The Week in Review

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 7, 17 February 1909, Page 1

The Week in Review

The wreck of the Penguin is one of the worst shipping casualties of recent years, xne Penguin was a very popular coastal steamer, and was always considered one of the best seaboats in the Union Company's service. According to a statement made by the captain, the boat left Tieton at 6.20 last Friday night, and entered the Strait a little before eignt o'clock. When half way across the weather became very thick, and vae -vessel struck just as .its head was being put down too Strait. The pumps were set to woric, but the water gained rapidly, and in less than an.-hour the vessel sank bodily. Cape Terawhiti, the scene of the disaster, has always been regarded as a dangerous point, especially in bad weather, and both the Grassmere and the Oceanic came to grief there. It has often been urged that a light should be established at this point, and only a short time ago Lieutenant Knox drew attention very emphatically to this matter. In view of the extremely dangerous nature of tne locality, it is to be hopeu that a lighthouse or danger signal will soon be established. JX Nothing has so moved the people of the Dominion as the wreck of the Penguin since the Wairarapa and Elingamite catastrophes. The disaster in Cock Strait is not only the greatest since the two tragic shipwrecks, but it bears a close resemblance to them. The Penguin was a splendid boat, well-found and wellequipped, and commanded by a thoroughly capable and experienced captain. She had crossed the strait dozens of times in far worse weather. than prevailed last Friday, and there was not anything, despite the heavy sea running, to give cause for anxiety or alarm. Yet suddenly a rent is torn in her side, and the sea pours in, confronting all on board with the prospect of death. The heroism displayed by passengers and crew alike shows how great is the courage and calmness of human nature in the hour of danger. In a supreme crisis we Britons of lands beyond the sea have always shown that we possess the brave spirit of our race, and, separated by thousands of miles from the Motherland as we are, we are ‘yet linked to her by the knowledge that when we change our skies we do not change the British spirit of heroism and self-sacrifice and duties nobly done. J* JX The flax industry of the Dominion seems to be threatened with extinction in the near future, unless something can be done to save it. The employers state that the men want more wages than millers can afford to pay, and others assert that the royalties imposed are more to blame than the wage demands. Mr G. Shirtcliffe, wlio has been connected with the flax industry for over a quarter of a century, considers that the royalties are still far too high, though they have been greatly reduced lately, and are now fixed on a sliding scale. Tic thinks that further reductions will have to be made if any of the mills are to remain open. But the wages were actually increased when the slump set in, and the labour portion of the cost of production has grown since 1898 by some £4 per ton. The millers’ profits have now reached vanishing point, and some readjustment both of royalties and wages is urgently called for if the industry is to be saved.

The subject is an important one in view of the number of men employed and the value to the colony of the bales exported. In 1907, the number of bales graded was 147,000; in 1908 the quantity fell to 89,000; in September, 1907, there were 130 mills at work, while in the same month last year there were only 70 that were able to keep going. The outlook for the present year seems even Worse, and it is considered probable that several more mills will be compelled to shut down. In 1907 the industry distributed in wages alone some £390,000, and the owners of the flax properties spent considerable sums for labour in the improvement of their properties. Three-quarters of the total cost of production is represented by labour pure and simple, the remaining onefourth being for fuel, freight, grading, oils, and insurance. It is quite clear that with the prices at present ruling, and the competition of other countries, the wage-earners must either be content to accept lower wages or else they must make up their minds to see the whole industry extinguished, whilst they themselves go to swell the ranks of the unemployed. The report of the Rhodes Trustees for 1907-8 shows that there were during that period 156 Rhodes scholars in residence at Oxford, while for 1908-9 the number had increased to 178. Balliol seems to be the favourite college, and Christ Church comes next, Corpus being lowest with only two scholars. Six students won scholarships or prizes, two being from the United States and four from the British colonies. It is perhaps a little disappointing to find that only four gained a First-class in the Final Honours Schools, 19 getting a Second, and 15 a Third, while 3 only succeeded in getting a Fourth. In athletics the Rhodes scholars seem to have more than held their own; four got Rugby “blues,” tive got athletic “blues,” and one each a cricket and boating. It has been suggested that as we send colonial scholars to Oxford it would be a good thing for Ungland to send some of her scholars to colonial universities. The idea certainly seems a good one, and were it acted on. tnere would probably be a more cordial understanding between the Motherland and her dependencies. The subject of the King’s English has been much discussed of late, and a Southern paper makes some amusing comments on the way in which English is taught at school and at the university. In the course of a very ably written leading article, it remarks: “At present the term ‘English’ too often means, in education circles, a smattering of useless Anglo-Saxon, a scaffolding of parts of speech, to be laid bare and pulled apart with vicious curiosity, a list of unread books and dates and authors, with Professor Saintsbury's views thereon—who is Professor Saintsbury ?—the endless Latin names of harmless ‘figures of speech,’ which never deserved to be so branded, and a variety of other useless ‘information’ of a superficial kind. In consequence, it is a reproach against the university graduate that frequently he is unable to speak or write his native language in a way that does not shock the nerves.” All of which is doubtless very true, but the trouble is to devise something better. The old classical education has fallen into disrepute, but there is no doubt that it really did help to form style and give a sense of the beautiful in literature. Nothing has ever been found to quite replace it in this respect, and certainly our modern methods of teaching English do not appear to give very satisfactory results.

