PUBLIC OPINION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2458, 24 March 1909, Page 2

PUBLIC OPINION.

V■■ ... " .. 11 ‘ WHO IS TO BLAME? ' The drowning accident reported 'in our news columns onco again raises the question or -the bridgeless condition of-Hawke’s Bay rivers. In regard to the; latest, melancholy accident we have ,no means of knowing at the moment 'whether the'delay in bridging tile Nuliaka river at a necessary crossing-has occurred in consequence of remissness by the local- authorities-or by the Government. -Leaving-this point for a moment,' it is undoubtedly the Government that is to. blame for the general • evil of , bridgelessiiess. For years applicaions were made to the Government to bridge . this .very crossing. To all such applications replies were made, as a rule, that Hawke’s Bay was getting its fair share of public works expenditure! This: happened (not only ?to be untrue, but irrelevant, for as the Government is responsible for the upkeep of the Napier-wairoa- road, plainly it 6 duty was to make it safe for travelling. —Napier ’ ‘Telegraph.” ' v THE HIGH COMMISSIONER’S .-OFFICE; - j Mr Ivennaway’s retirement vfrom the office of secretary gave Sir Joseph a chance to hearken to the prayer of a local merchant —“For God’s sake, -galvanise the High • Commissioner’si office’ ’ —and he promoted Mr Palliser' (the auditor), who has been in London for the past quarter of a century. Wo have nothing to say to the disparagement of Mr Palliser—for in; common with most New Zealanders we have rather lost sight of him—but we do say that this country would have been more thankful if Mr Palliser had remained auditor, and Mr Hamer, who has been in New Zealand practically all his ' life, had Been given the secretaryship. As it is, he is taken from'a 1 position, where he is .very valuable, and is relegated, exported, to a berth where .his work is r likely to bo mostly of a soulless routine order. Unless Sir Joseph’s detailed explanation of his mind in the matter brings out Gome unexpected facts, his action must be labelled' a blunder. ,■<.?• • ■, ■ In the case of Mr Donne, .whom the Premier rightly describes as “another, gentleman of indefatigable zeal,” Sir Joseph is on different ground. Indeed, Mr Donne had rather too much zeal in the interests of tourists, but,if he. devotes as much energy and enthusiasm to his new tasks as trade representative and immigration agent, he . should be able to win much praise here. There is work. awaiting the right' man, and-Mr Dnono has enough of business and organising experience to.'make him the right man for the “pushing” of New Zealand interests in the Old Country.—Wellington “Post.” THE PRICE OF WOOL. The outlook for a rise, in the price of wool in the world’s market naturally interests. this country. New Zealand plays a comparatively large part in the world’s wool supply for so small .a country. Prospects are not to say dazzlingly . bright, but the rise at the .'London March sales is doubly welcome when it - is . considered how inauspiciously the past year opened up. The money value of the advance is small, but the .moral value is great, for the news will have the result of lessening somewhat the trying effects of., the financial tension of the past-few months in New Zealand. —“Evening Post.” • \£ THE NEED FOR IMMIGRATION. The existence of a body of bona fide unemployed is no reason why immigrants of the right kind should not be encouraged to come to a young and growing country like .New Zealand,, which has a higher co-efficient of absorption than other countries' which are calling for new citizens. —“Dominion.” WORK OF FIRE BRIGADES. Our fire brigades, with their ceaseless clamor for water to work with, are thus the pioneers of sanitation as well as our guardians from the most devastating and dreaded of elements, for a bountiful supply of water is one of the first evidences of a higher civilisation, being one of the few luxuries which are wholly good. Yet the most up-to-date engines and alarm system, backed by inexhaustible mains, could do very little imfighting fire were in not for the human factor, of which firemen themselves never speak, and of which they ; a j--~oftr unconscious.—Auckland “Herald.” '• * .

THE UNEMPLOYED IN NEW - ZEALAND. The Government locks up the land while land-seekers clamour for an opportunity, and' at Home the- Government 'opensr wide its ports for foreign manufactured goods to come tumbling in while British worke rs walk about idle on prolong a wretched existence by means of a relief work dole. Fortunately for the future-of England fiscal reform appears likely to alter the Home situation, and we may hope that a sweeping reform in our land administration, including Reorganisation of the Native Affairs Department,- - will more radically .alter the situation in New Zealand.—“ New Zealand Herald!’ 1 THE TOURIST DEPARTMENT. The oxpenditune, on gorgeous baths (with marble statuary) and the thousand and one things done for the diversion of causal visitors, had' gone, beyond' bounds. The defence was that the holiday -makers spent their money freely, but we believe that more solid and abiding good can bo done for New Zealand by giving more attention 'to the matter of-permanent settlement. Much of the money and energy applied under the recent policy to . tourists can be better devoted to; fostering settlement of the back country. 1 By-and-by,- when the foundations of. New Zealand are strengthened, it will be time enough for putting fancy touches on the windows and' roof.—-‘‘Evening Post.’’ , COMPULSORY UNIONISM. V '"“Until it can he shown that no mail’s rights- of conscience or action 1 wilßbe inf ringed' 1 and-that’ grevipris' and ■ general evils will;‘ arise -from refusal to . grant' preference of employment to any cliqub; that step' should never-be taken! This isj of course, not a public doctrine just now, for there is a perfect- mania among certain soft-headed theorists lor 'wrapping' 1 ;tlioh people ; ih bundles. of swaddling-clothes and prohibiting or™ stricting eveny.tbing and anything. The result of this, so far as it has revealed itself in industry, is a distinct falling off in industrial competency and the growth of arrogant political trade guilds controlled by parasitical • wire-pullers. ‘ “New Zealand Times.”-