The Week in Review

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 18, 29 April 1908, Page 1

The Week in Review

Hooray! Auckland is safe from invasion! She has repelled an attack by her own citizen army, and can now defy any force that may come against her, be it Russian, German, Chinese or Japanese! There is no fear of even D. M. Luckivich’s cruiser, the Kaskowiski, causing a “scare” by suddenly appearing in the harbour. The National Defence Convention very properly deelined to discuss the alleged unprotected state of Auckland after the convincing demonstration, afforded by the -Easter manoeuvres, of the capacity of her sons to defend the Queen of the North against all comers. The swoop of one section of the invading force was described as “a magnificent piece of work”; but the only result achieved was a drawn battle at one point. At every other, the rude invaders were repulsed by the brave defenders. What though some of the harbour defences have been condemned as useless? The people can point with pride to their citizen soldiers and say: “These are the walls of Auckland —every man a brick!” It is different in other parts of the Dominion. The sham fight at Wellington resulted in the city being Captured by the invading force, and this despite the fact that 2,340 volunteers took part in the operations, as against only 898 at Auckland. It is some consolation to be assured that the legislative capital could be effectually defended if more men were available. Auckland may be able to spare a few when the hour of danger arrives. & At Dunedin, too, the city fell to the attacking force, chiefly ©wing to the defective tactics off the defenders. According to a competent authority, if the attacking force had known of the state of affairs in the defenders’ camp, “they could have inarched over them. Even a girls’ school could have done it, and a trained enemy would have brushed the defenders away like flies.” The intelligence and commissariat departments at Dunedin were both badly managed. Now, armies are controlled by trains, and they “march bn their bellies,” and if men are neither led nor fed, what can be expected but defeat? Of the terrific combat engaged in by the 153 volunteers who took part in the Christchurch manoeuvres, nothing has been published. It may be assumed that the Cathedral City has escaped Capture and looting by the barbarous •foe. In all, 6,000 men took part in the Easter manoeuvres in different parts of the Dominion, and their behaviour during the cold and wet weather that prevailed, is deserving of all praise. The firing of the big guns broke a few windows, and shattered the nerves of some timorous ladies; but we may all be thankful for a taste of sham warfare, if only for its reminder that worse evils than broken glass and tempers would befall us if we did not look to our defences, and encourage the volunteer movement by every reasonable means. ,As regards Wellington and Dunedin, there is a deeper lesson for them. They must see that they take such steps as will prevent their sham defeat being converted into a real one.

Mr. Thomas Lrng, the Chinese Mandarin who recently paid a visit to New Zealand as Commissioner for Emigrants to the Government of the Flowery Land, is a very astute gentleman. Several hewspaper reporters embarked on a *fishing excursion,” and tried to draw •xpressions of opinion from him on various questions, but the Ling did not “hook on.” They tried him with white bait, yellow bait, and brown bait, but tailed to get a “bite,” though they got

something resembling a “nibble” with each—that is, Mr. Ling was persuaded to say something touching on Europeans, Chinese and Japanese. How ’cute and cautious this fish proved may be gathered from the following account of his Auckland interview: —

“Yes; several Chinese, now and then, Do migrate from the Flowery Land.” To grow the cabbage? “No, they seek For gold, but sometimes they get sand!”

New Zealand poll-tax? “Yes, I’ve heard Of that before. Let’s see—hum—haw— My views on it are very clear; They are, in short—‘ The law’s the law!’ ”

The Chinese army, railways, trade? “Yes, there’s a little progress shown; But, bless you, we are peaceful folks — We’ll only fight to hold our own!”

The boycott by the Japanese? “Well, I have heard of such a thing; But, really, war’s not yet declared. And mum’s the word,” said Mr. Ling. Mr Tom Mann, whom one remembers personally, in lessening degrees of importance ever since his one memorable chance in the great London dock strike, when he was associated with such men as Burns and Tillett, has been vapouring his own particular brand of vague socialism, in the colony of late. He will, however, be hard put to it to explain the attitude of the enormous working man’s electorate of N.W. Manchester in the support accorded the Socialist Labour candidate, Mr Irving. No, amount, of excuse, no amount of vindictive slanging of all and sundry—the weapon usually resorted to under such circumstances —will account for such a complete facer as this —276 votes out of a total of 10.681. The fact that 89 per cent, of the 11,914 on the roll voted, in an electorate where the working man (the man who works, not talks), predominates enormously, shows one thing clearly, that the working man of Manchester has no use and no time for the modern self-styled socialist. As a form of mild amusement, and, as provocation to genial discussion, over well-earned and wholesome British beer, (which Mr Mann may recollect ought never to be watered) the real hard-working Britisher, who is a level-headed and thoroughly good fellow, does not object to the fiery outbursts of the Tom Manns and Irvings, and others of their kidney, in Trafalgar Square, Hyde Park, or other public gathering places. But, and it is a big but, he refuses very absolutely to entrust his interests to him in any way whatsoever. J* J» One has indeed only to mix with the crowd on occasions when these gentlemen are denouncing everyone else, and exalting themselves, to derive a highly-illuminative illustration of the real views of the listeners.. That they take them no more seriously than they do the utterances of the stage hero in melodrama on a Saturday evening at tho Adelphi or Britannia is at once obvious. They applaud, in exactly the same sori of way they do the stage puppets, and they regard them simply as purveyors of amusement for the nonce. Mr Mann and his colleagues have by the Manchester showing made poor progress for “the cause’ amongst the working men of the old country. We do not doubt a similar

fate for the insignificant coterie styling themselves Socialists here. But it is objectionable all the same, that signal failures in the lead of Socialism at home

should come to a well-governed, wellcontented democratic country such as ours, for no other purpose than to endea-

