News of the Dominion.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 11, 15 September 1909, Page 4

News of the Dominion.

OUR WELLINGTON LETTER. The Rangitikei Election. THE Rangitikei election occupies the chief part of public attention. The leading feature of the week is the withdrawal of Mr. Hutchinson from the candidature. The Opposition men say that he is a sort of archangel who has preferred the interests of the Tory party to his own ambition. The other side take a less exalted view of his conduct. They want to know how the thing has been done. They profess to believe that the eharms of the Wanganui seat (prospective charms) have borne themselves in upon the Hutchinson mind with considerably more force than they did a week ago. By dint of hard riding Mr. Hutchison has attained to the knowledge of his own unpopularity. The result is that everybody regards him as having been from the first a negligable quantity. The number of votes he leaves free is held to be immaterial so far as Mr. Hockley, the official candidate of the Opposition from the first, is concerned. That gentleman will get the same number of votes, about, as he would have got had Mr. Hutchison remained in the contest. There is disappointment on the Liberal side, of course, that some similar process has not been gone through by one or more of the candidates carrying the Liberal colours. But there is time during the week. In the meantime no one imagines that there will be a victory for any one in the first ballot. There is much more of the personal equation on this occasion than of political proclivities. All the candidates are of the freehold colour, and from that point of view it may be anybody’s game. From the Liberal point of view the cards held by the candidates of the party are all trumps. Nothing has occurred to change the* significance of that fact. Had there been a new deal One might have expected anything. But with the old cards, and the good record of the Government, there is no need to anticipate anything but eventual victory. The first ballot, it is thought by the cognoscenti will give the victory to no one. Therefore, it is held by many that the second ballot is a somewhat good institution. Unemployment—lts Remedy. While the talk of the British reformer is of insurance against unemployment, and the demands of the British Trades Unionist on behalf of Labour generally finds the talk of his Government on the subject of insurance satisfying, the Government of the Dominion is by no means dead to its responsibilities as a reforming Liberal Government. Dr. Findlay has followed up this week the series of his demonstrations with a pronouncement on the subject of unemployment and its remedy. It was apropos of the cry from the waterside workers which I spoke of last week. The Doctor Said that casual labour is a necessity of commercial life in this country, but that it ought to be provided for in some way by the State and all the parties Interested. To that end he announced that there is on foot a scheme for providing land for the casual labour at the waterside to enable the men to do some work for themselves on their own patch of ground during the times that work is scarce. The idea is felt throughout the Liberal party to be good. But at present, in the absence of any definite announcement as to the lands available for the scheme, it is too early to speak. The announcement of the AttorneyGeneral on the subject is regarded as, at all events, a sign that the Government is on the alert and not retrograding. Tattersail's Club. There is a flutter about the Club of Tattersail. Some of the party are scandalised. They cannot forgive the presence of two Ministers of the Crown at the opening of the Club of the Bookmakers. As private individuals no one would have had a word to say against their patronising anything they choose, or against their taking up any sport or pastime thev might think fit. But the Acting-Premier and the Minister of Railways ought, many people think, to

have left the Tattersall Club severely alone on its opening day. Other Ministers were invited, but declined the honour. This is the opinion held very generally without any condemnation of the men who are the backbone of the club. So long as the bookmaker is permitted by law so long will it be better for him to be under some decent club control as are the votaries of sport in other forms. It is recognised that the above members of the Ministry meant well. But they ought, many of their 'best friends think, to have left it to other people to do what they think well. A Good Idea. Is there balm in Gilead? The Minister for Lands thinks there is. He has told the world recently that he has under survey 1,300,000 acres of land (including the lands passed by the Maori Land Boards), and in addition between 60,000 and 70,000 acres for the improved farm settlement system, to 'be started forthwith. There are, it appears, 400 sections ready for settlement under the' system. We are all waiting to see whether the offer will raise a half-battalion of working, prosperous farmers. There ought not to be much doubt about the matter. The idea is good, and the land is good, and so are the terms on which the men can acquire their interests. It was wrong of the Minister, from the Opposition point of view, to mention this little arrangement during the progress of an election. But are all things to stop during an election, in order that the opponents of the 'Government may make the hay which consists of critical analogies unreplied to by facts? A Commercial Invasion. Commerce in all its levels is delighted with the determination of the Government to have the delegates of the Chambers t of Commerce Conference met and personally conducted through the country from Auckland to the Bluff. The rest of the world is equally delighted with the determination of our own Chambers to do some of the personal conducting, within the borders of their own districts. I cannot say there is much speculation as yet about the possibilities in this connection. The increase of the Imperial trade has been mentioned with some emphasis by some of the delegates, and their words have reached here on the wings of the cable. But our people have no definite ideas on the subject. Their definite ideas lead to the belief that the British merchant will, through the eyes of his representatives, see what manner of man he is dealing with, what manner of security he has to offer for credit, what manner of truth there is in the charge that capital is flying before the spread of anarchy, and what manner of slump the affairs of the Dominion are still wallowing in. In plain English, the visitors are expected to see for themselves how hollow is the pessimism of certain circles, which mistake it for patriotism, apparently because it begins with the same letter. Testing the Spirits. The medium has left us for a time, but ■he is to come back for the crucial trial which the Fourth Estate has, to put it euphemistically, arranged for him. It is a new departure for the Press. But the Press has backed its opinion, and that is always a good move with the public. Whether the medium will be game to the last remains to be seen. He is to be properly searched, properly examined, and propertly tied up. There is a general impression that his spirits will have a hard row to hoe, and the name of the big gooseberry of the silly season is understood to be Bailey. Mrs. Hislop's Death. The city has been much saddened by the death of the lady who for four years filled the position of mayoress. Among the poor there is substantial grief, for she was truly the helper of affliction and distress of all kinds. A more kindly, gentle spirit, of most active practical benevolence, unobtrusive withal, there never was. An immense funeral cortege testified to the general respect in whiter Mrs. Hislop was held, and to the widespread sympathy felt for the husband id his great, irreparable loss. The Mayor (Dr. Ncwmnn) voiced the general feeling in noble, simple words. “She hod,’’ he

