The Star. FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 1917. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12088, 17 August 1917, Page 4

The Star. FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 1917. EDITORIAL NOTES.

THE EFFICIENCY BOARD. E ports from Wellington, wmeh are ..ii.mod from other sources, show LJio relations between the Govern■i. and the members of the National . ency Board have become very aed. It is tolerably clear that uni no Administration gives more favoio consideration to the reeom..i at ions of the board the latter will . ;or its resignation, if, indeed, it . . not done so already. The board i appointed ostensibly for the pur- _ of assisting the Government in . jrs of national importance aming . .. the new eet of conditions brought id by the war; its members are men c great experience and capacity, who huvo given their time gratuitously, and f-.ii'.eo their appointment nearly five * months ago they have done an enormous amount of valuable work. As a result of their labours, numerous reports and recommendations havo been submitted to the Government, but apparently without the least result, the reports being pigeon-holed in the usual governmental way, and the recommendations, as it were, flouted. Naturally the members of the board havo felt aggrieved at such a state of affairs, and during their tenure of office they havo repeatedly protested against the inaction on the part of the Government. The protests, however, brought no satisfactory result, but at last it is clear that the relationship between the Government and the board has reached a crisis, and it seems inevitable that Unless the former is prepared to give more favourable consideration to the recommendations of the latter the hoard cannot do other than resign. "When the members of the board accepted the highly responsible positions they were naturally under the impression that their recommendations would be acted upon, or at any rate favourably considered, but they wero quickly undeceived. It now appears to the general public that the National Efficiency Uoard, like the Board of Trade, was set up as a buffer between the people and the Government, largely for the preservation of the latter from the attention of the people. Under the circumstances there is no wonder that the ir"tubers of the board are chafing at the brake placed on their effort's, and that they nre determined to resign unless the Government proves more sympathetic.

SILVER BULLETS. It has beo/i truly said that tho requirements of a twentieth century war include practically every substance to be found in earth, sea and sky, and a little consideration will convince even the sceptic that this statement is no exaggeration. In this respect, as in many others, the war which is now lOging, and which is draining the resources of almost the whole world, differs from past armed contests. In past centuries wars, of what then appeared

of great magnitude, were undertaken Almost with a light heart, since the expenditure of men and money was relatively small. On one historio occasion a King of England, proud in the possession 6f a vote of £IOO,OOO from his Parliament, declared war against France, and it was not till thie campaign had been in progress for two years that he again called his faithful Commons together in order to replenish hn coffers! How very different is the position to-day. The expenditure of iriohey by the Mother Country amounts to over £6,000,G00 per day, and is growing every month. France and Italy are expending enormous sums, whilst thd United States is pouring OMt treasure with no miserly hand. In the first year of the conflagration it was found necessary to raise a loan in New Zealand of £2,000,000 for w.tr purposes ; in the second year our part had grown to such an extent as to necessitate borrowing £10,000,000; last year the vote asked for and readily granted amounted to £16,000,000; whilst this year the Government has.obtained the sanction of the Legislature to raise £24.000,000.

The sum is certainly a colossal one, but the needs are great, and tho prizv> at stake is so enormous that neither tho people nor their representatives in Parliament have hesitated to respond to the demands. They know that the money ■vvifil bs expended in a good cause, ana that failure to achieve the goal of all the people outside the Central Powers would mean a reversion to the Dark Ages. The people of the Dominion are now asked to assist in the great eausd by providing the gold and silver bullets, and we have no doubt Irat they will respond to this appeal with, the samo alacrity which characterised their response in the past. The terms which the Government is offering, as we nave airc-ady pointed out, are distinctly liboral, and never in the past have ;j:ich inducements been held out to the investor. To the rich and the poor the opportunity to invest in Government bonds must prove quite irresistible, and it does not. require a prophet to loresee that tho flotation of the loan will prove a pronounced success. In previous references to tho loan wo have warmly commended it to the attention of those who are in a position to lend any sum, however small, and we can only reiterate that for patriotic reasons alono one and all shcMld give it the most hearty support. But even putting aside the patriotic view, tno loan has other attractions: it will return to the lender <IJ par cent interest free of income tax—a percentage which large oapitolfsts would find groat difficulty in obtaining elsewhere. From whatever standpoint we view the proposition, we can arrive at no other conclusion than that it is on© of the most alluring that has ever been placed before the people of this or any other country. Under such circumstances, who would be so foolish as to predict other than the complete success of Sir Joseph "Ward's proposals? LEADERSHIP. " What this country wants is policy and leadership, and after two years of National Government we have not got it. As a matter of fact, after three years wo do not know the Government policy." These words were used by Dr Newman, the Reform member for 'Wellington East, when speaking in the House of Representatives last night, and there can be little doubt but they fairly accurately give expression to the thoughts which are passing through the •: of the general public. Sinco hi: return to the House of Representatives in 1911 Dr Newman has shown an independence of mind which is in marked contrast to his attitude when he was a your.ger man, his sojourn outside tho House having apparently broadened" hi: miud and widened his sympathies, and during the time the Reformers were in power he frequently administered severe rebukes to hi a party leaders. Since the format-ion of the Coalition Government he has been even more outspoken, anc some of his deliverances have been quite refreshing. if only because emanating from a side rarely responsible for inspiration. Continuing his remarks Dr Newman sa:d: •'The Governments vacillation from day to day makes it appear very much as ;f the Government has no settled policy. ... It seems to me the Coalition has been a disappointment, but the country is aching to get a definite lead from the Government, and let it show itself to bo strong enough to give a lend." There can be no denying the fact that there is grave disappointment throughout the country becauso there has not been more leadership, becauso some members of the National Cabinet have not risen to the occasion. Never in the history of the Dominion have men been afforded such an opportunity of doing great things as have the members of the present Administration, but unfortunately they havo seldom seised the chances offered. That the countiy is disappointed, sadly disappointed, requires no demonstration. The undercurrent of discontent is unquestionably great arid is growing in volume with every month that passes. The Dominion is sighing for strong leadership, but up to the present it has sighed in vain. Dr Newman certainly gave expression to a feeling that is entertained throughout the length and breadth of the land.