The Times, in its issue of the 7th of October last, says: — "It can hardly be disputed that in the bitter and pointed criticisms which Mr Gibson Bowlcb di rects against the Government he ex presses the feelings of a great propor tion of the Ministerial party, probably in the House of Commons and certainly in the constituencies. In the course of the present week we shall enter on the third year of the war and on the South African springs which gives an advan tage to those Boers who are 'still able, to keep the field. Few persons are in clined to cast any blame upon Lord Kitchener or upon the officers and sol diers who are serving under him for the slow progress of the campaign. No body desires to underrate the difficul ties operations conducted over an immensely wide field. But what has produced an unpleasant impression up on the ordinary ■ British citizen — the man who, in a great many cases, has sent his son to. the front, and who, in almost every case, has paid heavy war taxes without wincing — is the apparent indifference of the most conspicuous among the Ministerialist politicians to the prolongation of the war. The ma jority of Cabinet Ministers are appar ently still taking their holidays. The most prominent members of the Gov ernment have been almost silent since the end of the session. Those who have spoken now and then have talked in a detached way about most things except the greatest subject of national concern. They hnve affirmed, no. doubt with sufficient emphasis, whenever they have spoken, the determination of the country' to carry through the struggle until the supremaoy of the British flag in South Africa has. been established

boyond dispute. But statements of this kind, expressed in general terms, as in the Lord Chancellor's speech at the Cutlers' Feast at Sheffield last week, are inadequate and unsatisfactory. The valuo of Lord Halsbury's pledge to prosecute the war, steadily and swiftly, to its .ending was seriously impaired by hjs ingenuous inquiry whether or not, after a}), any war at all was in exist pace. '

On our first page will be found in ceresting reading matter under tne following headings: — ''Baptist Confer ence," "National Insurance Company," "Manawatu A. and P. 