TOPICS OF THE DAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4565, 17 January 1902, Page 5

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

TO-DAY’S MEETING. Complete arrangements have boon made for the mooting of protest against recent foreign libels on British and coioiiictl troops is to bo held in the Theatre Royal to-day. His Worship the Mayor will preside, and deliver an opening address. . The main resolution will bo proposed ' by Mr John Duthie, and seconded by Mr R. C. Bruce, who has come down from Rangitikei - for the purpose. The resolution will probablv be an endorsement of the action of tho Imperial Government in regard to the South African war, and will express pleasure at the able refutation by Abo Right Hon Joseph Chamberlain of the slanderous attacks made on tho Imperial forces in South Africa by tho newspapers and representatives of foreign Powers. Tho second motion will probably bo_ to tho effect that a copy of the resolution bo transmitted to the Secretary of State for the Colonies by the Right Hon the Premier. The Premier and Sir Robert Stout will speak at the mooting. It is possible that a third motion will be proposed, and transmitted to Mr Chamberlain direct. In order to enable those who desire to do so to attend the mooting, tho Mayor, in another column, officially invites tho local business people to close their premises for an hour, and the Premier has promised that work shall bo suspended at the Government Buildings for that time. The Theatre Royal has been generously placed at the disposal of tho Citizens’ Committee by Mr Dix, who has also promised to allow his orchestra to be .present to play patriotic and other airs before and after tho meeting. THE MORE MEN FUND. It is with deep regret (writes “G.E.A.”) that I read in tho “New Zealand Times ” that tho committee of tho More Men Fund has decided to expend a largo part of its surplus in providing a “ send-off ” for this contingent. I fear that further protest is useless. But I must point out once again that tho undoubted object of the subscribers was to increase the number and efficiency of the troops contributed by our colony with tho object of bringing to a satisfactory conclusion our war in South Africa. Any method of expenditure would bo legitimate which would add to those numbers or that efficiency. Any other method must bo held to be improper, and contrary to the wishes of the subscribers.. I hope that tho committee has realised that its original intention of diverting the funds for the erection of a statue to our Into beloved Queen could in no way bo held to contribute towards tho termination of the war. But it would ho interesting to know by what process of reasoning it has now arrived at the conclusion that a “ send-off,” consisting of a luncheon and speeches, both, no doubt, of a temporarily stimulating character, can render our Eighth Contingent any more efficient in the field. Surely my original suggestion to expend the funds either on field-glasses for the officers or comforts for the men in the field, or in

some way approved by our military authorities. and tending directly towards efficiency, would have been more in consonance’with the intentions of the subs'fibers.