IN THE PUBLIC MIND.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 257, 30 October 1928, Page 6

IN THE PUBLIC MIND.

ELECTORAL REFORM. WEEKS THE PASTIES STAHD. (To the Editor.) Once more the aeene is set and the pnGs. inaries settled for another Parliamentaiy election, and once more the country wflj he presented with Reform's dishonoured "P reference to electoral reform, ensuring majoritv rule. So far at this election the only eaadtdates putting forward any promised attempt to rectify the undemocratic happeainja ft every election since 1911 (the year of the second ballot) are those identified with the United party, by means of the voting system. In an alleged democracy voters of all shades of opinion who claim to be democrats only vote one way if true to theirconvictions, and no amount of sophistry can alter principles. J. QUESTIONS FOB MB. COATES. Ib the interest of good government, aQifi without party bias, I would respectfully submit to the Right Hon. J. G. Coates, through your valued paper, the following question: (1) Does he approve of the principle deportation without trial? In other worts, does he think that the recent conduct of tha Government in dealing with Samoa fiitaHithiid a worthy precedent in this respect? fg)TWilli he approve of imprisonment without lyl trial, as is now practised under the Mental Defectives Act? If not, will he endeavour further to amend this Act to ensure that the W* l as well as the medical aspect of the treatment of mental defectives shall be duly regarded! (3) Does he think that the State has a moral 7 right to exercise, or authorise the exerdse etS "absolute control" over private property, aa*» now the case under the Dairy Produce Export ' Control Act; if not, will he endeavour to amend ' this Act? (4) Does he believe the State has a moral right to compel private business eater* prises to charge exorbitant prices for tlefegoods or to authorise the; same, as is now tha case in respect of "penal fares" tha Motor Transport Act? If not, will he endear* our to amend this Act if the proposed trans* port board does not come into effect and remove existing grievances? (5) Can, and win," in explain the meaning of the clause "entirely secular" in the Education Act consistently with the singing of the National Anthem in prianij schools? Will he endeavour to amend this Act by defining the term "secular" and by removing its ambiguity in this and other direetksM? 1 J. G. HUGHES.

DEVELOPING HEW ZEALAND.

Sir Joseph- Ward's proposal to irate 4} pur 1 cent bonds for the rapid completion of all ! trunk railways is the progressive policy thie ! Dominion. badly wants. The expenditure of ten millions of money annually on these pujbiie works would stimulate all brandies of trade and industry. The go-slow methods of the Coates Government delays the development of lands these railways will open for closer settle* ment. The development of a young country cannot be achieved without the expenditure of money cm roads and railways, and the larger the annual sum disbursed for these pin unset the sooner jthe full production capacity of this Dominion will be attained. Sir Joseph Ward's tramp card is finance, and be will get tie money he wants at 4J per cent if returned te power, or issue legal tender Treasury notes on the security of these bonds if investors do net want to buy them. Some people have sail that Sir Joseph is too old and too much *«*»■* the needs of to-day to assume the Frearienfcifk His proposition to raise £10,000,000 for the prompt completion of all trunk railways shews, that his political vigour is not exhausted, hat, on the other hand, greatly accumulated- apt now ready for the real industrial advancement of this country. Conservative expenditure ef money on public works at the rate of a few millions annually is a go-slow policy mere disastrous to the economic welfare of this country than the "go-slow" methods of mm industrial workers. F. T. Picton. . . , WHAT TO DO WITH BOYS. 4 A mother asks what is she . going tode with her boys when they leave school, at fls. end of the' year. As it is hard to set ban apprenticed to the trades, I would suggest the following: That the ' Goran*-, ment should start more State fenes ■ear the huge centres. All boys leaving sdml who cannot get a job to go to a State ftipwwhere the Government would take themfreeof charge, clothe them and keep them. The Government would have plenty of eld "shorts," hats and underclothing, also boots, which they get rid of each year, that would come in handy for the boys. Build hutmcats for them as they do for public works. Ave them under proper supervision with inaUuctais to-teach them Teach the boy ts milk, plough and fence first, then he will knew enough to be able to get a Job with a farmer. Each boy may stay on for three years and learn all he can. - This scheme would help the parents who have sons and cannot get jobs for them. Keep them off the streets, cut down the expenses of keeping them. They would be under proper, supervision and it would give them a useful knowledge of farming. This would give the country what it wants more men for the land and more settlement. PLOUGH. | SLOWNESS IN PUBLIC WOKK& - The publicity agents of the Beform party are busy onoe again in their periodical attempt to fool the people. It remains to be seen whether this party of broken promises and incapable administration can do the "trick" once again. If it be true "you can't fool, all the people all the time" it should be demon* . strated on this occasion by the defeat of the. | most incompetent Government this country has ever known. The dhhn of the Government to credit in railway and read construction "eighty miles of road a week and a mile of railway* fortnight" is a little steep even for Befonass and will not cany any weight with Ancklanders who have witnessed this dawdling progress of the Westfidd deviation. Instead of a mile a fortnight a mile a year would be nearer the truth. As for road = the waterfront road is an example of rapidity what would be their idea of slowness? Tm job ia still dragging and dawdling along, and we are now. told that the short section, Orakei Point to Mission Bay, will take two years to complete. Any contractor would easily da it in four months. The Minister of Public Woria ia apparently averse to any haste in sack things. He said during a discussion in the House that he "was not going to flood the atandard Public Works with unemployed and throw, the permanent staff out of work." As the city is paying some two-thirds of the cost".; of the waterfront road a little insistence frees the Mayor and councillors on a more vigoeous prosecution of the work is both justifiable and necessary. There is ample scope for the employment of four times the number of MB at present on the job, and the somnambulistic Department should put them on. ■ ij| * TAMAKL ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. *; CITY RATEPAYER.—You do not forward | ■ your name and address with this gross ÜbaL || You must be mistaken in thinking this has | r-* . been published. .