CURRENT TOPICS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8331, 17 January 1913, Page 6

CURRENT TOPICS

THE NEW COMMISSIONER. The Government is to be congratulated on the appointment of Captain Northoroft as Resident Commissioner of the Cook Islands, 'which is a most excellent one in every respect. Captain Northcroft possesses adminstrativo capacity of a high order, and is a man of energy and decision of character. Ho combines a keen sense of justice with an exceptional knowledge of human nature, and, during the whole course of his magisterial career, his decisions were remarkable for their equity and com-mon-sense. The position to which he has been appointed will call for the exercise of all tho diplomatic resourcefulness and firmness that he is capable of, but wo are quite satisfied that he will be found equal to the demands made upon him, and also that he will give every satisfaction Sn this particular sphere of official duty. RECANTATION OR WHAT? It is somewhat difficult to credit the story of Mr Frank Lawiy’s political recantation related in the columns of the squatters’ organ. We are told that at the banquet at Papakura, which counts as tho seventy-first of the series, Mr Lawrw not only congratulated Hon. W. F. Massey on his accession to power, which was an amiable and proper thing for a political opponent to do, but also expressed the opinion that “had it been possible to ruin the country by bad legislation New Zealand would have been ruined at any time during the twenty years in which the Liberal party controlled its legislation/’. Now, whatever else Mr Lawry may be, we do not believe that he is either a humbug or a political hypocrite. Seeing that during the twenty years in question ho voted for every measure passed by the Liberal Government, and spoke strongly in favour of nearly every one, he must be either a political humbug or hypocrite if these are really his sentiments. However, we prefer to believe that Mr Lawiy has not bean correctly reported, and that we shall hear something further from Mm on this point. At all events, Mr Massey’s policy and duty are now very plain. If there is no mistake, and if lie is satisfied of the sincerity of Mr Lawry’s recantation, he must certainly include that gentleman in the first batch of appointments to the Legislative Councilr THE INSOLENCE OF POWER. Mr G. V. Pearce, the somewhat selfsufficient member for Patea, appears to bo another gentleman of the dominant political party who is suffering from the insolence of power. Mr Pearce considers that we are getting too many small country newspapers, and instanced Taranaki as a bad example of what followed that state of affairs. The break-ing-up of the old Hawera county into smaller administrative areas was, in his opinion, tho direct result of the founding of small papers. These sentiments are so amazing that the record of them might be questioned if it were not contained in the squatters’ organ, which is the inspired mouthpiece of the Tory party. However, if the administrative areas of the Hawera county are growing smaller, that is probably the result of the growth of population and the displacement of sheep by small settlers and their families, and may bo a good thing for the country, though somewhat objectionable to exclusive Reform individuals of the Pearce type. As for the small country papers, surely they have a right to live and breathe even when they refuse to be bought up by squatters’ money. They certainly make for freedom of speech, and probably ought on that account to be suppressed. The time may come when every small country district will be coerced by arrogant Reform into contenting itself with the squatters’ organ. But that time is probably not yet. THE COMING LOAN. It is evident from the references that are being made by Ministers in various parts of the country to the visit of the Hon. James Allen, Minister for Finance, to London that tho outcome of his mission is being awaited in administrative circles with some anxiety. That he will be successful will be the devout wish of every individual who has the welfare of the Dominion at heart and who desires to see the public works policy, and especially the construction of railways, pushed on vigorously. Public works are essential to tho development of the country, and, no matter what Government is in power, it must be self-evident to the meanest understanding that they cannot be paid for out of revenue alone. Loans must occasionally be raised if we are to keep railway and other works going. This fact is apparently impressing itself on tho consciousness of the gentlemen comprising the’ Massey Cabinet now that the responsibilities of office rest upon them and notwithstanding that for tho last twenty years they have so vehemently declaimed against borrowing by tbeir predecessors. However, it is reassuring to believe that the loanraising task of tho Hon. James Allen will be comparatively easy. Though the money market was stringent enough some months ago, there is no reason why, given ordinary financial capacity, he should not get his million-and-three-qnarters at 3J or possibly 3} per cent. Mr Allen has boasted for years that ho could raise money on London on far better terms than Sir Joseph Ward did, and if he makes that claim good, the country will have every reason to feel satisfied. He will also have the experienced assistance of Mr Thomas Mackenzie, as High Commissioner. By the way, in this connection it is interesting to recall the fact that Mr Allen was loud in Ms ridicule of the terms on which Mr Thomas Mac-

bonzie and Mr A. H. Myers floated their short-dated loan last year. Hut when Mr Allen came to make the appointment of the responsible official to assist him in his financial operations in London, in the capacity of High Commissioner, his choice fell upon the man whom he had been ridiculing Mr Thomas Mackenzie—as the most capable and suitable. This, however, is Reform.