CURRENT TOPICS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6371, 20 November 1907, Page 6

CURRENT TOPICS.

NEW ZEALAND TIMBER. New Zealand timber found a champion in Mr D. Robertson at yesterday’s meeting: of the Benevolent Trustees. It was proposed to put in some jarrah gate-posts at the Ohiro Home, and Mr Robertson said ho failed to see why totara could not bo employed, even if it did cost a little more. There was no proof that jarrah was any better than totara. On the proposition being put the only "No I”—and that a good vigorous one—was that of Mr Robertson, who explained that he always stuck up for his country. "So did I once,” said Mr J. Smith, "but I found out long ago that it was no use.” PSYCHOLOGY OP PUBLIC LIFE. Sir Edward Grey, British Secretary for Foreign Affairs, in a pccent speech, said that for politicians a question as important as what they had said or done was: What had they in the struggle become? It would be good if they put a little catechism to themselves every five or ten 3'oa-rs how they had got on from the private point of view. Ho could not imagine anyone entering public life unless ho had more than the normal stock of courage; but after some years would not some bo knocked out by opponents or squeezed out by friends? The fear of giving offence to friends sometimes made a larger draft upon courage than the difficulty of standing up to opponents. Again, public men found themselves when they had to make a speech affected by two impulses—one to tell the truth, the other to say what was agreeable to their audience. Sometimes they coincided; sometimes they conflicted. When they conflicted, which won? Again, did tho patriotic motives with which they began increase or shrink, until they were in danger of falling back upon nothing but the desire for personal success? Did continual conflict and contact with public life and their opponents broaden their view or make them more partisan? In the duel of public life, which,' when sessions were prolonged, c(tm© bo seem, like grinding in a prison-house, did they lose their feeling for literature and art and all that was beautiful and pleasant in the world? Sometimes he thought that in the strain of politics something crushed out all those finer pleasures of the imagination, ORIGIN OF A GOLDFIELD. One of the most interesting of districts of New Zealand, from a geological point of view, is tho Hauraki Peninsula, now, receiving tho attention of the Geological Survey Department, A report on the Coromandel subdivision of tho section has been presented to Parliament by the Minister of Mines. The investigators sum up their opinion on the area in the following words;—"Coromandel will long be classed among the goldfields which afford ample scope rather for the speculator who is prepared to take risks in the hope of reaping largo profits, than for the investor who expects a regular percentage on capital employed. Tho field can hope for little from improved metallurgical processes, einco it possesses no workable lowgrade ore bodies.” Tho goldfield's history shows that success has come to the miner in the form of golden "pockets” or bonanzas, and it is the opinion of the geologists that most of the bonanzas yet to be won will be derived from the zone between 400 and 800 ft of the surface in areas which are as yet unprospected owing to concealment of outcrops. In discussing how the mineral veins secured their precious freight, the report states that they* were formed by the ascent of heated minoral-bearing waters during the solfataric periods succeeding and connected with the extrusions of tho volcanics. The fascinating question of ore-genesis is touched upon, but no conclusion is put forward with confidence. What meets with most support is that the gold is duo to solutions ascending from some . rock deeper than any now exposed to the surface in any part of the colonies. Tho problem, conclude the geologists, is. more likely to be solved by accurate chemical* analyses of an adequate number of the pres and rocks of the area. CHILDREN OF THE STATE. There are 1205 children under fourteen years of age in the care of the State, either residing at or connected with industrial schools, industrial farms, deafmute institutions, orphanages, or other institutions. The return which gives the information was presented bo Parliament yesterday. In. indicates that 697 children included in the above total are boarded out. Of these, 121 are under one year old, 127 between one and two years, 94 between two and three, 85 between three and four, and thence in rapidly diminishing numbers as the ages increase, until there ia only one ch*ld boarded out between the ages of thirteen and fourteen. The number of childien placed in homes under *he pro visions of the Infant Life Protsction Act is 436, while eighteen arc in mental hospitals, and seventy-four are with friends.

