PUBLIC OPINION. WHAT OTHER WRITERS ARE SAYING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17350, 15 May 1924, Page 6

PUBLIC OPINION.

WHAT OTHER WRITERS ARE SAYING.

THK NORDIC RACE. The new Bill which has been passed by the American Congress, to give preference to settlers from Northern Europe over all other white immigrants and totally excluding Japanese. has not been enacted without commotion. Apart from the excitement which its passage has caused in the United States, it has been the chief influence, apparently, in the overthrow of a Japanese Government, punished by its subjects for not conducting its discussions with America with more tact or skill. The American Government would willingly have avoided the extreme shock to the national pride of Japan which was inseparable from the total rejection of its immigrants. It had no wish to sow possible whirlwinds of the future. The American people, represented by their politicians, and resenting the suggestion that they should not be perfect masters of their own house, have been quite indifferent to that consideration. So far as legislation can ensure, not even the eye of a needle, which would have sufficed for Oriental pride, will be left for the entry of Japanese.—“ Dunedin Star.” SOUTH AFRICA’S PROBLEMS. Politics in South AfricA are characterised by a bitterness unknown in this country. The issues confronting the Government, politicians, and people are such as this Dominion has never had to contemplate. There is the question of coloured labour and the dilution of labour; we in New Zealand are not swayed by such impulses affecting those who comprise our industrial army. There is the definite movement to sever the Imperial link and substitute republicanism : we have no such tendency in this country—father do we pride oufselves as a nation .bn our individual loyalty to King and Empire. There is the racial controversy ; we know it not in New Zealand. These are problems outside the ordinary rAalm of administration, and they represent forces difficult to control.—“Timaru Post.”

STATE OWNERSHIP OR PRIVATE ENTERPRISE. A cable message from Sydney the other day informed us that the question of private enterprise as preferable to Government construction of railways had been raised by a deputation to the Premier of New South Wales. The deputation averred that it was apparent that under private enterprise better and more economical management could be secured than was the case with Government concerns. Sir Geofge Fuller does not appear to have met that contention, but, approaching the matter by another road, apparently concurred with the main proposition of the deputation that Government enterprise should be replaced by private enterprise. He said that in view of the public debt, the Luge interest bill and heavy taxation, they should consider whether, instead of spending large sums, they should not give private enterprise more consideration than hitherto in the construction of railways in State. It was a somewhat ambiguous statement, but it is none the less worthy of wider consideration than in New South Wales.—“ Oamaru Mail.”

THE M’KENNA DUTIES. A somewhat lively controversy has been excited at Home over the Budget proposal to repeal the M’Kenna duties. It is said that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has been overwhelmed with representations of protest from many quarters, and the Government is being compelled to submit to the ordeal of a vote of censure respecting its abandonment of the duties. The result of the division is, however, a forgone conclusion. The opposition to the Government will be confined to the Conservative members. The voice of Air Asquith has been raised in cheerful eulogy of what he describes as not a Labour but a Liberal and Free Trade Budget, for which his party intends to vote wholeheartedly. Clearly, it is wholly inconsistent with the free-trade policy of the Liberals and the Labour Party that there should be a protective duty upon the articles that are affected.—“ Otago Daily Times.”

THE MINERS PROBLEM. For some weeks Britain has been sitting under the suspended sword of a threatened coal strike. Protracted negotiations did not- end in an agreement, so the Government set up a. Court of Inquiry, and the report of this inquiry is now available. While the report is valuable for certain conclusions, it does not solve the extraordinarily difficult problem, but throws it back on the parties- and the Government. The enormous aggregate of royalties taken by some owners of coal lands produces much bitterness among miners. All that the Court of Inquiry recommends is the resumption of negotiations for a new agreement, on the 1921 basis, with a recommendation that the provision of a minimum wage should take precedence over distribution of profits. Since, however, before the inquiry was held the parties could not agree on a readjustment of the 1921 agreement, the lookout ior peace is not promising.—“ Auckland Star.” RAILWAYS AIANAGEAIENT. Some indication was given in a cable message of the character of the investigation to which the management of the New South Wales railways is to be submitted. With this object, it has engaged the services of two expert railway administrators from England. Sir Sam Fay. manager of the Great Central Railway, and Sir Vincent Raven, chief mechanical engineer of the North-western Railway Company. The presence in Australia of two recognised railway authorities suggests a solution of the difficulty. If Sir Sam Fay and Sir Vincent. Raven would accept the further task of investigating the New Zealand railways, if necessary with the assistance of local commissioners in regard to such domestic questions as wages, advice would he obtained that should be of the greatest vaule. To the public, the Department and its employees, and the Government, the opportunity of consulting two experts of such authority should appear too advantageous to be neglected. —“ New Zealand Herald.”

When one hour’s extension of a license was granted last month for the Peterborough Corporation’s jubilee banquet, tho Magistrates said they had not made a similar concession for any dinner since the war. and would probably not do so again for fifty years.