NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1737, 30 April 1913, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The unsatisfactory position arising out o_J: the dual control of the New Hebrides is once more being brought under public notice. It is stated in a cablegram published in another column that the feeling is growing that the sooner the entire government of the islands is taken over, either by Britain or France, the better it will be. for all concerned. It appears that the standard of administration of British officials differs from that of the French, the result being that the actions of British subjects arc controlled by stricter regulations than those which French residents arc called upon to obey. This gives the latter an unfair advantage in trade and more liberty in other matters. Until these inequalities arc removed dissatisfaction and constant friction is bound to continue, and the abolition of dual control seems to bo the only remedy. Under the Anglo-French Agreement of 1904 and the Convention signed in 100G, tho subjects of the two Powers enjoy equal rights of residence, personal protection, and trade, each Power retaining jurisdiction over its own subjects. It is quite evident that such a method of administration cannot be regarded as permanent, and there is a strong feeling among British residents that the time is ripe for a change. It was rumoured last year that an arrangement had boon agreed to by which Britain was to have sole control of the group. This caused the French residents to send a protest to France, and since then no further development has occurred. It is probable that if France relinquished nor interests the Australian Commonwealth woujd offer to take charge of the islands, but it is stated that the British subjects in the New Hebrides would prefer to be under tlie control of the Home Government. The whole problem has become rather complicated. France cannot be expected to abandon its interests without gel-ting something in return ; and if tho British Government contemplated handing over the islands to tho French there would certainly be a great outcry. However, in view of the friendly relations which now exist between the two nations a satisfactory solution of the difficulty should not be impossible.

Tub outlook in China at the. present time, is extremely interesting from sevot'iil points (if view-- ])o!i|,i'ciil, suciul, and religious. A cnlilogriun published in yesterday's issue referred In the Altar of Heaven al; •Peking,' with its inscription : ''Father of Heaven/' Tliis Alia." and inscription is a reminder, v.e are Luld, of China ! i« primitive faith it) Oml. Morring to this significant fact,

tlw. Ukv. U. H. lioiuxsoN, editor of !he East and the West, tolls lis that from time immemorial a great act of worship has been performed twice a year by the Chinese Emperor in the Temple of Heaven before a tablet which hears the inscription: "•Supreme (tod of the Sovereign Heavens." The following extracts from the ancient forms of prayer used by the Emperors on these occasions are most interesting in view of recent developments: — Tii Thee. I) mysteriously working Maker, J. look up in Ihough!. J, Thy servant, ■mi but a reed or a willow: my luMri is bill us thai of itii iinl. I deeply cherish a sense <>l my lgiumtnco and illii:■ iit<, ami am afraid lest I prove iimvtirl!iv el "I'hy Ki'fiit lilvnui'-. 'I'liy servant 1 bow iliv head to the o.'iltll, levoienlly expecting Thine abundant "nice. Q'liy servant I pros(ra(o niy.-elf to nieel 'Jllir, and reverently look up lor Thy coming, () God. 0 Unit Tlioti wouldVt vouchsalc lo ;ic : copt 'Mir (MiVriiigs, and regard us while thus we worship 'i'liee, whose goodness is inexhaustible. It appears that to the earlier forms were added others in 1539 A.n., which are so worded that it is almost certain that their composition was influ-enced-by Christian ideas. Jin. liou--INSON remarks that "when the lime conies for an independent Chinese Christian Church to determine its own forms of liturgical service, it may well be that they will be modelled upon these prayers, the most modern of which have been in use for nearly 400 years. 1 ' Professor Giles states that according lo the early Chinese writers l'"u Hsi (u.a 2593-2838) was tho first Emperor to organise the worship of spirits, and later on the Yellow Emperor (B.C. 2(508-25 98) built a Temple for the worship of God. In R.r;. 176(5 T'ang THE Completer, founder of the Shang dynasty, declared in a proclamation that "God has given to every man a conscience, and if all men actcd in accordance, with its dictates they woul(l not stray from the right path." There is much that is noble in the ancient, faith of China and in the ideals of Confucianism. If the Western world has a great- deal to teach the people of China, there is also much that it could with advantage learn from the poets, philosophers, and moralists of this ancient nation.

The friction between the United States and Japan arising out of the restrictive legislation of the State of California against Japanese, innuii grants shows no sign of abatement. A cablc message states that one member of the United States House of Representatives declares that if the alternative to the Japanese demands is war or submission he would favour war. Such a speech, taken in conjunction with the excited'meeting recently held in Tokio, gives some indication of the strong feeling that has been aroused, Talk of war ought not to be lightly indulged in by responsible politicians; it cannot, possibly do any good, and it may bring about a serious crisis, though one can hardly imagine ' that the two Governments concerned will fail to arrive at some give-and-take agreement that will tide over the prosant difficulty. The Japanese 110 doubt feel the position all the more acutely just now, inasmuch as they were expecting a more pacific spirit in America's foreign policy with the 1 advent of the Wilson Government. This expectation was recently voiced by the newspaper 1/oclii (Tokio), which stated that "the importance of the probable change in America's Far Eastern policy under Dr. Wir,soii 's Administration can not be too strongly emphasised, for • such a change must naturally and' ncccs-J sarily affect the attitude of our country toward the United States. .If the new President succeeds in modifying the aggressive foreign policy pursued by his predecessors, there is little doubt that his efforts will elicit a hearty appreciation 011 the part of Japan." The 11 belli- was referring mainly to the Republican policy of strengthening the navy, which thc'Ja-, panose regarded as a challenge; but, apart from this, it was hoped that President Wilson's inlluence 111 all international relations would be on the side of peace and goodwill. In the Panama Canal difficulty and the Japanese immigration trouble, the new American Ministry is faced at the outset of its career with two big problems which will put its statecraft to a severe test.

Tut Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board acted wisely yesterday .in accepting the offer made by the inspector-General of Hospitals (Du; 7amntine) that tho Board ..should act with the .Government as far as bacteriological work is concerned. The proposal is that Mr. Hurley, the Government Bacteriologist, should he placed in charge of the new department at the Hospital, and that ho should do. this work both for the Board and the Government. Each party to the arrangement would pay half his salary (£6OO a- year) and half the salary of the assistants, which would mean that each would pay one-half of £1150 a year. The new department at the Hospital would probably have cost tli<j Board £1000 a year; but under Dr. Valintine's proposal, the expenditure would he reduced to £575, and if the Government subsidy is taken into account this latter sum would be further reduced by one-half. Tho Government would also hand over to the Hospital its present bacteriological equipment, valued at about £800. No wonder that the Board had no great difficulty in deciding to accept such a favourable offer. Nearly all the criticism of the proposal merely dealt with a few miuor details, most of which were practically settled on the spot, by Dr. Vamntink, who deserves every ercdit for bringing about- such a satisfactory arrangement. The, new dnnartmcnt. which tjie Board has decided to establish has been one of the principal points on which recent criticism of the, increasing Hospital expenditure has fastened, and not without, reason. The, contributing bodies have been growing restive, at the continual growth of Iheir financial burdens, and the adoption of Dii. Vauntine's proposal will certainly receive their hearty approval. It will not remove all cause of complaint, bnt it shows that the Board is impressed by the strength of the general'demand for economy, and it is to be hoped that a real effort will be ma.de to keep down expenditure as far as possible without impairing the efficiency of the Hospital.