The Star. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1885.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5494, 17 December 1885, Page 3

The Star. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1885.

This is thb aob of Exhibitions, of Conferences and of meotinga. By means of the first we let all the world and his wife know who and what we are in respect of our raw productions, our commerce, our agriculture, our arts and education — in short, we advertise ourselves. At the second we Bettle sanguinary difficulties without the aid and ■tern arbitrament of war 5 seated quietly around the deliberative board, by the third method of procedure, we calmly discuss matters affecting whole Continents and their nations/ The steam-engine and its developments have made the world much smaller. It is poSßlble to summon men from the uttermost ends of the earth, and say with almost absolute oertainty that they Bhall join hands on some set day at a given rendezvous. Specialists in every branch •f aoience, letters, art and commerce can come together with marvellous facility, and make things move in a week with tha giant stride of a century of bygone years. To tho millions of British people speaking a common tongue, this privilege ef modern timeß is of more importance than i& won of any other race. It will be taken lull advantage of at the forthcoming India* and Colonial Exhibition to be held next year. Representatives from all the Chambers of Commerce in the wide Empir« are to meet in Congresß. Many have already promised their attendance, and many have not yet had time to reply to the invitations sent them- but Rangoon, Adelaide, Montreal, Toronto, Madras, Singapore, Port Elizabeth (Cape Colony), and Cape Town will join with the Home Chambers. The political and imperial significance of such an extraordinary gathering «annot be over-estimated, and it is to be hoped that New Zealand will be worthily represented at its deliberations. Lord Boaebery never, by any chance, misses an •pportunity of drawing public attention tm the rising importance of the Australasian Colonies, and the necessity of drawing closer year by year the bondß which bind them to the Mother Country. Speaking at an election meeting lately he _aid he believed that " Tho Colonies contained much more of our present and much more of our future than was thought, and on them, on England itself, and the United States rested the hopes of humanity " — a sentence which hia hearers applauded to the echo. His reasons were few and plain. Reduced to their simplest elements they amounted to this : — That British Colonies advanced themselves and advanced the progress of the world through peaceful commercial enterprise, through the enterprise of their merchants. With the collective wisdom of those merchants assembled at South Kensington, it is the simplest logic, reasoning from Lord Eoseberry's premises, to Bay that there will be found the greatest number of minds capable of advancing the prosperity of the Empire,. and therefore the prosperity of mankind, and the progress of the world. A discussion on Imperial Federation will form a prominent part of the programme, and with this both of the former are linked indissolubly. No grander meeting has ever been held.