NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1110, 25 April 1911, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

Wβ have been somewhat puzzled as to the objects' of the Citizens' League. This organisation nominated a very strong "ticket" for tho municipal and Harbour Board elections and has been very busy in urging citizens to support its candidates. If only as a counterblast to the Labour ticket, the action of the Citizens' League has served a very, useful purpose; but we are pleased to learn that the idea behind the formation of the league is something more than the promotion of a fleeting electioneering activity. The league, it is stated, has been formed to act as a sort of vigilance committee and to endeavour to create an active interest in the municipal life of the community. A body of this sort is badly needed, and no doubt an election of the kind about to take place this week is an excellent rallying-point for those who favour such a movement. Past experience has shown us that it is a most difficult thing to maintain interest in such an organisation. We have had ratepayers' associations, but they have never been able to exercise any appreciable influence on municipal affairs and they have languished and died. Should the Citizens' League receive the stimulus of a substantial success with its candidates at tomorrow's poll it will have a direct incentive to proceed with its work. Wo do not think the ticket should bs swallowed holus-bolus. There are candidates outside the "ticket" whom we hope to see elected—Dr. Cameron, Messrs. Castle, Fuller, and others have shown that they are lftely to make good councillors—but we have little doubt that at least half the members of the ticket will be successful, and that citizens .will have reason to congratulate themselves if this result is attained.

A statement which will arouse much curiosity has been made in Christchurch-by the.BEV. E. Walker, a prominent member of the No-Li-

c-cnse party. He has been investigating the question "whether, under absolute prohibition provided for by the new Licensing Act, a person will still be able to make liquor Tor home consumption," and has como to the conclusion that the answer must be in the affirmative. His argument, briefly, is that "manufacture" as contemplated by the Act would be held by the Courts to mean "manufacture for sale." The point is an interesting' one, but whether Mr. Walker is right or wrong we could not say. But what the public will be most interested in is the reason for Me. Walkee's concern over the subject. Ho is not, as one would imagine, displeased at the thought that under National Prohibition people will be permitted to manufacture intoxicants for homo use, for he concludes in this polemical strain : "If the contention is correct it completely undermines statements in regard to compelling people to be teetotallers and interfering with thenliberty, as set out in Professor Salmond's pamphlet." Coming from a No-License advocate this is a very singular argument to use in defence of National Prohibition. Does it not conflict very seriously with the Prohibitionist teaching that alcoholic liquor is bad in itself, at all times and in all places?

The proposal of the Trades and Labour Conference at Christchurch that the ironmasters of the Dominion should "co-operate with organised labour' towards the nationalisation of natural iron ores" is worth noting as an evidence of the recognition on the part of labour of a common interest between much-maligned capital and the employees of capital. It is a welcome, if somewhat feeble," sign, and the fact that the proposal is obviously prompted by a desire to further labour interests docs not detract from the value of the incident. Rather the reverse, for if labour will only see that its ends can bo best served by working in harmonious co-operation with capital then immediate and mutual benefits will follow. We are not foolish enough to believe that the present action of the Trades and Labour GWncil's Conference is the beginning of any general movement in the direction indicated, but even an isolated act of the kind.is deserving of attention in these days of industriaT friction and strife. Turning to the proposal itself, it can only be treated as one of those quite impracticable schemes thoughtlessly put forward with the object of creating an idea of progressiveness and enterprise. Even the ironmasters, who might be expected to be sympathetic in a matter so deeply affecting their industry, could not refrain from pointing out the impossibility of giving effect to the proposal. Apart, however, from the question of the quantity of pig-iron required in New Zealand, which is ludicrously small compared with what any reasonably well-equipped iron-works would lie likely to turn out; the labour question is a most important one. Excluding all other competition there is-a formidable iron-pro-ducer in the Pacific which possesses the cheapest labour in the world. In recent years China has appeared on the scene as an exporter of pig-iron, chiefly to the west coast ports of the United States, and the probabilities point to an important development ot' this- trade. What hopo has New Zealand labour of competing successfully against Chinese labour? What sort of artificial bolstering up would the New Zealand export, trade in pig-iron require to compete against the product of this cheap labour 1 If the local demand were anything like sufficient to keep iron-works going in New Zealand something might be said for the project, but even then it would require careful consideration and one. of the ..first questions to be weighed -would be the labour problem.' As it is the iron ore and iron-sand will not fun away,; and with the development of the country the time.will probably come when it may.be turned to profitable account.