PUBLIC OPINION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15524, 26 January 1911, Page 7

PUBLIC OPINION.

FROM YESTERDAY'S NEWSPAPERS. (By Telegraph.) DEGREES IN DIVINITY. It is a defective system which sends the most talented students for the ministry in New Zealand to the universities of other countries in order to prosecute their studies and obtain academic degrees* in divinity. It is about time that the Legislature recognised that it is not sufficient to dismiss offhand the reasonable of the Senate of the University of New Zealand for power to undertake examinations and confer hall-marks in theology and that no mere objection raised by any section of the country or any vaguely expressed fear as to the issue based on a misconception of w;hat is intended should be deemed sufficient pretext for rejecting the proposal.— " Otago Daily Times." THE HALF-HOLIDAY. We are not by'any means convinced that the law in regard to fixing the weekly half-holiday is at all satisfactory. After all has been said in favour of the advantages, of Saturday being made a general half-holiday, it still must be admitted that the concession some neot>le might gain under this rule could "only be granted by striking a very serious blow indeed at the business undertakings of a quite considerable number of traders. When legislation securing the shop assistants a wceklv half-holiday wag passed by Parliament, the strongest argument in its favour was that this might be done without inflicting loss upon employers or putting the community to inconvenience. This we think has been justified by experience. Having secured the employee his half-holiday the object of a particular law has been achieved. There is not the least necessity for fussy interference with anybody's business arrangements.—" New Zealand Times." IMPERIAL UNITY. It is a remarkable thing that despite all the lip-service which is paid to the Empire on ceremonial occasions from time to time and the soundness of the popular heart on the subject, the essentials of Imperial organisation are so habitually ignored that the address which Mr'A. S. Malcolm, M.P., delivered on the question of " Imperial Unity " is quite a distinguished political event even with an Imperial Conference just ahead. Parliament sat for five months without finding time to touch the fringe of the subject. Tho pessimist might naturally say that ft surer proof that the issue has no life in it could not be desired. Yet when Mr Malcolm, who is not- a Minister, nor a leader, nor an orator, discourses to a meeting in his own constituency on " Imperial Unity," it is felt, as we say, to be an event of genuine; interest and importance.—" Evening Post."