NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 847, 20 June 1910, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The reply which the Prijie Minister has sent to Mr. V. PoEed, M.P., concerning Mr. Millar's recent reference to the North Auckland railway may occasion wonder as to what the functions of a Prime' Minister really are. Mr. Millar boldly declared that the line would not pay one half per cent if completed as tho people of the district desire. One might suppose that the appeal to Caesar would bring forth an endorsement of Mn. Millar's statement, hut this would not be in accordance with Sir Joseph Ward's methods. "My colleague," lie says, "was his personal opinion. 'You will recognise that the Government's policy of railway construction includes the lino to which you refer, and whioh the .Govern-

rnent intends to push forward as fast as the fair allocation of public funds for the line in question will permit." This, probably, will not strike the public as a right thing to say. It certainly is not fair to Mis. MiLLAi[,_ and it is not fair to the people in the district. The public, we feel certain, thinks a great deal more of the statesman who can say "Yes" and is not afraid to say "No," than of the Minister who talks in a vague fashion in the hope of avoiding giving offence. Is the clay never to come when equivocation will be regarded as the mark of insincerity and opportunism'] In the meantime the phrase used by the Pkimb Minister, "the fair allocation of public funds," is one that the public ought to think about. The railways system is a triumph of unfairness in the allocation of public funds, and unfairness and local soreness will continue until there is established a method of distributing public expenditure which will be fair and free from the influence of party necessities.

To-morrow evening the music-lov-ing people of Wellington will have a final opportunity of hearing the clevfir Ellwood trio, whose natural talent for instrumental music has aroused enthusiasm wherever they have appeared. Born in humble surroundings, with little in the daily round to induce artistic yearnings, these children have steadily followed a natural bent for music, with what result all those who have heard them are aware. George Ellwood, the eleven-year-old 'cellist, is a wonderfully gifted boy, with a mastery of technique surprising in one so young, and with that something in his playing that grips and holds the attention. His brother Harry, is a very talented violinist, and the trio is completed by the inclusion of Miss Polly Ellwood, who so far ha-s been only heard as an accompanist. New Zealand has not produced many musical prodigies—the atmosphere of its healthy out-of-door life is not conducive perhaps to such products—but, in Mil. Arnold Trowell, a 'cellist has been found, who has done himself credit on the concert platform in Europe; and, more recently, Miss Nora Long (who learned the elements of the art at St. Mary's Convent) has achieved marked success in grand opera. The Eli/woods arc going to Vienna to study under the best masters, and with their natural gifts much is expected from this. New Zealandcrs will certainly watch the career of these talented young musicians with interest.

Ministers are very busy just now preparing for the work of the com'ing session. Cabinet meetings are said to be daily occurrences. Whether this means that the legislation to be brought forward this session will be introduced early so as to give ample time for consideration, or whether it is merely that Ministers are catching up their arrears of work, due to so much travelling about the country, is a subject for speculation. Through the unfortunate illness of Mr. ' Laurenson, the Government will have to appoint a new Whip, not an easy task when the nature of the Ministerial following is taken into consideration. It will also be necessary to appoint a new Chairman of Committees, owing to Mr. Wiword having pledged himself to relinquish that office if elected Mayor of Wellington. This appointment also will cause.. Ministers some thought. Probably, however, one of the matters which is causing them much concern at the present time is the question of appointments to the Legislative Council. There arc quite a number of vacancies through death and the expiry of the term of oflice of councillors. In filling these the Government will have to act with caution for two reasons. Firstly, because it is bound to disappoint many seekers after office whoever it may appoint, and it naturally will endeavour to avoid giving offence in quarters which may cause unpleasantness for itself. Secondly, because it probably realises that the country is very tired of the class of man which Ministers too often thrust into the Council for purely personal reasons. We pointed out on a previous occasion that if the Government is sincerely desirous of cutting off waste -it is not really necessary to make any appointments at all. The Government would still have a substantial majority in the Upper House and the money could be saved by the country. We are afraid, however, that the opportunity for bestowing patronage is not likely to be waived for so trifling a consideration as the interests of the public purse.