NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 35, 5 November 1928, Page 10

NOTES OF THE DAY

Though it is a little early yet to judge the form of the English cricket team.on Australian wickets, it seems fairly clear that the confidence of English sports writers was not without some justification. As perhaps was to be expected the passing years have taken the edge off the perfection of Hobbs’s batting, and he may fall short of his old value as an opening batsman, but otherwise the team appears to be above the standard of recent English teams in batting strength. Tate has yet to strike his best bowling form, and may not do so; but even without this it is probable that the ■English captain may have as varied an attack to draw on as Australia. Indeed, the great doubt in the coming Test matches is due to the uncertainty regarding the Australian selection. After the first half-dozen there appears to be considerable divergence of opinion as to the tail-enders. There is an impression that in fielding the Englishmen will have an advantage, possibly for the first time for many years on an Australian visit. Unless some of the younger players come on during the season it rather looks as though the chances appear to be in favour of the men from the Old Country retaining the Ashes.

It will be remembered by many that in the closing stages of the last general election a systematic endeavour was made by LaboumSocialist candidates to prejudice the Government by cir-’ culating the story that if Mr. Coates secured a majority there would immediately be a cut in wages. It is doubtful if many people took the statement seriously. Nowadays electors know too much of electioneering methods to swallow these last-minute canards, and in most cases they react to the disadvantage of those circulating them. As everyone knows there was no wage-cut, and so far as the Government is concerned it has done its best to promote a good understanding between employee and employer. In spite of this, however, the same old tale is being dragged out again: that a wage-cut will follow the return of the Government to office. Such stories are stupid as well as dishonest. If the Government had desired to cut wages there was never a better. chance than during the last Parliament. ’ With the majority it possessed Cabinet could have carried a cut —if it had desired to do so. But as stated it did not and never thought of doing so. Yet the old fiction is being dragged out for service again once more.

bloods following on the heavy rainfall of last week did considerable damage in some districts. Losses of this nature, which are caused in part through the clearing away of the forests, may become a problem of sothe importance as time goes on unless steps arc taken to minimise them. River-protection works have been carried out here and there, but systematic efforts on a large scale usually are beyond local means. ‘ To reduce the effects of floods in the future it is desirable to preserve as much of the bush now remaining on steep country and to reafforest those areas where to do so would assist to hold back the rush of water. Japan, with geographical conditions similar to our own, has been compelled to resort to such measures for the purpose of flood prevention. While farmers themselves would be wise to plant trees on their own land for the purpose here in view, the matter should not be left to individual effort. The problem calls for action over wide stretches of country, and there is necessity for a survey being made over large areas. A comprehensive plan would need to be evolved, the carrying out or oversight of which would have to be entrusted to cither the Lands Department or the Forestry Department. It is worth bearing in mind that the advantages to be gained from the presence of a plentiful supply of trees growing on the country extend beyond those of flood prevention. Trees are excellent agencies for restoring the humus or growing qualities of the soil. For this purpose they were planted on the war-devastated areas of Northern France, while the farmers of Ireland recently went so far as to claim that the effect of trees upon farm soils was such as to account for the enrichment of cream from the herds depastured there. This can be well understood, for the water retarding action of trees must prove beneficial to crops, giving them a continuous and equable water supply as against the flood and famine supply of treeless areas.