NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 619, 23 September 1909, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

'■■:. —-—»■■■' -.' ' "■ , ■.. .The Sydney newspapers give in their ; reports of the proceedings of.the Congress Of Chambers of Commerce a slightly. 1 fuller summary of Mr. Hareness's speech on preferential trade than'was received by cable. The only fresh point of interest in the speech is a by Mr. Harkness that "the discussion had degenerated into one of Free-trade versus Protection." Upon what other basis than a comparison between t Free-trade .■■ and Protection can the question possibly bo discussed with.any profit? \Ve do not desire to criticise Mr.'/.Harkxess further, •but it is worth while sppnding a few moments upon the significance of his strange idea that the question of preferential trade can be considered in vacuo. MR.' Harkness is. an acute business manj'and on many questions holds views so refreshingly sane that one can almost grow enthusiastic over them. Why, then, can he believe that you irrelevant if you insist on importing fiscal : fundamentals into the 'discussion of. Imperial tariff reciprocity? _ Simply, we ; believe, because an attractive, ideal:may ; intoxicate men into forgetting that, all practical' ideals must bd reached by. the high road. The Socialist thinks he see 3 a world ahead of him from which everything evil, ugly, or second-rate is banished, and ho is so absorbed in,his dream that ho will not .listen, to those, who say to .him:'"Now lot us consider what.you, proposo'to do first. Let, us see whether the result'will be good or. ill." He docs not greatly differ, from _ the more ardent of.; our ilmperialists. In recent years there has beenlittle encouragement to the common man to.keep a-tight hold of facts when' talking or thinking Imperially. The bulk, of the Imperialistic rhetoric has soared far above facts. .Platitudes have almost come to' bo regarded as achieved realities. What is wanted, and what: be coming, is a practical sobriety. No doubt the planets could be linked together by stcol cables, but before we agree to commit our. fortunes to the, project' we may.. reasonably require that the sordid, mechanical problems'involved should bo thoroughly investigated.', So it is; in the case of the proposal to link up the Empire, by tariffs.

The tone qf : tiic.ioridon,'wool, sales, which commenced on : ' Tuesday, exceeds the most sanguine -expectations.. A moderate advance was expected; some-thought 5 per cent., would>bo the 1 limit,: others more; optimistic ventured' to predict, an advance up to 10 per cent., and what has. actually.; taken place is that the upward movement extends to 15 per cent.- This advance was not general; that is to say, all grades ofwopl did,nbt,rcach it.. As a' matter _of fact it was medium crossbreds and slipca .that showed -this advance.Coarse wools ; , made .'relatively, 'better money than tho fine wools, and this 'will! be a cheering note to the, wool-growers of New Zealand. The High Commissioner estimates the advance/at.fully.oho penny, per. lb., and 'assuming ,: that"; the ..' wool shipped from New Zealand :in June and July,' which together amounted to 12,915,-: 0001b., realised this increased price, the gain to the Dominion on this quantity is equal' to: £53,800.. Tho! strength of the market is duo .to thp increased demand, for it is reported that the Americans' as well as ■':■ other buyers ' aro:'operating freely. ■ We tako it, then,, that wool .:is going into consumption, and as stocks are generally low, the • outlook.' for ' the' hew clip appears to.be remarkably good, and if anything like current :prices are realised sheep-farmers will find material compensation, for . the' recent drop in the frozen meat market. : . : '.', ; ■ '.;..

The FeUding ■Star, commenting upon the|Ho>. T.'Mackenzie's bold declaration for- the. freehold, recalls the case of .Mr. Hogo, who was thrown out of the Ministry because ho held views opposed to the Government's policy, ,and adds: ; : : The question [ that will naturally ariso. in tho'.uiinds'of readers of Mr.' Mackenzie's declaration in ■ favour of tho freehold, to all Crowii tenants is, Wkat'will tho Cabinet do in the matter? .. . ... . Thoro can. be only one conclusion in the minds pf-mcrt having a knowledge of constitutional government: that it is the duty.'of .Mr.''Mackenzie to place his resignation in the hands of.tho Acting-Prime Minister, and'assume' his place' as tie opponent 1 pf 'a .Government imbued with the crudest ideas'of proper land settlement and unable to ■ forimilato a policy in connection with tho.. administration of Crown lands, whicli they can 'conscientiously 'advocate, as a Ministry for; two consecutive years.';' The' Star's littlo joke is rather cruel—for of: course the Star is only joking", when it suggests that tho Ward Government could.possibly bo governed by any'motive savei a desire to cling to 'office at' all cost's. ; Me. Mackenzie, .however, do.es not seem happy. He is already finding that the sacrifice of his old beliefs, whcn.after prayer and fasting he decided to join tho Ministry, has brought him little peace. Unless the public comes to "a right frame of mind," ne told a meeting at Rata, it will be useless for him to, waste any mora time on politics.:ln the meantime the Government's preparations to abandon its land policy aire causing groat unrest amongst its friends. The Christchurch' organ of the Government; for example, is prepared to swallow most of its principles but it says that "the national endowments and'the renewable leases must be preserved at all costs, even at the cost of a very, radical change in the constitution of the political parties of the country." These be brave words. But we believe that in a very little time this bold paper will abandon its forlorn project of consolidating the extremists, and.'env brace tho complete freehold doctrine quite cheerfully. ■■•••■-'.