NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 706, 4 January 1910, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

Lord Kitchener evidently regards his tour of the colonies as a matter of serious business. Judging by a cablegram regarding his visit to Brisbane, mere complimentary speeches and meaningless show palades havo no place' on his programme. He wants to ascertain wiiat the real value of the Australian and Now Zealand defence forces would be under conditions of actual warfare and has, therefore, no time to waste on "ceremonial reviews with carefully rehearsed effects" however impressive such displays' may be from the spectacular point of view. He wants to see beneath the surface of things, recognising that the first step in the direction of reform on sound and lastini* lines is to find out what the present position really is—its strength and its weakness. This process of probing things to tho bottom is never a very pleasant one, and we have all become so accustomed to the superficial observers everlastingly prophesying smooth things that the appearance on the scene of a soldier of such eminenco as Loed Kitchener who is determined, if possible, to get at reality, is as 'welcome as it is unusual. His attitudo should do moro than anything elso could do to place the colonial defence forces on their mettle. What is wanted may bo best expressed in the one word "efficiency," and there is probably no man in the Empiie better fitted to lay down the great principles of organisation and discipline on which military efficiency depends than Loed Kitchener. He is a man of deeds, not words, and we feel that when he does speak wo will get the plain unvarnished truth from him. A few plain homo truths on defenco matters would be very apropos just now. i '

The feelings or a good many people appear to have been outraged during the holiday season by the disregard for docency displayed by a certain class of bathers at tho seasido resorts around Wellington. No one can have any sympathy with the class of youth or young men •who offend in the manner objected to. At such lesorts as Lyall Bay, Day's Bay, Plimmerton, and other places i near tho city where mixed crowds congregate during the summerj season, there will always bo found a class of young men who' deem' it sufficient to clothe themselvos in tho scantiest of bathing trunks, and who in consequence make themselves offensive to the majority 6f people who indulge in seabathing. It is difficult to understand why the police do not take action to prevent this sort of thing. The neck-to-kneo bathing suit gives all the freedom required to the swimmer, and no one with any proper regard for the feelings of the great bulk of the 1 community would think of adopting any other costume at a seaside resort patronised by women and children. Unfortunately there are people in the community who'lack this ssnse of decency. If tho law does not already provide for a regulation costume it should certainly De mado to do so, and the offenders against the law should be taught a sharp lesson.

Tee finances of the various 1 States of the Australian Commonwealth do not appear to have been prejudicially affected by the commercial depression ■ahich affected New Zealand during the past twelve months. The revenue of New South Wales for tho half-year ended December showed an increase of over £100,000; Victoria shows an increase for the samo period of over £87,000, South Australia's increase was over £40,000, and West Australia shows an excess of revenue over expenditure for the half-year of £15,000. This lastmentioned position may or may not be satisfactory. Much depends on tho date at which certain revenue from diiect taxation is due. The New Zealand returns for the quarter ended December are not yet available, and they will bo awaited with more than usual interest. Judging by tho Customs returns for the port of Wellington theie must bo a substantial falling away in Customs revenue, but this may bo compensated for in other directions For the first two quarters of the present year the ordinary revenue compared with that of the corresponding quarters of 1908-09 was as follows: 1908-09 1909-10 £ £ £ First qr. ... 1,747,808 1,802,854 55,016 inc. Second qr. 1,971,290 1,899,397 71,893 dec. If Territorial revenue and tho revenue from National Endowments are added, the falling off for tho second quarter is wiped out and a gain of a few hundred pounds is made on that quaiter. At tho end of tho second quarter in 1908 09, howevor, there was a credit balance of nearly £400,000, whereas this year the credit balance was less than £60,000. The second half-year, with the assistance of tho new taxation added during the session just onded, may show a moro pleasing state of things.

■ A DiscoraAGiKQ'-view of - tho prospects of the British manufacturer: of electrical plant of various kinds is taken,- by the Financial Times, and thoreasons advanced are of general interest. ; It is admitted apparently that British shops can turn out work quite as well and generally at a slightly lower prime cost than the Continental makers, but the German manufacturers especially appear to bo ahead with new ' inventions. While it is agreed that the demand 'for electrical plant and accessories

in connection with electric power, electric traction,, electric cooking and heating and electric lighting is likely ;to expand very rapidly in the near future, ':'■. the question is raised whether- the British electrical manufacturer-.-ie in si; ."position" to take a' profitable advantage of the. coming demand. At present,' according to .'a member of one leading firm, /"British manufacturers , now turn out the finest machines in the world -at prices ."far}, below their true value. ' .;; New inventions,--, upon which so much depends, are coming in, most instances : - from..Germany' and America, where,the companies are. earning good /dividends .and arc able to spend large sums upon experiment and' research.- In 'both of thoso. countries; also, the industry | ! V? Fβ" 'organised' against destructive internal competition and is pro-: tected .against external, competition; ,™P circumstances,' proceeds tbe TinanciaV Times,", it :would ' seem that the high abilities of the British manufacturer will be of little avail; The advantago/ must lie witk the undertalrings which, are earning large •■ dividends, are producing successful; improvements and are ablo to manufacture for the British market as an ■auxiliary'to a profitable home market." Consequently the most promising ■ line: for.: a: British, ■manufacturer is ;to constitute:. himself a Eelling agent for foreign.vp'roducts.' This is" already being, done in .more cases .than the public appreciates, arid it would be done in. still more if the Patents Act did not compel the manufacture ■'■ of new inventions in this ; country.;, The most prosperous ";.. firms - now .-electrio motors and accessories are those which are content■ te; buy':from 'abroad ■ instead of. lnanufacturinE" at home. They* are mainly selling organisations. That is the present.; trend ■of . affairs,". and it' will not r»3 valtored ■ until the' conditions of ■■■''"■ production ".'in.;Great.Britain .are' radically amended. -.The..choice, lies .between continued., dependence} upon \abroad, :.-both for :new}-ideas and. for; supplies' of : plant, and the reforms which will restore I ..confidence,:'to , the 'investor '■•- sihd the ••'manufacturer by ~:.opening .up the' prospect, of, a-living profit: up.onVtne'- ac-. tual business 'of.,electrical;'manufacture'." This■, pe'ssimistio. view of' the' ■ situa- ■ tion is supported,by.^a. good deal of evidencle which appears; to go: in :the direction;;indicated.-; ■ 'The;: British manufacturer \apparently, -has;. ;the skill, but not:' the" inventiveness'or. the business .acumen/.of his rivals.. '\p