PUBLIC OPINION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2461, 27 March 1909, Page 7

PUBLIC OPINION.

THE TOURIST DEPARTMENT.

Ur Donne’s transfer foreshadows, of course, a complete change of policy in the Tourist Department. The Premier said that this department, which has loomed much and unfavorably in the public eye, is to become a branch of another department, and it is understood that it will be bracketed, with the railways. The time had certainly come lor an order to “go slow” with the ifoiting tourist coach. The expenditure on gorgeous baths (wit'll marble statuary) and the thousand and one things done for the diversion of casual visitors had gone beyond bounds. The defence was that the holiday-makers spent their imlymy freely,'hut we believe that more solid and abiding good can be 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 t'he back country. ... By-and-bye, when the foundations of New Zealand are strengthened, it will be time enough for putting fancy touches on the windows and roof. —Wellington ‘Post.’ | HOLDING THE HEINS. A guesser not long ago remarked that Sir Joseph was seriously meditating an exit from this country. Indeed, it is not seldom hinted that the Premier has his eyes on London as a congenial resting-place after the worry and strife of New Zealand politics, but the leader of the Liberal Party declare* that he lias no intention of forsaking New Zealand for Imperial pastures Therefore, with renewed health and probably with all his old optimism, he is preparing to rally the party and prepare lor fray which, prophets say, will be fierce in the near future. While he was re-establishing himself he naturally relaxed his grip on the reins of the State coach. He sat by, and allowed his colleagues to take a turn at the driving, and some of them have shown that they have much, to learn in the art. Probably the new Ministers will now be put in the places to which they were appointed; the Ministerial shoemaker may be warned to stick to his last—and not to the first. The peripatetics of Cabinet have been amusing, but not-very valuable to the people who pay for the fun. The Liberal Party must be thankful that Sir -Joseph is not taking ship just yet.— Wellington “Post.” RAILWAY WORKSHOPS INQUIRY. The General Manager has withdrawn his charges altogether, and expressed, in quite unqualified terms, his conviction that there is no cause for complaint of any kind! ' There are some people, no doubt. who may imagine that Mr Ronayne’s withdrawal of his charges against the conduct of the workshops leave unaffected the necessity ; it actually heightens it, for, whatever conclusion it may draw as to the reasons.. of Mr Ronayne’s change of front, the public will feel that there is a great deal that requires explanation in the methods of the department. ‘The Dominion.’ RIGHT CLASS OF IMMIGRANTS. No one having any adequate regard for New Zealand’s needs would hold that this country should be a preserve for the people already there, but it seems that a great deal more care should be taken in the selection v»f tfje people who are allowed to make New Zealand their home. New Plymouth. ‘News.’ THE BIG ESTATE. We hear .a great deal about the number of “deserving people” that are kept away by Immigration Restriction Acte, but very little about the thousands that would be added to' the roll of producers and consumers if they could get foothold on the soil. Ihe big estate is a blight that affects all young countries, and its extirpation has to be achieved in the face of a bewildering opposition from people who dxe vitally interested in the extension of' human effort and enterprise.—‘New Zealand Times.’ ARBITRATION ACT. New Zealand could make no greater mistake that the abandonment of the Arbitration Act simply because strikes have occurred in spite of all. c -are hound to cling tenaciously to the position we have gained, and to laboui (earnestly to overcome the difficulties which still render it uncomfortable. — Invercargill ‘Times.’ f NATIONAL DECAY. There are too many mental patients in New Zealand, too many criminals of the sexual type, and too little is being done to counteract what is really a phase of national decay.—New Plymouth ‘News.’ railway” administration . It will be an excellent piece of work if Mr Millar can persuade the Ministry to abandon the too popular policy which ,lias hitherto been followed, and place 'the railway system on a proper footing. But we cannot help pointing out that his attitude practically admits the charges which the Opposition and financial experts have been making any time these last dozen years. —Napier “Herald.” FLOUTING THE COMMISSIONER. ' The attitude of the unionists. is strongly suggestive of Jedburgh justice. Harle Giles is to be condemned without trial— possibly just m case on trial he might turn out a capable director of Conciliation. But until he has been given the chance.of showing what he can do, the attitude of the unions is wholly without justification. *i all British commmunities sentiment m favor of fair play runs strongly, and in this sense the unionists run the nsK W making Harle-Giles in tlio eyes ot the public an ill-used person. That would hardly serve the unionists purpose, for they cannot afford to ignoie, public opinion.—The Observer.