EDITORIAL NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11808, 18 December 1912, Page 1

EDITORIAL NOTES AND COMMENTS.

It is with great regret that ivo hear of tho resignation of ''General Botha. General Botha of. the Premiership of the South African Union. The more so as the reason is assigned that the General has founfl himself- unable to .endure any longer the behaviour of the Dutch, arrayed against. hiiri. It -is hot' reassuring to , remember that-this disruption comes.at the moment when .the 'Borden outburst has .begun to cause commotion throughout'the Empire. In the •beginning' of that.excitement wo were assured on all. hands —everybody indeed seemed to take it'for -granted—tliat. the South African Union was about to follow suit in somo - decided 'fashion of exalted patriotism. ; Under the circumstances one-cannot help coming to the conclusioirihat the African loyalty has-broken' downyurider the. sudden strain. At'the same time we are loth to accept such a conclusion, arid would prefer to wait for further-information. Nevertheless the loss-of General Botha at the present juncture to. the Empire is serious, becausebe has'the best brain for military advice in South Africa, a country of .great pith and moment in the geography of the-Empire. Moreover, as lie has proved in many a debate in his own country's Legislature and in the two Imperial Conferences —in which lie has taken a distinguished part —he is a man of- wide experience, matured excellent judgment, and considerable patriotism. As he had been the best product "of the war on the Boer side, so he has proved the best product of union on the ImperiaTside. We cannot but believe that .the-people of South Africa will speedily giVe'their representatives strong signs of'their displeasure—enough to ensure the recall of~the General to increased strength and more permanent staying power. He has been a popular •figure in England ever since the war, as he found out on the occasion of his visit to London, when the cheering of the populace so strangely surprised him; He could not believe his ears any more than Marshal Soult could a generation or more earlier when he found the British rule enforced in his regard. Tt is one of tile most honorable characteristics of the British race, this generosity to foes who prove worthy of the steel of battle. General Botha owes to-day the sympathy of the Empire to it—of the Empire he has but lately joined. We trust it may be long before tliat generosity, so creditable to both sides of the national account, becomes a tiling' of tho past.

Wk are often informed that the husi- ■'■ •■ ness mantis able to roBUSiness and volutionise politics anil Politics. make mincemeat of the

inferior sort of politician. The only trouble is that this eminent personage will not condescend to lower himself down into the arena of politics .and the voluminous whirlwind of Hansard. Fortnately for the world, however, he sometimes does condescend to take a hand all on his own, and. then we may judge him cheerfully by results. The other day in Christehureh saw one of these rare «nd valuable occasions. The business men of the south decided to make a move in the direction of reciprocity with Australia. They met, they talked after their business manner, they threshed their subject from some points of view, and they ended with a schedule of duties, as a basis. Now we presume that, not being politicians, and therefore too contemptuous of politics to pay any attention to things happening in the political field, they have up To the present failed to appreciate the strength and character of the position maintained against this country by Australia. The politician knows quite well that the chief difficulty in the way of reciprocity is the fact that the hostile part of the Australian tariff is about twice as high—and therefore twice as prohibitive—as the hostile part of our tariff against their farming produce. Business men in .Christehureh calmly ask the Australians to knock down practically the whole of their tariff top figures and come down to the New Zealand level. There is .no difficulty, of course! Australia only has to hear the voice of "business" and Australia will capitulate, admitting that hitherto their people have been' altogether wrong, and deciding that the sooner they come into line exactly with New Zealand the better for all parties. They are not even likely to.ask where the reciprocity comes-in. If-we .cannot wish "business" success, we can sit all events hope that their awakening may not be Hide..-.'- ': .' !.-'.:-.:•.-":'*.;-■;"-. .."..;.-