THE New Zealand Mail. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1901. SISYPHUS IN CHINA

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1523, 28 February 1901, Page 34

THE New Zealand Mail. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1901. SISYPHUS IN CHINA

The European Powers who are now* engaged ill impressing Western ethics and civilisation upon the people of China are finding the task long and arduous. It does not appear that the signing of the Joint Note of irrevocable conditions, as drawn by the Powers, has brought about ■a peaceful solution of the difficulty. While the Chinese Court has accepted its terms, which shortly put are “China for the Chinese, and the trade cf the Celestial Empire for the world, with just retribution to the leaders of recent rebellion,” we heard yesterday of forces of Chinese regulars attacking German soldiers and the losses in killed and wounded numbering as many as in some of the fiercer fights in the Transvaal war. The acquiescence of the Chinese Court in the terms of the Note was altogether too. '‘childlike and bland'’ not. to evoke suspicion. In executing those -who were mainly responsible for outrages at the Legations and hostilities towards foreigners generally, the Chinese authorities were dilatory, and orders for decapitation have been commuted to> sentences of banishment for life; while Prince Tuan and his brother Lan, the leaders of the Boxer movement, are only to be banished from one province to another. The Powers have been laying up stores of satisfaction to themselves that the Chinese situation had been successfully managed, that safety to foreigners was restored, and that the payment of an indemnity was guaranteed. It is a very open question, however, whether the operations in China have been successful. Peace has not been restored, and it remains to be seen whether the means provided for the collection, of the war indemnity are adequate. Indeed, it seems from the cablegrams we have published within the last two or three days that the tranquilising of China is only being seriously considered by the allies. For months they have been dilly-dally-ing with Li Hung Chang and Prince Ching, and there is still no assurance that the terms demanded by the Powers can be enforced. The Powers are now instituting arrangements for a display of force. The German commissariat in China has been ordered to have a thousand transport waggons in readiness in three weeks’ time for an eighty days' expedition. Colonel Hoffmeistetr has already been despatched with an expeditionary corps, and the Kaiser’s representatives are engaging pilots for an expedition up thei Yang-tse river, which has hitherto been regarded as the special field of British influence and operations. It is the intention of Count von Waldersee to proceed to Tai-yuen-fu to escort the Emperor to Pekin; but if that is not feasible, then the expedition will merely make a demonstration through the pro* vince of Chi-li, with a view to “hustling” the Chinese: Court into accepting the terms of the Powers. While all this is going on in China, Viscount Cranborne, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Foreign Office, is informing the House of Commons that he is not aware that any Government among the allies desired to send the expedition that Count von Waldersee is organising. Do the Powers know what is being done in China? Viscount Cranborne confesses to ignorance,

and intelligence on Monday stated that the preparations for the expedition had not been cancelled.

All these preparation's for expeditions to encourage the Emperor to return to Pekin are probably destined to end in failure. At all events, tlxey add to the gravity of tbe situation. If the intention is, as is alleged, to frighten the Chinese Court into submission, it is the easiest thing imaginable for the Emperor to “flit” several hundreds of miles further away, and Count von Waldersee would present a pretty picture to gods and men at the head of an expeditionary force in pursuit of the Chinese ruler in the heart of his empire. If we are to believe the correspondent of the “Times, the Emperor's determination to give Pekin a wide berth for the present is excusable. A Foreign Legation fortress to accommodate two thousand troops, with equipment and stores capable of withstanding a three months’ siege, is being built alongside the Imperial Palace ; and though prudence on the part of the Allies dictates this course, the action is not calculated to inspire confidence in the Celestial Court in the peaceful intentions of the Powers. Together with this demonstration of force we hear dreadful stories of rapine and brutality on the part of certain of the allied troops, and the reported conduct of the members of “higher civilisations” is likely to quicken Chinese hatred of these “foreign devils.” Then the work of looting and annexation goes meirrily _ on. The civilisers looted the Forbidden City, and now Austria has openly occupied a portion of territory near the Imperial Canal, France and Germany have annexed private lands at Pekin, and Italy has grabbed the Imperial maritime Customs buildings and gardens, to say nothing of Russian acquisitions, now relinquished, then retaken, in Manchuria. Along with this intelligence comes the statement that the United States Government has induced the Powers to agree to seek no individual concessions in China without international assent! Every day's news seems to emphasise the conviction that the Powers are hopee lessly involved in the Chinese embroglio, and that as far 'as any adequate and satisfactory solution is concerned they are no nearer its discovery than they' were twelve months ago. It is the old, weary story of Sisyphus rolling the stone uphill, and the end of it no one can foresee.

The Tarawera brought from Lyttelton on the 26th thirty stud rams, consigned to Mr Martin Kennedy, of this city, from a Canterbury breeder. Air Harold Beauchamp was on the 26th re-elected chairman of the Wellington Harbor Board, oa the motion of Mr H. Cook, seconded by Mr W. Cable.

A consignment of poultry—chickens and ducklings—is being sent to South Africa by the Agricultural Department. The poultry will be placed in a freezing hold of the Otarama, which will leave Lyttelton for London on the 9th of next month.

The Benevolent Trustees held their weekly meeting on the 26th, when there were present—Revs J. K. Elliott and W. A. Evans, Messrs G. Webb, C. W. Willeston, D. Robertson, A. Sample and H. Cook. The number of inmates at the Ohiro Home was stated to be—Females, 17; males, 46; total, 63. The usual routine business was gone through, and applications for relief dealt with. Mr C. C. Carr, magnetic observer, and his assistant, Mr H. T. Skey, are at present engaged in making observations of magnetic variations and. disturbances all round the coast of the North Island, with a view to correcting nautical surveys and records, and bringing the charts of the colonial coasts up to date. Observations in the South Island were completed last year. After fixing stations at Tauranga, says the “Auckland Star, the party will proceed to Opotiki and Mercury Bay.

