whay the Papers Say

Observer, Volume XXII, Issue 51, 6 September 1902, Page 3

whay the Papers Say

IN Auckland, either the police are very sleepy, or the burglars are very skilful and cool. — Hobart Clipper.

The Rand capitalists have every right to earn success and profit for their great outlay, but they have no right to do so at the expense of their employees, and of the white British subjects who won the mines for them from the Boer.— Carterton Leader on coloured labour.

An Auckland parson named Robertson has been making some pulpit remarks anent city management that should pierce local councillors like red-hot iron, were it not that they are ironclad, and are used to that sort of thing. — Christchuroh Spectator.

The Arbitration Act has only been in operation a few months, and already "all organised labour" demands its amendment. The fact is the machine is not working up to specification. — Sydney Sunday Times.

A Dunedin correspondent states that dredges are being sacrificed wholesale. Plants which cost' from £6000 to £9000 are being sold' at from £800 to £2000, including claiftis in some cases, without a turn having been taken out of the machinery.— lnangahua Times.

If the law relating to child labour requires amendment, it should begin in town rather than in the country. — Te Aroha News.

It is an alarming fact that in New Zealand not more than about twentyfive per cent, of the children have been vaccinated, and very few of the adults have been re-vaccinated. — Hokitika Leader.

There is widespread discontent at the proposed opening of settlers' land to peripatetic fishermen. It is a question whether a person's land is worth as much where breeding stock ar« likely to be disturbed as it is when free from such intrusion. — Hawera Star.

Pressure is to be brought to bear upon the Government requesting them to take over Te Aroha and run it for all it is worth — and it is worth a good deal. If such a thing did happen, we expect before long Te Aroha would be alive with inspectors, landscape gardeners, balneologists, etc., to say nothing of a staff of fifty or so prisoners laying out the Domain grounds, beautifying our river walks, etc. — Te Aroha News:

It behoves the people of Otago to be up and doing in order to defend their interests from this insolent attack of the Northerners who are howling, like a pack of wolves in full cry, for the whole of the loan money. That they should get all is inconceivable ; that they will get more than their fare share, is probable. — Cromwell Argus.

Quite recently there has been a certain amount of rather invidious discussion concerning the tenacity with which (as it is said) an octogenarian Judge clings to his position on the Bench. As a matter of fact, we are informed on good authority that the Judge in question is in full possession of his mental faculties ; and we are not quite sure that these harsh criticisms have not had their origin in more or less ignoble motives. Be that as it may, it is unreasonable to blame a Judge for showing an unwillingness to relinquish his office, or to insist upon retirement at a stated age, unless an adequate retiring allowance is provided. — Dunedin Star.

The proper place for religious teaching is the home and the church ; the State has no right to relieve parents of all responsibilities, and the more it attempts in that direction the worse, we are convinced, it will be for the children. — Nelson Colonist.

Was Seddon the only colonial Premier who was offered a baronetcy? Apparently so. But now comes the rub. Seddon represents less than a million people. Barton represents a great federation of four of five millions. Laurier represents a greater federation of six or seven millions. Can it be believed that King Edward really offeredSeddorisomethinglarger, bigger, heavier, than he offered Barton and Laurier? It's hardly likely.— Christchurch Spectator,

The exclusion of the public and the press from the enquiry into the " Transport Scandal " is not calculated to inspire the outside world with confidence in the report of the Commission, which we venture to predict will be largely in the direction of whitewashing the officers, whose alleged neglect, insobriety, and incompetence are stated to have mainly contributed to the large amount of preventible sickness, and the high death rate on the transports in question. — Wanganui Herald.

There can be little doubt that if the Labour leaders continue to find Governments sufficiently subservient, all the great industries of the State will be nationalised. If the State is to clothe its employees of one class, why not all? And if to clothe, why not to feed ?— Sydney Sunday Times.

The plain truth is that the Minister is grossly incompetent. Neither his abilities nor his habits are such as to ensure the proper discharge of his duties.— Nelson Mail on the Minister for Education.

In England, even among the Jingoes, Premier Seddon has become the butt of fools, the chief laughingstock of the vulgar. The alleged comic papers hang their silly jests upon him, the leading dailies find in his capers occasion for their weak wit. The aristocrats crowd about him and cackle contempt of democracy. And yet this man was, and is, a democrat of stability and value, only just now bitten in his w#akes(rspot by the venomous reptile of Jingoism. — Hobart Clipper.

Seddonism with its corrupt pandering, and dodgery, has made Auckland representation a chaotic conglomeration of insignificant units. We want men who will work together, and take a broad view of subjects affecting the colony as a whole, and Auckland province in particular. — Wanganui Advocate.

Aucklanders are apt to pride themselves on the beauty of their town and harbour, forgetting that " handsome is that handsome does," and that a city where dirt and evil smells pervade the streets, and where the diseases due to filthy conditions of life are extraordinarily prevalent, can only be likened to a whited sepulchre. — Tauranga Times.

If we mistake not, Mr Seddon is, in his heart of hearts, not a little disillusioned with and weary of his fight for labour in this country. He has done a great deal for labour and the unionists, but his reward has been of late gross ingratitude, and no one can blame the Premier if he, as he has done, wisely calls " Halt " to those who cry for more advanced labour legislation. — Blenheim Express.

The story of the Drayton Grange is more like one of those tales of the slave-ships of the slavery days, when the scum of the earth were making fortunes by cramming the holds of crazy vessels with wretched Africans, and carrying them off to provide cheap labour for America, than the bare account of the experience of a couple of thousand of volunteer soldiers who lay themselves open to such scurvy and scandalous treatment by putting themselves and their lives at the service of their country.— Melbourne Punch.