NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 684, 8 December 1909, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

•■■'■.;'. '■■■■■ ;- * : We must compliment both tho Government and the Executive of the Miners' Federation on the reported arrangement arrived'at yesterday in regard to. the striko of coal-miners at the State mine at Point Elizabeth: What actually happened at tho interview between the miners' representatives and members of the Government has not transpired. Tho. official report supplied to the • press is silent as to the details of. the interview* but if _ tho agreement arrived at is as; stated it commits the Government to no : thing more than a promise to inquire further into, the claims of the miners, and to see that, the men working in-tho Point Elizabeth mine are no worse off than those working in other: mines.. In return for this, the miners/will be recommended by their leaders to ' reßume work at once. The statement mado public by the Prime Minister a few'days ago set out that the State minors were quite as well off a,s those ,: working/, in other mines, and i|'.is a little difhcult to reconcile this fivith the present arrangement. The Minister's : visit, however, may clear up matters, and the men. moreover, may be in a better frame or mind to disouss the pros- and cons after they have returned to work. : ,

In another column, appears the abstract of a delightful little homily which Bishop Julius has addressed to the Girls'. Friendly Society in Christchurch. Wc have nothing very much to say upon the general theory that his Lordship has so pleasantly put forward. His idea is that men are meant for maids, and maids for men—an '_ interpretation of existence that is as rational a'B anything that the scientists have ever givon; us, Nothing 1 that the Bishop or anyone else can say is likely to materially alter the marriage statistics. Wo nevertheless admire his concern lest the Society shall regard itself, and be regarded by the men, as cherishing the belief of Lady Psychk in. Princess Ida: ■'.': Man will:swear, arid Man-will stormMan is not at all good form. '■. . . Man is coarse, and Man is plain— :.. Man is more or less.insaneMan's a ribald—Man's a rake, ■ Man is Nature's sole mistake. Bishop Julius . appears to hold; more/ wisely, that Man is a; calamity : that Woman can 'mitigate by marrying him. We have no doubt, remembering the sane and genial outlook of his Lordship, l that : if necessary'.he would/literally fulfil his undertaking to give a large ball and lead off in the interests of tho' Society and good relations between:the sexes. The community is the better,for having Olvurch dignitaries who. aro not mere dry theologians.

An unusual'breach of• privilege was the subject of a little discussion in the House yesterday. In order to settle a point in dispute between himself! and' Mr.; Mas-, sey as'_to the furnishing of,a return dealing with' the ; acquisition of settlement lands, the-Prime Minister read a letter from Mr, Kensington,'the tary for Lands, in the course: of which that official made a reference to Mit; Mas!sey ; as' having "hastily assumed" something.; Objection was properly raised by the: Leador, of the Oppositipn and Mr. ; Jas.. Allen to the action of an official in reflecting on a member.bf the House; and although the Prime Minister at first dofended the; phraso complained of, and Mr. Kensington's right to use it,. the'' Speaker ruled that thero had been a breach of the Standing Orders. The blame that attaches;to' Mr.- Kensington.in. the' matter is less than that attaching to tho Prime ; Minister,, ~w;ho, as, ;tho f .Speaker 1 hinted,' should have had' the' objectionable words excised. .It-is 'obviously most im : proper that any /State; official should be allowed 'to; comment—either '■':. favourably' br unfavourably, ■as the;. Speaker.'s!aid<--on thei speech or conduct of:, any; member]",' and it is not a: good sign ''that ..so,important a rule should have, been plainly infringed, by; an official of. tho standing and experience of Mr. Kensington. Wo' do not 4oubt that, the: laxity, of;'. which this, is an evidence .has been encouraged by the extraordinary latitude of v -. ment, and of 'extreme .and partisan, comment at'that, .which', has for years been allowed, to the Departmental head of an-• !other important, Department.of;. State,; •Tho servants,; of '.the. State- must : not : be■ allowed to criticise legislators or legislation in the interests of any> particular party. /

There can be little doubt that the disclosures made at tho meeting., of ■ representatives of the Liquor Trade'yesterday will prove very, damaging: to the manaof the New .Zealand Allianbo. Of course it may.be.said that only one side-of the story was put .forward; but it.has to.bo borne in mind that'the actual term's of the'agreement and the correspondence; bearing thereon are.given, and leave little room for. further: explanation.' - It| is really;'very _ surprising that' the leaders of the No-License 'party have. placed themselves"; in so unpleasant; :a position.. They: appear to;have acted as though they had power to bind the Air liance; arid: their bona fides does not seem to have: been doubted for a moment by the'- other;parties to' the arrangement. Finally, when after much trouble - an agreement mutually satisfactory had' been arrived at and signed by the parties, tho Alliance;, repudiated it I It is only natural 'that the' representatives of : tho Tradoshouldbe thoroughly disgusted at the_ conduct of their antagonists.-: Their claim that '.tho,Moderate section ■ of; the community will strongly; disapprove this bargain-breaking is not' without foundation,,; andl owe; should not'.be at all surprised 'to; Sep ■.the''' No-License movement suffer .a material ; .set-back bb the result of what has transpired. ■.'■•"• " -.:■-;.:-

We trust that the Government : . will without delay give effect to reports of the Petitions Committee, which reflect the sentiment of Parliament and the country, in - respect of the appeals of Major Maie and Colonel Gudgeon' for some adequate compensation in their .retirement : from the sorvico of:the'State!' Majoel'Maie's distinguished, and hon? durable services extend over nearly, half a century. When the Parliamentary Committee, .reporting . : to.; the Legislative Council on Monday; unanimously recom-.' mended Major Mair's claims to -the favourable consideration of the '.Government, there was .an irnpqsjrig series, of speeches .from members ; supporting tho Committee. The retiring allowance' of this good,servant of tho Ktatc, in pcaw on judicial benches, and in war on the field of action, is £130 a year. Dr. i'INDLAY claimed that if Major Maie had invested some compensation paid on his first retirement in 1891, he would how be drawing £244 per annum .altogether. If ho had not been finally retired before serving the term necessary to: receipt of tho fullest pension, he would.be receiving £306 per annum. Wo heartily applaud l the sentiment of tho Council that bis actual ponsion is inadequate. The ! claim of Colonel' Gudgeon is a.still stronger one. Ho served in the Maori War, and afterwards in high civil posts. At Mu. Seddon's urgent solicitation he gave up a position as Native Land-Court Judge, worth £730 a year, to. take up a£soo-a--year post as, Commissioner at: the Cook Islands, haying first been paid £460 for leaving the - Civil Service. Ho did not know, and was not led to believe, that his acceptance of this small suni broke his previous thirty years' service; Had he retired altogether' instead of going to the Islands'he would have received a pension of £330 a year. He is actually paid a

pension based on. only ten* years' service; In both-theso caseß thojmoral;claim,', which is so: strong and patent, is only by a; technicality not a legal claim also. Tho Qoyornment will not only affront popular sentiment if it Bceks ; to:saTO' a little money by doing a wrong to these yoterans; it w,ill do a.thing which will greatly discourago the best members? of the Public Service. .•■.What incentive is thero to a Civil Servant to address himself with' enthusiasm, to his work as a career if the end of it all may bo retirement to tho scrap-heap with a mean pit tanco? ';:.