TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7979, 6 March 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

Fruiterers in tibristcburch state that the present frui f saason is the worst they have experienced for some time. The supplies are meagre, and the quelity is also below the usual standard. Teviot in Otago, is not sending nearly as muoh fruit to Ohristchurob as it dii last season. The same remark applies to Nelson. Even bananas have fallen off. About 2,000 oases of these were received in town from the islands recently, but the oases as a rule, are coming in by the hundreds, not by the thousands. Apples are exceedingly scarce. It is no known yet how the supplies of pears will come to hand, but they are not likely to be plentiful Melbourne pears-are realising £1 a case, and they have to De sold at 8d or lOd a pound in order to enable a retail profit to be made on them.

It i 8 easy to understand that the Premier is not particularly anxious to set about re-oonstruation before the task is forced upon him, says tbe Lyttleton Times. It may be taken for granted, indeed, that there will be no changes until he as ascertained the temper of the new House. We hope, however, that those members who have admitted the necessity of strenghening the Cabinet will not let the matter rest when they get to Wellington. The same question was before the first Liberal caucus in 1903, but members shrank from the duty of plain-speaKing, and nothing was done. This blunder must not be repeated. Mr Seddon's huge majority makes it more important than over that the Cabinet should be composed of the very best men of the party, and if the Premier persists iu ignoring the, demand for reconstruction he will have only himself to blame for the dissatisfaction that is sure to arise among his own supporters.

A suggestion has been made by Mr Hamilton, Director of the Colonial Museum, at Wellington, in respect to the preservation of native birds. In tne course of a conversation with a representative of the Lyttelton Times, Mr Hamilton pointed out several speoies of birds speoially protested by notices published in the Gazette from time to time.' lb wasdifiicult to ascertain what birds came under the protective notices except by searching • through the flies of the Gazette, life then

found they were frequently protected in oiily one or two acclimatisation districts. Mr Hamilton suggests tbat a clause te inserted in the Animals' Protection Bill to be introduced next session absolutely protecting ever native bird, but giving the Governor power to proclaim puteekohe, ducks, pigeons, an 3 other native game birds unDrotected in certain districts and at certain times. This would reverse the present method, and he thought it would' be more satisfactory and effective. Another suggestion he offered was that it should be made unlawful to take the eggs of native birds. It was not uncommon for members of shooting parties and others to go into the birds' haunts and obtain eggs for collectors.

Mr E. W. Alison, at the annual meeting of the Auckland Chambeof Commerce, referred to the necessity for opening up the vast areas of fertile native lands. He urged the Chamber at every opportunity to do their utmost to force the Government to open these lands, which at present were depreciating in value by the growth of noxious weeds, and 7»"ere retarding the progress of the colony. Mr Alison also referred to the possibilities of the fruit industry, pointing out tbat wherfas we were now importing fruit to the value of £IOO,OOO per annum, we should export fruit at even a far greater value. Fruitgrowers should be educated as to what trees should be grown, and how the fruit should be canned and marketed. They muat see that the members of Parliament did their duty. They must have Opposition ideas, and must have free and full discussion in Parliament as in the Chamber of Commerce.

It baa often been demonstrated that in regard to some truths which had not yet penetrated the general mind one man was right and the rest of the populace wrong. A few citations of historic interest will prove this assertion. Coperuicu 8 was at one time alone in his belief that the earth and planets revolved round the sun. Galileo was right wnen he asserted that the moon revolves round the earth; and so was Columbus when he asserted the possibility of sailing round the world. But in all these cases it is possible that others, unknown to fame, may have shared their beliefs. There are, however, two instances in which one man was absolutely right, and so far as we know, all the rest of mankind wrong. One was that of Newton, the disooverer of universal •gravitation, and the otfter was that of John Haryey, who was absolutely alone in his oonviction that the blood circulates through the veins of living animals. In this instance, so universal was the disbelief that bis fellow-doctors nicknamed him a "quack"; and the word aurvives to this day, as the name of one who makes a profession of medical knowledge which he does not posaess.

The New Zealand and River Plate Mortgage' Company has found it advantageous to direct more and more of its attention to the Argentine Republic, with the result that very little business is transacted in New Zealand to-day. Its progress and prosperity show that the River Plate has proved a profitable field for the company's operations. The twentysecond annual meeting was held in London in January, ;under the presidency of Mr A. M. Mitchjson, chairman and managing director, when another dividend of 7 per oent. for the year was declared. The board, which includes Mr L. A. Nathan and Sir Westby Pemival, have not been unmindful of the reserve fund while distributing these excellent dividends. To-day this fund amounts to. £202,000. The paid-up capital is only £300,000, and the net profits now average about £33,000 a year, so it will be readily acknowledged that the company is flourishing exceedingly nowadays.