TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8368, 27 February 1907, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

The Transvaal elections have turned out much as was expected; the Progressives are in a minority, compared either with the Het Vlok by itself, or in combination with the Nationalists, and the colony will be ruled by a coalition in which the Boer element is overwhelmingly strong. The Progressives have been handicapped by the outcry against Chinese labour and by the depression. They certainly seem to have done better than was expected, but they would doubtless have obtained the undivided vote of the British community had their name not been regarded as synonymous with capital—and South African capitalists, in some circles,are regarded as the incarnation of unscrupulousness and greed.

The vera merit has done well to place in tha forefront of the session's work a proposal for the Commonwealth to take over the Northern Territory from South Australia. The Commonwealth offers to recoup South Australia for the debts incurred in administering the Northern Territory, and to construct the trans-continental railway, so long delayed. But though South Australia can ill afford to lose the £3,000,000 she has already invested in the North it is to be feared that difficulties over the route of the trans-conti-nental line may prevent the bargain from being completed so speedily as could be wished. Ultimately there can be no doubt that the Federal Government must take over the administration of the Territory, which South Australia cannot afford to develop or to connect with the settled and civilised portions of the continent.

Interviewed by a Christchurch Press representative in regard to the trouble with the slaughtermen, the Hon. G. Fowlds, Minister for Education, said: —"It would be ridiculous to suppose that the Act had broken down, or will be allowed to break down, because one section of workers thinks fit to set it at defiance, more especially when we remember that a very considerable proportion of the section of men involved are really only casual workers in the colony. It is very significant that not a single meeting of unionists in any part of the colony has expressed sympathy with these men in the action they have taken. Ido not want to touch on the merits of this particular dispute—the case is now in the hands of the Court —but I believe that the great mass of the unionists of the colony are prepared to stand by the Arbitration Act, and abide by the decisions of the Court. The law must be enforced. I have no doubt that as it stands it will be found to be sufficient to carry out the intentions of the Legislature; and, if not, it will be for Parliament to provide any further remedy that may be required."

If two daring Swiss engineers have their way, tourists will be able in the near future to book tickets in London for the summit of the Matterhorn. MM. Imfeld and Golier, the engineers referred to, obtained a concession from the Federal Government in June, 1892, to construct two mountain lines from Zermatt to the Gornergrat and from Zermatt to the summit of the Matterhorn, an elevation of 14,780 ft. The first line has been ■ running for several years, and the engineers are convinced that the 1 time has arrived to construct the second. The new railway would be built intwo sections on the cogwheel system, and the power employed will be that of electricity. The first section is to be from Zermatt village station to the Matterhorn hut—an altitude of more than 9,000 ft, the greater part of it affording an openair route, while the second section, from the hut to the top of the Matterhorn, will consist of an almost vertical tunnel, reaching a station situated twenty yards below the actual summit. The maximum cost is roughly estimated at

10,000, OOOf. Two pounds will buy a return ticket to the summit of the Matterhorn, and the journey will be accomplished in an hour and a-half. At present on foot it takes the best part of twenty-four hours to climb the peak, and it costs £B, at least, for guides, porters and food.