PUBLIC OPINION

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17854, 24 May 1926, Page 8

PUBLIC OPINION

WHAT OTHER WRITERS ARE SAYING. The Speakership. * The first act of the new Parliament, which meets a little earlier than usual this year on account of Mr Coates's required attendance at the Imperial Conference in October, will be the election of a Speaker. The session may have its moments of excitement, despite the great majority of the Government, which gives more promise of dullness, but we have no doubt that those who continue to indulge the hope that a dramatic opening will be made for it by this first item of business will be disappointed. As far as anything can be in the political world, Mr Statham s re-election to the Speakcfrship of the House of Representatives can be taken for granted. There has been a rumour—there was bound to be one—that the Government will prefer a change, and may cause a member of its own party to be nominated for the high position. The Government is unlikely to do anything of the kind, for the reason which the Wellington “Evening Post” has advanced in discussing this suggestion: it has too much sense. We can believe also that it has too much regard for precedent, and too much superiority to vindictiveness. to take the course that has been hinted in this connection. It is an unwritten rule of Great Britain’s system that, once a Speaker has been c hosen, he shall be re-elected, even despite changes of Government, every future Parliament, so long as he is available and fit. That rule has beeji so closely observed in this country that, if our memory serves, there has been only one even arguable exception to it, and that departure might be miscalled an exception. After Sir Maurice O'Rorke had been Speaker for eleven, years, he was defeated for his parliamentary seat, and Sir William Steward became Speaker in his stead. After three years Sir Maurice was returned to Parliament, and the House restored him to his former office, passing over Sir William Steward.—“ Star,” Dunedin.

A Valid Objection. Through its Canterbury branch the Educational Institute has given special study to the establishment pf junior high, or intermediate, schools, and its findings merit special consideration. The Institute recommends that in the cities, where the greatest difficulty is anticipated, the intermediate schools should be attached to post-primary schools. Separate institutions are opposed because they would make two breaks in the child's educational career. The objection is a valid one; but we are not sure that it is final. Attachment to post- primary schools may bridge a gap: but there is a danger of hindering classification. At the age of twelve (the close of the new primary period.) children cannot be classified correctly. The intermediate school is expected to enable the child’s aptitude to be studied with a view to subsequent classification. If the intermediate schools are attached to the postprimary there will most probably be a tendency to attempt early classification, so that the pupils of the technical intermediate school (for example) will pass naturally to the technical high school. This danger would not be presented in intermediate schools organised upon a district basis. It would be better to attempt this district organisation and to promote close coordination by staff conferences and interchanges than to defeat one of the main aims of the intermediate school.— “Post,” Wellington.

The Latest Berlin Sensation. A high official of the late German Empire, Colonel Nicolai, has been arrested. and his arrest has been followed by the discovery of a plot to overthrow the German Republic. In consequence of this discovery, the German Government, it is announced, has resigned. Why the Government which, presumably, unmasked the plot has thought fit to resign is a mystery, which will presumably, no doubt, be cleared up. The plot, with names of some of the chief conspirators, and details of its aims, objects, plans, and intended mode of revolutionary government, was very freely, outlined and discussed by the ex-Chancellor Scheidemann in the “Vorwaerts” newspaper in February last, as was shown in an article in our own columns on April 17th last, quoting largely from Scheidemann’s article in the Berlin newspaper. The editor of the “Y'orwaerts,” by the way, is on the list found by the police of persons doomed to death by Colonel Nicolai and his fellow conspirators. The colonel was head of the German spy system during the war, and according to Scheidemann deceived the German people throughout with lies about the military position. He is a notorious reactionist. Herr Scheidemann warned the Government and the German public that the organisation was far stronger and more widely spread and supported than were the abortive revolutionary attempts of Kapp in 1920 and Ludendorff in 1923, and certain, if not interfered with, to succeed. That in the face of such a warning, which identified this movement with many and celebrated murders, and credited with the intention of further murders, the plot was not taken hold of sooner seems very strange.—“ New Zealand Times.” Wellington.