THE AUSTRALIAN TROOPS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1993, 16 April 1885, Page 4

THE AUSTRALIAN TROOPS.

The Earl of Derby, in his place in Parliament, **u\ I am glad the noblo lord has by his question given mo an opportunity <>f expressing at thß eailiest moment on behalf of the Government, and I believe on behalf of the whole country, without distinction of party, our deep sense of gratitude to the various colonies which nave offered us military assistance at a time of difficulty, in so patriotic and public-spirited a matinei . (Loud cheers.) I shall be ready to lay on the table papers on the subject, but probably your lordships will think it will bj better to wait until tho coi respondence, which up to tho piesent time has been conducted by telegiaph, is, if n>t absolutely complete, at any rate more complete than it ih now. Perhaps it may be convenient to your lordships that I hhould say that the offer of Now South Wales was the first in point of time, and that offer ha« been absolutely accepted, the colony under taking to defray all expenses, and having the troops ready to stirt at once. (Clwers.) With regard to the other offers, which cuno a little later, we are in correspondence as to them. Thoro are many matters of detail which it will be necessary for the mihtaiy authorities to settle. All, therefore, I can say now 13 that we shall deal with all these oilers, as far as possible, on the same foot ing and on the same principle ; and certainly wo shall do whatever lies in our power to encourage a display of that fe«ling which we have seen with so much gratification. I quite agree with the noble lord, that, apart from tho question of increased military strength, the co-operetion of the colonies in a matter of this nature carries an incalculable moral value. (Cheers.) In reply to Mr W. E. Forater, asking for information concerning the offer of colonial troops, Mr Gladstone said :— The offers to which the question refers ha\e attracted much attention in this country, and likewise on the Continent of Europe, and I am glad this question has been put, because it tends to give an increased interest in the public mind to the offers themselves, which m truth are not to be regarded as casual, but which appear in view of Her Majesty's Government to have a real historical character. (Cheers.) When I recollect that just 100 years ago this country had scarcely ceased to reel under the shock of a great dismemberment of the Empire, which dismemberment was bi ought about by unfortunate attempts to force on what were then the most important colonies of Great Britain contributions in aid of the public 10 venue for the military charges of this country, it is certainly a gratifying contrast which is now presented to us. Such attempts upon these free communities has now become entirely obsolete, and the consequence of tho abandonment of untenable claims has been to open a fountain-head of loyalty, patriotism, public spirit, and liberality in the colonies themselves that has led to these most gratifying and most important offers. (Cheers.) I think the object of my right hon. friend's question is rather to draw forth an expression of the sentiment of the Government on the general character of these transaction*, rather than to place the House in possession of the particular details, because, although I shall make a short statement upon the subject, the correspondence is not yet ripe for our doing that which will be eventually done— that of placing the telegi.uns and correspondence on tho tables of both Houses. I will name the colonies from winch the--e offers have proceeded, and in doing mo I remind the House that the time within which it is possible that the idea could be suggested and transmitted to this country has a,t yet been extremely shoit. Therefore I do not think it is to be inferred that we have yet gone through the whole of tho developed sentiment of the different possessions of the Crown. (Heir, hear.) The olonios fiom which offeis— varying m foim, but on (5 in spnit — h.i\o been received arc, 111 tho first place. New South Wales ; secondly, Canada ; thirdly, Victoria; fourthly, South Austialin,; and fifthly, Queensland. (Cheers.) I will njily npeik 111 puticular of 0110 of these offers— namely, Ihe offer of New South Wale«, not merely be&iu-e is was the hi-^t 111 point of time, but because it was more completely formulated than more of the other pioposils, and consequently admits of more expeditious proceeding. The offer from New South Wales may bo bnefly described 111 the words— that the colonul Government proposes that they should provide for service in the Soudan two batteries of field artilleiy and 500 infanhy, to bo landed at Suakim within thirty days after embarkation. We are given to uudcistand that the embarkation could bf effected very piomptly — almost at once. All expenses attending those expeditions to he defrayed from the colonial funds. That is ceitxinly a most remarknblo offer — (cheers) — and if I refer to one other colony 111 p.utiuilir and not to the rest, it is for a iea-on which tho House will readily understand—l mean the colony of South Austialia—which has offered to provide a force of !T>o infantry upon the same footing ts t! io offer from New South Wales. (Cheers). L am not sure whether they are absolutely in the same state of preparedness, but tho offers are on the same footing ; and the reason I mention this offer on the part of South Australia, which proposes to bear the military charges of its expedition, is because Die population of that colony is compaiatively small, being only between 200,000 and 300,000. (Hear, hear). I have stated the purport of the offer of New South Wales, and I have only to add that the offer has been received by Her Majesty's Government with feeling of the liveliest gratification, and is accepted by them witli those acknowledgments of the public spirit of tho colonies, and with those feelings of thankfulness on the part of the United Kingdom, which everybody will feel to be leqmred by the occasion. (Cheers) The House will understand that there are nany consideration of time, of place, of distance, and of climate with respect to pending opeiations which require to be made the subject of careful military correspondence ; and upon all those details the correspondence is now in the hands of my noble friend (Lord Hartington). But I may say that this offer from New South Wales— l do not think that matters have pmceeded so far as yet with re.spect to other offers— has been made known to Lord Wolsrley, and has been accepted by him with the liveliest sati»faction (Cheers.) Ido not propose to enter even into so much detail with respect to the other colonies ; but I may say that as the whole of the«e proposals— perfectly spontaneous on their part— have proceeded from one and the same spirit of loyalty and attachment to the throne and to the Empire, po they will be considered and dealt with by us in one and the same spirit of thankfulness. (Cheers.) I do not know when we can present the very interesting information in due form. It will be laid before the House. I will not attempt to go farther into the matter upon the piesent occasion except that I will simply say that tho proposals, while they are very instructive in their historical character and in conipaiiHon with the ovents of former times, «l, once beir testimony to the unity of the British Kmpnu, and likewise powei fully tend to diaw closer the bonds of that union. (Cheeis )

Tn F peat 1 oy-b r fishing season closed ■it Ceylon in Octolx r The fishery ocen pied twenty dn^s, and on account of liad weathor the fishing was very difficult Tho oysters taken off Chilaw numbered b"3C,000, of which GU 000 were taken to Colombo and put up at auction, and brought §20 per 1 ,000. Tins was a decided increase over the sale in April, when the bids only reached $12 50. Of the total sum realist d, one-tlurtl goes to the divers, the remainder being the Government's share, which, however has to pay the expenses of tho fishery, of about $2,500. The Chilaw fishing banks alone have yielded the Government a net revenue during the first year of §12,500. A British Parliamentary return shows that during the nine months ending Sept ' 30, 18S4, there were 829 persons killed and 2,984 injuied on railways in the United Kingdom in course of public traffic, The number of pis«engers killed from accidents was 31, and the number injured sr>6. The number of railway servants killed was 395, and 1, 7*3 were injured. Including accidents of all kinds upon railway companies' premises, the nnmber ot persons hilled during the nine months was 859, and of injured 5,832. A Physician says thitsmoking mikes men bald-headed. Smoking in the parlour after the lace curtains have been freshly put up is apt to have that effect when the smoker's wife finds it out. Taking the Man at hia Word— An old woman who had received a cheque went with great glee to a Bank to dray the mon^y.' 'This cheqne is crossed; we can't pay It over the counter, my good woman,' •AH right, sir; I'll come round then,' was the immediate reply.