PRESS OPINIONS

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 16, 14 October 1907, Page 4

PRESS OPINIONS

THE TRAMWAYS BILL. Th'ore'is' some oxcuso, wp confess, for anxioty concerning new legislation affecting iocal. l '<jb"qdies,; The Firo Brigades' Act was not such a conspicuous success that we can .atfpi-d,,tp.. tako tho; new Tramways Bill on tho indignaton of tho local Board ov:cjrj.tli9 proposals it contains is quite understandable.' Tho conflict of the central Govlocal authorities', may somctiii.cjs'.li'p' unavoidable, but, the Government .J&uid'vrecognisc that bvery unnecessary 'point v .qf-fiontaot increases the frictiou. There is,*"alsb',"the consideration that peoplo prefer to havo their local affairs managed, even badly managed, by their .own representatives to having them controlled by tho. permanent "officer's '6f•; tho coutral Govornmont. Wo can "CbntieiVo''that ! the periodical inspection of 'liiios;'a'nd 'plant might bb an advantage, but ■the ; '-Government has the right to assume that'~'olcb'ted local authorities are at least as an'xioi!s"'as it is , to conserve tho public safety 'ilrid tb'promoto the public comfort. There is £ n'o warrrfiit for supposing that a Goyernmont -iiisijedjiing officer Voiild bo moro efficient than aiW'-'thq inspecting officers of tho, Boards. Th'6' : 'Government, again, ■is .going' entirely ,rtuteside'-its 'legitimate sphere in talcing.upon .'itself ■'the- licensing of cars and tracks., The ■logical'sequence to tlu's Bill would bb a. coni'prelibhsiye measure, affecting every local, ir.i'de'rtakirig from. water, supply down to the ■c'dntror'bf cabs and omnibuses. —"Lyttelton ■:Tlmesr" ! ' : ■■■■'■-■. .' ~: ;'■■', ' "...

"'"■|i"', r it',dMricd to its logical conclusion the nrlncifflo.oh which the Tramways Act Amend;niont..i|i|j.'has been framed, the Government ; frou!tV ( 'npi. stop short at tramways, but .would me'ddlo'with every, municipal undertaking. Tho hostility of the' municipal bodies, in the four centres to the Bill has found -expression, in, -resolutions which ore, distinctly to the jioint' As criticism -:of, a destructive order inutile.' same connection tho report presented l)y"t|io.ifraffic manager, of tho. Dunedin tram-,-way's]'aif the special, .of tho local Tramwjiy.a Committee this week was partic-uliii'riy,-,',6lFbctivp, and convincing., It is iniread that report and at the same* time,- bpiieve ■ that the' . Tramways Bill, if it should'"become law .and if-.the power-, proposed '{'q', be. conferred on tho Government imcler provisions ..- sliould ■; be exercised, prejudicially • affect the working of tho local tramway, systom. - There is not ono of the provisions of the moasuro. which commends • itself - as , a reform ■• that -,has.- ,: been to bo locally necessary. It-is :iidti.',Vp-(jfc'e-. wondered at that local bodies ■ shduiifj.strongly respnt. av proposal under ,w)uchi ajjj tho power would be taken out of .^their.Jlfinds in.regard to.tho3o very matters in'•'connection with .which a Knowledge-and experience'.'of .local conditions are of -para-' Of courso, -if tho sug'.gesti > 6 - ri'.,that tho Govornmont,- in introducing proyidp for Government-m----'sjjeciioh-'and control pf municipal tramways '.is t?a')y.- giving' indication of . deep-seated 'State.'designs on,tho trannvays of tho colony 'js c iipt|.|tpo. far-fotohed.tp be entertained,- then 'jbho ''iijabi.ration of.tho Bill becomes, r'oasoii- ■ amy^iritelligiblo."—','Otago, Daily Times."

