TOPICS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4297, 5 March 1901, Page 5

TOPICS OF THE DAY

11 LOYALTY.”

Under the above bending the “Wnirarapa Daily Times” comments mill onally on tlio craze for holiday-making and money-spending which has obtained oi late, and says:—-''Each several and distinct holiday which they proclaim costs the colony fifty thousand pounds at the very least; and there ’s an obvious limit to the number which ■Slew Zealand can afford to observe. This consideration is, however, one that does not appear to appeal to toe powers that Uc. It costs Ministers _of the Crown nothing to proclaim holidays, for their own emoluments are not affected •by festival days ; but the business men of the colony suffer irofu them iuul til" timatoly the workers, because the effect of them is to deplenish the wage fund of the colony. Formerly, in New Zealand, the man who wanted to get on found it necessary to work long hours and to eschew holidays. The _ opposite policy is now the vogue, but it is one that cannot last. The approaching visit of the Duke and Duchess of York is likely to cost this colony an enormous sum of money. The Government will spare no expense, and its example will bo followed by municipalities and private persons. We are being taught that vulgar display is the measure of our loyalty. It is no use to counsel moderation, for the people are imbued with the reckless spirit which animates their rulers. Our distinguished visitors would probably prefer ccuiet cordiality to ostentatious welcomes —but they will have no option. Our wealth and nur resources must be forced upon their notice. Let ns hope that they may be spared our oratory. When wo lost our late Queen many, women in this colony shed tears; and many men, indifferent to glaring emblems of outward mourning, were sad enough at heart. Purseloyalty and lip-loyalty were poor substitutes for the silent and reverential sense of loss to the Empire, which was the highest tribute of lotaity winch could ho offered on that momentous occasion. When the- Dnko and Duchess of York arrive amongst us. they iv ill come in mourning garb; and they will still be under the shadow of the great personal sorrow which has recently befallen them. In our reception of them, there should bo as much simplicity and moderation as may be possible! The occasion will not be one for lavish ostentation.”

NEW ZEALAND SLANDERED

Tho “Imperial and Colonial Magazine' for January last, commenting on the recent speech of the Governor of Fiji, says : —Could anything bo more utterly unworthy of the position of the Queen's representative than such an outrageous attempt to inflame the passion of the Fijian natives against nuropcan rule? For that is what it amounts to. Nor could any libel upon a whole community be more scandalous than tho allegation that tho New Zealand colonists had “robbed tho Maoris of their lands.” Everybody who knows anything at all about New Zealand is well awaro that such a statement is absolutely false; that the native lauds have been most carefully conserved and administered for tho benefit of tho Maori race, who are perhaps the most prosperous people, taking them as a whole, that are to bo found anywhere. , If the Fijian Governor did not know this, he must bo grossly ignorant. If he did know it, then the untruthfulness of his assertion must have boon wilful and deliberate. Ho has to choose between those two alternatives. It is satisfactory to soe that the New Zealand premier has made 4*l indignant protest to the Colonial Office against this flagrant slander of a loyal British community. Mr Seddon is entirely justified in condemning Sir George O’Brien’s

waaxtsmarr* spc. 'j 1 1 against the federation of Fiji with Mew Zealand as “offensive, insulting, and untruthful/’ and m demanding that Jto hould prove his statements or retract and apologise. And ho is quite rialc: in thinking it possible that forcim nations may use Sir George Cm/en’s utterances to prejudice the interests of the Empire in the Pacific. Tim Colonial Office will bo gravely want;ji.. ;:i its duty ;f it does not takepiompt aiid severe notice of its official’s conduct. i MU SEDDON AND A'/ ; I , FEDERATION, j Writing on this subject, tiie “Imperial j and ' -oionial Magazine” says ; —“lt is ra. timr droll to obscivo that Australia is gradually becoming awake to the true inwardness of Mr Soddon’s attitude toward Australian federation, which was point rd out by a contributor to this mag .tone in its first number. The Sydney correspondent of a London daily I paper writes; —“Mr Seddon, Premier oi New Zealand, announces renewed opposition to federation in its present aspect, though he maintains his intention to an iciut a Commission of inquiry. His charge of attitude qauses disappointment in Australia, whore Mr Se eld onto action is regarded with graver anxiety owin'; to his present efforts to establish ciosr r relations with the Cape, and his offer of a subsidy for a regular line of big steamers capable of entering all import.'::’/ South African harbours. It is teare d that New Zealand will be another Newfoundland, outside the federation. Mr Seddon, when visiting Sydney for the i lauguration ceremony, toll receive strong representations on the subject.’ There is no harm in the Sydney people 'representing’ as strongly as ever they like. But they might spare themselves the trouble. New Zealand will never consent to be governed from Australia, auv more than will Britain agree to be governed from Paris, or Berlin .or Washington. Mr Seddon may appoint Royal Commissions by the dozen, but that Is merely to amuse those of his followcolornsts who, for some occult reason, desire that New Zealand should become a dependency of Australia. But nothing will come of it. New Zealand’s mission is to lead a South Pacific Federation, not to hang on to the skirts of a contincut twelve hundred miles away” From the foregoing it is plain that New Zealand ; ntiment is more accurately gauged in London than iris in Australia.

PREVENTION' OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS. At meeting of tha committee of the Sonic .7 for the Prevention of Cruelty to Ar.im Ts, held yesterday, there were present. —Messrs J. S. Jameson (chairman), W, Watson, J. Ilott, M. W. Richmond and E. Mace, Mrs Adams, Miss Lorimor and Rev H. Van Stavcren. In reporting on convictions obtained in the Magistrate's Court since, the last meeting, the inspector (Mr Seed) mentioned ’ that the Beach had remarked that die society was doing good work in tho city. Mr Seed also said that his report for the past fortnight was the shortest that he had had to make since ho occupied the position, due, no doubt, to recent convictions which had been obtained against persons for cruelty to suiimeM, and the publicity given to them by tha newspapers. A discussion took place as to the practice of tying tho legs of sheep, lambs, pigs and calves while they were in transit, and it was mentioned that an information against two parsons for having done this in certain circumstances, which were specified, was to be heard in tho Magistrate's Court on the Bth instant. It was decided to make inquiries in regard to old horses said to be straying at the Upper Hurt. The collections for the past fortnight amounted to £6 16s 6d, made up as fohows:—Mrs W. R. Williams, £1 Is, Tuajor-General Schaw, £1; Messrs M. W. Richmond, D. Anderson and George alee, 10s 6d each; Dr Cahill, 10s; Mrs Rogers, 6s; Rev T. H. Sprott, os 6d; Rev W. L. Salter, Messrs R. C. Kirk, T. Rose, J. P. Campbell and W. M. H.mnay, Ss each; and Jos in smaller ■sums. The secretary (Mr E. Shaw), said ho li.'.d unofficially written to the R.S.r.A. in England for a number,of slide.-, for the purpose of giving lantern exhibitions during the coming winter. Tho exhibitions would be partly for the education of children. A few of the slides would illustrate the structure of a horse's hoof aiul kindred matters. Others would exemplify the results of kindness to animals. If was reported by Mr Mace that Messrs Cook and Gray

had told out to Messrs Beudall and Blaokburne, who were willing to allow the society to continue to use one of tho rooms in the firm’s offices for its meetings. A vote of thanks was accorded to Messrs Cook and Gray for the accommodation which they had so gem erouiiy granted since 1896, and one to Messrs Bendall and Blackburne for their kind offer.