PRESS OPINIONS.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 511, 26 August 1902, Page 3

PRESS OPINIONS.

We are somewhat surprised that the vote for Old Age Pensions should havo passed through Committee apparently without remark as to tho extraordinary aggregate increaso year by year in the number of pensioners, which notoriously is inconsistent, even taking tne Maoris into account, with the population statistics of the Colony,—Dunedin Star. The frantic prophets are remarkably silent at present about the “Duke of Kumara," the “ Governor of Matabeland," or the “ Marquis of the West Coast.” He has taken the wind out of their sails by remaining Richard John Seddon to New Zealand, and plain Mister Seddon to the rest of the world—Wellington Lance.

Recently, the flooring of a pigsty in Tolstoi Yalloy was removed, whon the ground was found to be literally swarming with rats, wnich had burrowed into tho earth. Though tho floor aroa did not exceed 9ft square, no fewer than 91 rats wero killed, and quite as many oscapod. In turning over the ground with a fork, rats wero turned out as though potatoes were being dug from a good crop.—Nolson Colonist.

The country has declared for tho present in favor of majority representation, and the Legislature ought to see that it obtains it on a suro and scientific basis.—Christchurch Times.

Whoro aro tho limits for borrowing to bo set ? We cannot go on borrowing such heavy sums, and yet there aro no suggestions for easing off tho present rate of expenditure.—Hawera Star.

It is an adage in British war history that though John Bull calls for God and the soldier when a war is on, he forgets God and slights the soldier when the war is over. No more startling illustration of this could be given than the difference between the treatment of the colonial troops going to the war, and the treatment being meted out to the same men when returning.—Cnristchurch Spectator.