THE BYGONE YEAR

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1610, 7 January 1903, Page 17

THE BYGONE YEAR

PRINCIPAL EVENTS OF 1902.

REVIEW OF THE LAST TWELVE MONTHS.

The year that died with the chimes at midnight was a remarkable one from an international point of view, for the cor- . diality of the relations that existed between the principal Powers throughout. There was not a single rupture to cause-disquiet, and the only apprehension of a rupture was caused by the troubled in the Persian Gulf. 'The entente cTQrdiale of the Powers was greatly strengthened by the free exchange of,visits among sovereigns and leading men of the political world. General Palma was elected President of the new Republic of Cuba, and received the congratulations and recognition of Europe. The Chinese embroglio terminated with the return of the Court to Pekm m January. Prince Henry of Prussia personally conveyed the goodwill of Germany to America in the same month. Chili and Argentina agreed to disarm, pending the settlement of the boundary dispute by a British Commission. President Loubet paid a visit to the Czar of Russia, and in August King V; ctor Emmanuel, of Italy, visited Germany. Besides this there were numerous exchanges of courtesies of a more imoor--tant nature than usual, and it is a hopeful augury for international peace that the neW year opens with no disputes *%nding, and nothing to cause strained 'delations, while the Triple Alliance was •'enewed in June. The reason for the JJfcneral goodwill may be a domestic one. At the beginning of 1902 Spain, France, Belgium, Russia. Austria and the United "Stares were “scotching” industrial '--nrest, and some of them settling the -V_eslions of a progressive socialism by (fleans of the bayonet. In Belgium and Russia the crises were acute and revolutions were feared, but so far nothing has come of the fears. In Belgium the Socialists compromised and avoided further bloodshed. In Russ’a the insurants were transported. Early in the urea" the Emperor of Germany had to Institute relief works for the benefit of The unemployed. The Italian and Roarush troubles ruined the Ministries gjP those countries, and both had to be Pfxal strike lasted for two months, and stfhe terminated in favour o F .the erafiloyers. In France the distracting element wa« the operation of the Religious Associations Bill, which resulted in the losing of thousands of sectarian schools in the oountry, and outbreaks .at vanbus points. The German nation was fchiiefly exercised over the discontent Caused in Poland by the Germanisanion the Prussian province. The situation in August was acute, and the Em#£ror passed through Posen yonder martial law at the head of an immense ifwfrny. In the South of France, at the tend of December, shipping was paralysrc! by a great maritime strike, which fended, after great misery, in the unconditional surrender of the strikers. Ortie advance of socialism also caused oteat apprehension in Germany, and the Kmperor appealed to the workmen to aVbid the new doctrine and remain trandffiil. The year ended, as far as the fiutside world was concerned, with a dispute in which Germany and Great Britain are co-operating in demanding from Venezuela for injury done £h*hheir subjects. The dispute has been jfeferred to the Hague Tribunal. Great Britain is at peace with the world, and is able to devote her whole attention to quelling the rebellion of the Somali ■fJhoes led by a Mahdi. The concessions granted to European Powers during the year were small. Denmark agreed to sell the islands of St. Croix and St. Thomas, m hhi West Indies, to the United States. China and Russia finally signed the Manchurian Convention. The United States and Panama made an agreement the Panama Canal. Tien-, tsin was restored to China, and Shanghai was evacuated by the Germans and British. 'The German flag was hoisted fov the steamer Tanglin over Kerguelen Island, and the award ih <>he Samoan arbitration case went iii Germany’s favour. A treaty was feigned by Abyssinia and Great Britain Standing the Cape-to^Cairo railway. France received an important concession from Siam, and Belgium a large territorial concession from China. Italy grtrag supposed to contemplate oocupyixjg Tripoli, but the troops which OT'ere said to have been mobilised for Lhe purpose were required for the ad-•■fwf-ment of industrial disputes. the year 1902 opened the Boer xctut was in its last stages. Mounted £gߣjps were being poured into the counfrv to carry out the wearing-down ncittcy, and there were already signs thaT. the Boers were inclined to discuss terms. Offers of mediation from Hnihbd were refused, and America de- ’ • cd to intervene. But the Boers ued the campaign with vigour. La (e in January General Ben Viljoenwas *wrvured. On the 22nd February the progress was checked at. Bothasu—- where the Seventh New Zealand- ~ distinguished themselves. On JT* 10th Lord Methuen was capturr" by General De la Rey at Tweebosoh, a nd in the same month Boer delegates

