Notes and Comments.

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2024, 13 March 1913, Page 2

Notes and Comments.

Striking the Right Note

The right note was struck by the Hon. James Allen, our Minister of Finance, when speaking to London business men and politicians at the luncheon given in his honour by the High Commissioner. Mr Allen urged Englishmen to travel to Britain Overseas, to gain iirst-liand experience of New Zealand and other countries over which the British liag flies. This advice should be written large on the walls of the House of Commons, for Little Englanders would become firm Imperialists if they knew nioro about the British Empire.

What on Earth For? Mr J. H. Lowe, one time. Chief Engineer of Railways in the Dominion, lias been invited by the Government to make a tour over the railways, to enable him to note their developmeirt during the years of his absence. Saveyesterday's Otago Daily Times: "Mr* Lowe will leave Dunedin this morning*, in a special train for Invercargill, in further pursuance of this object. . . . Mr Lowe has lately come out from England to visit his relatives and many friends here, and will shortly return Home by way of South America. Ho saye bis visit and the inspection of the railways he is now making have proved of the very greatest interest to him, enabling him to see and chat with old friends in the various departments of the railway service. Mr Lowe has completed a survey of the railway lines in the North Island, and will later on draw up a. report for submission to the Government as to the conclusions he has drawn from his tonr over practically the whole of the railway system." It is all very well for Mr Lowe to get this opportunity of chatting with old friends, but what does he get this special commission for ? He enjoys a pension for hie past services to the State, and now he gets a special train, fat fees, and free passage to meet his old cronies. What for. Mr Herries?

is Its Name, When Pandora's box was opened, everything flew out but Hope. It was not Hopetown nor Myoln nor any other of the suggested names, bub the one -ivnd only local name, Canberra, that was found in the mysterious -and excitement-raising casket which Lady D'enman opened on the site of Australia's federal capital city yesterday afternoon. We have' felt all along that Canberra would be the name chosen. In a special article on the subject sent out by him from Sydney last week, Will Lawson, a .writer whose clever work is familiar .to Staii readerer says : "The Federal capital is to be built at Canberra, in the Yass district, on'open, undulating land. The nearest port will be Jervis Bay, 50 ■ miles south of Port Jackson, towards which excellent, but hitherto..unused,. -port the railway iram Yass is now being constructed. If a straight line be-drawn on the map from Sydney to Melbourne, it will paes through the site of the future city; divide the line into thirds arid make a dot at one-third of the distance from the Sydney endthat marks the spot where, some day'

stately spires and minarets will raise their height from the dry, brown plain. For purposes of comparison, it:may be mentioned that wheal Washj irigton, the capital of the United 1 States of America, was built, the population of that Republic was just about the same as Australia now is— nearly five millions. And Washington is reported to suffer from an unpleasant climate; yet it is the most fashionable city in the United States today."