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Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15939, 28 June 1917, Page 6

Tho change in the title of tlie King's representatives in New Zealand from "Governor" to "Governor-General" docs not carry with it any change in tho functions or duties of his Excellcncy. It is complementary to the chango of tho official designation of New Zealand from "Colony" to "Dominion." The new title has been established, it is said, as a recognition of tho services rendered by New Zealand since tho outbreak of tho war. It is propor that in tho titlo of the King's representative there should be some recognition of tho equality of New Zealand with Canada, South Africa, and Australia as independent units of the Empiro. There will bo general agreement upon tho propriety of making the chango now rather than after the departure of the Earl of Liverpool. His Excelloncv lias throughout tho war been energetic in giving his personal assistance and. patronage to somo of tho most nseful of the extra-official war activities of Now and his new title will bo regarded as a fitting recognition of his labours.

In our leading article we liavo discussed some aspects of the contrast between tho standard of living in England and the New Zealand standard. What too many people in this country fail to understand is that the people of this country are enormously better off than the people of almost any other country in the -world. We may quote 6ome recent figures on this point from tho "Board of Trade Labour Gazette." The retail prices of food had by tho end of March increased beyond the pre-war prices by the following percentages in the places named: Britain 94 per cent., Vienna 171.7 per cent., United States over 24 per cent., Canada 38.5 per cent., Australia 25.3 per cent., and New Zealand 25.2-per cent.

The idea of making use on farms and stations of school-boy labour during the holidays, which may yet be put into practice hei - e, has been adopted at Homo and in part in the United States. In England the National Service Department is experimenting with this class of labour, which is drawn from the big public schools. Fifty boys from Itugby, for instance, were at work on a Devonshire farm when the last mail left, and the organisation which had this matter particularly in hand expected before long to oe able to distribute school-boys fit for farm work all over the country, wherever their services were needed. In America the indefatigable Mr Hoover, the Director of Food Control, months ago gave the Boy Scouts a "slogan"—"Every Scout to feed a soldier," urging them to take up 'tho cultivation of vegetables, so as to increase tho country's food supply. On his arrival from Europe the Scouts reported to him that they bad taken his advice, and that thousands of gardens had been placed under cultivation, while in some cases groups of Scouts were ploughing, digging, and planting plots of from 200 to 300 acres. Here is a hint for tho New Zealand Scouts, who liavo shown on many occasions since the war began, a most laudable spirit of willingness to help in good works.

During the last year or two tho appeal has been made not infrequently on behalf of some person convicted of an offence against the law that he should be allowed to go into camp as he had enlisted. On several occasions, where the offence was of a minor character, this course has been adopted, but on more than one occasion the judge lias flatly refused to allow a man of obviously criminal tendencies thus to escapo the just consequences of his actions. In Germany, however, as recent English papers note, there is a growing movement in favour of drafting criminals into the army, or, as the promoters prefer to describe it, "tho lion of those under penal regulations." At one time ono might have been excused for thinking that such a movement was entirely superfluous —that its aims had been forestalled by the action of the militaiy authorities who, at the very outset of the war, had swept tho gaols for men to fill tho ranks. By no other hypothesis could the appalling atrocities perpetrated by the troops that invaded Belgium and France be accounted for. To assume that these deeds, by which the modern Huns shamed the worst records of their savage ancestors, wero performed by the average German, seemed incredible. <Ji course, we know better now; we j know that there is no brutality, no act " savage cruelty, too brutal or too I

cruel for German soldiers and officers to perpetrate.

Public opinion is not unanimous, even in Germany regarding the propriety of the proposed step. One paper points out, quite seriously, that the wearing of the Kaiser's uniform has always been an honour for every German, and that only those who are honourable men are worthy of this honour. }f this principle is not maintained, "tho foundations of the estimation in which the army is held will bo sapped." Cut it is admitted that it is Christian to forget and forgive, and the punishment of wrongdoers is not so much retributive as reformative. A Hamburg paper claims that many criminals are to-day filled with a glowinnr patriotism for which an outlet should be provided. A further argument in favour of the proposal is that Austria has set the precedent. One is not surprised to hear this, if only because the treatment of the Serbians by Austrian troops in some instances surpassed tho infamous record of the Germans on tho "Western front. The final reason, why Germany will probably adopt the scheme is that it would add some 200,000 men to her Aimy. I 1 or that additional man-power her military leaders would • comb out" the lower regions, if it were possible to clo so.

The recent statement by Mr J 0 Grady, M.P., in London, that the ox-Czar and the reactionaries were to be tried publicly, was possibly quite accurate. Mr O'Grady had just returned from a visit to Petrograd, where ho and Mr 'Will Thorne, M.P., formed the British Labour delegation to the now Russian Government, and he apparently became on intimate terms with M. Keronskv, the Socialist Minister for AVar. It had previously been stated officially t,hat charges against certain ex-Ministers wero to be investigated, and it is not unlikely that when these cases arc finished action may be taken against the ex-Czar. His treatment lately tends to confirm that view. It was reported some weeks ago that he and the Czarina had been forbidden to communicate with each other, or with their fellow prisoners, except in the presence of officers of their guard. The ex-Czar himself was confined to three rooms in his palaco at Czarskoe Solo, undor strict surveillance, and his menu had been rcduced. There appears to have been no complaint against tho conduct of the fallen ruler, who retains his cordial and 'genial manner with his guard, but an attempt by certain members of his suite to communicate with tho outside world had been detected, and more rigorous treatment had at oncc been enforced against the w hole party. Under the circumstances, the ox-Czar's expressed willingness to go to Switzerland, and live in retirement without trying to interfere in Russian politics, is as pathetic as it is intelligible.

The titles selected by those .Royalties w!.;; !:,u'o hitherto been known by Gorman appellations, are satisfactorily British. Tho source of the Marquisato of Milford Haven, which has been adopted by Princc Louis of Battenberg, is explained in the cable. Tho titlo of Earl of Athlono, now chosen by Prince Alexander of Teck, was formerly held by the Khfs late older brother, tho Duko of Clarcnco, who died in 1892, and for tho Earldom of Medina, Princo Georgo has gono to tho river Medina, which divides the Isle of Wight into two parts and flows into tho Solent at Cowes, of which as a yachting centre, tho young officer no douht has happy memories. It is also probably connected in his mind with his training at the Naval College at Osborne, -which is closo to tho Medina.