Sayings of the Week

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 6, 10 February 1909, Page 3

Sayings of the Week

The Auckland gaol was one of the best, - if not the best, in New Zealand. He found it up-to-date and in every way Suitable. It represents the kind of standard to which in time we would like to bring all our prisons.— Hon. Dr. Findlay. • * * • The percentage of failures at the repent examinations held in the public schools throughout th®- Auckland province was greater than usual. Out of 8061 pupils examined last year, no fewer than 742 failed, whereas in 1907, out of 2097 who presented themselves, only 294 .were unable to get through.— Mr. E. C. iPurdie, Auckland Board of Education. Private limited liability companies should not have the power to give security that private firms could not give. iVnless legislation were taken in this matter, the commercial interest of the community would be seriously jeopardised. — Mr. B. Kent, Vice-President ’Auckland Chamber of Commerce. * « * * The trouble with Germany had begun when Dr. Jamieson made his raid, and .was clearly indicated again at the time that Sir Redvers Buller was crossing the Tugela in the Boer War, when the Germans actually cheered the defeat of our men. I can’t follow the figures quoted, but I remember a quotation of an English statesman that figures never lie, but liars quote figures.— Mr. J. B. Kneen, 'Auckland Harbour Board. • • * • I believe that the establishment of a properly conducted conservatorium would have excellent results, more especially in the direction of giving those who intend to enter the profession a broader musical education than is possible here under existing conditions, and consequently it seems to me that the sooner the proposal is carried out the better.— Mr. Maughan Barnett, Wellington. * * * * The Roman Catholic education system Was the only perfect one in the Dominion, in that it provided for religious training as well as the equipment of boys and girls to be effective members of civil society based on Christian principles. Roman Catholics, on behalf of their idea of education, although only one-seventh of the population, spent every year about £40,000, and in twenty-five years they had saved the taxpayers of New Zealand oiie million pounds. — Archbishop Redwood. * * * * The electors seem determined to change the present system of liquor control, but they appear to be equally determined to maintain the right to procure and to consume it, and I am satisfied therefore that once the alternative of State control is offered to them the No-license movement will lose its ■ momentum, for the real battle will then be between the supporters of private enterprise and the advocates :of State control. —■ Mr. Carey Fitzgerald, Wellington. * * * * The whole of the money for the purchase of the Wellington and Manawatu railway, amounting to over a million sterling when the cost of improvements is considered, has been provided for without leaning upon the Dominion's bankers for any portion of it.— Sir Joseph Ward. The amount of liquor consumed per head had increased even though the vote fqr No license had increased. A Royal Commission should be appointed to inquire into and advise upon the whole subject. There might be representatives Of the Prohibitionists and the. trade on the . commission but the ma jority should be calm and moderate men. — Mr. G. W. Russell, M.P. I am more than ever convinced that thy proper defence of New Zealand will be-achieved by •adopting a system of universal training, and by that I do not Wan conscription. If the young men of tlit Doininjori are educated to the privil®fie,i‘pf accepting their responsibilities in this matter before they are twenty-one years,©f jagO'.'in -thP t’ourhe of a very few of trained men that' would provide all the defence required for a long time to come.— Hon. G. 2. Smith, M.L.O.