began to treat for peace. By May 23rd the chief points in the terms of surrender were settled, and on the 31st of the same month peace was declared amid general rejoicing.. The end of the war was followed by visits of the- chief Boer Generals to England and Europe. Since then the pacification and development of the new colonies has proceeded without interruption, and Mr Chamberlain’s present visit to the oountry is expected to consolidate the state of peace. The year was more remarkable for volcanic turbulence than for political quietude. The first earthquakes were in Mexico in January, when 300 persons were killed. A severe shook in Transcagcasia o-n February 15th destroyed the town of Shemakha and caused great loss of life. The next outbreak was in Guatemala on April 21st, when * 500 persons were killed. Eruptions commenced in Martinique early m May, and 40,000 persons were lost in the destruction of St. Pierre. Bight icitiies in were destroyed in May. Volcanic activity was reported from North and South America, and on November 18th eruptions did great havoc in Sicily. The year for New Zealand has been one of steady progress. In the earliest days the necessity for opening up the South African market was laid before the Premier by a Wellington deputation, and as a result tenders for a steamship service were called for. That of tl 13 South African Steamship Company was accepted, and the contract was signed in October. The first vessel to go lx ad a difficulty in finding cargo, but it is satisfactory to note that this has now been considerably reduced, and the service promises to be successful. The Premier left for England via South Africa on April 14th, and was entertained at- the chief centres before leaving. He took a prominent part in the Conference of Premiers in London, and returned to the colony in October. During his absence, Sir Joseph Ward acted as Premier -

The public works of the colony made great progress during the year. The North Island Main Trunk line was opened to Mangaweka, beyond the Makohine Viaduct. The South Island Main Trunk line was opened to Soargill at the southern and to Seddon at the northern end of the gap. A new arrangement between the Government and the "Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company was entered upon. Ther(»was an unusually large number of wrecks on the New Zealand coast. The Danish barque Alexandra ran ashore on Brighton Beach, near Westport. The Mawhera was wrecked at the Paumotu Islands. The Quiraing foundered. in the Tasman Sea and the Vcntnor off Hokianga. The barquentine May was wrecked off Manukau, and the Elingamite at the Three Kings, the latter with the loss of forty lives. During the year the colony has been visited by emissaries from France, Russia, Austria, Japan, America England, Australia and other countries, who came for the purpose of studying the laws and conditions obtaining here. Industrially the year has been one of peace, although industries on the whole have not been as brisk as before. The effects of the new Commonwealth protective tariff were felt for a few months, and trade with Australia fell to, an alarming extent, hut the drought following in Australia produced a demand for New Zealand produce which immediately increased "the export and prices, and by depleting the colony of produce and stock, greatly inflated the prices of produce for home consumption. The late and wintry season in New Zealand does not promise very well for the approaching harvest, and the probabilities are that prices will remain high. The colony’s Law Courts early in the year were engaged with the indictment of Thomas Caradoc Kerry, Eric J. H. Freke and George Mumford, on a charge of casting away the yacht Ariadne off the mouth of the Waitaki river. After a long trial, the case against Freke was withdrawn, Kerry was acquitted, and Mumford was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment. In February an inquiry was held into allegations against warders of the Point Halswell Prison, who were exonerated. Charles Lillywhite, who was extradited to England in 1901, on suspicion of being concerned in a murder at Colchester, received a substantial money grano from the Imperial Government by way of compensation. In August a man named F. T. Moore was sentenced to three years’ hard labour for sending threatening letters to Sir Joseph Ward. He was released immediately. In December, Mrs Harriet Drake was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment for the manslaughter of her daughter at Otaki. During the year death was not very active among the foremost ranks of • life. Amongst the victims may be mentioned Mr Cecil J. Rhodes, the Marquis of Dufferin and Ava, Lord Kimberley, Lord Pauncefote, the King of Saxony, the Sultan of Zanzibar, the Mahdi, Emile Zola, Liu-Kunyi, Herr Krupp and the Archbishop of Canterbury. Among the lesser lights were:—ln literature and art—Bret Harte, Professor Morris (author of “ Austral English ”), M. Jean de Bloch, Thomas Sidney Cooper, R.A., A. Patohett Martin, Charles Kent, Professor Gardiner, Nicholas Chevalier, Benjamin Con-

stant, Lord Acton, Brunton Stephens, Philip Bailey, G. A. Henty and James Cathcart. In ecclesiastical circles—Dr Newman Hall, Dr De Witt Talmage, Archbishop Corrigan of New York, Cardinal Lodoehowski, Archbishop Croke of Cashel, John Kensit, Rev Hugh Price Hughes, Dr Joseph Parker. In politics and public life—Sir Ellis Ashmead-Bart-lett, Sir John Colton, Field-Marshal Sir Neville Chamberlain, Earl Fitzwilliam, Mr F. W. Piesse Mr C. Y. O’Connor (Western Australia), M. Tolman Tisza (Premier of Hungary), Prince Munsfer, Don Francisco d’Assissi, Admiral Sampson, Joseph Tangye, Hon. G. Leake (Western Australia), General Lucas Meyer, Lord Connemara, Sir Frederick Abel, the Queen of the Belgians, Rear-Admiral B. Watson, Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar, Mr Justice Moorhead (West Australia), Colonel H. McCahnont, M.P.. Sir Arthur Hodgson, Lord Willoughby de BrokeNew Zealand has lost by death, chief amongst public men, Drs Cleghorn, Leggatt, Wilford and the Rev Dr- Bannerrnan, Colonel C. J. Fox (formerly Commandant), Bishop W. G. Cowie (Primate), Archdeacon Palmer (of Melanesia), Hon S. E. Siirimski, M.L.C., Walter Guthrie (of the Guthrie companies) and Mr Frederick Aitchison (late Inspector of Police). The most notable deaths in Wellington itself were those of Messrs E. T. Mason, Nat. J. Tone, James Smith, Robert Laery, J. K. Hamilton, John Golder and Chas. Simmonds.

