TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 23, 27 July 1911, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Probably nwwe interest will bo taken, by New Zealandera A Friend to-day in th« bulkof the People, tins of Mr. T. E. Taylor's condition than in the text of the Governor's Speech &t the opening of Parliament. 1 M<r. Taylor, Mayor of Greater Christchurch and member of Parliament for Chrietchurch North, Jia* bpen such a { vigorous jtcto* on the public stage that 1 tho whole country muafc be warmly symI pathising with him now in his illness, and hoping that the tireless champion I of the democracy will be coon restored to health. We can well imagine that even his keenest enemies would not wieh j to have New Zealand bereft of Mr. T. E, Taylor. He hae been a tonic even fy> Ins foefif he has kept them galvanised; they were never allowed to sit bank at their ea«e_ if Mr. Taylor belieted that their sitting was injuriousto the common good. Sickness came upon him at a time when his energies were thost wanted for municipal and general political work. He was taken prisoner almost on the eve of a poll I in which the people were to pass judgment on his roading scheme, the largest J venture _of its kind ever proposed to the Christchurch public. In a message from his room, when he was on the verge of a grave crisis, he sent out a strong-spirited man's words to the peoUe lhat he desired no sympathy vote. He had fought valiantly day after day for the great roading plan, but in his message he gave the opinion that he would r&thef not see a favourable vote under the circumstances. The session opening to-day is one presenting opportunities for a man of Mr, T. E, Tay» lor's talent a-nd eloquence to do valuable public service. The people's first regret at the /strong man's prostration is personal, and the second ie national, for Mr. Ta.ylor has been a national worker. He never had patience for doing fatigue duty, after the manner of the average politician, at the handle of the parochial pump. Indeed, he was wont to lay the knout across the backs of sundry "pumpers." The Post joins heartily with many thousands of New Zealanders in wishing Mr. Taylor a solid restoration to health. It is unfortunate that the discussion of railway officers' The Railways grievances, repeatedly and Politic*, expressed in their monthly magazine, is to be projected into the pre-election session. The Minister (the Hon. J. A. Millar) may have to bear a considerable portion of the blame, for he had oppor* tunities in the early part of the recess to know unmistakably that discontent was rampant among many of the officers. He did not eeetn disposed to get into serious grips with the problem. Certainly when the Railway Officers' Advocate made a charge, supported with some evidence, that the department's policy involved a rifek of injury to the travelling public, the Minister declined to make any rebutting statement. The charge has been repeated, and still the authorities are silent. The grievances, shortly, are that the salaries of the best railway positions do not compare favourably with the figures paid in the Post and Telegraph DepaHment; the status of important positions has been reduced, and highly responsible pla-ces are filled by men, at lower salaries, with qualifications appreciably below those of the men whom they have succeeded. It is, in short, alleged to be a levelling-down process, inimical to the public interest. It is also submitted that long and erduons hours of overtime have to be worked for nothing but weariness of body and mmd. This complaint is practically one of "sweating.'' The Advo< cate has quoted serious railway accidents in Australia and elsewhere as traceable to the mistakes of overworked~men. All these matters, it is fair to assume, will be debated on the floor of the House of Representatives, and the electioneering element will intrude, as it always does when a railway subject is mooted. The officers' case is one for enquiry, one for judicial sifting, and proper righting if the charges are substantiated, but any debate m the House will probably produce more heat than light. That evil is inseparable from the political management of the railways. Some Auckland men persist in asserting ! that Auckland is a cheaper Harbour port for ships to work than Affairs. Wellington is, and they have declined to listen to reason as_ set forth again and again by the Wellington Board's chairman, Mr. Fletcher. In our previous comment on this subject v>e drew attention to tbe Auckland habit o£ omitting to make the comparisons between total charges, fully covering all amounts debited to consignee, ship, and_port. Tho Wellington Board's figures ihrlude services which are nob undertaken by the northern boardj but these services have to be done in Auckland as well as in Wellihgton, and have to bo paid for. Tho goods are loaded with tho cost, even if tho Auckland Board is unwilling lo »co the point. No doubt the consumer 6ees it better. A va.luft.ble report, submitted at last night's meeting, make* tho ra*tfc* clear, Some, members seemed

dubious about the calculations, quoted by Mr. Fletcher to demonstrate- Welling* ton's harbour supremacy, and they requested time to study the schedules. We feel, however, that the public will be prepared to take Mr. Fletcher's rssul" ance, backed up by the board's officers, that the figures have been prepared Arith a full regard for fairness and accuracy, Auckland will no doubt protest, but it is quite possible that an analysis of the protests will serve to emphasise the truth of Mr. Fletcher's claims. Another important topic, waterside work, came before the board last night. Mr. Hindm&rsh, a new member, urged the board to send tho following remit to the next Harbours Conference :— -"That the conference ask the Government to amend the Harbours Act bo afl to empowet Harbour Boards to undertake the loading and discharging of ships." Thereare serious practical difficulties in the way of such a, course, and Mr. Hindmarsh will know more about them when he knows more about harbour affairs. Waterside work does not always arrange itself smoothly from the viewpoint of tho "casual," but perfection cannot be achieved by a stroke of the legislative pen. We are not surprised tliaT tho older members of the board, with the advantage of superior knowledge opposed the exuberant Mr. Hindmarsh, and put his proposKl aside for tho DMsent, l