The Star. MONDAY, APRIL 10, 1916. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11670, 10 April 1916, Page 4

The Star. MONDAY, APRIL 10, 1916. EDITORIAL NOTES.

ANZAC DAY. " In the northern parts of the Dol minion considerable interest is displayed' in the -arrangements for the .celebration of Anzac ' Day, but in • . Chris tchurch there* does not appear to bo any official move so far. It will bo

- as-well if tho civil authorities'and other . spublio leaders realise that Anzac Day . .'is to bo a thoroughly Imperial celebra- , ■ tion arousing a vast- .amount of pn- •' triotic enthusiasm throughout the Brit- '-'"- ish dominions;' In London, as our cablegrams indicate, there is to be a

-groat gathering in commemoration of ;* the heroio feats of arms of tho domin- ' Sobs' soldiers, and every centre of population in the world-wide Empire will en- - ":tfcavour to do honour, to the gallantry "U>f the Gallipoli landing force and the "''■'Boicijowful •bift glorious memories o|f » ,tbe dead. Many of Canterbury's men .•''lie in soldiers* graves on Gallipoli and ,it is fitting that this oity and province ' should observe that day of mingled jpride andf mourning with a degree of 'ceremony in harmony, with British communities all the globe , oiver.

In the north the general opinion '.appears to be Tery strongly in favour .. of an open-air united religious ceremony in tho afternoon of Anzac Day, followed by such special patriotic demonstrations as the recruiting bodies "J may consider desirable by way of ' stimulating enlistments for the Expedi- ■' tionary Force reinforcements. In the

'""Gazette" notice . regarding Anzac V Day observances the Prime Minister ■very properly expresses the opinion, on

'behalf of the. Government, that the ' 'day should not be marked: by the hold./rog of sports or similar forms of enter- [ iainment. It is not a day for merry- :'■ making, but for fond and proud re- '-' * membrances, and it is appropriate that ; '"rb shotild bo made an occasion, for re.'.cnitting the strength of onr contriVibution to tho Empire's armies. It is ';.'& day above all on which the churches should set aside for once their differXences of dogma and join hands in the . ■'• celebration of an unforgetable episide ' 'in the Emiprc's and the dominions' .history. On. this point an outspoken and very aensible opinion has been enunciated by ail Auckland clergyman. The Rev W. Beatty, vicar of St Mark's, Romuern, ■ well-known! for his breadth of views, lias expressed' "himself as being disap- ! pointed at the attitude adopted by his j ■.church. He, like other advocates of j '* united service, points out that the j i request comes from tho returned solders, and is supported by a very large • 'body of laymen, in the various .' churches. "It must be remembered." gays Mr Beatty, "thai this request. * 'oomfeg from the soldiers, is not of 'the character of the ordinary united 'service. It is a national service in every sense of the -word—for • public warship, for the giving of thanks to God for His mercies on the battlefield. for remembrance of the soldiers who lave given their lives for their country. It is nob even a service to demonstrate the unity of tho churches but it is an occasion on which we can meet on the real common ground of .membership in our country and in tho Empire, which is the true basis of worship." Mr Beatty seems to have rightly set the course by which our clergymen, of whatever denomination, Bhould steer on Anzac Day. It is time now that our Christclnirch ministers gave some indications of their willingness to fall in -with the general feeling in favour of a- united service at which the things that divide could for once bo set aside. It is proper, however, that the Mayor of the city should give a lead in suggesting the special form of the day's patriotio ceremony. ••FATAL ECONOMY." At last tho Hon W. Fraser, Minister of Public Works, has committed the unpardonable sin. He has curtailed expenditure on a railway undertaking in the province of Auckland. Tilings like that cannot be allowed, and the •Auckland journals are crying aloud for )th& Minister's scalp. "Mr Fraser," >o fays the " New Zealand Herald. " in *pite of many fine qualities, is a typical representative of an administrative class which should long ago have been swept into oblivion." Harking back to tine days when Mr Fraser was a member of the Reform Cabinet such- criticism—but in the interests .of tho political truce we must not pursue that line

of argument. However, the " Herald," being really annoyed, does not spare its one-time friend. "Mr Fraser," we loam, "as Minister of Public Works 13 a belated survivor of the school of politicians -which jubilantly spread a network of unprofitable railways over tho Smith Island and grudged even access to tho home-growing lands of tho north. He grudges that access tori ay." It will be noted that the northern journal is thoroughly roused.

