NOTE AND COMMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 3746, 22 May 1899, Page 5

NOTE AND COMMENT.

A week or two ago a statement was circulated through the press nix [jevan that Dr Bovan, the eminent and . Melbourne divine, who reGA.Miii.iNC. cently visited New Zealand, had during a visit to the Adelaide racecourse, spoken in terms of approbation of the working of tho totalisator. This was hardly correct, for though tho reverend gentleman said after his investigation that “for all practical purposes of betting the machine might he accorded the merit of fairness from the standpoint of the- gambler,” ho by no means intended to'convey the impression that he favoured the totalisator as a means of gambling either by itself or opposed to tho bookmaker. Lecturing last week in Melbourne on his return from South Australia, Dr Bovan, after a prefatory reflection or lament that “ horse-racing, once tho sport of kings, has now become tho. business of blacklegs,” ifent on to say the bookmaker sometimes might lose, but on the totalisator principle tho totalisator could never lose.' * Ais 'it drew 7} s per cent, each time, for commission, it would only take two race meetings with about thirteen races for... the proprietors of tho totalisator to obtain for tho time being all the available'capital. This is of course an entirely erroneous impression; for it must not, he supposed that at a race meeting where £IO,OOO is passed through tho machine and tho commission amounts to, say, £760, the latter sum represents “all tho available capital.” If it did, manifestly every man and woman who went to a racecourse would return homo without a.shilling. That, of course is an absurdity,' hut 'the pitfall into which the speaker fell is a common trap in all discussions regarding the “tote.” Dr Beyan, like many othex-s, lias entirely missed one aspect of the case —that the machine does not give credit, but conducts' businesss on a spot cash basis; that it does not run away from those who' win, or make a composition with its creditors. It is always to bo found when wanted, and pays out with commendable promptitude. [Moreover, the introduction of the totalisator has done more than anything else to rid tho turf of the pcoundrels whose presence"Dr Beyan so much deplores in Victoria. (

The other day a southern , M.H.R., in addressing his constituents, . automatic blamed the Government for kail way not having adopted autocouplings. matic couplings on the rail- . ways of this country. This is a matter upon which we commented a few weeks ago, when a railway servant at New Plymouth. was killed while engaged in shunting operations. It is a reform that ought to be insisted upon in every civilised land; but in England, owing to the opposition of the railway companies, the Government has recently withdrawn a Bill that proposed to make the use of automatic, couplings compulsory. It has been pointed oiit that Mr William Adams, the then engineer of the Great Eastern Railway, prophesied in 1876 that the invention would, apart from the “life and limb standpoint,” have great pecuniary value in the despatch of traffic; but he- also predicted that the railways would take twenty years to discover it. The'Americans have adopted it within the time fiied, but in Great Britain vested interest blocks the way more completely than in: millionaire-rid-den America. During the . past three years 5958 people were killed or injured in Great Britain in connection with shunting operations. The return does not include accidents on private railways and colliery sidings. It is alleged to have been demonstrated that Railways like; the London and North-western, tha'Midlaud, and the Great Western would, by the general adoption of automatic coupling, benefit to the extent of a quarter of a million of money each: year. But neither consideration for human life nor a desire to earn larger dividends has yet boon able to overcome the invincible conservatism of the British'rallway manager. That is no reason why , an. invention at once humane, economical ‘ and desirable should not be adopted on the New Zealand railways. The automatic coupler is, wo believe, adjustable to ordinary railway trucks, and the initial expense would soon he recouped by the‘saving of labour. The subject will doubtless' be heard of during the coming session of-Parliament, and wo trust that Ministers will be prepared with information regarding it.

It has been said, wiui considerable show

of reason, t that there are , the three practicable methods world’s by which the peace of the peace. world j may, ,be assured. These are : (1) tho acceptance of the Czar’s disarmament proposals now before the Conference of European Powers; (2) the advance of invention making war; an.■ exact science;, or (3) an Anglo-Russian alliance. In the way of all three there are difficulties many and great,’but-tee,Conference may he said to present the’‘lino of least resistance.” It is significant to find that other Englishmen than the “crank” Stead are expressing their faith in thegenuinencss of the Russian desire for peace. A special correspondent of :• the London “Chronicle” goes the length of advancing proofs of Russia’s good faith. Russia, he says, is' consistent in desiring to limit armaments and weapons of destruction. She had long ago an explosive bullet, which she did not introduce, though the use of such missiles was then not interdicted. She is now suppressing tho use of submarine boats. "At tho present moment Russia possesses designs for a submarine boat superior to any other, and fifty of these craft are projected. They are not yet commenced —likoseveral other i...ngs, they await the result of the Conference.” In this connection it may bo mentioned that Captain L. K. Bell, of the British Navy, recently visited the United States to investigate the merits of a submarine torpedo boat made to the design of an American inventor; and last month the inventor left for Loudon “to sell hia boat to the British Government.” All the nations, in fact, have • entered the' ConferOmie •.-With sotoe new uni sa,n»‘.r lyuixa oielvd

death-dealing device “up their sleeve,” or with a concealed intention of getting somehow an advantage over their neighbours. In tho circumstances, to talk of good faith on the part of any Power is a mockery, and Kaiser AVilliam’s prayer for the success of tho Conference sounds very much like a piece of imperial hypocrisy. i’he Conference may have a good result, but it will he because of tho fear and mistrust of each other entertained by the Powers, and not because of their mutual confidence and good faith.