Notes and Comments.

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 2576, 8 March 1915, Page 2

Notes and Comments.

To-day's Anniversaries. William 111. died, 1702. Battle of Aboukir, 1801. Siogo of Lucknow commenced, J BOB. Henry Ward Bccclier died, 1887. Anglo-French Agreement signed, 1901. Good for Our Producers, We suggested., when news came through that the British Government had commandeered all the frozen meat in New Zealand for the use of I the troops in Europe, that one satisfactory result of tins move would be that wo should be provided by the Admiralty with the ships to carry the meat Home. The Premier has just received word from London that this is coining off, and, to enable this to be done methodically (says a cablegram from the Homo Government to the New Zealand Government) English shipowners, at the instance of the Admiralty, have appointed a committee to co-oycrate- with his Majesty's Government in securing regular and sufficient supplies of tonnage, and. arc appointing a committee oji t-Jieir representatives in Australia and Npw Zealand to settle details,'-' TheTsooner the .Feilding freezing works gets going the sooner our farmers will participate- in the big trade that will boom next veafj when our produce will win a market in Europe. The Test of the Caucus. As we indicated in a Note in last Thursday's issue, the ways of the Caucus thai rules ft Labour .Cabient

are peculiar. To (ill a vacancy in tlio N.B.W. Ministry caused by the death of Mr Trefle, there developed a- wedge, seemingly introduced to split tlio party in power; and there was as much bitterness evinced during the contest as way ever shown between rival political parties. Premier Holman named one. of the oldest, most faithful, and brainiest members of the party, Mr George Black for promotion. But the latter won out. with a- majority of only- two voUa in a party of 46. His strong opponent in the twelve entrants for the office wa.s Mr llobertson, who is an anti-Holmanite. Mr Cariuiehael, a veteran Cabinet Minister, has -now resigned the portfolio of Education—and just after inspecting the educational systems of the Old World at the expense of the N.S.AV. ratepayers!—because he has had a disagreement with Mr Holman. Supposing the Caucus, at its mooting to-morrow to fill the vacancy m the Cabinet, promotes Mr Robertson to the post, what chance lias the Cabinet of doing the work of the State with a split in it? The only way out will be. for Mr Holman to go to London as Agent-General—and then Mr Carmiehael will have missed his opportunity of attaining the coveted Premiership, for which a menage, published to-day suggests, he was intriguing in Cabinet. 'But can tell what a Caucus will do, and consequently to-morrow's developments' will k> full of general interest. Th Complaints of Our Troops. General Godley again cables that specific comulaints made, by troopers again.st flic"manipulation of patriotic gifts are incorrect. But even in regard to the cases of mullet to which he refers, he is not able to make a complete "answer. Tt all comes back to the bad old system of the word of one or two officers always counting (H'uinsl, the word of a dozen or filtv ivHM-i of the rank and iile. Hut in our opinion the word of a New Zealand ranker is ;is good as that oi a British officer, and the whole of New Zealand will not. be «ati.slied that its patriotic ii'ifts were not diverted from their rightful channels until a searching investigation of the complaints had been made. General Godlcy uses a common retort, familiar since the canteen scandals began: Hut what's the odds? It I lie men were really cha.-yred ni the canteen for things that were intended gifts, it will come out jill the same by the .surplus in the regimental funds.' But where are those regimental UinA surpluses? We have only heard so far of deficiencies. Minister Allen should now ask General Godley to furnish a statement of the canteen funds. Perhaps some light will be thrown upon file whole matter when the. charges again.st the two olbcers who are returning from abroad arc being heard, tl is to be hoped, also, that-' those charges will be heard in public, and not under the cloak ol til , .- , military caste.