It is not always realised how vital it is to England that her navy should be equal to the combined fleets of any other two Powers. Many economists at Home are inclined to protest against the present naval expenditure, and urge that much of the money would be better spent on schemes of social reform. It is indeed reported that there is likely to be a serious split in the Cabinet on this very matter. It would be quite possible for Great Britain to be brought to the depths of misery and even submission without any great naval disaster or invasion. Her main supply of food and raw material comes from over the sea, and therefore her fleet must be sufficient not only to wage hostile operations, but also to protect her commerce. The Peace Conference of 1907 reinstated privateers, and a single privateer in a distant ocean could play havoc with merchant shipping. A great increase in the price of commodities would be certain to take place, and many millions would be reduced to want or even to actual starvation. The double function that would "be required of the navy in the event of war makes it imperative that it should at all costs maintain its present relative superiority. ‘ JX jX It would appear that people arc still victimised by- the free photographic enlargement imposture, in spite of the frequent warnings given by the Press. The usual procedure is to give the picture free and charge an exorbitant price for the frame. Sometimes the people conducting this class of business possess a certain sense of humour. One young lady of ample proportions and of homely features forwarded her photo, for enlargement. In due course she received a reply stating that the picture was ready and would be forwarded on receipt of two guineas, to pay for the frame. The two guineas not being forthcoming, the firm refused to forward either the enlargement or the original photo. When, however, they were threatened with legal proceedings, they returned the pnoco., saying that it was so utterly hideous and ugly that any enlargement of it would be worse than useless as an advertisement, and as they only gave pictures free for advertising purposes they could not carry- out their contract. Mr. Elihu Root, the United States Secretary Of State, has declared himself to be in entire sympathy with Sir Edward Grey, the British Secretary for Foreign Affairs, in regard to the urgent need that exists, for radical reform in the administration of the Gongb Free State. M r. Root declares that the conditions agreed to at the Brussels Convention are being violated, and the United States and Great Britain are quite in accord in desiring to secure better conditions in the country. It was hoped- that when the Belgian people decided last.year »o take over the Congo and administer it for themselves some of the iniquities perpetrated by King Leopold would have been done away with, but apparently me Belgian administrators have continued tne system of ruthless tyranny and barbarous cruelty. The Powers will now in all probability insist on enforcing the terms of the Berlin Act, under which tne Congo was declared to be internationally free commercial land, and it is to be hoped that the unfortunate natives will be rescued front the bloodstained despotism under which they have so long been placed. The annual report and balance-sheet of the New Zealand Insurance Company shows that the Company has quite recovered from the heavy- losses sustained at the time of the San Francisco conflagration, and its investments now total £710.512, or within £4,000 of what they stood at before the earthquake. Tne chairman referred to the unsatisfactory

