Sayings of the Week

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 7, 17 February 1909, Page 3

Sayings of the Week

Tbe men who are at the helm of affairs will see that the finances of the Dominion are carried on upon sound economic lines.— Sir Joseph Ward.

He had been exceedingly amused when he found that the very same body whicli had shown such hostility to the idea of a conservatoriuni. and had branded him as an agitator, had actually proposed that a professional orchestra should be established—a thing that would cost from £30,000 to £40.000 a year, and which would perambulate the Dominion giving orchestral concerts for the purpose of educating the publie taste. He supposed that the professional musician* would all have fat billets in connection with the orchestra.— Mr (f. ll'. Russell, M.P.

I should here like to draw shareholders'’ attention to the fact that our investments amount to the sum of £710,512, which has been only once exceeded in the history of the company, in 1905, the year before the San Francisco calamity, when they were £829,202, less the purchase money due to the New Zealand Accident Insurance Company, amounting to £115,000, leaving net £714,202; so that we have again reached the strong financial position we held at that elate. I would also point out that in 1905 our paid-up capital, reserves, and undivided profit were £723,680, whilst at the present date they amount to £758,884. being the record in the history of the company. —Hon. .S'. Thorne George, M.L.C., chairman N.Z. Insurance Company. They talk of depression when they are exporting £20,000,000 of produce in a year. However, that is no justification of undue expenditure, and administration promoting prosperity must be looked for. —Sir Joseph Ward. . . ,* a * * In the case of Takapuna the promotion of the Tramway Co. alone caused the district to move, and I am sure it. is the sincere hope of all that this progressive movement will not be retarded, but result in the building of a suburb*, equal to the marine suburbs of the large cities of the world. Already land values have advanced fully 200 per cent., and in one case sales were made at an advance of 2000 per cent, on the Government valuation, and the purchasers seemed quite sttisfied with the price.— Mr Kerr-Taylor, chairman Waitemata County Council. » * »* » The Takapuna tramway would be a Convenience well within the reach of Aucklanders. It would assist very materially the progress of the district, and provide, as well, the finest of outings, connected, as it would be, with a good and cheap ferry service.— Mr John Broun, director Takapitna Tramway Co. * * * In New Zealand alone—to say nothing of Australia—it Would cost the State from £40,000 to £41,000 a year to give the Catholic children the education they receive. The Catholics in 25 years hail spent nearly one and a-half millions to educate their children, and at the same time had contributed to the educational system of the State, maintaining schools in which they’ did not believe.—Archbishop Redwood. * * • * So long as their passions were not aroused, the Moors were kindly and generous in their treatment, but when the waves of fanaticism sweep over the country the white man’s life is anything but safe, the Mohammedans being stirred to the belief that they would get a better seat in Paradise for the unbelievers they killed.— Mr Hugh Paton, Presbyterian missionary. • * » * After the San Francisco earthquake the labour unions combined, and as building had to be done, very high wages were demanded, and had to be paid. Bricklayers were earning up to 35/ a day, and oven hod-carriers received from £1 to 25/. • Th% unions combined to prevent competition by incoming tradesmen, who were not allowed to work without being members of the union, which they were prevented, from joining. They had gone too far, with the inevitable result that there was a reaction.—Dr. 4. E. Sykes, Gis-

