TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8306, 8 December 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

An article in the Quarterly Review deals. with tbe "Naval Situation," which is just now attracting a great deal of public attention. It begins by deprpcatiog the tendenoy to pessimism which is so prevalent. While admitting that suoh a mental attitude is not altogether unhealthy as a corracfire to the-suing satisfaction and indolent content in whioh lies the aoeds of national deoay, the writer thinks that, if carried too far, it may bring about a nervous condition calculated to undermine the self-reliance and sturdy common sense of tho British people. It.is shown by survey of recent history that for a decade or so naval events have favorad Great Britain so that to-day, not only actually, but relatively to rival Powers, tbe British Navy is stronger than it has ever been, \

In view of the reduced number of sheep throughout the world, remarks "Brum," in The Australasian, tbe quantity of wool brought to market crust naturally show a corresponding shortage. Ihe high prices ruling this , seasop will stimulate the ingenuity of manufacturers !.o produce so-called woollen fabrics, in wbioh there ie less and less of wool, in order to supply the trade with cheap materials, supposed to be composed of wholly or partly of wool, at low price. For many years past it has been a subject of complaint on the part of wool growers that goods are put on the market purporting to be woollen, whioh in most oases contain very little wool, and in some instances have not a particle of wool in them. Similar frauds la other produots are heavily punished; but there is no law to protect the woolgrower.

A Dunedin boy, who has successfully passed the preliminary exam.

ination in English, higher mathematics, and dynamics at the Glasgow University, writes as follows: hi c luneofcioii with thj University, in my class thera are Germans, Beligans, Russians, and Chinamen, all going for engineering, civil and meohanical, The preliminary examination la very stiff, especially in higher mathematics and comparing it with the New Zealand matriculation that 1 passed laHt yeat the latter is like schoolboy's work. The New Zealand University's new method of teaching Euclid is not in vogue in the Sonttish University, wtiin! 1 s adheres to the old method. Oua wonJd think the New Zealaud University would oouie into line with the Home Country. My mutrioulatiou pass was not renog nised in Glasgow for engineering, whioh, of course, handioapped me, and will also handicap other New Zenlau lers who oome here and flud they have to go over their preliminary woik again.

The liyh'or side of political life was dealt with bv Mr MoNab at a complimentary supper tendered to him after his address at Hamilton. He said it had been brought home to them bow times were changing for in the Parliament of the country we find a large proportion of New Zealand bom. The Ministry had three native-born members. Dr. Findlay, the new AttorneyGeneral, Mr Carroll, and himself ; Mr J. A. Millar was born in India, while Sir Josoph Ward was a Victorian. Si> half our Ministers were born outside the Biltish Isles. Caution would surely be tbc dominant feature of the Bouse of Representatives, for a very large majority were Scotch either by birth or do scent. Political life bred many friendships; if there was a personal hostility among political opponents it was a false one, Ministerial work imposed a great physical strain, and the colony would soon have to seriously consider this. There was, however, a glamour and a fascination about the life that made it impossible to relinquish it unless one's constituents forced on another opinion. He did not know whether the difficulty would be overcome by the appointment of more Ministers, or whether Ministers would have to curtail the time given to meeting the publio of the colony.