NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 120, 6 February 1923, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

In spite of oft-repeated protests nothing has yet been clone to find fixed accommodation for the Arbitration Court at Wellington. The Court is forced to move about from the Supreme Court to the Magistrate’s Court building, and oftentimes neither of these is available, and it has to seek room elsewhere. This was its experience yesterday, and as a consequence the Court has decided to make the best of things, and go on tour in ’the country districts, leaving Wellington cases to be dealt with at a later date. Apait from the inconvenience to the members of the Court and to those interested in disputes brought before it, the uncertainty which exists as to its place of sitting is a constant source‘of embarrassment. The lack of conern shown by those responsible for this state of things is difficult to understand, and suggests that the importance of the part the Court plays in our industrial and economic life is not properly realised. Even if permanent accommodation cannot be provided in the existing law courts buildings, there is no reason why it should not be found elsewhere. The Court is brought into contempt by the neglect shown, and it is quite time that the present unsatisfactory state of things was ended.

In the absence of two such prominent members of the. Liberal Party as Messrs. Fo’rbes and Ngata it is not surprising that Mr. Wilford should have no announcement to make as the result of yestcr day's meeting of the party. It- seems to be taken for granted that Mr. Massey will have a small majority on a no-confidence motion, and that that will be the end of the matter for the time being. Events may bear out this view, but, if so, it will still leave a very unsatisfactory position so far as the country is concerned, for it will mean that the Liberal Party has made up its mind to perpetuate the three-party system. The Extreme Labour Party, no doubt, would welcome this prospect of a continuance of the vote-splitting of its opponents, and in such conditions would regard the prospects of a dissolution and a fresh election at an early date with some degree of equanimity. It is too early yet, however, to assume that there is no hope of an equitable arrangement being reached between the Reform and Liberal parties, as suggested by the former. Some Liberal members at least would no doubt prefer to have a conference on the subject before facing the unpleasant alternative of knottier general election at no distant date.

A cablegram transmitted last week mentioned that Britain had decided to remit her share of the Boxer Indemnity. This generous concession to China has been under consideration for some time past, and particulars of the conditions in which the indemnity is to be remitted are given in English newspapers which arrived by the latest mail. The total sum involved is about i 11,000,000, due in payments spread over the next twenty-three years. Maintaining her claim, Britain would receive about £36,000 per month out of the Chinese Customs revenue. The remission is not to be made uncondi-. tionally. The suggestion recently under consideration was that the money should be spent on the education of Chinese. The Peking correspondent of the London Times observed recently that Britain need not expect to be flooded with commercial orders as a consequence of her clemency. It was to be expected, however, that the leaven of British culture would inspire respect for and appreciation and understanding of British methods and standards in affairs and life. r ‘Our share of the indemnity,” the correspondent added, “will be well expended if we can provide a number of young Chinese with an opportunity to make careers for themselves on modern, practical lines.” It is certainly very much better that the money should be spent in this way than that it should be allowed to flow into the coffers of the competing chieftains who arc engaged in an apparently unending struggle for supremacy in China.