CURRENT TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2268, 19 August 1897, Page 3

CURRENT TOPICS.

Mr Don, missionary to the Chinese in Otago, makes a pedestrian trip annuchinese ally, through the goldfields, mission and on his return publishes work. an interesting account of his

travels and experiences. Thie year he has 'furnished his report to the " Christian Outlook," and it has been rtprinted and issued in pamphlet form. Mr Don's reports give an insight year by year into the manners and customs of this people, -whom we understand so little, and who yet understand us so well. "' Bright Signet,' for instance, sneers most copiously at the inability of the English language to indicate precisely and concisely the different kinds of aunt. Thus he complains : •As I go round hawking I hear a child call a young woman "Auntie," bat whether she is the child's father's sister or its mother's sister, or its mother's brother's wife, I cannot tell. In Chinese we have a distinct tetm for all these. And so with uncles. . . We have precise terms far all." Mr Don remarks that it is a personal grievance magnified by anti-English feeling that " Bright Signet" cannot distinguish the various kinds of aunt. Disregard of accuracy is a Chinese characteristic, but in the domain of human relationship there is scrupulous exactness. Mr Don carries only a knapsack with a few neceosarieg, and fraternises with the Chinese completely. He eats with them, sleeps in their huts, converses with them, and preaches to them. He finds that those of them who come from cities are unfriendly, and that country-bred men are the reverse. And "Rippling Joy" or "Cherish" or "Sacked Mount " will lie most oonsumedly and with a smiling face. Even with the opportunities of mixing among them enjoyed by Mr Don, he has to admit that they are unfathomable. Au account in also furnished of the opening of the Mission Church in Walker 6treet last Easter, and of the wonderful success which attended Mr Don's efforts to raise the necessary funds. After tho opening sir vices three local Chinese partook of communion.

The revenue returns for the quarter ended June 30 ihow a continued increase of revenue customs duties. The increase -Retuuns. over the corresponding quarter

• of last year is £41,935. Of the four principal ports Auckland shows the largest increase with £17,092, Wellington comes nexo with £14,001, Otago is a very bad third with £4280, and Christchurch is practically stationary, the increase being only £308. It will be observed that the increases just mentioned, when added together, do not balance with the total increase for the colony, the difference being accounted for by receipts at minor ports. The increase at Auckland is probably largely due to tbe increased import of mining machinery and appliances, and this m*y be regarded as the forerunner of contiiaued prosperity and of the establishment of a permanent mining industry. Wellington is also basking iv the sunshine of prosperity as an importing centre, and is now the port of ingress and outlet for a large and flourishing agricultural district on the West Coast. The upward tendency of imports to Otago is a healthy sign, and thars are hopeful indications of further increase. It must be remembered, however, in instituting a comparison over several yearn, that the tariff was changed in 1895 and that the value of goods imported has not increased jtari passu with the amount of duty received. In 1894 the taxation levied at the customs was £2 3s 7d per head of the population ; in 1896 it was £2 7s 3d. If only Europeans be reckoned, it was £2 9s lid per head. Be it noted also that the excise duty — that is, tbe duty on beer and tobacco manufactured in the colony — was Is 10 -6 d per head in 1894, and Is 11 -8 din 1896.

Mr Bathgate's paper at the Otago Institute's meeting on Tuesday, July 12, acclimati- wan both interesting and in6ATION. structive. He showed how the

injuries inflicted by the injudicious introduction of pests to the colony might have been avoided, and the benefits enhanced by combination and inquiry by acclimatisation societies. In the early days provincial governments had a free hand, and frequently displayed more zeal than knowledge. The consequence was that green finches were mistaken for green linnets, much to the farmers' loss ; house sparrows for hedge sparrows, 'and so ou. Unlearned in the facts of history ai of the laws of nature, they never knew that Caesar was compelled to send legions to Corsica to put down rabbits, and because wild rabbits at home have myriads of enemies, and consequently do not multiply

