ECHOES of the WEEK

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 33, 2 November 1929, Page 21

ECHOES of the WEEK

PRESS OPINIONS ON K NEW ZEALAND TOPICS

Apart from a passing mention of the policy of bringing works in hand up to the point of paying for themselves, there is no reference in the Public Works Statement to the relation of these enterprises to the great promises the party made. The Statement is none the worse for this feature, rather the better; the Minister is to be commended rather than criticised for having left the skies and returned to earth, an element with which the Minister' of Public Works necessarily has much to do. The only question is where he has left his colleagues in the Cabinet and the party—presumably suspended in mid-air. Mr. Ransom has rather strengthened the impression that he is a Minister with a grip on realities whom further experience should make really capable. He has, however, raised the question of what he is doing in the company he keeps.—“ New Zealand Herald.”

The protest reported to have been made try the Auckland telegraph staff, particularly against certain decisions of the authorities regarding promotion, and generally against the refusal of the Government to restore the salary “cuts,” probably wgs drafted and dispatched without receiving much consideration. It was so worded that it will have the effect of antagonising public opinion, and probably it would not be endorsed by members of the staff in other centres. The arguments advanced for the restoration of the former salary schedules will not bear examination, and that, of course, robs the protest of any effectiveness it otherwise might possess. For intsance, the statement that because the country can afford “an additional £200,000 for loan conversion purposes” it can afford to increase the salaries of Government employees, is simply nonsense.—Christchurch “Times.”

Whaling is a specialised industry, but it is a profitable business, and it remains a matter for astonishment that it has been left so largely for the Norwegians to exploit it. It is surely something of an anomaly that foreign companies should be thus exercising alnrost a whaling monopoly in waters that' are under New Zealand administration. It certainly implies a reproach to British and New Zealand enterprise that foreign-owned ships, built in British yards, have been permitted in the past to annex without opposition the spoil to be gathered in this portion.of the Antarctic. The prospect of British competition in the field is to be hailed with satisfaction. In an article in the “Daily Telegraph,” Lieutenant J. L. Cope, who was commander of the British Imperial Antarctic Expedition, writes: “The world’s output of whale oil has become so centred in the high southern latitudes of the British Empire. that the mammal of the deep is no longer a monster, but an Imperial whale.” That being so, it would be expected that the Empire would be more desirous of establishing a priority of interest in the leviathan.— “Otago Daily Times.”

One cannot look at the tables and charts given in the Public Works Statement and the Estimates without being impressed by the amount of public money that is being spent on roads and railways—rivals that in every country in the world to-day are threatening 'to cut one another’s throat. The public expenditure on roads last year was not far short of two millions sterling out of the Public Works Fund and the Highways Fund, and another million may well have been spent by local authorities. Obviously a great deal of this money will go to assist motor transport in direct competition with the railways, and the question is being raised persistently whether we are justified in thus creatitng and subsidising competing services. The 'answer is, of course, that the development is unavoidable, and that we must have both roads and railways to serve the country. If this is the case—and there seems to be no doubt about it—the further question must inevitably be asked whether the two services need be rivals for the Same business, and whether it would not be possible to co-ordinate road and rail services to obviate unnecessary competition.—Christchurch “Times.”

The provision for appeals against the special land tax is a fresh illustration of the vesting of judicial functions in administrative officials. This development of a system of adjudication by departments of State has proceeded much further in Britain than in New Zealand, and competent observers, while admitting that it is necessary and advantageous, have emphasised the importance of adequate safeguards for the protection of private interests. Under the New Zealand land and income tax law, appeals may be made against assessments to a magistrate, and, within certain limits, carried to the higher Courts. The danger in the development of administrative law and justice is that individual rights, which have been painfully acquired and are established in the ordinary judicial system should be sacrifice by secret deliberations within departmental offices. —“New Zealand Herald.” Welcome indication of the presence of progressive spirit is given in the announcement that the New Zealand Meteorological Office intends to publish reports of weather conditions for the guidance of airmen. With, the growth of aviation such service becomes a necessity, but for the moment there is not a great deal which need be done. Still, it is good that preparations are being made to meet the future, and it is just as well to have, the organisation perfected as soon as possible. For the present the service is being planned so that it will be of aid to individual airmen flying over Cook Strait, and there is no doubt that there is even now full need for such aid. It was no more than a few months ago that a pilot got into serious trouble through being caught in bad weather over the Strait, and with the increasing popularity of flying, the danger of accident grows proportionately greater. I —Christchurch “Sun.”