In the civic history of Wellington 1902 will be remembered for a ounous combination of progression and retrogression. Most feelingly it will be remembered for the Hutt road scandal. A Royal Commission sat in January and apportioned the cost of construction and maintenance, but as late as December a test case in the Supreme Court determined the immunity of the local bodies from liability under the warrant, and the matter reverts to its old miserable condition. An electric tramway scheme, with considerable extensions on the present system, has been decided upon, and is now being gradually put into effect. The widening of Willis street has made no progress whatever, except in so far as the acquisition of the Byko corner and the frontage of the Empire Hotel are concerned, but rapid progress has been made during the past month or so with the widening of Adelaide road. By private enterprise the high levels of the city have been brought within closer touch with Lambton quay by means of the Kelburne and Karori cable trams, winch started running on February 7th. An important step was taken by the City Council in April, when the Greater Wellington scheme, since carried by the Melrose Borough Council, was adopted. Negotiations are now in an advanced stage, and no further obstacle is expected to delay the consummation of the union of the city and suburban boroughs. Two proposals for the improvement of the city water supply were submitted to the ratepayers during the year, and the defeat of both, chiefly through the apathy of a great proportion of the ratepayers, mars the record of a year of civic progress. During the year the Council accepted tenders for the erection of a new Town Hall . and the work is now well advanced. The Newtown Public Library, a municipal institution, was also completed and opened. Mr J. G. W. Aitken was re-elected unopposed to the position of Mayor of the city for the third term, and a reorganisation of the Corporation in July included the appointment of Mr John R. Palmer, of Sydney, as Town Clerk. Progress has been the watchword also of other bodies and private enterprise. The Harbour Board, after long and desultory consideration, has decided on the construction of a large dock for the port. _ Tboperation of the Rating on Unimproved Values Act, which was adopted by vote the previous year, has given a great impetus to building, and almost every vacant section in the city is now being utilised for building sites. The Miramar land has also been broken up, and the building of a residential suburb there has commenced.

In England thought turned to a great extent upon the conclusion of the war and the Coronation of the King, which took place on the 9th of August. From a political point of view the hardening of the Liberal party and the state of Ireland engaged most attention. . The speech delivered by Lord Rosebery at Chesterfield, embodying the policy of the Liberal party, created a. great sensation and was looked upon as marking the dawn of a new Liberalism. In Ireland, where Lord Dudley succeeded Lord Cadogan as Viceroy, the Land League made rapid progress and extended its branches throughout the country. To it were ascribed many riots and outrages in different districts, for , their connection with which several prominent politicians and others were punished. The Government was taunted -with being afraid to strike at the League. The tension between landlord and tenant became so acute that Captain Shaw Taylor, a wealthy landlord, called a conference of representatives from each, ■which was held in Dublin, to discuss the situation. A matter which caused considerable consternation among commercial men was the formation of Mr Pierpont Morgan’s shipping combination, which gradually absorbed

most, of the large Transatlantic lines. As a counterblast, the Imperial povernment decided to subsidise the •Cunard line, which formed an opposition -combination. A month or two later an agreement was concluded between the. Government and the Morgan combine. Feeling ran high on the questions raised by the Education Bill, but finally, after stubborn opposition, the measure passed both Houses of Parliament on December 18th, the day before the prorogation. The colonies may well congratulate themselves on the strides that were made during 1902 towards completing the links of cable and steam communication that bind them together. The complete laying of the Pacific cable was carried out with the greatest expedition. It connects Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Fanning Island and Vancouver, thus giving a direct and all-Bri-tish communication with England. The Cape-Australia cable is also completed. Direct steam services have been arranged between Canada and South Africa, New Zealand and South Africa, Australia and South Africa, and Canada and Australia. Agreements have been made for rights for the whole length of the Cape-to-Cairo railway; and the Uganda and Capetown-Beira railways have been opened. Another remarkable advance is that made in telegraphy by electric waves by Signor Marconi, who has now established communication between the old world and the new. He has also demonstrated that his messages cannot be intercepted.

The Australian Commonwealth has had an uneventful year. On the first of January the Methodist Churches united. During the year new Governors were appointed as follows: —Queensland, Sir Herbert Chermside; New South Wales, Sir Harry Rawson; Victoria, Sir G. fci. Clarke; Fiji, Sir H. M. Jackson. In May Lord Hopetoun resigned the Gove-nor-Generalship and the position was assumed by Lord Tennyson, Governor of South Australia. * The Government of New Guinea was handed over to Australia, and hatches of colonists left the Commonwealth to settle in the New Hebrides. New Ministries were formed in Western Australia and Victoria. The federal tariff was concluded on July 25th. Shearing strikes and riots occurred in New South Wales, and lasted for more than iwmonth, breaking down on September 12th. A drought throughout New South Wales caused great loss and suffering and reduction of stock. It broke up early in December.