VICTORIA’S STATE COAL MINE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXV, Issue 12983, 26 January 1910, Page 4

VICTORIA’S STATE COAL MINE.

Victoria lias led the way iu Australia m establishing a State coal mine at Powlett, and yesterday’s cables informed ns that a mine manager had been appointed at ,£IOOO a year. If he be a good manager, he should be well worth his salary, and the mine, if successfully managed, may have a considerable effect in inducing other Australian States to follow suit. One change will be necessary, however, in more places than Victoria, <iu order that full satisfaction shall be derived from State enterprise. Under the present party government system, the Ministry of the day is often inclined to hush up its own bad management whenever it happens to lapse into it. The attempt would not matter so very much if free criticism were directed towards its exposure. But with Partv Government the supporters of the Government are afraid to criticise or vote against the Ministry lest they should have to turn it out and let the Opposition in. With an Elective Ministry, elected for the term of Parliament, with each Minister responsible only for his own Departments, criticism would be more free, attempts to hush scandals up would Ik? checkmated, and the State’s enterprises would be less pawns iu the Ministry’s game, and more under the conu-ol of Parliament, as they should be.