TOPICS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 73, 26 March 1926, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY

In offering to give legislative authority to the ■ recommendations of tho Coal Commission Mr. Baldwin has made a bold bid for'peace in the industry. His offer, as transmitted, is hedged with no limitations or conditions except the necessary stipulation . that owners and miners must also accept the report. It is assumed, then, that the Government is prepared to give full effect to the recommendations with which it is concerned, including: (1) Acquisition of mineral rights; (2) provision for research, including the establishment of a national fuel and power committee; (3) compulsory pro-fit-sharing; (4) removal of obstacles to mine-lease amalgamations; (5) authority for retail coal distribution by local bodies. If we consider only one item in this list, the acquisition of mineral rights, it must certainly involve heavy State expenditure. Estimates of the cost vary. Mr. Cook would place it at nothing, and tho Duke of Northumberland would assess it probably at hundreds of millions. The Commission recommends safeguards against excessive compensation claims and also the acquisition by declaration of unproved- and deep-level rights which have no -market value. Even so, the cost must be high. Yet this is the price the Government is prepared to pay. Will the miners and owners also add their contribution to save tho industry? Mr. Cook appears to be obdurate; but we may ~ hope that tho miners themselves will realise that they have within their grasp things for which they have fought many ye;irs— the elimination of private royalties, housing improvement, and pit committees giving them a share in control. Will they drop these possible gains to fight for an unalterable wage standard?

Having made its plans for paving work, the City and Suburban Highways Board should keep to them unless circumstances, unforeseen when tho plans were approved, compel an alteration. Wo did not advocate commencement of the Day's Bay road paving this season if the work originally scheduled for the. year could have been continued, but having now begun work upon this road the board will bo acting most foolishly if it drops it half-way to take on another job. Such chopping and changing cannot make for economy or efficiency. No doubt certain other streets need treatment, and the sooner the paving can be laid the better; but the Highways Board has given Day's Bay road priority, and should not

change its mind at this late hour. So far as we can see, the arguments advancod for immediate paving of any of tho other streets apply equally in favour of continuing the Day's Bay road. Bus traffic will cut one of the other streets about in the winter, but the motors will make as bad a mess of Day's Bay formation if it is left without a paving. Probably more damage will bo dono in the latter instance, as the clay formation will be cut to pieces by rain and motors. When the plant is already at work in one place only an overwhelming case can justify loss of time and labour by transfer. A striking illustration of the inconvenience caused by such stoppages as we have referred to is supplied on the Lower Hutt-Trentham road.

Greasing of cartridges with hog fat was alleged to have caused the Indian Mutiny of 1857. This is the .way of a people whose religious scruples are more precious to them than reason. So it may be that grave trouble may again arise in the East through wounding religious feelings. As an instance, the Cairo correspondent of "The Times," according to the cablegrams to-day, refers to protests made by Moslem leaders against substitution of the fez for the bowler, and the more serious innovation of recognition of mixed marriages as being contrary to the tenets of Islamism. Apart from natural and general repugnance to legalised compulsion in matters affecting personal susceptibilities and religious convictions, this matter of head-cover-ing and the' official view of marriage may have an important bearing on the peace of the world. British respect for other religions, especially as shown towards the peoples of India and of the East in general, has been clearly recognised and appreciated by dissentients from the present regime in Turkey. They have established themselves in comparatively large numbers under the British flag in Irak. There they practise their religion without let or hindrance, and, as tho Turkish Government perceives, may carry on , intrigues against the ruling authorities in Angora. In these circumstances a sidelight is thrown on the anxiety of the Turkish Government over Mosul and the consequent suspicion with which the League of Nations is regarded. Ono never knows with such zealots as Eastern peoples produce what a great fire may he kindled by a mere spark.