NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 979, 21 November 1910, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

Thk now . Labour Government in New South Wales continues to afford some shocking examples of. what a certain class of Labour agitators are likely to' do when they grasp the'reins of government. The releaso of Peter Bowling has been defended as something very like the repeal of one Government's Act by another. Yet Bowling was charged under the law in an ordinary way and sent to prison in tho ordinary way by an ordinary Judge. The' Government was not attacking the Arbitration Act, in releasing the man: it was dealing such a blow at ,thc foundations pi social justice as has had no example in modern days. Its mitigation, of tho. sentence of a murderer condemned to death for an unspeakably, atrocious crime, was. Mr. M'Gowen'.s ■ second', little- surprise for the public. .And now wo gather from a recent issue of the Sydney . Herald, tho Government, through the AttorneyrGeneral,' has remitted fines imposed on a certain man for witnessing the signatures of applicants for electoral .enrolment without inquiring if tho. statements contained were;true. When the case came 'before the Court, the magistrate spoke in strong terms of the accused person's action. Mr. Wade, commenting upon the new AttorneyGeneral's action, said that Me. Hoeman had set the rule down that prosecutions for such offences are only for the purpose of reminding individuals of their obligations under tho law. "Mr. Holhan might also have added that Parliament had passed a criminal statute as a mere matter of courtesy—to indicate tea wrongdoer that Parliament held certain views in regard to certain matters, but that he need have no fear, as the'desire "of a , humane Government'was merely to impress on him; in the most courteous terms, tho circumstance, and at the same time ini dicate that it had no intention , of enforcing the provisions. A man 1 who offended against the law would, nave to be designated in polite language as a well-meaning''enthusiast." Tho special interest of the Government's action, so far as New Zealand is concerned, is lighted 'up by Mr. Wade's comments. Did not :.Snv Joseph; Ward,, speaking at Kaitangata on April 11, 1909, inform the public that he would .never let men go to gaol , for. striking, whatever the law on the subject might be?

The community as a wholo will join with the members ,of the Roman Catholic, Church in giving Archbishop Redwood a very hearty welcomo. on his return from the great Eucharistic Congress at Montreal. Tho enthusiasm and good-will which characterised the gathering in. the Town Hall On Friday night bore unmistakable testimony to the high respect in which ho is held, not only as a distinguished churchman, but also as a man and a citizen. It is not surprising that Dii. Redwood was deeply moved by the magnificent ceremonies which he witnessed and took part in at Montreal. The proceedings as a whole were marked by a vastness and splendour that could not fail to be impressive even to an outsider, while to one like the Archbishop, who could thoroughly appreciate tho fuller and deeper meaning of all that rich and striking ceremonial, the occasion must have been inspiring in the highest degree. The Eormons, and other utterances in connection with the gathering were also of a high order, and contributed largely to the interest of the proceedings. In addition to its purely; religious significance the Congress was a great dramatic demonstration of the unity, the power, and the splendid organisation of the Roman Catholic Church as a vast and farreaching international society. Pope Pius X, when he looks to the peace and prosperity enjoyed by the Roman Catholic Church in the great English-speaking world—in Canada, tho United States, and.Australasia —must find in this freedom from conflict with the' secular power and unhampered opportunity for development, some compensation for the less happy state of affairs in certain European countries.

Preparations are being mado by the South Australian Parliament to pass legislation increasing tho salaries of mombers from £200 to £300. One of the principal reasons put forward for tho increase is that members are bled in every direction by importunate constituents. "In , effect," tho Argus suggests, "the local football club or tho local tea-meeting is to become a mendicant from Government funds, with the member of Parliament as a bountiful distributing agent." It occurs to us that for a long time past nobody has asked the question, "What arc members paid for?" It is a question well worth discussion. Is the member's, salary to bo understood as the-reim-bursement of his actual, expenses in coming to Wellington and residing there for some months? Or is it given him that he may recoup tho cost of being elected and of keeping in good odo\ir, with "tho local football club and tho local tea-meeting" 1 Or is it .payment for services rendered to the nation , ! Or services rendered to tho constituency? A

great many of the members of the present House do not render £300 worth of service to the nation in a year. In, some casesj however well they may deserve of their parishes, their services to the nation are not only worth nothing, but it would pay the country to subsidise them to stay away from' Parliament. It is not altogether the fault of these members that this state of things exists. The evil has arisen out of political administration of the Public Works Fund; the railways and the public service generally. Place these Departments in the hands of nonpolitical boards, and thus remove the means of political bribery from the hands of the Executive, and members knowing that they have nothing to gain by handing over their votes and their independence to Ministers, will devote their energies and their intelligence to the larger interests of the nation. They will then exercise their votes as their judgment dictates, and not in order to secure a road or a _bridge or something else which their district wants, but may or may not be entitled to.