THE DESTRUCTION OF CHEQUES. The Legislative Council has disagreed with an amendment made by the House of Representatives in the Bills of Exchange Act Amendment Bill, and has decided to insist upon the disagreement. The point involved is in connection with* the ultimate destination of cheques, bank drafts, bills of exchange or promissory notes after they have completed their function and come into the possession of the banker. Under the existing law, bankers are required to keep all such documents indefinitely, as they have no power to destroy them, but the Bill will enable bankers to do so at any time after the expiration of ton years. The sub-clause inserted by the House of Representatives, to which objection is taken by the other Chamber, reads; —"A banker shall on demand deliver any such documents in his possession, on the passing of this Act, to the person entitled as aforesaid. This section shall apply to cheques, drafts, bills, and notes received by a banker either before or after the passing of this Act.” The Legislative Council's reason for dissenting from the amendment is that it would prevent the documents from being at any time destroyed. TOURIST TRAFFIC. The Tourist Department is receiving an enormous number of inquiries from intending visitors to the Dominion from all over the world. Speaking to a "Times” reporter yesterday, Mr T. E. Donne, chief of the department, said it was unusual to receive so many inquiries so early in the season, and still more unusual to find that tourists were

beginning to arrive at this time of year. He attributes the early arrivals from Australia to the extremely hot weather that has been experienced in the Commonwealth. Sonic tourists are already arriving from India, and they say that lecturers are touring India at the present time recommending this country as of greater benefit to the health of the rundown dweller in the tropics than the “hill-stations” where Anglo-Indians generally recuperate.

WORK FOR PATRIOTIC AMERICANS. According to tho " Gaelic American,” there is a wide field for tho energies of patriotic American organisations. Foreign. influences are undermining American. institutions. The public schools in th© most populous centres of the country have been captured by Anglomaniacs. A Cockney accent is cultivated in the schools of New York City. An emasculated version of “ Tho Starspangled Banner” has been unblushingly inserted in the school readers and in tho song books. Recently the Post Office Department imported several English clerks for tho purpose of initiating Americans in tho proper way of conducting tho postal business. Could no Americans of sufficient ability b© found to effect reforms, if reforms aro necessary P Tho Army Department is as contemptuous of the abilities of tho native American as the Post Office. A short time ago it was decided to' alter tho army uniform, and in spit© of the protests of the despised American sartorial artists, an English tailor was imported to carry out th© alteration. Th© Government departments seemed filled with the idea that native Americans have no initiative, no originality. Tho Metropolitan Museum of Art is in charge of a titled foreigner. Sir Purdon Clarke. It would take pages to enumerate the forces that are working silently and stealthily to wean Americana from American ideals. The worship of monarchical institutions is the evil result of foreign influences in the schools, A number of 1 rich Americans look to London, and not to Washington, as th© capital of America. ;

TRANSPLANTING SLUM! FAMILIES. The Director of Labour' in Now South Wales in has annual report to the Minister writes that 2000 acres of land were secured at Qalambino, between Mud gee and Gulgong, in which it has been decided to initiate the transplanting of families from Sydney slums. Very shortly, h© states, the first buildings will bo erected, stock placed upon the ground, and. cultivation entered upon. The families will bo housed on the cottage plan, but will take their meals in a general diningroom aVranged after the fashion of a restaurant, so that each family so desiring may eat apart and thus preserve their individuality. The children, of whom only a limited number will be taken, at all events in the early stages, will bo sent to school, and when of sufficient age will take part in minor farming operations. The men will do eight hours' work at whatever requires to be done, each being placed by the manager at the kind of work he is most fitted to perform. Under (supervision, the cooking, table service, washingup, cleaning of premises, clothes making and mending will be given to the women, the work being allotted in turn freon a roster. They will also, when possible, make jam ■ and preserve fruit. Shelter, food, and clothing will bo found for all, and a small money allowance will be made in oases where it is esteemed that the labour done more than equals the cost of maintenance. * A LABOUR BOOKLET. A booklet has just.been issued by the Labour Department giving particulars of the "sweated industries" exhibit which was on _vlow at the International Exhibition at Christchurch, and subsequently shown; throughout the Dominion. There ore a number of excellent photographs, including one of the Hen. J. A. Millar, Minister of Labour; others showing the exterior and interior of the department's court at the Exhibition, and one depicting a group of 00-opera-tive workers on tie North Island Maui Trunk Railway. There are a number of valuable charts showing the number and annual increase of the workers iu the factories in New Zealand from 1836 to 1906, th© number of registered factories in the Dominion, - the number of employe©* in some of the principal trades or factories, others giving the average wages per hour of those engaged in various trades and occupations as compared with other countries of the world, and a number of others. The object of the publication U to place on permanent record some of the features of the exhibit. especially the etatistical charts, and to supply a demand which existed for. particulars, but could not be given at the Exhibition, as no duplicates were taken of the charts. Acknowledgment is made in* the preface courtesy and interest taken by contributors to the exhibit, and by the factory-owners of the Dominion and others who furnished information.