WHAT THE PAPERS SAYS

Observer, Volume XXXII, Issue 24, 24 February 1912, Page 3

WHAT THE PAPERS SAYS

IN the things that cause strikes, which are wars in little ; and in the things that cause wars, which in a sense are strikes on a large scale ; reason has little or no place.—Napier " Telegraph.' ,

It is pointed out that if servants are allowed to dictate who their masters shall be, or who their master's delegates shall be, we shall have done with discipline and run the prow of civilisation on to the rocks of chaos. But, there is this to be remembered ; No cause can prosper which is not founded on Justice ; no action can fail which is broad-based on popular sanction. — Wellington "Times." • • ■ There is no use blinking the fact that, at the present time, the employees are the masters of the situation. The mere fact $ insisting upon the transfer of Inspector Fuller being " at their request" shows that when a request is made the men are determined that, rightly or wrongly, it shall be respectepL — Masterton " Age. ,,

We are sure that organised workers as a whole are satisfied that it is a good thing to live in a free oountry, but unfortunately a few of their leaders are inclined to forget it. — Wellington " Dominion."

Industrial troubles are as often brought about, by the fatuity and pig-headedness of individuals on the employers' side as they are by the perversity and unreasonableness of the representatives of Labour. A good employer never has a bad servant—Wellington "Times."

Mr Maseey need fear no bodily danger when his party gets tired of him ; but we venture to predict that if he becomes Prime Minister and talks such fustian in Parliament as he talked at Auckland the other night, his followers will mightily soon be casting around for another leader.—Blenheim " Express. ,,

As a matter of common cense and of justice to all, a etrike should be possible only after a majority of the adult men and "women of the whole country, or whole community, have voted for it by referendum.—Hawera "Star."

We have no doubt that Mr James Hislop, long associated with Sir Joseph Ward as the Premier's chief secretary, is deservedly popular, in and "out of the Public Service, but we are cure that his appointment to the position of TJnder-Secretary of Internal Affairs, in succession to the late Mr Hugh Pollen, will excite widespread resentment.—Wellington " Post. ,,

Whichever of the larger parties hopes to obtain their support must make generous concessions to the ideals and aspirations of the Labour party to hold their votes, and in this aspect the Liberals will have much less to sacrifice than the Conservatives will.—Christchurch " Times."

Britain has the excuse in a great navy that she is preserving the peace of the world. Germany has no such excuse. A navy is of no possible service to her except for aggressive use. Also this mad race is of more aid to Britain than to any other country, for Britain is the great warship builder for most nations. Money for foreign ships pours into British banks in a perpetual stream. It flows out of the Continental banks — and money fights.—Taranaki " News."

The tramway system is a public institution which should receive special consideration from workers. It ie run as much in their interest as anybody's. But the workers failed to recognise thie.—Napier "Herald." • ■ • #If the Education Board had not tied its own hands to the extent it has, it could itself, with all the knowledge it possesses, remove the grievance of the Committees. But as long ac they are tied to the man at the head of the list,that name will have to be forwarded without any ™™*er consideration. — Northern "Mad." • ■ at

Is there really any reason why human beings should be sweated in order that the public should be enabled to live more economically and travel more cheaply P Labour takes up the position that society has beneiited at the expense of the workers long enough, and that the time has arrived when the all-round policy should be "pay and be paid."—Grey River "Argus." ••» ■ . In the case of the route for the East Coast line engineering advice alone has been considered and followed. The final engineering verdict has been before the public for nearly J2s! ye y T eare » tn »t is to say, since 1898—Napier "Telegraph." • • • When we talk of " the cost of living" it has to be remembered that the lean gospel of thrift now falls upon deaf ears—that educated mankind is responding to desire for an increasing share in the world's treasure an<l leisure, and has determined to have it.—New Zealand "Times." • • • It ie accepted by every statesman that it is the consumers of imported articles who pay the duty, not the foreign producer. If the duty imposed is prohibitory, importation ceases, and the Home manufactures pockets the amount of such duty. —Waikato "Argus." • • • The Chancellor of the New Zealand University hit the right nail on the head when he declared, at Thursday's meeting of the Senate, that the granting of degrees in Divinity would constitute an interference with the system of secular education which is in force in the Dominion.—New Zeeland "Times."

The time may never come when there will be one and only one great Christian Church on earth, but there ie no doubt that the churches will be in a far better position for carrying on their common mission when they can present a more consolidated front.—Timaru "Herald."

So far as Defence is concerned, Australia has sufficiently heavy responsibilities of her own, without undertaking a share of this country's. If New Zealand entered into a partnership with Australia, it 'would be a case of the junior partner finding the money and the senior partner spending it. — Timaru " Post."

Next to the admirable proposals for reforming the administration of public affairs, the Opposition is perhaps more definite on native lano policy, with which we emphatically disagree, than on anything else. In Dr. Pomare's view, as given last night, the pakeha is to be as the Walrus and as the Carpenter, and the Maori is to be the Oyster, to be lovingly "absorbed." —" Wellington "Post. ,, • • It is an open secret that very desperate efforts have been made during the past month to induce the Labour members to throw in their lot with the Government which, at the hustings in December last, Labour did its utmost to destroy. From such a Government this endeavour to induce the Labour members to dishoirour their plaflges was only to be expected.—Wellington "Dominion."