The Globe. THURSDAY, MAY 23, 1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1303, 23 May 1878, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, MAY 23, 1878.

The Chamber of Commerce at its quarterly mooting', hold the other clay, had under discussion two or threo questions wllicit had a wider application than to'the mercantile community only. The first of those was the non-representation of the colony at tlio Paris Exhibition. This is excused by tho Government on the ground that the Assembly had voted no funds for tho purpose. Any ono, even those who nvo but imperfectly acquainted with the ways <•[' Governments, will be able to estimate this excuse at its proper value. The simple fact is that hy the apathy of the Government Now Zealand has lost opportunity of putting forward lior claims as a field for tho employment of capital and labor at the gathering of all nations. Tho Paris Exhibition of IS7B in point of tho number of countries represented and the concourse of visitors attracted from all parts of the world is as important as that of 18(>2 in London, and infinitely more so than tho Vienna ono, at which New Zealand was represented. The next subject brought before tho Chamber was the non-represontatioi< of this colony at tho Cable Conference. We have already alluded to this, and w r e shall probably find when the full details arrive that Now Zealand stands even at greater disadvantage than we at present anticipate. Tho. last and most important subject discussed was the defence of tho colony. For some time past persistent efforts have been made, through official and other channels, to obtain from the Government a knowledge of what they intend to do in tho matter of defence. Up to the present time, however, scarcely a word on the subject has been vouchsafed. We have, it is true, been informed in official routine language that the matter is'' under consideration," which, iu nine cases out of ten, means that the whole matter has been relegated to tho pigeon-holes of the Minister's office. Tho Chamber of Commerce has now put tho question 1 point blank, whether tho Government scheme of defence means substantial encouragement and support. to the Volunteers—presumedly to encourage a large addition to their ranks —or the calling out of tho militia Following on tho heels of this

resolution, wo hear for tlio first time, in a round-about way from the Bluff, what tlio intentions of Government in this matter really are. Tlicy have telegraphed to the Bluff residents —who in common with other parts of the colony fool that delay in protecting ourselves is dangerous —that until war is actually declared they do not feel justified in incurring any expense in the matter of fortification ! It is hardly necessary for us to point out that, if this is the determination that the Government have arrived at, we, in Now Zealand, will simply afford an easy prey to the first Russian cruiser that thinks it worth while to pay us a rcquisitionary visit. The fortifying of our harbours is a work of time, and ere wo could barely commence them —supposing the Government to adhere to their expressed intention—an enemy's vessel might bo on our coast. The latest telegrams inform us that Russia has purchased swift steamers in San Francisco. In sixteen days they could lie on tho coast of Now Zealand, and could ravage, burn, and destroy, if it so pleased them, with but ineffectual resistance from tho residents. Wo do not for ono moment say that tho good old stock has degenerated. Tho people of Now Zealand will fight as bravely and as stubbornly for tho defence of their adopted country as their sires ever did, but when through tho miserable policy of their Government they are deprived of the moans of dofenco, their bravery is useless. The Government further say, replying to the Bluff residents, that for " obvious reasons" it would, under any circumstances, bo inadvisable to make public the means of dofenco likely to bo adopted. In our opinion tho most obvious reason for tho roticonce on tho part of tho Government is that they have no plans at all for the dofenco of the colony, and therefore of course it "would bo inadvisable to niako public," &c. All appeals to the Government havo failed, and it is now for the public to make themselves heard and felt through tho constitutional channels. It is all very well to say that peace is near. No ono can toll what tho events of the next week may bo, and in any caso the time has now arrived, from our growing wealth and importance, when it is nocossary that wo should adopt means for our defence.

It is with some degreo of satisfaction that wo observe the courso proposed to bo adopted by the railway authorities in the the arrangements for the convoyanco of visitors to the Steeplechase meeting. The notice which appears in the local papers carries out in part the suggestions we ventured to make when commenting on the bad management displayed on the occasion of the autumn meeting. Instead of the absurd regulation of locking the doors until a crowd is collected, thus encouraging and indeed producing the crush and rush which it is so desirable to avoid, the booking office will bo open from nine o'clock. Tho passengers for the races will also bo enabled to go through tho archway, obtaining their tickets as they pass, and thus there will be nono of that crowding in the narrow passages of the booking office, which was so noticeable on Easter Monday. Wo venture — whilst congratulating tho railway authorities on tho step in tho right direction which they have taken —to hope that ero long a still further improvement will be made in the direction suggested by us — viz., tho sale of railway tickets on holiday occasions, like the Metropolitan mooting, at shops in tho city some days previous. This is always done in Dunedin on the occasion of their race meetings and other largo gatherings. Tho comfort and convenience of such an arrangement, particularly to ladies, is too obvious to require dwelling upon. Wo only trust that whoever has the management of the matter will not allow any time to elapse before introducing so very much needed an improvement in railway management as tho one referred to.