PUBLIC OPINION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17192, 8 November 1923, Page 6

PUBLIC OPINION.

j WHAT OTHER WRITERS ARE SAYING. MR. LLOYD GEORGES TOUR. Mr Lloyd George's visit has doubtless helped to strengthen the good feeling between Britain and the United States, but if he expects it to bring the United States into European politics to the same extent as Britain he will surely be disappointed. Even his eloquence cannot reverse the venerable tradition of isolation which American abandoned during the war but has since reinstated about as firmly as ever. That be should have been able to talk in this way without provoking the fierce retorts that Lord Birkenhead had to face is in itself no small achievement.— Wellington “ Post/’ THE MEANING OF WEMBLEY The representation ot the Dominion at the Exhibition should do much, too. to remove any misrepresentation for which the geographical term “Australasia” is in some sort to blame. It should certainly prove to all who visit Wembley that New ZealandTs a highly productive and energetic “ little bit- of Britain." far away as it is from the heart of the Empire, which is London. It should also demonstrated the truth of the statement of the London journal that “ the creation of modern New Zealand is among the prodigies of the British colonising genius-”—"W ellington 11 Post.” THE KEYSTONE OF POLICY. Faced as it is to-day with more problems within and without than formerly the British Empire might he veryunwise to maintain trade supremacy as its ideal and paramount aim- So j far as concerns the Pacific, the racial j problem is going to be paramount for j a long time to t ome, and is only now ; beginning to he felt in Australasia. ’ 1 American commercial rivalry is a dis- j tracting factor, no doubt, upon British j policy, despite friendship talk, but it j ; is to be interests of both Britain and ; America that the worship of economic ; ' supremacy should no longer blind the j people to the future, and that due regard for the freedom, racially and eco--1 nomically of all people should be the , keystone of Pacific policy. —‘Grey ' River Argus.” i *** THE NEW RAILWAY POLICY. A further hint has been given by Mr Coates of the character of the policy 1 lie proposes to formulate for the improvement of the railway system. In i his reply to a Canterbury deputation • he disclosed his intentions regarding i the reorganisation of the administrative system by- a comprehensive decentralisation of authority. The elaborai tion of these ideas will be awaited with i interest, for all previous investigations - have led to the conclusion that the i district officers have been so rigftfly subordinated to the head office that 1 efficiency has been gravcjy impaired. ! Unfortunately, recognition of this defect has not been followed by effective i remedies. ... If the policy of decentralisation makes the district man- : [ agers responsible for the financial success of their sections, with the incentive of promotion according to results. 5 it will indeed he the greatest- reform t in the history of the service. The logit cal result of its operation would even--3 tually he tl»e restoration of the South 5 ‘ Island services to solvency and the - graduation of the most successful of L their district managers to the head ' office of the Department.—Auckland l “ Herald.”