TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8115, 9 April 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

The Sootsman observes that iu the Ministerial programme Sootland is treated almas'; as a negligible quantity. The last Government, ifc says, at least attempted to give us i reform system of eduoation. Scottish education is not mentioned in theSpeeoh. A Orofcera' Holdings Act is included in the appendix of measures not to be oarried, but only drawn attention to. With a Scottish Prime Minister, a Scottish Lord Chancellor, a Scottish War Minister, a Scottish First Lord of the Admiralty, a Scottish Colonial Secretary, and a Scottish Minister for Looal Government, and Scottish Members of the Exchequer, the India Offlo«, and the Irish Office, and with a Soottish Secretary in the Cabinet, Scotland might perhaps have looked for a little more consideration.

The Argentine oorrospondenfc of the Otago Daily Times, writing from Kuenos Ayrea under date 15th February, says:—"Tne outlook tor thi3 year is not too good owing to the locust plague. Locusts during the last six months have soared every one. They have spread through tne north of the republic iu "mangas" or immense swarms. Wherever they have gone they nave swept everything green in front of them. This, however, is not the worst; eggs have been deposited iu millions and next year the country will have to pay the piper. There is a department under the Government control for destroying the locusts, but with a number of good years this department has become nothing more nor less than a politioal hospital,, where the parties are lewarded for services rendered to those that are in power."

In the course of his speeoh at Timaru the other night the Premier desoribed a combine that existed in Christohuroh, limiting the sale and keeping up the price of fish, whioh had prevente I a supply of fish from being profitably brought from the Ohathams, where the seas were teeming. If that sort of thing should continue, he would not consider It out of nlaoe for the Government to start flsh-shops, with Parliamentary fishing boats and nets, to overcome such

obstaoles as the Cbristchurch fish combine. They had close to Timaru two splendid freezing works, and the colony was dotted with the like, all sending Home the best of mutton, and it was being sold at Home cheaper than in Timaru. The surplus must be exported, but it was a pity that they had to pay more here for what, to put it mildly, was not the best of meat. it must be due to a /'combination" of some kind.

The headmaster of the Napier School (Mr J. Hislop) has repotted to his oommittee on the question of uniformity in school books. A uniform set of school books, he says, is not advisable. The whole trend of thought in the educational world is to get away from stereotyped methods, and to encourage individual development both in the teacher and in the pupil. This is practically the aim of the syllabus under which we are now working, and ro bind teachers throughout the colony to one set of books would simply have the opposite effeot to that desired. On the other hand, from the parents' point of view, it sometimes becomes a great hardship when they move from one part of the colony to another, and probably have to purchase fresh sets of books for the children in each district.

The practice of drivers of vehioles in leaving their horses feed during the dinner hour with the bit in the mouth was condemned by several speakers at a recent meeting of the Wellington Society for the prevention of Cruelty to x\nimals. It was stated that this was quite a general practice in the city. One speaker drew attention to the style of nosebag nft'eoted by some horse-owners, viz., bags or sacks, which often resulted in a horse losing the greater part of his dinner because he could not get into the bag after taking a few moutnfuls. Drivers did not stand by in order to straighten up the bags occasionally, although they were not supposed to leave the horses. It was a state of affairs that would not be tolerated in the Old Country, and it should not be allowed here,

The Attorney General of New South Wales baa reoeived a letter giving some information about W. N. Willis and his doings in South Africa. Recently he made aa offer to the Government of Natal to furnish, equip and maintain a corps of 1,000 busbmen to fight against the rebel natives. The offer was published in the press on the morning of the day on which the Full Court was to hear Willis' appeal in the extradition proceedings. He has also put into circulation pretty freely throughout Natal reprints of speeches of New South Wales legislators, and of publications calling for his return to Sydney at any cost, and finding fault with the Government for not bringing him back. This, Mr Wade's correspondent says, has created a strong impression m Natal that Willis is being politically persecuted.

A new and very curious feature has developed itself into London club-life. Recently Lord Robert Cecil, who is a son of the late Lord Salisbury, a King's Counsel, and a member of Parliament, has been black-balled by the Carlton Club, and Lord Balfour of Burleigh has been expelled from the Constitutional Club, the other great Conservative institution of that olass in Loudon. Lord Robert says hw has reason to believe that he was 'pilled' in consequence of his being an acknowledged Freetrader. Lord Balfour of Barleigb has boen expelled from the Constitutional Club' simply because he ventured to assert bis personal and political freedom by supporting a Liberal oaudidate in the recent elections, his support being understood to bave been mainly on the ground of superior personal qualifications. It is understood that Lord Balfour of Burleigh intends to test the matter at law,, and that the whole issue will ba fought out in the Court.