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Press, Volume LI, Issue 15289, 27 May 1915, Page 6

The City Council, at its meeting on Monday night, took a step which cannot be allowed to pass without a pro test, and which it is hoped will not, bo

regarded as a precedent. A deputation from a body calling itself the Canal League waited on the Council, and, with extraordinary assurance, asked for a contribution to its funds. AA'hat is more, tho Council actually voted £25 for that purpose. Now, the Canal League is a purely partisan . body, chiefly engaged in electioneering work for the purpose of securing the return

to the Harbour Board of persons who are prepared to run the district into an expenditure of something like two millions of money, in defiance of the best engineering advice procured at a cost of. some three thousand pounds, and in flat opposition to the report- and recommendations of a Commission of business experts appointed to examine into the financial and commercial aspects of the question. The money which the Council has voted to this organisation will have to come out of the pockets of the ratepayers, a very largo propor tion of whom ar© totally opposed to the League and all its works. AA'e have no

hesitation in saying that the voting of this money was a gross breach of trust on the part .of the councillors wno agreed to it.

AA T hilo wo thoroughly admire and apprecia to the spirit which i s loading so many of our medical men and.trained nurses to volunteer for the war, it seems to us that a word of caution is needed. Our ' wounded soldiers must have every care and attention. That rs

the first essential, and it must bo seen to at all costs. But wo must not altogether neglect tho interests of tho sick and suffering among th 0 civilian population of New Zealand. It Is evident that thero is likely to be a serious difficulty in efficiently staffing tho public hospitals, especially if, as is probable,

they ar© to receive later on a considerable addition to tho number of patients in tho shape of officers and men returning disabled from the front.

At the present time it must require a certain amount of heroism on tho part both of doctors and nurses to remain in New Zealand. Liko the military officers detained here in the servico of the Dominion, most of them would much rather be going to share in the glory and hardships of the war. We feel sure that those who remain will do everything in their power to cope with tho needs of tho situation. Tho offer of Dr. Fox to resume charge of tho Christchurch Hospital is an example of public spirit which we have no doubt will bo emulated elsewhere. Nevertheless it will not bo easy to carry on all tho work as it ought to be done, especially if tho exodus of trained r.urses continues at the present rate.

The suggestion which has been mado in .some quarters that the place of thos e nurses can be filled by probationers is, of course, a fallacy of a rather dangerous kind, and it would be a very serioinblunder to lower tho ago of probationers as has been suggested, to eighteen. Hospital nursing is very arduous work, totally different from what it is pictured by many girls at a romantic and emotional age. Properly carried out, it tends to break down even strong constitutions, and thero aro some aspects of tho work with which it is hardly desirable that young girls should be brought in contact. At present, we believe, there is no lack of probationers offering, and wo certainly think that none below the age of 21 should be accepted for the work.

Last month Mr Keir Hardie obtained a temporary notoriety by de-

daring that M r Lloyd George had sent tho "lying word" round the world that "the British working classes were a set of drunken wasters." Mr Keir Hardies only object, of courso, was to inflame the minds of the ignorant against a man whose patriotic activity is hateful to the Independent Labour Party, and the disloyalists attached to that party. Mr Lloyd George took tho troublo to writo to the Press rebutting the charge made against him. He quoted the oniy speeches in which he had referred to ! tho effect of drinking upon the output of munitions, and showed that h e had been careful to say that "most of our workmen are putting every ounce of strength into this urgent work for tho country, loyally and patriotically," and that "tlie vast- majority belong to a class we can depend upon." Commenting upon the incident, the "Spectator' - used words which are not inapplicable in our own community :

'•Mr Keir Hardie," it said, "has lent himself to tho encouragement of the worst and most tyrannous side of the Labour movement*. A claim i s almost made that the hand-workers, 'or 'Labour' personified, are to be exempt from all public criti?ism, and that- anyone who dares to speak home-truths is to bo instantly smothered under a leather-bed of abuse and denounced for having dared to suggest that the mighty, many-headed*" monarch is not perfect. .. . That j s the exact attitude of Mr Ken* Hardie, and of nlcntv of his colleague,-- and followers on*tbo platform and in the Press. Labour is to be aliove the reach of criticism, and these who dare to think otherwise'must bo bludgeoned into silence."

Everybody, excepting the minority who, under Sir J. 0. AVard's leadership, are anxious to make party politics take precedence of all other things, will agree with the spirit of such a statement as that made by the president of tho Auckland Farmers' Union. Partisan activity is very undesirable just now, but if the Opposition will persist in it, they must not expect the friends of tho Government to remain silent. But it is entirely wrong to deduce from the necessity that party feeling should be suspended, ai.d from the fact that a coalition Governmont has been formed in Britain, that a case is made out ior the permanent extinction of party differences, and for the abolition of the normal workirg of the machinery of Government. The president *of the Auckland Farmers' Union, when he thinks'a little more about it, will realise that "government by party" i s not "effete,'' that the politicians of Great Britain have not "practically adopted an elective executive." The party leaders in Britain have dono, and wisely, what is best in the abnormal circumstances ; but we fancy that not one of ihem would allow that a precedent has been set for normal times. In a hundred particulars the nation has cheerfully submitted to conditions, restrictions, and obligations which would not bo tolerated, and which would bo very harmful, in peace time. Britain could not live in normal times under tho conditions necessary to lifo and safety in war time.

It is well that the public should understand clearly what the Opposition are hoping will be the outcome of the by-election contests. At the present timo tho stato of parties is as follows: —

Government ... 40 Opposition ... 38 If the Government wins even ono seat, there will bo no need for a new general election, or for a long session, for, in that case, after electing a Speaker, tho Government will havo a majority of ono. Its majority will be three if it wins both seats. Tho Opposition hopo to win both seats, and to produco this position: Government 40, Opposition 40. Sir Joseph Ward obviously cannot possibly, in any circumstances, secure a majority. The Government, wo have no doubt whatever, will win ono seat, and. will probably win both. But the Leader of tho Opposition is working as hard as he can to produco a situation wliich will necessitate another ©lection.