The Star. THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1925. VOTING STRENGTH AT FRANKLIN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17567, 18 June 1925, Page 8

The Star. THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1925. VOTING STRENGTH AT FRANKLIN.

The result of the Franklin by-election proves clearly enough that the Liberals of the district voted fox' the Reform candidate, who was able to win the seat, as everybody expected, by a very large majority. An attempt has been made to show that “die-hard Liberals ” joined with Labour supporters in voting for Mr Montgomerie, but this claim is as absurd as the contention that, in 1022, Labour voted for the Liberal candidate. The fact of the matter is that, in 1922, the Labourites supported Mr Massey, or abstained from voting, while this year the Liberals plumped for Mr McLennan. The approximate voting strength of the parties can be ascertained from the following simple subtraction: — McLennan (1925) . 5565 V Massey (1922) . . 5278 Rea (1922) . . 2526 Montgomerie (1923) . 2159 Reform vote . 3339 Reform vote . 311, From this it will be seen that the Reform vote remains about stationary, and both in 1022 and 1025 the absence of a third candidate in the field brought about the result that would be obtained under the preferential system the Labourites preferred a Reformer to a Liberal, as they do everywhere in New Zealand, while the Liberals preferred a Reformer to a Labourite. In this particular seat, which is not to he wondered at in view of the late Mr Massey's strong personality, the Reformers ai-c the strongest party, but thev arc stili a minority party, and the by-election provides no evidence to the contrary. Therefore, it is utterly absurd to maintain, as one Reform newspaper does, that Mr McLennan’s return will “ strengthen Mr Coates's hands in dealing with the fusion proposals,” or that it attests Mr Coates's wisdom in refusing to enter into a preliminary conference befoi'C the by-election. To say that it does is an evidence of the most petty party spirit, and a proof that the Reform die-hards are utterly opposed to the creation of a new national parly.

The Minister of Marine must have a poor opinion of the standard of intelligence in Xcw Zealand if he expects the public to be reassured by his statement regai-ding wireless on ships. He says now that, xip till last year, there was no power to compel ships to be fitted with wireless apparatus other than for transmitting messages, but it is obvious that that is all that is required for the purpose of sending out S.O.S. messages. A vessel in distress is concerned only in transmitting messages, and that is why the Act of 1909 was passed to apply to all passenger vessels, and the amending Act of 1922 was passed to include all vessels registered in New Zealand. It may be comforting for the wireless operator on a disabled vessel to tune-in and find out how far the relief vessels arc from his position, but the knowledge docs not add to the safety of the vessel. When H.M.S. Melbourne was speeding to the rescue of the American barque Helen B. Stirling, she.sent out an encouraging message: “Keep a stout heart,” but however stirring this message appears in print, the crew would hardly need such a stimulus in their fight for life, and the probability is that in desperate cases the wireless operator would continue to send without worrying much about receiving. And the cost of a transmitting set, with a radius of about 2000 miles, would be £SO, and any officer could learn to send out distress signals and the vessel's position. The cost of a receiving set, in addition, would be no more than three or four pounds, so that it is difficult to sec how the position has suddenly become “ exceedingly complicated.” If there are any complications, they are of the Minister’s own creation. It is his clear duty to insist that the Acts of 1909 and 1922 should be enforced without delay.

Rifle-shooting for Scouts was abolished recently in deference to the view of pacifist elements in the movement that the country was against all forms of militarism, but Baden-PowelTs idea in founding the movement was to make a Boy Scout a good citizen, and he was particularly keen in maintaining that a good citizen is a man who is prepared at all limes to defend his country against the invader, lie believed in being armed for defence, but not for offence. It is true enough that British communities have no love of Prussianism, and it is also true that with a boy joining the Senior Cadets at the. age of fourteen, he enters early enough into the atmosphere of military discipline, but there is no age at which a boy, or a youth, or a man is obliged to leave the Scout movement, whereas there are very many reasons why this non-military organisation should be encouraged, t hat is why the heads of the movement should seriously consider the restoration of the marksman’s badge. Shooting appeals to a boy as a sport, and not particularly as a militaristic accomplishment. As a Scout, he obtains an easier access to the miniature rifle range, and a good deal more shooting than the Senior Cadet. To abolish marksmanship from the movement is to remove a very good recruiting agency, and something that will keep a boy a Scout, or a Scout-master, long after lie has passed the Senior Cadet stage.