Notes and Comments.

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2032, 26 March 1913, Page 2

Notes and Comments.

Reformation or Reorganisation?

A London correspondent sends out the very interesting news that no fewer than 82 replies had been received to the advertisement for a general manager for the New Zealand railways. Applications had come from all parts of the United. Kingdom, Canada South Africa, India, Australia, and New Zealand, and the task of selection would necessarily occupy some time. '■ The New Zealand Government, with whom the hnal decision will rest, will be advised by cable as to the merits of the best men, so that the actual appointment should not now be unduly delayed." Therefore, Mr Hernes should be carrying the news in his breast-pocket now. What a task is before the new man! It is to be hoped that he will stop the ioolish policy of disorganising our postal system every time a holiday time comes round and we think the new manager will keep on the second Main Trunk train as a slow through express, nsiiif places as feeders that are. not on the list tor the tast express.

i The Question of the Sexes. In the judgment given in the Court of Industrial Appeal in Melbourne, Mr Justice Cussen. declared against equal pay for women for equal Work with men clerks m commercial houses Inere lias been much controversy on the judgment. Last week his Honour took occasion to say some more about the matter. It was claimed, said he, that woman was tho equal of man.' and should therefore receive- tho samo remuneration. In respect to physical" mental, and moral qualities, womanwas sometimes possibly superior to man; but again, speaking generally m physical strength and endurance and in capacity for sustained work she was inferior. When the matter was examined closely, it was easy to understand that it suited employers in many cases to pay male workers high wages rather than employ female workers at a lower rate. "It it was desired, however," his Honour concluded, that wages should be fixed the same for both sexes, Parliament

France and Germany Again. - France-has had yet another change of Ministry, which must surely be a stop-gap, so mixed and colourless is its composition. Fortunately there is a strong man at the head of the republic; which is good for Europe generally and France especially. For giound influence is at work to set" l'raiice and Germany at each other's ™n> n, a&! \ m > as in the disastrous /us. io show the movements of the p\ o ds en V 1G AT ?■ il message f ™£>; xaus. he Matin, commenting upon ] the manoeuvres that have just been ™T e( V )Ub - by the Fmich destroyers ! and submarine boats, aays that the I operations proved that an emeny i •if no A haVG an y chance of entering the Channel • unless exceptionally bad weather prevailed." And the same day this from Berlin: "The stringency

of the money market shows no signs of abatement, despite the favourable outside influences. The hoarding of 2^ uey lJ by the Ger .raan public, and the difficulty of making collections in commercial circles are particularly noticeable." Note that significant plirase about "the hoarding of money."