WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 September 1916, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THEN AND NOW. FEDERATION SENTIMENT. (From Our Own Correspondent)

Wellington, September '25. During his recent flying visit to 'Sydney Sir John Findlay "spoke a piece" to a representative of the Triad, which is published in the current issue of that enterprising journal, and makes very interesting reading!in the light of the change that has come over public opinion concerning Imperial federation since Sir Joseph Ward brought the subject into prominence little more than five .years ago. Sir John, it will be remembered, then the representative of the Liberal Government in the Legislative Council, accompanied his chief to the [mI peria! Conference of 191 ], and no one who has read his delightful review, of what happened at th&t historic gathering can doubt that be was largely responsible for the inspiration which enabled Sir Joseph Ward tp anticipate the trend of national thought by half a decade. At that time Imperial Federation | bad not received any very serious consideration from British statesmen, and Sis Joseph's suggestion that an organ- ' ised system of government for the whole Empiro should be devised, met with a distinctly cold reception from the Home authorities, particularly from Mr. Asquith, whoso reply to the suggestion, as Sir John put it, "was rather a dignified rebuke than a deliberate criticism." Bat Mr. Asquitli and bis colleagues are striking a very difficult note now. The Prime Ministei lias confessed that the present bonds of Empire, admirably as they have served the purpose of the nation during a hundl'ed years, are not sufficient to meet the requirements of the new conditions, and many other prominent British statesmen are definitely on the' side of what Sir John Findlay has very happily styled organised federation. It is well to have the genesis c.f the movement placed on record by one who was. present at its birth.

NATIONAL PHYSIQUE.

New Zealand has 'been priding itself so long on its national physique that it would be a terible affront/to its amour propre for anyone to publicly suggest that its young men are not the finest in the world, the healthiest, tile strongest, the most enduring, the very best raw material for the manufacture of soldiers. Vital statistics, the success of picked athletes on the field of sport, the achievements of tile Tkmiinion's representatives at the front, the reports of doctors and the compliments of politicians have encouraged the idea that on the physical side the boys and youths of this country, taken as a whole, are unequalled 'bv those of any other part of the Empire. But a, medical man who lino been examining' recruits s'-'en the outbreak of war and keeping rcec«.,f every case passing through his Mines has formed a much less flattering opinion of the national physique. In the South Island, where lie is practising, he has found a quite undue proportion of men with deficient chest measurement, poor muscular development and impaired vitality. They do not fail to reach the required standard through any definite organic trouble, he says, but, for the" most part, through a deplorable "liabbiness'' which makes them :juite unfit for active service. In the majority of cases they follow no sport, except as spectators; they have not learnt to ride or swim, and they have no out-of-door ambitions beyond, perhaps, the possession of a motor-evcle. Men of this type, of course, come chiefly from the towns, but they are not so rare as they ought, to be ill the country districts, and the doctors think it would lie a very good thing if ''rejects" who foil to satisfy the demands of the Minister of Defence were 'handed over to the Minister of Health for kindly advice and treatment. I

THE JAPANESE INVASION. The arrival of the big Japanese cargo steamer Akita Maru in Wellington has created a good deal of local interest, and yesterday afternoon tile decks of the Eastern trader were crowded for several hours with visitors anxious to make her acquaintance and tile acquaintance of her crew at close quarters. The features about the vessel that particularly struck the critics were her remarkably graceful lines, in striking contrast to those of the average British tramp, and her scrupulous cleanliness from stem to stern. Her crew, from Captain Tauaka—who, by the way, is a Japanese,

not a Maori, as his name might suggest —down to the smallest boy on board, seemed delighted to see their visitors, and gave everyone wlio eared to mount the gangway the free run of this ship. | In this respect there is no.o.easion to ■ make invidious comparison:- between British sailors and Japanese sailors, as hospitality is characteristic pi the seafarer under every flag, but tli? Japanese have realised in a special degree the value of advertising, and with them to realise a good thing is to make it as effective as possible. Captain Tanaka himself, besides being'an able commander, is a very tactful diplomat, a well-in-formed trade commissioner and a seduetive > tourist agent rolled- into one, with an, intelligent recognition of the possibilities of close commercial, intercourse between his beloved Nippon and this distant part of the British Empire. The Japanese invasion has made 'another step in its peaceful penetration under frery auspicious circumstances.