rapidly, they turned them out on the sandhills in the vicinity ot InvercargiU, and gave them access to river flats with alluvial soil, abundantly grassed ; there they had not a single enemy. Sentiment was the early motive. The Scotsman pined for tbe song of the mavis and the laverock. The sportsman dreamed of stubbles and partridges, the angler of speckled beauties in -every burn, and each individual taste was gratified. But* the sentiment soon disappeared. The rabbit devastated the 'country and became vermin. The partridgei, pheasants, and hares . disappeared before phosphorised oat?, and acclimatisation societies became objects of scorn and resentment. Accordingly they became timid, and restricted their energies chiefly to fish culture, which yields them large revenues from anglers' licenses. The most serious charge laid at the door of the societies by Mr Bathgate is that they have failed to systematise observation. Nothing beyond fcb>* result of individual observation is known of the effects of acclimatisation upon the habits _<v birds and animals imported, or of their influence upon native flora and fauna. Ia sl\or, there has been an almost entire absence <■' scientific record, and much labour aud roo~» have accordingly been thrown away.

The sentimental view of the Bubject having b*\~ come obsolete, further acclhvs*thb tisation will chiefly' be on an economic economic basis. If ibex or aspect. chamois, or new kinds of deer are liberated on the mountains, it will be on the plea that they will attract snorting tourists. If birdi? are imported it will be because they are insectivorous, or will prey upon other injurious birds. But it i 8 necessary to be cautious lest further iDJavy bp inflicted. All insects are not injurious. There is the common bea» for example, and the bumble bee, which has fertilised the clover, and others might be named which have their appointed plac< ia Nature's economy. Before any stepß an, taken there must be full inquiry, and actio'i must be resumed in concert by the societier. Individual fads, unsupported by observation , have brought injurious results. With JLv Bathgate, we have considerable hope that toe forthcoming conference of societies will be advantageous. It might make it possible to undertake researches and create records. Above all, it would place acclimatisation on » colonial rather than a provincial basis. This alone would probably obviate the repetition of' pact mistakes — mistakes now loudly deplored, aad barely counterbalanced by the good thw tocieties have done.

Ou May 23 the Prince of Woles, in the name of the Queen, declared the

K8 Blaokwall Tunnel to be open jraGiNEERiHO toe ever to the public. The TiuUHPH. tunnel is one of the greatest

engineering achievements of the reign, and has taken over five years to complete the tender of Messrs Pearson to construct ib for £871,000 having been accepted ia 1891. Works of this kind are invariably attended with ■ome risk. Tunnel-boring by the aid of compressed air has hitherto been classed among the highly dangerous employments. Yet this tunnel was completed with complete immunity from serious accident. The credit of initiating and carrying out tbis great work belongs to tbe London County Council. The Times, in speaking of the undertaking, says : — " It is scarcely poisible to over-estimate the boon conferred upon tho great and populous districts which, though within a quarter of a mile of one another, were separated by eight or ten miles of crowded streets and congested bridges. One of the standing problems of such a gigantic city as London is to overcome its own internal friction and to maintain some approximate freedom of locomotion. We see every day in a score of ways how very difficult this problem already is, and how rapidly the difficulty tends to increase with the growth of population and business. Considering how haphazard is tift growth of a great city,. and how impossible it is to direct its expansion ia accordance with any complete preconceived plan, it must be regarded as fortunate and even surprising that the independent activities •£ such masses of men have upon the whole maintained very fair communications. . . . The Blackwall Tunnel is a totally novel addition to the means of transit." At the festivities subsequent to the formal opening the Prince of Wales reminded hit hearers that sines the Qaeen came to ths throne old bridges have been freed from tolU, new bridges and ferries have been provided, and noble embankments have been built. Whatever may be its political leanings or its f&ulta of administration, it cannot be doubted thaft the London County Council is doing a great deal in the direction of making life pleasant even in London, where the conditions hare hitherto been to unfavourable.

He was new to tHe" House and its role, Aud they asked him to move the address*, And ha said I will do it with pleasure, But I'm hoarse as a crow, nothing less. They took him outside, and gave him A thing which is certain and sure, And what made his voice of the clearest; " Was Woqds'&Grkat PEpraamm Gmml