PUBLIC OPINION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10175, 9 June 1911, Page 3

PUBLIC OPINION.

♦ FROM. YESTERDAY'S NEWSPAPERS. (By Telegraph.) SIDE-TRACKING. We are not.- quite clear what a Judge's "own time" is unless it be the vacation period that is referred to, but the absurdity of this curious attempt on the part of the Minister of Education to show that a relentless Opposition is bent on "sweating" a down-trodden Chief Justice will be realised by the public when it knows that, as we Wve previously pointed out. Mr C. E. .Button was specially appointed at a cost of £174(3 to the State to relievo Sir Robert Stout of his judicial duties for a whole year, while the Chief Justice "in his own time"' was performing his: work as a member of the Native Land Commission, for which work he received £3076. besides travelling allowances and expenses, in addition to his salary of £2OOO a year as Chief Justice.—" Otago Daily Times." THE RACING COMMISSION.

It has now leaked out that tor some unexplained reason the report does not conform to the terms of the remit, wherefore the Commission will have to be set up anew and the Commissioners summoned to meet in Wellington to supply some imaginary or substantial hiatus. The Crown law officers are for the present masters of the situation. and they having discovered some defect in the report as submitted it seems that a fresh one will have to be drawn tip. The public will be very curious to know in what particulars (if any) tho Commissioners have failed to comply with his Excellency's commands.—Dmiedin " Star. - '

THE MILCH COW. The truth is that every penny spent on the Auckland lines is grudged by the Government, which finds this district a milch cow that yields profits without proper feeding. If the Government were wise it would develop the profitable Auckland district by advisable expenditure, a policy which seems to be unknown among responsible Ministers and their advisers. —" New Zealand Herald." THE PARNELL TUNNEL. When we ask for £30,000 to provide traffic facilities exactly similar to what has cost the country hundreds of thousands of pounds, with infinitely less excuse, on southern lines, we are warned that, if we make so much fuss about the tunnel we may lose the £7OOO goods sheds vote as well. The other day Mr Poole, fresh from a visit to the south, expressed his astonishment that enormous sums are being expended on public works there, while the north is denied the commonest and most necessary facilities to cope with its phenomenal expansion and development. Nothing of that- sort can surprise us now. We can only hope that our representatives will take all these matters seriously to heart, and that before the next session opens they will concert some effective means of laying our claims convincingly before Parliament and Government. —Auckland " Star." MR MASSEY INCONSISTENT.

The. refusal of the leader of the Onposition to give the railways the benefit of the principle of non-political management does, however, detract, very seriously from the consistency and the efficacy of bis otherwise excellent administrative programme. To some the exclusion of the department where political influence ha.s probably won its greatest, triumphs will inevitably suggest a desire on the part of Mr Masspy both to eat his cake ami to have it, to pose, as a purist with regard to the general management of the public service and at the same time to retain all the fruits of political control of the Railway Department fur any Government that his party may hereafter form.— " Evening Post."