THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2511, 30 April 1902, Page 43

THE WEEK.

'* aliud ntiura, ailad i&pieotlfc dixit."— Juvinal. "G*od nEiute tat gooa tense must urer join.**— Por*. The faiewell social tendered to Mi Carncrots at Mo c giel gave the A Good Thing Acting-Premier opportunity for to deli\ei a speech which, the Colony. if not btnctly political in its nature, at any late gave •some little indication of what iSir J. G. Ward's policy would probably be if heed fiom Seddomc influence. With one of the sentiments expressed in .the Mosgiel speech there will be universal agreement — viz., that it was a good thing for the colony to have been diawn into the troubles of the Old Land in South Africa, for it had wakened within us a fine spirit which five years ago would have been impossible to create. And thanks to the bravery of " the boys" whom we have sent to the front that spirit is being continually fanned to enthusiasm by reports of their prowess. What more gratifying, for insTance, than the cabled extracts from Loid Kitchener's despatch, dated as recently as March 28, dealing with recent operations, and especially referring to the fight at LamgverwachtV With what a thrill of pride has every loyal citizen read Lord Kitchener's commendatory words regarding the gallantry and resolution displayed at a critical moment by Colonel Garratt's, New Zealandeis. Coming from such a source, what grander compliment could possibly be paid than the following: — "Their conduct reflects the highest credit on all ranks, and on New Zealand. Nothing could have been finer than the behaviour of the men'"/ Sentences like these go far to sweeten the sting of bereavement which clouds so many homes. To win like world-wide fame there is scarce one of this colony's youth who, if the need should arise, would not obey the call and volunteer for the front. Now that such a laudable spirit has been aroused all sorts of care should be taken to stimulate and keep it alive, for its existence, coupled with what Sir J. G. Ward has termed " a fully-equipped, properly-officered and independently-controlled volunteer force,"' will go far to negative any argument in favour of that highly unpopular and extraordinary expensive institution a standing army.

But perhaps the most important of t he Acting-Premier. 1 ! Mosgiel The War utterances was the declaiaof tion that the war of tho the Future. future would be a commercial one. Extraordinary emphasis is given to this statement by the remarkable speech deiiveied by Mr A. I,'. Shaw. Secretary of the American Treasury. ut a banquet at Pittsburg. which may be regaided as an official outline of the commercial aspirations of the United States. The«e aie comprehensive enough to .satisfy the most ambitious spirits of the most ambitious nation in the woild. According to Mr Shaw's forecast. Amenci is not only to police the entire western hem 1t phere and to possess the largest mercantile fleet of the world, built of American material in Ameiican shipyards by American labour and manned by Americans, but ultimately American energy is to transfer the sovereignty of the Pacific from the Union Jack to the Stars and Stripes. Apparently Millionaire Morgan's shipping combine is clearing the way for the performance of this prodigious programme, for Mr Shaw declares that it is immaterial whether the result is biought about by nii'.ins of Government aid or Uy the operations of a financial ring After making due allowance for Yankee "blow," the outlook from a British point of view is undeniably alarming. At the same time, should the United States Government — in opposition to their President's public pledges — decide to utilis-e these huge financial combinations with h view of advancing their commerce, they will probably find that they have been helping to weave a strand whicli in t lie lon^ urn will compass their own destruction.

After contemplating with Mi Shaw the .sublime vision of the from the American control of the S ".limp to the Pacific, it boidtrs almost Kldi-ulous. on the tidiculnus to conu 1 into contact with a styigazin^j Ministry. Yet heie we }\tve the undeniable fact recorded without a \estige of humour, that the New Zealand Mmi>tiy. despite the absence of their head on the Diavton Grange, luve decided to mstiuct the Agent-general to close with the Blue Star line for the South African steamei feeivice, certain difficulties which ;>io-e having since been removed 1; is evident, therefore, that Mr Picrponl Moigan has not deemed the "Blue Star" of sufficient importance to be included m hi" combine Soffit time atco we were mfoimed that this mo«t mysterious- line had no sjeam<Ms. which was th° reason why it look< d at <•» hubsidy which all well-establi<=hed shipping companies deeim-d wholly insufficient. I'os sibly steamers aie now being built on the strength of the subsidy, the 6rst of which may he completed in time to brin2 Mi Seddon and .suite home from the Coronation Meanwhile the incredulous public aie l'kely to say, using the ivord« of the familial nui-ery rhyme: Twiukie, twinkle, little star, How I u-ondei what jou are.

