NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 74, 20 December 1929, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

A new clause prescribing penalties for joy-riding in motor vehicles without the owners’ consent has been agreed to by the House of Lords. It will be interesting to have more details of the British provision because New Zealand motorists are by no means satisfied with the present law dealing with this class of offence. Very material damage, for which the motorist generally can obtain no compensation, is sometimes done to caqs by joy-riders. Fortunately, owing to the precautions taken by owners, offences arc not so common as formerly but their number could be reduced to the minimum if the deterrent of stricter penalties was applied. * * * *

The driving of the first pick at the entrance of the new Mount. Victoria tunnel is an event of more than passing interest to Wellington and especially to its eastern suburbs. Nature has not helped much in providing room for the easy expansion of the City, her gifts being limited to the making of one of the finest harbours in- the world in a position central to the whole Dominion. Man has had to improve on Nature, not only in providing road and rail exits to Wellington’s northern hinterland but also in finding houseroom for her increasing population. At first it was sufficient to go round or over the hills but the less leisurely modern world demands that short cuts be made through them. And, taking, the long view, tunnels such as that to be pierced through Mount Victoria are true economy. Time is saved, and also motor spirit, and electricity for trams, and general wear and tear. * * * *

The Wellington Harbour Board deserves credit for adopting recommendations involving an annual saving to importers, exporters, and shipowners of almost £16,000 a year. Apart from its being good policy in developing the trade of the port, it is a good example to other local authorities and to the Government itself. Rates and taxes have reached a level in New Zealand where they constitute a heavy brake on commerce, industry, and production. Yet the tendency is to add to these checks x on progress instead of seeking ways to effect economies. The outlook is such that very soon economic circumstances will require stricter examination of local and national budgets. Rather than that the pruning-knife be applied too drastically in one season it is better that the wood should be reduced gradually. And it will be surprising how the trees will respond by bearing more and better fruit. *

Good work has been done by the Wellington Technical College in spite of the handicaps of adequate class-room accommodation for teachers and pupils. Very welcome, therefore, was the announcement at the breaking-up ceremony yesterday that Cabinet had approved a “substantial grant” to equip the school better in this respect. Manual training was added to the Dominion’s educational system comparatively late but long enough ago for technical schools to .have passed the spare-wheel stage. Their contribution in vocations' training is very valuable and is at last receiving more recognition. It will be worth while to implement them well so that their efficiency may not be impaired by make-shifts. The Wellington College has a particularly fine record of service and the Government’s grant should assist the school to enlarge its sphere as well as to improve on the present high standard. * * * *

“If a Government really wants to encourage boys to go on the land, it should begin by making farming a more profitable business.” says the Rev. E. C. Crosse, headmaster of Christ’s College. Most people will agree that Mr. Crosse hqs got to the heart of the matter in one sentence. Mr. Atmore thinks the trick can be worked by giving an “agricultural bias” to education. But the Coueism or suggestion that will induce boys to go. on the land is that farming will pay. When agriculture was booming in the postwar years, no artificially-created “bias” was required to secure farmei recruits. Everyone wanted to go farming; returned soldiers scrambled for holdings, and many business men left the towns to make their fortunes out of broad acres. New Zealand would not welcome a repetition of that boom-and its aftermath, but it goes to show that the bias is where the profit is. If the Government would bend its energies to reducing productive costs so that farming became more profitable, the problem would be solved automatically. Instead of giving that sort of practical encouragement, the Government talks about inculcating “agricultural bias” and proceeds to prejudice primary industry ty placing new, and heavy, taxes on the land.