South Canterbury Times. THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 1883.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3106, 15 March 1883, Page 2

South Canterbury Times. THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 1883.

The visit of the Indian military officers to England appears to have been a very great success, so far as the enjoyment of the visitors and the gratification of the public are concerned. They were, of course, cordially received, and every one, from Her Majesty downwards, delighted to welcome them and make them acquainted with English. The soldiers themselves appear to have thoroughly appreciated the hospitality shown them, and to have taken.an intelligent interest in the new and astonishing sights which presented themselves at every turn. And they must have been pretty often astonished, as most, if not all, of them had been in India all their lives. India is a country where enterprise, except that which is imported, is unknown, which is full of natural wonders and beauties and is prolific in everything necessary for the support of life. Its people, on the plains, are indolent, effeminate, and cringing ; the inhabitants of the hill country are brave, hardy, and very intelligent; but their education is of course limited. They were suddenly transported to an industrial country whose people are among the most hard-working, energetic and progressive in the world, where all is bustle and excitement, and they were brought face to face with a social state quite different from anything they had ever before seen. We cannot suppose, therefore, that these strangers found time hanging heavily on their hands. We can quite understand the sincerity with which one of them committed his impressions to paper, as follows: “ Being a native of India, and having never before left it, I of course had no real idea of what England was, although I bad heard a great deal about it, its people, the wondrous things, and great workshops there. After the campaign in Egypt it became fcnown that certain of us were to visit the great country of which ours is a dependency, and when I was selected I became very glad, a feeling of pride possessed me, and I prayed that God would long continue the reign of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen. The others who were selected were also very glad, and until the day of our landing we speculated variously as to what was to be seen. We went first to Portsmouth, then by rail to London. Everywhere we were heartily cheered, and the people seemed to know of our coming. We all consider London to be Number One place in the world; we do not think there could be another city in the world to equal it.” But the benefit to our Indian Empire, and the influence upon our relations with the natives of that important dependency, which will be the outcome of this visit, are altogether beyond calculation. For something like a couple of centuries, India has groaned under mis-government. The discontent came to a climax in the mutiny of 1857 ; and since then the British people, having learned valuable lessons at the cost of blood, have steadily endeavored to rule India with justice, mercy, and discretion. And it was a very happy thought indeed to take the opportunity of the Egyptian campaign and the bringing over of the Indian contingent to fight the battles of the Empire near home, to invite the most intelligent of the force to visit the Mother Country, whence they might carry back to their own land tidings of the greatness and glory of the Empire of which their country forms a part.

Dr Lovegrovb made an excellent suggestion at last night’s meeting of the Industrial Association, viz., that an establishment for the supply of kindling wood would pay. We have frequently heard this project mentioned, and surprise expressed at the absence of any such convenience. The capital required is not very considerable. A load of good dry wood or old timber with a tomahawk and a pair of willing bands are all the capital needed and we feel quite sure the industry would pay remarkably well—for there is hardly a householder in the town that would not gladly buy a bundle or two of kindling wood every week thus saving himself the bother of 11 splitting logs,” especially in the winter-time. This matter is worth considering before the winter comes on.