Rangitikei Advocate FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 1910. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9696, 4 March 1910, Page 4

Rangitikei Advocate FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 1910. EDITORIAL NOTES.

THE election of Mr Sisam as Rhodes scholar shows that it is possible for a boy at a country sohool—if he is really able—to attain the highest distinction possible for a New Zealand stndent. In all competitions

the pupils at small oonntry sonools, sucfi as these at Opotiki and Whakatane, where Mr Siam received his early education, are seriously handicapped as oompared with the scholars at the large town schools in which the training given is as a rale roach more efficient owing to the fact that the number of pupils ia greater and that the teachers are more accustomed to teaching advanced classes. In spite, however, of th island ioap Mr Sisam proved able to secure a junior scholarship, and proceeding to Auckland Grammar., School and University was most suooesaful both in his studies and in the crioket and football fieldu. It is gratifying to find that the educational ladder in this oonntry has some of its lower rungs even in the country schools and that it enables ability whereever it is found to secure a good start in life. If oisly parents in New Zealand estimated at their true value the opportunities provided for the eduoefelon of their children there Is no reason why New Zealanders should not occupy leading positions in every portion of the Empire and prove serious rivals to the Scottish students who secure mora thao a proportionate share of suooese. Everyone in this oonntry will watch With interest the career of the new Rhodes soholar and will feel a personal interest in any future triumphs which may await him.

WHEN the Government Departments make rules for the goidance of officials they seldom study equity. In most departments of life when a person or a company fails to do work it cannot claim payment. Bat the Telegraph Department has a cheerf nl method of taking payment whether it performs Its work or net. If, for instance, a telegram la handed in at say 9 a.m., and does not get over the wires till say 5 p.m., when, id is utterly useless to the receive.?, the Department calls upo'j him to pay for it, and if ha refuses to do so it makes the sender pay. It charges for its own incapacity or neglect. This fact was brought under oar ootioe on Wednesday when a telegram giving training notes, pat in at Wangaimi at 1.30 p.m. did not reaoh us till 4 p.m., some tituß after ws had gone to presi with our latest edition for the day. The explanation given by the Department was that the were too crowded, otherwise we might have been inclined to aek, Why nse the telegraph when yon can walk? On onr pointing oat that the delay had caused the telegram to become useless, the Department calmly observed that it would collect from the sender. Bat the sender was not to blame fcr the delay. Why should the Department not, under such ciroomstances, forego any claim. It shonld open an account for loss through incompetence or incapacity, and charge it with snoh items. To make anyone pay for what its own inaction has made neeles3 is surely not just.

THE belief in the power of legislation to remedy all evils great or small which is euoh a marked fea tare iu the mental equipment of the people of this oountry never received better illustration than by a resolution passed the other day by the Sooiety for the Promotion of the Health of Women and Children. This society decided to approach the Minister for Pnblio Health with a request that he would prevent the sale of "those indiarubber devioes known as 'dummies' or 'comforters.' " The members of the Sooiety have done a certain amount of good work by directing attention to the improper methods commonly employed by ignorant mothers in feeding infants bat this work has been done by moral suasion. Now they are making themselves ludiorous by proposing to invoke the authority of the State to remove a trifling evil which has no very serious effect. A dirty dummy is no doubt an objeotionable objeot to put in a ohild's mouth, but it any rate prevents the entrance of many other far worse substances whioh a baby is likely to pot in its mouth. It is often maintained that women have no sense of humour and though this is by "o means universally true it certainly seems as if the good ladies who are endeavouring so promote the health of women and ohildren are devoid not only of humour but also of common sense.