NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 266, 7 August 1934, Page 8

NOTES OF THE DAY

The Unemployment Board has made what, from the public interest, is a timely announcement in regard to the measure of assistance to be given to gold-mining companies. An inter-departmental committee, representing the board, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and the Department of Mines, has been appointed to determine the merits of each mining company proposition for assistance from the Unemployment Fund. The danger of any scheme of unemployment relief of this kind is that it mav be exploited by private speculative interests, and it is a fair condition that certain questions involving the good faith of such propositions should be answered: Are the prospects reasonably sound ? . Is the company prepared to spend money in developing its enterprise? Is repayment of the board’s assistance to be a condition precedent to the distribution of dividends to shareholders? It is obvious that if these questions can be answered, and the obligations implied therein faithfully can ted out, there is a case for assisting private enterprise in the development of an industry which in successful operation can be of great benefit to the country as well as opening up avenues for re-employment.

A correspondent whose letter we publish to-day objects to this demolition of buildings in Wellington for an imaginary earthquake. In the 48 years that he has lived in Wellington, he says, there has not been an earthquake severe enough to destroy a building. Let it be hoped there never will be. But at the same time let us not run needless risks. The fact that one’s home has escaped fire for 50 years is not a valid reason for declining to insure it. Napier and Hastings, Nelson and Pahiatua, could pointy to long periods of immunity from damaging earthquake. Wellington may not experience any disturbance more serious than those of the past; but again she may: it is -worth while to be prepared. In any case buildings are not being demolished; their exteriors are being remodelled —a much less ambitious and less costly undertaking, yet onp. that might be the means of saving the lives of scores of innocent citizens if a serious earthquake should come.

In making the annual allocation of benefits from the T. G. Macarthy Trust yesterday, the trustees decided to draw upon next year’s income for more immediate and urgent benefits. In this, unquestionably, they are acting in the spirit of the munificent testator who willed his worldly goods for the benefit of humanity. As one result, the Mayor of Wellington’s Fund for the. Relief of Distress has benefited by 100 per cent., last year’s donation of £5OO having been doubled. Various charities which, through the exigencies of the times and the contraction of income to the fund from investments, were unavoidably excluded from the benefits of the Trust last year, have this year been granted welcome assistance. The fund has in prospect a large accretion of resources for charitable assistance in future years. Its benefactions are enabled by the fact that there is no discrimination in respect of creeds or causes. When there is a deserving charity, its case is recognised. In that respect the Macarthy Trust is the Dominion’s most notable expression of humanitarian benevolence.

At one time in the comparatively recent past it was thought that the vogue of the fur coat would accomplish the control of the rabbit pest in New Zealand. The vogue declined with the advent of the depression, and, as one result, the rabbits increased alarmingly in certain districts. A cable message to-day tells of laboratory experiments that hold out promise of the ultimate extermination of the pest in Australia by the introduction of a disease which affects rabbits alone. Australia’s losses from the rabbits are estimated at £30,000,000 per annum. No estimates of the loss to New Zealand from the pest are available, but it must amount to a substantial figure. The new disease has yet to be tested under satisfactory conditions; but if tests are successful. New Zealand will be not one whit behind Australia in giving thanks to Brazil, when comes the virus, to the lucky accident that introduced it to England, and to the scientists who are so keen to turn it to good account.