TOPICS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Mail, 21 February 1901, Page 25

TOPICS OF THE DAY

WELLINGTON TOWN HALL DESIGNS. Mr J. Charlesworth, architect, writes to the editor of the “New Zealand Times” as follows: —I wish to contradict the opinions of the so-called architects and builders who imagine none of the designs can be erected for the amount stipulated, as stated in your local columns of Friday’s issue. The Council, 1 believe, engaged the services of an expert builder to value and estimate the cost of the designs before a final decision was arrived at. As the author of the design chosen first, I claim that it can be erected for the sum named, and that some of the best builders in the city will guarantee to build it and find satisfactory sureties and bond that may be required by the Council, as a proof of their bona fides. LABOUR IN SOUTH AFRICA. Shortly before the general election in England it became commonly known that Mr Rhodes and the Chartered Company were contemplating the introduction of Chinese coolies to work the mines of Rhodesia. The Chartered Company officials were indiscreet enough to publish the details of the scheme in England, and even to cite Mr Rhodes as its author. The British people, however, were by no means pleased at the prospect of a British South Africa overrun by Chinese immigrants, cheap enough to compete with black workmen, skilful enough to evict the white. Mr Rhodes appears to have postponed the execution of his plan for a season. But in the meantime, it appears from late English files, he undertook to try what could be done with Abyssinians—with disastrous results. It is possible to keep the Mashonas in a condition amounting, as Sir Richard Martin put it in an official report, to •‘‘virtual slavery.” The race which defeated the Italians at Adowa is made of sturdier stuff. The firstcontingent of three hundred natives did indeed reach Salisbury. They very shortly mutinied, and apparently defended themselves with such vigour, though unarmed, that the civilian population called in the lances and revolvers of the police. The second “cargo 5 * of Abyssinians reached Beira early in December, Either their experiences on route had opened their eyes, or else they had heard ugly stories or the treatment which awaited them. At all events, they refused to land, and barricaded themselves in the bow of the boat-. . The narrative of what followed reads uncommonly like some tale of a mutiny on board a slaver a century ago. Nine of the Portuguese police and twenty-six cut of one hundred and thirty-six Abyssinians were wounded-. Finally, the majority of the survivors jumped overboard—the telegram published in the English papers does not trouble to say with what result. It is hard to say where the difference lies between this modern method of “importing' 5 slaves and the old practice of capture. This sort of oolicy is, of course, its own reward. The Chartered Company will get no more slaves from Abyssinia. The Chinese will probably be the next victims. They are not a pugnacious race. They submit to any conditions—till their contracts expire. Then they take their revenge by underselling the whites who have oppressed them.

WANTED -ELECTRIC TRAMWAYS

‘What strikes me on my return is that we want a little more American ‘ go ’ in Wellington .” v said Mr Charles Pharazyn to a ‘'-Times''’ reporter on Friday. Continuing, lie said : “ In places which I have lately visited—very much less promising places than Wellington—you can, for instance, step into an electric tram and go anywhere you like in quick time at a nominal cost. It is dreadful * i cam# back here and find you plodding wearily along in tliree-horse trains- I wonder how people can put up with it. I have seen no city anywhere where electric tramways would be such an immediate and certain success as in.. Wellington, not only as far as the city is concerned 1 , but right away out into the suburbs. The question arises : ‘Are the Welling-ton-people content to let posterity enjoy the advantages of electric traction, or do they want it for themselves ? I can assure you I am very disappointed at the lack of enterprise which is evidenced in Wellington on every hand, and of which the lack of an electric tram service is an indication.” UNFURLING THE FLAG. An interesting ceremony took place at Pahiatua on the 13th, when the Hon. C. H. Mills, representing the New Zealand Ministry, unfurled a flag presented) to the Borough of Pahiatua by Mr Sedcole, one of the eldest local inhabitants. The flagstaff is over sixty feet high and is fitted with the orthodox topmast: and crosspieces. The ceremony took place in the presence of a large gathering of Volunteers', townspeople and settlers, Mr Wilson, the Mayor, being a prominent figure. Mr Mills gave a short address, explaining the utility of flags, and the important part they had always plaj T ed in history. Messrs Hogg and O’Meara, M-H.R/s, also delivered interesting addresses. 'A greatdeal of enthusiasm was displayed, and the children sang the National Anthem and ‘‘Rule Britannia.” Mr Mills then, on behalf of the Royal Humane

Society, presented Mr D. J. Reardon with a silver medal and certificate for an act of bravery iii rescuing a person from drowning. A precession was afterwards formed, and proceeded to the publicschool, where a Union Jack was unfurled amidst great juvenile rejoicing. A banquet was held in the evening, the Mayor presiding, at which Mr Mills gave a resume of the financial position of the colony. The Minister returned to Wellington very pleased with his experiences, and the kindness and hospitality which he had experienced.

VALUATION OF EXPORTS. A custom exists in certain quarters which we cannot but think inflicts injustice upon a class of public officers who cannot, by the rules of the service, answer for themselves. We allude to the practice of censuring the Customs Department for over-valuation of our exports, more particularly in the case of wool. In many cases discrepancies between the valuations for export and the actual realisation are the result simply of the fluctuations in the market. The wool may be sold in London, two, three, four, or more mouths after ~?hipment v from the colony. If the market is on the down grade all that time, it is manifest what the result must he. There is, also, no doubt, °. good deal of carelessness on the part of the shipping clerks of merchants and shipping, agents, and haphazard valuations are commonly placed on goods in export entries. The Customs officers know nothing of the quality of the wool, and if a pretest is made against a high valuation the shipper will, in most cases, to avoid a confession of error, assert that the wool in question was a very superior lot and quite worth the value placed upon it; and the Customs officer is not in a- position to disprove the- assertion. In a proportion of cases the wool is sold in the colony, and the export- value may be the actual price received. Whatever blame is called for rests/ we think, more on the shippers, and on the system, than upon the Customs authorities. The question of a remedy is not an easy one. This is ahe sort of problem that might well be taken in hand by the Association of Chambers of Commerce of the colony which, we understand, is now in course of formation.

