TOPICS OF THE DAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4300, 8 March 1901, Page 5

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

PUTTING ON THE BRAKE. Thu Wanganui •‘Chronicle” says:—“As a community wc have, in common with the rest of the Empire, been perhaps just a little hysterical over recent events. Certainly there appears to be a growing feeling in favour of sobering down and resuming, with some degree of regularity, the even tenor of cur way. As ono well-known citizen was heard to express it the ether day, ‘Wo have been indulging in a prolonged Imperial festival, and it is time that wo dropped the feasting and the fireworks and paid a little attention to the material affairs of life,’” The i'.ketahuna “Express’ takes up the refrain in the following terms:—“This colony has done its duty so far as tho South African campaign is concerned. It has responded nobly to the call for help. Its people have sacrificed time and business and money to maintain their reputation for patriotism. But the thing has gone far enough. People ard beginning to sicken on it. They want a rest,, and the sooner the Government of New Zealand follows the example set by Governments of sister colonies and politely declines to give further assistance to those who can well afford to assist themselves, the bettor will it bo for all concerned.’'

“ THE PIG INDUSTRY.” By some quaint chance it fell out that Mr A. W. Hogg, M.H.R., was called upon to propose the toast of “The Pig Industry” at the Mild Cure Bacon Company’s dinner at VVcodville on Wednesday. The member for Masterton, as is usual with him, rose right up to the occasion. “This is,” he said, “the first bacon factory I have ever visited, and it has pleased me greatly to observe the uncomplaining and philosophical manner in which a largo and important section of our population is laying down its life for tho benefit of humanity. (Laughter). Hundreds of cur young men have recently gone in for a pig-hunting expedition. They have loft New Zealand for the purpose of killing a few Boers at the other end of tho world. (Loud laughter). Their sacrifice is entirely voluntary, an,d here, too, we have a large number of true martyrs prepared to sacrifice their lives in a voluntary way for the sake of the settlers around them. (Applause and laughter). And, too, have we no tribute on an occasion of this kind for Captain Cook and the good work that ho did? (Laughter;. Ho has done more to Christianise New Zealand, and to improve the Maoris, and to change their (mbits than all the missionaries that ever wore sent here. (Great laughter). What was the effect of this man’s philanthropic work? Was it not to give the natives of this colony new tastes, new desires, and new ambitions? Was it not to civilise their palates, so that they learned to prefer roast pork to baked missionary, and lias not the effect of that been to save a large number of valuable human lives? (Yells, and cries of “ Moropork.’’) You may say what you like about it, bub the pig industry has been the salvation of humbers of our settlers, who would have starved many a time but for that. . . . I went to a show some years ago, and I found there a young man in charge of a boiler working a cream separator. He showed me its points, and explained how it would not only work the separator, but how it would boil up food products for stock as well. He said to me; ‘See, now, mister, if you was goin’ in fer rearin’ hogs—!’ (Great laughter). ‘My boy,’ I replied, T have been doing that for years past.’ (Shrieks of laughter). And, do you know, I could not get away from him for about half an hour, he was so anxious* for rue to buy cue of his machines—(renewed laughter 1 and applause) —he was so anxious to show me how I could feed my pigs and scald them through the instrumentality of that neat little invention of his.” (Applause).,

THE WIDENING OF ADELAIDE ROAD. The city authorities have a difficult task before them in widening Adelaide road. Some .of the owners of ,property have been fair and reasonable in their demands for compensation, but .others, according to the Mayor, aro very unfair and unreasonable, and these are keeping the negotiations back. The principal trouble is found, of course, at the Caledonian Hotel end of the road, where the congestion of property is thickest. It is for this reason, says Mr Aitken, that the City Council has started the work of widening at the upper end, the facilities being far easier there than on tho side nearer the city. In reply to Councillors Winder and Townsemi, who protested last night, at the City Council meeting, against the delay at the . Caledonian Hotel end. the Mayor gave this explanation 'of the difficulty, and said that when a large number of claims for compensation had to be dealt with, progress was naturally slow.