Sayings of the Week.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVII, Issue 6, 7 February 1912, Page 3

Sayings of the Week.

labour's Power. 1r is beyond doubt that a majority of the unions in New Zealand, while they have been, perhaps, nurtured into existence by the operation of the Act, are now beginning to feel their feet. They are beginning to realise the power that they have at their command, and they are not going to allow a judge or any other individual to dominate, their interests. —Mr. Belcher, Seamen’s Union. * * • • Trade With Canada. He did not wish to demand •'preference for preference.” Few of the articles on which Australia gave Britain preference would' benefit Canada. He hoped to arrange a conference with Australia on the subject of preference.— Mr. G. S. Foster, Canada. Starving Settlers. There are hundredis of settlers in the Auckland province who are striving against adversity to win a livelihood, and many of them are barely keeping their heads above water. Settlement does not mean putting a lot of people on the land to starve; yet that is the condition in many Crown settlements. — Mr. C. K. Wilson, M.P., Taumarunui. • s * » Colonial Unity. There was a desire throughout the whole of Australia for closer union with New Zealand, such as was already established with South Africa, and was lieing established with Canada.—Mr. Deakin, K.B.W. • « « • Danger. Despite the fact that privateering, which was abolished under the Declaration of Paris, was insidiously revived by the Peace Conference fin 1907, our seaborne trade is now “’open to sudden secrfetly-organised attacks conducted by merchant vessels whiclr a few hours previously were sheltering in neutral liar-’ (hours as non-combatants, and which a few hours later may repair to the same' harbours, and take in supplies before embarking on fresh adventures.— Lord Chas. Beresford.

French Views of Religion. It is the right and duty of parents to watch over and secure the education of their children in what they conscientiously believe to be the true religion. No political majority can alter or abrogate this dictate of the natural law. Nopolitieal majority has the moral right to formulate a religious faith or to define a religious doctrine. These things' belong to the .spiritual domain; they arc outside the proper functions of the civil power. Yet here, ..in this democratic land, we find politicians mostly or altogether unskilled in the principles an t methods of education, forcing French views of religion in education upon the schools, pressing them upon the consciences and purses of dissidents, and turning them, in practical effect, into an established and endowed State school ’ — Bishop Cleary.

Fools and Poltroons. England will be a nation of fools and poltroons if it allows itself to be diverted by unpatriotic bellowings from the great policy of binding Ireland to the Empire. —Mr. J. Redmond.

State Haggling. No one at the Imperial Conference had suggested that the fiscal system should bo altered for their profit to the injury of the working classes of Britain. If there was danger of losing the colonies without a tariff then Britain would lose them anyway, because whatever causes of friction might exist with the colonies, and he knew none, they would be increased a hundredfold by haggling between State and State, trade «ind trade, through conflicting interests. Mr. Lewis llaffonrt, Colonial Secretary.

Unchanged Intentions. I have not in any way altered by intention, as published.some time ago, tlia: I would meet Parliament with the Mitijslry ”°w standing, and 1 have not the •lightest intention of doing otherwise. If

I could have satisfied myself at the first that the Opposition had a majority I would have resigned immediately, but no one except those who are politically prejudiced could arrive at the conclusion, after examining results, that the Opposition have a majority.— Sir J. Ward. Women’s Suffrage.

Women's suffrage in New Zealand has been in many ways harmful, and has not helped to solve social and other questions. The franchise in Britain would be infinitely more disastrous than in New Zealand. The majority in Britain, as in New Zealand, did not want the vote.— Lady Glasyoir.

Driven Out. We Catholics did not withdraw our schools from the public school system, of which they long formed a part. Our schools were driven out of that system on what was, in effect, a religious test; driven out because we believe in the inseparable union of religion with education ; driven out because oui- consciences cannot accept the new sectarian dogmas that underlie our Education Aet.— Bishop Cleary.

The Auckland Tramway Company. (Such enterprises as this, in the hands of private capitalists, seemed to him to have three objects to keep in view; the interests of the community, the equitable condition of its workmen, and a reasonable return to its shareholders. Without attempting t‘> say which of these should come first, he said he thought the company succeeded in all three.— Mr. Teyetmeier. • « • • The Mana of Queen Victoria. The people should carefully consider the terms of the Treaty of Waitangi in so far as it related to the control of their lands under the mana of Queen Victoria. Despite that treaty blood had ibeen shed, and no inquiry made as to the rectitude or the action by which much native land had been confiscated. The Maori was now emerging from his state of darkness, and in his eulighi ted state he wished to know why the land which he had placed under the protection of the Great Queen had been alienated by confiscation.— Mr. Kaihau.

Compliments Pass. The policy speech of Mr. Bonar Law (Unionist leader in the House of Commons) reached the depths of vituperation, nnd was 1 less-united-to the Albert Hall than to the Billingsgate fish market.— Mr. Herbert Samuels.

“ She Can.” In my opinion -it is utter nonsense even to think that Auckland cannot give the premier industrial exhibition of the whole Dominion, if she likes to try. She can.— Mr. Kent, Auckland. • • • • An Arduous Profession. Since the introduction of the eight-hour system I find that the nurses remain longer in the permanent position of the hospital, whereas during the year ended five years ago there was a complete change of sisters within one twelvemonth. During the last three years the changes have been unusually small. This may be due to the lessened hours of work or the increased remuneration, or both. It is found in American statistics that the working capacity of nurses after graduation is an average of 15 years. This fact must cause those interested to ponder.—Dr. Falconer, Dunedin Hospital.

Churchianity. Most of the evils in existence to-day were due to man’s selfishness. If those who called themselves Christians would live up to the teachings of Christ, then there would be no need for Socialism. If we compared the lives of some of those who called themselves Christians with thg life of Christ, then it could not be wondered at. that many people turned front Christianity in diisgust. But the Churches are teaching “Churchianity,” and not “Christianity .''-’-Hr. F. G. Ewington.

The Conditions of Labour. In spite of the so-called prosperity of New South Wales, there is a great undertow of poverty in Sydney, caused by the unhappy conditions of labour and ils demand and supply. There are many possibilities for trained workmen, but the unskilled and inefficient labourer is unfortunately compelled to become flotsam and jetsam on the labour market. There are hundreds of such men in Sydney willing and anxious, and praying to God for work, and they can obtain none. You take or send one of these men to an employer, and plead with him to give the man a chance. The employer will

say “No; I-have to pay the best wages, and 1 must therefore’ have first-elasd workmen.”— The rter. g. D. Fa k ’’< iuglon. The Two Kinds of Socialism. A great crisis was approaching, which was threatening the social, moral and religious interests of people of every land. There was a Socialism which tended to uplift the working man. which lie ardently supported; there was also an extreme Socialism which was largelyidentified with Anarchism, and which acknowledged no law of morality or God, and to this he was desperately opposed.— Archbishop Carr. ‘ Survival of the Fittest. To-day this law of the survival of ths fittest is a cruel. un-Christianlike thing, and the Christian man must surely show to the world that he has learnt .a lesson from his Master to care for those less fortunate than himself.— The Rev. 8. It. Farrington. * • * • Easter Travelling. It is quite impossible to travel in this country at Easter time with any degree of comfort. The trains are insufficient both in length and in number.—Professor J. ft. Broom. • * • • The Growing Labour Party. At every election held on the other side the Labour party had become stronger, and the same thing would happen in New Zealand.—Pro/csso- Gjjruth,