NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 32, 1 November 1928, Page 10

NOTES OF THE DAY

It should not be long before the British Empire has a family radiophone system of its own. Every day we hear of new developments, and there can be little doubt that the trans-Atlantic experiment between England and America has shown the feasibility of such an undertaking. Although most of the Dominions have either got suitable Beam stations or are having them erected, we in New Zealand have been content so far to rely on the cables. After the excitement of the elections are over it might be just as well to consider joining the family circle. Our very distance from the Homeland, our increasing trade, and the signs of prosperity that are now here should be added incentives for us to make use of this the latest distance eliminator. * * ♦ * Dr. Cockayne’s praise of the Hon. Mr. Hawken’s regime as Minister in charge of the Forestry Department is well merited. “The methods inaugurated during the regime of Mr. Hawken,” said Dr. Cockayne, “of reducing the cost of planting to what appears to be an absurdly low figure should make his term of office as a Minister historical in the history of forestry in the British Empire.” The following figures reveal the number of acres afforested and the cost of establishing per acre, for each year since the year 1921: Year. 1921. 1922. 1923. 1924. 1925. 1926. 1927. 1928. Acres planted 1,381. 3,408. 2,862. 7,207. 11,120. 15,964. 19,924. 35,106. Approx. cost per acre £9 10s. £7 10s. £5 10s. £2 10s. £2. £1 19s. £1 16s. £1 16s. The establishment costs include the trees, the surveys, and the plantins'- The low cost of £1 16s. per acre,with a yearly increased forestry acreage is a splendid achievement for both the Minister and the Department. * » » * Most of us have but one front door; the back one is not for official visitors and opens on a land of clothes-props, wash-tubs, cats, and coal. Although the very rich may indulge themselves' in many side-doors, they have but one front door, where the butler in the trappings of his profession bows the visitor in and bows the parting guest away. It is the same with most of the nations of the world; they may have many side-doors, some safe, some rickety, but they have only one front door, through which passes to and fro the business with the outer world. The gradual conquering of the modern jig-saw puzzle of time and space, the rearrangements of the nations of the world, and above all the geographical position of America is forcing two front doors on the United States. Europe does, and always could, ring the bell of one; Japan, China, and the problems of the Pacific are groping for the other bell. Some say it has been rung already. How to answer both bells with tact will be an increasing problem for American statesmen in the not so distant future. For it would never do for two irate visitors to ring both bells simultaneously. The solution of the problem may fill the history books of the next century. *.* * * Mr. Plolland’s Marton interview with the supporters of Mr. Hogan, the Independent Labour candidate for Rangitikei, revealed the natural arrogance of the Labour-Socialist Leader. The LabourSocialist Party has imposed a stranger on this electorate in the person of Mr. Andrews as the official Labour candidate. Not unnaturally local Labour supporters preferred the local candidate, and in order to avoid a split vote urged Mr. Holland to withdraw his outsider and back the local man. Mr. Hogan apparently was prepared to give a pledge to vote with the Labour Party, but the Labour-Socialist Leader was not satisfied with this. The local candidate had not been branded with the party brand, so he must be ostracised. Anyhow, the end of it was that Mr. Holland trampled roughshod over his Labour devotees and declined to allow the people of the district to choose their own candidate. He no doubt knows better than they what is good for theita. Therefore, the good people of Rangitikei must accept the ukase of this little Tsar. The wishes of the common every-day followers of the Labour-Socialist Party plainly are not to be permitted to run counter to the plans of the select inner circle jybkli nulls the strings.