CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 227, 7 January 1911, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

CITIZENS OF EMPIRE. It has been denied that the Dutch element is unfavorable to Mr. Fisher, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth, and the item has been considered of sufficient importance to cable. Notwithstanding denials, there always has been a distinct dislike in South Africa to all oversea colonials, and the reason is not far to seek. During the South African war, the average Boer had no personal animosity against the British soldier, recognising that lie was enlisted to do the work he was ordered to do, and that he had no power to refuse. The Boer regarded the Canadian, the Australian and the New Zealand soldier as mere mercenary, and very much as if the colonial were a relative who had turned traitor. The colonial's habit of life made him a dangerous enemy, and the Dutchman hated him, and still hates him. From his particular point of view, the Dutchman was right then, and is right now. The bitterness existing during the war gave rise to many stories illustrating it. After peace was proclaimed there were innumerable Australians and other colonials in administrate posts, and the police was composed mainly of colonials. At Sterksvelei a Dutch burgher had lost many cattle, and he appealed to his ex-veld-cornet for help. "I can't make it out," said the veld-cornet, "there are no Australians living in this neighborhood!" Immediately the administration became again substantially Dutch (and this is the case now), the oversea colonial who had drifted into a civil billet after the war was asked to quit—and he quitted. In a recent letter to a New Plymouth resident, a friend said: "'l'm not a New Zealandcr now—not by a jugful. If you come out here looking for dollars say you are from the North Pole or the Scilly Isles, or anywhere but Australia or New Zealand. The Dutchmen don't like our people, and I don't blame 'em." British displomacy does not favor reprisals in these matters, but it seeks to "Anglicise" the Dutchmen. Thus one finds a Boer general (de Villiers) become a British peer. It would be hard luck for Lord de Villiers to have to lead a Dutch commando against British law and order again. The latest list of New Year honors robs a few more South African Dutch notables of a chance to show bias in favor of absolute Dutch rule. Mr. Fischer is now a British King's Counsel, Mr. de Graaf has a baronetcy to play with, and "Dr. Jim" (whose sympathies have never been understood since his opera bouffe raid) has been definitely placed by the possession of a similar bauble. No newspaper cablegrams ever explain the feelings of the people of South Africa. They all deal with the assertions of the eminents. The expressions of opinion of Botha or Smuts. Fischer or de Villiers, are of no consequence compared to the feelings of the old burghers and their children. Whether the Boers showed hatred or affection lor' Mr. Fisher does not really matter, but that the Boer dislikes oversea colonials generally there is no doubt. A GREAT LONE LAND. The Commonwealth has absorbed the Northern Territory from South Australia probably because the development of such a vast area is too big a proposition for one State. The Territory contains 520,000 square miles, an area more than five times as large as the whole of New Zealand. For many years past great influence has been brought to bear on the South Australian Government by huge landholders to retard settlement, the big squatters who have obtained vast areas of the country alleging that it is unlit for the white man. The chief reason tor the interest now being taken in the Territory by the Commonwealth Government is in the fact that it is essential for the protection of Australia that this open door should be closed to colored races by the presence of a numerous while population. Most people have accepted die untruth that the Territory is a desert land on the evidence of interested people, for much of it remains unexplored, and the people who have visited the in- . habited portions are few. A determination on the part of both the South Australian aniT the Commonwealth Governments to correct wrong impressions has assumed practical form, for unbiassed 1 explorers and pioneers have demonstrated i by actual results the fertility of much of the soil and the kindness of the climate in many parts. Although a big proportion of the Territory is torrid, there exist huge plateaus where the clii mate is possibly as good as that of New Zealand, and where the rainfall is very good. The Commonwealth Government meteorologist has reported that over onehalf of the Territory there is an average, of twenty inches of rain per year. That is to say, an area two and a-half times the size of New Zealand is available for the white man. There are also great and permanent rivers. The interested folk who at present hold most of the best land pay at the most half-u-crown per square mile rental, and the Commonwealth Government, which knows that close settlement is the essential need for this land, will possibly have some ditliculty in resuming for the purpose. Indirectly the peopling by white folk of this vast country is of immense importance to New Zealanders, for it cannot be doubted that in the coming time of trouble the interests of New Zealand and Australia will be identical. There is absolutely nothing at present to prevent an Asiatic Power from quietly obtaining possession of the northern portion of Australia.