SOME INTERESTING PUBLIC QUESTIONS.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 18, 21 July 1898, Page 4

SOME INTERESTING PUBLIC QUESTIONS.

« • The current Order Paper of the House of Representatives has upon its list several important and interesting notices and questions, to some of which we may just now with advantage to the public interest direct attention. Thus, we find a pertiuent question by the member for l]aieri, who wishes to know whether—since the Railway Department has, in the interest of agriculturists, decided to rail lime, as a fertiliser, free of charge—regulations will be provided to prevent the farmers being imposed upon by the proprietors of lime kilns raising the price of lime, as was done on a previous occasion when the railway freight on lime was reduced. If this latter statement can be shown to be true it would be quite right for the State to intervene and make the concession subject to Mis-pen, ion at any time it was found that the kiln-owners raised the price for the purpose of securing an added margin of profit at the expense of the general taxpayer. In these days of State aid to the agricultural industry it is of the first importance that the persons to be benefited shall be secured in their advantage, and the request of Mr. Carncross indicates a weak spot that should be protected. If the condition we suggest should prove ineffective for its purpose, and a "corner" in agricultural lime is organised against the fanner, then the Government may iairly consider the question of resumption of the lime deposits by the Stale. It is satisfactory to note that the shameful scandal of the lunatic asylums has roused the Leader of the Opposition to some activity on a subject that might long since have properly engaged his attention. He asks whether, in view of the deplorable condition of the asylums as disclosed in repeated oftfeial reports, the Government will take active steps to remedy such grave cause of scandal, lla* the Premier bad any estimate of cost of necessary accommodation prepared, and if so, will be inform the House? We do not suppose, that Captain Russell will obtain any satisfactory reply, but we trust he will do as we. intend to do—keep the ugly business before the country until public opinion impels the Government to do its plain duty. Meanwhile, lunatics are not voters, and therefore, to use an Americanism, the Premier does not " take any stock in them." Mr. John Duihie has got upon the track oC yet another Ministerial abuse of power, and we hope he will follow it until he "gets there." The City member wishes to know whether a circular was issued by the Railway Department in April last, signed by Mr. Lowe, Engineer, instructing the district officers that no casual bands were to be employed by them, but labour requirements reported to Wellington, when the names of those to be employed would be given. We may here say that we have most excellent reason to believe that such an instruction has been issued, so that it is to be hoped that if Mr. Duthie's question is met, as it almost certainly will be, by blank denial or the official evasion that is equivalent, the House will take other means to ascertain the truth. It is but another scheming and audacious method of rewarding the humbler instruments of the " right colour," a ramification of "Tammany," and another argument in favour of an Elective Executive. During the progress of the by-election for the City, the Premier, spreading his sail to catch the wind of popular opinion, declared himself in favour of a Public Service Commission. It served his purpose for the hour, and he has been silent on the subject since. The member for Ivaiapoi has given notice of a question that will give the Leader of tlie House another opportunity of proving his insincerity, lie will be asked whether he will cause a Royal Commission to be set up to enquire into the working of the Civil Service of the colony, giving power to call for persons and papers, and to examine witnesses on oath, without prejudice to their position. In other words, the Premier will be invited to let the light of day into a system of " Bpoils" without'

parallel in any colony of this hemisphere, to pledge himself to an act thai would b« his political death-warrant, to open the. door to disclosures that would not only lead to hi.deposition from power, but make his return to it an impossibility. He knows better!