The Fcdeial Government- decisiun to admit New Zealand letter^ into A Bairler Australia without suicharge Broken Dorm. is a dtuded feather in Sir Joseph' 1 " Waid's cap. and auothei link in the chain of Impel ial penny Bostftge.. 'I'iie uicofljjrttit£ of li^vin^ to jyur

2d for a letter posted to Australia whilst Id w ould carry the same letter to any part of the United Kingdom has been patent ever since the Federal Government insisted on the surcharge, and it is to be hoped tint the breaking down of this bainer between colony and Commonwealth will be the prelude to closer relationships on other points. It is much to be regretted that Australia cannot see its way to adopt the penny postage system in its entirety, but Mr Barton has stated that tiie official estimate of the loss which its adoption would involve is a quarter of a million, and that Mich a loss cannot be hastily undertaken. It is easy to understand at a time when the people of Australia aie burdened with an increased expenditure.caused by federation of £228,374, equivalent to Is 2d per head of population, that they would be chary of incurring additional expense, especially when, owing to the lamentable drought which has overtaken them, their exports are dwindling perceptibly. But it seems to be altogether an inopportune moment for the members of the Federal House to be agitating for an addition to their salaries of £150. Therein i« apparent the trail of that product of the age — the professional legislator.

There k a sense, however, in which we desire to keep Australia at An Undesirable arm*s length. The news of Visitant, a case of plague a.t Auckland, resulting in the death of the patient thus affected, is rather disquieting, as showing that this colony cannot claim entire immunity from suoh an undesirable visitant. The incident is likely to have a good effect, however, in the redoubling of the precautions already m foice for the creation and preservation of health condition 5 ! in our midst. One fact cannot be too strongly insisted upon — viz., that the bubonic plague is essentially a filth disease, and that the utmost attention to cleanliness in all details of household management will go a long way towards preventing its gaining a foothold in our midst. It is comforting to learn on the authority of the district health office; that a plague visitation is highly improbable so far, at any rate, as Dunedui is concerned. In Sydney there have been 10? cases, of which 27 have proved fatal and 49 weie discharged cured. But the 'baie figures convey little idea of the inconvenience* and discomforts which are the every-day lot of a dwellei in a plaguestricken city. The following extract from a Sydney paper, though palpably ovei-dr-iv-n, contain* a sufficient modicum of truth to cause every New Zealander to je-echo the piayer, " Fiom plague and pestilence, j^oud Lord, deliver us!" The imaginative Sydney pies-smaii writes: — In former time?-, when a man was about to leave hi<* happy sviburban home to got through his business in the city, I) is wife simply packed up his lunch and gave him a "good-bye, kiss" at the door. Now. how-p\c-r, she hauls him out of bed at daybreak, and puti in two or three hour*' hard work making him Plague-proof, according to the rnoet up-to-dale treatment known. First of all she ghe- him what Wallaco Brownlow would call "a good old rosiner" of a, tonio to keep liia strength up for the day. and by the time the poor man has that vile mixture down ht> feels as tlioug'i everything from the sol«"i of his feet would <-oon come up, and rather tlwn swailow another dose !u» would cheerfully eat a plato of curried rat*, caught in the woi.st infected quarter of (lie ciU . Then she soaks his. hocks and boots m a strong solution of formalin, carbolic acid, and perchloride of mercury, and while the mixture is. catching on to the unfm tnnate fellow's clothes his careful spouse bathes his legs from the knees down in a strong solution of Milestone and water, which, whon it cake- and hardens on h.s "pin*.," will certainly break every tooth that even a healthy flea has in its jaws, and tin n the edge of its saw -like swords «3 well. Then, when the sufferer hauls on las clothe*, bis wife sponges the bottom storey of hi 3 tiousers with a mixture that smells Wronger than a glue-boiler's vat into which half a dozen unclean Chiuamen had fallen and wore aoalded to death, and then she covers his boot-unper-s with bandages that have been steeped in a still more awful mixture than the trouser stuff, and then Ins prudent partner fills his pockets with formic acid jujubes and formalin lozenges, and i-overd In- hail with a paste that «nie]ls i anker than the offence of Hamlet's stopfather. Then the pours a mixture of iodolorm, coal tar. i-ibbagr- wati-r. and asafoetida down hi* back, after which <=Ik> push.-, him off the door-stop with tho cheerful remark that he.. 11 probably <\<> for the day, and she '"will di-infei-t him thoroughly- when he retmns at night time "