condition of fire insurance business i - i ~ Dominion, mid stated that us far as New Zealand was concerned all the tire <, n panics were making losses. This he at tributed to tne exceedingly low rates it. it have been ruling, and to the heavy ex penses entailed by the contributions par - able under the Fire Brigades Act. lie also mentioned that the accident busim s had suffered through the action of tn Government in guaranteeing the State Accident Insurance Department again: loss in connection with certain liabilities incurred under the Workers' Compensation Act of last session. lie thought that the State, by its guarantee, had taken an unfair advantage over private companies. In spite, however, of these difficulties, the Company is in a stronger position to-day than it has ever been before, and it enters on its jubilee year under the most cheerful and promising auspices. A- ~-4 The visit of King Edward and Queen Alexandra to Berlin cannot fail to bring about a more friendly sentiment between England and Germany. A bitter feeling against Great Britain had become one of the most deeply-seated elements in modern German life. Bismarck fostered this feeling in his later years, for reasons of internal policy. German institutions were based on militarism, and he thought any admiration for the Parliamentary and legal institutions of Great Britain might, tend to weaken the hold which the army held on the country. ’lucre has also always been a keen commercial rivalry between the two nations, since in the struggle for colonial expansion and trade Germany naturally came io look on Great Britain, who held the field, as her rival. King Edward has always been represented as a wily and crafty foe, and the present visit will do much to remove that misapprencnsion. and to let the German people see that from the King downwards the English people entertain no thing but friendly feelings towards a nation that, has so much in common with our own. .5» All the great. Powers would rejoice if something could be done to lesson the ever increasing burden of taxation for military and naval purposes—Germany, perhaps, most of all. It is to be hoped tnat the more friendly spirit which the King's visit cannot, fail to engender will enable some halt to be called in t he build ing of armaments. In both England ami Germany many social reforms cannot be carried oil* because of the enormous expenditure on the army and navy. Japan ..as already revolted against the crushing load of militarism. In this connection a leading Tonkin paper remarks: “It is very significant to notice that in two Japanese regiments at least the men are deserting in squads and at frequent intervals. If well-informed Japanese are to be believed in their reports regarding the soldiers of the Sixty second Regiment who recently fled from their quarters, it was- bad treatment, that drove the men to this extremity. And if the army is inclined to complain of the burden of military service, much more do the people u*ter energetic protes's against the new taxes to meet the expenses of the last war. Their complaints are everyday more emphatic. Crushing taxation, dwindling commerce, paralysed industries, and an exorbitant budget- form the burden of their lamentation. Such are the cimrges and recriminations win. .. fill the newspapers from day to day." It is possible to buy military glory at too great u price, and national ambition may easily lead to national bankruptcy. ,4 3 T,or'd Northcote made a most interesting speech at Exeter on the subject of emigrants for Australia and the influence of the Anglo-Saxon race. He dwell on tlui need that existed for making land readily accessible to British emigrant*

