The year 1887 has now fairly opened, amid the hopes that nsnally attend these occasions. Its predecessor, 1886, has been an eventfull one in this com* manity,' and fall of incident abroad. The commercial world has passed throagfa another trying period bat there is ground for believing that the turning point has now been reached and that business, if not so brisk or extensive as it was once, is sounder and more legitimate, and that a steady growth may be looked for of industry and of public confidence. Politically we have bad an uneventful but by no means idle or unproductive year and we have seen some signs of a subsidence of that mischievous party-spirit which has so often and so long sacrificed the interests of the colony to those of party. All our institutions seem to have worked well and to be bearing good fruit and the outcome if not exactly brilliant as yet, is certainly re-assuring. Abroad, things have been and are still in a very un settled state and the world is now watching with eagerness and appre hension the changing attitudes of the great Powers, more especially Russia and Germany upon whom now seems to hang the issue of life and deatb. Both are arming and the other Powers are of course following their example. What is to be the end of this and what share Great Britain will have in the history of 1887 has yet to be seen. British politics are just now in a very curious state and it is evident that the Irish question is going to the front as was long ago predicted. We may safely prepare to witness some strange and stirring events daring the twelve months that are to follow before we celebrate another meantime m wish our readers once more

A Happy New Year,

NEWS OF THE DAY.
