TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Waikato Times, Volume 117, Issue 19597, 8 June 1935, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Waikato Winter Shoiv —a Tribute The secretary of the Waikato Winter Show Association has received the following commendatory letter from a visitor to the late Show: “I desire to express my unstinted admiration for the manner in which every detail of the arrangements connected with the Show was carried out, which, in my opinion, reflects the greatest credit on yourself, your committee, the exhibitors, and all who in any way contributed to the splendid success achieved. “ I have attended practically every Winter Show held in Hamilton since the inception of the Winter Shows nearly 30 years ago. I consider the 1935 Show the best I have ever attended.”

Land Settlement The accounts we have published this week regarding the activity of the Land Settlement Association in England, will be of special interest to readers in the Auckland Province, as the scheme adopted is almost identical with that evolved by Mr D. V. Bryant, and which is now in operation in South Auckland. The work in England, as here, is being financed largely by donations from private firms and persons, but here it does not carry a State subsidy. In England it does, the Government having promised to contribute up to £75,000 for three years on a£l for £1 basis. This is a lead for New Zealand, for if a subsidy is necessary hi England it is much more so here, where the land has to be redeemed from a virgin state and so much preparatory work has to be done before a start can be made with actual setltement. Bringing wild country into a Condition capable of production is essentially a national entei’prise.

Not Munificent A county council in the Auckland Province recently desired the services of an engineer. It employs 67 men, to maintain 500 miles of roads, on which it spends £13,500 annually. The engineer was to be a qualified person, and he was offered £4 16s 2d per week for his services.

Commenting on the matter, a Southern contemporary asks: “Is it any wonder that numerous young New Zealanders after years of stud}' leave our shores to offer their training and abilities in more profitable markets? The salary offered by this county is below the individual earnings of thousands of unskilled men in this Dominion. “ Surely here is a prize example of short-sightedness and one that neither promotes the country’s own interests nor the welfare of the Dominion. A partially developed country like New Zealand cannot afford to export brains. But what inducement does such a salary give to any ambitious man to serve his own country?”

Britain and India The Government of India Bill lias been passed by the House of Commons. It is one of the most bulky measures enacted by the Mother of Parliaments, and interest will centre upon its reception in India when in due course it has run the gauntlet of the Peers. Whilst the British statesmen hope that it will prove acceptable to the natives and that it will work smoothly and satisfactory, there are those who profess tho conviction that India will prove a kind of Ireland and a thorn in the side of the Empire. Amongst these are Mr C. Jinardjadasna, a distinguished author and lecturer on international affairs, who thus expresses himself on the matter: “ So long as Britain and the dominions think of themselves as the Empire, tho moral force of the Empire will be small. The Empire contained the 360,000,000 inhabitants of India, and other coloured peoples —red, yellow, black and brown. Only when all its many peoples felt the moral fervour of a united Empire, not as of dominions and dependencies, but as of free peoples in one Commonwealth under one Crown, and pledged to serve not merely the Empire, but also the whole world, would the Empire come into being. “ The India Bill before Parliament at Westminster satisfies neither the Indian princes, who arc loyal to the Crown, nor the masses, most of whose leaders have utterly lost hope of any fair dealing from Britain. Mr Gandhi is typical of the latter, and bis influence is immense, although happily it has now diminished comparatively.'

“In short, the people of India wanted a constitution in which dominion status was set out in black and white, and not implied. Only then, it was felt, would they know where they stood. Thoy wished to retain their connection with Britain, but resented being ruled from London. Britain has lost many an opportunity to do her true Imperial work, although she had always meant well by India, But there is no vision^