THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1912. VALE-1912.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 31 December 1912, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1912. VALE-1912.

Within a few hours firom the writing of these lines, another mile-post in the yista. of Time will have been passed. Incidental to. the one is imj polled to. retrospect. As tihe Chariot [ has passed, it has left behind a cloud in the dust of 'history. There liaß, t probably, been no period in recent years in which so much anight be | chronicled in so short a time. Space [ will not permit a record of all that has happened. It is, nevertheless, ' proper that we f&ould record fche most illuminating', events in the year that is now ebbing out.' Foremost, of counse, is the groat international embroglio in which Southern Europe is engaged. | This is tho one dark cloaid that hashovered over the horizon. It has 1 I been a strenuous time of bloodshed — a campaign in which Christianity has assumed a conspicuous place, .and, yet in wlhich diplomacy has averted the most dismal of 'horrors. At one phase of ,t'he controversy tlx© outlook was full of anxiety for the whole civilised world. The crisis has, fortunately, not culminated in international disaster. Still, the period will go down in history as one of the most calamitous 011 record. Turkey, and tlie Ottoman Empire, have practically been effaced; but there is left behind ft record of heroism transcendent for its splendour. Albeit, the ravages of cholera have assisted in making the j horrors of warfare the mjoro terrible, j Passing from this outstanding in- I cident in the year's events, we are j compelled to admiration at the pre- ; cision with which the Great Powers ' have managed to overcome what at oil© time seemed to be tihe inevitable. , So far as Great Britain in concerned, the period has been one of grave anxiety. The interests of the nation I have been inextricably interwovon | with those of Southern Europe. And yet, we have managed, by a fine diplojir. any. to avert a crisis. The politic?, in the Motherland have been somewhat mixed in consequence of the Home Rule and Welsh Disestablishment Bills being before Parliament. Ti>f>se measurevs Jiavo advanced to a degree, but the positron of the Pait\ in oower is still uncertain. The outstanding feature in British Imperialism has beert tlie unanimity disulayed by the overseas posse?s'ons in the imattor of defence. ■ This is a splendid augury for tlie maintenance of tho prestige of tlie nation on the sens. With tbo Gorman menace standing out so prominently, it was well tfcat Canada should make a declaration, and that Australia aid New Ze a land should announce tli&ir intention of standing by tho flag for bettor or for wocrs©. In th'e OotnraoimealiK there has ',

been little change politically, al- I though the indication's are that the power of the Labour Party is waning. New Zealand has furnished a striking example of the uncertainty of things politicaJly. Hie overthrow of the Ward. Administration, amd the ousting of the McKenzie Gov eminent are events which, in themselves, miii'c have a salutary influence upon, the future of the .Dominion.. The Maissoy Government is in power with a slender majority, but behind it is th© great force of public opinion., and, unless the unforseen shotrld happen, it is certain to maintain office for several years. The industrial unrest throughout the world has beeai very' marked, and New Zealand has had its share. The Wflihi strike was the most disasfcro ,s » in the hwtory of tlfe Dominion. After many months the crisis was brought to an end in a tragic manner. And even now there are murmurs of further upheavals. The Arbitration and Industrial Conciliation Act lias beern ■weighed in the balance and found wanting. The seasons have been tolerably good, ao far :-s New Zealand is con- : cerned. The markets for produce havo ' remained stable and the yields have been well up tn the average. The ■ temporary shortage, of money, resultant from* ' '.i+'-icie influences, will, it is hoped. be ♦.-liowed by a renewed period of prosperity, j The usual.number of disasters have occurred. Death, has removed mairv prominent and useful citizens. Bui the year 1912, so far as tlhis coxmtry is concerned, will stand in history as one of the best on record . The rut ure is in the lap of the gotls.