The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 1907.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2052, 12 April 1907, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 1907.

One of the problems of the future, mid one that is already exorcising the minds of thinking people, is that which relates to the question of supremacy botivcen tho white and yellow races of mankind. A short docado ago there was hardly any reason to suppose that the question called for serious consideration, for although the yellow race outnumbered tho white by a few millions, those Eastern peoples had never shown any sign of aggressive disposition, or desire to push their influence to any extent beyond tho confines of their own territory. In the matter of a rill aments for land onslaughts, and of sailor-like qualities or equipment ■so necessary to national expansion they were supposed to be wholly deficient; but the history of that short docado lias completely reversed that cherished notion, and to-day at least one formidable portion of them (that which .has its locale in the island of Japan) has shown what immense potentialities have lain dormant for centuries round tho shores of tho Northern Pacific Ocean. Up to tho time of the imprisonment and subse-' quent release of the Legations by the Powers (including Japan) in 1900 the enormous aggressive force, that is now so unpleasantly apparent, -was not even suspected by the Western nations, for China and Japan also were looked upon from a naval and military point of view as a negligible quantity possessing numbers only, with no organisation and less equipment, and, better still, having no pretence to military valor. Their histories since the ijays of their ruling saints Confucius and Buddha contained no records of naval or military achievements except such as weic waged by one clan against another in internal revolutions, albeit they were sufficiently frequent to keep alive the military spirit that pervaded the hearts of their ancestors before Buddhist and Confucian eras, and which the influence of those . two demigods almost obliterated. But the dying hours of the last century gave, evidence that the old spirit had not died altogether, and on tho now historic march to Pekin the Japanese soldiers opened the eyes of British, ‘•AmeiTCinX, J touch, anu i,-0r.i..,n nxrrr-

tary authorities alike by their perfect discipline, extraordinary endurance, alacrity, and resource in gaining all the strategic advantages that military skill could dictate. But even their cumulative power was woefully under-estimated, and it was not until their crushing of Kourapatkin and Boshdcstvensky fully demonstrated it that it was at all adequately recognised. All this has happened within a few short years in regard to Japan, and China is to-day regarded in the same light as Japan was a decade ago as a military power in the face of growing probabilities of a dangerous fusion of the two yellow peoples. As Britons we arc prone to look complacently upon danger signals, and to regard ominous portents with an eye of careless derision, trusting to diplomacy and our assumed superior strength should the necessity arise for us to use either. Our alliance with Japan is possibly looked upon as au additional safeguard in this direction; but no one that is not sceptical of the truth of the old adage that “straws show how the wind blows” can disregard the ominous portents so frequently noticeable from day to day, or attempt to offer a peaceable -solution to this problem of the future as to what the ultimate relationship will be. It is in no alarmist spirit that wo submit these considerations, for with all the boasted friendliness of newly-formed ally, there arc strong evidences of sinister designs in the direction of territorial expansion either south or west, and already the little yellow man has moved westward. A reconnoitring fleet is now in New Zealand waters, more than probably with an eye to future possibilities for which Japan is undoubtedly preparing by grafting itself upon Chinese territory, and assimilating China’s ' immense forces with a view to concerted action at the opportune moment, and what a force it will be when China’s hundred of millions have adopted example of the virulent Jap! That such is the undoubted policy of Japau, read wliat the China Gazette has to say upon the subject:—-

“Japan has taken Russia’s place in the leased territory of Kuantung, and is making it unprofitable for a single white man to go there. Japan, using the Manchuria Railway Company as her instrument, is creating a monopoly in Southern Manchuria, which makes the annexation of the country merely a question of time. The port of Nowchwang, a British-opened port, where Engiishmen have bandied the trade of Manchuria for nearly half a century, is being so shackled by Japanese ingenuity, and so flooded by thousands and tens of thousands of Japanese, that the white trader is almost doomed. The Japanese advance has reached as far as Kuancliengtzu, which is nearly 000 miles north of Port Arthur, and from the limit' of their railway zone they are. now pouring men and women by the thousand into Northern Manchuria. The Chinese army is being armed with cast-off Japanese .cannon and muskets, sold at fabulous profits; Japanese officers are teaching Chinese soldiers as much_as it is deemed wise for them to know at the present moment; and in Japanese schools and academies Chinese youths are being made to believe that the European is now a totally unnecessary luxury, and his continued presence an insult to the Chinese Empire.”

Need anything more be said to show that our alliance is but a temporary safeguard against actual hostilities, and no safeguard at all against commercial and other invasion that is likely to culminate in

actual possession almost before wo become aware of it, lor Japan lias studied nature, and has loarnod to adopt and adapt by slow degrees. Like the puny amoeba, sho crawls along at an’ invisibly slow pace towards a covoted morsel, and whon it, is reached sho wraps liorsolf round it and absorbs it without being suspected of any movement that would betray tho possession of vitality or arouse tho suspicion of her enemies, and Hint is exactly what sho is now fining with Chinn. When'that morsel is absorbed the problem will bo more apparent than words enn now make it; hut it will not ho so easy ot solution.

