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New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 9276, 23 April 1891, Page 2

Nobody to blame ; but don’t do it again ! That practically is the true interpretation of the verdict of the jury which on Tuesday closed the inquest into the fatal gun cotton disaster at Shelly Bay. Two lives have been lost, and after a long and unnecessarily protracted inquisition, this in effect is the verdict. Parenthetically it may be observed here, touching the proceedings before the Coroner, that that gentleman was subjected to severe trial of temper, and it may be a question in ethics as to whether he would not have acted wisely in purposely losing his temper and so preventing a repetition of a process of altercation which, when continued does not redound to the credit of Court practice, and the true meaning of counsels’ license. That, however, is by the way. Regarding the verdict itself, apart from the riders, the jury arrived at a conclusion “ that there was not sufficient direct evidence for them to say what caused the explosion.” Had they stopped there they would at least have been expressing an opinion which, right or wrong, was not contradicted by any other part of the verdict itself. But when they gave their “ reasons ” (for the riders are presumedly reasons) they rather contradict themselves, inasmuch as the riders clearly point to the causes which produced the explosion. They state that the method practised at Shelly Bay in the manufacture of primers “ is obsolete, and should be discontinued,” that tbo canister used was of an improper kind or pattern ; and that officers commanding torpedo corps should be instructed by the proper authorities “to strictly adhere, as far as practicable, to the rules issued by the War Office for use in the Imperial Service.” If this is not pointing directly to the primal cause of the disaster, there is little meaning and less logic in the language. The two riders quoted from simply go to prove the existence of a dangerous method of working—a method employed in the teeth of official instructions, of common sense, and as was stated in these columns at the time, replete with over-present danger. One ot the witnesses was Mr Hulke, of Newtown, who is well acquainted with chemical action, and is himself an able and practical chemist, and mechanician also. Id is well and easy for him tosaythathe could solder with ordinary solder tin canisters charged with gun cotton, and containing a layer of ashes ; and that this could bo done “without danger.” No doubt some persons could do this. Mr Hulke, with his practical knowledge and judicious carefulness could do it scores, probably hundreds of times. Put there is always the risk ; and one careless person, accustomed to the work having run the risk until its familiarity and his impunity have made him reckless, and unthinking as so many are—makes a mistake one morning, and then—disaster dire. Why do workers in powder mills wear list slippers, eschew possession of matches, and carry no steel articles about their persons ? Surely the reason is obvious. A man may sit on a powder barrel smoking a cigar and escape an explosion, but the rules and orders are directly opposed to such I performances, just as are the rules anti regulations of the War Office in dealing with explosives. Had the rules been “strictly adhered to” in dealing with the torpedoes in Sydney harbour the other day, there would have been no such distressful occurrence as that which so shocked the throng of onlookers. It was an “ accident,” people say ; perhaps so, though some stern realists declare that there are no such things as accidents, because the so-called accidents are results of disregarding the natural laws, from which we can never flee. It is unnecessary to discuss the matter further at present. Wo await with interest the report of the official Commission.

Iris well known that for many years past Canada has been holding out various attractive inducements to immigrants from the Home country. Hitherto there has been a free grant of 160 acres of fertile laud offered by the Government of Canada to any male adult of 18 years and upward in the Manitoba and the Northwest Territories. Land also has been offered in British Columbia at a low and almost nominal price, and on what are described as “ easy terms ” of payment. In addition to these standing advantages valuable monetary attractions are now offered, in the shape of bonuses to settlers and their families hailing from the United Kingdom, provided they take up such land as above mentioned within six months of their arrival in the Dominion. The bonuses are of substantial value to a working immigrant and his family, as the figures will show. Thus, the head of a family gets a bonus of 15 dollars (L 3 Is 8d), the wife and each adult member of the family (that is everyone over 12 years), 7 dollars 50 cents (LI 10s lOd), and a further sum of LI 10s lOd is given to every adult member of the family over 18 years old taking up land. The Canadian Minister of Agriculture notifies that these terms will continue until further notice, and the High Commissioner for Canada, residing in London,is referred to for further information. ;! Manitoba, though suffering from a long winter, has a rapid and warm summer ; the land is fruitful ; and the distance from England, as compared with the Colonies on this side the world, is trivial. But here, although we can offer no money bonuses, we are blessed with a climate which delights every observant visitor, and we have still large tracts of land which wait for the woodman’s axe and the ploughshare of the husbandman. If means were taken to attract immigrants from the cold regions of the Canadas, by an interchange of products and otherwise, many stalwart fellows who now cross the boundary and migrate to the States, would greatly prefer to cast in their lot among the colonists of New Zealand. Something in this direction was attempted by Sir Robert Stout when he was Premier, but there was an objection raised by Sir Julius, Vogel, then Agent-General, who considered it inadvisable, if not wholly improper, to attempt to " ile away settlers or their sons from another Colony. The objection was as ultra-sentimental as it was illogical and futile, for it did not prevent the migrating Canadians from going to the States, which they do in thousands every year ; but it did prevent their being attracted to a sister colony where cattle and horses and sheep can live outside all the year round and get their own food ; and where outdoor work is never interfered with by the long and dreary months of a snow-clad winter. Why should not the negotiations for establishing trading and personal relations be reopened at the stage where Sir Robert Stout left them ? It must not be forgotten that while immigrants from Home are attracted to Canada by the terms above narrated, there are, as we have said, thousands of the sons of the Dominion who leave her borders. Why should not these wanderers come hither ?

