TOPICS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 4, 5 July 1927, Page 8

TOPICS OF THE DAY

To-day the House of Representatives will resume the Address-iu-Reply Debate. Up to the present the debate has been disappointing. Members, with few exceptions, have shown little disposition to engage in constructive discussion' of tho big issues which Parliament must handle this session. They have pref orred instead to make speeches either in general terms or in search for a scapegort for the dairy control failure. A little of this is, no doubt, necessary; but there should be something more useful as woll. It may be entertaining to hagglo about party funds, liquor influence, and secret meetings; but this may be more properly left for the hustings. When members assemble at the country's expense they should do the country's business. There is no lack of business to be done, nor any reason why that business should not be commenced with tho Addrcss-in-Re-ply. Thoughtful speeches would help to clear the ground in readiness for the legislation which must follow, but if these speeches arc not to bo made the dobato is a mero waste of time, and the sooner it ends tho bettor.

An Auckland father last week incurred a rebuke from tho Child Welfaro Officer for failing to look after his eleven-year-old boy as well as he should have done. Tho father, it seems, was quite willing to lot the State take caro of tho lad; but the welfare officer did not thing thi. should bo allowod. "Wo have to bo careful (he said) or we shall be turning the Slato into'a huge mothor and fathor." Tho welfare officer was quite right in stressing tho need for care. State control, howover well guided, can never bo a satisfactory substituto for parental control; but the State is driven to adopt il in somo instances/ because there is no other way of making good the defects of negligent or unwise parents. Neglect of a child's material wolf are is an offenco against the law; but for neglect of training there is no punishment. Wo are not ablo hero to apply the correction which O. Honry has Imagined in one of his stories. Tho angel policeman has arrested and brought for trial a young girl who has gone wrong. Instead of being commonded he is severely rebuked: "Tho criminal you have to find is a red-head-td man who road his newspaper all the evening and wouldn't play chequers with his daughter." Parental control is not, of course, the easy matter which theorists may imagine. It calls for consummate tact, vigilance, care, and unselfishness. Bad habits are more contagious than the measles, and pome boys appear to have been most successfully inoculated'against all good examples. But training, if conscientiously '-Undertaken, has its own reward.

Farmer opposition to the Daylight Saving measure is being energetically organised, but we hopo that Parliament in dealing with the Bill will give duo attention to the reasons advanced for this opposition. If this is done tho Bill must be passed, for it is plain that the opposition is mainly due to preju-. dice and misunderstanding. That is amply proYed.when, ii farmer spokesman endeavours j to set-out his reasons, as the Chairm.an of the Wellington Provincial Executive of the Farmers' Union did last .week. The chairman argued that Daylight Saving wouldmake life so in tho towns that workers -would leavo the country, and also that by advancing the clock the operation of rural industries would bo made more difficult. The first argument is wholly untenable. Could anything be more . unreasonable than to suggest that life jn; the towns should not be made attractive, (when this can be dono with economic and health benefit) because the country will lose its labour? In any circumstances the fear is unjustified. Workers are just as likely to come to the towns because they can He in bed an hour longer. The interference with production is another bogy. Where hours of labour are governed by natural conditions—the dews in harvesting and the daylight in -milk-

iug—Arbitration Court awards can be made to conform. Altogether we are convinced that the case for a trial of Daylight Saving is overwhelming, and prejudice should no longer be allowed to bar a reform which experience in other countries has proved to be highly beneficial to health and industry

For obvious reasons, afforestation is not a subject in which private enterprise enn profitably *mbark upon extensive research.' At the same time research is necessary, jf tree-planting is to be carried on successfully and provision made for the timber requirements of tho future. This study has been pursued for some years past by the State Forest Service, which is now able td advise growers what trees they should plant. A brief indication of the results of the study' was furnished to "The Post" recently by tho Director of Forestry. Hie statement shows that there is a wide range of exotics from which growers may make their choice, but, naturally, in this choice they must be guided by consideration of soil and climatic conditions. Advice upon these points also is freely offered by the Forest Service. The Forest Service has two functions to perform: (1) to make direct provision for timber requirements by afforestation and conservation of indigenous forest; (2) to encourage private enterprise in a similar effort. It is recognised that, the State must supplement private efforts, as private capital is not easily attracted to a longterm investment, but it is probable that if tho risk of forest-making is considerably diminished -.by well-directed study the private effort may be greatly extended. There aro many areas in private hands where planting would be worth while, even though the crop is long deferred, by imposing a check upon, erosion and the breeding of noxious growths.