Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, AUG. 16, 1898. Peace Or War.

Manawatu Herald, 16 August 1898, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, AUG. 16, 1898. Peace Or War.

The partitioning out of China, for the various concession that China has made to the European Powers means nothing less, is likely to cause a general war, unless more consideration is shown to the claims of Britain. "With an, perhaps mis. taken, idea that the fairest way to develops the Chinese Empire was to open its doors to trade, Lord Salisbury instead of , annexing territory under another method, as both Russia, Germany, and France have done, asked for nothing more than the opening of trade routes. This has, undoubtedly, a fair and reasonable sound, and if coming from any other Power would have received universal support, but as coming from Britain who are past-masters in the art of opening up trade, has been received with strong opposition. The three countries, just mentioned, know of their inability to compete with the British, and their anxiety now is to get hold of portion? of the Chinese Empire from whioh they can exclude British trade and Capital. It is very evident that Lord Salisbury is averse to war, both from its own horrors, as also from the gigantic proportions it would assume over this question, as even Germany appears ready to side with Russia and France to keep China free from British influence. Looking at the position from the point of view of these three countries one can hardly blame them for the compaofc they have made, as they have their millions of workers for whom trade must be found to keep them employed, and in China the ontlet is to be found. The British have certainly proclaimed aloud their ability to absorb very large areas of the earth when they have once secured a footing, and the dread that this rich morsel should also fall into the absorbing clutches of Great Britain is enough to make old enemies lay their grievances on one side to prevent it. Perhaps the policy of Britain should have been that of the annexer, in China, as it has been elsewhere, but the grand old obief, Lord Salis bury has thought differently and ha* simply declared for •' an opan door." From this position he is disinclined to move, and it must be remembered ! he has declared that an open door shall he kept by whoever may enter into China. This becomes howover a very l»rge order to execute when Russia, Germany and France have to be faced, and it is most improbable that they will favour any such policy over territories which they have con trol. The London Times has pointed out that it would be madness for Britain to undertake the opening of the Chinese door single handed, and that help was not likely to be offered by the United States. Matters are , therefore in a ticklish position at Home, and it would appear that it must be left to the diplomacy of Lord Salisbury to work out of the maelstrom successfully and peacefully. Tho cablegrams contain however moat disquieting intelligence, in that the concessions demanded by Belgium, have been conceded in face of Britain's opposition under the assurance of the Belgian Minister at Pekin that the French and Russian Ministers would join with him in urging a disregard of Britain I This, it is said, has moved public opinion, and that may compel more forcible representations to bo made, whioh, if resented, cannot be recalled, and thus resort will be had to force.

The ladies of the Church of England congregation meet at the new school* room to-morrow afternoon at three o'clock to consider the steps to be taken to inaugurate the opening of it. Some one has lost a bicycle pump, which has been handed to us for delivery on paying cost of advertisement. An altered advertisement relating to the Wanganut' Hagay Institute states that they have acquired the latest "up-to-date" treatment for the Bichloride of gold cure of alcoholism and narcotism. Patients are daily being received. The Manawatu Rowing Club invite tenders for the erection of a new boatshed. Plans can be seen at the office of the secretary, and tenders must be in by Saturday. At Kanowna Father Lean informed a gathering of 6000 miners that the 11 Sacred Nugget," discovered by fishermen, was lying untouched at Kanowna, and weighed between 95 and xoolbs, and was found a quarter of a mile this side of the nearest lake on the Kurnalpi road. Immediately a wild stampede was made from the gathering to the scene of the discovery. The lowest body of water on the globe is the Caspian sea ; its level has been gradually lowering for centuries, and now it is 85ft below the level of its neighbour, the Black Sea. Guardial Singh has been found guilty of corruption and dismissed from the Indian Civil Service.