Though the milling trouble on the coast has been settled temporarily ,tliere exists a feeling of unrest —a feeling that a trial of strength is imminent between the coal end gold-miners and the employers. A few agitators are doing all the mischief. The bulk of the miners seem to be satisfied, but these irresponsible agitators are stirring up strife. When the struggle came it would affect every class in the community, and principles of preference to unionists would be one of its outstanding features.— Mr. G. L. Tacon. Greymouth. * * * * The Vikings, who were supposed to have been raiders and pirates, were really colonists, as the history of Scotland proved. People did not realise that for over three hundred years there was a Norse King in Scotland, and that for over five hundred years the whole of the kingdom of Scotland was subject to the Crown of Norway. It was not until 1263 that the Scots were able to throw off this dominion. — Lord Sa l resell. # * * * You may take this as an axiom in fruit-growing: That if you are to command success you must have the very best soil and climate for the particular variety of fruit that you want to grow. It seemed to me, with regard to the growing of peaches, pears, and plums, and some of the small fruits, you could not get better or more suitable land in New Zealand than that around Hastings. There may be other places as good, but there are no places better.— Mr J. A'. Williams, Frimley. • * * « Their reputation for being the cheapest port in the Dominion, taking into consideration the facilities given and the services rendered by the board, could not at the present time be assailed. —Mr T. M. Wilford, M.P., Chairman Wellington Harbour Board. * w • . * Our constitution practically prohibits an open alliance with England or any other country, but I am pretty certain that for some years at least there has been an unwritten agreement between England and America. I have nothing conclusive to base this opinion on. except that from time to time things have happened that to the observant man show that a game is being worked. What hits one nation hits the other.— Mr G. A. Walker, Chicago. * » * * He recognised that the country generally should be made as attractive to tourists as possible. Where they had scenic attractions of such variety it was the duty of the Government, as a matter of practical business, to cater for the roving population outside New Zealand, who were ever seeking" fresh changes. Everybody, directly or indirectly, must benefit from those who visited New Zealand, and spent money in travelling.— Sir Joseph Ward. Out-of-work men in Berlin can register themselves for a fee of about- 2d. But what struck me most was the fact that there were shoemakers ready to mend the men’s boots for nothing, and tailors to repair their clothing without charge. Every man could thus keep himself neat and tidy. At the same place the men could have a hot or cold bath for a halfpenny, and food was served to them at cost price. We went to Dresden, Leipzig, and Frankfort as well. Not once did I see any slums. The workmen’s tenements were tall, clear buildings, mostly built over shops. There were no children running about without shoes and stockings.—Mr TV'. C. Steadman, M.P. » « » « Speaking from a great and comprehensive knowledge, based on 50 years of travel and observation, I have not the slightest hesitation in predicting that with the opening of the Panama and the Auckland canals, Auckland, within the next 50 years, will take rank as one of tile greatest half-dozen cities of the world. — Mi' TV'. llaii'ker. • * « » . We already are endeavouring as State employers to encourage the married workers, and that spirit is spreading. The more philanthropic private employers are employing married workers in preference to single workers when other

things are equal, and rightly so. You. must agree that the very existence of our country depends on the number of healthy, native-born men and Women who are to bear the burdens of the future. — Hon. Dr. Findlay. • • • • There is a very considerable class of landholders existing to-day whose idea of a reasonable annual income always runs into four figures. Their standard of living is suffieently generous to reasonably provide for the requirements of half-a-dozen ordinary families. Whilst this is true, there are thousands of people in New Zealand keenly desirous of getting an opportunity of earning a living' for themselves and their families from the soil, and the earth hunger is keener to-day than it ever was. — Mr T. E. Taylor, M.P. » » * » It would be a wise man indeed who could predict the future of Hawke's Bay for the next 25 years, but the advancement of the province. Hastings and the Dominion as a whole was the result of the Government lands for settlement policy. This policy would be continued. In the old countries, England, Ireland and Scotland, millions of people had been sent across the seas, owing to the inflexible land laws, but- his Government were not going to drive the people from the country they Loved so much.— Sir Joseph Ward. * * * * In this country it was usual to lay foundation stones, but in America the erection of a building was celebrated at its completion by the laying of the last briek or the coping stone. Well, within the next two years he hoped to ask them to come to Napier to assist in laying the last block in the breakwater. The completion of the breakwater was of vital importance to Hawke's Bay.—Mr J. Vigor Broun. M.P., at Napier. * * * * Settlement of the land was the best guarantee for the future, and the aim of the Liberal party would be to prevent land monopoly and direct the population towards the country rather than towards the towns. New Zealand could afford to give the people on the land the measure of comfort to which they were entitled, and the absence of which brought them into the towns. — Hon. Dr. Findlay. The whole principle of settlement upon Crown lands, or upon lands purchased by public moneys for closer settlement, should be that, those lands are made available to the settler for his own personal benuefit as a producer, and not as a medium for gambling in land values.— Mr T. E. Taylor. M.P. New Zealand was the only country, not excepting America and the United Kingdom to show an increased revenue in their Post and Telegraph Departments. —Sir ffoseph Ward. The total rates of this city, including general, special, charitable aid, water rates, and everything else, amount io £74.000, of which the Gas Company pays one-fortieth, £IBOO odd.— Mr J. 11. Upton, chairman Auckland Gas Co. In this Dominion, where the technical arts and industries, contributing the staple of our material wealth, have wisely received so much attention from the Government, there is a danger that the utilities may acquire an undesirable domination. Art is the refreshment provided by man to sweeten his toil. The cultivation of the aesthetics and the widest realisation of beauty are, I »’iink, as essential factors in communal welfare as the pursuit o/ commerce or agriculture.— Mr Louis Cohen, Wanganui.

