PUBLIC OPINION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17573, 25 June 1925, Page 6

PUBLIC OPINION.

vvi:at other writers are SAYING. PACIFIC PROBLEMS. There is mentioned in the cables the meeting next week at Honolulu .of the Institute of Pacific Relations. This organisation was born in the idea of a Pan-Pacific Conference of the Y.M.C.A.. and it grew beyond that idea because it began to embrace oilier creeds, -and questions outside such a coin fere nee's scope. The Institute’s field embraces the whole Pacific and its problems, religious, ethical, cultural, economic and political. Fhe Buddhist and the Confucian will sit beside the- Christian, and the three will discuss questions affecting their faiths and their application to presentday questions. The great problem of migration, the most difficult and delicate of all. will have a “section” ol its own. It is hoped that this Institute will develop into something like the Williamstown Institute of Polities. which every year is attended by leading Americans and distinguished men from Europe, who speak on the great questions of the day. Distance has been a barrier to international understanding in the Pacific. lhe United States i> in much closer contact with Europe than with Asia. The gathering at Honolulu is an attempt* to reduce this handicap of distance bv bringing together representatives < f various countries concerned and franklv discussing differences and resemblances. ‘‘Star.'' Auckland.

FOREIGNERS IN CHINA. The hostility towards Knropoara in China shows little sign of nbntinft, with a weak Government at Pekin ami t] u * student, body demanding a rupture with Britain, the situation .continues to be serious. Details ot the shooting that has so inflamed the Chinese mind are meagre, but it may l»e said that, whatever may have been the mistakes of the Western Powers in China in the past, no foreign community could be expected not to defend itself when attacked. 1 nfortunately. when defensive measures kill people, the provocation is often forgotten, and agitation is fanned by tho result. A very conspicuous example was the Amritzar “ massacre ’’ i.i India. Unscrupulous agitators are making the most of the British firing on Chinese, and there must be numbers of Chinese who will always regard this as a massacre by forces of a brutal predatory Power. The extension of education and the multiplicity of newspapers help to spread such false impressions. In many cast's the n.-ind is receptive to these calumnies. Feelings of nationalism have already been stirred, and anger rises to white beat when it is reported that foreigner'; who have quartered themselves on China have shot down Chinese who were acting within their rights.— “ Star.' 5 Auckland.

XF\Y RAILWAY TARIFF. Some of the Railway Board's proposals inevitably will be criticised, but due heed should be paid to its claim that it has been guided throughout by a desire to remove anomalies, simplify the tariff, and establish the incidence of railway rates as nearly as possible on an equitable basis. In defending its tariff proposals, the Department and its reorganised mivnagemcnt no doubt will derive considerable support from the expressed opinion of the FayYinecnb Commission that there is no margin for the reduction of rates on the New Zealand railways unless more traffic oa.ii thereby be secured. It should not be forgotten that if this or that item in the now schedule ».s attacked successfully, it will still remain to he decided whether the revenue needs of the Department are to ho met by increasing charges on other classes of goods or by leaving a deficit to be met out of the Consolidated : Fund. .Particular! v as they affect iat os on commodities which have hitherto enjoyed favourable treat- < mcnf, the revision proposals are bound to give rise to a good deal of contro- « versy. On the other hand, the Dc- ; pnrunout appears to be alive to the necessity of attracting additional traffic by enterprising business methods a.nd some of its proposals with reference to passenger excursion fares, notably the concession offered to peonl<* : with families. arc likely to be popular and lo encourage an increased use of , 11,0 TO-ilways •• Dominion." Well inlon. °

ITIXCKSS WHO HKC'tMF \ PAKLOniJUm. On i 1.,, occasion of one ~l bis visits to South .Africa, sir Francis Fox stavcd the week-end with a. Government official at Mvnherg, in whose service was a native princess as parlour-maid. In Ins autobiography. entitled “Sixty toms ol Fimineerins.” Sir Francis rehitcs that on driving to Hie house of Ills host “the door was opened bv a lall. nire-lookinc black maid, uho spoke Knglish perfectly, and with „ cullmed voire and pronuneiat ion to bool. She waited at table and came to morning prayers. In the early morning she troughi me a cup of tea, nnd spo.ic in a gentle manner like a ladv <;f refinement. On Hie Sunday morning she accompanied us to divine service. I remarked to my host what ;ni excellent servant she was. He said: sos ; and, more than that she i- a princess.’ Her father v - King of • and bad great wealth in cattle, ostriches, etc. He bad consulted the BrhUh Government over her education, with the result that at an early age she was sent to Gape Town and placed under first-rate English govercsscs and teachers until she was eighteen years of age. When l er father died the people sent for her to return to her home and heroine the Queen. Rut when she found she would have (o revert to heathen rites and ceremonies, she said this was impossible. Slu- harl learnt English, bin .'bo bad also'embraced tiie ('hnsfian faith, and M • could not. give it up. In the end 1 hey decided not to place her on the throne, and disinherited her. So she became a parlour-inn id in my friend’s house.' 5