WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.

Evening Star, Issue 12926, 14 April 1908, Page 7

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.

THE L:VND POLICY. We ihec glad tint it has fallen to the Hon. R. M'Nab's lot to ?ee such a successful issue of his labors. He brought to tho parliamentary campaign great perseverance, as well r.Ri his fund of experience and intelligence. .Since ho was unable to gain for the small settler all tho advantages that at ono time we had hoped, it is highly satisfactory to ho assured that what has b?en gained i 6 at present sufficient for the object of settlement. Mr M'Nab has now to supplement a good design with good administration, so" as to draw from the land policy the fullest profit that it is capable of yielding. We leave the question in his hands with a full faith in his talent and industry. Mr M'Nab is fctill ouly at the beginning of lus political career, as far as the uncertainty of events will permit a forecast, and h© "can lav no better foundation for future merit 'than, the settlement of a hundred thousand new families on the soil of New Zealand.—Wellington 'Post.' THE CONSUMPTION DIFFICULTY. If it is the policy of the- Government thai each hospital board shoukl look after its r.wn consumptives, then why has the Waikato Sanatorium been provided? Should not the Waikato Hospital Board look after its own consumptives? It is nonsense to justify the existence of the Waikato Sanatorium as a solitary institution of the kind on the ground that " patients iio to it from all parts of the Dominion." If there were such an institution in Central Otago it ■would be just a? widely patronised. If it be necessary to have such sanatoriuuis at all, it is necessary to have them placed so conveniently that tliey may be available at moderate expense to aJI those who may require to test their curative powens. And theyshouid be placed in specially-adapted localities wliere supervision, in-iui ordinary way, by hospital boards would he out of the question, even it they could ttand the initial cost. —' Oamam Mail.'

HALF-HOLIDAY QUESTION. j From the point of view of the workers ] there is no shadow of doubt that Saturday \ is preferable to Wednesday or Thursday for the holiday. 'Die majority of the community take their recreation at the week-end. Then the physical advantage as well as the social advantage Tests with Saturday recreation. From the point of view of tho (shopkeeper, Saturday is at prw-Mit the hotter day for business, and we can appreciate his natural reluctance to riacrilke. tho solid advantages of Saturday- trade, even temporarily. But we are convinced that the disorganisation of business consequent on a change would be only temporary. Tho ■volume of trade would soon be restored, and if people could not do their chopping on Saturday afternoon they would speedily get into tho habit of shopping on Friday or come other day.—' Lyrteltou Times.' TE ORANGA HOME. A reformatory which takes in seeming incorrigibles and turns out a largo percentage of girls "gentle in 'ni.-uuiers. good in address, and showing undoubted evidences of refinement," cannot bo said to have failed in its missuion. And yet it is felt something more will have to bo done. Further classification is e*sentK>l. and legislative power will have to be obtained" to indeterminately detain young women sn deficient in mental and moral control as to constitute a dinger to themselves and a menace to the community. The inquiry has been a protracted and expensive undertaking, but it han been educational in rnoro Tespcfts than one. if the lindings of the Commissioner are acted upon "with the promptitude of which the Hon. Mr Fowlds remarks give indication, it will indeed have been money well spent.—Wellington limes.' THE OTAGO CENTRAL. In the time of the late Vincent Tyke the cell was "Lead the iron horse over the garden wall, and the loads he'll bring back will astonish the inhabitants of let's favored regions." Hut, as the hist census showed, as soon as the railway reached the Maniototo plain the people used it chietly as a means i . get away. Surely this is a unique i-;perience in the wonderful history of colon d railways. We couraei the Governmem to let well alone for the present and gran*. mcTc attention and money to the railing <::' okl-rettled and productive districts' like Tuapeka, and of nurseries of valuable timber like (he Catlins district. The lake-dwelleTs must wait, for tho surge of settlement to roll back from the- North before they can hope for hig slices of bread and jam.—'Tuapeka Times.' SAVE THE BABIES. The protection and preservation of infant life is a subject that has been engaging serious attention in New Zealand of recent years, and it is pleasing to note tho interest being displayed in the question by all classes of the community. The subject is one of transcendent importance. We trust that, as a result of the efforts now being put forth by those public-spirited reformers who are animated by the desire to preserve the infant life of the Dominion, public opinion will be so routed that practical ste-pe will be taken to ensure all young women and mothers being tiiotoughly grounded in the momentous questions of management and feeding of babies.—' Wanganui Herald.' RIVAL RAILWAY ROUTES. If the. Otago Central had onlv a fourth of the justification for its exie'tenec that the Midland line has, the superior capacity of our Southern neighbors ior agitation would havo secured its extension to Milford Sound long ago This determination to chase an elusive "paying point" into the wikls of Wanaka becomes the more inexplicable in view of the fact that Otago has tit least one, if not two, lurSnished railways of more importance than tho extension of tiir- Otago Central, and ten miles of construction on the Catliiis-Wai-rnahaka route would be worth far more to the country than the whole fifty-one miles between Clyde and Hawea. Still, that ie a matter for the Dunedin people to eettlo for theme dves, and we " wadna presume " to offer ajiy ..dvice on the subject.— CbrLstehv.rch 'Truth.' CROOKED RACING. There is (<;.» much, far too much, crooked racing going en ail over the countryside, and eo eon;|'iriiuu3 at times that tho wonder is ther.' ire not more disqualifications registered. II in many crimes can no longer he called sport ; it has developed into a means of existence, and thus the worst pcesible -lenient has been introduced. M-'tnaia 'Witness.'