The directors of the Wellington Gas Co. are very desirous that every employee of 12 months* standing should become a shareholder, and have under consideration a suggestion to enable this result to be eventually obtained. The experience obtained in the British gasworks shows that where the majority of the employees have been made shareholders, by the setting aside of a portion of the profits each year as an investment in the company in the names of the individual employes, the results have been, both directly and indirectly, most beneficial, and there is not any reason to believe that a similar result would not be obtained here.— Mr />. T. Nathan, chairman Wellington Gas Co. One of th? most experienced men in New Zealand recently informed me in Canterbury that the work entailed in the upkeep of motor-cars alone averaged £53 per car per annum, and as he was a man of considerable experience and commercial integrity. 1 have no reason to do other than rely on his statement. There was at one time considerable opposition to motor-cars by a section of the community, but it is clear to my mind that they afford a considerable avenue of employment and are a greater industrial factor than is generally recognised.— Sir Joseph Ward. * * * * Wherever Sir Robert went ho would be ■welcomed, not only on account of his great personality, but as a great educationalist, and one of the most prominent men who have left these shores as a representative of New Zealand.— Hon. J. A. Tote. The people must be imbued with the fact that they must practically rely on themselves for defence, in co-operation with the Mother Country. They could not have efficient defence by sea unless they had a navy controlled by their own people in co-operation with Great Britain. —Hon. 4. Fisher, Federal Premier. If there is one (own in New Zealand that does not distinctly see the need of a, professional orchestra, that one is surely Auckland, for you have here, under Herr Wielaert, the finest orchestra any New Zealand town has ever possessed. It has performed works never yet played elsewhere in New eZanlad and it never makes such concessions to public taste as mar its high purpose to make the great works the possession of the people.— Mr Louis Cohen, Wanganui. If a man has the courage and health to grasp his chance, and ability and hard work to persist in his chosen line, he will succeed, and succeed materially, for after all there is no real success that does not bring its material reward. A young man should choose his trade or profession in life, make up his mind thoroughly that he knows what his inclinations and ambitions are; then he should work systematically, unremi t tingly, without hindrance or let up, and he will succeed. —Mr 11'. X. Cromwell, promoter of the Panama Canal. The Government wanted to settle the native land difficulty in a manner equitable to both the native *nd the European. They knew that much of the native land was lying unproductive, but he could tell them that during the last seven years the Minister for Native! Affairs bad removed all restrictions upon no less than a million and a-quarter acres. Unfortunately. much of this laud had been bought up by large ladholders who were simply desirous of adding to their estates.—/7cm. J. 4. Millar. Until the Dominion had touched the bedrock of hard times, it would not realise the financial saturnalia in which it

had been A.>MdTging. He did not wish to croak, but he was confident the day of reckoning would come. The Cabinet had to deal with the most critical time in the history of the country, and he hoped that they would prove themselves equal to the task. — Mr A. IV. Ruthcrfwd, Kuranui. • • • • Much good would accrue from the formation of a Playgoers* Club in the principal centres of Australasia. In this part of the world the conditions must differ from those of the older countries, where there is segregation of audiences—certain theatres for certain types of drama. Here audiences of every shade of taste have to attend the one theatre. A Playgoers’ Club might do useful educative "work. 'fhe stage should be looked upon as an educational factor, by banding theatre-goers together to discuss new plays before their production here, and generally to broaden their views.— Mr Henry Kolkrr, of J. C. Williamson Co. * * * * The Auckland Gas Co. had a balance of £9400 odd over and above the sum necessary for the dividend —something which he considered was a matter of which to be proud. The directorate were largely indebted to a most efficient staff, while the appointment 18 months ago of Mr Lowe as engineer was one they had every reason to be satisfied with.— Mr J. H. Upton, chairman Auckland Gas Co. * » * * Now that Labour has come into its Own, it appears to us desirable to get into closer relationship with our comrades throughout the Empire in matters appertaining to the welfare of the people. —SL A'rir Hardie.