What the News may be.

Manawatu Herald, 8 March 1900, Page 2

What the News may be.

Wfi are having a sort of cessation of exciting war news, but the armies are moving all the same. Our readers may have noticed that since Lord Methuen passed Kimberley we have fc*d rid word of his movements, so we may reckon he is still going on — to Mafeking first, and thence across country to Johannesburg arid Pretoria, which lie only 170 and 100 miles away from that town. It will be remembered that Jameson's raid was made to Johannesburg from Mafeking; W« are told that Joubert is entre'nefaing nMself at WiiidbUrg, the town which is the temporary capital of the Free State, but we imagine he is mistaken if he expects Lord Roberts to travel 40 miles out of his way to Pretoria to attack him —he Will probably pass him bye. We ought to hear, any day, that Bloemfontein, the capital of the Orange Free State, has been occupied by the British troops, and that the forward movement is still going dn. tt is evident that Lord Roberts has force enough with him to push well ahead, as he will have the railway behind him for supplies, and a big force to follow him tip, as the Gerierals who have been busy at the north of Cape Colony are bound to follow the enemy they are pushing before them, and unless they make any very extraordinary movement to the west, as to the east owing to the Basutoland being so close, they cannot go, they will get crushed between the southern and northern British foroes. During this month 88,000 more British troops will be landed at the Cape, with 18,---000 to follow them in April, and the number of men under arms oti the British side will be overwhelming. Besides the numbers Lord Roberts has with him, he will have the forces freed at Kimberley some 6,000 men, and at Ladysmith 9,660 men, besides all General Buller's troops. It almost seisms a surprise why such a force is held in the $outh of Africa. Here, however, comes in another tale, which has to be read in conjunction with the statement that a fleet has been ordered to the Cape. If any intervention is determined upon it is pretty, eyident that France and Russia will be in it, arid Russia has already a large force placed to menace a country which is under British protection. To divert her attention, so it is hoped, from the Boers, the Russians may attack Afghanistan, the easiest road to India, and as a contemporary very clearly points out our quickest road to India via the Suez Canal might accidentally be blocked by a sunken ship at a critical moment. It would thus be exceedingly handy if a large force of troops were stationed at the Cape when transports safely guarded by the fleet also there, could land them quickly in India. Some such, possibility may have led English statesmen to see to the increase in her army and thus have caused the mild excitement in Australia as to the contents of the socalled Secret Despatch. England is desirous of more colonial soldiers for South Africa, though she has by far the largest army in the field there than she has ever had in any war, and the reason for this is we believe to be found in the above supposition.

The election for members of Licensing Committees will soon be announced. It may be apt to damp the ardour of aspirants to that public poiition to know that a deposit of £10 is required on the same conditions as that lodged by candidates for the House of Representatives' We have been handed a loaf of malt extract bread made by Mr Fraser baker, Main-street. It is highly recommended as digestive and thus most suitable for invalids. Mr Fraser learnt the method in Australia. The bread is dark and something like cake to eat, and will agree with everyone. A trial is recommended. Three British officers escaped from Pretoria during the confusion following the stoppage of the electric light. Sir William McCormac has sailed for England. In the Wellington Magistrate's Court on Monday, the police prosecuted Orr, a chemist, under the Offensive Public? tions Act. In connection with certain pills. Nothing appeared on the outside of the cover of a nature to which exception could be taken, but inside there were certain ills specified which it was said would be cured, and in this the offence is said to be contained. Orr denied any knowledge of what was on the packet which was sealed. The case is an important one, bearing on patent medicines, and the magistrate reserved his judgment until Friday. Negotiations are being conducted by the Government for the purchase of a building in the neighbourhood of Christchurch for the establishment there of a Girls' Reformatory for the colony. The Burnham Industrial School, near Christchurch will shortly be used for boys only, and the Caversham Industrial School for girls only, while an Industrial School is to be set up in the vicinity of Wellington. It is probable that for this purpose a portion of the State Farm at Levin will be set apart. The necessity for an Industrial School in Wellington becomes increasingly apparent, and the Education Department is pushing on arrangements as rapidly as possible.— Post. J

The performers at the last successful Patriotic Concert propose to giveanother at an early date, and the proceeds, after satisfying the outlay they were put to on the first concert and the proposed one, will be donated to the Fund. Mr Hackworth of the Stock Department .is on another tour of inspedtion for rabbits so landowners had better take all pfonlpt trieasur'e'Bi We are glad to know that so as to set a good example the government reserves are being poisonpd. On Tuesday Mr T* Easton's house near Shannon was totally destroyed by fire. Mrs Eastern was away across the river and the children were out, and the first thing noticed was the shingle roof being alight, Though the neighbours came nothing could be saved of the furniture and clothing which thus becomes a total loss. The building was insured for £100 in the New Zealand Insurance Cd< The house was a five-roomed one. Harvest thanksgiving service will be held at the Methodist Church next Sabbath, when special sermons will be preached by the Pastor, Rev. W. Woollass, Will the friends kindly send along their contributions of com, fruit and vegetables to the Church on Saturday afternoon. We (Otaki Mail) unhesitatingly assert that our farmers have been too long deluded by the big fat Companies of Wellington} who have ied them to really believe that their stock Was inferior to Canterbury, and thereby gull them into accepting without demur unreasonably low prices. One gentleman informed us yesterday that certain sheep, the local marketable value of which was 6s gd, or 7s at the outside, brought 12s to 13s at Addihgton. Even allowing 28 6d per head for he made a clear 2s 6d by forwarding to the Southern markets. Facts such as these speak for themselves.

In feplylflg to the toast of "The Ministry," at the presentation to Mr Ward, the Premier said that as regards finance and the present position of the colony* after meeting the extra charges for the Contingents, etc.. there would be a surplus of £300,000. Four months ago Ministers saw that there was going to be trouble, anJ that money would be dear, so they made arrangements for public works finace for ten months ahead, or, in other words for at million of money. In respects to money for the purchase of land, they had. obtained £300,000 at £100 5-BthSj while only the week before New South Wales had offered 4 per cent, debentures at 99 j. As to the defences of the colony, he could say emphatically that there was no cause whatever for apprehension.