ ono of tho best.” Evictions are unknown upon liis estate, and he is credited with taking a warm interest in the welfare of his employees and tenantry. On his Irish property he is at present developing a coal mine. Two new pits have boon sunk during the past throe years, at one of which, about 12 months ago, a sad accident occurred, resulting in the loss of several lives. Lord Banfurly was on the scene if the catastrophe within a few hv.urs of. its happening, and at once started a relief fund for tho widows and . rpiians, which ho successfully carried through. As Lord Ranfurly’s name has been freely mentioned in connection with the operations of Messrs Chaffey Brothers at Mildura, it is pleasing to have it on the authority of a well-known and reliable pressman that, beyond being a small shareholder in the company, Lord Ranfurly has nothing whatever to do with Messrs C'liaffey. He is, however, very largely interested in the Old Mildura" Estate, a fruit farm of 450 acres established close to Mildura. This property was bought outright from the Chaffeys, and a Government title taken out by the owners, who have their own irrigation plant, and are entirely independent of the Chaffey colonies, paying neither taxes nor water rates to them. | Our new Governor is like’Lord Glasgow in one respect—he has been a sailor, but owing to ill-health had to leave the navy. When the interviewer succeeded in “ cornering” his man, Lord Ranfurly submitted with a good grace, lit his pipe and was “ spasmodically communicative.” Neither academic nor athletic honours fell to him at college, for, as his lordship confessed with a smile, he was “ one of the lazy ones.” At the age of 24 Lord Ranfurly married the Hon Constance Elizabeth Caulfeild, only child of the seventh Viscount Charlmont. Since that event our now Governor has seen a good deal of the world, having travelled in Africa, Canada, tho States and A a Trains!a, h'-sidas doing tho usual Continental and Egyptian tour. lie has pud two brief visits to New Zealand —first in 1883 and again in 18110. On the latter occasion ho spent a matter of ton days or a fortnight travelling through the colony, but lie Ims still an open mind concerning its peoplo, and lias not committed tho usual globe-trotter’s offence of writing a book upon New Zealand and its inhabitants. “ For this omission,” remarks tho correspondent, “ ho surely deserves your gratitude.” Questioned as to his taste 3 in sporting mailers, Lord Ranfurly confessed to a fondness for all kinds of shooting and for salmon and trout fishing. The s'z > of Now Zealand trout will hardly surprise his lordship, who has netted trout in Loch Neagh up to 401 b weight. The United Kingdom Peerage recognises the descent of Lord Ranfurly fromthe Scottish Knoxes of Ranfurly, a family to which the Scottish Reformer John Knox belonged. A member of the Knox family settled in Ireland in 1G92, and was member for Dungannon and a Privy Councillor. Ono of bis descendants, another member of Parliament for Dmi-

gannon, became an Irish Peer, Lord Welles, and afterwards Viscount Northland. Describing bis personal appearance, the correspondent notes that he is rather ( above medium height, aud somewhat slimly built. 110 looks young for his age (forty-oue years), and his countenance is open and pleasant, his eyes a light brown, his moustache light in shade, and his darker hair shows no traces of advancing ago either in the matter of scarcity or by tho invasion of grey. Lady readoi’3 will be interested to learn that the now Governor’s wife is polite and dark, and has a decisive manner. She is a patron of art and is herself no mean performer with pencil and brush. Their son, Viscount Northland, will ’not come out to this colony yet awhile, but their two daughters, Constance and Eilleen —aged twelve and six years respectively—will accompany their parents. v

The By-laws Committee of tho City Council aro to bo congratulated on the action

taken by them for the regulation of bicycles, which have gradually become an important factor in our street traffic. As a matter of fact

THE BICYCLE BY-LAW.

the great majority of cyclists hardly require a by-law to keep them within tho bounds which decency aud decorum prescribe, ‘ but unfortunately there ax - e these to whom the amenities are a dead letter, and whose selfish custom it is to consult their own whims, no matter at what inconvenience or danger to the public. The establishment of a half-crown fee will no doubt be considered an imposition at first thought, but in view 7 of the experience of other localities the protection which registration must afford to cyclists will more than compensate the subscribers of the tax. Moreover, the very fact that the City Council has given official recognition to the cyclists will ontitlo tho latter to more consideration from that body than they have been able to obtain in the past, and any representations which, the wheelmen make . for the improvement of tho roads- or in other directions will be entitled to the best attention of our City Fathors.

