TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8182, 13 July 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

The Oeylon Obser/er and Messrs Ridley and Son, of Chriatohurqb, have been carrying on a joint crusade ?'n Oeylon in the direction of having that island!s teas exhibited on a fitting scale at the International Jiixhibition. Sir Stanley Bois recently circularised Oevlon planters for the purpose of collecting samples of tea for the Imperial Institute. These were the first new samples to be prepared for exhibition, and the Observer strongly urged that they should, in the first place, be aeut to the New Zealand Exhibition before going to Loudon When the matter was referred to Sir Stanley Bois ho was afraid it would not be a goo i thing to send thegsamples referred'to iiist to Now Zealand, as it would still further delay their arrival at the Imperial Institute, where thoy are really urgently Deeded to bring Ceylon's collection there anything like up-to-date. The samples from St Louis were to have gone to the Imperial Institute, but were hardly worth transport, so Wore disposed of in the States. The Observer, according to the latest files, was uiging the oolleotion of duplicate samples for New Zealand.

Speaking at the annual dinner of the St. George's Society of New York on April 22nd, Genftral Stewart L. Woodford explained the attitude of President Roosevelt in refusing aid from other nations in connection with stricken San Francisco. "The President, in the midst of the horrors of San Francisco," he said, ''kindly but firmly declined the assistance offered by other nations, and especially, through St. George's Society, the assistance of England. The President simply meant that, bowed as the American people were under thoir load, it was his wish that the Amerioan people show to the world that under such Jan adversity the United States would take care of its own; would rise equal to the terrible occasion;

would feed their own hungry, and, spurred on by the indomitable courage which this people always have exhibited under stress of distraoting calamity, set up their flag and move to the assistance of 'the city tbat once was,' and build a new city, even though the earth shook beneath its foundations, in doing this —in refusing your great beneficence, the President still feels tbat he is greatly hououred, as the American people are, m tbat liingiand and the other great nations not only sent messages of regret, but offers cf substantial material aid. He felt that the nation, as a nation, Wuuld set an example to other nations."

Captain Dulon and Major-Surgeon I Lattorff, of the Imperial German Army, who have heen stationed in North China for the past two years, are at present in Auckland, and intend touring New Zealand. Captain Dulon, when asked by an interviewer if there was any likeli hood of another anti-foreign outbreak in China, said he thought not, so long as Yuan Shlkai, the great Chinese general, at present in Tientsin, was in power. Yuan was a strong man, ar»d not openly hostile to foreigners. ''But of course," said Captain Dulon, "tho Chinese naturally do not love foreigners. Things seem to be peacsfnl enough in North China at present, but one can never telLwhai may happen. China is the land 'of surprise. Foreign troops are now all practically withdrawn. Italians and Germans have left, and French, English and Americans are already gone, or will leave soon; so it looks as if the foreign Powers are satisfied that there ia no fear of immediate trouble." Captain Dulon went on to say that he had a good deal to do with remount work while in China. The cavalry in his squadron were mounted on Australian horses, and very satisfactory they were. "I made f journey to Mongolia," Captain Dulon oontinued, "to purohase ponies for military purposes, but they were inferior to Australian horses. I was highly pleased with all I saw of the Australian horses, but heard from frldtids that 1 could supply a better article from New Zealand. 1 shall use all my spare time in gathering information on the subject. New Zealand is fairly well-known in Germany, and its social legislation ia watched with considerable attention by our people."