DAY BY DAY.

Waikato Times, Volume 91, Issue 14174, 26 September 1919, Page 4

DAY BY DAY.

There will, we belie ve, be a- widespread feeling of regret Politicians that the New Zea-

and land gratuity The Gratuity. scheme was made the subject of a party wrangle on the floor of the House. When Sir James Allen submitted the proposals they were well received throughout the Dominion, being regarded as satisfactory, and many of the men expressed the opinion that they had been treated generously, far more so than they had anticipated. It was, however, expected that some of the rank and file politicians would champion a rise m the rate in order to place themselves on side with a section of the community whose votes they are out to capture, but it was not thought that the Leader of the Opposition would himself lead the movement and seek to embarrass the Government. He knows, none better, the heavy obligations to which the Dominion is committed during the next few years, and while it is admitted that the soldiers should not be penalised on that account by. the adoption of a cheese paring policy in matters in which they are vitally concerned, still it is to be expected that those who are administering the affairs of the country shall exercise reasonable caution and not make the burden unduly heavy for the Dominion taxpayers. As Mr Massey pointed out, the Dominion’s first duty is to those who have suffered and are suffering because of the services they have rendered to their country. These must receive every possible consideration, no matter what the cost, but the gratuity will be paid fb a large proportion of able and fit men, who have suffered no physical disability because of their experiences at the front, and by the majority of these it is regarded as a free gift; they are not disposed to cavil at the amount offered. Sixpence a day may not seem a large amount, but in the aggregate it would swell the £6,000,000 which it is proposed to pay in gratuities to £8,000,000, and £2,000,000 is still a consideration to the taxpayers of the Dominion. Sir Joseph and his party had an excellent opportunity to demonstrate that they could consider other things beside party, but apparently the temptation to make political capital out of the affair was too strong for them.

Once again it has been our function to report a gorse fire at Frankton, which, besides being a source of considerable expense to the Hamilton Fire -Board, was a decided menace to house property in the vicinity. When are our City Fathers going to tackle the matter of noxious weeds in anything like an adequate manner? We have been told that they have tlge matter in hand, but, somehow or other, the time slips by and little appears to be done. The danger from the many gorse patches in and arou id the town is certainly acute. Almost everywhere one goes one sees just now Helds of blazing yellow, which, pleasing as they may be to the aesthetic sense, are a decided reminder of a .grave dSnger, rapidly increasing. Already, although the season is not far advanced, we have had several gorse fires. What is going to happen a little later in the year, when the gorse becomes dry and particularly liable to ignition? It is said that in the locality where the fire occurred yesterday the gorse is quite eight or ten feet high, and is mixed with fern, the whole being a matted mass, presenting an everpresent source of danger. If the Borough Council has a scheme to deal with the noxious weeds, It should/ waste no further time in giving effect to it. , .

The Danger of feorse Fires.