The Star. SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 1028. NOTES OF THE DAY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18550, 25 August 1928, Page 4

The Star. SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 1028. NOTES OF THE DAY.

'V7'ESTEIU)A\ S DISCUSSION in Parliament about war ifunds and unemployment gives point to an article by the Hon G. W. Bussell, published in the “ Star ” of August 11. The whole of the registered war funds in the Dominion amount to substantially more than a million pounds, and the War Funds Council holds £160,000. It is, indeed, regrettable that only a little over £SOOO, or a little over half a year’s interest, should have been allocated by the Council for a whole year for “ ex-soldiers in necessitous circumstances due to unemployment.” Everybody hopes that New Zealand "has touched rock-bottom this year in the matter of unemployment generally, but even if it had not done so, the general distress would have been warrant enough for extending relief from war funds to returned soldiers on the most generous scale. It would be better to exhaust the funds prematurely than deny relief to the men who are straggling against adversity to-day.

TT WOULD BE an ill-mannered and churlish thing if tire ■*- Government did not make distinguished people the guests of the country. An Auckland Labour Member has been complaining about the expense involved in the matter, although it is gratifying to know that the leader of his party (Mr H. E. Holland) sharply disagreed with him. It is a small compliment to pay a distinguished visitor to give him a free railway pass, or similar concessions, while lie is in the country. There is not a New Zealand parliamentarian who visits Australia, who does not have all his expenses, apart from hotel expenses, paid gladly by the State or Commonwealth Governments. These little compliments are par tof the grace without which life would be more or less impossible. So far as the government of a country is concerned, it may be likened to the case of a private individual who invites a visitor to join him in a “ drink,” or a cup of tea. The fear of the critics no doubt is that these little services might be abused, but even if they were abused that would not be an excuse for cutting them out altogether. Governments, like private individuals, are occasionally no doubt pushed into the position of offering hospitality to people who have no claim to it, but we should not fail to entertain strangers on that account.

A N AERIAL mail and passenger service between Australia and New Zealand is talked of in Sydney, and the opinion of the Director of Civil Aviation has been asked by a great European flying-boat company for his opinion on the possibility of obtaining a mail subsidy. Of course, a substantial mail subsidy would be forthcoming if the service were practicable, and that of course means safe. It is significant that the capital of a company would not be more than £250,000. Such a service must come in time, and it is only a question of perfecting the machines and tile lines of communication. The Sydney project gives added interest to the proposed Tasman flight of Captain liingsford Smith and his companions. Indeed, the mere discussion of such a service, whether it comes to anything or not, is the most complete answer to those critics who are constantly asking whether the pioneer flights over the Atlantic and other oceans are worth' while. It is obvious that a start must be made somewhere. Sir John Alcock, in his first non-stop flight of the Atlantic, embarked on a much less hazardous expedition than was ever undertaken by the old navigators who sailed out into the unknown in little cockle-shell craft that would strike terror into file hearts of the present generation. And the time must come when aerial transport will displace the ocean liner, as surely as steam displaced sail.

HPHE AMERICAN TOURIST AGENCY that has cut Aus-

tralia and New Zealand out of its world cruises professes to be annoyed by some of the ill-mannered criticisms directed at its tourists, particularly in Australia, but the real reasons why Americans do not come more freely to Australia and New Zealand are, in the first place, that they are remarkably ignorant of these countries, secondly, that the time occupied in coining and going is rather longer than they are prepared to give, and finally that they are not particularly comfprtable when they get here. So far as New Zealand is concerned, one rcasou why the American millionaire class do not come here more freely is that they do not get the hotel accommodation to which they are accustomed. Go where you like in America and Canada, and a bedroom with bathroom attached is standard equipment. Americans expect to pay for their comfort, but they demand it and get it, and until our hotels are brought up-to-date we need not expect this country to become a real playground for tlie tourists who spend freely. Under the present licensing law it is virtually impossible to induce owners of hotels to put up elaborate premises, and although the Prohibitionists may argue that elaborate and comfortable hotels without liquor licenses are erected all over the United States, it must be remembered that the American population is more than a hundred times as great as our own.