PASSING EVENTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 5199, 13 February 1904, Page 10

PASSING EVENTS.

(From tho ‘‘New Zealand Mail. ) Hi.'-tory is philosophy teaching by examl'lus - —Tluicy(li<lf>3. 'J'lic cmifercm.-c of otlucational «-3qwrt-.i h.w condmlcd iti dclil.cmtion,, upon now syllabus, ami on. tbc- v.'liifia tt, 'vi.l bo admitted that the conclusions ni.il dcvWkm-’) of inspector# ami tc-ac-ucrs "will pi'ovt* biniclic-ia.l to tbo duct of our public schools, Jt has freqncntlv oec-iiiTCil to us that the- people of Now Zealand aro not milJicicntly alert to the educational interests of their children, nor as cag.v to obtain for them the iiUr.ost i.en hls compl“fo tdncaiiou confers. Hav-jug established a ••five compulsory ami socujar” system of i eiiua.l ion. by Act of .I’ariiaineut. U-.o jxiblio 'is apparently content to allow' tir.* “experts” to attend to tlio work of ecb-.c.it.iug tho children aeccrduii; to tho inetliodi they dt-lc-mimo to approve.. V, ; Ji.-.t.i.*ver interest the parents and guiiraiaus of cinidt'eii -bake in education in fitful and unsatisfactory, and it is to (lie credit of the teaching profession, that despite tho lack of interest on trim part of tho people generally, so much has bccat uccomplishwl in bringing tho crincatiou system of New Zealand into hiixo with tho most approved methods. Much yet lias to bo accomplished. Our education system is not perfect. Its defects are being discovered and remedied and aithough thcro is some differences of opinion with regard to what i« best in tho interests of sound education. —tho debates at tiio inspector;- conforenco have niudo this mimilost—yet there is only ono object in view,.namely, tho hottormont of the system and tho engrafting upon it of the best educational practices. Those who have given any attention to educational matters will have come to tho conclusion that tho conference cf 'inspectors should ■have boon hold before the new syllabus was put into operation; still, there are some grounds for tho contention that it is only after a new piece of machinery is in operation that its defects can be discovered and the more easily adjusted. When touching on this subject wo may observe that the institution of national scholarships is likely to act as a capacity catching machine, and Irani the recent examinations it is plain that many lads will, under it, bo enabled to secure the advantages of a secondary education who otherwise would have missed tho privileges and subsequent opportunities the scouring of national scholarship will afford. In this way the best tho State baa to offer will bo obtained by the motsb deserving; and should it bo shown that those scholarships aromroving ficial to tho participants then tho Minister for Education will bo encouraged to stttl further widen tho door of secondary schools, so that in the end education may not only bo froo and compulsory up to tho a.ge of fourteen, but free at least to those who would avail themselves of it tip to tho ago of eighteen. Notwithstanding tho distinctions that tho possession of wealth and tho want of it creates among men, there should in this democratic country bo equality of opportunities in the matter of education to all classes of people. The national scholarship is a step in tho night direction. Our secondary schools aro in danger of becoming class institutions, and there is no reason why tho Stato should not make an extension of tho application of “free” to tho sbeontfcry schools. So much depends upon tho efficiency of our education system and upon the. completeness of the training of our children for the work and business of life, that Now Zealand as a young country cannot afford to neglect the thorough education of its -j'oung people. National sentiment anlr opinion on thlis point ought to be quickened to a warmer support of those who are doing the country’s educational work.