The 21st Lancers, who have crossed the Atbara, leads the Soudan expedition of 20,000 infantry, 40 guns and 1500 cavalry. Intense heat and sand-storms are being experienced, but the health of the force is good. As is usual with Press messages we have no sooner a statement when it is contr idicted, now it is said a despatch has l.en received from St. Petersburg deny!;ig the cession of Raheita Bay, at the ci trance to the Red Sea, opposite the Hritish coaling station of Perim, and on the boundary of the Italian colony of Erythrea (which, it was claimed, was Italian territory), to Russia by King Menelik. i The "New York Herald" states that it was largely due to the friends ship of England that the United States Government was not involved in war with another Power. j There are rich gold development* in I New Guinea, four new gullies in the vicinity of the Glra river yielding payable nuggety gold, from sdwt to 502. Twenty-three men in another gully seven miles away obtained 1200 ounces in three months. Major Gudgeon, who is at present on a visit to Wellington, is amongst those whose names are mentioned tor the appointment to the post of British Resident at Rarotonga. The N.Z. Times says, Mr Walter Staff, who has been connected with Te Aro House for some time past and still more latterly in the employ of Messrs Kircaldie and Stains, left for Sydney on Saturday by the Talune, a large number of friends assembling on the wharf to wish him good-bye. W. C. Fitzgerald, who was recently sued for damages on an allegation of mistreatment in vaccination, is petitioning the House. He states that although he won the case his costs amounted to £735 7s nd, made up of £460 16s legal expenses and £274 14s lid medical experts, witnesses, shorthand writers and sundries. He claims that as a public vaccinator he is a public officer, and as he won the action brought against him without being called upon to call any witnesses in defence, and as the action was brought on account of the performance of his duty as a public officer, a sum should be placed on the Estimates sufficient to meet the costs he had been put to in the matter. At a low estimate, the manufacture and sale of dolls in Europe, of all sizes exceeds 26,000,000 per annum. Jumeau of Paris, alone makes 2,000 dolls a day. Dr Nansen's ship, the Fram, was painted green, grey, scarlet, and white picked out with gold — a bright dash of colour among the everlasting white of the Arctic seas. The oldest paper in France was commenced by Theophrastus Renandot in 1632, during the reign of Louis XIII. It was called the Gazette de France. The death of Mr R. C. Wilson, of Makuri, on Tuesday morning last, wac the result of the accidental discharge of a shot-gun, caused by his slipping on the wet ground. The neighbourhood had been annoyed lately by dogs worring the sheep, and the settlers had determined to use every effort to destroy them. Deceased had evidently in the early morning heard the > dogs and on rushing out in the dark slipped while turning a corner of the gardenfence, and in the fall his gun was discharged, killing him instantaneously. He was only 30 years of age, and very popular in the district. The funeral took place at Pahiatua at noon on Thursday. It was officially announced in London on June 13th that in future men who had received the Victoria Cross, and were incapacitated from earning a livelihood, and had reached a state of destitution, would be granted £50 a year, instead of jEio, as now. Alfred Crossey of Wellington, was fined £10 and costs and ordered to pay treble the tax for failing to send In his income returns. The Department said the latter fine had never yet been enforced, as all they wanted was that people should send in proper returns. Ih the present case the defendant had been asked repeatedly to do so, and had taken no notice ; hence the substantial penalty pressed for. The common house flea is covered with hard, overlapping plates, something after the plan of fish scales. Each of these plates is set with a row of bristly spikes. One of the most recent, as it is the most novel, of the applications of Prof. Rontgen's discovery nas been made in the Museum of Natural History at Vienna. The museum, contains an Egyptian mummy, which is human in form, but which, from the Inscription on it, was taken to be that of an ibis. It was taken to the School of Photography and examined by being photographed by the "X" rays. The picture obtained shows the outlines of a large bird skeleton. The other day a man named Henry Weaver was brought up at Wellington as a lunatic, but after examination by several medical men, who could not see their way to give a certificate, he was discharged. One night last week he went out to the Hutt, and broke into a racing stable and took out the horse Osborne, valued at £300, and rode it into town, where he clammed it as his. On Friday he was committed for trial for the robbery. If all the telegraph lines of the world were combined and stretched in one straight line, they would reach 881,---000 miles, or enough to encircle the earth nearly thirty-seven times. Hitherto Chinese ladies have not taken to London society, and the peeps we have had of them in the public streets have been at rare intervals. Now however, says the " Globe," the wife of the present Chinese Minister is studying hard at the English language, and is to be formally presented at the first Drawing Room of 1899. With the assistance of Lady Macartney, the *vife of the English Secretary, she intends going freely into society, and we may expeot that the old prejudices against English custom will be finally broke down by the action of this plucky little lady.

We have been asked to remind parents that the children's ball will be held in the Public Hall on Thursday evening, and on Wednesday evening Mrs F. R. Young will put any child through his or her facings if they wait upon her at the hall. The Foxton Tennis Club meeting advertised for Wednesday, 17th inst., has been postponed until Saturday next, at 7.30 p.m., to suit the convenience of a number of members who are unable to attend on the date formerly chosen by the committee. The river was in high flood on Saturday night and overflowed the banks in the lowest places on Sunday morning, and the Motoa estate is now half under water. We are glad to say, for the comfort of the deputationists that the river fell four feet last night. Mr Akers is erecting a flaxmill near Atiki on the property once owned by Captain Mair. The deputation to-morrow bids fair to be one of the largesf that has ever visited Wellington, some of the members left yesterday, and it is expected that there will be three coach loads this afternoon. Notice is given by the poundkeeper that a cow has been impounded. The Borough Council invites tenders for the lease pf the Borough Reserve No. 447, containing 244 acres. Tenders may be sent for one of the three divisions or the whole. Tenders close on Monday evening, the sth of September. The flax petition, to the Ministers will contain over 360 names. It will be remembered, especially by those who were there, that a short time ago the bachelors of the Methodist congregation regaled "their sisters, their cousins, and their aunts " as well as some dearer to them, at a Social, and now there is to be another on Wednesday, bat the gay young men have managed matters better this time for themselves, as it is to be a joint concern with the maids. This should be an exceedingly jolly way of giving an entertainment and is bound to be a great success. This morning a man named lames Meech was brought before Mr Thynne J.P. charged With being drunk last night and with assaulting the constable The accused pleaded guilty to being drunk and was fined five shillings or 24 hours imprisonment. To the charge of assaulting the police he pleaded not guilty, but constable Foster gave evidence proving the offence stating that there was a row outside the Post Office hotel during which a window was broken and in apprehending the accused, he was very violent and kicked him oh the head. The accused was found guilty, and fined twenty shillings or 48 hours imprisonment.