/;..W,o/£ro.not, impressed with the necessity for a n rneasuro such as tho 'Acting-Minister :f6r ; ,Pubiic Works .has now. introduced; It r has'.'no£j been shown, that .the municipal authority is incapable of managing tho tram service under its control to tho best advantage and in the best interests-of the public, nor. has it been shown .that Government inwith' that control is. necessary, in t)ie vniblic.'intorest. . . . ;It must, bo romemberocl that in thp interests, of the public '. the -"municipal body, has to make tho tram 1 sorvice'"not only convenient, but. financially a success. Thorp has been a certain amount of agitation as 'to the evils of overcrowding on our tramcars, but these havo been unduly magnified, and it has not beon shown that somo degree of such crowding_ at times is by any reasonable means avoidable The ■ agijatprsi-im'-this' matter /would probably be themselves among tho first to complain bitterly if they,,- found : . themselves ordered out of a tramcar possibly on far-fetched *'pretext , ,; that their presence ; there was cans-, ihng ('.overcrowding and intolerable iuconven--'iehces'.: to/ : .the ( regulation : number'.'of ,'occupant's.. i;i.While the inconvenience caused by • the overcrowding of -'tramcars may .■ be ■ con'-, siderabio at times, it ■; must-Uassurcdly ,b.p. .beside, that;which -would be , cause4kiby■ e '-'enforcement; of. insufficiently 'elastic restrictions for. its. suppression. .The ■whojo-;scheme of.tho Bill is objectionable in jt to -entrust to a.central au- [,', iMity, 'in;. Wellington the ■ regulation of sys-.toms.-.of;ritramways that may best"., be, con"'allccl, "subject, to ; the provisions ..of,, .t'., under .which they are uri- ' lortakeri, by tho local- :bodies.—"O.tagp DailyTimes."- . • '...'. . ; . ch:;i-< /-THE LUXTIRY OP-LAW. purposeiof tho Judiciary Bill is to simplify and cheapen law and'justico, but, .the; ; offect of it will almost certainly bb to. further increase tho cost of litigation, .which was recently raised by tho making of who aVe; prohibited from at.tbe common ' .<ewyer's ; rates or ( without an assistant, whether: an-assistant' As nocossary or not. By tho Judiciary. Bill alt''Dis'tnot Courts 'are abolished,' arid judgesare permanently assigned to given districts, 'three-.-being assigned to' the Wellington district, ■-■•where they constitute tho solo Court ■of .Appeal.-.Whatever 'attempts are m'adoto iiiodify the burden of a judicial method which 'demands that all appeals to Caesar bo heard -.inVltome: itself, it can hardly be .disputed that the system-is in-its very.nature cum.bersoine "and costly. Little relief can be ob.'tiined'.las long'as we allow tho legal prof es■■Bion'i;o,'ordain tho mothod'of , a judicial procedure; -ifor 'the legal mind is naturally iinibu'sd and saturated with tho conviction that the "laity is; intended to be made to pay hoavny.'.for' the luxury of •; Law: - Judicial methede , ought to be approached in the'iritorost of tho public, and with a commorcial ■'sense'.''6f the fitnoss'of places aud of tho value of time and money. AVoro this , done, ,;we;shoiild certainly; havo peregrinating courts of appeal; Cajsar would travel through tho vpr.oymces instead' of remaining' always at iiome.,vThore is quite no reason why thii siiouid not bo done, oxcopting the tendeni-y of the' Law.and its myrmidons,to ignore tho : claims the public.. Appeal Courts held. *at''suitable iiitervals at each one of''re chief, coh'treV-;w6uld. greatly, reduce tho cost of ' : Lawj'and thus cheapen Justice. —-"New Zeal'and Herald." , . '•■',, .. '. • ! . !

'"f v;i--"{jtEW ZEALAND SOCIALISM. ."," j '■Nbbbdy .objects to,the Socialism which consists; in-the Government'undertaking.'certain pub'lic -'services which' aro in ,the nature- of .ir'riVjjfoftoly, and which experience has shown "caiij'Jbo 'hianaged as well by the State as by. priyato';enterprisb, if not indeed' better. ; But' ,ivo-liave : 'got.far beyond that stage,'and aro noiyf-rjrctty. far' advanced in; that species' of ■Socialism which; says—"Wliat, is: yours' is 'rtihe.^' 1 . ,. There is nb surer indication of this ; Idnd'df Socialism than-.;th'o manner in which taibs/'nro raised and employqdj and- the.ob-jccti-for', which they'are levied. Timo was when-'ii'-was a'cbeptbd as an axiom that taxa■tiori'whs'tp be imposed solely for tho'purpose' 'of■'■•hiebtihg tho charges 'of government,' and ■that'Stfch taxation was'to bo raised in a fair : and ■ equitablo manner with tho ''..consent , '' of .''those upon',whom it,was imposed.' AVc have c'brnplctbly departed lrolii that principlo in 'No\f r ZGa'land. : The graduated land tax' is •aVbWcdljt impospd witlv'the object of preventing any one man' from holding morotban a certain quantity of land. ■' There, is no' pro'to'nco' tlint it constitutes a fair contribution to'tho .revenue, and. is needed for that pur■'jibso'. "'Mr. Laurensoii. and his brother Soc- ! ialisfs in the Houso boast that this is (inly tho -beginning of other taxes to bo levied with tho object of preventing any man from holding more, than a certain limited amount of wealth of any kind. We aro rapidly arriving i under a democracy at the same kind of tyranny which' was formerly associated t \Y!th',,gpvoi , mnont',by a despotic monarch. .-Kortivnately, thoro' have - boon- signs . lately people who-are.--not Socialists are ' hegiiining to recogniso their danger. The ..fjlrmfers-jespecially are beginning to wakn up. Jt is high time that they did so. It neede i.nbitiior the prophet ; nor the son of a prophet l'to..tolL.thqm that .Unless.thoy mako a detorirnhjcdjj'stand now, against any.further nd-(Vancp-'tbwards the- Socialistic goal -the'-time' livill: .soon come when any oiforts that ■ Uiey ..mjiv, iriake will bo in ; vain.— "Christcltrjch Press..'" .'■)■■

