ECHOES OF THE WEEK

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 5, 30 September 1922, Page 11

ECHOES OF THE WEEK

PRESS OPINIONS ON :: NEW ZEALAND TOPICS

The value of the “movies” as aids, to education hais been recognised’ more quickly in other countries than in New Zealand, and the announcement, by the Minister of Education of a fairly comprehensive scheme for using educational films for the-instruc-tion of the children of the Dominion eomes none too soon. —“Manawatu Daily Times.”

It may reasonably be advanced that the remission in income-tax will have the greater effect in the way of restoring the industrial activity of me country and' thus of benefiting the greatest number. It may not be than -tile effect will begin to show itself very speedily, for with most there is now a pretty long leeway to make up before we can as a community make a fresh start. But the actual relief now given, coupled with the hope of its being continued and increased, will without doubt prove an incentive to those who have for some time now been regarding the struggle rs so wellnigh desperate as scarcely to be worth tho making. . . The spectre of unemployment that haunts co many chould gradually bo laid and general prosperity restored. —Hawke’s Bay “Tribune.”

The Reform Party has chosen as its principal virtue for display on the hustings this year • the very commendable one of patriotism and loyalty—love of New Zealand, loyalty to the King, and adherence to the Empire and its institutions. It has been made perfectly plain that the Reformers in this particular direction consider that they have a better claim to public suppbrt than Mr. Holland and the gentlemen who follow his leadership and we are bound to say that Mr. Holland aipi his entourage have given the Reformers a considerable amount of assistance in the maintenance of this distinction in the la&t eight years. There has been an attempt to join the Liberal Party with Mr. Holland’s group—an attempt which has been made at election after election with very little success—but when it comes down to cases that cock simply will not fight.—“Lyttelton Times.”

The recent celebration of the jubilee of the settlement of Norsewood has recalled to memory the hardships which the early settlers underwent in this country. To-day the immigrant oonsiders himself hardly used if everything is nbt made easy for him, and Labour representatives in Parliament and elsewhere denounce the Government for bringing out immigrants when trade is bad. and when there are not houses enough to accommodate them. A well-known Napier business man recently handed us a copy of “Chamber’s Journal” for 1848 which contains some letters from a family which left England in 1842 and settled in Wellington. These are interesting to-day as showing the stuff of which the early colonials were made. They cheerfully underwent trials and surmounted difficulties which would apparently frighten the stoutest hearted to-day.—“Hawke’s Bay Herald.”

It appears to us highly desirable that the Government of New Zealand should go thoroughly into the legislation of the Dominion which relates to gambling. At present the law is not consistently applied. ' Wq allow gambling in German mains to take place, while we legislate against gambling in “Tatts.” Speculators are allowed to perpetrate an unpatriotic action by paying money into the German coffers as the result of dealing in marks, yet the same -speculators are liable -to a fine if the are found in possession of a Tatts. ticket. We allow open gambling on the Stock Exchange, and we prevent the bookmaker operating on the street. We allow an agent to carry money to a race-course to put on the totalisator, but we refuse to earn revenue by allowing that money to be sent by telegraph to the course. The bookmakcis and their clients are forebidden to use the telegraph service for betting purposes, and yet the authorities are unable to prevent them from carrying on operations. —“Wairarapa Daily Times?’

When a small but determined Bolshevist minority claiming to stand for New Zealand labour engineered a wanton coal strike all industries depending on coal were threatened with disaster. The Government’s prompt action defeated the object aimed at and saved New Zealand from industrial chaos. -'-.EargO stocks of coal contracted for have not 'yet been exhausted. With the strike ended tho output of our own mines commenced to increase the stdeks of coal in hand. Now the miners complain that tho demand for their labour has slackened somewhat, and although this state pf things can be only temporary—for stocks of imported coal are growing quickly less —they are calling upon tho Government to buy more New Zealand coal so that once more'

onr mines may be made to illustrate “tho job chasing the man.” While it is to be regretted that tho miners ‘are suffering as a result of their own folly, it yet has to bo borne-in mind that but for the action of the Government there would have been widespread unemployment in every part of New Zealand.—‘‘Napier Daily Telegraph.”

The Minister of Public Works (Hon. J. G. Coates) suggests that some of the boards have not been spending their funds to tho best advantage and are thus increasing the cost of power to their consumers. This is a very serious matter. The Government is investing millions, on the credit of the taxpayer, in big schemes to generate power. The boards are incurring hugo liabilities, on the credit of the ratepayers', to deliver the power to the consumer. In th» case of the Wairarapa Board the loans now authorised amount io a charge of 6d. in the pound on the unimproved value of tho districts concerned. It is absolutely essential that the power should be delivered so cheap that every potential consumer will bo brought in. Every ten thousand pounds of overhead expenditure raises the cost sufficiently to exclude a certain number of possible consumers. At a certain point of added expense tho scheme would become uneconomic and would break down, leaving a hugo burden of debt.—“Wairarapa Age.”

