THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 1892.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9390, 1 April 1892, Page 2

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 1892.

Lord Hoseberv is a man of ability and a rising statesmen, but his utterances are sometimes more startling than true. If he is not misreported in the cablegram which we published on Saturday last, what he said in his address at the City Library Club, Wal brook, about the foreign policy of England must have been of this description, lie declared that England's foreign policy had become her colonial policy, and that she was much more dictated to by the extremities of the Empire than from London • that Australia aud Canada, as the Colonial Empire, had governed the Foreign Office completely in a new direction, and that the Agents-general vow visited the Colonial Office in the character of ambaoScidors. Lord Kosebery would scarcely have made such a statement had he been where he wished to be, and where it is quite possible he may be before this time next year. But ho is not at the Colonial Office yet, and it is the custom of Opposition notables of the younger sort to talk a good deal at random. They are not under the restraints of office, nor has experience yet taught them to weigh their words, and their youth naturally prompts them to speak with a freedom, not to say license, which they will a few years later remember with astonishment. Not that there was anything very dreadful in what Lord Rosebery said. It was merely a wild exaggeration—nothing very exceptional in a political address. The statement contained a modicum of truth, but it was so strained and swelled out—partly, perhaps, for the sake of saying something striking, and partly to flatter the colonial amour propre —as to be practically false. A very little reflection would have convinced Lord Rosebery that the foreign policy of Great Britain has not been completely changed by Canada and Australia. It has no doubt been "to a certain extent influenced by the Colonial Empire; but that is a very different thing. Neither is it true that England's foreign policy has become her colonial policy. This, indeed, has been often said. A few years ago it was rather the fashion to say that England had withdrawn from Continental politics, that she would never again fight to keep Constantinople out of the clutches of the Czar, and that the balance of power was no longer of the least concern to her. As j a further instalment of the same specious nonsense, it was alleged that Great Britain was now to all intents and purposes au Eastern Power, and the political quidnuncs of the day, in whose view India bulked much more largely than Australia and Cauada, used to talk as if all that was wanted to consolidate-the empire and complete its happiness was to float round the British Isles to the Arabian Sea or the Bay of Bengal. These isles, however, are too firmly moored in their present position, and aa long as they remain there it Avill be impossible for England to cut herself loose from European I politics. She has still a very distinct foreign policy apart altogether from her colonial policy, and it would be the height of absurdity to say that that policy was controlled by the Agentgenerals. Had Lord Rosebery said that the colonies governed the Colonial Office, he would have said what was, if not strictly true, yet an approximation to the truth. Indeed, the fact that the colonies in great measure govern the Colonial Office is one of the very reasons why they do not and never can govern the Foreign Office. Why is it that Canada and Australia (the latter of course including New Zealand) have so much influence with the Colonial Office? Simply because they are practically independent nations, comparatively small in point of population though they be. Sir Julius Vogel showed that he completely misunderstood the relations between Great Britain and her dependencies when he risked the opinion—if we remember right, in an article in the Kineteenth Century that the Mother Country would forcibly resist their secession from the Empire. She would no doubt intervene if South Australia, Queensland, or any other colony in the Great Island Continent were to declare its independence. The intervention, however, would be more in the interest of the other Australasian colonies than in her own interest. But if the whole of the Australian colonies v. ere to unite in declaring their independence, she would not lift a finger to prevent them. The same with regard to Canada ; no armed resistance would be offered to the Dominion setting up for itself or joining the great American Union. England knowsthatthecolonies are already, as we have said, virtually independent. Did not Lord Rcsebery acknowledge the same thing, almost in ■ go many words, when he spoke of the Agents - general as Ambassadors ? 