NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 138, 7 March 1929, Page 10

NOTES OF THE DAY

British public opinion would probably be much more impatient of Sir Austen Chamberlain’s statement with regard to the evacuation of the Rhineland, which, he says, is a question governed by the Reparations Settlement, were it not aware that the latter problem is now in a fair way to being determined by the Committee of Experts now engaged upon its elucidation. Should the Reparations discussions fail to reach a satisfactory conclusion, British sentiment, now very strong on the point, will probably insist on these co-ordinated questions being separated, and the occupation of the Rhineland, on humanitarian as well as financial grounds, terminated so far as the British troops are concerned.

Military training is part of the accepted defence scheme of any country. • Not only must' those who undergo the necessary training accept its inconvenience with good grace, but it is to be expected that their employers will set a good example to them. Niggardly bickering regarding payment of employees, whilst away on training cannot but make the case of the latter unnecessarily discouraging. . Whilst it may appear irritating to be forced to pay away good wages for no work, it would be just as hard upon the employee to be mulct of his wages for reasons altogether beyond his control. ■ln fact in some countries where payment during training is not obligatory most of the better firms make it a point of honour to continue payment so that their employees do not suffer in the carrying out of the duties of young citizens.

There is an aspect of the City Council’s attitude on the East and West Access Loan proposals which either escaped notice or was conveniently ignored at last Monday’s meeting. It was openly admitted, as a reason for not taking a poll on the loan proposals as originally intended, that the ratepayers probably would vote against them. Eastern ratepayers, it was suggested, would vote for their own scheme and against the western scheme; western ratepayers would reverse the position; while the disinterested body of ratepayers having no direct benefit to look for would vote for neither scheme. The outcome almost inevitably would be the rejection of both schemes. In deciding upon a line of policy which avoided a poll the City Council, therefore, laid itself open to the charge of having adopted a course deliberately designed to thwart the will of the ratepayers. It must be conceded that past experience has shown that the main body of ratepayers is always liable to vote against any project involving borrowing which appears to benefit only the residents of a given locality. Injustice is sometimes done in this way, needed improvements and services being delayed or rejected without a proper regard, for the merits of the matter. At the same time, the City Council, is setting a very bad example when it seeks to evadeits responsibilities to the ratepayers by embarking on a' course which does more credit to its ingenuity than to its ethical standards.

Signs are not wanting that Germany’s much-vaunted shipbuilding ■ programme is showing signs of slackening. After the war, with only a bare half a million tons of ships left from the pre-war total of over five million tons, Germany proceeded to turn out ships with the celerity, of some popular car produced by repetition work. During thp period when British shipbuilding was. languishing the din of riveters and the bustle of the German shipyards was doubled and redoubled. No sooner had some new ship taken the water than there were rumours of bigger and faster ships already on the stocks. In a few brief years Germany intended to make up her war losses. Working at high pressure ever since the war she has succeeded in producing some three million tons of new ships. The new 10,000ton cruiser, however, probably marks the top of the curve. The stern laws of economics are proving a greater obstacle than was expected. Unlike Britain, coal and iron in Germany lie hundreds of miles apart from one another, and the ports themselves are distant. Incidentally wages have, risen and subsidies have fallen. Only the future can show the wisdom or otherwise of this mushroom shipbuilding boom. What, however, is apparent is that the more modest plodding tactics of the British shipbuilders, based on years of experience. is once more uhcing them in the forefront. i