All enquiries into 'railway accidents, whathor departmental, or

THE SAFETY OF THE TIvAVELLINCJ PUBLIC.

otherwise, or whether or not attended with loss of life, might with advantage be held . with open doors. Tho accident on the Manawatu linG

a few months ago was en- . quired into, but the circumstances which surrounded the occurrence that by the merest chance was prevented from ending fatally were never . fully t divulged. The only outward and visible sign was the resignation of one of; the officials. If a steamer touches ground ' on - her voyage or .collides with another , vessel, v , a legal official enquiry is .held ; publicly; and all. the,facts connected withthe accident are carefully .elucidated. On ■ such enquiries the safeguarding of the public, the public life and public property largely ’ depend. They render necessary and eiact from all responsible men on board the vessels the exercise of special caution, t . Not less necessary are open public enquiries f in the case of railway accidents. Every - fact should be sifted to the bottom, nothing' should be hidden, and .the .existence - ,, of; culpable oversight or malarrangement should be made manifest and reasonable * penalties be inflicted. In the accident on - the Government line the other day'there" wa,s happily no fatality. The escape from : such;a result was, however, almost mar-: vellous. The railway carriage r was,, thrown down an embankment, - turnings a complote somersault, and the wood-’ work of the carriage was set .on fire by a bursted oil lamp all this, and the occupants escaped with only a few bruises! .According to what we have been enabled to learn, the line was being repaired ; the rails were only temp r-a-rily Ini l on the sleep 'is to permit of the passage of the train. This approached at a speed of 25 miles an hour, and on the engine reaching the scarcely-fastened rails they “ spread ” (as the technical term is) ; that is, went apart wider than the axlelength, and the result was that a serious smash-up ensued. The ganger, it is stated, acknowledges that he left out the dog-spikes, and took the risk! The enquiry is now over, and the Commissioners before whom it was held have reported to Mr Eonayno, who will in turn report to the Minister, and he will decide what punishment shall be meted out. Two things appear to demand ample explanation. First: Is there a rule by which, in such circumstances of repairs, the possibility of “spreading” rails is preventable and prevented by specific and well-understood precautions ? Second : Is there another rale by which in passing such repairs it is deemed advisablo for the engine-driver to be notified that such repairs are in progress, and that it may be advisable to slow down the speed before

the arrival of the train at the spot ? We have put these questions, which, had there keen a coroner’s inquest, would have been put to a jury. The subject is one m which every traveller is interested, and, therefore, the fullest information should be obtained by the Minister himself, and given through his officials to the public. There remains very little doubt as to

THE SITUATION IN SOUTH AFRICA.

what Britain’s attitude is to be in South Africa. Every day the cables bring us news of preparations being made in view of an outbreak of hostilities. Matters in the Transvaal have passed that

stage when friendly relations can long be maintained between the British Government and the Boer Republic. While President Kruger has been returning answers of an unsatisfactory nature to the requests made by the Colonial Secretary, Mr Chamberlain, he has been at the same time professing a friendship which it would be absurd to suppose he feels towards Her Majesty’s Government. Mr Kruger has not only permitted gross statements to be made against the Queen personally, but has actually indulged in them himself, while he has rewarded one of the offenders by promoting him to a high command. Side by side with these occurrences have gone on the building of fortifications and the additions of weapons and stores sufficient to enable a very large body of men to take the field against the British forces should the present trouble terminate in an appeal to arms. We get an idea of one of the prime causes which has led up to President Kruger’s menacing attitude in the evidence given by the husband of Olive Schreiner before the South African Commission of enquiry sitting in London. The question was asked whether President Kruger had shown any desire to be in close communion with Her Majesty’s Government, and his reply was as follows : “He always wanted to get a little bit of the coast, but Her Majesty’s Government have never been able to gratify his desire in that respect. I know, from personal experience/ how deeply it has been the desire of his heart that he should get coastwise, and have a port of his own. You must make allowance for the feelings ot disappointment which possess a man of big ideas when he cannot get those ideas realised.” These words of Mr Schreiner, read in connection with the pronouncement of a Boer journal that the occupation of Delagoa Bay by the British would be considered a casus belli by the Dutch Republic, let the light into what may have been deemed by many the darkness of the South African question. President Kruger wishes to go seaward, there to join hands with the German Kaiser. The Right Hon Joseph Chamberlain has evidently determined that this same march to the sea and a combination of Boers and Germans shall not be permitted while Britain possesses either men or money with which to prevent it.