1 Knowing then that any attempt at sjxercising direct authority over her '' Dffspring would cause them to renounce ( her authority in Mo. she allows them \ to have very much their own way in - all matters of colonial policy. But i for the very same reason she gives I them to understand that they must * not interfere with her foreign policy. The chief instance in which E this has been attempted was in l the New Hebrides affair. It was with * the utmost difficulty that the Mother T Country could be brought to checkmate , the French Government in its designs . on those islands; and she absolutely ( refused to accede to the demaud from j Australia to annex them. That mci- 1 dent is a complete answer to the alleged statement of Lord Rosebery, showing as 5 it does that the foreign policy of the * Empire is not only distinct from, but r also that it is on occasion apt to clash r with, its colonial policy, at least as that I policy is shaped by the Agents-general. r The fact is that a vast deal of non- f sense is talked about the colonies, t both by colonials themselves and by t their flatterers at Home. There is * more truth in the conception of Eng- r land as an Eastern Power than in that a propounded by Lord Rosebery, which J ußke-J her Bimply the centre of hia _

" Colonial Empire." Her subjects in I Australasia and Canada, with those c of South Africa thrown in, are a mere ( nothing compared with tho teeming millions of her Indian Empire The 1 care of that empire demands a foreign policy in which the colonies have ( scarcely any concern and no say; so ( that unless India were included in Lord \ RoseWy'a " Colonial Empire," which < it apparently was not, his statement ' that the foreign policy of Great Britain had become her colonial policy is so utterly preposterous that we are obliged, to suspect some mistake in the cablegram. In the broad sense it might be said that England's foreign vi.d .uiouial policy are identical : that is, that her relations with Foreign Powers are chiefly determined by the interests of her possessions. But even although those possessions were greatly diminished, it is possible that she might retain her industrial and commercial pre-eminence. In that case she Avould still have a foreign policy, supported by a powerful fleet; and, as a matter of fact, it is the interests of the millions at Home—the inhabitants of the United Kingdom—that form the ultima ratio of her policy—foreign, colonial, and domestic. Any view, however, of the foreign policy of England which included no reference to her character as tho champion of liberty and human rights would be a very imperfect one ; for severe as the struggle for existence is among the British people, they would resent the idea that the interests which they represented wera confined to their own nation. The foreign ' policy of the mother country is thus a much more complex thing than Lord Eosebery, to judge from the cablegram in question, seems to imagine. AVith reference to the report that the Hon. P. Buckley intended to resign his seat in the Cabinet and leave the colony with a view to contest an Irish constituency, Mr Buckley informs the Press Association that at present he has no intention of doing so. It is true that he has received a request that he should stand for one of the Irish constituencies, but he has not accepted the invitation or decided upon any course of action in regard to it. It is understood, however, that Mr and Mrs Buckley will shortly visit the old country. The Government have deferred the question of fixing the date for bringing the inland penny post system into operation, and nothing will be done in the^inatter till the Ist of June at the earliest. Mr J. D. Ritchie is gazetted secretary to the Department of Agriculture. The motion that, in accordance with notice given by Dr Drysdale, was submitted to the Harbour Board, at their meeting yesterday, to the effect that the opinion of Sir John Coode's successors be taken regarding the plans and reports, posted to the late Sir John Coode for his advice, with the view, if possible, of making permanent the improvements in the state of the lower harbour, failed to secure the support of a majority of the members. A proposal that the advice of Mr C. Napier Bell should be taken was put forward as an amendment to the original motion, and this was carried. The compensation case was resumed yesterday, it occupied the court all day, and will be continued this morning. As was expected, the claimant's case was closed, and that for the respondent was opened. The defence to the claim, as will be seen from our report, is briefly that the condition of affairs which resulted in the damage had occurred prior to the date of the proclamation, and that the mining that had taken place subsequently made no appreciable difference. It was also stated that the respondent would rely upon the prescriptive right acquired by over 20 years' use to discharge sluicing into the stream ; upon the fact that the claimant's land or portions of it were divided from the stream and that the water rights claimed did not exist, and upon evidence led to prove that the bulk of the damage complained of was not consequent upon the mining operations. It seems now hardly possible that the case can be closed this week, unless the court sits all day on Saturday. The Harbour Board yesterday decided to recognise the gallant services rendered by Pilot Milne and his boat's crew on Saturday last, when, regardless of the heavy sea that was running outside the heads, they put out to the assistance of the captain and five, seamen from the barque Sardanah, whose boat had capsized as they were returning