CURRENT TOPICS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6314, 14 September 1907, Page 6

CURRENT TOPICS

COMPBNS 4TION ASKED FOE. Tbe Lands Committee reported to the How: of Representatives yesterday, on the petition of Hugh McLean, of Wellington, who ashed for compensation for loss through having had to pay an excessive rent for a paetoral ..lease. The committee was of opinion that the petitioner had suffered severe lose owing to the non-reduction of his rent as recommended by the Otago School Commissioners ip 1897, and that Mr McLean -hould bo adequately compensated for the loss. The committee strongly recommended that the Government should favourably consider the prayer of the petition. DEATII OP THE OLDEST MAORI. News lies just been received ip Masterton (says the "Daily Times"), of the death at Kaiwhafa. on Tuesday, ; of Kehurangi Eingatu Waaka (generally called Eingatu), probably the oldest Maori in New Zealand at the time of her death. Eingatu, who was reputed among the Maoris,to be from 120 to 125 years old, was probably at the least 110 years old. She ivell remembered the second visit of Captain Cock tp New Zealand, and was acquainted with facts relating to the earliest colonisation of New Zealand, which undoubtedly go to prove that the latter eurini.se regarding her ago is correct. She was the last of the Ngaitumatahias, one of the fiercest of the old fighting tribes, dt the recent festivities at Te Ore Ore a, greatt-great-great-grandson of deceased's named Hamaiwaho was among the three children christened. Eingatu enjoyed rem,Triable vitality, and her depth occurred somewhat unexpectedly, after a short Bluest A great tengi will be held at Kaiwhata, which a very large number,of Maoris is expected to attend, Eingatu leaves a number of descendants. STAFF BIDES. Inst night at the officers’ clnb in Buckle-street, Mr Hutchen, a lieutenant of the Volunteer force, read a paper on staff rides and matters connected with this useful method of gaining military knowledge. Many officers were present, and the keenness of discussion that followed shewed that volunteer officers had studied the matter with some care. Every army in Europe has followed Germany in this excellent addition to an army man's curriculum. Popularly explained, a military, staff ride is undertaken by the staff of" an army corps, a regiment or battalion. Prel qucntly the destination of the staff is unknown except by the officer commanding. The staff ride differs from the war game, which is played with inanimate objects in quarters, in that the officers engaged presuppose an existing force and move amongst its. imagined existing units. Thus a staff ride of officers whose destination is Masterton would, en route to that destination, examine with exactness the lines of communication, the suitability for field telegraphs, determine what force was necessary, to hold certain points, and in all matters act an if a real farce wag in occupation and feared attack by, a palpable enemy. A staff ride is in effect a battle without troops, requiring physical and mental exercise of officers who are supposed to have control

of one of the opposing forces. Either discussion of, or actual participation in a staff rida cannot but be of the greatest assistance to volunteer officers who may be called upon at some future period to put into actual practice matters at present only theoretically dealt with.

CONCILIATION IN INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES. The breakdown of tho Arbitration Act in New South Wales was referred to by Mr Carruthcrs (State Premier) the other day. Ho stated (says the Sydney “ Telegraph J ') that the Act was a cumbersome and unworkable statute, expensive in administration, and unsatisfactory in its results. Ho depicted an Arbitration Court case in which learned counsel versed in all the intricacies and technicalities of the law contended for days over matters about which they could have little or no knowledge. They had to be taught as they went along, and the people who hired them had to pay for the privilege of teaching them. Friendly feelings and a conciliatory attitude between employer and employee were necessary elements in the settlement of all labour disputes, but too often ill-feeling and hatred was created, and accentuated by bullying .barristers, whose only concern was to win their case, at no matter what cost. In the interests of the country the Act should be swept aside in favour of one to establish AYages Boards, in order that the parties concerned, who presumably knew their own business best, should meet and settle their own disputes without the intervention of heavily-paid barristers. LEARN TO SWIM. Any untutored animal that is thrown into the water swims naturally. A bady of less than a year old which was accidentally thrown into the water at Blenheim last year managed to get ashore. Several adults who couldn’t swim were drowned. A telegram says that the Dunedin centre of the New Zealand Swimming Association declared swimming is becoming a lost art there. Yery soon the State school child is to have added to the cumculm field sports. His indulgence in sport under the supervision of the masters will be counted just the „6ame as if cricket were geography, or football, history- Thanks moetly to the public spirit of a local gentleman hundreds of Wellington children axe being taught to regain the natural ability to syrim, and it is so useful, clean and wholesome a form of excompulsory subject in all- schools. After most holidays in New Zealand, os in eroise that it seems a pity it is not a other countries, the press is thick with details of drowning catastrophes, and very many valuable lives are lost every year because man, the most intelligent of all animals, has allowed an instinct which is primarily as natural as walking to atrophy. It is notorious that sailors are lacking in a desire 'ho be swimmers, and until schoolboys or girls are not allowed a "standard*' certificate unless they have passed in a subject that should bo compulsory, there la reason to believe that swimming will indeed become a “lost art/'