Notes

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 21, 12 June 1902, Page 18

Notes

The Drought in Australia,

Tlie unexampled drought in Australia still continues, and over an area larger than that of Europe the spectre of famine Btalkß unrestrained. The accounts whioh come to hand show that the lose of stock is something appalling. And it is nothing thort of heartrending to even attempt to compute the extent of animal suffering that has prevailed. In some parts of the continent it may be possible by schemes of irrigation to forestall similar calamities in ths future, but over a very large extent of it 3uch eohemes are impracticable. There are no rivers of any consequence to feed irrigation canals, and the coneervation of water in a flat country is to a great extent impossible. It may be possible to lock the Murrumbidgee and the Darling, and to divert surplus water from the Murray to the Mallee country, but in northern New South Wales and Queensland such methods (he unavailable. In some parts of the country the underground streams may be tapped by means of artesian wells, but the benefit gained so far has been merely local, It is not, therefore, permissible to point the moral usually drawn in such cases, for no reasonable meana of water conservation can be provided for such a contingency as a drought over several successive seasons. And unhappily the prospect is not inviting. Even if rain were to come speedily it would not stimulate growth, as this is the cold season, when growth is suspended. And though this more directly affects the owners of large pastoral properties, where grazing alone is depended upon, thejearth will injure the whole oontinent to the extent that it reduces the field of labor and enhances the prices of food. Happily the drought is free from the human tragedy whioh take 3 place when a similar calamity falls upon a densely-populated country. This, it seems, is the only mitigating aspect of the present drought. It should also tend to cause New Zealanders to value the natural advantages of the emerald Colony in which ihey live, and cause them to point out to their friends in the land from which multitudes are still tearing themselves with bursting heart?, that & country which possesses no mountains cannot have any rivers, and in the absence of rainfall must be subject to droughts. We have come inflictions even in New Zealand, but want of water is not one of them.

Military Rewards.

In the first flush of exultation after the conclusion of a succeissful war, or after a signal victory, it has been a national custom to bestow rich, and often extravagant, rewards upon those who were instrumental in their accomplishment. In the most ancient times triumphant generals were rewarded by the State, both by honors and more substantial tokens of national gratitude, and the oustom is not likely to fall into desuetude, for it is a creditable feature in human nature that after success it seeks for someone to thank, just as in the converse case it looks about for one on whom to lay the blame. Lord (now Viscount) Kitchener is the most recent recipient of national honor of the kind indicated, his reward consisting of a monetary grant of £50,000 and the title of Viscount. The peenniary henor hasbeen compared with t v >at awarded to Lord Roberts after the termination of hia active career hi the field. Parliament then voted the hero of Afghanistan £100,000, and as the solid results of Kitchener's success in South Africa appear likely to be far greater and more immediately tangible, an explanation has been considered necessary. It has been fouud in the fact that Lord Kitchener is yet only a young man (he iB 52) and may yet have an opportunity of serving the nation in a distinguished capacity, while the grant to Lord Roberts was considered to be practically a retiring gratuity) and the reward not of a single act. but of a series of eminent eer" vices. From Lord Kitchener's point of view, however, this reasoning must aeem fallacious. The magnitude of a reward should be measured not by tho circumstances of the recipient, but by the value of the cervices rendered. Applying a commercial standard the acquisition cf the South African States is of more value to Britain than the settlement of Afghanistan, brilliant though the actions were that effected it. The Transvaal and Orange Free State have been acquired at a monetary cost of something between a shilling and two shillings per acre in money, and with the comparatively insignificant loss of 21,000 lives. The conquest has therefore been very cheap, and if it were possible or seemly to apply the commercial test still more closely, the payment to Kitchener for services rendered must ba regarded as insufficient. * The comparison between the two grants Beems to have been made in an exculpatory fashion by the Government in moving the grant to Lord Kitchener. This at once makes it permissible to discuss its value. To give Lord Kitchener half the Bum given to Roberts because the former ia » young man is curiously illogioal. Surely a young man could enjoy the larger amount better than an old one I If it were a mere question of maintenance the reason might

a PPly> bat the motive was to confer honor, and bestow an adequate token of national gratitude. The magnitude of it should be measured by what the recipient has done, and not by what he may do in the future. In fact, Parliament has been committed 10 a« pledge to give Lord Kitchener more by and by, whm he shall have performed some further Bign.il service?, anJ in effect he has been paid only an instalment of what ib due to him. Some such reasoning a.-> this niij'ht po^'bly have ocoa»ioned opposition to thq grant, though we hardly suppose it did. We put it forward merely for the purpose of showing tliaij the proposal wa'i susceptible of more than the one interpretation, and that in poi: t of fact, when analysed, it amounted to the very common but illogical action of a parent who says to his offspring : ' There, you have been a very good child, and here is sixpence for you ; if you are also very good to-morrow, I may give you another sixpence.' It would seem that thus taking a mortgage on future good behaviour is not coij fined to doting parents, but may be found also among eminent politicians.

It may ba interesting at this stage to compare the grant to Lord Kitchener with gome previously given as rewards for military achievements. The victories of Blenheim and Ramilies cost the country subsequently nearly a million sterling. The Duke of Marlborough received in 1707 a pension of £4000 a year, and it was paid until about 17 years ago, when it was commuted by a single payment of £107.800. Besides this the Government purohased Blenheim, and the present Duke of Marlborough lives in it at thiß day. Admiral Rodney sank seven Spanish ships and relieved Gibraltar less than 120 years ago, and was given £2000 a year for life. But on his death, nine years afterwards, the pension was made perpetual. Lord Raglan, who distinguished himself in the Crimea, received a pension which has been paid to his successors, but is terminable on the death of the present peer. The total sum so paid is not less than £100,000. After Nelson won the battle of Trafalgar, a grateful nation awarded £5000 a year to all the Lord Nelsons for ever ; so that about £300,000 has been the cost to date of the great naval victory. The Duke of Wellington received a large grant and an annuity which was to terminate with the death of the third holder of the title. Lord Napier of Magdala, for the almost bloodless and i-hort, though 'nevertheless extremely arduous, campaign in Abyssinia, received a pension of £2000 a year, which was to continue to his heir. Nor must mention bs omitted of the large aggregate sums paid in pensions to officers ana men who completed their term of service. Too often the rank and file, who are not less necessary than the commander, are left to pine in neglect in their old age. A gratuity is to be made to every man who was engaged in South Africa, but whether this will ba the sole expression of the nation's gratitude remains to be seen.