It has been so long and so clearly evident that Mr. Stewart had done nothing whatever to tie his successor’s hands that Sir Joseph’s explanation was not needed to throw light on the loan negotiations and transactions and Mr. Stewart’s part in them; nor does it. It was needed to save Sir Joseph himself from the charge of being unwilling to withdraw from an impossible position and speak his regret as plainly as the facts showed that he ought to feel it. “In view of all the circumstances,” as the Prime Minister says, “no doubt the hon. member for Dunedin West (Mr. Downie Stewart) will accept the explanation given of* the misunderstanding,” and the regret that it should have placed him “in a false position.” During a re-examination of the Treasury files Sir Joseph’s attention was drawn to certain papers that had misled him. It is unfortunate and a little surprising that it was not drawn to them soon enough to make his first explanation, some time ago, as complete as the present one.—Christchurch “Press.”

The Empire is vast enough and endowed sufficiently with natural resources to support ten times its white population, but the problem of distribution clearly is beyond the capacity of the present generation of politicians. Here, in this country, where Nature is more generous in its aid than in any other Dominion, particularly as regards climate, the Government and Parliament together have done nothing at all to solve the New Zealand problem of unemployment It has become so acute that its extent has been made a State secret, but enough has been disclosed to show that the number of unemployed is at least equal to the total assisted British immigrants annually a few years ago. And while this lamentable situation has assumed the character of a chronic disease eighty legislators have taken seventeen weeks to pass a few crude legislative measures I It is long past time for calling a halt to their extravagance and bewildered mediocrity. — Auckland “Sun.”

The fatal toll of the past year suggests that many accidents are caused through folly of differing sorts, and this is proved by the number of criminal prosecutions which have followed accidents. Although the death rate caused through motor accidents is not excessively high, it really should be much lower than it is. There is no reason why, with exercise of even moderate care, the fatal list should not be confined to genuine misadventure. Some accidents must happen, but it can safely be assumed that 176 is too great a number of deaths to be accounted for in this way. The Motor Vehicles Act gives a measure of punitive protection; but that should not absolve the motorists from the responsibility of taking more care than is necessary to keep them on the outside of the Dominion prisons. Every motorist is under a social obligation to drive carefully, not only for his own good, but also for the safety of the public. The exercise of care preserves life. — Christchurch “Sun.”

We have long suspected that a misunderstanding was at the bottom of Sir, Joseph Ward’s complaint that Mr.Downie Stewart had in his last days of office taken action in respect to the London money market that embarrassed his, successor. In a statement made to the House yesterday on his behalf Sir Joseph Ward says that this is how the charge arose.] He confused two sets of papers. Sir Joseph Ward withdraws the charge and expresses his regret It is a pity that the mistake was not discovered earlier, and that the dispute over this “mystery” was allowed to drag out so long, but now that this explanation has been made the matter should be allowed to drop.— Auckland “Star.”

The Labour Party has never lacked a willingness to provide a glorious example of political irresponsibility. The cost to the country of the programme which it flaunts would be prodigious, but to the party itself that is a consideration of no consequence. To Mr. Holland the prospect of providing an extra million for the public servants has no terrors whatever. Quite the reverse. The source from which the necessary money would be obtained is not mentioned. A half million here or a million there are promised in a light and airy fashion. But, as everybody should understand, the money can come only from taxation, and there should be a distinct limit to the extent to which taxation is imposed. Taxation is already hampering progress in New Zealand and restricting the avenues of employment But Mr. Holland is not troubled about that. He leads a party which is not in power, but would like to be, and with engaging irresponsibility is prepared to promise almost anything.— “Otago Daily Times.”

■While the daring of explorers always excites admiration, the spectacular expedition is not generally the most profitable, and Sir Douglas Mawson has sailed modestly from Cape Town with no idea of undertaking work which will provoke popular applause. He has gone south to work, and two of his companions in the work are New Zealanders. The expedition has been made possible in the first place by the generosity of an Australian confectionery manufacturer, who gave £lO,OOO that it might be undertaken. Grants have also come from the British and Australian Governments. The objects are varied; but they include geographical survey, meteorological observation, and a search for whatever mineral wealth may lie hidden in the wastes. The principal geographical work will be done on territory which has not attracted the explorer for over 100 years, and it is hoped to obtain information concerning an immense Island plateau which even at the South Pole itself is 10,000 feet high.—Christchurch •‘Sum”