PUBLIC OPINION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17343, 16 July 1924, Page 6

PUBLIC OPINION.

WHAT OTHER WRITERS ARE SAYING. THE CHANNEL TUNNEL. No doubt the announcement of the British Prime Minister regarding the decision cS the Government, concerning the Channel Tunnel will cause disappointment in many quarters, but it would be a mistake to assume- that the personnel of the Government materially affected the decision, which was, no doubt, arrived at by the Defence Committee. and on defensive, not on political grounds. It is highly probable that no matter what Government was in power when the hour of decision arrived, the conclusion would have been the same.—“Time.ru Post/'-’ THAT FOOTS ADD SHOCK. Writing in a Sydney newspaper, a member of th© original All Black team says that the defeat of the present team in Sydney was “‘never expected/’ and was “not even thought feasible."’ There is a certain amount of justification for Mr Booth’s statement, but, with the Auckland “Star,” we question the wisdom of proclaiming New Zealand confidence so clearly to the Australian public. It makes New Zealand look rather foolish. There were many New Zealanders who took _it for granted that their side would win. Many, indeed, anticipated nothing less than a victory by a margin of twenty or thirty points. This was the over-confidence of ignorance, and, generally, 3 r outh. The younger generation, taking its standards principally from post-war football, did not realise what many of their elders saw clearly enough—that the backs of this team were not the equals of the original All Blacks. —‘ * W anganui Herald. ’ 5 THE STATE BANK IDEA. The State Bank idea figures on the programmes of both the Biberal and Labour parties as part of the tion they would place upon the Statute Books of the Dominion should either party obtain a mandate from the electors to take over the government of the country. Back of that idea is, of course, the assumption, that a State Bank would supply cheap money and easy finance. The same idea is at the back of the Agricultural Bank proposal and the suggested Workers’ Bank. If, by the mere establishment of a bank, plentiful supplies of money were obtainable at a time like this, when interest rates are higher than usual, any government setting its face against such establishment would stand condemned as neglectful of the best interests of the country. But no bank can be established without capital unless it carries with it a Government loan and th© Government accounts with their constant flow of payments in ar.d out.—“ Manawatu Standard.” THE FERTIDISER CHARGE. "We suspect that, though the Minister of Agriculture continues to attempt to justify the attack on th© Farmers’ Fertiliser Company, he is really sorry' h© spoke, and we are pretty certain he has heard or something on the subject. not- to his advantage, from his chief. Mr Nosworthy ha 3 not been fair to the company. When it was pointed out to him that it had not paid a dividend, h© pointed to the large nrofit last year and its utilisation in other directions. What, he has not mentioned are the peculiar difficulties under which th© company started, of which he must be aware. Th© company erected its works when costs were exceptionally high, and for a time its financial road was rocky. That it did well last year was not more than it deserved as a set-off against earlier difficulties . and disappointments. — {£ Auckiand Str.r.” “THE NEW ZEALAND BE AGUE.” Tit© political quidnuncs ar© busy in their characteristically amusing fashion. Almost every year, and especially in the early part of th© parliamentary session, rumours obtain circulation, pointing to impending change© in party conditions. There are subt-i© hint-s concerning the possibility or likelihood of readjustments calculated to alter th© whole face of dominion politics. They suggest, these ultra-shrewd observers, that nothing will be right with New Zealand until the control of public affairs is entrusted to inexperienced hands. Them power of entertainment is of brief duration, and their importance never existed. Of “Deagues” w© have had many; indeed, a new descriptive word should surely be found or invented ; but th© list is %iot complete, and w© are now confronted with a “New Zealand Deague,” whose objective is an “amalgamated national party,” leading to the formation of a Cabinet which would be a pretty sight for god 3 and men.—“Otago Dialy Times. ’ ’ MOVEMENTS IN OATS. Undoubtedly on© of the features of th© trad© of this port during the past month or so has been the landing ol oats from Canada. Southland, Otago and Canterbury contain large areas of land particularly suitable for cropping oats, and the samples are considered second to none in the world- It is worth while examining the circumstances of a trade movement which has brought about something which tli© man in th© street- regards as being in th© nature of bringing co-uls to Newcastle. It lias always been notorious that in New Zealand outs have been a favourite commodity for the medium of a crumble. The fashion, if it did not begin in the far south, a* least camo into great prominence there, becoming a cause celebro with heavy reverberations in high financial and political circles. Of recent years, however, Auckland has been the home of the speculator in oats. Compared with the S-outh Island the North Island grows hardly any oats.—“ Star.” Dunedin. PBAY THE GAME! The lot of the miner is hard in many ways. His work is arduous and sometimes perilous, and it is for this reason that his remuneration is liberal compared with that of men iu other occupations. But the miners appear to be at war with the world—to be in a constant state of hostility towards those who pay them. In some matters they rr© entitled to the sympathy of the public, in others their action is entirely indefensible. This is the cas-3 in th© present dispute involving practically all the Southland miners. An award a week or two old has caused dissatisfaction, and again the people in no way responsible for this alleged injustice ar© called upon to suffer in midwinter. If th© miners consider this a fair thing, x,ne;r consciences ar© easily placated. We ar© far from believing that in every instance what the mnie-owners say is right, or even that th© Arbitration Court iB infallible, but a strike which reduces th© supply of coal to famine doles while little children are shivering with cold, is a crime against humanity.—“ News,” Invercargill.