.having energy and go. Cultivated lands should be split up a* a first step towards developing other industries. Men were wanted for the land, and at present there was little demand for clerks and other city workers. Australia could easily carry twenty five millions, and with such a population she could make her voice potent in the councils of the nations. He then went on to speak of the great mission of Anglo-Saxonism. and how it always stood for peaceful conquests in commerce and supremacy in life and business. e* Few’ men an* mon* entitled than Lord Northcote to speak with authority on 'Australian affairs. and he sees with the eye of a statesman that the time has conic when the great self-governing colonies must seek to take a commanding position among the nations. But to do this they requin* population, ami population can only be supported if the land is developed. At present the man seeking to acquire land is not always encouraged and helped as he should be. Too much attention is apt to be paid to the city worker, whilst the country settler is neglected. As a consequence, the cities are growing, ami millions of acres of land are lying idle. To remedy this state of affairs is the one great duty of all who have the best interests of the Empire at heart. J* Mr. A. M. Myers has made smh a singularly capable Mayor that the people of Auckland naturally feel that the choice of a successor will be a matter of exceptional difficulty. Fortunate as Auckland has been in the men who have filled the Mayoral chair, it is doubtful if any previous occupant has been able to look back upon such a successful record of municipal work as Mr. Myers can boast of. .When he first assumed the reins of office there were not a few who had misgivings on the grounds that Hie had had no previous experience of municipal organisation. Such misgivings have long been dispelled, and during the four years of mj Mayoralty Mr. Myers has shown himself to be possessed of organising ability of the highest order, and he has attended to all civic business with skill, care and patience. Amongst the many municipal works with which he has been associated must be reckoned the initiation of ■ a drainage scheme for the city and suburbs, the commencement of the town hall. t..e erection of abattoirs, the Graf toft Road Bridge, and the extension of the Waitakerei waterworks. It is not often that anyone can show such a record, ami Aucklanders will long remember with gratitude the capacity and administrative ability of their present Mayor. Ihe French Budget for this year, which has been passed by both the French <’handlers, roaches the huge and unprecedented total o c £160.000,000. Immense reserves <>f gold are also being accumulated in the Banque de Frame, and it is computed that these reserves amount to over £140.000,000. This immense sum is locked up as a war fund, and it dwarfs into significance the few millions which Germany keeps locked up for emergencies. France is in a particularly strong financial position seeing"that she can afford to keep idle and unproductive a sum almost equal to her expenditure for the year, and in this respect she compares favourably with Germany. the latter country being faced with a deficit of £25,000,0011, and being compelled to resort to largely increased taxation. Many competent critics assert that France is now far better prepared for war than her great rival, ami her dream of some dav winning back the lost provinces mav vet be realised. & R« iuforced concrete seems to be effecting a revolution in tin* building and engineering trades, and is displacing the f»t<*el girder, brickwork, ami stonework so largely used hitherto. The new method has been applied to a concrete viaduct 3000 •»*<t long at Richmond. Virginia. The spans vary from IK feet to 70 feet, the latter distance from support to support being a revelation to many builders as to what can bo accomplished in this direction. A very tine elevated watertank has also been erected at J.os Angeles of the same material. The reinforced concrete posts. 70 feet high, support a tank of the same material, with a capacity of 200,000 gallons. This tank has Ihoii in u*e for several months without any sign of leakage. We are just beginning to recognise in New Zealand the value of this method of construction. and

in view of the work, we have already undertaken it ie gratifying to learn that other countries pronounce it to be an unqualified success. J* J* Bishop Selwyn is not the least distinguished amongst the many eminent man the centenary of whose birth will be celebrated this year. Beyond all other celebrations, that in connection with the great Bishop will have a unique interest for New Zealanders, and preparations are being made to suitably mark the event. The sth of April, the day of his birth, falls on the Monday in Holy' Week, and jt is felt that for many reasons that would not be a very suitable day for such a commemoration. It has, therefore, been decided to hold it on St. George's Day, April 23rd, and whatever offerings are made in connection with the celebration, are to be divided between the endowment fund of Selwyn College, Cambridge, and the building fund of the Patteson memorial wing of St. John’s College, Auckland. A strong committee. has been formed in England in connection with the commemoration, and the Anglicans in New Zealand are working energetically to suitably honour his memory in the land where he worked for so long, and for which he did so much. Fresh outrages are reported from' India, and this time of a very serious nature. The prosecutor in the recent Anarchist eases was openly assassinated in the Alipur Courthouse, and a bomb was thrown at a train on the same line as that on which the Viceroy was travelling on his way to Assam for a few days’ shooting. Both these outrages are supposed to have emanated from the Anarchist organisation, some of whose members are now on trial at Alipur for sedition. It would seem that a regular campaign has been commenced against officials, as the train at which the bomb was thrown contained Mr. Hume, the Public Prosecutor, and the fact that the Viceroy was travelling on the same line would indicate that the outrage was also intended ast ft warning to him. Six Hindus have been sentenced for inciting to murder, and for having published placards containing recipes for the making of bombs. The editor of one of the Poona newspapers has also been sentenced to six months’, imprisonment and a fine of, 1000 rupees. for publishing seditious articles. It is gratifying to find that the native princes and most of the Mohammedans are remaining loyal and are demanding that prompt measures shall be taken to quell the growing sedi-. tion.