"WHAT THE PAPERS SAY"S

Observer, Volume XVIII, Issue 1092, 2 December 1899, Page 4

"WHAT THE PAPERS SAY"S

Looked at from a colonial point of view, in the transference of British interests in Samoa to Germany the trade of these colonies has been subordinated to Imperial policy. It is, we suppose, a part of the price we must pay for Imperialism.— New Plymouth Herald.

It is difficult to remember an instance in which so little interest; has been taken in a general election as on the present occasion. The war, we suppose, is responsible mainly for this. — Hawera Star.

If it should unfortunately happen that the Seddon Government is returned to power as a result of the general election, now near at hand, it can only be by the supineness of the Opposition as a party, and the resulting absence of any organised campaign throughout the country. — Wellington Post.

The fact is, as we have co often contended, that what is called in flew Zealand a Democracy is simply Beaurocracy. The heads of departments run the country. — Napier Telegraph.

The election speeches that we have heard and read, with few exceptions, are as alike as a mob of sheep Indeed, there is a general tendency ' throughout the colony to keep originality back and press Parliament to the dead level of mediocrity. Where is the ' still, strong man. ?' — Paeroa Gazette.

From an Imperial point of view the Samoan arranngement was probably a satisfactory one, though eminently unsatisfactory to Australasia, and more especially to New Zealand. — Hokitika Leader.

In Mr Coatee the National Bank has a manager it has every reason to be satisfied with. With his many friends all over New Zealand we join in congratulating him on the continued success of the National Bank of New Zealand (Limited) since he has been at the head, and trust that he long may continue to steer it on its present prosperous course. — Stratford Settler.

It is alleged that Premier Seddon has invested £30,000 in British Consols. If this is true, the Argonaut fails to fit it in with the statements of eastern Premiers who declared a few years that the head of a Government would impoverish a Croesus. They must be either all-fired liars or more honest than Seddon Which is it?— Perth Argonaut.

The so-called Conservative Party is a rope of sand, the grains of which are glued together by a threefold greed of place, power, and property. — New Plymouth News.

We think that Mr Seddon will return to power — yet with no thumping majority. When we say this, we must admit that the wish is certainly father to the thought ; for Mr Seddon is the strongest man in the colony, and his retirement from the helm would be the signal for a state of things not far short of political chaos — Whangarei Advocate.

It requires a large stock of credulity to believe that the Conservatives are speaking the truth when they profess their determination to adopt all the Liberal legislation of the past nine years. — Hamilton Times.

The cable has reported that the British troopa have just ' gained another great victory,' but ultimately 'had to retire and leave their wounded to the mercy of the Boers.' If that is considered ' a great victory,' what in thunder would the cableman call a 'disastrous defeat ?' It recalls the case of the Yankee Colonel who reported that he had compelled the enemy to run for forty miles, but omitted to explain that he ran first and the enemy had chased' him the whole distance. — Sydney Freeman's Journal.

In at least seven or eight of the constituencies the Ministerialists will apparently have a walk-over, and this is not Because of their strength, but because the Opposition have no candidates to put in the field. The National Association is moribund, and, except in one or two places, gives no signs of vitality or of existence. If" Mr Seddon loses ground, it will be in the North Island. It cannot very well be in the South, where there is no organisation on the part of his opponents. — Oamaru Times.

The winning of the athletic banner by the New Zealand amateurs is indeed something worthy to boast about. We have licked the other colonies at the athletic games, and New Zealand is the champion colony. This is a proud distinction when it is realised the amateur section is only a small branch of the athletic games in New Zealand.— Hawera Post.

As to the moral effects of the Samoan bargain in cementing more friendly relations between Britain and Germany, we do not attach the slightest importance to that view of the subject. Germany will be friends with Great Britain just so long as it coincides with her pocket and general -ambition — but not a minute longer. — Greymouth Argus.

We trust that one effect of James Te Paa'a victory in the pole jump at Brisbane, and his creditable record in other fixtures, will be to encourage the Maori youth to evince more interest in athletics, and either to join European clubs and societies or form Bimilar societies of their own. Anything which will induce the young Maoris of to-day to relinquish their indolent habit of loafing about the pahs and hotel verandahs in our country towns will be of benefit to the race. — Blenheim Express.

The Conservatives never desert their leaders; they obey the party whips as meekly as a mob of sheep. — Christchurch Times.

Mr Seddon and his worshippers may just as well claim that because Seddonism prevails in New Zealand, therefore the export of butter, poultry, frozen meat, and other products of Australia have increased with such rapid strides. -It is thus that the fly on the wheel thought it made the worka move, and the fly on the cow's horn believed it raided all the dust enveloping the moving herd. — Nelson Mail.

A feeling not only of disappointment, but of disgust, took possession of the bulk of the people when they heard that thirtyfive out of the one hundred and five of the New South Wales Lancers who at Aldershot had volunteered for active service in South Africa were returning to Sydney. To take the honours of budding heroes, and then let their comrades go to the front while they return in spick and span uniforms to peaceful homes, hardly resounds to their credit — Sydney Sunday Times. . .

The retail price of fish in both New Zealand and Australia is almost prohibitive, and householders of limited means are debarred from placing fresh fish on their tables, except as an occasional luxury. The reason for this is not far to seek, as in all the large towns there are ' fish rings ' which dominate the trade, and sternly oppose any attempt to cheapen fresh fiah to the consumers. — Wanganui Herald. It is to be hoped that, as one result of Armit's untimely death, the dangerous practice of ' hurdling ' in the game will be checked. We have no wish to take the ' devil ' out of the Rugby game, for it has its manifest uses, but 'hurdling' should be discouraged both by the public and the Union.— Wellington Post. Such prosperity as the people of New Zealand now enjoy is the eddy of a wave of commercial revival which has affected the whole civilised world. Had it not been for our' hampering and interfering social laws, and our experimental legislation, instead of New Zealand being merely in the eddy it might have been now moving rapidly forward on the wave itself. — Nelson Mail.