Our Carterton correspondent states that on Monday afternoon a farewell was tendered to the departing Mr Bennett, by the children and stab of the State school, who also presented him with handsome souvenirs. At a meeting of the Borough Council it was decided that ward representation was inimical to the interest of the town and burgesses. Steps will he taken to have the resolution given effect to. Ihe number of Councillors (nine) will m all probability be reduced. The summer so far (writes! our Colyton correspond mt) has been a rather imfavourable one for harvesting operations. Of those farmers who had gone in for crops that required drying ana gathering, few were fortunate enough to get them saved without some wetting from the frequent rains which were es.perienced throughout the season. On the other hand, grass and green crops have been much benefited, and have consequently been abundant. This district, dicing in its pastoral stage, has probably been a gainer from the plentiful supjply of moisture.

The Council of the Sheepbreeders’ Association has decided to incorporate the association under the Unclassified Societies Act. A new council will be elected at a meeting to be held in Palmerston North in June. The General Post Offices advises that the Sierra's mails, which left Auckland on the 22nd January, arrived in Loudon o.n the afternoon of the 24th instant. The Orizaba’s mails, from Melbourne, 23rd January, also arrived in London on the 24th instant. The election to fill the' vacancy on the Canterbury College Board of Governors, caused by the death of Mr H. R. Webb, will be held on the 18th -rox. All graduates of the New Zealand University who are at present on the books of the college are entitled to vote. Nominations will close on the 11th March. The Wellington Hospital authorities started last year with a balance of £2816 9s Id. They finished up the year with a balance of £3243 12s 3d. The receipts •last year were £13,581, and the expenditure £13,254 os 2d. After payment oi all liabilities, the Trustees will have a balance of. £2OO to the good. The Rev Mother Superior of St. Bride’s Convent, Masterton, having for a period of twenty-five years devoted herself to self-denying work, celebrated her silver jubilee on Monday. The children of St. Patrick’s School and of St. Bride’s Convent presented the Reverend Mother with addresses. Private advices from New Plymouth show that something very like an epidemic of typhoid fever prevails in that locality. There are seventeen sufferers from the disease in the local hospital. Included amongst the sufferers is a milkman, his wife and family, and several of his customers. Seemingly this is a case in regard to which the Health Department might make soipe investigations. YJith reference to a case wmch came before the Benevolent Trustees on the 26t!i Mr C. W. Willeston, one of the Trustees; remarked that able-bodied men in the Old Country, allured by the attractive descriptions of lecturers and writters of pamphlets, came to this colony in the hope of getting work at once and making their fortunes. After paying their passage, they arrived at their destination practically penniless, and became a charge on the ratepayers. It was decided by the Benevolent Trustees, in committee on the 26th, to devote £ISOO of their funds to the renewal of the buildings under their control, and to make the usual annual reonisition to the United District Charitable Aid Board for £SOOO. Tnis sum is £IOOO less than was required last year. The reduction under the new system of management, . inaugurated by the present Trustees and carried out by the present secretary, represents a saving to the ratepayers in two years of £2500. A meeting of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children was held in the Alliance Rooms, Airs W. A. Evans presiding. There were present: —Lady Stout, Mesdames Findlay, Hoby, Fell, Allan, Cowell and Kirkcaldie. Accounts amounting to ■ £ll 7s 6d were passed for payment. It was reported that eight fresh cases had been investigated since the previous meeting. The secretary intimated that two children had been adopted, and that homes had been found for four motherless ones. It was decided that a deputation should wait on the Premier with reference to the status of mothers of illegitimate children, and also upon the subject of desertion by fathers of their families and illegitimate children. The following subscriptions were acknowledged: - Hon Charles Johnston and Lady Stout, £1 Is each ; Mr and Mrs Ferguson, £1; Air Tyson, 12s ; Mr Moorhouse, 10s 6d; Mr T. W. Young, 10s; Messrs Waddell, McLeod and Weir, 10s; Mesdames Pringle, B. Brown and Bannister, and Miss Williams, 5s each; Messrs C. W. Tanner, Dalziell, J. J. Curtis, McGowan, Brailsford and Henderson, 5s each; Airs Kyle, Messrs Bonner and W. C. Fitzgerald, 2s 6d each; G.R., 2s; Mr Innes, stationery.

In the Alagistrate's Court on the 26th George Fisher sued his wife, Laura Fisher, for the return of a Picturesque Atlas, two books of record, a watchchain with railway pass attached, and a, Maltese cross presented to him in Dunedin. Airs Fisher counter-claimed for several articles of attire, a mirror and cheval glass, a sewing machine, and other articles. The plaintiff produced an array of old wearing apparel and furniture, and said they were the only things he had in his possession' in any way tallying with the list of goods filed in Airs Fisher’s counter-claim. These, the plaintiff said, he was willing to hand over. Air 1 Cooper, counsel for Mrs Fisher, said his client admitted having in her possession the atlas sued for. She was willing to return! it. As to the other articles, they were not in her possession. After hearing evidence, Dr AlcArthur made an order for the restoration of the atlas. He said there was was no proof as to* ownership in regard to the other articles enumerated. An order would he made for the return to Airs Fisher of the articles produced by the plaintiff, which he had stated his ■willingness to hand over to her. In regard to the sewing machine and some other articles, his Worship ordered that the plaintiff be left in possession of them.