NOTES OP THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1781, 20 June 1913, Page 4

NOTES OP THE DAY.

The latest English papers contain full particulars of the announcement which was briefly recorded in our cable columns a few weeks ago that the British Government has practically put a stop to the opium traffic with China. For years past resolutions of protest have been carried by anti-opium societies in various parts of the world, including New Zealand, and now the end has come to this indefensible traffic, "which has," to quote the London Times, "been conducted under British auspices for more than a century, has contributed to bring about a war, has been investigated by a famous Royal Commission, and has formed the subject of indiscriminate denunciation at numberless public meetings." In making the announcement in the House ot Commons, the Indian Under-secrctary (Mit. Montagu) said he was in as proud a position as an Under-Secretary for India had ever occupied in saying for the first time in the modern history of India that they were selling not an ounce of the poppy to China. When the present stocks were absorbed in, roughly speaking, a year's time, they would have the treaty right, in response to China's own demand, to sell - her 26,781 chests more, but he was glad to be able to tell the House that, notwithstanding that, and that they might get something like £11,000,000 sterling revenue, they were prepared to revise the treaty of 1911, and not to send any more opium to China—not only this year or while the stocks were being absorbed, but never again, with the single condition that they desired to be satisfied that China was steadfast, as was believed, in the pursuit of her present policy. That condition was in the interests of China herself. This statement will be received with satisfaction throughout the Empire. It now remains t'o be seen whether China will succeed in suppressing the evil within its own borders.

The decision of the Victoria ColInge Council to allow the professors to be represented on the Council'will meet with general_ approval. It is not a very revolutionary departure, for the principle of professorial representation has been in operation for years in connection with Otago University, and the Auckland professors were recently granted a similar privilege. It would certainly he unwise to give tho teaching staff a controlling influence in the Council, but this has been effectually guarded against. There is no reason why there should be any friction or lack of mutual confidence between the College staff and the governing body, and the expert, knowledge of the professorial members of_ the Council should bo of great assistance in many ways. Thev nave a direct and practical acQuaintanoe. with the working

of the College which the other members cannot be cxpected to possess, and the suggestion that they arc seeking to secure complete control of Hie management of the institution does not call for serious consideration. In any ease by limiting their representation to two the Council will secure the benefit of their expert knowledge of University matters without, giving them undue weight in tile administration of the affairs' of the College. The predominance of the lay element is absolutely necessary in the interests both of the public and the institution.

The number of prisoners who have made their escape from the Terrace Gaol from time to'time suggests that some effective measures arc urgently necessary to mane the prison a more secure lodging-place for the lawbreaker. The knowledge that a violent criminal is at large creates an uneasy feeling in the public mind, and the circumstances surrounding every such occurrence ought to be thoroughly investigated with the view of preventing similar happenings in the future. It is therefore satisfactory to know that a careful inquiry is being made regarding the escape of a prisoner on Wednesday, as reported in yesterday's issue of The Dominion. The results of the inquiry will be reported to the Minister for Justice (the Hon. A. L. Herdjian), who will no doubt take the necessary steps to _ make gaolbreaking much more difficult in the future than it has been in the past as far as the Terrace prison is concerned.

The outlook in the Balkans is still very unsettled, and serious developments may yet occur in connection with the dispute between Bulgaria and Scrvia. It now seems that Bulgaria has decided to wait five days before sending a representative to St. Petersburg to take part in the arbitration proceedings, and if at the expiry of that period Scrvia has not expressed willingness to arbitrate on the basis of the treaty the position will become extremely critical. The Bulgarian Government considers that the Servians intend to repudiate the treaty which was entered into by the two nations prior to the war by insisting on retaining certain territories contrary to the terms of that agreement. It is, however, contended by Servia that her military ' services exceeded those stipulated for in the treaty, and that she is therefore entitled to additional compensation; also that she has been deprived of a portion of the conquered territory because the Powers have decided that it is to form part of an autonomous Albania. The present proportion of strength between Servia and Bulgaria would, therefore, it is urged, be altered greatly to the disadvantage of the former, and it would be unfair to adhere strictly to the terms of the treaty. In view of the fact that these unforeseen contingencies have arisen, Scrvia holds that the Tsar should take all the altered circumstances into consideration in arriving at a settlement of the matters in dispute, whereas Bulgaria Insists that the arbitration should be strictly based on the treaty.