Whatever southornors may think of the attack u]xm Mr Fraser, they will cordially agree with the main contention of tho "Herald." " The most fatal ' economy,' tho most indefensible financial mismanagement." it says, '• is the unnecessary suspension during tho war of public works which are essential to the systematic development of the natural resources of tho country. Time and again wo have advocated concentration of effort so as to increase the productivity of the Dominion. Tho opening up of land, increaso in settlement, increnso in production, these are the things that tho Government should aim at, and it is because those objects must, bo attained wo advocated the speedy completion of the Otira tunnel. Tho East Const railway, now the darling of tho Auckland journals, will certainly open up magnificent country, and we would liko to seo it pushed through, but we very much doubt tho statement that "as a settlement lino it will obviously be of oven greater value than tho Main Trunk.

.If the "Herald" is in earnest J n its advocacy of a. policy designed to open up new country, Jet is support a proposal to temporarily stop expenditure on the "Waiuku branch line. That undertaking is not to open up country but purely to provide a convenience for settlers who have good roads, and also communication by water. Tho only settlement possible will be when tho fortunate holders of big blocks cut them up and pocket the added value created by the railway'. The Public Works Statement must be brought dewn soon, and if the '•Herald" will advocate the transference of tho "Waiuku vote to tho East Coast lino, in the interests of settlement, possibly tho Minister might mako the transfer. Wo are at one with our northern contemporary regarding the "fatal economy'' of suspending public works necessary to the development of the natural resources of the country. Among these undertakings we include, the Otira tunnel, but the "Herald" stops short at the East Coast railway, tho Kaihu extension. Kawakawa-Hokinnga, line, North Auckland Main Trunk, "Whangaiei line; "Waipu branch, "Waiuku branch. Huntly - Awaroa line and "Gisborne - "Wairoa line. In short, the northern journal's idea of opening up the country docs not include that part of the Dominion south of the Auckland province. THE STATE FARMS. The Minister of Agriculture says that the Government hopes to establish three experimental farms in the South Island, and naturally there is speculation as to the-sites, a point on which Mr Mac Donald cannot yet give any informatiou. The locality, however, seems to us a loss vital point than the necessity for broadening the scope of these State farms in the direction of making them schools for young farmers. No, doubt Canterbury will have tho most important of the three farms to be-established in the island, And it is most likely, as the Minister indicated! somo time ago. that consideration-will be given to tho just claims of the West Coast. But wherever these farms are situated, it is needful that the utmost use should be mndo of them aud the maximum benefit extracted from them by the farming population, and it is very apparent that tliis maximum benefit is not obtained under tho present system in operation at Mouniahaki and Ruakura.

' These excellent examples of tho thoroughly scientific experimental farm would be of vastly greater advantage to the country and the farmer if they were so .arranged as to be available as summer schools for young farmer*. i As they stand, they are of great educational benefit to those farmers who visit thorn and observe the results m the experimental plots and paddocKs, and note the modern methods adopted) i by the stock-breeding experts. But of j actual courses in technical instruction l for tho youth of the country there are none, and herein lies the one great* defect of tho State farms. Private enterprise in at least one instance gives the State a- useful lead. Mr E. Short, a prominent stockbreeder in the Feilding 'district, opens his estate every summer for the purposes of a camp of farming instruction, and the boys of the Wnnganui Technical College have just concluded a successful season there, in the course of which they gave special attention to Ronuioy sheep, Hereford cattle and Clydesdale horses, under the Education Board's farming instructors and Mr Short's expert assistants. This practical interest in tho education of our future farmers is precisely what we are entitled to demand from our Department of Agriculture.

Here is a suggestion for Mr MacDonald, the skeleton of a scheme which ] might be developed by his Department j with a very great amount of benefit to, agricultural and pastoral pursuits in. this island. Det the Department select, say, a suitable area in North Canterbury, and there establish in connection with an experimental farm a practical school of instruction in pastoral work for boys over a certain age, making provision for a three years' course for twenty boys, which would mean a maximum of sixty boys in the school. These boys could he given a thorough grounding in all branches of farm work, and with special attention to the Departments most suitable to Canterbury's soil and climate, and at the end) of their course they would be fairly well qualified to put into practice tor themselves the lessons they would loam under the care of the Department's farm manager and his assistants. We are convinced that if the Minister, who ia a practical farmer and has shown his willingness to make, improvements in his important Depart-

nient, .will give consideration to this suggestion ho cannot fail id realise tho enormous advantage of schooling the farmer's son and tho boy whose inclinations turn to tlio land. In no other way can tho full benefit bo derived from tho Staio farms' wherever they may be placed.