TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 4, 5 July 1910, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

In Mr. Massey's opinion the only im•<m,(. «r A P°rtant new proposal Water Water in the Government's Everywhere." programme, as out- „„„. c . . haed in the Governor a Speech, is the referenco to watet power, and the suggestion that Parliament may be asked to empower the Government to borrow a beautiful half-mil-lion a year to harness rivers and similar prancing "white horses" or "white elephants." M6re than once The Po"st has indicated that many thinking people may be curious to know why the Government has suddenly got that "water jvmj • am> " The Prime Minister has dabbled in that water, an d so has tho Mon. K. M'Kenzie and other Ministers, lnat water has been hosed upon the people many times since the Ministry stumbled upon the inexhaustible fountains How does the scheme analyse? What are the, Government's plans? An article m yesterday's Post, by Mr. F. Black, presented some shrewd criticism 0 y P ro P° sals - The writer expanded some brief comments whicli have been given in The Post, and plainly indicated thai the blessed word water-power may not have all the virtues which it may possess in enthusiasts imaginations. There is one little word to be well and wisely pondered,it is "cost." It may be sad to see power running to waste ; but it may be sadder still to put bit and bridle upon it. It may be just as sad to see the strong tiger running wild in the jungle. How pretty he would look between the shafts of a baker's cart ! But who itches to tame the tiger? Some Ministerial nonsense has been talked about water-power, and it is no better nonsense for being Ministerial. Some analysts of the propositions are inclined to suspect that there is more politics than sound economics in the dangling of that glittering annual half-million before the public eye. From whom did the notion come ? His Majesty's Opposition has been offered a deadly insult, An Insult and has been into the Opposition, jured and damaged . almost beyond repair (it seems). When Mr. Massey was kind enough to try to tear the Government to tatters in the debate on the Address-in-Reply, the Government was not conventionally polite enough to turn on the Hon. R. M'Kenzie or the Hon. J. Carroll, or some other senior member of the Ministry, to buffet the Opposition. In fact, the Government was wicked enough to make the Hon. A. T. Ngata the executioner. From the statements that have so far appeared, it seems that the Opposition has held an indignation meeting. Is it to be another Knyvett case? It is very hard to understand how any body of sane men could feel broody and moody about such a matter. It was suroly better for the Opposition to have its leader rapiered by a Ngata on Native Land than to be bludgeoned and truncheoned by a M'Kenzie — better to have decent interment with Christian rites than to "welter in the parching wind." Mr. Ngata's reply was courteous, every word, every intonation, every gesture in perfect taste ; but because he has not been as long in the Ministry as some of the other members of Cabinet, the Opposition is mortally insulted, and "won't speak" in the debate — at least it would not speak till two Government members had spoken in succession. It it pitiable to sco this "won't play in your yard"- attitude among- grown men, and it is still more regrettable to see them encouraged in their foolish lack of dignity. Keno has brought much "rhino" to both Johnson, and Jeffries— the Reno and significance of the order of I "Rhino." the names will be apparent from our cabled account of the great fight which has just been decided. Once again a black pugilist has achieved the world's honours in the ring. The sporting world at large has had its eyes fixed on the goldmining town on the Nevada tableland, and there will be a huge disappointment among the whites that the once .mighty Jeffries, in spite of a brave re-entry into the ring, has failed to wrest the laurels from the black. It was not for want of trying, but those years' absence from the arena has apparently told on the one-time unbeaten champion, whose record will go x down to sporting history still a creditable and a mighty one. It will be interesting to note how Reno, , in view of the foreword cables this ! morning, has taken the victory of the present champion. Reno, at the best of times, has not the brightest of reputations, and what with the influx of cardsharpers, confidence men, and desperadoes that the Wild West knows, the precaution taken to arm the police to tho teeth seems., at this distance, a wise one. The triumph of black over white should intensify the racial antagonism to such a degree that the big fight with the gloves may be followed by one which will paint Reno red in a literal sense. There will be great rejoicing in the negro settlements in the States to-day, and in every succeeding contest where Johnson's supremacy is threatehed he ■will, doubtless, go into the fray girt with the prayers of compatriot pastors. The negro was exalted ay his victory over Burns. To-day he has reached the pinnacle of his ambition : He has beaten Jt-ffries. It is a pity, certainly, but the best man has won, and, under any circumstances, that at least is something to fcportsmen, white, or black. Also, the result of this, the most remarkable contest of its kind, is clear proof of science against less science and sheer hitting power. Johnson is admittedly a boxer first ; Jeffries had not the same pretensions.

That mythical old lady who took up her residence in a piece of footwear and was perturbed by the number of offsprings she had, has a modern successor in the Mayor of Invercargill. Not that he has a large family or lives in a shoe, but that he has to preside over 43 councillors. Invercargill some time ago absorbed a number of adjacent boroughs, and the law decreed that all the councillors 'should retain their seats until their term of office expired. So that now, instead of 12 councillors, the Mayor of Invercargill has 43, and furthermore, the Supreme Court has decided that all vacancies shall be filled. Then the number will be 53! If there is wisdom in a multitude of counsellors, then the town's affaire should bo well governed.