Tho -war cloud still hang? like a pall over tho Far East. It may break at any moment. Both Russia and Japan seem •to bo waiting and watching each other for a favourable opportunity to strike. Tho time limit for Rustsia’a acceptance of Japan’s “irreducible minimum” lias expired, and the little brown man, before striking, is now awaiting* it would Boom, an open act of hostility on tho part of Russia. Meanwhile tho utmost ' preparation is being made for actual conflict by both probable contestants. This week wo learn of a further movement in tho Russian fleet towards tho Far Ehsfc. Armoured ships, transports aud destroyers belonging to Russia and stationed in tho Black Sea aro making their ■way by way of Suez to tho waters around Korea. Tho reserves of tho RusEdan Pacific Squadron have been commissioned, and tho Czar’s Government has chattered as many as eighteen foreign steamers to convey coal and munitions of war from Odessa to Port‘Arthur. It would appear, too, that Riuri sin hni already begun to occupy strategical positions along the Yalu river and the boundaries of Manchuria and Korea. Indeed, we beffiovo many Russians have already penetrated Korea, having been invited tluwc, it is alleged, by the Korean Government. Japan is not umvatohful of tho movements of Russia. ” She homalf has despatched hundreds of 1 troops to the capital of Korea, where they in disgufoo await a given signal to . assume their true personality as soldiers of Japan and occupy Seoul against Rus- ■ • si an invaders. It was Russia’s design, too, to land troops at Choumpho, some five and twenty miles from tho Korean capital, but this movement was apparently frustrated by the lighting of a largo Japanese fleet off Wai-hai-wei. Surely, actual fighting cannot ho much longer delayed. Any further delay is now desired merely for the purpose of gaining time, aud hostilities may bo in actual operation as wo write. A war between Russia and Japan will not, unless it involves other Powers, settle tho Far Eastern question. It may happen, however, that both Franco and

England will bo brought into tho rupture. Tho former is the active ally of Russia in tho event of China taking up arms to assist Japan against tho Muscovite; and in such a contingency Eng-

land would bo compelled to help Japan and maintain her prestige in the Far East. . It is difficult to imagine a conflict of that kind without America ranging herself on the side of Japan’s allies; but it is possible tlio Powers may come to an understanding to let Russia and Japan fight and afterwards effect ’Erich a settlement as would exclude Russia from Korea, and place her, as far as Manchuria is concerned, on the same footing as any other nation. The British Foreign Office has frequently made representations to Russia with regard to her delay in evacuating Manchuria in terms of the treaty which expired last October. Her continued occupation of Manchuria is a menace not only to Korea, but to Britain’s trade and influence in China itself; and if there is to be no evacuation of Manchuria by Russia the Chinese will as a nation he disgusted with America and Great Britain for insisting upon an evacuation.

they were unable or afraid to enforce, in spito of the:-:.3 considerations it is quite possible that Japan, Groat Britain and America fully understand one another. As Sir, Joseph Ward observed the other day, it is to the interest of New Zealand that Japan .should maintain her position and press-go in the far East, a:id that Russia should he put in her own jilaco. The Rev. Nir Harper is the leading spirit among Anglican clergymen nr that church’s movement lor tho reform or the liquor trade, lliu proposal which lias tho sanction and approval ot the Anglican Church, does not seek riie abolition of the public house, not the prohibition of tho mniju,hrct'ii e, sale nr. I , use of alcoholic beverages, but the re- j term cf tin: existing system by the j the sale, the absorption of the trade by | municipalities mid bounty Councils, and tho devotion of tho profits from the salt to such object:; ‘ms would tempt the Councils to push business for tiictr profit.” The objects to winch the profits from iii'unicipahs.Ltion would bo devoted would ho mainly philanthropic. To the consideration of this vexed question Mr Harper and those who* think with him bring more common sense and sound judgment than those who frantically sue for tho annihilation of all means to tho legitimate gri-tHeittkm of a public taste. They regard the public house as a social institution, as a public necessity, aivl tho use of stimulants a perfectly sinless and justifiable practice. Although they cannot agree that tho present system of dispensing liquor is tho best conceivable, they aro ready to admit that it would bo folly to prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages altogether. The Anglican clergy arc* mostly agreed that the confirmed habits and customs of a people cannot bo changed by Act of Rariiament, and from a Scriptural viewpoint they cannot bub come to the conclusion that tho wine to which the Psalmist referred as making glad the heart of man will never cease to be in demand by millions of people everywhere, or that its use will bo entirely prohibited in any community by tho wii’.l of tho majority expressed at the ballot-box. Those who consider that, tho reform proposed by the Anglican clergy will effect all that is desired in connection with the public sale of liquor, must boot great heart and hope, for on tho ono hand they wit! have to light against tho indifference of those engaged in tho trade, and on the other the rank oppostition of those who support tho abolition of public sale and use, but who favour the make and consumption of alcoholic beverages privately. Tbo trade will not bo disposed to sanction tho elimination of private interest from tho salo of a commodity which lis their living and their business, tho professional prohibitionist will at onco realise that bis occupation will ho gone so- soon as any community determines to possess tbo trade in liquor and conduct it in the public interest and for the public good. ' These Anglican reformers will nob probably accomplish their purpose in this generation or the next, but it is none the less certain that they are working along the line of least resistance, a line that must sooner or later commend itself to the good sense of tho community. Their success may, however, come all the speedier as it becomes tbo conviction of tho people that a proposal whicb would abolish public salo and permit private consumption Is as ridiculous as it is unteuablo as a reform.

