NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 562, 17 July 1909, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

Passengersby .the .Main Trunk, express which arrived from Auckland yesterday ■make strong complaints regarding the conduct of a section of their fellow-travel-lers." One. gentloman. states that the; language'used in the'hearing of ladies was simply disgraceful; and the* occupants 6f the "sleepers" were greatly disturbed by the noisy behaviour of the. disorderly section referred to: ■ It i is; stated that the. guard was helpless in : .the: matter,, and that his' efforts to maintain order were quite ineffectual. Passengers by tho Government trains should cbrtainly be protected from conduct of this sort,:and tho proper authorities should take whatever steps are ■ necessary;: to .■;■ put an V end to rowdyism ■of all kinds-in railway carriages. People whoso natural sense of do-, cencyand of the fitness of things is not strong' enough to save them from disorderly behaviour in .the presence or hearing, of women and children should be taught a salutary lessdn. It is to be hoped the authorities will make:inquiries, regarding the above complaints. <. A substantial fine would probably end tho nuisance.;. ■■•; . ■"■.:..■■ : .' ■:■:■•.■:■ .' V ■ '.■'■ ■'■'-:' "■■:'■-.

Mr. Pisheb's efforts to turn the contributions raised to assist the unemployed into a profitable channel seem likely to. be crowned with success. Victoria Collego buildings, as has'been'pointed out, are in? adequate to meet the,growing requirements of the institution, and Me. Fisher suggested that if the money raised to assist the unemployed were supplemented by a sufficiently liberal Government sub,sidy the needed wing could bo added to the College .buildings, and work thus found for.a la,rge .number .of skilled tradesmen, as well as labourers at presont out of employment. The main difficulty was the amount of money available. The Government has. now decided that : it will give £2 for every £l subscribed by the "public; which would mean that the public would bo required to subscribe about £1000. •Thore should be no difficulty in raising this sum. The value of the Collego v to the whole community must be recognised by.all, and the sub-: eidy Dow; offered by Ministers should inspire citizens to respond liberally in order to ensure that the work.will be put in hand at once. The plans are ready,; and the .work could be started immediately, so that tho'plea that; this undcrtaking.would not relieve the existing distress does not hold good. >What,is wanted is ;,"i recognition by citizens of .'what the work of the College means to tho community: In America private- citizens' and municipalities have set an example in this respect which we would do well to emulate. Those who have not viewed "with any enthusiasm the 'class- of work piopoflea to bo carried out with tho re-

lief funds cannot fail to appreciate the direct benefit that will arise.out of Me. Fisher's proposal if given" effect to. Thero' is no reason why the scheme should not bo carried out, as far as possible, and such other works for the employment of unskilled labour ae may bo feasible can proceed. Bui the opportunity to' complete, the College buildings should not be missed. _ Much of the money expended on the relief works will, we fear, bo wasted, or at least give but a poor return. The new .wing to the College, on the other hand, is a necessary and lasting work which would benefit the! whole community. ;

Another Minister has come forward with an opinion upon the departuro of: agriculturists from New Zealand. This! time it is the Hon. T. 'Mackenzie, who, \ like hie interesting colleague Mr. Buddo, is splendidly unperturbed. "So far as he: knew," so he is reported to-day to have; said in Christchurch', "the farmers who were leaving the Dominion' for the most! part wero men who. had done romarkably, well here,.-and who saw an opportunity' in Queensland for making investments which, if seasons were good, would give them splendid results."- But, ho 'went on, "it is a gamble, , and it is only''thoso whocan afford to gamble who can enter the game. As Mr. Mackenzie, in minimising the exodus, was careful to explain that he was only giving his "opinion," no more serious charge can. bo brought against .him than a charge of ineptitude. He has at any ;rate not copied , Mr. Buddo by stating as a fact a thing that is obviously incorrect. What Mr. Mackenzie wants the public to believe is, not that men wanting land on reasonable terms cannot get it in this country, but that the emigrants would not' stay: here: even if there were plenty of land to be had on suitable conditions. , Tho public is. not so hopelessly foolish as to believe any such thing, .The agriculturists are leaving: because they have no choice under the Government's land policy. Farmers, do not requiro to bo told that men do not look upon agriculturo as a kind of fascinating gainblo, an Antipodean substitute for the roulette of faraway .Monaco. . If ; Me. ■Mackenzie means—and this is- the' only meaning that saves his words from being' simply • absurd—that ; these men ; would rather risk their money in Queensland than • •invest.;' it in New- Zealand,' well— what is one to infer about,the state of things that the Government has brought about in this country.J-. The:truth is that Now Zoalarid farmers are going to Queensland because they, cannot secure laud here. What Ministers should do;is.to provide that land—not to look for excuses to oxplain away! the departure• of capitaFand population, but to- stop them from departings ■■ ■,"'•":: ' "iT., .:■' ■:'•■■ ■■ ..':'■•.' ; .■'■[:

Quite, a number of letters;havo : reached us from ■ Russians who, for political or othor reasons,, have mado _New Zealand their home, protesting against the views expressed by. De. : Bobanoff . in .regard to ■ the revolutionary : movement. Most of: tho writers disagree with;'the Doctor's statements in certain V respects,; and strongly resent his; conduct' in 'recounting .his experiences as.a' means of nioney-making. They stoutly _ affirm, that ho. true member of the Russian; Reform party would do this.. They challenge De. Bobanoff in various ways, and it is quite plain that they consider they '.have/ia, grievance- against 'him..Wo would suggest to. De, Boeanoff that ho should end the controversy'' by accepting' the challenge of his countrymen to discuss the Russian 'revolutionary>movement in public. ' If should; prove: interesting, and' instr.uctivi.liii ■i)9!iw6[ki,■ BsikeocoK , ,/■,