Every citizen should be able to cast an intelligent vote on every public question, be able to express his opinions, and combat the views of others. —Dr. Damford. * • • • « He believed that foreign nations had as good intentions as we had ourselves. He gave them credit for not wishing to be aggressive and not desiring war. None of us desired war. But when we had a great number of nations armed to the teeth, and unfortunately armaments were greatly growing, then we knew that, some gust of passion might pome and stir these slumbering activities, and then woe betide the country that was not prepared. History had shown that when nations had been slack, had been careless, had neglected the obligations of home defence, Nemesis had overtaken them.— Mr R. B. Haldane. Secretary for War. * « * « As regards the buildings and equipments of the English schools. New Zealand secondary schools lagged a tong way behind, although, now that the new boarding-house has been erected at Christ’s College, that institution was little behind anything he had seen. In several of the schools in England the old boys did a large amount in the way of assisting to find the funds for the erection of buildings.— Mr A. E. Flower, assistant master at Christ’s College. Mr Elsdon Best’s history of the I rewera tribes is a very lengthy document, and a very complete history of these tribes, the particular interest of which consists in this, that these people are the representatives of the old original inhabitants of New Zealand before the arrival of the fleet of canoes from Rarotonga Tahiti about the year 1350. The introductory chapter of this history of MiBest’s is. 1 think, the best piece of writing on the subject of Maori history tfiar has ever been written.— M r S. Percy Smith, President of the Polynesian Society. * * * * Flaxmillers employed a larg? number of hands, and if these were not kept fully at work the labour inarze: must suffer. He should see. without an unnecessary delay, whether something could not be done to stimulate the industry.— Hon. .4. H'. Hogg. I do not overlook the fact that to a certain class of criminal punishment—even the severest punishment—is essential, but our attitude towards the criminal class as a whole is changing, and must change still further, until we chiefly regard him as a moral defective rather than as a perfectly normal, responsible man, .whose delinquencies must be “squared” in the community's books by corporal punishment.— Hon. Dr. Findlay. * * * * Closer settlement of the land still stood out as one of the problems of the present day. The solution was to get people into occupation of the land on such tenures and conditions as would suit the aspirations, ideals, and pockets of those who took up the land, provided that too much land was not allowed to go to one individual. When they had that the country would have the population that would produce and bring national wealth to the Dominion, because the great basis of a country's wealth came from the soil. —Hon T. MacKenzie. * * * « There is no doubt that Auckland has been fortunate in her last two Mayors, and Mr. Myers assumed office at a most important time. The city has made great progress during the last few years, and it would be calamitous for us if anything were to prevent the carrying out of the forward policy which the Council has undertaken. Personally, I believe in the policy of electing Mayors from the Council, for it is but rarely we can hope to meet with such a man as Mr. Myers, who came in from outside and took the reins successfully.— Mr. G. Knight, Auckland. « • • • Whakarewarewa is a weird and extraordinary place. Tn fact, I may say that it is the most Weird and interesting place that 1 have ever been in.— Lord Stanhopa.

In September. 1907, there were 13( flax mills at work, while in -September, 1908. there were only 70 that were able to keep going. And it looks as if some of these may have to close down very short ly if present conditions continue. The present perilous condition of the industry shows, 1 think, how a policy of trying to artificially raise the cost of a commodity that has to compete in the world's markets with similar goods that are produced in much larger quantities in other countries where similar conditions do not exist, must sooner or later either break down or end in the destruction of the industry,— Mr. (I. Shirtcliffe. Flaxmiller. * * * * (in December 31. 1908, the total of all arms stood at 20,233, which was an increase of 326 over the figures of the previous year, and a greater total than any previous recorded. A scheme has been practically completed for the institution in New Zealand for officers' train, ing corps in connection with the universities. Considerable good has been done in Great Britain through the institution of such corps, and the New Zealand Council had endeavoured to adapt the English regulations to New Zealand requirements.—Colonel Robin. Formerly we placed the lunatic in chains and imposed upon him the severest conditions*. including the lash. The asylum has now become the mental hospital, and . every civilised progressive country begins to see that punishment in the treatment of our criminals is less important than reformative treatment,—Hon, Dr. Findlay. Some of the engineers developed in this country, who have charge of very expensive works, have never passed any proper examination such as thev do in other parts of the Empire. There is no board of examiners, and the man who is overseer to-day may be an engineer approving or disapproving of works that he cannot construct to-morrow. The whole system requires revision, because I consider that very large sums of money have been needlessly squandered on work's that are not efficient, and in some eases on plans that are obsolete.— Hon. 4. ll’. Hogg. . ' * * * * New Zealand was a fine country for a young man with a trade who was determined to work. It was God's Own Country. and deserved the name. He did not remember seeing a drunken man in anv town he visited. Religious life was broad and liberal, and the men did not care to which church a parson belonged as long as he had no “frills” or “side." Although there were dangers, economic dangers, if New Zealand retained her belief in the highest ideals of life and service, she would become one of u.e brightest and most precious jewels in the crown of the British Empire.—Der. Isaac Shimmin, Wesleyan .Minister. Cornwall. If only you don't spoil it by artificial means, Rotorua will always be perfect. The natural wonders of the place are all sufficient. I have never seen anything like it anywhere.- The. scenic- grandeur, the geysers, the wonderful terraces, and. oh, those awful pools of boiling mud! I think the baths and sanatorium are most up-to-date,— Madame Ada Crossing. * W . * A marked feature in the work of the dental profession in America is the desire to have the best, and not the cheapest, people being eager to preserve their natural teeth. Thus people Were willing to pay good prices that, perhaps count not be commanded in New Zealand. — Dr. 1. E. Sykes, Gisborne.