said, “during the last four years maintained the highest ideal of civic government. Wherever there was wrong or wretchedness, or poverty, there was Mrs. Hislop trying to bring relief. She had spared neither pains nor trouble in her efforts to help the poor, and wherever there was good to be done she was ready to do it. That was the modern idea of civic government.” It is a noble tribute, to which the whole city said “Amen” when it read the well-chosen words. No Choice But Hobson's. There is trouble among the School Committees. A leading lawyer has advised that the Education Board has the right in drawing up its list of teachers for recommendation to the committees, to place only one name on the same, practically leaving the Committees no choice but Hobson’s. They feel that this is not in the spirit of compromise in which the clause of the Education Act was drafted. The man in the street declares that if this change is to be made it should be made in a straightforward manner, not filched by the misuse of language. The Legislature is to be invoked to uphold the original understanding. But if that proves impossible, then the change must be made on its merits. To pretend that the Committee have a power which they have not got, is felt to be unworthy of an honest people. Railway Tariffs. The Minister of Railways gave the fruit-growers’ deputation one of his very decided “Noes” when they wanted a reduction of freight for the encouragement of their industry. But when he said that the reduction of from one sixteenth to a tenth of a penny per pound would benefit nobody but the middle men, there was not much forthcoming on the other side. The incident is valuable as having called forth another announcement from the Minister that nothing will be done in the way of alteration of the railway tariffs until after the expiry of the year, he promised on taking office, to devote to the study of the railway system in every one of its aspects. Whatever happens, it is clear that the three per cent limit of profit will not be maintained in its pristine rigour. If the operation of the existing freights is to raise the profits above that level they will not be interfered with. As that will be a. sign that the users of the lines are not discouraged by the existing rates, there does not seem to be any good reason why they should be altered. Business will always be business with the railway management if what the Minister has often said is an indication to be followed. After all, why not? The number of people is increasing who think that the railways have done enough for the development of the country by way of concession. An Improved Lifeboat. Another improved lifeboat has been patented by a Wellington resident, Mr. Edmund Hannan, of Franklin-avenue, Nairn-street. The invention relates to a reversible lifeboat, or raft, and consists in providing an adjustable floor, means for regulating the position of such floor, rudder, centre-board, rowlock lines, and other accessories capable of automatic adjustment to positions of the boat. The lockers, mast holes, etc., are equally accessible, whichever side of the boat is uppermost. The peculiarity of the boat is that it cannot be upside down, as whichever side is up can be used by the passengers. The top and bottom of the boat are of a V type, and are exactly similar in all respects, so that whichever way it enters the water it is ready for immediate use. The floor is made to slide automatically on bars to the bottom of the boat, and in it is a locker for masts, oars, etc., which can be opened from either side. Steering lines can be handled from either side. One of the great advantages claimed for the boat is that there is no baling out of water to contend with, as the buoyancy of the boat, due to air tanks, is in the Bides and ends, and in the event of any water being shipped, it will run out through joints in the floor. Owing to the shape of the craft and beam, it is said that it will be able to carry thirty people. In construction the boat is provided with the usual double ends of a whale boat, in which are placed watertight lockers, or other receptacles, for food, and water, etc., the ends being connected to the sides formed of airtight casings. These casings are to be divided into a number of independent air-tight compartment*