to their vessel, and succeeded in saving five lives. It was agreed to vote a sum of L5 to Pilot Milne and L2 to each of the men who accompanied him on his perilous journey. Mr Blaekett has resigned the position of consulting engineer in London as from October 31. The Government do not intend to fill up the vacancy. Mr Blaekett retires on his pension, so that the colony will save the difference between that sum and his present salary (L 800). Anyone who visited the New Zealand Exhibition without evincing a feeling of compassion for the boy who stood near the Dresden piano stall attracting a crowd by the touching manner in which he whistled "The Swanee River," "The Mocking Bird," &c. must have been wholly devoid of sympathy. His career cannot do otherwise than interest all who heard him, and genuine regret will be felt when we state that he has fallen oh evil times, as is shown by the following paragraph from a Melbourne paper of a late date :—" A well-known figure in Melbourne has just been removed. This was a young man with only one arm and one leg, who possessed remarkable powers as a whistler. He never asked anyone for help ;he would walk up the street on his crutches, select his pitch, and commence ' I Dreamt.' After giving a couple of selections, he would move on to another spot, without passing round the hat. If anyone felt charitably disposed, they walked up while he was whistling and put their contribution into his hand ; he would put it into his pocket without looking at it, or thanking the donor. The poor whistler has been arrested as a vagrant." At the Police Court yesterday one first offender was convicted and discharged. Three maintenance cases, which were set down for hearing, were struck out through the nonappearance of the parties. The Resident Magistrate (Mr E. H. Carew) occupied the bench. By the report of the sub-committee on the trotting rules, which was adopted by the Jockey Club last night, it will be seen that steps are to be taken to introduce into the rules of the New Zealand Trotting Association similar rules to those in operation in racing, which will have the effect of putting down proprietary clubs. The fact that there is no life-saving apparatu g nt the heads was brought under the notice of the Harbour Board yesterday by Mr E. G. Allen, who remarked that, though there has been for some years a wonderful immunity from shipping disasters on this part of the coast, no :me could tell when a casualty might occur. He pointed out that it would be discreditable to ;he port if, in the event of a vessel beiug .vrecked in its vicinity, there were no life-saving ippliances at hand. The matter will probably )e brought before the AVorks Committee of the joard. A public meeting, under the auspices of the STew Zealand Baptist Foreign Missionary Society, was held last night, the Rev. A. North iresiding, in the Hanover street Baptist Dhurch, and was numerously attended. Miss \jmold, Zenana Missionary of Fureedpore (East Bengal), in the course of an interesting address avidly described the conditions uuder which senana work is carried on, and strongly urged he necessity that existed for more workers, minting out that there were still 874,000,000 of >eople who had not yet received the Gospel, rxclusive of 173,000,000 Mohammedans. The nissionaries, she said, did not require now to >ray that the doors might be opened to them, or they were open on every hand, but, from he lack of workers, they v. ere unable to enter hem. There was need for both men and vomen as workers, but she thought there was nore need for women than for men, for they dl knew the influence that women exerted upon l nation, and, moreover, the women had the raining of the children. A collection was nade in aid of the funds of the society.

A requisition is being signed at Milton revesting Mr Dugald Poppelwell, solicitor, of .lore, to become a candidate for the Bruce seat. Mr Poppelwell is a native of Milton, and hit 'rienrts are confident ho would receive a large ! neasuro of support. \ At the Supreme Court, Christchurch, in the | Jase of tho Bluff and Foveaux Strait Fishing Company v. AVaddington and Jones, Mr Justice Denniston upheld the appeal against the rlecision of the R.M. nonsuiting the company Jin tho ground of their not producing in cvi- i rlunce the certificate of incorporation. His ' Honor held, on die authority of Regina v. . Waklman, that it is sufficient to prove that a company has carried on business for some time under the style or title which it bears, and that the decision of the Resident Magistrate iv the case referred to was wrong. " Mercutio," in the Auckland Herald, writes: —" It is said that when tho House meets there is likely to be some talk about a purchase of a large block of native land which is now being carried through by tho Minister and a prominent supporter of the Government in the House of Representatives. I have no reason to think that anything is being done contrary to the law, but then there nre many ways in which a Minister can expedite a purchase of Native land. And, also, surely it is somewhat inconsistent with the land nationalising policy of the Ministry that a Minister should be purchasing large areas of freehold. Are Ministers to become ' social pests ?' " An interesting