the opinion that Federation was the greatest and most pressing of Australian questions. Finally, a bill of 44 clauses was drafted for submission to the various Legislatures.

The Tasmanian Parliament was opened on June 25. The Treasurer made his financial statement two days afterwards. The total amount of the accumulated deficit was declared to be 442,5591. No new taxes were proposed.

A measure practically introducing universal suffrage into the Colony passed through the Assembly, but was rejected by the Legislative Council.

New Zealand.-The Government continued to prosecute its heroic schemes for the advancement, purging, and enrichment of the people, without apparently any serious opposition from any party in the Colony. Regarding the State as a machine for the elevation of morals as well as for the material and physical improvement of the people, the cure of poverty, and the elimination of disease, the ministers are not deterred from the boldest experiments in legislation. To the laws already in force for the compulsory cultivation of agricultural lands and the prohibition of tuberculosis, there was added in the course of the year a gigantic scheme for making the people its own banker, with provisions for the suppression of the capitalist and the moneylender. At a public meeting held at New Plymouth on March 25, Mr. Reeves, the Minister for Labour and Education, described himself as a Socialist, and proclaimed some stirring new maxims of policy. "The more the State did for the indiThe State could do for "The function of the State

66

vidual, the wider was its function." the people a great deal of good." should be extended as much as possible." "True democracy was for extending the functions of the State."

Under the guidance of the Ministry, the House of Representatives made material progress during the session in giving effect to these principles. A bill was passed with little opposition imposing the principle of fair rent on all property holders. A limitation was fixed beyond which neither the Crown nor the private owner could legally exact a rent from the soil. In accordance with the spirit of this measure, 4,000 acres of land, owned by the New Zealand and Australian Land Company, were compulsorily sequestrated and thrown open for settlement.

A bill for prohibiting the judges from commenting on evidence was passed in the House of Representatives, but thrown out in the Legislative Council by 22 to 12 (July 16).

The admission of women to the Legislature would have been the logical completion of the measure giving them the suffrage, but for this crowning of the political edifice even the House of Representatives was not prepared. By a majority of 35 to 26 the representatives of the people decided on July 11 not to admit women to sit in their House.

The affairs of the Bank of New Zealand were an occasion of much concern to the Government in this year. In spite of the

assistance given to the bank in 1894, it had become again seriously embarrassed by the depreciation of its assets and from other causes. The embarrassments arose chiefly from the connection between the bank and the Estates Company. The Estates Company had been formed out of the bank proprietary to take over the "unliquid" estates, which had proved so grievous a burden to the bank. The connection involved the bank in a deficiency of 1,340,000l. on the balance sheet of the year. The Government came to its help, and for the present the Bank of New Zealand was relieved of its troubles, being even enlarged through the purchase of the business of the Colonial Bank, under the powers conferred by the bill passed on October 27.

A manifesto was issued by certain native chiefs of influence, recommending the Maoris not to sell or lease their lands, which does not appear to have had any practical results.

The Parliament was opened on June 20. The Treasurer on introducing his Budget (July 30) was able to announce a small surplus. The revenue of the year was estimated at 4,341,2001., and the expenditure at 4,331,8007. Congratulations were claimed for the Colony on the score of the new loan for 3,000,000l. having been successfully floated in the London market.

Considerable agitation prevailed among some of the producing interests, in consequence of the Reciprocity Treaties with Canada and South Australia. The timber trade declared that it would be wiped out of existence by Canada, and the jam makers and grape growers by South Australia.

On October 30 died the famous old Maori chief, Te Wheoro, one of the most able and loyal of the natives, who had rendered great assistance to the British during the wars. He held the rank of Major in the Queen's service, and was regarded with universal respect, equally by the colonists and by his country

men.

Sir George Grey's retirement from Parliament and from public life, on account of his advanced age and infirmities, was made the occasion of a highly complimentary resolution by the House of Representatives, in which the veteran politician's services were recited and eulogised.

Fiji. The only occurrence of note in this Colony was a terrible hurricane, which ravaged the group of islands on June 6 and 7, causing much havoc among the plantations, and a considerable loss of life. Scarcely a building in Suva-the capital -was standing after the tempest had passed.

Polynesia.-Sir William Macgregor, our Commissioner in New Guinea, narrowly escaped being murdered by the natives in the interior. He had been enticed, by friendly assurances, to ascend one of the rivers in a small boat, and just managed to avoid the trap which was laid for him.

Affairs in Samoa were of a more peaceful complexion. The

rivalries between the chiefs for the kingship were suspended. The ex-King Tamasese, who had hitherto been the chief disturber of the public peace, had met Malietooa in friendly conference with the British-German consuls. The Samoan Land Commission concluded its labours with the award of 75,000 acres to the German claimants, 36,000 to the English, and 21,000 to the Americans and others.

An agitation of the usual factitious character-plainly betraying by its nature that it was the work not of the colonists, but the officials-was got up at Noumea, having for its object the annexation of the New Hebrides to France.

The Islands of Ruahine and Bolalula, lying on the fringe of the Society Islands, and adjacent to Raiatea, were declared an appanage of the French colony of Tahiti.

In Hawaii, the late insurrectionary movement having subsided, the Government in power pardoned the ex-Queen, Liliuokalani, who had been sentenced to five years' imprisonment, and permitted all persons concerned in the rising to return to the island, except the brothers Ashford.

PART II.

CHRONICLE OF EVENTS

IN 1895.

JANUARY.

1. The New Year's Speeches delivered by the heads of the various foreign courts were marked by a pacific spirit and a desire to promote social progress.

-

The rank of Privy Councillor conferred on Mr. Cecil J. Rhodes, Prime Minister of Cape Colony.

--

Severe cold set in over all parts of Great Britain-snow falling heavily in the northern counties-accompanied on the east and south coasts by terrific gales.

2. By a fire which broke out in the Edgeware Road, on the premises of a French laundress, eight persons, seven of whom were women, were suffocated or burnt to death.

Nubar Pasha addressed a remonstrance to the Egyptian Legislative Council with respect to the violent language against foreigners used in their report on the Budget.

- An apparition of the Virgin having been alleged to have occurred in a wood near Brannau in Bohemia, a large crowd of persons assembled, and on refusing to separate were dispersed by gendarmes.

3. The funeral of Sir John Thompson took place at Halifax, Nova Scotia, in the presence of the Viceroy and Lady Aberdeen and an immense crowd of mourners and spectators. The body had been conveyed from England in H.M.S. Blenheim.

Lord Monkswell appointed Under-Secretary for War in succession to Lord Sandwich, nominated Governor of Bombay.

The second match between Mr. Stoddart's eleven and the United Australians played at Melbourne, and, after four days' play, the Colonials were defeated by ninety-four runs. Score: England, first innings 75, second innings 475; Australians, first innings 123, second innings 333.

4. The mail steamer Empress from Dover with 148 passengers was carried by the force of the wind against one of the piers of Calais Harbour and severely damaged. The captain then ran the ship ashore and the passengers were landed safely at low water.

A