NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 751, 25 February 1910, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

■■■ The Minister for Education ■ cannot be complimented on his attitude towards the Wellington Education Board in the matter of its building maintenance grant. He must bo fully aware of the position of the Board and of the special .circumstances against which it has had to contend, but his reception of the request of the deputation ■■ which waited on him on Wednesday last would convey quite a different im: pression; ■ No one who read the report of the proceedings on' the. occasion of the, inter view could fail to seo that the position of the. Wellington Board is exceptional, and it is really a*.matter for surprise, that the Minister saw any reason-to. be otherwise than frank over - the question. •; We cannot believe., that a shrewd "man like Mr. Fowlds could think that the Board would bo deceived as'; to ..the action- of the-Gov-ernment in cutting 'off the grant. The Government, or to be more exact, Mr.-'Fotvlds,. was responsible for' this—no one else. Possibly the Minister may have acted under the impression that the Boards could get along very-well without the money and possibly he maybe correct in his , assumption .so far as the .majorityof the Boards are concerned. But ho should have given conßideration to the ; special] circumstances of : each.. There is some l reasonito : -fear that under the pretext of economy Ministers are cutting down expenditure in directions where economy. :is least' called for , and-where in the end it may prove false economy < indeed. We have drawn attention already to-Mb.'.Millar's-misdirected efforts in making the railway services unpopular. That there is ToOm for economy in the railways administration, no! one denies, but the pruning-knife should be applied with a proper discretion, in the Education Department equal care should; be exercised.; That care , does not appear to- havo.been ■ practised- in., the'present case and i the. mistako ■made should ba remedied.

iOne-of our..Christchurch. contem--porarics'has discovered a new and ;.porfeotly delightful;argument in',favour of.the Midland l . dreadful line which .is being carried, at a total cost of over..- a million sterling; \over; terrifying gulfs 'and. gorges, through; multitudes, of tunnels,, and over howling alpine -deserts in order, that. a-. ; little kerosjine and -tinned -meat may .be; sent from Canterbury to Westland in exchangefor a: little; timber.'and c0a1.,,, This line, we are: now. 1 asked to believe, ,i 3 "a- strategic, railway" 1; .The-Prime.'MINISTER,'-bur : contemporary has ; suddenly ! remembered,-: "dwelt upon". ; the ''great ;strategic value" of ."defending , the' l richcoal deposits or. the. other.sido of,-thie. ranges,from.an -,attack, byva hQstilo' fleet"'! We .only wish-the' deposits., were as.'.rich as_ this, delightful, statement-by the Minister, for -' ".Tho whblo -face of the world must'change! and. British power, must be extinguished, before a., hostile fleet can : "attack" inlandfeoal-deposits.'- Nothing could better ; 'illustrate : ; the-- desperate straits td whk.i the defenders.of -the v :Midland Railway; are : reduced than the.; entertaining -nonsense we have quoted. .No doubt'. Lonb Kitchener will : have,something- ;to say to , New. Zealand as well asfo Australia respecting strategic railways, but ca'n anyone, suppose 'for;,a, moment 'that; he 'would regard the vast sums spent on this.terrible line !as'having.beon worth spending?; We may have more to .say. of .;strategic-.'•railway's , ...when the : . .Field-Marshal's',.reepmmenda-tipns are published,; but in the meantime .wo;may -observe' that the Midland Railway really is just the! sort of 'project-that , any intelligent per- :i son would suppose it to.be from thie latest defence of 'it. -■.'•: ■..:.'...''

'The-effort which-is being made to induce Dr.-.Newman,/,to .reconsider, his'determination .not- to. seek; re-' election, to. the; Mayoralty will meet with .general,approval. . The. contention.' advanced that during his first:year 'of 'office.' a Mayor., spends a great part of Mistime in; gaining a detailed;knowledge of. the affairs of;the municipality, ;and <that. a. sec- , ond year of- office is:-necessary -.to enable him -to ; ,turn : his knowledge ;to full' , account Js in;a large measure correct. .No ; doubt a Mayor can do a great deal during his first term—Dr.; Newman!s record,. for instance, affords an illustration of thiii —but his second year should not only proved productive of; , even; better. results, 'but'.,the■ task ,should. not; impose, so great ! a ; strain on the holder oftheomce. Dr. :NETVMAN':has gone through a very strenuous year, and may well feel that; he has earned the, holiday which he has!, in contemplation. But if he can see his way..to postpone his! visit -to the Mother -Country and again l offer his services we feel certain that'they will, be; heartily welcomed by citizens; and that; he will find the duties', attached to the office much less arduous than they have been during the year now. drawing to a, close.'. ..' .' :