I completed my twentieth year as got ernor of Lyttelton Gaol, and my fortj fifth year of unbroken service’ in th Prison service of New Zealand. Outsid of accidents, 1 have never had a dav sickness in my life. I toon tne piedge'a the age of 11 years, and 1 have neve touched liquor and have never smoked i my life, and at the present time 1 feel a fit as ever I did.— Mr. M. M. Cleary Governor of Lyttelton Gaol. • » • • 1 tie New Zealand University has late!; included Maori as one of the subjects to examination, which is a step in tlie ri»»n direction. But it is hoped that this ma; some day merge into a chair of Polyne sian ethnology and philology, and tlia funds may be found for the endowmen of research in tnose and cognate matters The importance of these subjects whet studied from the Polynesian basis is ai yet hardly appreciated. the light tnej will yet throw on the early history o mankind is only at present perceived, am that obscurely, by a small band of Poly nesian scholars.— tfr. A‘. Percy Smifa New Plymouth. * * * • As far as Otago is concerned there ia sort of wave of conciliation goiiif through me .and. The Court at theii sitting in Dunedin this month nad pul up something of a record, for of the eight disputes that had been filed every one had "been settled without the Court’s in tervention. He hoped that this happy state of affairs would long continue. — J/r. IV. Bcatt. Secretary Otago Employers Association. • • • • It is a great mistake to allow prohibition orders to lapse. If the orders were allowed to lapse the person to whom they applied, usually went on an “awful drunk.” and then came back ami had a fresh order taken out against him.— Mr. //. Il . Kish-op, 8.M., Christchurch. The number of children at present in the Barnado homes is greater than at any previous period of their history, no less than 8000 destitute children now finding shelter under the wings of the institution. Nearly 70,000 children have been saved from lives of shame and want and probably criminality through the Agencies of the institutions since their inception. It costs £240 every day to feed the huge family of children in the homes, and the institutions are entirely tiependent on (he benevolence of the pub lie, having no subsidies or endowments of any kind.— Per. IV. /•;. Pice, Secretary Dr. Barnado’s Homes. In New Zea la ml women had the right to vote, and there were no suffragettes there. For years he.had been in favour of women exercising that power, lie had been in three countries, including the Isle of Man, where he came from, and he had never known the women to misuse their privilege on the side of righteousness and morality.—AVr. Isaac Shininiin Wesleyan Minister, Cornwall. It was very signilieant that the voting at the recent general election showed in creased majorities for the Opposition. The last election demonstrated clearly that people were determined to have ribform on sound lines in many directions. During the long term of the present administration many evils had grown up in G’onnection with the government of the country, ami it would he the duty of the Opposition to do their best to remove these evils. The party now in opposition was the reform party. That was the name by which they would be known in future.— II r. Masset/, M.P.

The present demand fur fresh Hat fish in New Zealand exceeds the supply, and ti.ere should be scope for further enterprise by trawling companies.—Jfr. J. J. \iieii, Napier .Manager N.Z. Trawling Co.

The Greater Auckland question cannot be shelved indefinitely, and the sooner it is dealt with the better; and the sama may be said of the housing problem. The need for a Greater Auckland was strikingly exemplined in the transactions leading up to tho inauguration of the drainage scheme,, the necessity for obtaining the co operation of so many independent local bodies adding immensely to the difficulties of the undertaking.— Mr. .1. M. Myers, Mayor of Auckland.

The lion. James Page, a member for Queensland of the Federal Parliament, has publicly stated that he was formerly an inmate of the homes, and that it is to Dr. Barnado’s philanthropic work he owes his start in life.— Rci\ IF. Rice, Secretary Dr. Barnado’s Homes.

The Opposition party was now coming to its own. Never for the past 15 years had ho seen so much interest in publie affairs as at the present time. In going through the country he found a cunning and systematic attempt to slander and libel the members of the Opposition, whose speeches had been misrepresented. The motto of the Opposition was: , ‘»>e tight on for ever and ever.” They fought the Government, noi unsuccessfully, on the land question, against the improper expenditure of oorrowed money, and against the dairy regulations.— Mr. IT. J/assew, M.P.

The condition of lire underwriting in the Dominion gives cause for grave consideration. It stands to reason that, in view of tlie heavy risks we carry, and the conflagration hazard which is always with us, the rates ought to be put on a basis which will allow of a proper provision being made for such a contingency, and also for a fair profit after paying current losses.— Hon. S. Thorne George, M.L.C., chairman N.Z. Insurance Company.