WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 10 March 1909, Page 1

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.

We are not advocating a rash policy t' . increased borrowing, wle are fSr r:>.:i asking for a plunging policy, we iy no means even look in any direction 1 way from safe investment and pruhut finance, public and private. On he other hand, we cannot be. blind to he resources of the tountiy, and what hes-c resources will be sure to accom)!f?h in the near future. Nor can we ask that the duties imposed upon is hv Iho great developments that are it 11.11111 shall lie shirked in nny pari.n I:: i. Oui sole object al pro-em h- fo li"v. (hat if the fall in the agigegatr■l' 'in exports is large, even three milinn.-, i.f sterling value, tile prospects of h.- iinintrv are such as In lutluce that urn, considerable as it is. to the <li■nvii iiui:i of un (Ordinary fluctuation. !"! i- cuiiiitry must advance whether ']■■ :• • arc lean year* in between the 1 v 1 11 sor whether there are not. The .in vi-ars will pass, leaving no mark; if fat ones, oil the other hand, will yiM up the national prosperity on ■ol:( foundations. tifccognising this 'ad, the people must be prepared to ;.■■,• the position always with equanimi. y, Miterprise and the spirit of courage. ii- hope. — Southland "News." Tin- time has come for tho Prime •IJii.Her to grapple with this serious •nd ita)}:>i'taiit {problem, upon the speedy solution of which the progress ■f r ■ttleir.ent in tho Nor^h Island so ■irg.-ly depends. What Jlhe flxiple .n.nt to know is when-these huge blocks f n.uive lands now lying unproductive v;!l bo available for European oceuMti.i;i, and under what form of tenure h'jv will be offered. No fair-minded "(in in the whole of the Dominion dere.- to treat the native owner* in any ■Hi.'-,' than a just and equitable spirit, nit it is imperative that the enormous 110;.'. of surplus land which the na:fves themselves do not and probably lever have used should no longer be oeimittcd to .stand in the way of the development and prosperity of the .wintry. — Auckland "Herald." It is commonly assorted, or assum'd, that the teachers employed in •Stall' Schools are almost unanimously opposed to the whole principle of religion in education. And this argument is commonly advanced as one reason why the Catholic claim — the counterpart of which is some measure .if nou;C'atholic religious instruction in the public schools — cannot be entertained. Public school teachers night uot unnaturally be expected to look askance at any fresh burden thrown upon the already hopelessly overloaded syllabus of the public schools. But the Catholic schools follow the same syllabus, and give, in addition, the moral and religious training which go to constitute true education. And on the broad principle that tho religious side of the child ought not to be neglected and ~lii»fc uttontion. to the moral faculty 13 an esscutial element in true education tho best members of the teaching pro-fes.s-!on are heartily agreed. — "Now Zealand Tablet." An increase of telephone siibscrib-i-rs means, of course, as Sir Joseph Ward claimed, an increase in tho capi"l cu>t uf the service, but we think lie harps too much on that sido of tho 'lii'jstion, and wilfully, or otherwise, overlooks the fact that an increased number of subscribers would mean •in increased revenue. The Premier's optimistic conviction that everything is for the best, in this be«t of all possible countries, makes it somewhat difficult to induce him t 0 introduce reforms. But the question, which he discussed recently, will no doubt be liiought uiidor Ins notice again, and liy that time he may'have come to the conclusion that something can be rtonp in Hie desired direction. — Christclmrcli "Press."