PUBLIC OPINION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2590, 26 August 1909, Page 7

PUBLIC OPINION.

STATE) RESPONSIBILITY.

The facts of this intolerable and indefensible situation are that the screening operations carried on jkt the State Coal Depot at Wellington so depreciates the neighboring property held under lease by a Farmers’ Co-operative Association that when permission to sue “the Crown” was graciously given to tho injured party on tho eve of the elections a verdict, of £2OO with costs was promptly obtained, hut the-Association cannot obtain permission to sue for an injunction, so that what has been practically declared a nuisance is enabled to continue and to inflict continued and serious loss upon law-abiding citizens simply because its creators are above the law. Were this to have occurred in France under Louis XIV., or in Russia under Nicholas 11., we should point to it as illustrative of the contempt for equity and justice evinced by the authorities, and as proof of tlie submissiveness which generations of oppression had instilled into the minds of the peo-C pie.—“New Zealand Herald.”

A COMPARISON. The New Zealand Government extract more from tho public per 7 trainmile than the New South Wales Commissioner ; but owing to the wasteful management in New Zealand, the “net” return per train-mile is less here than ill New South Wales. Here are the figures in pence (the latest New Zealand figures are for 1907-8): — Per N.Z. N.S.W. Train-mile 1907-8 1908-9 Earnings .... ... 93.75 BtJ Expenses ■ ... ... 66.18 47 Net return ... 27.55 33. The whole secret lies in tlie expenses. The New Zealand railways take more from the public per train-mile but tlie higher working expenses make the, net return lower than in New South Wales. : —“The Dominion.” VOLUNTEERING.

The approach of compulsory training in no way detracts from the importance of the volunteer movement. In the past volunteers have formed an all-sufficient army in British countries. In the future they will form the effic-ient-nucleus of a complete citizen army. In any case, compulsory training has not yet arrived and it behoves each section of the Dominion to bear its part in the existing preparations for defence. —“Patea Press.” WIRELESS. A very large number of vessels do not carry Installations, and it is just a question whether tho universal adoption of this life-saving equipment should not be hastened by legislation. The colonial Governments should also contribute to the security of the travelling public by establishing shore stations at frequent intervals. Had there been wireless shore stations in the coast of S-onth Africa and an installation on the Waratah, all this nerve-racking anxiety and suspense would have been obviated, and possibly a terrible loss of life would have been prevented.—“ Southland Times.” THE TEST MATCHES. All true colonists will feel a certain amount of gratification that the Australian Eleven has succeeded in winning the majority of the test matches, and has thus secured the right to hold the mythical “ashes” for another year. England is tho home of cricket, and of so many other athletic sports, and wo are not likely to forget that she has taught us the game. But it is natural we should take a pleasure in showing the Old Country that we have learned our lesson well, and w;e can well believe that those at Home who regard cricket as a national duty rather than a sport will find some consolation in reflecting that their conquerors are their own kinsfolk, and that the repeated proof that colonials have given of their athletic prowess in recent years at least shows that the race is not deteriorating in physique through transplantation m distant lands. —“Auckland Star.”

Within the last 13 years every Japanese city of importance has established an electric tramway line. In the spring a young man’s fancy Lightly turns to thoughts of love, True to Sue, or Jane, or Nancy, Through the Summer he may prove; But in Autumn and grim Winter He’s no use for girls demure, He gets cold, and then his fancy Turns to Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure. 7 ; -