TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 112, 13 May 1911, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Bowling on the level green m good for the body and mind, but Imperial these advantages are noBowling, thing to tho third degree of good and glory latent an bowling— the Imperial aspect. Tho Acting Prime Minister was at a bowlers' smoke concert last night, and the sunny Hon. James Carroll had the amiable frame of mind of "Old King Cole" when he called for his pipe and hie bowl. Through tho azure curlings and coilings of the smoke .the prophetic Ministerial eye beheld bowlers embarrassing an ambitious Germany in the scheme of world politics. He soared above the cricket-fields of Eton and Harrow, with all their bearing on Waterloo, "and saw the bowling green exalted above them all. He saw bowlmg " helping towards that centralisation of force which would yet keep the Empire on the surface." Good for Mr. Carroll and good for bowling! Mr. Hercies was at Hokitika last night heckling the Government, but Mr. Herries was concerned with comparatively minor things. Mr. Carroll, at the smoke concert, was Em-pire-building, pointing to a day when bowlers might be able to say to the all-Red earth: "Thk is the house that 'jack' built." Bowling should be filliped. The pfey for the Feathera and the Buckles should be keen next season. Every bowler should be conscious of an Imperial part in hie kit, and every good throw at the "jack" (if the phrase is correct) should warrant an exclamation : "There's a bit for the Empire." Mr. Carroll ia a pleasant orator. Even if he does not case much for acting during his tenure of the Premiership he at least makes some readable speeches. With the withering of the leaves on . English trees unskillThe Winter ed Labour in counTrek. try district* . looks citywards. Already an invasion of Wellington haa set in, and the Labour Department is much exercised in trying to grapple with the rush. "As there is already sufficient local labour available," states the Labour- Journal, "men living in the country will be well advised to stay where they ate." In the ordinary course here preference of employment will be given to married men, and Wellington men will be considered before strangers. Many of tho skilled trades here are reported to be busy. Wellington has enough doing to keep the city fairly happy, but there will not be sufficient channels of employment during the winter to absorb a, large influx of unskilled workers. It is w<?D, therefore, for prospective immigrants of that order to be warned in time. The paragraph in the Labour Journal raises the question whether the Minister has fulfilled hia promise to improve the State system of Labour Bureaux. Tnis need was fully realised during the black winter of 1909, but feara were forgotten when sunny days returned. The outlook now for New Zealand is bright enough to keep the Government in the old exuberant mood, but the season when times are good is the season foi making provision against any set-back. We are confident that New Zealand can learn much from older countries— notably Germany and France and England— in the system of labour exchanges, but this learning demands tha* somebody must think and take somo pains. Whew is the thinker?