The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1978, 12 March 1885, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

1 iju il md < \ ict pisticr to .ill men, Ot nh>itso(\i rstatu or persuasion, religious or pdhtir.il, Her< -•h ill the I'ress the People's right maintain, Un.iucil l>y mfltienre and unbribcd by gain

THURSDAY, MARCU 12, 1885.

I r is almost impossible at this distance to realise the extraordinary enthusiasm which has developed itself in New South Wales since the fall of Khartoum. In offering the servieos of a military force to the Imperial authorities, the Government, if they did not give a practical expression to the wishes of the people, at least won the admiration and support of all classes in the coiiimunity. The whole colony for weeks lived in an atmosphere of t<he most intense excitement, which does not see.m yet to have been dissipated. Not unnaturally, this warlike spirit has communicated itself to the sister colonies, who are, or at any Tate have been animated by the same burning desire to go somewhere and kill somebody for the sake of Old England. Peaceful home-loving citizens, and easy-going, slow-thinking tillers of the soil have alike been m etamoi phosed, so to speak, into mail clad warriors, and battles, sieges, forcer I marches, midnight attacks, honc.ur and glory, and all the rest of it have formed the staple of con versation at every street corner, antl at every country hotel, where people congregate together to have wl iat the Scotch call a "craclc" Now wu do not deprecate^ any more than w e deride this outburst of patriotic sentiment. Rather indeed should

uuv lu'.u'ts e\paud with pride, at the spectacle. It may be (and indeed there is litth loom for doubt) that a \it\ leccnt proportion of thos" who talk so lmich hwe not the remotest in tentioirot^pushing their patriotism imtlior""; but bo that as it ma\, iliero are at least plenty of hvmi. uul good men too, who will noi ,hirk the call of duty when tlu order comes to buckle the armoui on. This reflection, we repeat, o'ight to make us feel proud — proud of ourselves, and proud of the grand old race of heroes whence w o sprung. But it has occurred to us (and not to us only) that this glorious ebullition of patriotism is in danger of being misdirected, if it has not already been diverted into improper channels. The question, flow can we best assist the Mother Country — l)y sending men to the Soudan, or by putting our own house in order against the attack of the enemy 1 is one that need not be discussed at any length. What to England's armies in the field is the addition of a handful of New Zealand or Australian soldiers > What saving to England's exchequer is effected by our bearing the cost of our modest contingent ? But, on the other hand, the loss to us would be considerable We haven't any more money than we know what to do with, and still less can we spare the kind of men fit for service on Africa's burning sand, or, for that matter, beside her sunny fountains either. England is perfectly well able to settle her little account with the Mahdi without our help ; and we want all our money and muscle at home. The Avar in the Soudan lnppens to be the only one in which England now is actively engaged, but there are not wanting indications of fre&h trouble in the immediate future. The Soudanese are not likely to worry our shores very much, but Russia is a horse of quite a different colour. Moreo\ cr, a war between England and the great Musco\ite Empire might, and probably would, involve other nations, and" the results to these colonies would be disastrous in the extreme. But if we cannot avert, it is at least within our power to mitigate the approaching evils. Though we may not be able to devise measures for the safe transport of our produce to the antipodes, and though England herself may not be able adequately to protect our mercantile marine, we may at least enjoy the satisfaction of keeping the enemy oft* our premises, if ue will. The cost of putting the harbours of New Zealand in a state of defence will probably not exceed the amount -which, were we to drop down \\ith the current just now running, would be swallowed up in fighting the Mahdi ; and the results, w e confidently assert, would be of infinitely greater importance, not only to u>, but to the Empire at large. It is satisfactory to know that thedovernment are fully alive to the necessity for harbour defences. Telegrams from Wellington convey intelligence that a Cabinet Council has been held, and this e\ening, at Christchurch, the Treasurer will unfold the Ministerial scheme. The sensible remarks made by the Defence Minister on Tuesday (which we publish in our local columns to-day), were an indication that the Government intended to act with promptitude, and their determination will meet with the warm approval of the country. But we trust the scheme will go further than the defence of our harbours ; that it will be made to embrace the establishment of an efficient volunteer defence force. Of volunteering of a certain kind we have had quite enough. What we desire to see is a force of drilled and disciplined men, officered and commanded by men possessed of other experience than is gained on the parade ground, the ball room, and mutual-admiration banquets.

Hvmiltov will (weather permitting) be ijuite en fete on the anniversary of the good Saint Patrick. On that day Waikato's first horticultural exhibition will be held in the Public Hall, and if for no other reason than that it is a novelty, it is cert.iiu to be well patronised by the ilower, fruit, and vegetable critics of this great district. It will be an easy matter for people to reach Hamilton on the 17th from all parts of the Waikato and Auckland, to spend se\eral hours in inspecting the varied products of nature and to return home the same evening. For the people of the Upper Waikato, Upper Waipa, and Piako, the ordinary trains will be sufficient for the purpose, while for the benefit of those coming southwards, from Auckland, from Huntly, Taupiri, Ngaruawahia, a special train will be put on by the manager of the railway, whose arrangements have been admirably conceived. Saturday return tickets will also be issued on the 14th, lGth and 17th, available for return up to and including the 18th, and thus the wants not only of visitors and spectators, but also those of exhibitors will be met. It is pleasing to be assured, as we are, that the merits of the show itself will compensate those who come a distance for their trouble. At the same time, it cannot be expected that there will be any very great variety of exhibits. As a matter of fact, it is exceedingly difficult to pitch upon a date which would be suitable for all, or even most of the products of the garden or orchard. It is too late for stone fruit, except the later sort of plums ; the season for bed-ding-out plants and cut flowers is almost over, while many kinds of vegetables have so suffered from one cause or another that a great show of these is not to be looked for. On the other hand, this is the season for apples, pears, gourds, roots, dahlias (about the only outdoor flower at its best), and many pot plants. One or two floriculturists in

the Cainbi ldge district, tamed foi the are expected to contribute lu»ely to tins department, and with nvunei'ous smaller contributions, there should l>e at least a resort iblo parade. Under happiei circumstances this would have been -he season for Lite peaches, but ilas, peaches, whether Lite or early, ire little now but memories of tin >,ist Notwithstanding this, a- few will lie shown. On the whole, we in iy fairly assume th.it the exhibition will be a good one, and wo hope th.it it will bo the preeinsor of a long line of shows second to it only in the quality of nmeltv