NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 929, 23 September 1910, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The public's curiosity concerning the Gaming Bill is increasing day by.'day,: and the Prime Minister must know this as well as anybody. He must know that by. keeping back .the. Bill he is sharpening the interest' with which the community has come to regard the Government's relation to the gaming question. It is obvious enough that the framing of the Bill is causing the Government somo embarrassment, despite the fact that the Houso, by, resolution, gave Ministers a definite instruction on the subject. In the circumstances it is not surprising that the public should be speculating freely as to the influences at work causing the delay. The-Prime Minister was very, indiscreet, from his point of view, in his references to the matter on Tuesday. He denied that his with-hold-ing of the Bill was due to a difference in the Cabinet. When the incredulity, of the House broke forth in a sarcastic interjection by Me. Massey, :he assertod that Mr. Millar had not even seen the Bill, which, he went on to indicate, was all ready for presentation. Things must have come to a. sad pass with the Minister .when he can expose himself to criticism in this way. The Bill has been introduced, and the Prime, Minister says it is ready for publication. Yet his senior colleague knows nothing of. its contents! What perfect harmony and mutual trust must exist in the Cabinet!

Some very wise things were said by Lord Chelmsford in a speech to the Local Government Conference held in Sydney last week, There were three points in municipal work, he said, which ho wished to mako. "The first is that I believe it is a

cardinal principle that local government administrators should have no pecuniary interests, direct, or indirect, in _ any contracts or the dealings which may have relation to their municipality. (Hear, hear.) I can hardly imagine that it is necessary to emphasiso that point, but it is imperative that no member of. the general public may be'able to suggest that any proceedings in a municipal body have been dictated by pecuniary considerations." His second point was that it is of the* first importance to have a clear line of demarcation between the regions of. authority of the central government and the local bo'dies. The third point was that 1 it was necessary to guard against the overloading of the finances of the local body by the central bodies. It had been sought to get over this by a system of Government grants, but that was open to several objections. Surely, ■ he urged,■ the .safest; rule to follow was that thoso who spent the money should have" the' responsibility of raising it. This is a point which cannot too often be emphasised, and those who are concerned with the work of local government in this' country cannot. begin too soon to give their attention to the broad principles that should .direct their activities; It is to .local government reform that the, country, must look as one of the most important aids to really stable progress.- .

The .discussion-' on' defence _ matters in the House of liepresentatiyes yesterday was, we are pleased to note, conducted on broad lines'and: entirely free from any suggestion of party-feeling. The Prime .Minister had evidently gone to some pains to master the subject and placed the information at his disposal before the /House in great detail; That members were not able to at once grasp the full details is not at all' surprising. The'.-' broad, principles involved in the scheme -are enough;, the details will'-.require the, closest examination before -their effect can be estimated. Mr. James Allen, who made ,a i very fine: speech', voiced, we think, the general opinion when, he said v that all should unite' in assisting .the Government to make-.the scheme as perfect as possible; and, if necessary, members of. both parties should unite' outside Parliament in convincing the country of ■ the necessity for '.parrying through: the .-scheme on the lines laid down' by' Lord ■ Kitchener.. . There is' just,one flanker' underlying_this very proper sinking of : party_ differences, where a great jiatiorial issue, is concerned. ./There is a risk/of overdoing.the. thing; of refraihjng" from criticism where plain .speaking is re-, quired ' from i a /fear' of being suspected of, party bias. In a'large'arid vitally'- important matter such as the .defence scheme, every detail should be carefully scrutinised freely criticised. It is only by. this-means that such' weaknesses as may exist can be oliminated and any necessary provisions which, may- have been overlooked added. We do not propose to. go into-.the merits.:.of.-, the scheme on the present occasion. Generally speaking it has our approval, and,: we, / congratulate •; Sir ,-. Joseph Ward on the bolder .'nature, of his proposals as. compared with 'the Act of last/year. ■ -..". ./; ,:,:;• '/..• '.://: