A DISTRACTED NATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXX, Issue 3784, 5 July 1899, Page 5

A DISTRACTED NATION.

It is well that the Italian Chamber of Deputies has been prorogued for some months. The spectacle of representatives of a free people fighting in the Chamber is a disgrace to Italy herself and a mortification to her friends abroad. H-r affairs have been critical for some years. Her defeat in Abyssinia in 1896 shattered the hopes of her army. The repulse and bungling over the acquisition of Sanmun Bay in China was hurtful to her prestige. Italy’s ambition to play a part in Africa and the Far East was beyond her resources and her power. Some of her statesmen became deeply conscious tlui' many “incidental and collateral causes” were operating to destroy the con(idei: >; of the people in their ability to navigicc the ship of State through the shoals and quicksands that seemed to have dove! ip j-.l in her course. The completion of ibr trade treaty between France and Italy was gratifying to the mercantile population in King Humbert’s dominions; but t..e cordial relations thus engendered l.avi been dissipated recently by the conduct of France with regard to the hinterland of Tripoli. Notwithstanding the assurances of Franco that Italy’s interests would bo respected in that region, in'iedigenee by the last European mail sla-‘er that the Italian colony in Biscrta and Tunis noticed with mortification tlv.t while Admiral Fournier was complimenting King Humbert off Cagliari, M. Krantz, the late French Minister of War, was inaugurating a monument to M. Ferry in Biscrta, and delivering a speech thai could only be interpreted as a provocation to the Italians. The Freucu are displaying feverish military activity ai that place, and the Italian War Office views tho situation with no slignt alarm. Worried and annoyed abroad, Italy is rent by the intrigues of rapacious politicians at home. Her people are ground down by a system of taxation that was inaugurated to maintain and prosecute an adventurous foreign policy which Signor Crispi had evolved. But a burdened people have had enough of heroics. Evtn General Pclloux’s Cabinet was jeopardised by its policy of expansion and tlu- intrig, ning of tho Marquis di It ml ini. Thai policy was modified on the rceo.istniei 10 i of the Cabinet two months ago, : ml tho aim of Italy in regard to China is now reduced to one of pure commercialism, while the policy of military expansion and adventure in foreign parts has been absolutely disavowed. But that has not been sufficient to stem tho tide of distrust that has sot in against tho Government of this distracted State, and the internal condition of Italy must bo improved before there can be peace within her borders and good order among her ■’Counsellors. What is tho use of Italy aiming at being a grand nation, when hei people are in economic straits, and her treasury is depleted? Italy attracts British sympathy, for if strengthened within herself she might prove to Great Britain a valuable ally, as she has shown herself hitherto a good friend. . But while Britain would willingly, help ,her abroad, only Italy herself can reform and adjust her domestic affairs. For a time Italy must abandon her notion of playing a pari in the adventurous game of the Great Powers. Her statesmen, if they-are to avert the outbreaking of social disorders and the open display of revolutionary discontent, must devote all their wit and energy to ameliorating tho economic conditions of the people. Harrowing accounts have been given of the poverty and distress prevailing among tho Italian peasantry, and this condition can only be remedied, as Signor Giolitti has recognised, by relieving the peasantry of the taxation that now makes their lives unbearable. A proroguing of Parliament for five months will certainly put an end to the rioting among the Deputies; and if' it gives the Polloux Ministry time 1c formulate a policy for promoting such domestic legislation as will Jnako for the betterment of the mass'of the Italian people, the “fighting around the voting urns” will not have been without good result. NOTE AND COMMENT. The balance-sheet of the Bank of New. Zealand for the past year, which is fully commented upon in 'our “Finance and Trade” column, is very gratifying reading to every patriotic New Zealander- It. is a testimony to tho general prosperity and financial soundness of tho country when its chief banking institution mam::, a not profit, of nearly £200,000 a year, and is able to apply £93,920 towards the “writing off” of dead assets which past mismanagement left on its hands. These splendid results form a complete answer to those pessimists who foretold that the State connection would mean rum to the' bank. State control has. on the contrary, been the salvation of the concern, and has enabled its extensive business to be so managed as to yield larger profits and to establish tho institution on a sounder basis. Not all the malicious or ill-advised statements of partisan poli-, ticians have been able to injure the bunk, and it stands to-day an’ eloquent tribute to tho principle of State hanking. Wo say nothing of tho more or less visionary schemes based upon-the idea of a paper currency, with only the State guarantee . behind it; but we repeat that the Bank of Now Zealand affords absolute demonstration that banking on existing lines can be as well managed by the Government as institutions like tho Pul-I.c Trvsi Office and the Government Insurance and Advances to Settlers ■ Departments.' The directors and officials of the bank are to be warmly congratulated upon the results achieved.

