THE Western Star AND WALLACE COUNTY GAZETTE. PUBLISHED Tuesdays and Fridays. Vincit Amor Patriae. Established 1868. TUESDAY, MAY 3, 1904.

Western Star, 3 May 1904, Page 2

THE Western Star AND WALLACE COUNTY GAZETTE. PUBLISHED Tuesdays and Fridays. Vincit Amor Patriae. Established 1868. TUESDAY, MAY 3, 1904.

The Imperial Government is getting into a bad way. Their majority has been diminishing until now it stands at 50, having shrunk from 109. All the prophets liken the occupants of the Treasury benches to the witches in Macbeth, and predict that the Balfour Ministry will presently vanish like the witches and leave nothing but unpleasant odours behind them. It was but yesterday when, it was the strongest Ministry that Great Britain has had for several decades. And what has shaken its foundation ? There are numerous factors contributing to the decline in its popularity, chief among which may be mentioned the Education Act, the Chamberlain Controversy, and the introduction of the Chinese into the Transvaal. The Education Act has profoundly affected the Nonconformist conscience, and to-day they are displaying their wrath against the obnoxious measure by a policy of passive resistance. As the cablegrams show, that controversy grows more acute. The complaint made by the Nonconformists is that the State pays and the Church controls. In 1811 the Church paid all for the maintenance of Church schools. In 1870 Mr Foster's Education Act was paseed. By this the Church paid 32 per cent, parents 30 per cent, and the taxpapers 38 per cent. In 1890 the Church contribution had fallen to' 24 per cent, and the taxpayers' burden had increased to 48 per cent of maintenance. In 1900, after the abolition of school fees, the Church and parents together paid only 22 per cent, and the taxpayer 78 per i cent of maintenance. Under the present Act the church pays nothing towards the maintenance of the schools, but it still claims; and the Government has sanctioned, the control and appointment of teachers. This is a precis of the question, and readers will understand why the Nonconformists are so incensed against the Government. So far as the Free trade controversy is concerned, no one can say exactly to what extent it is influencing the public mind. Almost alone in the modern world England professes Free trade (though it is not absolute), but " dumping " has aroused statesmen to the possibility of a declining commerce. " Dumping," in brief, simply means the practice adopted by protective countries, of underselling the British manufacturer in his own market. GJreat names, a long prosperity, and exclusive possession of the policy has made Free-trade dear to John Bull. But Mr Chamberlain has hit old theories hard, and no one can say what the end of the fiscal policy will be until it reaches its final expression at the ballot box. Ere this arrives there must be the stage—either the defeat of the Ministry or a dissolution. An opponent, writing in the Fortnightly Review, discussing the question of Mr Chamberlain's success, says he will succeed because he has no organised opposition to encounter that is worth the , name. The opponents of the Government are disunited, although a sort of union has been patched up between the leaders, but the writer referred to likens the party to a piece of antique furniture faked up for sale. Glue, paint and varnish hide the deep

worru-haunted cracks in the furniture, i The moment, however, it is brought into use, it will break down. Under the least strain it will crumble away, and " herein lies Mr Chamberlain's opportunity." Coming to the third factor that is tending to precipitate a crisis in English politics—the Chinese question—it cannot be gainsayed that the introduction of Chinese into ■•■■ the Rand has.most undoubtedly damaged the Government. They are accused of " painting South Africa yellow ; of setting up slavery in a disguised form; of selling the future of the Transvaal to the capitalists. of the Rand," and so forth. In this matter the Governi ment have been advised .by Lord j Milner. We in the colonies think he has been wrongly advised. The emptying of 200,000 Chinese laborers into the country is an experiment fraught with danger, apart altogether from the cheap labor aspect of the question.- In England objection is taken to their introduction because it is not fair to them—-because to Eng-

lish feeling it seems like mere slavery erected into law. In Australasia objection is raised because Colonials dislike Chinese and all their ways When the Imperial' sentiment is so strong, it is to be sincerely deplored. that on this question no weight was attached to colonial representation against the introduction of Chinese, and the failure 6'f the Government to respond to the wishes of the over-sea colonies emphasises the great necessity there is for an- Council to advise in matters of this kind. The creation of this body seemed, not so long ago, a remote possibility, but the Chinese question has again brought it to the front, and has made it a probability of the near future. Leaving these questions for Imperial, finance, the civilised* world has never seen a budget like the last. Public expenditure has risen to £140,000,000, and the amount to be expended during ,the current year on the army and navy is no less than £68,957,500, while in

1905 it is proposed to spend £37,000,000. The policy of defence is going to be thorough. The Imperial Party have always contended that Great Britain must maintain a navy equal to any other two great Powers ; but, taking the expenditure, the standard aimed at is to equal the navies of any three Powers, The expenditure of Great Britain in 1903 was £39,000,000, of l?rance £12,000,000, of Russia £12.000,000, of Germany £10,000,000, and of the Uuited States £16,000,000. British people love a big navy, and while they hate extravagance, they do not begrudge expendi-, ture on maintaining an effective and efficient fighting force, to. protect a world-wide commerce, safeguard rich dependencies, and to maintain that pre-eminence among the nations of the earth which has been secured only by great and heroic sacrifices on the part of the people.

The Old Age Pensions Department has hit on a new way to reduce the amount of the pension paid to old and deserving people. This is to increase the value of their property, and as every £ls in value over £SO means a reduction of £1 in the annual pension, it can be seen that it' is a method that can do big things for the Department and make the aged very uncomfortable. A case.has come under our notice of a most deserving couple, both' of whom, from physical infirmity, are unable to earn one shilling, who have had their pension docked in this way. All that they possess in the world is a small house and a quarter of an acre, the extreme value of which is not £7O, and it is valued that for rating purposes, yet the department has made a valuation for purposes of its own at £loo—a valuation which is rediculously high. In this case . a great injustice has been done, and proper enquiry will show that what we have said is correct.

Brass Bands j ust now seem to be in a moribund state, from a.variety of causes. The Invercargill Garrison, which absorbed the City some time ago, has disbanded, and owing to removals of good players from the town, the Riverton Brass Band has got into low.-water. The Band, however, has a first-class master and an enthusiastic musician in Mr J. W. Moore, who, against the most adverse circumstances, has succeeded in keeping the institution alive. The Band has been most loyal to the town, and has never refused to turn out when asked, the result being that public functions have been much brighter and better than they would otherwise have been without the enlivening strains of appropriate music. On Saturday last, for instance, a portion of the band played at the unveiling ceremony of the Wallace Troopers memorial, the music being suitable, and exceedingly well rendered. There would have been a great want about the ceremony had not the Band been present, and the thanks of the citizens are due to them for turning out. It is to be regretted that owing to the migratory character of our population, the personnel of the 'Band is always changing, thus preventing a higli state of perfection being reached, bub this is not the chief difficulty'to. be faced. The Band requires funds to carry on. The financial mutters of the Band are now under the control of a committee, so that whatever is done by the public, they will know that every penny must go towards the purpose for which it was raised. Sometime ago Mr Elmer very generously offered to promote an entertainment in aid of the funds, but owing to luck of support it fell through. We trust if another effort is made every assistance will be given by tnose able to do so. The Band is an institution we cannot do without, and appreciation is best shown by practical sympathy. It is lo be hoped that during the winter months something will be put into rehersal that will not only give a good evening's amusement, but provide a substantial sum for the Band funds.