TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9559, 4 August 1909, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

IN THE LIMELIGHT. As a modeßt man,' Mr Hogg must have shrunk from all this unnecessary display of fervour. It is just a little too early to extravagantly fate a man who so far lias not dene anything much for the cause, anl is not very clear as to what he hopes to do, says the "Marlborough Express." But Mr Hogg must now live up to the position he has assumed, and, to use an expression | with which his party is familiar, it is now "up to him" to formulate a definite policy during the iccess, and advocate it with all the power he possesses.

A BRIDGE NEEDED. A work which will shortly requireto be put inghand is the erection of « bridere over the Waipoua river at the ford on Colombo road. This road, which is already an important stock route, will become more so after the amalgamated saleyar.fs are established at Sol way, anl thefatstmk sales —practically a certainty—are inaugurated. The bridging of the river at the point mentioned would also be a great convenience to townspeople, and would mean a much quicker route to LanFdTwnc from the east side of the to'wn for pedestrians and cyclists than via the main road nver the northern approach The importance of the route warrants the erection of a substantial truss I ridge MAORI LANDS.

The future of the Maori depends solely on his willingness to work according to the methods of the pakeha. It the the alternative he mußt inevitably become impoverished. Whether as a race he is doomed to absorption it matters not for the purpose of this argument; his treat attributes and noblest qualities are worthy of preservation. It is as much in the inter eats of the race as it is in the vital interests of pakelia set lament that the native knds must be made profitable use of. Public opinion will brook no further delay in settling the question, and Mr Carroll must realise, says the "Taranaki News," that if he is to secure for the Maori the treatment he claims he should have, he must give a lead towards something definite. Any pacticsl scheme he may suggest will have the sympathy and active support of all classes in the Dominion, i His opportunity is now before him.

| PASSENGERS BY AIRSHIP. Herr Colsmann, managing direr'or of the Zeppelin Airship Construction Company, in a lecture on Count Zepnelii's future plans, stated that Count Zeppelin intended to establish a number of airship lines lor the regular conveyance of passengers between different towns. Count Zeppelin had already been in communication with various municipalities, and had received promises of support from some of the most important town in Germany. The town council of Cologne for instance, is willing to invest £25,000 in' the new company for the inauguration of a line of airships which will establish aerial communication between Cologne and other important centres of the population. Ths municipality of Dusseldorf is also willing' to subscribe a substantial • sum towards the capital of the new company. In some cases regular lines of airships will be established,, while in other cases pleasure cruises will take at regular intervals. Herr Colsmann statad that 300 days per year are suitable for aerial voyages

The Zeppelin airships which will be used for this purpose will carry a crew oi six, including the engineer, and will be capable of conveying twenty passengers. It is intended that each voyage shall last about seven hours except in the case of long distance cruises from certain fixed towns to other tuwns. Two airships for the conveyance of passengers will be completed by the early spring of 1910, and two more will j be ready by May, 1910.