and useful resume of the ease law relating to barbed wire fencing is given in the annual report of the National Society for the Preservation of Footpaths. It commences with the important case of the Elgin County Road Trustees v. Innes, in which the judges were unanimous in laying down the general principle that a man may not place at the side of a public way a fence which is dangerous to persons lawfully walking along the path or road, or to cattlo being driven along it. At Cardiff a person recovered Ll damages from the corporation for injuries caused by barbed wire; at AVest AVickham L3O damages were recovered for injuries caused by a dangerous stile and barbed wire; and several other similar county court cases are recorded. The latest sufferer from barbed wire fencing is Lieutenant-general Marshall, master of the Chiddingfold hounds. His hunter charged a barbed wire fence, threw the general, and after being entangled for a moment or two in the barbed fence, fell on his rider. The general became unconscious, but his condition is not now considered dangerous. The singing at St. Joseph's Cathedral for some few Suudays past has been rendered by the Dominican nuns and the congregation generally. A special choir has again been formed, and a first practice was held last evening, when there was a good attendance. Mr Vallis presided at the organ, and also acted as choirmaster. Bishop Nevill held confirmation services at Greytown and Outram on Sunday last, when 1* candidates in all were confirmed. This was the first confirmation held in the laieri for nearly 10 years. The bishop also preached atMosgiel in the evening of the same day, when a large congregation assembled, as had also been the case at both the other services. On the following evening a congregational social was held in the Volunteer Hall at Mosgiel in order to meet the bishop, and a large number assembled on the occasion. A very pleasant evening was spent, and the bishop remarked that it was his first official visit to Mosgiel, though he had been there before in other ways. Steps are being taken to secure a site and build a church there as'soon as possible. A remarkably fine consignment of furs is to be offered for sale under the hammer to-morrow afternoon by Messrs A. Lorie and Co., in whose premises the collection mil this day until 10 p.m. be on view. The magnitude of the sale will be gathered from the fact that there are no fewer than 400 lots, comprising carriage rugs, hearthrugs, victorias, victorines, foot warmers, fedoras, muffs, and other articles in various furs, such as bear, kangaroo, opossum, wallaby, and wolf. The goods have beeu forwarded for sale by Mr Nettleberg, the prominent Australian furrier, and they are the third consignment that Messrs Lorie and Co. have received from him. To those who are desirous of providing against the winter weather that is now setting in, and particularly to travellers, the sale affords an excellent opportunity of securing a first-class article, for, as regards the quality of the fur,' the collection willbear the most critical inspection. The famous artist and entertainer, Mr Snazelle, will inaugurate his first Dunedin season at the Princess Theatre to-night, when he will present his novel entertainment, "Music, Song, and Story," the unique aud high character of which has distinctly enhanced his wide reputation. The entertainment is veryfascinating, aud full of light and shade, ranging from "grave to gay, from lively to severe." Among the most charming of the pictures are a series embracing " The Village af Nazareth," "The Shadow of the Cross" (from the original of Holman Hunt's), " The A.doration of the Shepherds," "The Eternal Morning Star," and " The Light of the AVorld." Mr Snazelle's season here is limited to eight lights. There has been a good demand for seats, and the season promises, as it deserves, to oe a successful one. Mr and Mrs Arthur Vivian, who are at present in Dunedin on their way to Melbourne, ntend giving a performance with the assistance if local talent about the Hth inst. at the Princess Theatre. * Messrs James Samson and Co. will sell house- ', lold furniture and effects to-day. During April Dr Jeff coat will see patients at Dr ' Macpherson's rooms, Octagon. Stone's ABC Guide for April is to hand. John Hislop, AVatchmaker and Jeweller, 74 i Princes street. The oldest established house in ; jown. Repairs of all kinds. Good assortment Watches, Clocks, and Jewellery. Spectacles to < imt all sights.— Advt . J Marriage Presents.-G. and T. Young notify the irriyal of three further shipments of new goods. ' Lheir stock of novelties is the largest in the ' :olony, their goods the best, and their prices the i owest. Inspection invited.—[Advt.] I Eden George and Co. (Limited), the leading ifiotographers of Dunedin, who produce by far the )est work in New Zealand, take one dozen beautiully enamelled cabinets in any position or style, or 15s. One price list adopted, and no extra :harges are made to visitors from the country — Advt.] Established over a quarter of a century. Of 'ther sodawaters that have come under our notice .nd take a very high place in Australasia, we rould be remiss if we did not mention that of rlessrs Thomson and Cj. Dunedin.-Brewers ournal, 1890.—.Advt.]