THIRTY YEARS AGO.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 47, 24 January 1939, Page 2

THIRTY YEARS AGO.

EXTRACTS FROM “STANDARD.”

JANUARY 24, 190 D.

At a Court of Enquiry into the Hutt local option poll, Mr W. P. James, S.M., who was regarded as one of the best returning officers in New Zealand, commented on the waste of money involved in the payment of two sets of officers—one each for the electoral and licensing polls—acting at the general elections. Ho had no doubt in his mind that one set of officers conduced to greater efficiency. Mr S. R. Lancaster, of Filzherbert West, was nominated for the presidency of the Manawatu A. and P. Association.

An effort was being made to have Maori selected as one of the subjects for the New Zealand University examinations. The Maoris pointed out that they were under a great disadvantage in having to be examined entirely in a language not their own. The McGill University, Montreal made the language of the Red Indians an examination subject, the University of Cape Colony admitted the languages of the Zulus, Kaffirs and Basutos, and the University of Bombay admitted six native languages. President Roosevelt bad forwarded to Congress the General Staff’s recommendation for the fortification of San Pedro harbour, California, on the ground that it would be impossible otherwise to prevent an Oriental Bower, within a month of hostilities developing, from landing 100,000 men at Los Angeles, and treble that number within two months. The War Deparment declared that the projected fortifications bad no connection with the recent Japanese troubles. The London Times said of the Imperial Press Conference: “After the conference of Premiers comes that of the Press, the unofficial mouthpiece, that is the public opinion, which makes premiers, and to which premiers must how more than some of them are quite willing to acknowledge.”