WHAT THE PAPERS SAY

Evening Star, Issue 12973, 9 June 1908, Page 1

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY

MORALITY IN POLITICS. We should imagine that by this time Sir Joseph. Waird has made the acquaintance of almost every other man, woman, and child within the confines of Now Zealand. If not, he has not been, to blame. And all in his official capacity as Prime Minister. No Opposition Leader could possibly coiu]>ete .with. Sir Joseph Ward when, as now, on the eve of a. General Election, he is officially touring everywhere from the North Cape to the Bluff. And the other members of out peripatesuic Cabinet are industriously following the example of thetr* chief. Every constituency that happens to be represented by an influential member of (he Opposition during recent months has been invaded by Minister after Minister, all en Government business. Unless there is a change, Ministers are in danger of parting altogether with the dignity which naturally belongs to office and to Cabinet i-ank, aind of becoming inere. glorified agents for the Public Works Department. Sir Joseph Ward seems much.more exercised oh how to win the coming elections than in dealing effectively with the many important questions now before the conjj.ry.— The ' Dominion.' . . ♦ THE NEED OF THE HOUR. The need for institutions in which country boys who have passed through our primary schools, and who aire looking forward to a useful avocation in life, can receive competent agricultural instruction was never greater than it as at the present time., In the cities our young people have their universities, libraries, and technical schools. The country boys have only the primary and secondary schools to rely upon. What we want in. New Zealand is some scheme of scientific agricultural education, to start from the primary school and continue ite course up to the highest point, so that we may train veterinary surgeons, chemists, entomologiets, pathologists, bacteriologists, principals of farms, and experts iai many branches of knowledge, who will be especially well acquainted with our needs and equipped to deal with all emergencies.—Wellington ' Times.' THE BARE MAJORITY. Imagine what would be the jweation. in a place like Ashbuiton if Prohibition could be carried w revoked by a simple majority. Heavy loss was inflicted on the owners of licensed houses when Prohibition was first carried there. If the bare majority rule prevailed, it i 6 possible the license system might be re-established, and at the end of three or six years, with another .swing of the pendulum, this district might turn Prohibitionist once more. Licensed houses of a kind there would be no doubt in the period during which they were permitted, but we cannot imagine any con-' siderable sum of money being risked on such a precarious tenure. In districts where the "moderate " vote is large'enough to give come security of title no doub + . really good hotels will be built to enter for the wants of the public. In districts where opinion is more evenly balanced iii& class of hotel accommodation provided must naturally tend to cfetsiaorate.— Christehurch 'Press.' COALITION. The leading Southern newspapers of New Zealand, on both political sides, speak favorably of the idea of a coalition .between the Government and the Opposition parties. Of course, any movement in this direction would require delicate handling, Iwcause there are on cither side susceptibilities which must be. respected. In the (Jonth Island the trend of public opinion fa,vors a combination, of political forces to 6tem the rising tide of Socialism. There are down South some, hard-headed men who see cleauiy the need of coalition, and the expediency of creating a national party. Even in "the North Island it is recognised that the Opposition, as an independent party, is doomed. During the coming session this coalition movement may be expected to take 6ome tangible fonn. It is very much now a question of terms, ite expediency being generally admitted.—'Wairarapa Times.' THE RAILWAY SERVICE. It is asserted with truth that, while tha cost of living has been appreciably increased, and while the fact has been recognised in other avenues of employment, the railway servants have had no corresponding increase in their wages, and consequently they argue that they a.ro not receiving justice. They are also fighting far a week's work of forty-eight houre. They are making other demands, but the two mentioned overshadow all others. Now, it seems to us that the men are perfectly entitled to a. reasonable reply to their demands, and if. while laboring under a seiiise of irritation at what they consider an injustice, they may be tempted to resort to other methods, the fact need not occasion surprise.—Daimevirke ' Advocate.'

SOCIALISM IN NEW ZEALAND. The extreme wing of the Labor party, with its demand for the repudiation of contracts, the abandonmantof sane methods of finance, and the violent dispossession of capitalists and landowners, ds tho real enemy of Socialism in New Zealand, because the cause it advocates could never, under any conditions, appeal to a community trained in the ordinary school of justice and ethics. The true road to Socialism lies by way of co-operative production, and the woxkere ought to recognise that <o-operabion is the logical and perfect remedy for the evils which Arbitration Acts and factory legislation arc designed to palliate.—' Lyttclfcon Times.'