NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 36, 6 November 1933, Page 8

NOTES OF THE DAY

It is more than probable that considerable comment will follow the publication of Mr. Justice Smith’s remarks in Auckland on the illegal committal of a girl to a Borstal Institution by the Children’s Court. “An extraordinary state of affairs,” commented his Honour, in ordering the girl’s release from custody forthwith. “The Children's Court,” he added, “would appear to exercise the powers of a Star Chamber.” The point about this case is that the girl has only nowbeen released after completing 18 months of her three years’ detention in the Borstal Institution. “Star Chamber” has an unpleasant sound, and this is not the first time that the Children’s Court has been the subject of that sort of criticism. It is to be hoped that the matter will be fully ventilated in Parliament and the system of child welfare reviewed.

A London message states that the Dominions and colonies arc being invited to attend an All-Empire conference in London early in 1934 with the object of ensuring that Empire cargoes will be carried in Empire ships. It is not stated whether the conference is official or otherwise, or who is convening it. In the meantime it may be remarked that the stated objective will not be easy to realise. As it is, the British carry far more for foreigners than foreigners carry for the British. If the Empire confined its freights to Empire ships, it might expect retaliation and lose more than it gained. Certainly it would not appear a wise move to initiate such an exclusive policy. It is another matter to try to correct unequal competitive conditions which have already been created by a rival. The difficulties that have •.risen in such an attempt on the Pacific route should convince observers of the thornier problems raised by the larger proposal emanating from London.

Some strange proposals have issued out of the economic bewilderment in which civilised States find themselves lords, of production but unable to devise an efficient system of distribution. From the United States comes a plan under which man would gain a title to the necessaries of life by labour service given between the years of 18 and 26. If eight years’ work under power production is long enough to endow an individual with necessaries during his or her existence, an entirely new conception of life is'opened, up. Under the scheme, work would still have to be done to provide the trimmings but it is apparent that an almost endless vista of leisure is offered to those whose wants are simple. The next problem would be to use the leisure and those who have already had to solve it know that it often means hard work. Meanwhile, far from studying such proposals, most countries are trying to plan so that many of their citizens will not suffer under what is considered the curse of idleness.