THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2572, 1 July 1903, Page 52

THE WEEK.

' X«uqu«™ aiiod mun, xiiud Mpicntii dixit."— Jo»»«»it» "Ctrl nttore and food seaie aosi erer joiD."— Feri.

The first session of the fifteenth Parlia- ] ment of. New Zealand was ; The New formally opened on Monday, j Purlitment. Thus we stand on the thres- j hold of a uew political era, I the outcome of which is variously forecasted, according to the point of view of each particular prophet. But whilst opinions may differ as to the .probable results of the fights , in the political arena, there is no doubt that the session will prove an intensely interesting one, so many important topics being on the tapis. Jiidging by the tenor of the Premier's pre-sessional address, the Government may attempt to draw a red herring across the trail in the shape of the larger Imperial questions discussed: at the Colonial Conference, in oTder to divert attention from one or two knotty problems of home government-. But it may be doubted "wlhether this astute attempt will meet with any measure of success. The people are far more interested in matters which concern their own well-being than in questions j .of policy likely to affect future generations, *nd thus local subjects loom large rr " mind of the average parliamentary i<-i"--sentotive, to the exclusion of matters of , purely Imperial import. One thing is ! almost " certain^ — that the bill of fare pie- j sented to the new Parliament will severely . test their digestive powers, and the "long md arduous session" already predicted is likely to have as a finale an unusually extensive slaughter of the innocent?. Amongst the matters which should come up for discussion and decision at an early stage are the Bank of New Zealand proposals, and the amount of control which the Government is to assume over that institution ; the question of the renewal of the San Francisco mail contract ; the State Fire Insurance Bill ; an<l the amendments to the Factory Acts, making preference to unionists compulsory. Licensing legislation will be kept well to the fore by both parties interested, and the BLble-in-schools Bill will prove another bone of contention. The pre- ' cedence question involving, perhaps, the ' resignation of Sir Robert Stout, is an awkward question, which has just cropped up, > and on the top of Ac whole comes the Premier's Preferential Trade proposals. Such are a few of the leading items on which members will be called to whet their teeth, and each one appears likely to occupy attention for some considerable time.

In present-day politics, part of a popular leader's duties consists in Some Political the judicious distribution of Feronrs. sops with which to keep his

followers sweet. The past week has been marked by the bestowal of a number of political favours, as going to show that it pays to be of the right colour. At a time when there are rumours of heartburnings and revolts within the Ministerial ranks, the moral effect of a timely distribution of this kind lias doubtless been carefully calculated, a 6 proof of the ancient proverb that everythii ••"ir-s to tlip man who patiently waits, j- >; lw.\e iccently been treated to a new knighit, four new Legislative Councillors, and a new Speaker, of all of Tvhom it may safely be said that, whatever other qualifications they may possess for the positions they are called upon to fill, they have been staunch supborters of the present Administration. And this is exactly as might be expected, for when there are not honours to go round to satisfy the aspirants for fame— and other things— within the Ministerial Tanks it is hardly to be expected that the Government "would go outside the charmed circle to make appointments. Out newest knight, Sir A. J. Cadman, is an eretwhile Minister of Railways, whose conduct of his department is not such as to suggest his being Bingled out for such an honour. It has been truly said that whilst some men are born to greatness, others have greatness thrust upon them, and Sir A. J. Cadntan belongs distinctly to the latter class. There is possibly no specific objection to Mr Cadman's knighthood. He is a type of man not likely to do any amount of harm with his new title; but, on the other hand, the principle of selection, in his case I jj only

J explainable on the lines we have already indicated. The Kime rem?rk« ipply in greater or less degree to the four new Councillors — Messrs T. K. Macdonald (Wellmg- , ton), H. F. Wigram (Christ-church), and S. T. G«orge and W. Beehan (Auckland). It is significant that these appointments have given great offence to at least one Ministerial organ, and it c<ui scarcely be affirmed that the Upper Chamber will be" strengthened by their presence. Of the newSpeaker, it may merely be said_.that Mr Guinness has the experience of the past be- . hind him and the future before him in which to justify his appo : ntment. It would be idle to declaie that he is the best man I obtainable for the pc-t. for a Speaker needs to possess a perfectly unbiassed mind, and to be above suspicion as a partisan. Still. the opportunity often makes the man, and we sincerely trust that this will be so in the case of the newly-elected Speaker of the Lower Hoim=p The water famine at Broken Hill, throwing some 5000 men out of emCnfortnuatc ployment, is the latent misAnstralia. foitune with which the Australian Commonwealth has been visited. It if fervently to be Loped that the lone period of depression and drought through which a large part of that j unfortunate continent has recently been ' passing is now at an end, and that brighter days are in store for our Australian | neighbours. Bu^ although there is every prospect of the 1903 season being a good one all over the Commonwealth, it must be a matter of ye.ir> before the tremendouslose consequent on the {bought ravages can be to any extent recouped. How great these losses have been may be gauged to some extent by the official returns just published, showing the depreciation in stock in Queensland and New South Wales. The figure? are as follows : —

h "Wale*.

