TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 64, 13 September 1911, Page 9

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Brown-studio atW. reveries ore, not w« :n .iiiil about, Parliament Political Buildings just, r. O w. Tke Carrots, are only eight Ministers, but thtitj are two dostin prospective Ministers, gt»a*. Ministers, history-makera epochal statesmen, keen to catch £1000 a y*ar when the call eofncs—to*nioirot?. at'd to-morrow and to-morrow. Eye* Rim* Mr. tfowlds threw hie portfolio* to the ground, many hands have been stretched ' to pick them up, »nd only a word from the "rime Minister stands between them txni the pri?e. The expectant ones do not bother mtich about the theory of probabilities, iheif high hope is proof against the possibility ot' disappointment. The Stone given in the past instead of theexpected bread haft at least served to whet the appetite. Mr. Willord'a name M freely mentioned roundabout th© lobbies &* a. ( po.sfiibillty for the leadership of the Legislative Council when Sir John Findky > withdraws, bub My. Wilford's chance is just a chance, And it if not quoted high just- now in the political market-plaO. Ibere are otkete--* many t4 them— ail a,l«rt, all watchful, all hopeful, ftoi necessarily for Sir John's (shoes, but for some Ministerial statue, sml tiM days are full of suspense for them. Sir Joseph can please one man aitd one man's 'friends' by making a selection how, bat he would stand to of' fend a. contingent of the lucky man's rivals. Ths Prime Minister's 'political interests seem to be best sewed by keeping all the expectant oftee on tenterhooks through the fclection season. In the meantime the electoral map has to be studied diligently to give Sir Johh a locus standi for Representative honours. The geographical element in the placing of a, Minister has an importance far beyond the estimate of the man in the street. Five of the eight surviving Ministers represent South Island conslituenries. The two resignations— Messrs. Hogg and Fowlds-»-came from the North Island. Sir Joseph haa to consider not only sir John's actual prospects' of success for a, particular seat. but that little detail of geographical balance. Sometimes the Government has the right geographical seat for a Minister, but lacks the man. Sometimes it Itae the man, but is worried about the seat. It is no easy matter t© pick just the right spot for Sir John. tn the old days it was the teacher's i function to strike. Iflfa.nl The pedagogue waa Terrorists. the active, Voice (plus hatid), 'and the pupil was in the passive voice. A few turns of the earth around the sun— and the child "strikes. Another strike of school children is reported from Old England, the second within a week, and it is notable the children have combined the strategy of Boy Scout* with the traditional methods of adult strikers. They picketed seven schools,- and they stoned "blacklegs." There is a laconic line at the tail of the cable. "The mothers intervened." it ie reported, "and the strike partially collapsed." In diplomacy "intervention," an' inno-cent-looking _ word, m&y have a very fiinistbt 1 significance. In Turkey a "removal" unpleasantly suggests the bowstring. In Hue&ia a "correction" may leave many weals on the back. A "punitive expedition" pate stains of red on lonely places of the earth. Motherly "intervention," in cafieS of childish 'wftfulness, is associated with a swishing slipper, and sb the strikers 'may have been struck after all. Yet, even without the slipper's aid. the mothers have the winning hand. They can strike in the kitchen and dining room. They can knock tha glamour from strike romance by cutting off food supplies. Juvenile warriors are no more eager than their elders to fight on an empty stomach. Let this be remembered here, where the valiant example of British insnrrectos may be emulated. The hand thafc holds the porridge-pot and the fryingpan rules the school. Striking on a diet of air and water is a poor pastime for school children. However much the aeroplane may overshadow the motor-car The Gentle some day, this antici* Motorist. pation does not make the public forget that the terrestrial Vehicle is much oft the landscape to-day. We have always gladly admitted that there are respectable motorists — many of them irreproachable citizens from all reasonable viewpoints. But there are others, the inevitable "horrible examples," whose offences distress their better brethren. The careful, considerate motorist does not require to have his track beset with the tacks and entanglements of by-lawe deemed necessary for public safety, but not all motorists can be thus trusted to respect the lives and limbs of other users of public thoroughfares. The Wellington City Council has receiver! frequent reminders of that fact, and i& considering a. salutary by-taw, which the general body of ciliae-tos will be gt*d to ccc in strict operation. The Lower Unit district is similarly worried by feckless chauffeurs, a,nd ' the Borough Council has been presFcd to apply a. remedy, per bj-k.w, but the Mayor, «, solicitor, ha* raised the saddening doubt th«t such a- course will not necessadly bTing pea/» on the highways. "ThJo Act (the Motor Regulation Act) wafi so irnsatisfaTt^i'y," said Mr. Bunny, "that it was doubtful whether such action wrfuid i bo sa-tis'acloiy.'' He hinted at complications in court about a, definition of " reasonable speed." That Act of 1906 was passed at a time when motor-cars wm-c- rare in this country, section 141 4 provides powers fnr local authorities thus : "Tn every ca«c where, under the provisions of any Act, the Ooverflor, tho Minister of l'ublic Works, tnc Minister of Railway*, oi 4 any local authority p«?e«£6e« the power io regulate And control, by by-laws or other- | wise. ( the u%o of vehicles of ."Wiy description, such power shall, subject to the i provisions c-f this Act, be downed to include ths power tn maJc* bv-kv9 preventing o.- restricting the use of motor* upon My bridge "roa^, or place where the Governor, tlw Mhilfttsr, or t!w local ftviihority making the "by-law is salisficri that suth ti&n would be *»f--1-etidtd with dinner t--» His ptiblif.." Thetp is here faMv wide sc<->t>? for " rc!»trirtioii. "' but mdfiy local finUmrij tics havp felt that their poW^s M^ j vsMjup under tho j\r l . Tt, is time tho* i\m f'ovemmont. li>.>k t'w ttwuWe tr> lwk into tiie Ktibjcct. The tioveinnrent profevt's. ii» the Viitfl^et, to lip 1 to brighten ih<- cta\s for wid6Ws>. What alimit hftping lo- prevent- u rxhte Jnofeflses in the Tank? "f widow* h\ an n.inendhiont of the' Motor ttegulft'tion Act? A liig rMisianment of fruit came to hand from Hvdney this mornitiß; by the Manuka. the. shipment, which comprises 2455 emm, }« math up principally of oranges, wth smaller lots of 'mandarins ««d other Jfttili It. Uh4ed in