TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 5, 6 July 1910, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Listening to some of the speeches on the Address-in-Reply Glacial Periods, makes one think of the glaciers, the great slow - moviug frozen masses, gliding imperceptibly towards some goal, gathering up rocks, stones, sand, lichens, sticks, en route. It is well known that the debate is useful in giving members an opening to let out important grievances, but for one valuable remark there are twenty platitudes, to be embalmed for all time in that noble sarcophagus of Hansard. Obviously the itch to talk cannot come from the bored members, many of whom unmistakably prefer other ■ distractions, such as reading, writing, or the relaxation of yawning or dozing. Hansard seems to be the fatal lure, and the suffering country has to pay for the printing of all the dreariness. A further tragic feature of this inordinate Loquacity is that much of it will be repeated in the financial debate, and will be again noted verbatim for Hansard. An hour per member seems to be far too much latitude for the Address discussion, especially when it is remembered that the "business end" of the session will probably be rough -hewn, as in the past, as the sequel to the time ■wasted now. Members begin the session with an oratorical "burst," at considerable cost to the general taxpayers, but, unfortunately, the delirium tremenu is not mffored by the intemperate, bub by the ftudi«nen. The deposition of

reports is also drawing a full measure of idle words. Borne excellent sense has been offered by some members, who knew the subject, but others, unable to turn down an opportunity to get into Hansard, have inflicted much nonsense on the House. Yesterday's "woolgathering" was an example. One or two members, who got among the sheep, went sadly astray. They were more m need of a shepherd than the sheep were. But Hansard took it all. Fairly full publicity was given in the House of Keprfisenta'TwixtDuty tives yesterday to an _ and incident which had Friendship. aroused some curiosity throughout New Zealand. A citizen of Christchurch (a Justice of the Peace) had been arrested for drunkenness (a first arrest), and sought the aid of a friend, Mr. T. H. Davey, M.P., to mitigate the disgrace. Mr. Davey went to a police officer, and made a humanitarian appeal, with stress on wife and children. Mr. Davey's warm heart of a man had won in the struggle with the cold judicial mind which he, as a representative of the people, should have exercised, and the police officer similarly succumbed. Tho sequel was that the culprit was not correctly named in the police records. Mr. Davey's confession yesterday contained an assurance that he did not know that the records were to be falsified, but in making this statement he did not seek to save himself from any blame rightly due to nim, by adding to the case against an officer who had a record of thirty-five years of clean service. Mr. T. E. Taylor yesterday impressively substantiated his claim that he was doing his duty as a man with a responsibility to the public by bringing the case into the open after the facts had been revealed to him in Christchurch. No odium can attach to Mr. Taylor for his fearless championing of a public cause, but it must be remembered, too, for Mr. Davey, that his mistake was a human one. He, as well as the police officer, has his clean manly record. He must have known, too, that he was gravely risking himself to save an intemperate friend's innocent family from shame, and the heavy penalty was the indictment of yesterday. The end of the affair has not coma yet. The grave matter of a false entry in a book of public records is still under the Government's eye, and the Prime Minister has announced that the Government will do its "clear duty." In the current issue of the Sydney Bulletin, which stands first Papua White and foremost for a white or Brown? Australia, a correspondent from Papua relates particulars of a movement which is likely to have a bearing on that all direct important question. The rubber industry is forging ahead in Papua, and there is always a large demand for labour for the preparation of copra or hemp. The supply of Papuans, owing to the continued expansion of the primary industries, is not sufficient to meet tKe^ demand, and the near future will- accentuate the shortage Under the circumstances, the various companies (according to the Sydney journal's correspondent) are looking for supplies from outside, and their ideas incline to the alleged cheap Javanese, Chinese, and Japanese labour to meet future requirements. The question is one that calls for enquiry by the Commonwealth, whose attitude towards the Easterner is one of the "shut-the-door-on-the-outside" policy. Economically there is no reason whatever why the plantation companies of Papua should import the undesirable and undesired alien, who, it has been proved up to the hilt in the Queensland sugar industry, is in the long run no cheaper and less productive than the average white. Also, the European has demonstrated his superior endurance of the_ tropic heat, and this is a very material factor to be taken into consideration. It might be pointed out also that Queensland is only six hours' steam from Papua, and the open door of the rich Northern Territory close enough to be distinctly visible. If there is anything in the statement referred to, the Commonwealth should interfere for two strong reasons : — Firstly, that the white man is, on his merits, entitled to the preference if work is available, and secondly, that the Eastern root, though only a root, may in time develop into a cactus (not a Burbank either) of spreading tendencies, whose eradication, it is conceivable, might be an expensive business.