NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1215, 25 August 1911, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

Last night's Gazette ■ cqntaine figures relating to the working of the railways for the four weeks elided July 22 last, completing tho first sixteen weeks of the current financial year. For the four weeks tho not revenue was as shown below, tho figures for the corresponding period of 1910 being given : 1910 • 1911 Increase. n j> J* North Island 27,533 3G.051 8,518 ' South Island . 32,789 37,209 1,420 For the sixteen weeks the net revenue £401,735, contributed as shown in tho following table, in which the corresponding figures for 1910 arc given: 1910 1911 Increase. £ £ £ North Island 1G0.29G 192,896 32.G00 South Island 176,932 208,839 31,907 The incrcaso of gross revenue in the South was only £18,524, the balance, of tho net increase being made by a reduction of expenditure. The increase of gross revenue in the South was no less than £42,816, but there was a rise in expenditure. These figures emphasise the greater economic vigour of the North Island, and form another powerful argument for the national wisdom of devoting to North Island lines the great bulk of the money available for new construction. The earning powers of the two systems now stand in the ratio shown below:

Net JS'ot revenue feveiiue Jlilos 16 per milo of weeks, of line, line. £ £ North 1,171 1<12.806 164.7 South 1,017 208,830 129.1 So far as they go the figures as a whole indicate that tho relative and absolute superiority of the North Island lines as revenue-earners will this year be greater than ever. If the Government had begun to do its duty ten years 'ago, and built lines where they should have been built, and left unbuilt the lines that should not have been built for many years, the railways to-day would, under ordinarily decent management,'have been paying well at lower rates than are now charged.

New South Wales has long been noted for the eccentricity of its politics, but there was never anything before quite like the tragic, ludicrous and really disgusting situation that has developed during the. past month. All the rules of political order and the canons of political propriety have been overthrown. It will l)o remembered that the Acting-Premier, Mn. Holman, tendered his resignation last month and that Mr. Wade, the Opposition leader, who was sent for by tho Governor, asked for conditions that could not bo granted. During this critical time two Labour members resigned their seats, and Parliament prorogued with Mr. Holmak still in office. The result of the by-elections was a tie—one scat going to the Labour party and one to the Liboral Opposition. In' the meantime the seat of Mr. Macdonald, a Minister, had become vacant. This left Labour with 44 seats and tho Opposition with '45. It was expected that Me. Macdonald would be re-elected unopposed, which would put the parties on an equal footing—4s to 45. If the Government elected one of its members to the Speakership, it would be in a minority of one. Mr. Holmak succeeded, however, m putting the other side in a minority by inducing 'one of them, Mr. Willis, to accept nomination, and he has been elected under circumstances of an extraordinary nature, some account of which is cabled to us today. As if to complicate the odious position still further, one of the Government members has met with a strange accident, of a very serious character, so that at the present time the parties are evenly balanced. The Speaker's casting vote wili be necessary for the settlement of every issue. In the meantime tho political world in the State is a seething mass of intrigue. The public interest appears to be utterly forgotten by tho Government, which ought to'have resigned long ago and gone to the country. Upon the face of it nothing that Parliament can do until a general election has changed the situation will command the respect of the people. Tho whole sordid episode is a disgrace to New South Wr-lcs, and a shocking illustration of what can happen to the. traditions of British Parliamentary Government given the required circumstances.

Mr. A. S. Malcolm, M.P., with whom wo recently had a argument upon Imperial Federation, is to lecture on this important subject in tho Town Hall on August 30. While wo differ from Mr. Malcolm on some vital points,_ wo have a very sincere for hia efforts to arouse a real interest in the 1.-H'ger issues that concern the subjects of the King. Tho ignorance and indifference of the public .on the principles that should govern Imperial policy aro so {treat that what is wanted above all is discussion. Thus, while wo feel quite certain' that a formal Federation signed and sealed will do injury, perhaps

the last injury, to the Empire, we feel also that i\ln. iMai.cowi is rendering a public service in promoting public interest in tho question. We saw last year that Parliament flitl not cure enough about Imperial policy tt, insist iipon discussing it, and our evening eontompurhry lias printed an interview with the I'itniE Minister that shows pratty plainly how little can be expected in the way of assistance from him. He paid that it was no use discussing the matter of the proposed Imperial Council in 'Parliament and that Parliament could not have strengthened his hands anyway. Mr. Malcolm is therefore doing the only thing, namely, appealing direct to the public. *\Vc trust his public spirit will ha rewarded as it deserves by a large attendance, at his lecture.