Importance of Bee Farming. In the preface to the new Bulletin on Bee Culture issued by the Agricultural Department, Mr. Hopkins, the wellknown apiarist, observes that the economic importance of commercial beefarming is now universally recognised, and nowhere has this been more fully demonstrated than in the United States of America, where, according to the latest official report, there are 700,000 beekeepers, producing annually 20,000,000 dollars’ worth of honey and 2,000,000 dollars’ worth of beeswax. In British coin this means an aggregate value annually of nearly £ 4,500,000. Further, the report states that the honey-bee probably does more good to American agriculture as a pollenising agent than as a honeyproducer. The extraordinary progress made since the New Zealand Department of Agriculture considered bee-culture worthy of recognition has fully warranted the assistance it has received. Nothing has contributed more to this advancement than the passing of the Apiaries Act. It has put new life into the industry. The Rangitikei Election. The following candidates have been nominated for the Rangitikei seat:- —F, F. Hockly, Opposition; Geo. Hutchison, Opposition; W. Meldrum, Government; R. E. Hornblow, Government and Labour; James Georgetti, Independent; R. W. Smith, Government and pledged to freehold. Opening of Parliament. Parliament is to meet on Thursday* October 7. • Shackleton’s Profits. Considerable interest has been aroused by the report that Lieut. Shackleton proposes to enter into negotiations for, the sale of the Nimrod, in which he made his voyage of discovery into the South Polar seas. In conversation with a newspaper representative at the offices of the British Antarctic Expedition, Mr. Shackleton said: “I cannot say whether I may use the Nimrod again myself. An offer to purchase it would, of course, be considered. The vessel eould be used for a series of scientific investigations in the polar regions, being fitted with all the necessary apparatus, without being refitted for another expedition. I have been in communication with one scientific body with a view to the ship’s being taken over for this purpose. No definite arrangement, however, has been made for its eale.” Mt. Shackleton hopes to bring the vessel up to London about the end of September, and the general public will probably have an opportunity of viewing it. Our London correspondent writes under date July 30: “I understand that the report that Lieut. Shackleton will clear a profit of £60,000 after paying all the expenses of his recent South Polar expedition is very wide of the mark. The money advanced to equip the expedition and maintain it in the Antarctic has all to be repaid by Lieut. Shackleton out of his earnings, and the current expenses that have to be met, such as the upkeep of the Nimrod and the salaries of some of the scientific staff, are still considerable. ’Hie profits from his book and his lecturing engagements will be sufficient to meet all obligations and leave a handsomd profit, but certainly nothing like £60,000.” Unemployed Difficulty Over. That the unemployed difficulty is over now (says a Press Association telegram), is evident from the state of the Public Works. Mr. McKenzie mentioned that 700 men were put on during the period of pressure about June last, but 600 men left in July, and no good man need now be afraid that he cannot secure ai place on the railway construction works. To preserve more uniformity of employment all the year round in future Mr, McKenzie has decided that in the summer special attention will be paid to the construction of culverts on railway) routes, and the carrying out of preliminary work, which will enable construction to advance in the winter without much delay through bad weather. Road construction cannot be so well done in tlie winter, and the Minister will consequently draft batches of co-operative labourers to road formation during the fine weather. and keep them busy in the winter on railway construction, instead of swelling the unemployed tanks in the cities.

•By using a little judgment we will find UO difficulty in keeping the men going all the time,” remarked the Minister. “This is one of the advantages of combining the Roads Department with the Public Works Department. We have the same engineers, and I have only to say that 20 men are to be moved from the railway to a road work for it to be done without difficulty. It frequently occurs that there are large road and railway undertakings in the same district which can be worked together.” One of the most interesting State enterprises in New Zealand is to be found at Rotorua, where, as is generally known, the Government has practically complete control. Mr. C. R. C. Robieson, director of Tourist and Health Resorts, who had just returned to Wellington from an eight days’ stay in the town of hot baths and bubbling springs, informed a “ New Zealand Times ” reporter that since the Department took charge of Rotorua, in October of 1907, forty-six new buildings had been erected at a total cost of £19,500, all of which was private capital. Among the new places were eight board-ing-houses, while five other boardinghouses had been enlarged. At the present time two large boarding-houses are in course of erection, and plans are being prepared for a couple more. These figures, it was explained, refer only to the inner (er business) area of the town, many places having gone up outside. During the winter months a very satisfactory volume of business has been done' by hotel and boarding-house keepers, while the patronage of the baths has been greater than for many years past. A Big Social Question. Interviewed on the subject of criticisms upon his recent utterances at the opening of Tattersall’s Club on the subject of sport, the Hon. Jas. Carroll said he was rather pleased to see they had received so much comment. Apart from personal allusions, this was a big social question, which had to be considered. In his opinion, there are only two ways of dealing with it—either by an organised movement, which will minimise the attendant evils, or by repeal of the law, and abolition of the totalisator. He did not care which. Singing In Schools. One of Wellington's most experienced headmasters, conversing with a •‘Post” representative, and commenting on the allegation made by the deputation which interviewed the Minister for Education at Auckland on Tuesday, said that the teachers world cheerfully welcome the advent of a specialist to train the children’s voices, but he contended that tire deputation’s statements had been greatly exaggerated. In his opinion the musician’s self-interest was blamable for an insinuation of “ ruined voices,” not at all warranted by the facts. In Wellington, for instance, the Education Board paid an expert musician to give lessons in singing to pupil teachers once a week, and during the whole time of the two years’ course at the Teachers’ Training College the students had voice culture as one of the subjects. Under such system the average teacher should be competent to put the children through the necessary singing lessons.