We do not suggest for one moment that Mr. Isitt will carry the Government label next December. No doubt he will stand as a Liberal; perhaps as an Independent Liberal. But there are excellent grounds for believing-that so far as no-confidence motions are concerned, Mr. Isitt will henceforward be found voting with the Government. Should a miracle appear, and the Liberals secure an absolute majority at the approaching election, Mr. Isitt would maintain his existing position as a dyed-in-the-woo] Liberal. But a Liberal majority is the last thing that may reasonably be expected. Hence, the inference is irresistible that on cruciil divisions in Parliament, Mr. Massey will be able to rely on Mr. Isitt for support. This is the basis of the understanding which has been concluded. It is a satisfactory arrangement for Mr. Massey, though the Liberal Party may not view it in the same light.—Christchurch “Sun.”

In the course yf his presidential address to the New Zealand Employers’ Federation Mr. T. Shailer Weston uttered a strong plea for better co-oper-ation between workers and employers. Looking at this matter from what is perhaps a rather sordid point of view, it is easy to see that both employers and workers would' benefit financially from a policy of general co-operation. It would not ensure an immediate and large increase in money wages, but it would ensure a continuous increase in the purchasing power of wages; <thai is to say, ft would bring the benefit which is anticipated, but very often is not realised, from an increase in money wages. Workers and employers in the Dominion might well find the, .basis for a sound co-operative understanding in an agreement to maintain money wages as nearly as possible at their present level. —“Northern Advocate.”

The General Manager should be given every opportunity to make the railways pay their way, and if he cannot do so the Government and country should know tho reason why. If it is because the State insists upon higher wages and easier conditions than the traffic will stand, then it must not complain if a loss is shown. But there would seem to be other reasons for loss, and one of them undoubtedly is the wasteful use of rollingstock either by running empty or by standing idle for want of more efficient handling., of the traffic. One of the greatest of American men made it his maxim to “run no empties,” and no doubt he also avoided the use of wagons for storage purposes, that is, keeping them standing loaded in sidings sometimes for days. There are evidences of improvement in the returns during the last few months if this improvement is maintained criticism will, bo to some extent disarmed, but tho f results of the current year’s operations will be closely watched.—“Taranaki Herald.”

The increase, amounting to £1,080,589 in tho wages bill of the last two years represents a sum sufficient to pay 2.74 per cent, on the capital cost of the railways (£39,300.000), The increased wages bill, consequently represents the difference between a paying and 'a non-paying railway system, for the 2.74 per cent., added to the actual return of 1.07 per cent, on tho capital investment, gives a fraction ovpr the 32 per cent, which the Government very properly directs should he charged against the railways to demonstrate their payability or otherwise. At the same time we do not think it is possible, nor is it desirable to treat all lines alike, and to insist, that, unless the whole system pays, services should be restricted and economies practised on lines that are paying their way. To insist upon such a policy being carried out is to starve traffic that can, and should be, further developed, with benefit both to the public concerned and to 'he Department. —“Manawatu Evening Standard.”

It was also the Canterbury Trades and Labour Council which had thfi rdd flag hoisted over the Trades Hall at Christchurch about six months jago as a mark of its sympathy with the South African revolutionaries who were butchering their prisoners in. cold blood and perpetrating all the horrors of civil war. So the resolution it passed a couple of days ago is only what is to be expected from it. That resolution, of course, was not framed to express support of, or loyalty to. the Council’s own country. What is one’s country, anyhow? What it did wa\ to denounce “the utage-man-aged war scare, brought about by capitalist politicians for the purjxise of making heroes of themselves.” Everybody is not yet converted to faith in the rod flag, and no doubt there will be quite a large number of New Zealail'ders —probably 99,9 per cent, of them —who will condemn the resolution. —< But then it is impossible to please everybody, and the Canterbury Trades and Labour Council will at least "have the satisfaction of knowing that its resolution is approved by every single one of its red “kumrades.”— “Wanganui Herald.”

The frank admission by the Minister of Railways that merit is not the decisive factor in promotions in the railway service, and that he wishes it was, may explain a good deal. It ceitainly points to a decided weakness in tho policy of State ownership of public utilities./ In the railway service individual efficiency is not so easy to determine as one might suppose. 'The whole system of working strictly to regulation and of submitting everything to Wellington is against such determination. A promising man with energy and ideas is not encouraged to depart from the beaten track. With a private company it is different. The management is always on tho look-out for talent, as witness tho meteoric rise of men like Sir Eric Geddes. The Minister suggests that merit and not length of service should be the doc’Zing factor in tlie classification list. Whether this can bo done or not we do not know, but it should be possible to give moro weight to merit than is given now. Perhaps the Department could learn something useful in this direction from tho grading system for teachers now in use throughout the pun quom qqoq qoiq.w ui ‘uoraitno(j length of service are counted. —Auckland “Star.”