A JEREMIAD. The Wellington correspondent of Christchurch "Truth” is responsible for the following:—Now that the Imperials are gone, and the banqueting and" junketing is ever, many business, people in tli e city are beginning to inquire whether this sort of thing lias not gone far enough. For months past people have been kept in a state of unrest at the departure and home-coming of contingents, celebrations of victories, the death of the Queen, and other events. Holiday after holiday has been proclaimed, without consulting the wishes of the people concerned, and retail and wholesale dealers alike have had to close their premises and allow their employees to make high holiday, and fritter away their earnings often in frivolity and excesses, and 3’et these employers have had to pay heavy rents, and pay wages regularly every Saturday. It has unsettled the community and the wage-earners, and it is realised that the efficiency of the workers is deteriorated by this unsettling process. There is a perceptibie dullness in business here, and if, with the raising and despatch of the Seventh Contingent, the process is further continued, there is danger of serious results, In the country another problem is being faced. We are making greater sacrifice for the Empire than we at- firstrealised, in the sending away of the pick of the back blocks workers and farm hands. A farmer from the Rangitikei district assured me that it- was impossible to get the services of the right sort of man to carry on harvesting operations. He is obliged to pay Is 8d an hour to labourers to gather in a crop of oats worth only Is 8d per bushel. This is the experience of country settlers right throughout. It is with the greatest difficulty they can obtain competent of reliable men, and they have to be mighty civil to these to ensure continuance of Service. UW A CELEBRATED HORSE. There are few horses in any part of the world with a record equal to the horse Th© Master, presented by Mrs G. P. Donnelly to Colonel Crole Wyncilia m,in charge of the Imperial troops, (says the “Hawke’s Bay Herald”). His record is as follows : —Hawke’s Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society sboxv — Class, weight-carrying hack, mare or gelding, up to 14st : 1893, first prize (17 entries); 1894, first prize (eight- entries) ; 1895, first prize (11 entries): 1896,, first prize (nine entries); 1897, first prize (seven entries); 1898, first, prize (six entries). Wellington Agricultural and Pastoral Society (18th November, 1894) —Class, weight-carrying hack, . mare or gelding, up to 16st, first prize. At the same show The Master also took first prize as best walker. Manawatu and West Coast Agricultural and Pastoral Association (Palmerston North) —Class, saddle horses up to lost : 1895', first prize ; 1896, first prize.; 1897, first prize; 1898, first prize. Canter-

bury Agricultural and Pastoral Association show (11th November, 18981— Class, weight-carrying hack, ’ mare or gelding up to lost, first- prize. In September, 1891, he won the Trial Steeple, chase at Feildiug Hunt Club meeting, and the following t ear secured the Hunters’ Steeplechase Handicap at the Wanganui Jockey Club’s May meeting. The Master has never been beaten in a show ring as a weight-carrier, and should Colonel Wyndham get his charger safely to England, The Master may still further advertise cur New Zealand horseflesh in the Old Country.

HUNGERING RUSSIA.. . Brief announcements have lately appeared in the English newspapers, to th e effect that the harvest- having again failed in a vast region of Southern Russia, the inhabitants are once more suffering famine. Last year the farmers had a little store of seed corn, but this year they have absolutely nothing. The reports frequently, conclude with the vor (Is : '“The Famine Committees mush use every effort to obtain the necessary corn and flour as well as fodder for the domestic animals.” What these few lines imply can be gathered from a book by Dr C. Lehmann and "Parvus,” published at Stuttgart by Dietz The former is a Munich phy-iciaii. “Parvus” is a Russian who has" been studying political economy at Swiss Universities, and! is well known as an active member of the German Social Democratic party. The two friends' visited Russia in May, 1899, v itli the object cf seeing for themselves the condition of the district where famin e may be said to be chronic What they found may be gathered from their description of a once well-to-do village which serves as a- type of alj : “ On approaching the village we saw a few horses worn to skeletons, one or two oxen, who.se bones, where they pierced the taut skin, were covered with festering sores. They had lain too long on the stable floor, not Having strengthto get up. The village itself seems wrapped in the arms of death. No barking of dogs announces ns—the clogs are all dead. No pigs in the street. .No sign or sound of children —the cruel winter and hunger have laid them in an early sleep of death. Nothing to betray the presence of human beings. ... We enter one of the cottages. Were ave not accustomed to the spectacle, - we should doubt whether it could serve as a dwelling for human beings, utterly unprotected as it is against rain and cold. Reclining on one shelf in the one room are the father and his son, on the other shelf lie the- man’s wife and an elderly woman huddled close together. Which of the two women is the wife and which her mother we cannot distinguish from their aged, wrinkled, emaciated faces, distorted with scurvy.” Such is the story repeated at every farmhouse in every village, ' The Red Cross Society is helpless, in -he face of such vast ; distress. It is - equipped to provide bread for, say, forty people, and finds 400 looking to it to. keep them alive. The authors have collected an immense amount of valuable but awful statistics, and they give in their book equally awful photographic illustrations of what they saw-. The book is painfully convincing. It reveals in all its hideousness the canker at the heart of a nation which U spending millions to‘provide 'glittering coat