TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 30, 5 February 1912, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

We have no doubt whatever that Mr. Jamefi Hielop, long asAn Arbitrary sociated with Sir JosAppointment, eph Ward as the Premier's chief secretary, ifi deservedly popular, in and out of tho Public Service, but we are sure that his appointment to the position of Undersecretary of Internal Affairs, in succession to the late Mr. Hugh Pollen, will excite widespread resentment, most of which' will be felt rather against the Government than ' against Mr. Hislop personally. '- Well 'as Mr. Hislop has served hts chief,' it cannot be said that his experience haa been on lines to specially fit him for the important duties to which Cabinet has • decided to assign him. An tJnder-Secrefcary has to be a Minister's right-hand man in large affaire of State. He has to be able to advise the Minister on intricate departmental question*), and such capacity ie not to be suddenly acquired. With many hundreds of people who have officially or unofficially met Mr. Hislop, we have a high regard for those qualities which have made him an excellent private sec-retsdt-y, but we must protest emphatically against the manner of this appointment, We do not believe that the Government has acted within its right*. It has behaved arbitrarily, in "a manner which must create keen discontent among men whose knowledge and, years of departmental experience have been ignored. It is an act, too / which comes ill from a Government which ha« to prove in a few days whether it holds the confidence of the country. The appointment almost implies that Sir Joseph Ward, whatever he may say publicly, believes in "his heart that he will not be able to continue in office. The present example of Ministerial improper conduct has followed fast on the arbitrary railway wages decision on which we commented a few days ago. The cavalier disposal of an Under-Seeretaryßhip* supplies a forcible argument for the establishment of a Public Service Board, which The Post has so long advocated, to make high appointments on a reasonable, just basis to merit the confidence of the officers, and not on a personal basis to make them disheartened and disaffected. Political events and possibilities have naturally diverted the National Government's thought* Institutions, from the national art gallery and museum projects which aroused some enthusiasm towards the end of last session, after the precious Buller collection of Maori treasure had been accepted by the Government on behalf of New Zealand. We do not anticipate that muoh building will be done for some time, but the possibility of postponement should hot induce the people of Wellington and the whole country to forget the promises of last year. Some valuable preparations can be made, even if the building work is deferrod. We are glad that the local Academy has heartily expressed it« willingness to co-operate with the Government for th« proper furnishing of a National Art Gallery. By such a working partnership the country and the Capital can get one good gallery instead of two inferior ones. A similar plan of , co-operation «hould b« adopted in the

museum sphere, especially in relation to records of the early years of settlement. Neither the Government nor the City Council has so far made any notable move towards a policy of mutual effort, ! but we are hopeful that the patlis of the general and local authoritie« wUI presently converge. The city and the country would be losers by having two competitive institutions— one State and the other municipal. Definite useful scope may bo found for tho Municipal ! Museum, on lines which will not clash ! with the proposed National Museum. ! Ihe essential thing is a plain working understanding, and one aid for thfi necessity would be tho establishment of a board of control, on which tho Govern ment and the city would be represented. Such a suggestion was made in the columns of The Post two years ago, and it is one which ha* fouhd favour with citusens genuinely and intelllgeatly in. terest-ed in museum policy. "Church people," said the Bishop of Oxford .last weok, Sane and Sound "ought not to do Humanitariainsm. mere salvage work . „ , , When too late, btiti should ihslst on the abolition of slums and other evils, giving the masses a cn&nce to reach a higher level." "We are not now concerned with the question whether, town-planning is a proper function of the churches, but we are. glad, nevertheless, that tho Bishop has stressed tne national importance of a healthy housing of tile people. Hap. pily churchmen (in an ordinary civil capacity) and non-churchmen haVo combined in England to improve old towns, and to make new "garden suburbs." It is recognised that the campaign against mental and physical degeneracy and the crusade against tuberculosis must begin at the homes and environment of tho people. Social reform must begin at home; if the homes are improved, tho nation must necessarily be improved, in physical, mental, and moral stuinina. By rational town-planning the social re former can reduce crime and disease. It is a distinctly profitable policy, even from the cold material viewpoint. This truth is being well recognised by tho civic authorities of Sydney and by tho New South Wales Government. Plans of the, new State proposal for 850 cottages at Kensington, in the outskirts of bydney, show that the Government has wisely studied the best English and German models^ and the experiment j 6iiould have a value for all Australasia. New Zealand has not the slums of older countries, but there is always a danger of slumdom with such facilities as tho present laws permit. The longer a country allows the haphazard cuttingup and housing of town areas the more costly will be the remedial measures which overcrdwding may ultimately demand. Now is tho time for New Zealand to have a common-eenso, profitable regard for town-plannilig.