Mr.. Robert Leslie has been appointed Ranger for the Pa til tain Road Board District. A general meeting of the Poveil} Bay Football League (Australian game) will be held on Monday nigli ~ The sheep dog trials were com moivcod at Ormond yesterday, amt will he continued to-day. A meeting in connection with the Outer Harbor will be held at the Gisborne Farmers’ Union rooms at LI this morning. The Native Land Court will not sit at .Tolaga Bay until the Native Appellate Court lias finished its sittings in tile district. Messrs .Adair Bros, sole agents for “Burberry’s” rain coats call attention to the special qualities of tlioso coats. Judgment -as'given fnr plaintiff for the amount canned >) the judgment summons case Norman Filo v. Chas. Wm. Moore heard .n the S.M. Court yesterday morning. Mr. Blair appeared for plaintiff. After being stuck for some time In front of the Gisborne Hotel, and iioain a • litltci' further down Lowe street tho office building lately uscc l.y Messrs Redstone and Co. was successfully taken to its now location i„ Peel street on Wednesday.

The Public Works Department commence ballasting from the Kaitaratal.i gravel pit to the extension between To Karakn and AAaikohu, on Monday week. The lino to the latter place is expected to bo fit foi opening in two months’ time. Emphasising his recent remarks regarding failure to pay deposits on appeals, tho Chief Judge yesterday told the representative of an appellant, in the Native Appellate Court that if tho depisit were not paid by the following evening tho case would ho struck out.

Mr. G. G. Wellsted, statiomnastcr, has been advised that ho will be released from duty at the caul of this month and his successor, Mr. HJ Day, of Hawera, is expected to arrive next Wednesday. Mr. At ousted is going Home for a trip, after which ho intends residing at Auckland.

\ laborer was sued at tlie fe.M. Court yesterday on a judgment summons. He stated tl.at lie had nine children, tho eldest being Two of them were working and contributed about 12s 6d towards the household expenses. He paid 12s (>d per week for rent and his earnings since May 1905 (the date of the order) were about 35s per week. The S.M. said that in the circumstances he could not make an order. Mr Stock appeared for plaintiff.

At the S.M. Court yesterday Mr. Finn made application for an inteipretcr’s fee. He had engaged an interpreter to act in a case in which one of tho parties was a Chinaman. The amount of the claim had been paid into Court on tho previous day and the interpreter was looking to him (Mr. Finn) for payment. His Worship said he could not make an order unless tho interpreter had been actually called.

At the Gisborne Bowling Club’s , p;reens yesterday tire following games were played in the pairs competition:—Dodds and Eure 33 beat Pnvitt and Martin 19; Clarkson and Craig- 26 beat Williams and AYal"Tace 20. Tho foTTOwTfg ordinary

games were also played : —Mackenzie, Lewis, Hcnnessy and AVitty 25 beat R. Crawford, Miller, F. Pottio ami Ponsford 14; Cussen, Anderson. McGowan and Crawford 19 beat AA’ilson. Neal; Harris and Simson 16; Crawford. Palmer, Harding and Corson 21 boat Hannah, Hcnnessy, Pettic and Hickson 19.

A landlord, represented by Mr. Stock, applied at the S.M. Court yesterday, for possession of a house, in the occupation of a tenant, for whom Mr. Finn appeared. Mr. Finn said that the tenant’s wife had recently been confined and was still in a very weak state. Mr. Stock

said that notice, to quit had been given on December 9th, 1900. Tho tenant had always been making the excuse ho now advanced. The landlord had given him every consideration, hut when approached recently defendant said he would not leave, the house. The plaintiff was coming into town next week to lire and had nowhere to go hut tho house occupied by defendant. The S.M. made an order that the tenant vacate the premises in 10 days and pay costs £1 12s. A meeting of members of the Poverty Bay Rowing Club was bold in the boat shed last night for the purpose of considering ways and means for acquiring a new shed. A rough sketch plan was submitted of a two-storied building which gave a

large boat room and two dressing rooms on the ground floor and a social room and two small meeting rooms on the first floor. Tho price of the material required was estimated at £220. It was decided that before any further steps were taken in the matter the existing overdraft of about £6O should be wiped off. A subscription list was circulated in the room and a fair sum was collected. Other members are tn be approached laer. It was also decided that a social he held about the pud of the month to provide further funds for the purpose.

Maoris have a habit of not understanding'English when required, and it is on record that one when asked in a Court, “Do you understand English?” promptly* answered “No.” At the Police Court yesterday a Maori was charged with drunkenness and when asked by the Bench if he understood English made some reply in Maori, evidently stating his ignorance, and the official reading of the charge did not seem to be understood by him; but when the Court constable bellowed, “Drunk in Gladstone road,” in his. ear a look of intelligence came over his face and he replied “Ac,” as though he wondered how the Court had found it out.

A wife appeared at the Police Court yesterday morning and applied for the issue of a prohibition order against her husband. He bad twice previously been the subject of a prohibition order. The last order had expired about three weeks ago, since when he had been drinking heavily. The order was granted. At the Police Court yesterday morning three first-offending drunkards were fined os with costs 2s in default 24 hours’ imprisonment.