TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Thames Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 8609, 13 March 1897, Page 2

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

fßy The Admiral]

Mr Seddon has returned from his jaunt across the Tasruan Sea bearing his blushing honors thiok^upon him and having resisted so far as we know, the allurements which our sister colonies held out to him. He has not been annexed, by any of them, nor did this hero of a hundred banquets, we are sure, see any land of all those he has visited more worthy of his services than the laud of the moa. We may now soon hope for a definite statement of his intentions with regard to Mr Chamberlain's invitation to be present at the celebrations to take place in commemoration of Her Majesty's record reign, and all doubts as to whether or no we are to have an early meeting of Parliament will soon be solved. We may be sure that our Premier has had his eyes open during his visit through the colonies, and it is to be hoped that he has come back with enlarged views as to the conditions of life in these colonies, and has satisfied himself that men and women may live happily and prosperously even under free trade, or without a weekly half-holiday set apart by Act of Parliament, or an army of inspectors set up at the expense of the people, in order to cany out the more or less inquisitorial Acts of Parliament, which have (experimentally) trenched upon the liberty of the subject in this groat loan land.

What has become of the mining boom ? On putting some such question to a friend the other day (he was rather ruefully studying the statement of affairs of a mining company, of which he was a shareholder) he said , something like (missing word) " the mining boom," and then he went on to tell me of his experience as a mining speculator. It was semewhat to the effect that he had gone in for three or four "sure things," naming them and what they had cost him, "and now," ho says, "I do not suppose I could get"a live pound note for the lot." Unhappily, this state of affairs must be true of a good many speculators during the late frenzy of scrip-buying and selling, and happy are they who, like my friend, have only spent money in hand, and have not run into debt and danger in their wild haste to get rich. Of course, there is nothing either new or unexpected or wonderful in these experiences. The wonder would have been far greater had there been no " wild cats " born during the period under review, when scores of claims were floated in a great measure to satisfy the demand for scrip, " good, if possible, but, at any rate, scrip," was the cry, and thousands were made simply by gambling utterly worthless properties.

The Federal elections across the sea have been very successful, and from the number taking part in them ample evidence is given of the interest taken in Federation by our cousins of Australia. The men who, in the various colonies, have been returned, are among the first for character aud ability iv their separate localities, und we maj', therefore, assume that the question which has been so long In nubibus has at last come within the field of practical politics, and we may hope soon to see effect given to that sentiment for union which has been growing so surely in the breasts of these kindred people. The examples which recent history furnishes of federation of neighboring people of one blood gives encouragement to the idea, and we may hope that the colonies, in following the footsteps of the United States and the Dominion of Canada, may also emulate their successes and participate in their prosperity, and though we, in Now Zealand, have not yet seen our way to join in the federal scheme, we are cordially as one with those who have, and when tho time is ripo for it they may reckon on our participation with them in the successes, the trials, and the dangers which may be in store for this section of John Bull's family.

The Board of Education elections for the year are over, and the result, I think, may be taken as a gain on4he side of sound and progressive education combined with boaest administration.

Since the advent of the present Chairman the Board has not presented at all times a picture such as one delights to look upon, and the rejection of Mr Lambe and the relegation of Mr Muir to a subordinate position will show these gentlemen and their friends that the people have been taking notice of their actions, and have now given them a gentle hint to amend their ways. I think we may also take it from the result of this election that country school committees have seen that the policy which has governed their conduct during the past few years has been a mistake, and that it is better to have town men of known ability and high character rather than men whose chief recommendation was thai *aey were °l the country. The committees had this year a choice of well known men of ability, and in choosing Messrs Hobbs, Reed, and Muir have three men who will be hftnest and creditable administrators of the affairs of the Board, whose affairs touch every _ town, village, and hamlet in the province.