RUSSS-JAPANESE WAR.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XII, Issue 2374, 2 June 1906, Page 6

RUSSS-JAPANESE WAR.

PREFERENCE TO THE NAVY. PER UNITED TRUSS ASSOCIATION. Tokio, Alay 31. The war rewards have been gazetted at Tokio. They gii e preference to the Navy. A RUSSIAN PROFKE>SOR. HIS VIEW s OF THE ('III M ID . The views of a Russian on Russia are not available every day. Those ot I’rof.": r Alexandre Vasili-.-v. of the Uiiiver-ity ot Yuriev (lnrim>rl\ Dorpat) and director of the library there, were sought hv a “Times" reporter last night, taking advantage ot tin- IToI -s-.or’s short visit to Wellington. It l- tli -e moilt 1 - since he hit Russia, having he"ii deputed hv the Minister lor I ’ 11 1• li< Instruction ia attend ti . ice. t jubilee e: tile Melbourne- I III- \ v. Matin ally, therefore, lie could >ay but little upon the more recent nap; -ning- in Ins own country. One piec m news tiiat lit- read yesterday laid given him particular gratification. This win. a cable intimating that the Czar was to receive in and: e Presidi it ot t : e Dunn "That i- a very good thing." said the professor, “lor il i- so much bettor you know that the two should have a private interview. I think it will lead to good results, for, ol course, l In- President is the representative of the people, and their wants and aspiritions are thus more likely to he placed before tiu> Czar. I think the Czar is •aruest in his desire to give reforms. Already we see the fulfilment ol one aromi- • in the establishment of the Duma. Now that we have got it, I -Xpert tilings will be better than beoro. I believe in the Duma. Professor Yiisiliev broke off to re•iii k that newspapers a great pity, mt ho did not know why got exag treated accounts ol happenings in [{ussia. lie said that on his arrival il Proiunntlo la- was asked il it was rue that on a certain occasion 10,0(10 leoplo were killed at St. Petersburg, riiat was not true at all. ho said le was t here at the time referred to. M eonrso, some were killed perhaps i ft v or sixtv hut not thousands at ill.' Revelling to matters political, the irofessor said il was <1 i flit'll It to say v 1 1 a t t lie lei. lions between tin- Duma : lie Lower House) and the State Viuncil (Upper House) would ho. lie xiinled out that the latter was re-'

formed, half the members being now elected. On the subject of reforms the professor was very emphatic. “In my opinion. ' lie said, “many reforms ale necessary, but it is impossible to make come little by little. Here ia New Zealand you have not the same length of history—you could start fresh from the beginning. In Russia we have a very Hong history, of course, and very old traditions. Some of the latter are bad, it is true. Reforms are needed politically, socially, and especially in respect to the peasantry—their conditions of life. etc. You will have noticed that the- first question before the Duma was this one of the peasants. Rut of all reiorms necessary the most important lor Russia is the question of the education ol the people, because alter that other reforms will he more easy, more possible than now. We have quite enough high educaion there are ten I’niversities in Russia hut not sufficient primary education. Hence the great ignorance amongst the peas- : ry. Eduoa tion ii Ru consider, to bo compulsory and In ' like yours.” ilie professor concluded hv a reference 10 the V ictorian College which he had visited, ile thought it a very fine building, and >yas particularly struck with the excellence ol the laboratory accommodation, them ali at once; they must