I ! It will be seen that in sheep .New South | Wales was the greater sufferer, with a '• loss of 34.8 per cent., as against 28.1 in Queensland. Queensland "was, however, the heavier loser in other stock, the loss in horses in that State being 13.6 against 7.5 in New South Wales ; in cattle, 32 6 against 15.2 ; and in pigs, 36.5 per cent, against 27.4. But in older to form some idea of what 10 years of drought have actually meant to Australia, it is necessary to take the figures as far back as 1891, ■when stock in New South Wales and Queensland stood at a high figure. The following compari&on speaks for itself : —

The contemplation of such a pitiless record j should cause slock owners in this colony to j feel thankful that they^have not to struggle 1 against the oven* kelmfng climatic and other 1 difficulties which continually confront the Australian pastoialirt.

The plaints of the few individuals "nlio incline to think that the New The Taswanian Zealand health authorities Smallpox were too stringent in enf oreOutbreak, ing quarantine regulations

against the Gru-cchu« suspects and contacts are effectually silenced by the new& of the venous outbreak of «mallpox in Launceslon, Tasmania It is only now that we are able to realise how narrowly the colony ha.s escaped from the ravages of this deadly scourge, for there is littie doubt that the disease was introduced into Launceston by a passenger from the Gracchus. The New Zealand Government has acted wisely in refusing to relax the quarantine regulations against all vessels hailing from Tasmanian ports, and every precaution will no doubt be taken to prevent the re-introduction of the dreaded smallpox into our midst. The necessary precautions entail a certain amount of disarrangement in shipping circle!', and some branches of commerce are bound to suffer ; but, after all, what is a slight monetary loss when the health of the people is in the scale? From reports to baud, the Lnunceston outbreak is evidently a serious one. Several deaths have occurred, and fre-h cases are reported daily. The city is sa:d to be in a 6tate of consternation ; trade is paralysed, and employeis are discharging their men, whilst theatrical companies, football teams, and other peripatetics have hastily quitted the infected State, after submitting to wholesale vaccination. Tasmania is the one »Stat6""which has proh'ted most by the Federation and the drought; but this Kmallpox outbreak will act as a temporary check upon a rapidly-expanding export tr-ade to the other States. Launceston can scarcely be called an up-to-date city, and the municipal authorities there are notoriously plow in their movement--. It is to be hoped, however, that the powers that be will wa-ke up to the measure of the present emergency, in order that the island may obtain a- clean bill of health at the earliest possible moment.

The latest news concerning the Somali campaign i* rathei more leAn ExpennlTe assuring, but the recent reLittle War. verses which ha\e befallen

the British column show | that the Mullah is a foe to be reckoned | ■with. These little wars, of which England has usually one or two in hand, are ex- j pensive luxuries ; indeed, as Mr Balfour, when speaking at the Mansion House, some ' time ag6, remarked, this Somali campaign , is costing far more in men and money than ] the Venezuelan affair. Those who airily >, talk about "sm.ishing' 1 the Mullah ha\e little conception of the difficulties which attend such an operation. In many respects, although the campa gn. is on a far smaller |

scale, ihe ti^jenence of the v outii Aiivtcan war to hive been repented. In the beginning the Mullah's strength was underestimated, and the campaign *as inn "on the cheap,'' with the di-sastiouss result that three years in succession the weak detachments sent to fionwliland were severely handled by the Mullah. >\ho always averse to taking the offensive 'ihe secret of the Mullah's strength is his mobility, and at need he can travel about 100 miles a day. He "can command between SCOO and 10.000 men armed with rifles, and another 20,000 men provided v> itli spears only. The country to be travel '•el is sterile, food and water being s<.ant\. ..nd the .Somiilis are born warriors, and although not the physical equals of the Dervishes are by no means despicable foes. In addition, the Mullah has started a religious movement, far-reach-ing in its influence, and his personal prestige has been increased by the successive advantages gained over the British forces. The Mullah has been distinguished by the epithet "'Mad., 1 ' but he has certainly shown considerable method in his m.uhie^-.

I Queensland. (New South Wale*. lueeni land. ew ■s" Number^ Number; Nambei^Numbers Der. 31, Dec. 31, Dec 31. Dec. 31, 1891. I*. 02. 1891. 1802. Horses ... 393,384 399.122 4"9.034 450,1150 Cattle ... fi,oK>,ol3 2,543,47) 9,085,096 1.737.157 Shrep .. 20,289 633 7.213 985 61.831 418127.284,5*7

Quenni-lin<3. — Numbert Decreaif Dec. 31, in KQ2. l! 02. Horses ... 399.122 62,997 Cattle ... 2,543,471 ],2?9.2'<ti Sheep .. 7,213,985 2.81G PBh Pigs ... 77,202 44.439 iNew r-outk AValo^. Nmnbers Decrease Dec. 31, m 1902. 1982. 456050 S6 6H6 1 W7.157 3 0.297 27 284.587 14,572,512 198,8 >2 72,8(58