NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 551, 5 July 1909, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

■A.news ■item of oxroptional interestappears in to-day's cables.' The littlo island of St. Vincent has decided that it must take a part in financing 1 the Empire's system of defoncc, aiid'to that end its Legislative Counci} has intimated that oijo per cent, of the revenues will be pa/d to Great Britain for defence purposes "unfettered by conditions." Tho contribution wiJl bo very tiny—less than £300 a year—but the Council ncod not have expressed any regrets. There are two points to be notod in the matter. Many, of our Imperialists (li-a desporatolyi afraid of the disruptivo effects of what : they call, "tribute." They are eloquent upon the disaster that must befall an Empiro which. relics oil forced.tributes, but they do not' 1 lay the .stress they should upon the sig.niilcance of voluntary tributes.: Nothing i

can better illustrate tb: '.liiiquo character of the British En-.jiiv, ,;wid. its fundamental differcncc i,0..i uvory other Empire of which history can toll us anything, than the strength in it of tho family spirit. Even if in some of its aspects tho Empire bears a sinister rcsemblancc to tho Roman Empiro in its last magnificent unsoundiioss, yet in tho most vital particular of all it resembles, not the Eomo of the Emperors, but tho old Rome of the early Consuls. This is a matter which cannot be too often brought into prominenco in those times, when alarm and anxiety aro such largo ingredionts of Imperialism. The second pyint to bo noted is the fact that the contribution of St. Yinccnt is to come out of revenue. It never seemed to occur to our own Government that its special effort for the Empire should be a real sacrifice. Tho' only way in which the sacrifice can bo made real will bo to prpvicld that our contribution shall como each year from current revenue, and not from borrowed .money, the responsibility for which may bo passed op to, a : future, generation. . _ ■

Australians who take an Interest in sport and athletics, and probably most New Zealanders as well, will be highly pleased with the result of tho Third Test Orjckot Match. , Tho English team in tho .First Test gave the Australians. such a drubbing—a ten-wickets defeat—that, in view of the defeats also sustained at'the hands of; some of the counties, the prospects of Australia retaining •tnc ''ashes'' seemed' gloomy' indeed. In the Second Te'st, However, the colonial team won handsomely and raised the hopes of thoir supporters, although tho ro was an undercurrent of feeling, that the team put; in' tho field by the Mother Country on that occasion, was not tho beet available;. Now,, however, tho third game has been played and the Australians havo again risen to the occasion. They may have had the 1 best of the luck, but they appear to have made the most or the fortunes of the gamo, and to have deserved, their; win. On' appearances, they now havo an excellent chance of bringing back tho "ashes" wjth them to 4-ustraha. . Two games remain to bo played. Should the English team win the game at Manchester three weeks hence excitement will run high. It will mciVn that the final game wjll have to be played to a finish, the three days time : limit being sot aside; . This is specially provided for'in 'the arrangements'for the tqurr It would make a splendid ending to tho tour, and revive what appears to bo a waning public interest, to have the final Test gamo fought out in this manner. . v . .

<;;The.excellent suggestion .has.been made. . in as the prqliniinary to a -general public meeting, there .should be held a conference of delegates from tno Chamber of ; Commerco. thc Navy League, the' 'Efajjloycrs''Association,/ the Industrial Association', the Ironmasters' Association, the,Prapcrs' Association; the /North Canterbury FarwersVUriioh Executive, the, A. arid Association, and,the various local bodies, to,.discus? the question; of Imperial defence. Nothing but good can come of stimulating all classed of .'tho community into; a recognition: of the' important obligations that must" bo. assumed this country' i&- assisting-, to' maintain the naval and military strength of the Empire. It is /to 'be. hoped, howthat tho pebplo. who are .behind, the Chriatchurch movoment will not. attempt to pass, any VTosqlutipri i( ;wWeh will ••look'. I like either an exhortation or a command to the British ' For thei present tho British Navy is : wholly; a' matter for that Government to -attend' to. ' What is required- ini,this country•. is, '.not m'ere affirmations/of onr readiness; tojdoour share, ;but..affirmations;pf;an, intention ,'to seo'that the' New' Zealand Governmpnir-'' whatever party in ■ power-it may be—will ■ tako steps tq'.onsiiro tliat' 'really: bo: ablo r' to giyo; -effect to-our, desires'. -iAs! we poiritfedout: bdfora: the' Dreadnought' offer : Was thought of, this/country has for years been financed as if nothing could disturb' the,: security of the- Empire,>as 'i; there wore no need to m<Cko. financial'pro-vision-for future : hea,vyq^^ Zealand':: cannbf'assist: the,. EmpireV better' at presont than by Betting her finance's in order -to 'ehablo her eto, njeet any .'obligaV tions which; may arise] and to: securing that end all tho energy vof enthusiastic people should be devoted."' ; ' •,, '..

• Further chcering < intelligence cornea from the Minister in Charge'of- the Industries' and Commerce , Section of the Public Service. 'Mr.. Mackenzie informed a reporter at Auckland on Saturday- 1 that there was further evidonceto hand showing tho steady recovery in the volumo of Now. - Zealand , exports'. - Probably tho Minister meant "value" rather than -'volumo," but in any case; it is good news Tho figures for the- four years onded -December last aro as follow ( .. Exports. Imports. Increase. Doorcaso, 1904-5 ... 15,674,136 12,387,313 3, ' —- 1905-C ... 17,734,793 14,516,252 3,218,546 - - 1906-7 ..f 19,984,272 1G.897,932•'3>086;M0 ; 1907-8 ... 16,381,173 18,021,426 : 1,637,253 It will be seen from these figures that while in preceding years the exports had incroascd in value at a rate' of over millions' d year', and had ''exceeded 'the imports' by several millions in value, last year .there' was a falling off .of over three and a half pillions as compared with the preceding year. Moreover, the imports,, instead of dropping correspondingly; creased by nearly . two millions. -.' Tho offeet we'havo seen, in ■ the depression in trade. ' Now, however,; Mr. Mackenzie tells.us we are recovoring tlja ;lost ground. During the first six months of the current year the 'exports haveincreased by two millions as compared with, the corresponding : period of last year. In: April and May alone tho- increase was a million, j The imports for the six months will-no I doubt show a drop; and further help to-i adjust the balaricc and reliova tho finan-] cial-pressuro which has beon felt in business and other circles. ■ ' ■■■■ .