TOWN AND COUNTRY TOPICS

Southland Times, Issue 14032, 13 February 1909, Page 2

TOWN AND COUNTRY TOPICS

BY TRAVELLER. (All communications relating to this column should be addressed to “Traveller,” c/o Southland Times Office, Esk street.). The newspaper nom de plume, “Ratepayer,” covers a multitude of sins. The latest of that ilk waxed very wrathful in Thursday's “News,” because, forsooth, a new chum critic —here, Sir — referred to the suburban governing bodies as "tin pot councils.” I have nothing to offer in extenuation of my offence to tile unimportant body who is ashamed of his name, and whose opinions consequently are of less titan no account, but I rise to a personal explanation for the benefit of my readers in general. The term, “Unpot councils” was not intended to rellect on those bodies, which are tin-pot through no fault of their own. I wished merely to remind the suburbs that the time has arrived for them to assist Invercargill to fullill its (.estiny, and so assist themselves. My personal experience of and relations with the suburban oilicials have been of the happiest, and it is a standing wonder will: this “new chum critic” that the tinpot councils in question have acquitted themselves so well. There has been so much to do, and : o little to do it with. Now, however, is an opportunity to do better. Unless we want to become like the sleepy denizens of Launceston, who have been for many years waiting for “the gentle tram that drops from Heaven,” it believes us to join forces; that done, trams, water, gas, and many other desirables will be ours in the benighted suburbs, not to mention the increased values which will automatically attach to our properties. It is not a question of whether the suburban councils have acquitted themselves well or ill, but whether we will now rise to the occasion by amalgamating. One may be pardoned for suggesting that this is not a time to create obstacles—there arc plenty of hurdles to be negotiated before the straight is readied, without looking for more. * » » » * This brings me to the Citizens’ Committee. One would like to see a beginning made, especially in view of tile sad fate which lie fell the last Amalgamation Committee —that one perished of sheer inanition. If we only had a little something from the Committee to go on with, rio far the only silver lining to the cloud is the knowledge that by the first of next month at the very latest a substantial start is to he made with the trams! Now oon't snigger ineroduously, O, ye of little faith; lias not the Syndicate pledged itself? Is not its word as good as its bond? Surely. Leave me to my last remaining belief in political human nature —but 1 wander. What is troubling me and others is that the last Amalgamation Committee got itself lost, stolen, or strayed—it really doesn’t signify which, seeing that it became obliterated somehow —-and, wli.le one hopes for bettor tilings tins lime, an indication of life would be welcome. Doubtless a ban#.contest would be a glorious feather in •air cap. but one would rather see amalgamation. Resides, what’s the matter with having both, t pin my little remaining faith to the "Greater Invercargill” ticket at the April municipal elections, for belli town and suburbs. Meanwhile, let not the Citizens’ Committee hide its light under a bushel, while there is work, and plenty of it, lying ready to its hand.

Ministers are here, there, and everywhere, having a glorious lime at the country's expense—as usual. Xo funcUou too small to claim their attention when tile people pay the piper. Well, they may as well make hay while the snu shines, tor a (lay ot reckoning is not far distant. A Government journal thus happily hits off the Ministerial propensity for mold in:.;' about: Members ot the Cabinet are expected to attend the ollicial opening of the Wellstord railway station. After which it is rumoured that they will travel to Tauwhanakirikapatiketoa, and open the new lean-to that has been added to the local road board olliee. They will also oJlieialiy christen the town pump. ’Who says that Cabinet Ministers don’t earn their salaries? A New Zealand contributor to the Bulletin thus soliloquises on the constitution of .Sir Joseph's re-eonslrueted Cabinet which, as Mr Massey wittily remarked the other day, is a much more variegated affair than the many-coloured coal of the Joseph of old:

The constitution of Premier Ward's new Ministry shows that the potentate from A.warna lias a catholic mind in matters political. Scarcely a political opinion that is current anywhere today lacks enthusiastic representation in ids Cabinet. Kowld.s, Single-taxer and freetrader, worlds in amity with Millar, enthusiastic Protectionist. Tom Mackenzie, freeholder, is to run in harness with Hogg, an anient leaseholder. Xgata, a staunch advocate of work, will assist Jimmy Carroll, who has long held Lire portfolio of Kopose. Uuddo lias been brought in to keep George Haurenson out; it was found ' necessary to give Canterbury a member, and little Gnurenson takes such a largo size in brains that the Cabinet couldn’t safely hold him. Itoddy Mackenzie nas on one or two occasions displayed so truculent an attitude in Parliament that his inclusion in the Ministry may be an act of discretion on Hie part of a great leader. One tiling is clear. With suclt a collection of colleagues Ward does not mean to legislate. Ho will just sit still and borrow until the cup of wrath is full and the hoof of doom kicks him into the outer darkness. One need not envy Sir Joseph Ward with such a team to handle.