Tho introduction of Chinese labour into the Rand is creating more feeling in this country than was originally anticipated. Reason for this is not hard to find. Wo have experienced some of the lowering influences of tho yfellow man, and wo have come to tho conclusion that however much tho mine owners may dastro this form of forced labour for tho adequate working of thoir mines tho importation of Chinese into the Transvaal under conditions akin to slavery would neither bo good for tho Chinese nor for o?.ir fellow subjects In South Africa. The speech delivered by tho Premier on Saturday, the letter of tho Chief Justice, and tho utterances of various speakers at tho mass meeting were all expressive of 'our public sentiment apd opinion on this question, and tho case made against the apparent indifference of the Homo authorities by tho Premier was strong and conclusive. jMr.JSoddon spoke with knowledge begotten of experience of Chinese labour in tho working of gold mines; and were it for a moment supposed that tho gold mines of South Africa were unworkable without tho cheap labour of black and. yellow men, tho testimony of others, even more competent authorities than Mr Sodden, can bo arraigned in support of tho Premier’s contentions. It is admitted that tho mines would pay bettor wore they worked by cheap Chinese labour, bjit it has not been shown that the mines would not pay were only white labour employed. According to Mr F. H. 0. Crosswcll, who was himself a mine manager in the Rand, the difference between tho one system and tho other would bo a matter of five shillings and eightpenco per ton, and that would not harm tho mine owners or even greatly reduce thoir dividends. There is reason for tho conclusion also that tho present shortage of native labour is due to temporary and preventiblo causes, and that native labour can bo supplemented by white labour if tho mine owners are prepared Vo regard the interests of South Africa as a country and a British possession superior to their own and their property from a wealth producing viewpoint. But above and beyond every other consideration, this question of the introduction of Chinese labour to tho Rand is an Imperial one, and it was gratifying to note that tho Premier lifted its discussion to tho loftier plane of national concern. Tho question was not to be decided in the interests of shareholders, or of capitalists, or of designing politicians on the Rand; it was a question involving the settlement on British soil of an alien race that would in time vender that portion of the Empire unlit for occupation by British people. After all the blood and treasure that has been spent in winning South Africa from tho domination of an Exclusive-oligarchy,-it would bo a gross blunder were tho Imperial authorities, in defiance of public opinion throughout the Empire, to •decide this question in favour of the capitalists. Still, tho Secretary of State for tho Colonies is of opinion that the evidence of tho people of South Africa is favourable to the introduction of Chinese under certain restrictions, with their repatriation after three or five years; yet Mr Lyttelton woraldnot sanction the submission of this question to a referendum. Should this bo tho decision of tho British Cabinet, its members will, wo believe, live to regret it.