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Timaru Herald, Volume CVIII, Issue 16821, 28 May 1919, Page 6

Herr Bernstein's opinion of the Peace Treaty is noteworthy, as that of a leading German Socialist who kept himself free from "pan-German Socialism" and opposed the war. He declares that "the majority of the Allied demands are reasonable. Germany caused much devastation, and committed, many blunders, and nust pay." "Blunders" puts the German transgressions mildly, but the opinion las a whole should give food for ' thought to some Socialists outside of Germany, who have preferred a more violent view. Count Bemst-orff, a very different person, was expressing fairly reasonable views of an acceptable Peace at the end of March. The ! Kaiser's spy-master and director or , atrocities from America is much honoured by tho new "Socialist" GoverrlI rnent, by which lie was appointed head of a special branch of the Foreign Department created for the study of peace problems.

It will be interesting if one of the i.ig dirigibles, of which British and American types aro now preparing to start, should be the first aerial craft after all to cross the Atlantic. R-S3 may be well suited for the attempt, biit if she succeeds in it, it has been

pointed out, she -would still Be . .useless for the carriage of cargo on'such long . - flights. ' Carrying twenty tons of fuel, required for the Atlantic voyage, a full crew, food, and stores, she would have no room for cargo in spite of. being the greatest British airship. Commercial airships must be larger:, yet before they can cross the Atlantic usefully. R33 and R34 were built' for warships, and only their equip* ment has been modified since the war ended. The movement of population from \ the country to the towns was referred to by the Hon. Gv W. Russell in address before the Town Planning Association. . In 1881, the Minister stated, the rural population numbered 291,238—0ver 60 per cent, of tlis whole—and the borough, population 194,981. In 1916 there were 585,309 people —■ or 53 per cent. living in the towns and cities, and 501,259 in the country. If suburban populations now included in the counties were added, as they should be, to the town figures, the Minister was convinced that the proportion for the towns would be something like 60 per cent. The position was one which, he said, was viewed, by him with extreme regret. The strength of every country, most of all a non-manufac-turing country like New Zealand, liea in its rural industries, not in its towns, and Mr Russell's figures should remind the Government of on® of the greatest tasks that lies befora it in the making of country life mors attractive.

Disappointment has been expressed by at least one critic of tlie Town Planning Conference on the score that too few proposals were mad© before it Of immediate practicability. A very practical suggestion for new legislation was made, however, by the Hon. G. ~W. Russell in his address to tha Conference. Referring to the growth of new borouglhs jii Xew Zealand, ho stated that since 1891 the number of boroughs had increased from 87 to 118, but as a. large number of amalgamations had taken place during that time, the number of new boroughs was much greater than thosa figures indicated. As New Zealand prospered new towns would spring up continually, and the hope was expressed that legislation would be on. sucli lines that in every case before a new borough was proclaimed the principles of town planning would require :to be strictly applied for the benefit of its existing and future population. Legislation to that effect should provoke no opposition, and should have an enormous value for the future.