THE CIVIL SERVICE.

Tho complaints which aro being niado throughout the Civil Service of the Dominion cniinet bo treated with indifference either by the Government or by the public. It is impossible to thrust them on ono sidp with tho comment that they arp exaggerated, or to allay them witli tho promise that in good timo they will bo attended to. As for exaggeration, that is absurd; for though the points at issue may bo confused, and chough many claims may bo advanced which cannot be acceded to, it is no exaggeration whatever to say that the Civil Servants engaged in some of our most important Stato services consider thomselves genorally unfairly dealt with, and it is matter of common knowledge that in other departments — as, for instance, that of Lands and Survey— fchero is much tho same dcoply-rooted .and not uncalled-for dissatisfaction. In regard to the Post.and Telegraph employees, wliose mostly uhsoen labours carry on a service which constitutes a primary factor in tho social, commercial, and industrial life of overy citizen' of the Dominion; there can be no .doubt whatever that-their, complaints are largely reasonable.ones. "Wo'ihavo liad in the Education Department an indication of what must happen if tho service.becomes unpopular, and it will tako the Dominion a •vhole generation to entirely eliminate the unfortunate results of our Departmental

parsimony in educational affairs. Tho Post and Telegraph Department is notoriously finding a difficulty in drawing to itself the best class of recruits, and from that difficulty there can only be ono ..result,- as t-horo is

■inly one, remedy. Tho sooner grievances are considered and systematically dealt with the bottor for tho public as for the .service. What is true of one Department is truo.of all. The

■.'.■ hole method, of administration requires reorganisation, for it is an absolute impossibility .for Ministers to attend tp tho-mul-

titudinpus grievances that exist, and. to the perennial crop of grievances that inevitably arises- Tho Dominipn needs and should havo a Civil Service Bp,a'rd, into'-.whoso hands all thoso questions could bo relegated, and which should discharge'for . Parliament and for. the public those duties' which: Ministers havo

shown themselves, in.this'.as-in-every other iountry, quite unable to adequately meet—,'iN'ew Zealand Herald.": -."'•• : . " :

KEIR HARDIE IN INDIA.

Wo aro not surprised at tho indignation of the Wellington peoplo on -learning that tho Alayor intends to inako Mr. Keir Hardio his guest and to give him official recognition on his arrival.. AVhat his ' Worship choose" to do in the way of private hospitality to Mr. Koir Hardio or any othor,visitor is his own concorn entirely, and wo "do not knpw'that cither we pr tho citizens'of Wellington havo any right to find fault' with him on that account. It is quite another matter, howovor, when, in his capacity, as Chief Magistrate of the city he proposes to oxtond official recognition to Mr. Keir Hardio, and to:preside over his meetings. If that is done, it will bo very , naturally assumed at Home that tho loyal'citizens of Wellington not only approve of Mr. Kcir' Hardio'sJ peculiar brand of Socialism, but that they'applaud his action in going to India and doing his best to stir lip disaffection thorp'at a time when the country t is in a moro dangerous stato_ than it has been at any timb: since the Mutiny. That is tho action of a ni'an 'who must be devoid eithor of judgment or' of patriotism to tho Empire, and _wp do ..not suppose that .tho peoplo of Wellington aro anxious to bo regarded by their English fellbw-subiects as being pithpr fools or incipient rebels.—"Christchurch Press." ■ Wo.still strongly disapprove ,, of. Mi - . Hardio's. attitude on tho Indian question and wo boliove he .was extremely indiscreet in talking politics to .tho Bengal agitators beforo ho could possibly bp in a position :to .understand Indian problems or to ■-realise tho uses to which' his words would .bo put.—"Lyttelton Timos." ■ ■'■■ . , ,

