THE WORLD TO-DAY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXII, Issue 8313, 29 February 1912, Page 6

THE WORLD TO-DAY.

"Guabdian" Office, February 29, 1912.

"Positive, badge; comparative, dger; superlative, badgered "—it is as that the Brisbane tramway strike ly be briefly summarised. It began tli© unionist employees of the Tramiy Cbmpany resolving to wear a disictm> badge; it developed by Mr w3ger, the company's manager forIding the decoration; it ended by the iHic being greatly "badgered" and aaoyea, all to no purpose. After seks of bitter strife, in which the iblic—the non-combatants—were the iaripal sufferers, the strike collapsed; A now, after the tramway service has ,en restored for some time and most the sympathetic strikers have come their senses, the Judge of the Nitration Court has decided that the en were quite entitled to wear whatir' badge they chose. The dictum of r Justice Higgins, that men have a mmon-law right to wear what they i», is doubtless correct; but, as a utter of usage, it is accepted that rtain conventions must be observed. ius, if a bank clerk went to work in rduroys, jumper, and hobnailed boots, k employers would not merely object, Ley would promptly dismiss him, and > -wonld have no redress at common • aaiy other law. Or, if a clergyman srsisted in wearing a "loud" checked lit in the pulpit, ho would very soon id his occupation gono as completely i Othello's was. The Wellington amway employees were ordered, after i© late strike, to adhere strictly to the oiforms provided for them, were fortdden to wear fancy waistcoats or eckties,. and were even prohibited ■om unbuttoning their coats on warm ays. These restrictions are less reamable than Mr Badger's antipathy to adges, the wearing of which led to illsoling. Will the Wellington tramway, ■en submit? Will they not rather, ow that Mr Justice Higgins has poken, assert their right to wear fancy ies or socks, or anything else that they lay think will enhance their personal ppearance or conduce to their comort? Really, the attempt to regulate hose petty matters savours too much .f the kind of tyranny that we are ratrned to expect under Socialistic tale. As for the Brisbane badge disute, why in the n&me of commonease could it not have been settled rsthoufc a vast dislocation of trade and radustry, that threatened to lead to jrious strife and actual famine? What : the use of conciliatory machinery hiai cannot be set into motion until fter incalculable mischief has been one? Mr Justice Higgins, or any y«rage citizen for that matter, could ?ive.settled the point in five minutes, he had been called in before the ;rike, and if the parties had agreed to hide by his decision. Truly, the allosfc total absence of wisdom in the tanagement of the world's affairs is fcfced to make us despair of men ever ■coming civilised and rational beings.