CURRENT TOPICS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8261, 25 October 1912, Page 6

CURRENT TOPICS

BOTHA AND KING EDWARD. According' to the "Daily Chronicle,'’ tho origin of the honor recently conferred on General Louis Botha, tho Premier ot the Union of South Africa, is to bo found m tho late King Edward. Ho had a great admiration for tieneral Botha, it is said, and would have conferred a title upon him but for the acceptance of each honors being against the principles of Boors. It was thought at the time a little premature to cany out the King's wishes and make General Botha an honorary General of the British army, but a’feeling in high quarters, recently expressed, tnat effect should be given to King Edward's wishes, lias led to the announcement that has given so much satisfaction. THE AEirr ACT. In committee in the Legislative Council, on the Defence Amendment Bill, yesterday, tho Hon. H. D. Bell, in response to requests made by the Hon. J. Anstey and others, agreed to' have the Army Act summarised and made available for the public. The Hon. J. T. Paul said that to make the provisions of the A:my Act which were applicable to New Zealand easily accessible to all affected by them would bo mooting a long felt want. It was very hard to get a copy of the Army Act. Ho had heard detractors of the system make capital out of provisions of the Act which were not applicable to Now Zealand, and if the course proposed were adopted one at least of the serious objections to tho Act would bo done away with. NO NEWS. "Tho remarkable dearth of New Zealand news is a very noticeable, feature of the American newspapers," said Mr N. A. Nathan, who returned to Auckland on Wednesday after a wide-world tour, to a “Star" representative. "During my journey through Canada I picked Up paper after paper, but there was seldom a lino about tbis Dominion." Referring to the news Manoonigtams received on the Zealandia during the voyage out, Mr Nathan said that the world's news w;as communicated with great regularity from America up to the time the vessel arrived at Suva, but from the Fijian port to Auckland not one press Maroomgram was flashed aboard. Passengers were, of course, all anxious to hear wdiat had been happening in various parts of the earth, but they wore unable to satisfy their curiosity until they were able to obtain the Auckland newspapers. This lack of information, remarked Mr Nathan, was a short-coming that the news distributing authorities would do well to attend to, "THE TIMES." The recent retirement from tho editorship of "The Times" of Mr George Earle Buckle reminds mo of the vicassitudee that journal has gone through in. our day. It was in the early years of Mr Buckle’s editorship that the famous “Pamelliam and Crime" articles appeared. The attack was not organised by Mr Buckle, and the propnotore took great care to make it cleat during the piogress of tho case that their editor was in no way responsible for a blunder which cost them incalculable, money and a groat Loss of prestige. From that famous case "The Times" took many years to recover. It was with a view to improve its financial position that. the proprietors were seized with, the ambition to isoll encyclopaedias, a, project from which they made much money, but lost, many thought, yet more prestige. Then at a given point the public learnt that tho paper was for sale, and for seme years now the predominant spirit in connection, with "The Times” proprietorship has been Baron Northcliffe. The paper has lost nothing, by tho change, but one sees a curious irony of circumstance in the fact that the fall of the house of Walter should have been brought about by , the eternal Irish question., and that it should be fated that the new proprietor should bo by birth an Irishman, for Lord Northcliffe was_ bom in Dublin, and his mother is an Irishwoman. THE BUTTER EXPORT. A shipment comprising 14,000 boxes, equivalent to 350 tons, of Auckland butter, will be taken this week by the steamer Arawa, at present loading for London (says tho "Herald"). To complete the Arawa's Shipment, the Oorihha will take 3000 boxes, or 75 tons, for transhipment at Wellington. Latest advices received from the High Commissioner's office stated that tho pride of Now Zealand butter in. the London markets was 12te per owt. (2 boxes), eo that, Unless there is a slump in the market, the Arawa's shipment will be worth ,£52,700. The corresponding shipment lost season was much less than the present one, but tho prices ruling at the lime were much higher. The Makura will alee take a large shipment, some 9330 boxes, or 233 tons, to Vancouver. The total number of boxes shipped already this season amounts to 56,570, or 1414 tons 2cwt, as against 41,284 boxes, 1032 tons 2cwt, sent forward in the corresponding shipments last year. A total of 150 crates Of cheese will also be sent by tho Arawa, but there is little doing in tho cheese market. The regular supply ot butter is coming in fast, and if the fine weather now prevailing is maintained, there is every prospect that this Seatoil Will eclipse last year's, though that was the record one for the Dominion. Indications suggest that the present shipment will bo only one of a long semes, and also that good prices will be the rule. QUESTION OF COURTESY. A slight "breeze” occurred in the House of Representatives yesterday When the Minister of Marine brought up tho report of a commission on blue cod. Sir Joseph Ward protested against the unique procedure adopted in the case of this inquiry. He had never known of a matter dealing with a certain member’s district being brought before the Minister by a member representing another district. There were a large number of fishermen in his own district, who were vitally concerned in the subject matter of the commission, and 114 personally had not been made acquainted with what was being done. Otherwise he ooUld have given valuable infotflUv tion and assistance to the commission. It wa# significant that when a Govern* jnent member presented a petition, which in this cose came from his (Sir Joseph Ward’s) .own district, the commission followed promptly. They would not be able to affect a single one of his votes, however, and he counted a large number ot Stewart Island fishermen among hie personal friends. Mr G. M. Thomson (Dunedib North), Who presented the petition, in the course of an explanation, said the right hon. gentleman had departed from the rules of procedure of the House and from the rules of procedure. recognised among gentlemen. At this, Sir Joseph .Ward was promptly on his feet, and he asked whether too hon. member Was in order in using such an' expression. The Speaker thought the hon. member should withdraw, and this course was adopted by Mr Thomson, He de-' dared that political bias had never entered his mind. The Minister of Marine flippantly remarked that the member for Awarua did not represent every blue cod in the sea: this was a national inquiry into the State of the industry. Sir Joseph retorted that he expected such a remark from the Minister: '"Rise to your position for onto!" he added. The report was tabled.