THE GOLD LACE DEPARTMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 804, 20 January 1903, Page 1

THE GOLD LACE DEPARTMENT.

Evidently, the passion for militarism is dying down in tho Soddonian bosom. For throo years, the gold-laco department has occupied a dominant position in tho public sorvice, and made strong demands upon tho public purso. But it has served its purpose. Now, wo aro flying from tho oxtreme of military extravagance to the other extreme of military economy. Goldlacod gontlcmon who have been strutting tho streets with complacent self-suffici-ency, twirling their gold-headed oanes, and looking aggressively warlike in return for substantial salaries, are being sent to the right-about. Officers are being amalgamated, tho ranks of "the unemployed aro being swelled, and tho inflated military department is being reduced to more reasonable dimensions.

It is all very hard on the gold-laced gentleman, but everything considered, tho reform will be welcome to tho tax-payer. It is an indication that we are recovering from military swelled head. During the last few years there has been a strong tondency in this colony towards aggressive militarism or tho kind that sets up a swaggering, overbearing military caste, which considers itself vastly superior to the people upon whom it lives. This is not in keeping with the democratic aspirations of New Zealand, though it found much sympathy and support from the Premier when the glamor of Imperialism was strong upon him. Now, however, ho is realising that the gold-lace fad is an expensive ono, and more especially so at a timo when tho Treasury is low, and loans cannot be raised in England, If wo have money to spend on defenco,

it should be devoted to the volunteer force, which gives its time and energies enthusiastically to the country without fee or reward. There is a small capitation paid to the men, but it is not sufficient to clothe them, and in some instances scarcely keeps them in ammunition. In. stead of keeping up a costly staff of officers, the capitation should be increased to say £lO for every efficient volunteer, one half of which should go to the company and the other half to the men. This would be some recompense to the men for their loss of time, and would be a direct incentive to diligence in their duties, and the result would eventually be to give us a well-trained force, upon which we could depend in an emergency. But the present over-staffed and useless gold-lace department should certainly go.—Observer.

With the facilities that are now given to people of moderate or even small means for taking up land, we may anticipate that all the land that is available will shortly be secured by people determined to succeed, and the utilisation of over a million acres must necessarily have an effect on the whole colony. In many parts of the colony, and in the North Island in particular, the dairy industry has brought prosperity, and it is satisfactory to find that that industry is now an assured one,—Colouieti