THE WEEK.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 349, 15 August 1885, Page 12

THE WEEK.

The week has brought no further developement of the Afghan frontier disputes. This in itself does not necessarily show that nothing is being done, nor is it in itself specially reassuring. On the other hand it is clay by day bringing us nearer the season at which hostilities are no longer possible. Eugland has everything to gain by the delay. Her rulers are fully aware of the gravity- of the danger, and it is certain that even a few winter months will do much towards rendering the capture of Herat, not to speak of the invasion of India, too difficult to be attempted. In a quiet way this is being attended to now. The despatch of more Engineer officers to Herat shows that no fine drawn consideration for Russian sensibilities will be allowed to interfere with aiding our ally to render his own country defensible. These are satisfactory results of the change of Government in England, and, whatever the consequences of the general election in regard to party streugth may be, the retirement of the Gladstone Cabinet will, 1 fancy, be generally esteemed to have been a benefit.

The struggle at the general election will, no doubt, be a very severe one, and no one can say how it will end. It is said Lord Salisbury has been making overtures to the Irish National party with a view to obtaining their support. Some measure of Local Government is said to be the main feature of the proposal, and I can easily see how such a scheme might answer other good purposes beyond, that of securing votes for a Government. Those of us who have seen the working of Provincial Institutions can easily imagine a Local Government for Ireland, such as would go far to satisfy all demands yet made, without seriously irriperilliug the Unton. So far as all local affairs of Government are concerned, there is no real difficulty in granting a country like Ireland Home Rule. . Were the country divided into its four ancient provinces, and a Local Government with a local representative House given to each, many of the causes of irritation would at once be taken away. This might not satisfy the most extreme sections of the people, but it would go far to satisfy all reasonable men, and there can hardly be a doubt that it would be in itself beneficial to the country. If any such plan has been proposed, I can only hope the trial will be made in the interests of the country, quite as much as in those of the Conservative party.

The announcement made of Government policy with respect to Egyptian affairs is not very definite, yet it may mean a good deal. There can be no question of the need of Government reform in the land of the Pharoahs and Ptolemys— the apparently

insurmountable difficulty has hitherto been to carry it out. Single handed, no doubt, England is quite strong enough to hold Egypt, but the task is neither a pleasant nor a profitable one. A good, that is a strong and enlightened Government in Egypt, which was at the same time thoroughly friendly to England would be safer and less costly in every way. Mr Gladstone never appeared able to make any progress in this direction. On the contrary Egyptian affairs were a bug-bear to him throughout. He was, from first to last, in constant danger of dissension with France, Germany, and Russia in the matter, and yet lie could accomplish nothing beyond a tarren Occupation of the country. The present ' English Government have, it would seem, reverted to the older English policy, of a friendly understanding with Turkey. My own impression is that this holds out better hope of establishing a firm Government in Egypt than anything else. Turkey, indeed, is not a very powerful nation nor are her own affairs well managed. Yet she has on her side all that exists of a national settlement m Egypt. The full value of this can hardly be estimated, yet in any country it is important. It is not to be forgotten that it was to the Sultan that Arabi Pasha and the rest of the Egyptian National party turned for support, and but for England's sudden interference there can be little doubt they would have got it, too, in some shape. Looking at all the results it seems not unlikely that the English Government acted hastily in putting down the National movement, and even yet it may not be too late to try the effect rather of directing than repressing it. Gordon pronounced Turkish rule as the only feasible escape from Soudan anarchy ; it is at least possible that the cordial co-operatien of Turkey may help us out of the difficulty in which we find ourselves in Lower Egypt. The House of Commons has passed the Federation Enabling Act for Australasia. In doing so, however, they have amended it by striking out the power of each colony not only to withdraw from the Confederacy, but by its own act to sweep away all Acts of the Federal Council affecting it in any way. The power sought to be given by this clause of the Act was so exceptional that it can scarcely be wondered at that it was struck out. Yet its absence seems likely to prevent New South Wales from joining tho confederacy. The Premier at all events inti- * mates that the present Government will not recommend the colony to join. I can hardly say I am sorry, although if any colony was likely to benefit by joining I think New South Wales was that colony. The whole prospecc, however, seems to me both needless and premature. For purposes of defence Australia like New Zealand must depend largely on England for many years, and it needs *no federation to do this. For other purposes I fail to see any pressing need of federation, and in the present state of the -various colonies I can fancy many serious drawbacks likely to spring from its operation. If New South Wales holds backthe project will most likely come to nothing, and this may lead to some effort in the direction of a wider federation of England with her colonies. Perhaps even for so o-rand an object as this it would be better that no great effort should be made. Movements of this kind are only truly successful when they are spontaneous, and from all appearances I should say that a very few years will bring this about without any effort. This does not of course prevent Australian federation, but so far as New Zealand is concerned, at all events, it would manifestly be a great improvement upon it. Cholera continues to make horrible ravages in Spain. Probably no population in Europe have less idea how to deal with the scourge when it comes, or how to take precautions against its attacks. This may account for the terrible severity with which it has settled down in some of the Spanish districts. The idea of fighting the battle with religious processions and celebrations would hardly be adopted now-a-days in any other European country, but Spain is quite a century behind most of Europe in the average intelligence of its people on such matters. The news that a case of cholera had been brought to Bristol is calculated to cause some anxiety — the only comfort is that, unlike most dreaded diseases, cholera does not seem to spread by the ordinary processes of infection. "■ How slender our own hold upon our exemption from wide-spreading diseases is, is once more illustrated by the reappearance oi small-pox in Sydney. Once more the disease has been detected apparently in time, and a judicious system of quarantine will probably stamp it out. for this time ..also. Our distance from the older world is the great safeguard of these colonies from this sort of thing, but it should not be forgotten that the safeguard daily o-rows less and less effectual. Swift communication amongst its many benefits will bring us this one drawback, that we cannot hope 3 to escape to the same extent as formerly the importation of the ills to which flesh is heir. There are 1 places in Auckland hardly what might be desired in the event of any great epidemic disease attacking this port. It may, be as well to be forewarned by these repeated small-pox scares, and, as far as possible, see that our centres of population • c are not centres for the operations of diseas It may ftkt come now, nor for years to come