The African cable news gives us the details of a complication which the mail papers enable us to understand. It is an alarming complication. The Portuguese, according to this story, have arranged with the Boers to give them .the country which is claimed by the South African Company. The Boers, if they get possession, will simply carry the Northern boundary of the Transvaal Republic up through Manica to the Zambesi River, having on one side the thin streak of Portuguese territory, and on the other the country of the Matabela and Meshoimland. This is the country now claimed in London by Mr Cecil Rhodes on behalf of his Company. His version of the Company's claim is that when Lord Salisbury’s first arrangement (that which was rejected by Portugal last year) was offered

to the Cortes, the Company found that the Portuguese were not in Mashonaland or in Manica at ail. The representatives negotiated with Mutassa, the Chief of Mashonaland and Mauica, and secured from him a great deal more country than the arrangement of Lord Salisbury proposed to give them. It was fortunate for them that the arrangement was rejected. After the rejection Portugal sent to Gungunhama the Suzerain of Mutassa, and tried to arrange for the possession of the country- given by his vassal to the Company. Colonel Andrade’s mission to Mutassa was part of that arrangement. He went up to force Mutassa to yield, and was foiled, as everybody knows. The present proposal of Lord Salisbury stipulates for a boundary from the Zambesi southward along the 33rd parallel, which will give the Company the plateau of high land, leaving to the Portuguese their thin belt along the coast, thus recognising the Company’s right to the Manica Country, which it has acquired from Gungunhama. The great difficulty anticipated by Mr Rhodes, at whose suggestion this offer has been made, was that Portugal might call Prance to her aid by cession of territory. Portugal appears to have called on the Boers instead. The danger of war with the Transvaal Republic is thus brought within measurable distance, at the same time that the Portuguese are stopping the British steamers on the Pungwe, the river giving access to Manica and Mashonaland. The Company, Mr Rhodes told Lord Salisbury, would respect any decision that Downing street might come to. But he said the diggers would not ; and they would bring about complications, tbo end of which no man could foresee. The Portuguese have saved the Company from the dilemma by attacking their vessels and inciting the Boers to occupy their newlyacquired territory. The Company have a powerful well - appointed force in the “land of Ophir”—bettor than anything that either Boers or Portuguese can bring against them. Lord Randolph Churchill is on his way out, we observe. He may have a chance of developing into another Marlborough.

The expulsion of Jews from Russia and the intention of wealthy members of their race to settle the refugees in Argentina make between them a wonderful probability. To Argentina the benefit offered is considerable. Not like that contemplated by the man who, having borrowed from all the Hebrews in London, welcomed the news that more were arriving from Poland, on the ground that the area of borrowing would bo enlarged. Argentina wants to enlarge the borrowing area very much, but the only thing that gets larger at present is the amount required by capitalists for underwriting Argentine losses. The settlement of a large, clever, thrifty, and organised population would bo a greater help than any possible kind of Joan. The Jews of Russia may be ignorant of many things ; the wonder is that under the stress of Russian laws they know anything at all. Once landed in Argentina they may be trusted to very soon pick up all the knowledge and skill required to make them producers. It is possible that they may become as famous one day as the Jesuits who changed the face of nature and the nature of man in those parts after the Spanish conquest. To import human beings is the best policy for an empty fertile country. Argentina unlike many more “ enlightened ” countries believes in that policy, and will one day therefore be great among the nations. The good people who drew up that memorial at the Mansion House, wanted to get for these Russian Jews the advantages in their own country which they are sure of elsewhere. But the Czar being inaccessible to petition for mercy, sent the memorial back through the Foreign Office. It is a pity that Lord Salisbury did not return it with a curt intimation to His Majesty that the post office which took him the document was open to him for its return. That would have been spirited and manly. His allowing the Foreign Office to become the vehicle of a snub from a Foreign Potentate to some of the best of the Queen of England’s subjects, is one of the meekest exhibitions of weakness any English Minister has given during the century.

On the subject of ocean penny postage, to ■which allusion was made in these columns the other day, we observe that the 'British Postmaster-General declares that the establishment of a penny postage from England to the colonies and India would involve an additional loss to the postal revenue of L 75,000 per annum. Well, if it did, what then ! What is L 75.000 a year? The Post Office produced a revenue in 1889-90 amounting to L 9,450,000 ; the expenditure is set down at L 5.463.205, to which has to be added L 664,000 for packet service, making L 6,127,205. Or, if we take the two branches, Postal and Telegraphs, which latter branch yields a gross revenue of L 2,320,000, and costs in expenditure for working and maintenance L 2,176,000, wo have a gross income from both amounting to E 11,870,000, against an expenditure of L 7,639,205, showing a balance to credit of L 4,230,795. Those are the figures given in the latest available returns ; and what is L 75.000 itp face of such sums? Only the merest trifle, and more especially trivial when consider the great advantage which would ensue were the desirable object accomplished. In truth England might safeW agree to make the so-called loss LIOO,OOO, and include the States also, provided of course that Power would reciprocate. It is gratifying to find that the question is being kept “ steadily in view,” and more! If our Postmaster-General can induce his colleagues to take the initiative it will bo a feather in the cap of New Zealand.