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Otago Daily Times, Issue 19405, 14 February 1925, Page 8

The fourth test cricket match in Australia has started, and at long last the English captain has actually won the advantage in the tossing of the fateful coin. Moreover, England has made a good beginning. Preliminary advice indicated that a wicket very unfavourable to batsmen might be expected; but, whatever the conditions may have been, that redoubtable couple, Hobbs and Sutcliffe, were equal to the occasion, and the opening partnership was tho precursor of excellent developments. It must bo admitted, of course, that this fourth contest has been partly shorn of interest by reason of the fact that the “rubber” has already been won, tho retention of the storied “ashes” by Australia already secured. Still, the interest is far from being extinct. Tho Australians would naturally like to repeat their last feat of putting all five games to their credit; and the Englishmen, just as naturally, will desire to effect a break in what they must regard as a tedious record of defeat. The uncertainty of cricket is proverbial to the point of triteness. If instances of variation of “form” were required, it would only bo necessary to point to the extraordinarily contradictory results of tho two recent matches between England and Victo-A, T t would be foolish to venture on a ps-cd .ca !cu concerning the

issue of the fourth test match. All that we know at present is that England hafl made a very promising start and that Sutcliffe has added another “century” to, the imposing list of fine performances by which he has marked his first season on Australian wickets. , .

The Minister of Labour is evidently lav from satisfied with what has been dons to give effect to the intentions of the Apprentices Act, which come into operation nearly a year ago. He has appealed to employers to give the Act a fair trial, and has expressed disappointment at theur neglect to set uip apprenticeship committees for the appointment of which, with equal representation for employers and employees, the Act provides. Mr Anderson has affirmed—on grounds presumaMy of a general nature—that the Act is, if anything, more in favour of the employers than of the employees. If this be the case, the greater reason exists why the employers might have been expected to take advantage of a measure upon the preparation of which much careful consideration was expended, and; concerning which the parties chiefly interested were consulted beforehand. Referring in the Arbitration Court to the subject, Mr Justice Efazer has expressed the view that, as the Act seemed to represent, an, honest endeavour to solve the serious difficulty of the shortage of apprentices, it was desirable that it should be given a fair trial. In the opinion of the members of the Court, he added, the committees were iha backbone of the Act. It seems to ba clear that there has been insufficient effort, so far, to bring into existence the committees. representing a means of co-opera-tion between employers and employees in the interests of the rising generation. The objects of the Act are very commendable, but, as the Minister of Labour acknowledged at the outset, the attainment of them is dependent on the creation of an atmosphere that ia favourable to the successful application of the principle underlying the measure. Notwithstanding tha powers of the Arbitration Court in relation to the Apprentices’ Act, it is upon the attitude of employers end employees that the fate of the new departure in apprenticeship seems to turn. Both employers and unions have been deploring that apprentices have almost ceased, to exist and that they are not being properly trained. They should be rpady. then to try the experimental, machinery provided by the Act for the retrieval of the situation. So long as there is neglect in tliis respect the interests of those who are upon the threshold of industry] are liable to suffer.

The ©lectors can hardly fail to find soma quiet diversion in the measure of confidence that is invariably professed by all political parties as to the results of an election campaign. The Labour Party has ever been conspicuous for its dexterity in the discovery of favourable auguries. An illustration in point is furnished in the address delivered by Mr H. T. Armstrong, M-P., at Christchurch this -week. The Labour Party, he says, is going into every nook and corner of tho dominion for the purpose of arousing enthusiasm, perfecting organisation, end assisting its candidates to capture New Zealand. In' prophetic vision he sees the Reform Government tumbling from office at the next elections, and the people declining to be so foolish as to put into power tho Liberal Party, since between it and the Party of Reform there is no difference. Tho inference is, of course, that Labour will step into office. That is rather more than even that party itself has been so far credited with expecting. But hope breathes ever a flattering tale. The New Zealand Worker does its best to develop some enthusiasm on tho question of the capture of Government power by the Labour Party at next elections. Thus we are instructed:

