THE Otago Witness, WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE SOUTHERN MERCURY. (WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1002.) THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2499, 5 February 1902, Page 43

THE Otago Witness, WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE SOUTHERN MERCURY. (WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1002.) THE WEEK.

" "i&aqutm aliud. natara, ailud ■ipientll dixlt." — Jot«»il,

The mediation of Dr Kuyper, the Netherlands Premier, has been reThe Prospects jected by the Imperial CabiofPeace. net on the grounds of the

absence of credentials binding on the Boers, there being no evidence fliat they desired" his mission. This decision is thoroughly in unison with the consistent policy of the Imperial Government — that the Boers themselves must sue for peace,. To accent thg mediation* of oa

un-accredited third party would be a decidedly false step. Lord Rosebery, in his famous Chesterfield speech, was very clear on this .point. He said, " I have no idea of making any overtures of peace to the Boers. My policy is a passive policy of peace, and not an active policy. I think if your were to make overtures of peace to the Boers, you would commit the greatest possible mistake in your own interest. It would be mistaken for a fatal act of weakness, and it would encouiage the flagging force* of the enemy. Nor am I in favour of indicating the terms on which I would make peace, for as a matter of fact the Boers know perfectly well the terms on which they can make peace. I venture to say that there is not a sane Boer,- who is not under the influence of fanaticism, who does not know as well as you and I do that their independence is gone for ever." Mr Seddon was right when he said afc. Auckland that it was only by pouring troops into South -, Africa that the war could be brought to a close. The moral effect of the large drafts of troops now being equipped for the field will be very great indeed. Mr Brodrick announced that at the beginning of the year there were 257,800 men in the field. Since then Canada has raised a contingent 900 strong, Australia is equipping two contingents. of 1000 each, and New Zealand, to use the words of a leading London paper, " has done best of all." The eighth contingent is *just leaving our shores, the ninth is to follow, and the Premier has announced, that after the despatch of the ninth the equipment of a tenth is to be commenced, though he hoped it would not be necessary to send it. In addition, nine militia battalions are being embodied for service in the United Kingdom, and Lord Roberts has just inspected 6000 reinforcements who are leaving Aldershot for South Africa.

And to use the jingle of an erstwhile popular music 'hall refrain, not The Men only have we got the men 811(1 with which to furnish the the -Money Too ! war> but " We've got the

money, too." It gives some little idea of the well-nigh inexhaustible financial resources of the Empire that Great Britain is able to carry on a war involving an expenditure at the rate of five millions a month without hardly turning a hair. And although Mr Brodrick has just 4tated that the monthly expenses have decreased by a million, still, the cost is an enormous one. The Cologne Gazette, one of the few German newspapers disposed to give Great Britain fair play in the discussion of the South African question, in a recent article on the finances of the war sagaciously affirmed that " Any other nation than Great Britain would long ere this have succumbed to the money strain of the war." It is more than possible that the contemplation by the great continental powers of the ruinous expenditure which twentieth century warfare entails, as exemplified in the South African struggle, may moke more for the world's future peace than -almost any other factor. Lord Rosebeiy has declared for the "stern, efficient, vigorous prosecution of the war to its natural end," th*t natural end being " a regular peace and a regular settlement.' The hostile nations of the world have now* reluctantly to admit that the British Empire has at her command the power, both in men and money, to achieve the purpose to which she has resolutely set her hand, and it is no small satisfaction to reflect that our own colony is being privileged to play so prominent a part in bringing this about. How universally " New Zealand's glowing patriotism " is being recognised is evidenced by the plaudits of the English press when commenting on the despatch of the eighth contingent. The London Times characterises the offer as " A truly wonderful instance of patriotism," the Daily Telegraph describes the spirit displayed by New Zealand as " magnificent," and other leading papers follow in the same eulogistic strain Patriotism apart, we « venture to think that the sending of so many of "our boys " to South Africa will turn out to be quite the mo^t profitable investment which the colonj- has yet entered upon.

There aie still further indications that the protectionist "proclivities of Tariff the Australian Commonand wealth will prove a blessing Trade. j n disguise to the Empire in general, and to New Zealand in particular, in that the institution of the Federal tariff will emphasise the necessity of some scheme for the promotion of Imperial free trade. In one of the many speeches which Sir J. G. Ward has just delivered during his West Coast tour, the Minister of Railways averred that " the day would assuredly come — it might be 26 years hence, or it might foe less — when an Imperial zollverein for trade purposes would be established, of which America, Great Britain. Australia, and Canada would form ! part." The Premier, too, when haranguing one of his .paiticular coteries at Wellington the other day, is reported to have said that the Government were prepared to give the people of the Mother Countiy and British manufacturers a preferential tariff. They weie alto prepared to give a lebate on Britis-h-manufactured goods carried in British ships. There can be no doubt that the whole question of tariff and trade needs re-adjustment, ,and the presence of the Premiers of New Zealand, Australia, and Canada at the Coronation ceremonies to be held in London in June will afford a good opportunity of discussing this and other questions of great importance to the colonies. Of course feuch a far-reaching measure as the discrimination within the Empire against foreign trade cannot be lightly entered upon, nor without the fullest discussion in the several Parliaments interested, but the conference in London may help to clear the way for future action. There is danger of the Premier's South African direct steamship serThe Premier's vice becoming as legendary Flying as the original Flying DutchDutchman. man The captain of that fabulous craft was supposed t.o be allowed, to land once in seven years, but it is to be hapftd. fchAt the Premier c

first subsidised steamer will anchor at the Cape with a cargo of New Zealand" produce within a somewhat shorter peiiod of time. Signs are not wan ting f that a whirlpool similar to +iit which engulfed the Flying Dutchman may yet swallow up the Premier. There is a real need of something being done in the way of shipping subsidies. Sir Joseph Ward has stated that the Government must utilise some portion of their funds by way of subsidising steamers for the export and import trade of the colony, in order to extend their operations, on the lines now followed by France, Germany, and Japan. The pity is that so much time is wasted in talking about subsidising services and so little action is being- tak^i. The dairy farmers are even now suffering severely from Government delay. .me Taieri and Peninsula Company have commenced to export butter to oouth Africa instead of to London, the higher price obtained in the former market being the attraction. But unfortunately the company is compelled to ship to the Cape via Victoria, owing +o the absence of regul*r direct steamers, and th<<s a share of the profits goes into the pockets of Australian agents. The butter export sea-son commences in September, and ends about May, and as June is the very earliest month- in which Mr Seddon' s service can possibly start, the entire season's butter export will be proportionately mulcted owing to Government" neglect. Dairy- farmers will do well- to remember this fact if at,- the- next election the Seddon Government take thg hustings as the farmers'- friend. '_ . .