Anothei iMu-tijtion of the drift r>* /{rit. h <;i[)>t<il «h><h, Mr Sedtloif 'I he Drift liotwitJi-i.nium^, hdb f-U adily "f S1 t in lioui Xtw Zealand ,i.> Hrltish (.'apiliil the insult of over-much Idlxuir legislation, h .itfruded in tin.- <^i tiriu.il liquidation of the Austnilun and Xuw Zealand Mortgage L'onip;mv It is oiilv ,i question of time when tJii» <(Juii\ will ii-ah-e tlit li.-s i>\ unj>etus tiivi-n li_\ the employment nf .-ill that < qnt.il «lnoli juivatf cnteipiivp r cotrnises ■\Miuld uii'l'r D'llni.uy coiiditions, find proln iblc n-f ',i j li'iid r»f iiuigniric ~i:t re "•oiirces. ,h]i ibiir-il by t onipar.itivuly few ])co])le \. M.ikin.; iiistance of the same dufi is lound m ihe -neccli of tin* I'hanni.iii .it .hi e\tj.ioidni<iM j.'fncMl mtetmg of the SScottis.h and New Zeal-ind Investment Cotnj'any The meeting hus held in London in M.trcli lor the purjiose of reducing the capital from £500,000 to £75,000. The L'hniini'tn r-aid tli.it the shareholders were aware that the jiolicv ol the company for yeais had been to rcaii>e its assets and p.iy oft its liabilities They knew tlut the competition of tiie New Zealand Government and other yeneial causes had pio duced a state of affairs in which it was impossible for tlif company to earn a satisfuctoiy piofit 'Die piocess of realisation of assets and payment of liabilities had made such progress that the eomyjany had now prutK.illv no f'cltt, «hile it had about £23,000 in hdiK*. and was cxptuting iikjhby next mail 1 :ic- lesolulion foi the iedUfUldX Oi LdUILjJ WOi LAUlud UiLbliininiixly

The latest news concerning the battle o§ the Beef Trust is that the Tiie Battle United States Attorneyof tho general has reported tba'ft Beef Trust, the trust's agreement i^ equivalent to a restriction of inter-State trade, and therefore there is sufficient evidence for an injunction to restrain its operations. We mentioned hist week that the Anti-trust Law of 1890 provides that " any contract or combina* tion in the form of trust or otherwise oi conspiracy in restraint of trade between any State or States is hereby declared t« be" illegal." One of the features of th< anti-trust laws passed by seveial of th< Western States is a provision exempting from their operation live stock and agricultural products in the hands of producers as well as labour organisations. It is under the shadow of this State law exemption that Mr Armour has created his Beei Trust, but a recent decision has been given by the Supreme Court of the United States to the effect that the separate States cannot differentiate in favour of trusts dealing with the produce of land, 'but must prose^ cute all trusts alike for breach of the anti; trust law. In the event, however, of the attempt to prosecute the Beef Trust undei the existing law proving abortive. . we notice that a' Bill is being introduced into th« Washington House to abolish the duties on imported meat. Should tliis <be" passed at once a new market will be opened, up for New Zealand frozen meat. It is more than possible that there may be as big a fight against the United States meat monopoly as is now being waged against the German agrarians. These latter, however, seemto have been so far successful in their efforts to secure specially favourable legislation^ for their last achievement is an increasi ■on the duty on frozen meat of 45s pei double owt, equal to nearly 2£d per- lb. .

Some weeks ago the new.s was cabled that "the Russian Government had" The Siberian voted a sum of £20,000, toButter gether with a permanent Industry. grant of £7000 per annum, for the - development ami improvement of the butter industry in Siberia, and to increase its sale in the foreign markets. Further details are now to hand of the scheme propounded by the" Russian Minister of Finance, and which the Government has decided to curry -into effect. As a result of the^e measures it ia expected that the quantity of butter produced in Siberia this year will be don'blt that of lust year, and that its quality will be greatiy improved. As> a first step in, this diiection three dairy schools are to be; at once iounded and the number of instructor- increased, special courses of lectures on dairying are to 'be given, ancf laboratories founded in Siberia for scientific lesearch in all matters concerning dairy produce. By this means the normal standard of milk and all products procured from it will, 'be established, and the reasons for any defects explained. In addition, it is proposed to establish five experimental stations where milk and butter will* "be tested by experts, and to furnish the 'butter fac-' tories, the harbours, the steamers on tha' Siberian rivers, and all the principal railway ftations with refrigerating stores. It is further contemplated to increase the number of express trains for the conveyance of butter from Siberia to the Baltic Harbour, and to add 465 nw railway cars to the 570 already fitted with i ef rigerators for use in th« summer season ; and means will be taken to ensure that the temperature of stores and cars shall not exceed 42deg. Credit is to be opened up with the Russian Government Bank for the buttormen, not only for their woiking capita', but also as to loars upon their industrial implements and upon the invoices- of their butter consignments. Other projects are the passing of a law increasing the punishment for adulterating butter , the i eduction of t lie railway tariff on implements for the butter industry, and increased- transport facilities for the conveyance of butter tr the London market, including a rcgulai Weekly service. Lastly, an expert i& to bt appointed in London whose f-pecial duty it will be to communicate to the British Committee attached to the Board of Agriculture in h>t. Petersburg the results of tht analyses made on the .sample* of butter produced in all parts of the Russian liflXpire.