vour to stir up class feeling. A photo of delegates attending the Socialists early meeting in Wellington appears on page 23.. Whether such men are of the stamp to lead pudlic opinion in New Zealand we leave phsiognomists to judge. Jt Jit What is a “pagan”? In an age of cheap dictionaries, one would think it was unnecessary to ask such a simple question as this; but the fact remains that columns of the daily Press have, during the week, been filled with letters from correspondents, more or less erudite, hotly debating this subject. The original question raised by Bishop Neligan’s statements in London was: “Are our country settlers lapsing into paganism?” By a large majority the “noes ” had it, and the controversy might have been expected to end there. But the dogs of theological controversy, once let loose, are not so easily recalled to their kennels; and so, to the great scandal and alarm of the lambs of the flock, these dogs have been biting and barking away, while the worldly Philistines (who dtearly love a dog-fight of any description, and more especially one over religious “ dog”mas), have hugely enjoyed the “show.” So far as the discussion has gone, the conclusion seems to be that a decent pagan is a great deal better than a demoralised Christian. This reminds one of the assertion of the late Henry Ward Beecher, that he believed there would be horses in heaven—“at any' rate, a good horse had a better chance of going there than a bad man! ” If horses, why not pagans? This brings the quest back to the point so keenly debated in the grandmotherly Press. The discussion may be summarised this: — What is a pagan? The Bishop replies: “ A settler in this fair Dominion Who drifts from the Church, seeks a path to the skies By his own foolish heathen opinion, And knows not the Creed Athanasius taught: That man is a pagan, in deed, word and thought!” “If such is a pagan,” friend Beatty retorts, “ Then who has of wrath filled his dish up? Why, the clergy, who leave him to gambling and sports; And most guilty of all is the Bishop! And I’d rather have pagans, good, honest, sincere, Than Christians who quarrel and wrang'e and sneer! ” “A pagan! A pagan! One must be about,” Cries the Church's stout champion, Gillam; Isn’t that man a pagan who'll rave and! who”ll shout, And let egotist fancies fill him? Isn’t that man a pagan who’s false to his Church, And will even the name of his Bishop besmirch? ” What is a pagan? The whole pagan crew Exclaim—“ Who can solve the enigma? For Solon, Lycurgus and Socrates too Were pagans; and where is the stigma? Confucius, and Plato, and more, you’ll agree, Were great and good men in the ages B.C!” And meanwhile our “ pagans ” of backblock and bush Lead pure hero-lives, all unheeding; And our rude city “heathen” of “gang” and of “ push ” Down the path of destruction are speeding; And the Churches compound for the sins at their doors By sending out missions to far heathen shores! ■ Patriotic Aucklanders may well indulge in a little “blow” over the display of championship shields ami banners that

has been made in Queen-street during the past week. These trophies of victories in the athletic field include shields for Rugby football, for cricket, for association football, for bowling, and for hockey. In addition, there is the Besson shield won by the Auckland First Battalion Band, and the silver challenge cup for rifle shooting by public school cadets. It is also noteworthy that tho Auckland representative swimmer, who bears the appropriate name of Champion, has won every New Zealand championship swimming match for which he entered. Why, it may be asked, this supremacy of the Northern Capital in the arena of outdoor sports? The climate of Auckland has the reputation of being the most relaxing in the Dominion, and one would naturally expect that the athletes of the North would be easily beaten by those trained in the more bracing parts of the country. Some part of the credit for Auckland’s unique distinction may be due to the excellent organisation and methods followed by her athletic clubs; more, perhaps, to the enthusiasm with which sport is pursued; but, most of all, to the splendid facilities enjoyed in the way of recreation grounds. In this connection, the policy of the City Council is most commendable, and that policy will, it is to be hoped, continue to lie followed. The Finance Committee, it is pleasing to note, has recommended the Corporation to promote a Bill to close the Symonds-street Cemetery to burials, and vest the land in the City Council, and to provide for a section at the corner of Karangahape-road being utilised for the purpose of public baths. If this plan is carried into effect, the city will have a new and attractive public reserve added to its already extensive areas, and central baths will be provided for the use of a large population. In the meantime, the Auckland athletes must not relax their training, for no doubt determined efforts will be made by their Southern rivals to wrest from them the. coveted laurels they now wear so proudly. J* J» The white population of New Zealand, and more particularly the members of a former Government, ought to bo furiously blushing at present oyer the revelation of their crooked dealings with the guileless brown brother, as disclosed by the Native loind Commission, in connection with the acquisition of tho site of the Government township of Rotorua. Enticed by the prospect of great advantage from the presence of a considerable European population, the native landowners were persuaded to sell some 3000 acres of their lands on which to found the town of Rotorua. At the time of the sale these lands were drawing rents at the rate of £2700 a year; but the Government of the day only offered for the freehold the miserably small sum of £7500, and this price the Maoris were persuaded to accept. The natives, since then have made some progress in the study of land values; but at the time, they say, “not being versed in the mysteries of arithmetic, we could not allege, as against our benevolent agent, that it had taken advantage of our ignorance and confidence.” The Commission (which is, by the way, presided over by the Chief Justice of the Dominion) has some strong things to say about this transaction. “If it be a fact,” states the report, “that while acting as trustees for tho native owners, tho Crown, having prohibited the natives from selling their lands, bought them nt an inadequate price, the action of tho Crown cannot bo defended. A transaction of that character would, if it took place between an ordinary trustee and a beneficiary, be set aside by any court of justice before wbon> it came for decision.” It is surely the imperative duty of the present Government to make a searching inquiry into tho facts, and if it finds them to be as stated, everything possible should be done to repair tho injustice.