Mr Commissioner Tunbridge’s report on the police force of tho colony, just presented to Parliament, is an able arid well-arranged document, and deserves to receive careful consideration from members of the House. Instead of that, members, who probably had not seen the report, wasted three hours or so in aimless talk regarding the Police Commission of a year ago. Tho Premier, who appears afterwards to have repented of his action in placing the report before members at that stage, might well take a hint from the incident, with a view to ensuring bettor procedure in future. It would bo well to have all departmental reports circulated among members before they are finally laid on the table, so that on their presentation legislators might bo in a position to discuss their contents. As things are managed at present, the only opportunity of debating matters arising out of these reports is when the particular departmental vote on the Estimates is under consideration; and then, as there is usually a feverish desire to close the session, members do not get a hearing when they ventilate grievances or make suggestions. There

are a number of points of great importance raised in the police report, and it is safe to say that Parliament will have no adequate opportunity of discussing thorn this session. ’

Perhaps the most interesting parts of the police report are those in which the Commissioner deals with drunkenness, the liquor traffic, and offences against women and children. The increase of drunkenness that-is proved to have taken place in 1898 may be cited as a. proof of the futility of political agitation as a means of inducing more temperate habits. From the social reformer's point of view it is deplorable that money and energy should bo wasted year after year in vain and uncharitable denunciations, when hy educational and suasive agencies so much good might have been effected. The assertion of Mr Tunbridge to at Wellington is “tho most intemperate of the four principal cities” is not necessarily proved by tho figures which he quotes. It would he more in accordance with fact and probability to conclude that the Wellington police are more zealous in the discharge of their duty than those of other cities. The fact that fifty-four inlormations were during last year laid against Wellington publicans for alleged breaches of tho law, and that only seven convictions followed, might have suggested to the Commissioner the solution wo have, offered, as it is to be noted that nowhere else was there the same disproportion between informations and convictions. In anotner matter Mr Tunbridge seems to make wrong deductions from figures. He enlarges on the extreme difficulty of obtaining evidence against sly-grog sellers, on acount of public sympathy being invariably with the offenders—a statement tnat is, by the way, rather rough on the Clutha prohibitionists ; but it is worthy of note that while out of tho total number of charges of sly-grog .selling,.more was failure to convict in one-third of the cases, the failures in prosecutions-against publicans amounted to nearly two-thirds of the total. Other features of the report must stand over till a future opportunity for comment presents itself.

A recent shipment of stud sheep from the principal flocks of New Zealand breeders to the order of Sir Rupert Clarke, of Victoria,' Is favourably commented on by the Melbourne “Age.” That journal states that -the sheep, which arrived in the'Monowai on her recent trip, wore selected personally by Mr Robert Clarke, manager of Sir Rupert’s Belinda Vale e&'tate. 'Prom Mr E. Menlovo, of Windsor Park, Oamaru, Mr Clarke obtained five English Leicester ewes in lamb, at 5 guineas each, and one special stud . ram at 10 guineas. He also selected from Mr E. Grant, of Willowbank, 'Temuka, five English Leicester owes" in lamb, at 9 guineas each, and one : Special stud ram at 25,guineas. Two special stud rams were also procured from the same owner for Dr Atkinson, of Ravens wood, at 25 guineas each. • All these sheep are entered in the “New Zealand Flock Book.” The prices' obtained- are considered exceptionally high for English Lcicosters The., sheep -were - well cared for on the voyage across,' and reached their destination in splendid condition. That such selections should bo made-fldm , the -flocks of this colony is "an admirable testimony -to the merit of the sheep, and a’fine compliment to the, skill and care of Now Zealand’s breeders.- ’ ■