but assuredly we shall pay this penalty for our nearer connection with, the old world I sooner or later. :o: The colony has advertised for tenders for the new mail service between Auckland and San Francisco. The time given for sending in tenders is very short. Even if it has been simultaneously advertised in America and England the time allowed appears too limited. It is true that time presses in the matter, as the old contract is nearly at an end, but the old proverb, ' more haste less speed,' has no more natural application than to such a matter. The vote at the disposal of the Government cannot be considered a large one to secure what we want, and any failure to obtain tenders within our means would be serious at present. What the Postmaster- General asks for is a service considerably more rapid than at present, but one which is quite easily accomplished by the use of proper boats. Such boats, however, are not to be got much nearer than England, and it may be doubted whether time has been given to enable any English firm or company to tender for the service. In Auckland, of course, we are specially interested. The fact that this port would be the port of arrival and departure for these steamers makes the question an important one for us. The value of a service to the Colony is one thing ; the value of being the terminus and starting poiut of such a service is quite a different one. New Zealand at large will, I believe, be a great gainer by a new and more rapid mail service ; but Auckland, in particular, must also benefit by her position as terminal port in a different way and to a greater extent. In this matter of the San Francisco service the present Ministry have acted as statesmen so far. I trust there is no danger ,'of their spoiling matters at the last moment by failing to give notice to tenderers of the offers required and the terms of the contract. I have confidence in the Post-master-General that he has been guilty of no very palpable blunder, but if there is a chance of the time-limit shutting out tenderers. I hope he may yet see his way to extending it. :o: Matters continue as unsatisfactory as ever at the House. The Government carry on business in a half-hearted, hopeless sort of way, and the Opposition growl at and obstruct the Government measures, but do not venture upon any regular attack. It is clear that the Colony must be the sufferer if this goes on. The legislation of the session so far has been no credit to the House, as nearly every important measure has been so mangled that it is hardly recognizable. I may add that it is no credit to the Government either. When a Ministry has not the power to do any good work it is only honest to the Country to abandon the attempt. It is possible that no one else could do better but this is not the business of the Cabinet. There are much worse things to be feared than a change of Ministry, and one of che very worst is for a Cabinet to cling to office when it ceases to have any power for good. The legislation for the week has included progress with the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Bill, and the State Forests Bill. Both measures have been greatly altered in committee, and I fear neither will bo found to be of much practical value. The Treasurer made a supplementary finaucial statement on Wednesday evening, and proposed to meet the loss of revenue involved in the rejection of tt c Customs tariff, partly by adding to the Property Tax an eighth of a perny in the pound, partly by postponing certain payments until next year, and partly by a reduction on the defence estimates. The proposals may answer the purpose of making both ends meet for the year, but they are not at all satisfactory for any other purpose. Sir Julius may well say he would have preferred to carry out his own proposals; his friends may go further and say that for his own reputation's sake he should have refused to make any others. Probably these proposals will give little satisfaction to the House, and it is small comfort to know that any other Treasurer would also now be compelled to adopt for this year a make-shift finance.