The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1887. A WAR SCARE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2782, 23 December 1887, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1887. A WAR SCARE.

" It is thoroughly well known that Russia, at any rate, has for several years been fully propared to swoop down on us at the first outbreak of a war; tint all her plans are _ matured, and that all her officers in the Pacific have completi'. instructions as to their comae of action directly they shall receive by cablo the intimation of war being declared, or about to begin. All these are matters, not of opinion, but of indisputable fact.

The above indisputable fact is published by our contemporary, the New Zealand Times, - and is liot exactly calculated to assist very nervous persons to enjoy their Christinas. Why! oil, why! have,we, in the small and remote colony of New Zealand, been selected by the Great Russian beara3an edible mouthful? Surely the secret department which administers foreign affairs at St. Petersburg must know our financial position, and. must he aware that Vogel has been before it, and scooped the. pool. We should have thought that the Russian marauders would have given Sydney or-Melbourne a preference over Wellington. But apparently, according to the N.Z, Times, it is our luck. The Russians do not covet Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Dimedin, Christchurch or Auckland; their eagle eye is on Wellington, mill wo must be prepared to raeetthe foe. Whysuoh an honor should be extended to Wellington we do not know. The war scare has just beenraisedin the House by a Naval Defences Bill, but while we may view with some doubt tho probability of New Zealand becoming entangled with a foreign foe there is certainly a grave apprehension of another European war, There are massings of vast bodies of troops on the Austrian frontier, and it would almost appear as if Russia were more anxious to scrunch up the Austrian Empire tliiin to annex New Zealand. It is considered not impossible that Europe may burst into a blaze of powder with Germany, Italy and Austria fightipg against Russia and France, If sp Russia will have quite enough work on hand without calling to her admirals and captains to invade Wellington and bombard Petone. Possibly these big war clouds will"pass away—we hope so-we believe that the tendency of modern warfare is to localise a.campaign. Should Russia and Austria fall out, aneffiort would no doubt be made to confine the quarrel to tlip principals. In the event of war with Europe it does not follow that Great Britain should be embroiled, and if England stands aloof New Zealand can rest contented. Expensive but inadequate naval defences will only make the .Colony ridiculous and invite attack. It hia-y fcp possible to protista k'bor like Welljngtpiibut a foreign energy couljd land any night at l'orinia, aj}d assjs-il th? Empire pity in (be rear lit day break, find' fiaptip it without till? loss of a man,. The war scare is ft little overdone, and and though there maybe fi possible contingency to be provided against, we cannot afford to spend unlimited sums of money in fortifications, and we shall act wisely' if we rely upon o«r insignificance and pacific Maviour

for safety. The Russian bear even if it fought tho British lion would gain little credit or advantage by, worrying tho New Zealand lamb.

We understand that a recent analysis of the Borough income and expenditure made by "ex-Mayor Caselborg, proves, that Queen-street ratepayers have not had in the past anything liki their fair share of the borough expenditure. Under these circumstances they will he quite justified in insisting upon the Borough watereart being manned in dusty weather-by the Borough staff.