TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8200, 2 August 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

Ihs following passage is from a recent speech by George Reid delivered in the course of his Australian an'ti - socialistic oarcpaign:—- This system of officialdom and State mastership would not destroy competition, uut it would destroy the thousand ladders by which men climbed to success, and substitute for them the one ladder of Government billet; place every man under the dictation of officiate, and destroy that principle of human soul which-, called out for liberty, and it would rob the working men of his independence and spirit of emulation. The difference between the grand democracy of these days and Socialism was that under democracy the people were masters of (he State, while under Socialism the State would he master of the people.

The American Register (published in Paris) says:~Betnre any tuarued expression of sympathy for au alliance with. Russia is made, it should be intimated to the Czar that he should clean his house Give him to understand that much though an Auglo-Franoo-Kussian enteute is to bo desired, yet it cannot officially bo brought about until he has showu a sincere desire to govern his people justly and well by surrounding himself with advisers who staua for constitutional freedom and agrarian reform. As for the surplus onergy of Groat Britain's Foreign Office, there are sufficient outlets for It. lustead of sending fleets to where they will not be appreciated, even misunderstood, it might be forging links of Empire with the Ooioouies. None will stand iu the way.

The prejudices against the "kist o' whustles" has nut died out in Sootland. At the Free Church Assembly las f , month the use of instruments and uuinspired hymns drew forth vigorous condemnation. Rev. Murdo Maoqueon, a foremost "Wee Kirk" champion in the late dispute, expressed the official view when he said ho was amazed at the audacity of a congregation thinking they could in the face of the legislation of last assembly carry on instrumental musio and usa uuinspired hymns in the Worship of Ciud. When the Free High Church was handed over to tha Freo Church, to which it properly belonged, that abominable

thing (Mr Macqueen here tamed to the organ and vigorously sboofc hiß olenohed flat at it)—that abominable thing, he repeated, would be removed from the churub and ground to powder, or buried in the German Ooean.

Earth eating is still practised in parts of Africa and Soath Amerioa. A French naturalist has lately found that the Indians of the high tablelands of Bolivia have a great lining for a paste of clay, which is sometime" mixed with ooooa leaves, but as a rule is taken by itself in little dried pellets. Humboldt and other explorers have supposed that the clay eaten has a certain nutritive value. Two specimens recently analysed oontained 95 per cent, or more of pure silicia, the remainder consisting of-J iron oxide, alumina, magnesia, and water, and a speoiraeu examined a century ago was similar, but with much more iron oxide and two per cent, of copper. Such substances oan have no value as food, while the copper may be injurious. It is suggested, however, that they may cake tbe place of woody fibre in such food as fish, and indirectly promote digestion by their grinding action.

Commenting upon Sir Joseph Ward's proposals for reciprocity with Amerioa, the Auokland Star says:—At the present time kauri gum is admitted free of duty into the United States; in fact, there has never been an import duty on this product save at the time of the Spanish-American war, when a war tax of ten cents on the pound was imposed, but was removed after the signature of peace terms. Last year 3,489 tons of gum were exported from New Zealaud, the approximate value of this being £209,340. Printing papsr bears uo dutygwhen imported into New Zealand from the British dominions, but from foreign countries it bears a duty of 20 per cent., the result being thac praotioaHy no printing paper is now imported from the United States. The amount of printing paper imported into New Zealand last year was 161.445 owt., the value being £135,908, while £736 2b was paid as duty. Salmon imported into New Zealand from Amorioa or couutries other than portions of the British dominions is subjeot to a duty of 3d per lb under the Preferential and Reciprocal Trade Act, the duty from British dominions being 2d per lb. The total amount of tinned fish imported into New Zealand latt year was 2,301,9601b5, valued at £53,416, and paying £18,051 2s 9d in duty.

According 'to the census taken on April 29th last the biggest electoral district in the uolony was I Newtown with 19,205 persons (9,507 males and 9,698 females). The Hutt, with 15,000 (8,099 malesfand 6,941 females) came seoond, Bay of Plenty with 14,852,(8,293 males and 6,559 females) came third, while Palmerston N. was a'good fourth with 14,804 (7,772 males and 7,032 femalea). The only other eleotoral districts containing over 14,000 persons were Waikato, 14,716, Ohristohoroh City, North, 14,419, and Eden, 14,279. The smallest district in the colony was Mount Ida with 7,333, f4,156 males and 3,177 females). There were only four districts in the North Island with less that 10,000 inhabitants, while there were no fewer fifteen in the South Island which fell below this standard. The smallest district in this island was Thames, with 8,717, These figures are all exclusive of Maoris. Another oolumn in the return shows the distribution of the Chinese among the electorates. How well the Celestials are dispersed may be gathered from the fact that they are present in every district but seven —Bay of islands, Franklin, and Egmont in the North. Island, and Hurunui, Kaiapoi, Selwyn, and Waitaki in the South. The Grey electorate tops the list with 262 Chinese, Wellington Central follows with 391, then come Tuapeka with 175, Westland with 155, Wakajipu with 138, and Dunedin South with 107—the others having smaller numbers, down to one each in Marsden, Ohiuemuri, Pahiatua, and Ellesmere. The total of Chinese in the South Island is 1,433, against 1,049 in the North.