PUBLIC OPINION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10104, 16 March 1911, Page 3

PUBLIC OPINION.

FROM YESTERDAY'S NEWSPAPERS. (By Telegraph.) THE GALTON BEQUEST. While there is ample evidence to indicate that a section of society known as the unfit should not be permitted to propagate their kind, the laws governing selection for parenthood are as yot so imperfectly comprehended as to render attempts at unskilled generalisation worse than useless. This is, a moral which the local Eugenics Education Society mav well take to heart.— " Otago Daily Times." THE NAVAL ESTIMATES. La-st year the First Lord of the Admiralty submitted to Parliament naval estimates amounting to £40,603,700. This record figure is exceeded by the estimates for the present financial year by nearly four million sterling. We cannot, therefore, be surprised that some politicians and some Governments should express themselves appalled at the tremendous growth of exEienditure on naval armaments during he last decade. Europe is to-day spending one-half her revenues on her navies and armies, and the nations of the New World would appear to be following in her steps. Before such an indiotment of our boasted civilisation it is not only natural .but inevitable that men should ask where and how will it end.—Dunedin " Star." THE DEFENCE OF AUSTRALIA. The further particulars to hand of Admiral Henderson's scheme for the naval defence, of Australia show that its dimension is based on the expenditure _by the Commonwealth of a sum bearing the same proportion to Imperial naval expenditure as Australia's population and oversea commerce bear to those of Britain'. This involves an immediate charge of four million a year, increasing proportionately with population. Acceptance of this basis of outlay opens up a prospect that must cause, not necessarily misgiving, but the very gravest consideration, for it means that Australia, as a partner of the Empire, will be expected to maintain a naval expenditure corresponding in volume on a population and trading basis to that of Britain, and growing in proportion. In other words, the Commonwealth will be a competitor with the Mother Country against other nations for supremacy of armaments.—"New Zealand Times." NEW ZEALAND'S OBLIGATIONS. It is no use blinking the fact that New Zealand has not lieen permitted by its Government to contribute much more than talk to the maintenance of British supremacy. New Zealand does not in the least desire the " Imperial Defence Parliament" that occurred to Sir Joseph Ward on his way to Sydney and that he would be puzzled to reduce to a concrete proposal, but New Zealand is ready to do its duty if it were permitted to do it and we earnestly wish that the Prime Minister would believe us upon this point. He bitterly opposed compulsory military training almost to the last moment, alleging that the country " would not stand it," He is equally mistaken in supposing that New Zealand is unwilling" fullv to discharge her moral obligations in the matter of the naval defence of the Empire.;—" Dominion."

AUSTRALIAN RECIPROCITY. As might have been anticipated, the suggestion of the Federal PostmasterGeneral that absolute freetrade might be established between New Zealand and Australia, has fallen verv flat on both sides of the Tasman Sea. The Federal Minister of Customs does not endorse the tentative proposition of his freetrade colleague, and gives us to understand that Australia is not altogether pleased at the result of the previous attempt at reciprocity. Reciprocity arrangements cannot now be made between a couple of statesmen however patriotic and well-meaning they may be. These arrangements can only be hoped for after elaborate conference between specially-informed representatives. At the same time it is under the circumstances, New Zealand's duty to make the first formal advances to the Commonwealth Government.— " Npav Zealand Herald" IMPERIAL ISSUES. Sir Joseph Ward's suggestion that the time has come for Britain's dependencies to assume not only a portion of the burden of Empire but also some share in the honourable responsibilities that such a co-partnership must entail, has been taken up most heartily at Home. The Prime Minister does well to insist upon the desire of the self-governing colonies to control their own affairs while participating in the general scheme of Imperial defence and co-operating closely with the Motherland. It is evident that Sir Joseph Ward's reputation has been greatly enhanced both in Australia and Britain by his clear and vigorous statement of the position, and though we realise that the establishment of an Imperial Council of Defence, including representatives from all the larger colonies,_ will be a very difficult task, it necessarily reflects credit on New Zealand that _ this momentous question should be introduced for discussion in the public Press and at the Imperial Conference by Sir Joseph Ward.— Auckland " Staiv"