OF N.Z. INTEREST.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17707, 8 March 1923, Page 10

OF N.Z. INTEREST.

INTERNATIONAL MOTOR-

CYCLE RACES.

(FEOII OUE OWX COHBESPOKDEST.)

LONDON, January 20. A writer in. "Motor Cycling" deplores the fact that the Dominions are not represented in the Tourist Trophy races in this country. "It will be readily admitted," he says, "that a representative Dominion 'entry would be of the utmost benefit to the races, and it could not fail to give a stimulus to our export trade. It must, however, bo a truly representative entry, . and we believe that it could be effected in tho following manner:—Natal, Transvaal, Cape Colony, New Zealand, New South Walesj Queensland, and Victoria. The motor-cycling organisations of each of these countries or States should elect their champion rider to ride in one or more, of the races, and should send him over to Great Britain. Up to this point the expenses should be borno as arranged between the clubs and the individual. On arrival in Great Britain the champions' expenses would be borne entirely by the manufacturers until such time as they reeni barked. "We should then have seven men, each representing his own country or State. Whereas, up till now, little interest has been taken by them in t'ie races, if the Dominions were in this way represented nationally, a tremendous enthusiasm would undoubtedly Ic displayed. Each man's doings would be followed in his land's motor-cyclinft Press almost from the day on. which .ho embarked until the finish of the events. If one of these riSers should win a race, an even greater stimulus would be given to the export trade, not only of the particular machines, but of British machines in gener.il." "Australasians." Following up the discussion in tue "Sunday Times" regarding the use of the word "Australasian," Mr Sydney Jones replies to the query as to whether the designation is offensive to New Zealanders. "There ia an objection/' he says, "to the term when it is used generally to indicate Australians and New Zealanders, because one finds that the word 'Australasian' to most people on this 6ide of the world means simply 'Australian.' This is really through, want of knowledge of the relative positions of Australia and New Zealand. In fact, most people in England stem to think that New Zealand is a part of Australia. Therefore, in order to preserve its individuality, New Zealanders much nrefer the terms 'A.ustra~ lians' and 'New Zealanders' to the collective term 'Australasians.' No Xew would consider the term 'Australasian' offensive, because tho rßlations between Australia and New Zealand are quite cordial. But the objection really arises from the considerations noted above, and one can quite understand our High Commissioner drawing attention to the matter." New Nations and Old Vices. •A recent discussion in the New Zealand House of Representatives over the proposal to make women eligible for the office and dignity of Justice, of the Pfeaee is the text for an article on ' New Nations and Old Vices" in 'Time and Tide.' "There is even nowadays," says the writer, Miss Cicely Hamilton, a prevailing impression that the younger nations—because they are unhampered by tradition, use, and convention—are, taken all round, more liberal and unprejudiced than their parent communities of Eurooe; even those who should know better are apt to assume that, to exercise real freedom >n thought, word, and deed, you should dwell in the shadow of the Stars and Stripes or settle in Dominions overseas."

Tho writer quotes freely from tlie musty arguments anent the place of Woman." "No," she writes in con- . elusion, "the J.P. business does not really matter—cannot reallv matter, even to New Zealand legislators. "What troubles Messrs Earnshaw, Garland and Co. is a possihle curtailment of their own 'right to direct others'—a possible interference with their very human pleasure in the ordering and arranging of other people's lives, the reforming of other people's wavs. . . The effete citizens of Eurooean States mav draw comfort from reading 0 f the c'pisode; wnich is proof positive of the kinship, of htimnnitv all the world over, of our common, ardent, and oersistent dislike of the freedom to which we nay lipservice." ~ State Banks. In dealing with the proposal to form frf.u to . B '? Ilk in Irolan d, a writer in „ Statist" draws his lesson from New Zealand. "As to the prospects of a fetate Bank operating on these lines in Ireland, ' he writes, "we cannot do better than quot« the remarks of the chairman of tho Bank of New Zealand on the proposal to establish in that country a bank similar to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Ho | pointed out that tho Commonwealth Bank, during the nine years of its existence, had not made any contribution whatever to the public revenue, in the shape of either dividends or taxation." Comparative fig ires aro then quoted. No comment is herefore necessary," the article conduces, "as to the relative measure of support accorded to producers and traders during a particularly stringent period by the Commonwealth Bank and by the Bank of New Zealand Furthermore, the chairman observed that the establishment of a State Bank in New Zealand would militate against the growth of deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank, and supported his contention by a variety 0 f other and weighty considerations." i A Big Importer. A special "Trade Koview"' has hist been published by the Yorkshire "P.it " nnd a general review of New Zealand as an importer is given in a couple of columns of the issue. Special mention is made of the Dominion's resources in regard to water power. It is pointed out as worthy of notice that there are eleven woollen mills in operation in tho country. Tariff facilities are dealt with at some length, and the writer concludes by affirming that "no Dominion does more than New Zealand to help the British manufacturer to sell his goods. With this in mind, and in view of New Zealand's high financial standing, a gradual increase of trade between tho Dominion and the Mother Countrv may be looked for in the" near future." Chinese Labour. The old question of Chinese labour in Samoa is referred to again by a writer in the Manchester "Guardian." "in English firm, in Shanghai," it is stated, "is making the experiment of employ! in<; lttissian and Polish 'coolies' in place of the native article. The new 'cool es' are drawn from the rauks of the innumerable- refugees that fled to China as a result of the manoeuvres of Russians and Japanese in the Far Eastern section of Old Russia. The firm states that it has,no charitable intentions. It is a business deal pure and simple. It is an experiment to show the Chinese labourer the inefficiency of his work. He is for ever demanding more pay—even striking for it—but does not increase his output of labour. " 'These refugees are willing to work nnd to work hard. They do what you tell them to do, and they do it liow and when you tell them. They don't try to wear you down bv passive resistance, but just go into the job and get

(Continued at foot of next column.)

through with the work/ Ears the li«ac! of the firm But it seems when the Chinese coolie leaves China he becomes an example to other workers, perhaps even to Russians and Poles. For, after hearing the Shanghai experiment I came across a statement by }Jr J D Gray, the New Zealand official iri charge of the department administering the dependency of Samoa. This is what he say?: —'The Chinese coolie is the best man fortht? agricultural work of Samoa. The Chinese work harder and more contentedly than the natives. The Chinese rarely make complaints.' ' But the true explanation of "the difference may he found in the statement of a British doctor in Borneo recently:—'lt takes a lot of moral courage for an indentured labourer to make a complaint.' ; '