There arc not wanting those who profess to sec some sinister connection between the growing linuncial embarrasment of the Government and the increased valuations over which there Is such a pother. It is argued that Sir Joseph trusts, by increasing annually the face value of the country —whether it is warranted or not—ito delude the money-lenders at Homo into advancing more than our assets or circumstances warrant. The reasoning is plausible, but nothing more Hi an surmise, anyhow. On Uie other hand, there is a class of property-owner who always wants two valuations —one for rating and one for selling purposes. It is likely, if the present indignation endures (and I prophesy that it will), that the Assessment Court will reduce valuations all round, and tire Minister will then look round for a scape-goat; in widen case the official sent down purposely to do the dirty work will serve very well.

At the last meeting of the Lake County Council Sir Joseph Ward was again elected as Lake County’s representative on the Bluff Harbour Board for the ensuing twelve months. There is absolutely no warrant for anyone holding an important office to the duties of which ho is either unable or unwilling to pay attention. But as long as the Premier sets such a bad example there is not much chance of lesser lights doing the correct thing. It is impossible to defend the anti on, for instance, of the member of Parliament who is also an an Education or otlmr Board, for the honour it brings, while he leaves the work and the responsibility to

others. Nor, by any process of Jesuitlcal reasoning, can a case be established for a man holding on to any public omc# to \vliich it is a physical impossibility for him to attend. Some day—not just yet, perhaps, but soon —the axiom will bo accepted generally that office entails responsibilities which are not to b* 1 evaded.

The Ministerial organs continue to discredit the Government more even than the Opposition I’rcss, as witness the following indictment of such a staunch supporter of Ward and Co. as the New Zealand Times: —

The head of every department will have to face the painful yet necessary ordeal of retrenchment. The Agricultural Department above all other# needs a reforming hand It is notorious that New Zealand is not getting adequate returns from its defence expenditure. A strong hand is needed to fearlessly cut its way through the red-tape entanglements behind which the sinecure holders ar# snugly ambushed.

The paper goes on to say that money is being wasted in the Education Department and affirms that

there is scarcely one branch of th« public service in which abuses have not grown up in the fat and careless years. A true bill, and the Government show# signs of a real intention to stop soma of the abuses—abuses for which tlia reformers themselves alone are responsible.

The matter of the “Government stroke” at Addington is sub judice, and comment would bo out of place, but it is surely permissible to enquire why the General Manager's famous memo, was not penned before ' the elections? It will be Idle to reply that the expert’s report, on which the allegations are based, had not then been received, because it should be the General Manager’s business to know of such slack, ness without outside prompting. That is what Mr Ronayno is there for and paid for. Then, too, hundreds have been put off the railways since the elections. Again, X enquire, “why not before?”

A candid Australian critic on tha Ward system of linance;—

The Ward Government could do with millions, but it looks in the till, and what it doesn't see there makea it go a bit slower. Both Wellington and Auckland went new post offices. Tenders were invited; then, having, got them, the Ministry further inspected the till, and decided that it couldn’t accept any. Here and there* credit is being given to Ward and Co, for pigeon-holing tenders "till tho finances are cleaned up.” On tlio sama principal, tills writer is entitled to public applause for not buying three motor cal's, a steam yacht, and £1,000,000 worth of pictures, not to mention a few tribes which wouldn't look so well in print.

While the Hon. Mr Millar is about the business of putting the railways on a paying business, he might address himself to the anomaly which allows a racehorse to be railed back from a meeting free—perhaps hundreds of miles. Itacing is essentially a luxury, and the pruning knife might with advantage be applied first to the rich man’s privileges, and the proceeds ha taken to allow of further concessions to working men. Tho Lord knows, I am 1.0 Puritan, and 1 can enjoy a race or a hel as well as the "ext man, but there is neither rhyme nor reason in the priv elege i have referred to. Of course, there are any number of estimable men who follow racing as a profession, but there are also any number of rank bad eggs among horse-owners, who certainly are not deserving of Stale assistance to enable them to live by the game.

The latest recreation for the fair Xew Zealander is motor cycling. Lust Sund:.' a plucky young lady, wildly careering round Uiverlon, with living colours and bellying sails, was the admiration of all Ixholdcis, and a glorious advertisement for the Triumph machine she bestrode so gracefully. The re. turning nurchgoers were immensely iitorcsted in and edified by tho Invercargill lady's exhibition. 1 was not present at the commencement of the performance, ana have puzzled my brains ever since to discover nev the riuer stained the engine, for there would naturally be obstacles in the way of vaulting into the saddle as a mere man does. I must take tho earliest opportunity of enquiring from headquarters, with i view to lolling others into the know. Of course, 1 have my suspicions how the tiling was done, but they are only suspicions as yet.

[A long letter from Mr C. S. Longuel on the Southland Horticultural Society was received too late for publication in this issue.—‘‘Traveller.’']