THE PELORUS GUARDIAN and Miners’ Advocate. FRIDAY, 3rd SEPTEMBER, 1909. TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 20, Issue 70, 3 September 1909, Page 4

THE PELORUS GUARDIAN and Miners’ Advocate. FRIDAY, 3rd SEPTEMBER, 1909. TOPICS OF THE DAY.

The controversy amongst members of the Wellington ColEducation lege Board of Goverfor the nors on the subject of Classes tbe admission of freeplace pupils to the Girls’ High School has ended in a victory for those, who opposed the exploitation of public funds for a certain class. The chairman of the Board, Mr Brandon, made no effort to conceal bis opinion that High Schools were for. the children of the upper classes, “ There are,” said he, “ certain members of the community who had their own traditions, and no amount of democracy would wipe out those traditions.” Just so. But surely if a family have a tradition it is worth paying to preserve —they should not expect the general taxpayers to contribute to tbe maintenance of it. The High Schools are largely supported by Government money, and the Government having provided facilities for a girl’s progress from a primary school to the University it is not conceivable that a body controlling a scholastic bridge midway shall be allowed to bar tbe way to those whose blood is not of the requisite blue tinge. It is a commentary on the want of backbone and pettiness that this champion of aristocracy showed when it is stated that the chairman resigned because he could not have his own way. If that is the example the classes desire to inculcate it would be preferable, for the sake of the character of the children of “poor but proud ” parents, that the Vere de Yere element be barred from the secondary schools.

For some unaccountable reason tbe proposed dairy companDairying ies in the Rai and at CanProfits vastown have not yet

been able to make sufficient headway in their preliminary arrangements to warrant a commencement with the building of their factories. With such a splendid example as the history of the Havelock Company ever before the intending shareholders it is surprising that preparations are not now complete for opening next month. Only very bad management or the complete failure of the market could so affect the companies as to cause them financial loss, and neither of these contingencies is at all possible for any length of time. The Palmerston “ Standard,” dealing with tbe subject of co-operative dairying gives the following interesting information Taking the four chief cheese factories, the figures are: Dalefield, 41,9 ton, of a value of £28,887; Parkvale, 203 tons, £11,660; Belvedere, 175 tons, £9494; Taratahi, 163 tons, £8871; m iking a grand total of £53,912. In addition to the cooperative concerns there are a number of private dairies, which will consider ably swell tbe total. The payment to milk suppliers, after paying all expenses and dividend on capital, makes pleasant reading: Dalefield £4999, Parkvale £6885, Belvedere £6207, Taratahi £5414 ; total £38,457. But in addition to this there still remains a sum of £11,120 to be divided among suppliers, being final payments. The Wairarapa is now-experiencing some of the benefits that are derivable from closer settlement and dairying, and as time goes on the number of small farmers will be increased by the subdivision of large estates that are now used solely for wool-growing. Dairying under the co-operative system has everything to recommend

it. Tbe suppliers receive all that it is possible to get out of the industry, tind if in individual cases returns are low it is due to the carelessness of farmers in not taking measures for the improvement of their herds.”

As might have been expected, the road between Havelock The and Flat Creek is now in Roads such a desperate condi tion owing to the heavy traffic that the Ro.d Board have had to notify the public that this portion is dangerous for traffic. The Board now have a striking examp e cf the effect of prohibiting traction engines and at the same time allowing the waggons to use the roads in all weatheas. A pathetic story r t cen ly appeared in one of our Blenheim contemporaries to the effect ihat in one part of the road there is a rut so deep that a poor waggon-driver was thrown from his seat when tbe wheels of his waggon bumped into the rut. Again : another waggon became so deeply embedded in the bog that a team of sixteen horses bad to be bitched to it to pull it out. These are indeed sad stories, but our tears would not flow so readily if we but considered the position. The ruts are there, certainly, and the bog; but they would not have been created but for tbe waggontraffic. The district’s normal traffic in winter would leave the road as clean and clear as in midsufnmer. We have all along advocated fair treat ment for the millers and their waggoners, and quite appreciate their contention that their horses must be fed and their employees given work; but as a result of this who is to “ pay the piper?” Hundreds of pounds of the ratepayers’ money will have to be spent th repair damage that a little consideration and forethought would have very greatly minimised. The unfortunate owner of the traction engine will find poor solace in the knowkdgs that he has had no part in this destruction of roads; indeed, it is a question whether the broad wheels of his engiue would not have counterbalanced the ploughing action of the narrow4yred waggons. As the position stands to'day the engine is compelled to lie idle because tbe roads are so bad that the owner dare not risk his engine on them. After a week or two of fine weather we will probably forget that we ever saw a bad road; but the lessen has been learned and tbe Road Board an 1 Town Board will probably find it an expensive one.