WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.

Evening Star, Issue 14633, 1 August 1911, Page 1

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.

It is to be hoped that the cheap personalities which our Opposition friends have been serving up to the electors during the recess will not be deemed suitable substitutes for reasoned argument in the deliberations of the Legislature'. ' Lyttelton Times.’ # * * We have in the pact warned the Farmers’ Union, and we must warn than again that their greatest enemy is not the Government, or the land nationalieer, but the member of Parliament who votes against the freehold, which he professes to support, but which ho is prepared to sacrifice as a blind follower of the Government—The' Dominion ’ There is nothing more silly than the charge of stealing policies. " They are usually the property, of the “man in the street” long before they come into the hands of politicians.—Grey River ‘ Argus.’ * * * The preservation of the leasehold policy will be demanded in no uncertain voice, and if the Government are not prepared to ensure this, a more progressive Government will take their place. The land question is a whole policy in itself, and any -Administration which is not sound upon this question—call it Liberal, Conservative, or Democratic—is not entitled to the support of the electors.—Southland ‘News.’ * * * Travellers hare a right to expect that their journeying® will be as, safe as all reasonable care can make them, and “ reasonable care ” on the part of the department certainly includes the employment of a sufficient, of a satisfied, and of a competent staff.—Auckland ‘ Herald.’ 4r » * Economy which will discourage the best men from entering or remaining in the railway service—and a. large number of resignations is already attributed to these conditions—is plainly not the sort of economy which is consistent with efficiency, or, if it is perpetuated, with safe railways.— Timaru ‘Herald.’ • • * We do not know that the curfew law is so urgently required in New Zealand as in older countries. Wo are inclined to think that it is not, and we rather doubt whether Parliament would agree to the proposal carried by the conference. Still, the subject is worthy of consideration, and even if no law were passed, good would be done by educating public opinion as to the wisdom of keeping a tighter hand on the children.—Hawera ' Star.’ * « • What the country wants to see is Parliament carrying on the business of the country soberly and practically ; it wants to see both political parties think less of their own interests and more of the interests of the Dominion.—Marlborough ‘Express.’ • • • The railway returns for tho last four weeks show that the gain to the Dominion in the North was considerably over £l,lOO, while the loss to the Dominion in the South was only £3 short of £4,600. Two expresses issue forth daily from either end of the C!; ietchurch-Invercargill main line, while only one daily express is maintained lon the Auckland-Welhngton main line. This would be grossly unfair if both systems were* equally profitable, but as the South Island lines in the middle of winter hetuaiiy do not pay their working expenses, we may very' emphatically and reasonably de mard an through , express were - maintained during the whiter on the Southern main line it would enable- two daily through expresses to be maintained - the summer months on the northern main line without any extra expense to the department, _ and with a very considerable gain in earnings. —Auckland ‘ Herald.’ We rather fancy that the people of New Zealand, as a whole, have not been favorably impressed by the eagerness with which the great Liberal ’Ministry have sought fot titles, and that thev will compare their attitude with that of'Mr Fisher, let us say, much to their disadvantage.—Hawke's Bay ‘ Herald.’ * * • If we gave New Zealanders a reasonable preference in all public appointment- —e should soon have little cause to complain that -our Rhodes scholars do noo -ome back to live in their old home.—Auckland ‘Herald.’ * * * I The financial barometer is not always to ba trusted, and it is never easy to read, but j at the moment it certainly is not pointing |to fair weather.—‘ Lyttelton Times.