PUBLIC OPINION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14988, 7 May 1909, Page 8

PUBLIC OPINION.

«. FROM YESTERDAY'S NEWSPAPERS. (By Telegraph.) IMPERIAL DEFENCE CONFERENCE. Tho Prime Minister of New Zealand cannot possibly proceed to London next month in. view of the assembly of the new Parliament at Wellington, and wo are convinced that the Government cannot do better than invite Mr Robert M'Nab to undertake the important and honourable task which the Prime Minist«r is unfortunately unable to perform. The ex-Minister of Defence would be the first to recognise that he cannot hope to lake quite tho same position in the public: eye in London a-s would be occupied by Sir Joseph Ward, but his experience of affairs, his tact and his proved ability fully warrant the belief that he. would be a thoroughly adequate representative of the interests of the dominion in relation to the special subject to he discussed at the conference.—Dunedin •' Star." ' EMPIRE AND NAVY.

It is to be regretted that the Imperial Government had not more foresight than to betray any evidence whatever of a disposition to utiliHO the contribution of a warship by Now Zealand to ease ijie burden ot tho cost of naval construction which the British taxpayer must face next year. That the New Zealand offer would servo any purpose of .that kind was never, of course, contemplated. It was meant to stand over and above the utmost effort possible and justifiable on tho part of the Imperial Government to rein force the Navy. and. if tho New Zealand battleship is merely to go to make up a building programme already decided upon, or is materially to affect the scope of any present or contemplated programme, the dominion will have soiuo cause for dissatisfaction. To the projected Imperial Naval Conference, however, wo may presumably look for the productioii of a clear understanding on this point and on others that may at present be regarded as doubtful.'—" Otago Daily Times." A GREATER AUCKLAND.

While no effort should be spared to maintain and improve tho city in the well-defined lines which have received such an emphatic public endorsement, the contiguous local authorities should have kept before them the desirability of amalgamation. If the amalgamation movement is once started it may easily continue with a swing until the Greater Auckland scheme, as outlined by the conference presided over by Mr Myers, becomes an accomplished fact. Meanwhile the great desideratum is that interest in the movement should not be allowed to lapse.—" Now Zealand Herald." THE DREADNOUGHT OFFER,

The significance of the Dreadnought offer is regarded by leading men in Great Britain as being very real, and New Zealand may justifiably feel satisfaction that tho Ministry rose to the occasion so well and selected with such precision the psychological moment for thoir action on the citizens' behalf.— " New Zealand Times." GOVERNMENT ADM INISTRATION. It is in the real essentials of tho country's need that the Government has failed to keep the revenue buoyant. To keep expenses down, to settle the Native land question, to establish a sound defence system, thesr, are duties the neglect of which makes quite useless any quantity of prison reform or national annuities or amended laws. While Sir Joseph Ward has been rejoicing over the effects of his administration and decorating the national body with Radical ornaments, tho waves of waste and sloth have been attacking the foundations. "Dominion." MR MASSEY'S CRITICISM.

" The apologetic stage" has indeed been readied with regard to a number of evils which were not conceded to be evils before. AVhat Mr Massey calls "The wild and extravagant expenditure" of tho Government its about to be curtailed. Tho process has, indeed, been already begun, aud seeing that efficiency is, according to tho Premier, to bo the standard of evoi-y reorganised department, the scheme of retrenchment is a plain plea of guilty to the charges which Mr, Massey had the courage and the pertinacity to urge long before the public conscience had suffered any uneasiness on the point.— " Evening Post."