South Canterbury Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1883.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3321, 23 November 1883, Page 2

South Canterbury Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1883.

The military cadetship at Sandhurst which has been placed at the disposal of the University of New Zealand, has not been long unclaimed. Yesterday, a pupil of Nelson College, Mr W. J. Glasgow, who has been nominated by the University, he having passed the first section of the B.A. examination, left for England, where he will forthwith enter upon his military college course, and qualify for a commission in the army. We feel sure the best wishes of the colony will follow the young aspirant; and indeed his position is a highly honorable and responsible one—for he is our representative in military circles, where hitherto we have not been represented. Several of our youths have acquitted themselves most creditably in medicine at the Home Universities, and we doubt not our young soldiers will also give a good account of themselves. Our readers will remember that some two years ago, the War Office, in reply to certain solicitations placed a limited number of cadetships at the military colleges at Horae at the disposal of the Australasian Colonies, in order that any youth of promise and of high character, whom the colonial authorities might deem worthy of encouragement—should have an opportunity of entering the military service of the Empire. It behoves the colonies never to let the cadetships bo vacant. The colonies are recognised by all British statesmen as a source of wealth and strength to the empire. The old school of politicians who used to regard colonial dependencies as so many impedimenta to the Mother Country in her progress, and urged that they should as soon as possible be got rid of and allowed to go by themselves, has now been broken up and succeeded by a unanimous conviction that the maintenance of the integrity of the empire is the first and most important duty of the Crown. The mistakes which lost England her American colonics are not likely to be repeated in

the case of those of Australasia. It is our glory and our boast that the older we grow the more self-dependent and the less burdensome to the Mother County we become, the closer we cling to her, and the deeper becomes our loyalty. We contribute to her commercial greatness, we enhance her national importance, and it is our proud ambition to contribute also to her muster-roll of great men some who have been born and reared amongst us. Under new conditions and more favorable circumstances, a new race of Britons is rising in the colonies. Their youthful vigour, infused'into the body of the Empire, will effectually prevent her decline, and keep her fresh and strong and glorious for ever. Every contribution—of learning, talent,enterprise, wealth, which the colonies make to the parent land, is a gain to the whole. It is pleasing to think that this colony may turn out, not colonial politicians and parochial-minded people merely,—but authors, statesmen, and commanders. Mr Glasgow is our first venture in the military line. He may never become a distinguished general, but at least he may figure creditably in the Army, and thus reflect credit upon the colony to which he belongs.

The proposal of O.E.D. in the “ Lyttelton Times ” of yesterday, seems a a very practical and sensible one ; it certainly demands the most careful consideration of meat exporters in the colony. There is no doubt that, apart from any other source of prosperity we may have, it is as the meat suppliers of the old country that the colonies will figure in the eyes of the world for many years to come. The meat export trade of New Zealand is now beginning to assume very large proportions, and the element of competition is rapidly exhibiting itself between the various towns at which refrigerating works are being started. O.E.D. suggests a combination of all shippers to secure a common benefit, viz., the distribution of the meat throughout the United Kingdom. At present it is not fairly distributed, and a depot in London where it might be dealt with immediately on arrival of every shipment would simplify matters very considerably. If we mistake not O.E.D.’s project will meet with hearty support.

We understand the Fish Company are down on their luck; and that, having made one or two unsuccessful trips with the Titan, they are on the point of abandoning the enterprise. This is, indeed, a faint-hearted style of doing things ; and we sincerely trust the intention to “ give it up as a bad job ” will not be carried into effect. In our opinion, no fair trial has yet been made. In the first place, the Titan has only taken the trawl a short distance from the shore, and has never explored any fishing bank ; in the next place, we cannot think a paddle steamer is likely to do any good work in the matter. The Company should procure a good serviceable seaworthy smack, man her with experienced hands, and send her out on a week’s cruise. If there were any fish-abounding banks along the coast, she would find them out, and the question whether to proceed or not would be satisfactorily settled. To abandon the enterprise now is to leave the question altogether unsettled ; and we feel sure the shareholders will not approve that. For the credit of the place and the satisfaction of the public, we sincerely hope the Directors will give the enterprise a fair trial—for such it has not yet had.

[Since the foregoing was written, we learn, with much satisfaction, that although one of the Directors, being timorus, has retired from the concern, —the other Directors have determined to pursue the proper course and procure a ketch which will be sent out on a cruise of several days, during which she will thoroughly explore the probable fishing grounds. The number of young soles that were caught the other day, shows that there is abundance of fish somewhere.]