TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8292, 22 November 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

The LytteltonH.'imes, referring to the Representation Commission, says: The census of 1901 gave the North Island a majority jft some 9,000 people, exolnsive of Maoris; in the succeeding five years that majority has grown to 65,000, out of a total «nurease in the population of 115,000. The contra of gravity, so far as inhabitants is concerned, has no dqubt been removed permanently to the north of Cook Strait. With it must go the majority of political representation. The Inevitable change has been appioanhing steadily for a number of years. Fifteen years ago, out of a House of 70 European members, the North Island could chum but 30. After the succeeding census, 10 years ago, the North gained a member at the expense of the South, aud Ave years later it seoured 34 members out of the 70. Then came the increase iu the number of European members in the House to 76. The supremacy of the South was at an end.

It is said that doctors at Home are at present passing through bad times, and that during the last few years their incomes have fallen off 25 per cent. The chief causes of this depression, says the British Medicial Journal, have been, "first, the gradual dying down of the epidemic of influenza, which in 1900 caused a mortality of over 16,000, but in. 1904 killed cnly 5,694, and, together with the subsidence of tpidemio sickness, we have had mild wiutors, accompanied by a deorease of the type of illness whiub we may call 'seasonable.' The second o&uh8 is the depression of trade, resulting partly from the frightful cost of the war, which was felt most acutely after,the extraordinary war expenditure had ceased, and trade had returned to its normal channels, and partly the normal reflux after the highwater mark that trade had reached just before the. war. If this be a correct view of the oauses of the crisis through which we are passing, it is obvious that not much oan be hoped from the remedies thst have been recommended, even if it were possible to put them into immediate operation, but it may be hoped that wi*:h the revival of trade„.and the freer circulation of money; medical praotioe will regain its normal level of'prosperitj. Man is still far from having attained to mastery over the microbe, and is as unable, or at least unwilling, s as ever he was to control those passions and appetites whiob engender in him a perennial orop of ailments, all of which contribute to the sup port and maintenance of the medical profession."

In an artiole on the future organisation of German forces In the colonies, the Cologne Gazette expresses the opinion that, when the present insurrection in South West Africa has been completely quelled, a force of 4,000 men will suffice to garrison the nolony : and that when once the question of the Ovambos, the warlike inhabitants of the northern districts, hBS been settled, even this force might be subject; to further reduction. The Rheinish organ goes on to observe:— "Strangely enough, there are still noUtioians in Germany who imagine that in the event of warlike complications between European Powers, there would be serious fighting for the colonies of these Powers in the dolonies themselves. The regular course of events, however,' will be that the fate of the colonies will only he decided by the' terms of the treaty of peace. To institute a colonial force now for fighting iu a conflict vof that kind is, therefore, absurd; it would have the effect of dissipating uur military resources, and it would, at the same time seriously burden our army estimates." The view is also expressed that in the regrettable event of a European conflict the Powers involved would make every effort to exclude Afrioa from the theatre of operations. As it is there are so many .explosive elements among tbe natives of Afrioa, that a war batweeu uolonising Powers might result in the overthrow of JdJoropean supremacy and in a relapse into unmitigated barbarism.

Tbe output of butter from the Auckland district during the past fortnight has been the largest on reoord, amounting to 326 tons, valued at nearly £35,000, says Auckland Herald. This quite

justifies the expectation that the season of 3906-7 will be the moat satisfactory so far experienced by the farmers of the province. But it would be unwise to allow the opportunity to pass for again calling attention to the obviouß though frequently ignored connection between agricultural production and general prosperity. Our colonial towns are in no.way parasitic, for in this very practical world nothing is paid for nothing, and our town industries are as important factors in the national life as are any others. But every intelligent townsman must perceive that our whole industrial organisation is necessarily built up upon our primary industries without which no seoonday industry could live for a single day. The greatest of all primary industries is the agricultural, in its various ramifications, for it is the only one which possesses the quality of immortality. Mining and timbergetting, gum-digging and native flaxcutting, are ail important and valuable, and greatly to be encoursged. But the time must naturally come when metals and minerals are exhausted, and when timber and flax muse be treated agriculturally or cease to be of industrial value. The farmer is the only man who can go npon the land and win wealth from it perpetually. He is the foundation and the mainstay of all permanent proscerity, ihowever equitably trade may be carried on and however useful any other industries may be. If a State is wise It fos ters agrionlture by every means in Its power. If this colony is wife it will do far more in the fature than it has in the past to foster the production from the land of the wealth which the whole community shares.