NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1000, 15 December 1910, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The South African team of (crick-eters-has failed rather badly in it? first Test against tho pick of Australia. A dofeat by an innings and a substantial margin of runs would seem to show a wide disparity between the teams, requiring a very large measure of luck to bridge over. Yet the merits of the contestants should not be too hastily decided on. The weakest feature of the South Africans' display would seem to have been their bowling. Apparently the famous "googlics" are not so effective oil Australian wickets as they have proved elsewhere, and the picked batsmen of the Commonwealth have treated them with great disrespect-. The largo score compiled by the earlier batsmen of Hill's team, in spite of magnificent fielding and brilliant wickct-kceping, must have had a demoralising effect on the bowlcrs._ and no doubt took some of the sting out of their efforts. The South Africans' batting also was not up to expectations, but apparently they had the worst of the luck, in that respect. They, had to face the

lightning deliveries of Cotter on the first day, in .1 bad. light, and yesterday the v.'icket, after so much rain, must have assisted the bowlers very materially. The most unsatisfactory feature of the game from the Australian point of view was the absence of new blood from the Commonwealth team. The majority' of those chosen to represent Australia are old and seasoned Test match performers, some of them undoubtedly past their best—some evergreen and as prolific in run-getting as ever. New blood that will stand the test does not seem co be 'forthcoming if the selectors are to bo relied, on. Probably the later Test games during tho present tour changes will ha made with tho object of "trying out" some of the. colts. On present appearances it certainly seems that the selectors could afford to take a few risks.

It is frequently difficult to follow the working of the official mind in respect of the railways of the Dominion. Time-tables are changed and reconstructed with a quite amazing disregard of the public convenience; fares are raised and differential freight rates charged in a manner both puzzling and annoying. But it is not merely tho public that suffer. Railway employees are also amongst those who have to endure the whims and fancics of the controlling authorities. Here is an instance in point: A privilege conceded to the employees of the railway service, is the granting of free passes and reduced-rate tickets on the railways during their holidays. It is.not a very.great concession, but a great deal is made .of it when tho treatment of railway employees is under discussion, and the powers that bo wish to show how well the members of. the service are treated by the State. This circular indicates the sort of irritating treatment the employees are actually subjected to: Wellington,' 13/12/10. To Staff. FEEE PASSES AND PRIVILEGE TICKETS. It has beeu decidcd that free passes and privilege tickets will not bo available for use on'through passenger mail or express trains in any district on the 24th, 20th, 27th, and 31st December, 1910, and 2nd and 3rd January, 1911. In other words, it has been decidcd that during the Christmas'and New Year holiday season, when railway employees not engaged 011 the working railways, that is railway .workshop hands, ctc., arc bast uMq. to make use of their privilege, it is withdrawn from them. It is really impossible to understand such petty and irritating action. Naturally tho employees are indignant at having what is regarded as to all intents and purposes a part of tho recompense for their services withdrawn in this summary ■ fashion. Even from a business point of view it is open to question whether this action is a sound one: but tho harmful cffcct on the members of the service in their relations towards their employers must far outweigh . any possible advantage which may be derived fronvtlio curtailment of a wellr> established privilege. It is such paltry tricks and devices as here disclosed that ' promote discontent amongst the railway service and sow the seed of future trouble. It is difficult to believe that Mn. Millar is aware of tho order issued from his' Department. Now that the matter is brought under his notice, however, thero can be no excuse for him if ho fails to cancel it.