Current Commment

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIV, Issue IV, 27 January 1900, Page 159

Current Commment

THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT AND THE WAR. A tone of profound disappointment now prevails among that portion of the press in England which supports the Government. The tone is more bitter than that of the Opposition. It passes beyond adverse criticism to accusation, and demands investigation. The “Morning Post,” a strong Conservative organ, calls for the dismissal of the Government. We think they first should be allowed to make their defence in that Chamber from which their dismissal should come. Still there are grounds for these charges which are levelled against the Government by their own friends and supporters. The demands of the English “Times” and “Standard” are just. The nation have a right to know upon ■whose shoulders should the blame rest for the miscarriage of the war so far as it has proceeded. Mr J. Balfour does not deny the charge (says the Wairarapa “Star”), but suggests that it would be highly inconvenient to press it. He blandly observes there were such a lot of us in it that it would be difficult to apportion the blame. But this is just what the country intends doing', notwithstanding the difficulties in the way. Who are the lot? When they are discovered it will be easier to apportion the blame. ♦ ♦ 4" GOOD WILL COME FROM THE WAR. I venture to say that out of the South African war great good will result, and one result at least will be for ever setting at rest the question in the Old Land as to the measure of loyalty of the colonists. Some of you will no doubt ridicule the idea that our loyalty should have been questioned, but I can assure you that in the press of Eng-land, prior to the Jubilee celebrations, the question used to crop up frequently. It fact it was stated that when opportunity offered New Zealand would be the first colony to cut the painter. We have shown our desire to cut the painter by landing the first colonial troops in South Africa. Some years ago, when this question of the colony’s loyalty was so much in evidence in the Old Country, the late Sir Henry Parkes, of Sydney, said in a magnificent speech that should occasion ever arise the colonists would snow the world that there was a “crimson streak of kinship coursing through our veins which bound with silken cords to the Old Land the land of our forefathers. Silken cords of love which never can be broken and a crimson streak of blood which never can be diverted.” The occasion has arisen and that prophecy has come true. To-day the sons of New Zealand, the sons of Australia, are standing shoulder to shoulder with the Imperial soldiers in South Africa and pouring out their life’s blood for the Empire in one common stream. And surely ve who remain at home will do our duty. This is no time to discuss, no time to argue whether the Government should send a third conwholly out of revenue or not. We should consider it not only a duty to give, but a privilege to be allowed to do so.—The Mayor of Wanganui at a patriotic meeting*. * ♦ 4THE PLAGUE. WE MUST ALL TAKE PRECAUTION. It behoves the health authorities at Australian ports and in this colony to be very watchful and strict in their examination of all ships and people arriving from infected ports; otherwise, says the Wanganui “Herald,” we shall have the “black death” spreading throughout Australasia, and taking toll of a people who, with the least amount of care and precaution, ought to escape such a terrible foe. We are pleased to see that the Minister of Customs has communicated with all the Mayors of the colony on the subject, strongly advising the municipal authorities to cooperate with the Government in endeavouring to take such precautions as will, as far as possible, prevent the introduction of this terrible disease into New Zealand. The people themselves have a serious responsibility in

them by neglect and criminal disregard of common decency help largely to prepare and maintain fever-beds, whence a constant crop of disease emanates. It is therefore, necessary that the sanitary authorities all over the colony exercise the greatest care and vigilance just now, and insist upon all manure heaps, stagnant water, and choked drains being attended to at once; otherwise we may find out when too late that the neglect to see to these matters in proper time has cost the people dearly in both life and money. 4* 4- 4 1 HUNTERS AS GENERALS. The Boer generals, Joubert and Cronjc, are old men who have not been educated in the art- of war; yet, says an American leader writer, they have succeeded, up to the time of writing this article, in outwitting the tactics of English commanders. The Boers entered the Transvaal when the country was filled with wild game, and when they were forced to be constantly on their guard against treacherous blacks. They became not only farmers and cattle-breeders, but also hunters and deer-stalkers; and their wits were trained in entrapping game and in thwarting the savage wiles of the black races. These traits and habits of mind explain their victories during the first struggle for independence, and their early successes in the second war with England. Their generals are hunters, and added to this, have proved thems< Ives to be skilful tacticians. They stealthily approach the enemy’-s position, a: they would stalk a herd of deer. They separate a few battalions from the main force and endeavour to lure them into ambuscades. Their success in capturing prisoners at Glencoe and Ladysmith was very much like a hunting exploit. The British generals do not seem to have been prepared for the methods of these sturdy hunters, for the disastrous campaign of Sir George Colley was fought barely twenty years ago. The English forces were then lured into one battle and skirmish after another, and overpowered in some instances at least by superior numbers. With Joubert and Cronje in command in Natal and on the western border, the old-time tactics have been employed afresh. The Boers have made use of their new guns, but they have gone on in the old-time manner, hunting for battalions, stalking for squadrons, and ensnaring like birds some of the most experienced soldiers in the world. 4> 4- 4- . FEEDING THE ARMY, AND MOUNTING IT. If there is one thing New Zealand can supply the South African Army of better quality than any other country, it is meat, thinks the Hawera “Star.” A great deal of the tinned meat supplied from America has turned out bad, and is supposed to have . been surplus stock from the Cuba campaign. General Methuen will not allow his army to be supplied with tinned meat, but requisitions stock as he proceeds from adjacent farmers, and pays for it. That supply cannot last. Several gentlemen in New Zealand have offered frozen mutton for the troops as a gift, if Government will find transport. There never was, and probably never will be again, so grand an opportunity to bring our meat into favourable notice, but ordinary 'ways of doing things will not avail. There is much opposition to overcome. There are the contractors, who have probably arranged for immediate supplies elsewhere, to be placated and interviewed in view of tenders to follow. There are the monopolist holders of the existing cold storage establishments to fight against, if they will not give our produce an equal turn with that of America, and we know that we can beat the latter in quality. Other colonies have their stable industries fostered by Government subsidies, and we have no industry so well worth encouraging as this, the real basis of the Government surpluses of late years

WHOSE IS THE BLAME? Sessions extraordinary of the British Parliament are so rare that the arrangements being made for one to commence on the 30th inst. will be justly regarded as evidence of a deep sense on the part of the Government of the seriousness of the situation. It. may indeed be looked upon as something more —action in response by the Ministry to what is neither more nor less than a national impeachment—through the medium of the “Fourth Estate”—of those responsible for the unpreparedness for war, and, as the cable bluntly puts it, “the deadlock which the insufficiency of British forces in South Africa has brought about.” In anticipation of the event, Mr Balfour, speaking at Manchester, has deprecated the storm of indignation that is evidently brewing by what seem at this distance, exceedingly weak pleas. “Britain, for the first time in the world’s history, had met an enemy that was entirely mounted.” That was, he said, the chief lesson to date. Tardily, indeed, has the War Office learned what all the world else knew—what every visitor or foreign resident of the Transvaal was at pains to confirm, that the Boer, although capable of bearing great fatigue on foot, is essentiallj' equestrian with more than a dash of nomadic habit. Feebler still is the plea that “if there had been lack of prescience with regard to the position the blame was too widely distributed to weigh heavily upon any single individual or office.” In other words, because the offenders are many none may be punished. Almost cruelly the London "Times” and “Daily News” confront Mr Balfour with the answer given to the Australian Governments’ offers of contingents at the outset of the war — that Britain preferred that the colonies should send mounted troops. The colonies knew what was wanted and offered it—the war authorities in their supercilious superiority disdained suggestion, until the stern logic of fact compelled acquiescence. — “Southland Daily News.”