After twenty- years of _ agitation tho Labour Party is now within eight of office, and it only needs the energetic help of its sympathisers to carry it to success. Two factors make its position peculiarly favourable in this election year. The economic conditions of the wageearners and thousands of farmers are woefully bad, and its political opponents are rent by dissension. Bankruptcy low wages, disgraceful housing, financial dictatorship end other influences have rendered thousands of people susceptible. to Labour’s appeal who a few years ago were impervious to its arguments, and tha squabbling and confusion among the capitalist parties afford an opportunity for a party that knows its own mind. Masseyism is breaking up, as the appearance of the Country Party proves, and Mr Wilford’s party of vacillation and selfcontradiction fs intellectually dead and morally unscrupulous. Only the Labour Party Is a united organisation, and only the Labour Party has a policy worked out democratically and designed to meet tha needs of the masses of the people. The Labour Party would like to be taken at its own valuation by the masses of tha people, including the unfortunate farmers, over whom it is preparing to weep. If it knows its own mind, however, the intelligent electors know something of its mind also. It seems almost cruel to remind Mr Armstrong and his colleagues of tha awakening which the people of Great Britain provided for an over-confident Labour Party in October last, despite tha existence of economic conditions to which those obtaining in New Zealand furnish a very cheerful contrast.

The Secretary of State for the Colonies has been reading British financiers and business men a lecture pointed by citation of -what has been achieved by concentrated effort in the United States. The economic activities of Great Britain have been dissipated for too many tions. Mr Amery insists that Empire development is called for on the broad foundation of Empire co-operation. Published alongside the report of the Colonial Secretary’s address was a-message reporting the production of a new type of dirigible, in the United States. The connection between airships and Empire cooperation to ensure greater concentration and development may not be apparent at first glance, but the existence of it is becoming recognised none the less. That very competent British authority on aviation, Commander Burney, recently ventured on the prediction of an important commercial future for tho airship, and of great changes in Britain’s national outlook as a result of the development of aviation on a commercial basis. Not uninstructive as a corollary to Mr Amery’a remarks are those observations by Commander Burney:—“Our Empire contains four times tho area of tho United States, and four times the population, a greater mass of raw materials, and a wider range of climatic conditions. But it is so scattered that wo have no real economic or political cohesion. Tho stumbling block is that it is almost an impossibility to have that complete and personal touch between statesmen, captains of industry, and others which is necessary to foam and stimulate public opinion in tho various parts of the Empire. If aviation can so advance that its machines will be capable of transporting mails and passengers to any part of tho British Empire withii^

)wenty-four hours we can develop the same Self-supporting and self-contained political entity an that which now exists in the United States of America.” Commander Burney hopes that the new airship which he is constructing will bring India within four days of England. If this is so, that will, as ho observes, be a “start” in the direction of much more remarkable developments.

An unusual plea for shelter was made by a member of the City Council at its meeting this week—“shelter for the Corporation motor cars at the back of the Town Hall.” This showed a nice solicitude, no doubt, for the Council’s property and the comfort of its users. But shelter for the citizens is even a little more important than additional provision for Corporation vehicles. Councillors, like the walrus and .the carpenter, “weep like anything” to see motormen and motor-cars exposed to the weather, but what about shelter, for instance, for passengers on the Corporation hill cars, especially the famous Roslyn car? On a wet night maybe fifty persons hanging on desperately outside one of these cars have simply to endure with stoicism whatever drenching comes their way. Miniature waterspouts, even, may play upon them from the roof of the vehicle. And in connection with shelter it remains yet to be explained why users of the Maori Hill extension service should have still to put up with a real hardship in the absence of anything in the shape of a ehelter-shed -at. the terminus. Shelter at that spot is: much more needed than at some of the other places at which it is provided. The Tramways Committee is evidently either unwilling to make, or incapable of making, any serious effort to solve the Eoslyn-Maori Hill tramway problem. Its attitude' is Micawber-like—-that of waiting for something to turn up. It did not hesitate to give preference in the order of importance of works to be provided for under the £IOO,OOO loan allocation, to a suburban line the supreme virtue of which would be that it would serve the occasional requirements of a race-course. And now the Council is perturbed because the racing club that is interested charges it with dilatorinesa in respect of this project, and withdraws its guarantee. Whether the hill folk will be greatly comforted by the possibility, mentioned by the chairman of the Tramways Committee, of two motorbuses being run to Maori Hill in the near future may be doubtful. Our impression is that motor-buses are not certain to be successful on stiff gradients.