! Such comprehensive measuies adopted bj the Russian (Joveinmenl for The Farmer*' the improvement of the posiL'nlon. tion of the agriculturist are in marked contrast to the attitude of much promise and little peiforniaiTv hitheito taken up by the S?tddon Administration, i>o far ab the farmers aie concen'.'.d But sii^ns are not waaitini thai I the day nl the Liboui* cvgitator is on the wane, and the farmer's sun sepms to be ii the ascendant. This fact will probably be utilised to the full at the General Conference of the Se.\v Zealand TTarmers' I'nion, tc be held m Wellington in June next. In view of the coming genera' election the farmers .ire alreaciv or^anij-iiig, v. ltlt the avowed object of securing better representation foi iisji-icultuial interests in the next Parliament Coming events cas-t their shadows before them, and the daily increasing 1011 of the •uembets of the Farmers' Union, who already number 23,000. is in marked contract to the depleted i;. i<V ol tlio trade unionists, nntwithotiindi'ny the loud-mouthed fulmmations of »the Trades and Labour Council at Auckland. Some figures quoted by Mr Leadley, pres;d< nt ol the Canterbury Provincial Council of the Farmers' Union, in the course of an interesting address delivered by him at Sheffield thp other day, are worth consideration a« showing the actual proportion of .isncultuial and majiufaz:turing interest'^ in tbis colony. Mr Leadley stated that of the 800,000 who constitute the present population of New Zealand, 120,000 are directly concerned m the products of tb,e foil, either as faimers, dairxm^n. or fii"f growers During the last financial year the I<>t;<l \.ilue of the colony s expoits was £i5.r)50.249. ol which amount no l"ss than £11.660.306 was the piodurt of the l'bou: of the agri-cultuxi-st to vi.v nothuu. oi Uiu i-w-aca

which -went into home consumption. Mr t'eadlev went on to show that not only were farmers the greatest wealth-producers, but they also contributed' the largest proportion *of the reveneue. Besides paying their fair share of indirect taxation through the customs and excise, they paid away in land tax £299,000 annually as against ■£173,809 levied for income tax on all other classes of the community combined. The farmers' Union political platform includes, amongst other things, freedom of contract for labour, the maintenance of -the freehold tenure of land, and a preferential tariff within; the Empire for the products of the

sjhe news that, awing to the firmness of the Government and the Tlie-Riotsln lack of strike funds, the Belgium. strike in Belgium has come to a sudden termination, and -work has been resumed, is cause for conigratulation, more especially as the unrest •in Russia appeaTS to be assuming alarming;, proportions. The immediate causes of #&c trouble in Belgium were partly industrial and partly political, the two being /closely allied. The Belgian miners out on strike for increased pay resented the importation into Oharleroi of men wiUing to jßa£e their piace at the wages they had refused". The Flemish miners were accordingly made the object of violent attack,, raid had to be protected by gendarmes and rcroimted tra&ps. Conflicts ensued between the.police and the strikers, resulting- in thp death of one person and the injury of many others. The labour leaders thereupon called out all the miners in tlie district, smtil between 250,000 and 300;000 men were on strike, the consequent business loss being (estimated at £4,000,000. The Socialists »fcook" advantage of the disturbance, and associated themselves with the rioters in order the better to ventilate their special [grievances. The 'Socialist party, no-t con/tent. with, existing, franchise conditions — cvzz., manhood suffrage, together with a (plural vote, compulsory voting, and proportional representation — are agitating for taniversal suffrage. Their grievance does not apjiear, however, to be a very real one ; for, however qualified, no elector could.have more than, three votes, and of the 1.418.000 electors at the general election two yenr*. *2n 228.000 only en joyed three votes, whilst 2C0,C00 had two votes and 890,000 one vote each. The election of 1900 re -Milted in the return of Qd clericals. 33 L'bei-als. and .Sf> Socialists, and therefore it is not surpvisrn * to learn that, the Chamber of D'-jurHes r - jectcd the Bill for the revision of 11,0 C ■' Btitution by PA votes to 64. Foi-lalis*-? h' -1 strikers in Belgium have learned thp ]cs«n bhat universal "suffrage cannot be talvn by itorm and. violence. Such reforms must; be brought about by constitutional meP c ur-<\