PUBLIC OPINION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15921, 6 May 1912, Page 8

PUBLIC OPINION.

FROM SATURDAY'S NEWSPAPERS.

NEW ZEALAND'S ATTRACTIONS. New Zealand its full of natural opportunities, can easily absorb many thousands of immigrants, and might easily be made the most attractive of all British colonies. Only the extraordinary incapacity of our administrators lias brought.about tho present stagnation in our national progress, and. the new Government must introduce new and better methods unless it wishes to bo crushed like its predecessor by popular indignation. "New Zealand Herald." '

THE HIGH COMMISSIONERSHIP. Tho official who represents tho dominion in London should be. a man of exceptional personal ability and energy, with considerable experi.sico of public affairs as well as knowledge of business and finance, and he should bo able to play an effective part in social life, and at official public functions. Such a combination of qualities is not oasy to secure, but there is one possible selection that the Cabinet might make, which would stand this somewhat rigorous test. It is generally believed that if tho post were offered to Sir John Findlay he would accept it, and we may say at once that we know of no one. else available ' who could discharge tho duties of this position so well personally, socially and officially. We believe that Sir John Findlay would make an admirable High Commissioner.—Auckland " Star" RELIGION AND POLITICS.

If proportional representation came to be adopted, tho most nrischief-mak-ing parliamentary lawyer at Westminster would find himself gravelled before the problem of how to preserve the resurrected relic of bigotry and.at tho same time make tho Irish Legislature representative of the nation. The representation those sections of the Irish people who put religion before politics are entitled to—whether they be Catholics or Protestants—is that which they are able to secure by their united votes at the ballot, but to say that theso would be, provided for in advanco by law is to suggest a course of action which would accentuate and perpetuate those unhappy cleavages which time is slowly healing, and might woll be relied on to obliterate. —" Now Zealand Times." MR TAFT'S QUALITIES. Mr Taft has indeed pursued the campaign against the trusts with a vigour which Mr Roosevelt himself lias deprecated as excessive. Ho has also surpassed Mr Roosevlt in the great work of " detammanyising " the civil service. It was not Mr Taft's fault that he failed to secure fiscal reciprocity with Canada, which for the United States, at any rate, would have been an unqualified boon, and that his attempt to secure a satisfactory arbitration treaty with Great Britain failed of complete success was the work of Mr Roosevelt himself. Mr Taft seems to us to be playing the statesman to Mr Roosevelt's demagogue.—" Evening Post." IMPERIAL UNITY. The world wants a dominant impregnable power and all the elements for the creation of such a power are in the British Empire waiting to be cemented. But our Empire lias a higher function still. It has*under its caro many seniicivilised and subject races. Nations have thoir duties as well as_ their rights, and our's is charged with the duty of uplifting theso coloured peoples. It is a burden we cannot _ lay down without dishonour, and it is a duty wo can only discharge efficiently when our energies are released from participation in the rivalry of nations for supremacy. Wo must lift ourselves to a position of easy power. It is by imperial unity that the star of the British Empire will continue in the ascendance.—Dunedin " Star." NAVAL RIVALRY.

It must be apparent that as long as the feverish rivalry in the construction .of battleships is maintained it would bo suicidal to reduce the British programme. There are foreign powers ready to wrest the sceptre from Great Britain and seize her colonics the moment the opportunity presents itself, and the penlousness of our own position in these southern se-ns must ha freely acknowledged. Tho citizens' force which is being built up will, wo believe, prove a useful and efficient second lino of defence in Australasia, but wo are at present without a first line, and we apprehend that'the residents in the" dominions will have yet to submit to much greater sacrifices than they have hitherto made in order that tli9V may bo plaeed in a state of reasonable 'security.—■ "Otago Daily Times."