TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8236, 14 September 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

An American paper, in an artiole on New Zealand waxes very enthusiastic about its beautiful climate and prolific soil, incidentally stating:"Turnips, carrots, mangels, and rape are fed to the stock in the rare times that they need anything but grass. Turnips grow as rank as weeds, an acreyMdinggon the average as much as fifty tons. Potatoes are a favourite crop, for the reason that the yield is enormous. Often as many as three crops of potatoes are raised on the same piece of ground during one year." With abaraoteristio American modesty, the writer goes on to say:—"The New Zealand farmer makea the road to his farm with an American pick and shovel, he puta in hia wheat with an American drill, he reapa with an American binder, be pumps the water f~r his harvest hands with an American pump, he takes the wheat to an Ameiioan mill, where the moat intricate machinery bears American trade marks; hia timber is out with an Amerioan axe; tne hammer that drove the nails into his house was brought by way of ban Francisco, 5,000 miles away; an American waggon takes the flour to the market, and finally it is oarried to the seapoit behind an Amerioari locomotive."

Air John Foster Fraser would have been sadly negleoting the interests of the journal he represents if be bad not got himself arrested in Russia, and a special correspondent who Bet the present crisis ought certainly to make his will. Mr Fraser is one of the strenuous young journalists of the day, whose first consideration is to get a themselves and their journals. He is sometimes described as an American, but as a matter of fact be was born in Edinburgh. He is the son of a minister, and he describes himself aa having been educated by being "turned loose ia a library." He served the usual apprenticeship on a provincial newspaper before going ap to London to make a name for himself, and bis first important London work, like his latest, was done in the Parliamentary Gallery. He "knooked round" the Mediter ranean in cargo boats, a»'d then, in 1396, sot out with two companions on a oyoling toar round the world. He passed through 17 countries tnd covered 19,237 chiles in 771 days His visit to the "real Siberia" was made in 1901 in search of copy, his most noteworthy achievement in that connection being a daßh across Manchuria whioh was then closed to foreigners. "America at Work" attracted him in 1902, and the following year his ohief "special" was a study of the alien migration question. "Canada As it is" waa the outcome of a journalistic tour in 19u4, and last year he was recording his hasty impressions of the Balkans for the benefltjof This year ho has beeu doing Parlia. mentarj specials for the Standard, but the position in Russia has evidently demanded his personal investigation. Mr Fra&er's reputation has suffered through the injudicious booming of his books. He is beyond doubt a very capable and enterprising journalist, and nis impreaions of the Russian situation should be vivid and entertaining, if not very deep.

Various references have been made to Sir John Gorst's early connection with New Zealand, but the story of his printing press in the King Country is not so well known as it deserves to be. Sir John Gorat, who has been appointed Special Commissiooer of the British Government at the Ohriatohurch Exhibition, came out to the oolony in 18G0, almost fresh from the University. He married Miss Mary Moore, daughter of the Rev. Lorenzo Moore, of Gbristchurob, and sister of Mr P. G. Moore, of Masterton, and bis eldest son was born in the colony. In 1861 Sir George Grey appointed him Commissioner and Magistrate within the Waikato country, and he established himself for two years at Te Awamutu. The Kingites had for some time published a paper, the "Hokioi," in their own language, using a printing press sent to them by tbe Emperor of Austria in recognition of their kindness to Hoohstet-

ter, the explorer. The "HokioP* was a fabulous bird, and when Mr Gorst persuaded the Government to let him print an opposition journal, ne named it the* "Pihoihoi" or groundlark, or rather the "Pihoihoi Moke Moke," which ho translated as "The sparrow that sitteth alone on the house-top." The two birds inevitably fell to fighting, and at last the Kingitos began to complain bitterly of the literary demerits of Mr Gorsts's journal. They deoided to establish a censorship, and one Patane, with thirty armed followers, entered Te Awamutu, and ordered Mr Gorst tc leave. The Government agent had plenty of courage, however, and held on, and the Maori King smoothed matters again by censuring bis impetuous follower. Early in 1864, however, Rewi Himself marahed on Te Awamutu, and ordered the Government agent out of the district. The printing office was broken open, and the Maoris seized typo and printing press, and loaded them on bullook drays. Mr Gorst was protected, strangely enough, by Patane, the chief who had attempted to ejeqfc turn a couple of years earlier. Still Mr Gorst refused to more, and at length be was given three weeks in which to oommunioate with Sir George Grey. It was understood that if he remained he would be killed, but he put the position very frankly, and told his obief that if staying would help the Government, stay he would, fie was ordered to retire, however, and withdrew. The Maoris subsequently pat their opinion of Mr Gorst's literary efforts into a very praotioal shape, because his leading articles were melted down and used as ballets in Rewi's historic fight at Orakau. "We will fight on for ever, and ever, and ever," was the obief'a reply when summoned to surrender, but as it happened, bis power of resistance was limited, and, in a technical expression appropriate to the occasion, he was very soon "out of sorts."