AVo contorit ourselves ' with saying that Mr. .Hardie, in tho propagation of those humanitarian principles in which he/"earnestly behoves, has, by .his inopportune, indiscreet,' aiid ill-informed 1 addresses, done infinitely mqro harm than good to the cause ho has at' heart. .Whatever his motives,may be, however pure his intentions, he, as an exporioncedvininer, must knuw that if a man takes a naked light into tho polluted atmosphere that lurks in , ouutorranean passages thero will bo ail explosion. So, too, when a politician of his colobrity aiid known sentiments publicly ''addresses largo gather-, irigs of discontented, ignorant, , and fanatical natives, disastrous .results may bo'looked , for. .India was no place 'for Mr. Hardie just now, or it ho must go there, common sense as well as common decency should have ■restrained Ins tongue.'.. Thero would have hceii.'nb objection ,to,,his studying and .observing and taking,, notes. - .. .. "There' is .enough work in all conscience,"'said a writer in East and West,".' "for our hands and brains to uplift our countrymen and' countrywomen, ■ without boing lost in the wild fancies of the new-born Extremist party.'.' ..The work that lies at tho door of, England will not be : shirked; its nature is understood far bottor than Mr. Keir Hardie can possibly undorstand it, and it is.not tho part of a patriot, .not a lover of.his fellows, nor of a ratiouaj being to'.. throw oil upon the',smouldering .[lames of that native ;discontent wnieli' at ■ this hour is unhappily rampant'in somo dis-. 'tricts in India.—Dunedin ''Star.",.

; We have no hesitation in saying that Mr. iKeir. HardieV conduct .has- been disloyal, traitorous and dangerous to the security of the Empire. It is as well , toromembor that this "angelic firebrand" : proposes to payus a visit after he has' finished witiv India, and we are glad to observe a strong protest: •against any public , ■ reception or form of recognition being accordod to : a man who has : gone to so:■much trouble to : prpvo himself his country's eneniy. If it was unsafe , to loave Imjpat Rai in India, there is certainly good v ground for deporting' Mr. KcirHardie; .and, if ho cbnies here, we hopo that the people of this' country will leave' him no 'room for doubt as to .their opinions'concerning patriotism, disloyalty i. and treasoni — Auckland "Star." . ' \ ' ■'■' ';' '"..-

, Whether Mr. Keir Hardis, M.P., the British labor' agitator, has during his present visit'to India been playing, the part of- a doming torch or" merely a damp squib, is perhaps a question that admits of a good deal of difference of opinion, but there, can bo no 'doubt as to the unwisdom of his ,utterances in view ,of the unrest existing 'throughout the Indian Empire. , -.' . It: is into this country' of simmering revolution that Mr. Keir Hardio has ventured to throw, out recommendations of national indeponddence. ■ His action,is deserving of the most severe condemnation of every loyal ■ and patriotic, Britisher, and.we trust that when tho ;mischief-making, M.P. ,oxtonds his walks abroad into those portions of the King's Dominions those in authority who would otherwise have.,,been glad to wolcomo him and accord him hospitality will mark the sonse of disapproval that is felt by the'community by giving him a vory cold shouldor.— "Poverty Bay Herald." , POLITICIANS AND THEIR SALARIES. But whether our'legislators aro awaro of it or not, tho "public, is under no misappre-, hension as to exactly that measure Of philanthrophy.' and .desire to serve their country that i prompts many of them .to enter ' the political, , arena'. ' Certain' members, , have apparently now been deploring ,tho'ingrati'tudo of a State which rewards their unselfish .'sen'jees to. tho, niggardly extent of£3oo a yoarj , ' , Doubtless they'havo lnado.'pathotic '.raontal. comparison of this trifling consideration" with the onormoiis incomes and brilliant prospects which they relinquished when, swayed by the irresistible pressure of their admirers, they reluctantly : consented _to become tho.. parliamentary representative of somo .important constituency. It is surprising to think that members should have been'' found' so . tactless as to discourso :in ■parliament this week on tho inadequacy, of their honorarium. 'The proceeding was in peculiarly bad tasto in view of tho manner inwhich-, members of the Fedora] Parliament lately distinguished themsolves'in this direction.'l Tho explanation of- this latest discontent on the .part of Mimo New Zealand politicians with their salaries is probably to be found more in tho imitation of a bad example than in tho realisation of tho'incronsod cost of living, or possibly it is ■to bo looked for in the still lingering offoots of the Dominion Day celebrations.—"Otago : Daily Nnws."