NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1237, 20 September 1911, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

Mention was made in the cable news las 6 month of a telegram sent to Mr. IvEiu Hardir by the secretary of "the Anti-Militarist Council,, in Cliristchurch, whatever that body may be. One or two of the English papers recorded Mr. Keiß Haiiniii's receipt of the message on August 10. The text of it was as follows: "Compulsory military training now enforced. Democrats protest most strongly. Youths conscientiously refusing to submit imprisoned. Assist us. Warn _ British democracy their sons coming here will be enslaved. Question Colonial Secretary." Sad to say, Mr. Keir Hardie, in a very brief statement to a press representative, did not show any sign of being deeply, impressed by this terrifying series of shouts. It is not recorded that he "questioned" the Colonial Secretary (who, as Mr. Hardie knew, would briefly rcrjly that the matter was none of Britain's business), or even that ho warned "tho British democracy" of the chains awaiting them on their arrival in New Zealand. The fervour of the anti-militarists, by the way, appears to be suspended. There have ,npt been any more of those callow "martyrs" who refuse to register; and we should like to be able to think that this is because all those liable to registration have been registered. There is some doubt upon tho point, and the authorities should clear it up. It would be most unpleasant to discover that the'tranquillity was due to laxness in enforcing tho law.

Professor Bickerton, who went to England some time ago, partly at the public expense, to push his "partial impact" theory, does not appear to be making much headway. It seems to have been represented at Home that the Professor was forced to leave his Chair at Canterbury College because he refused to give up this theory, and we are sorry to note that the Professor has allowed this extraordinary story to go uncontradicted. As to his theory, he told a representative of the Morning l'ost that "he has received tho greatest possible encouragement from amateur astronomers and broadly-trained scientific men," but that "academic and oflicial scientists are frigidly silent." Asked what objections these had to offer to his theory, the Professor said—and here he really made a vory questionable assertion —that "there has never been an objection to the theory during the whole of its history. Scientists, he said, "look upon impact as a question of chance and destruction. I show it to be a law of Nature and construction. I have shown that the probability of impact due to law is hundreds and thousands of times greater than that due to mere chance encounters. This, doubtless, is the fundamental , and basic oversight that has prevented the astronomers from examining tho subject." This is really very absurd What the Professor here says, or_ is made to say, he has "shown" is incnpablo of demonstration by anybody, and in any event any problem in probabilities that could be brought in to the matter would involve mathematical abilities to which the Professor lays no claim. Some prominent scientists gave their opinions to the Morning Post next day. One of them pointed out that the theory was entirely unsupported by mathematical calculations. "Professor Bickkrton makes a statement. Tl;at is all," said a second. Another wrote ; as-to the "frigid silence" of official scientists, that "official scientists would probably rejoin that they are too busy to give time and attention to speculations which arc not supported by observational evidence.

Professor Bickerton's speculation dops not explain facts of which we are in doubt. Worse than that, it has no facts-to explain. A theory is quite useless without facts. ,. Perhaps we are wrong, but we think it is little creditable to this country that it should have in a way endorsed the notion that there is a dark conspiracy amongst the scientists The idea is preposterous.

The deputation which waited upon tho Prihb Minister yesterday to urge- tho Government to give adequate consideration to the claims of the Napier-Gisborne railway has very good reasons to back its request. Tins work is one of those which the Government should recognise as being in the class deserving of immediate attention. Some time ago we published a series of articles descriptive of the country that would be opened up by the railway, and indicating -the advantages which would accrue to the whole country on the completion of the work. The question of routes is often a stumbling block to an undertaking of this kind, but there seems very little room for doubt that the Hangaroa route is the one that ' should be adopted. Sir Jaiies Carroll has favoured the Mangapoeka route, but the personal wishes of a Minister cannot count against the public interest, and we arc pleased to see that Sir James now shows signs that he is not prepared to press his personal views. The Prijie Minister appears to labour under the impression that because public expenditure is at.times subjected to criticism it implies that objection is raised to the carrying out of reasonable and proper public works. This, of course, is a quite erroneous idea, and it'is difficult to understand how Ministers arrive at it. It is one thing, for instance, to object to expenditure on such a line as the Midland railway work now in hand, which can only prove a costly and almost useless white elephant to the country, and quite another to urge the construction' of a line like the Napier-Gisborne section, which will open up for close settlement thousands of acres of fertile country and add immensely to tho productiveness and wealth of the Dominion.

The close of the Financial Debate last evening will be welcomed by tliose who arc looking forward to the real business of the session being taken in hand. The Pnniß Minister, in,replying to tho criticisms indulged in during the course of the debate, devoted the greater part of his speech to the searching analysis of the Budget figures presented by Mr. James Allex. It is doubtful, however, whether members derived much enlightenment, for. owing to the pace at which Siu Joseph Ward rushed through the figures, and tho over-abundant supply of notes with which he had loaded himself, he was most difficult to follow throughout the greater part of his speech. The real points were simply smothered in tho mass of words and figures, and at- l.ho close of his hour limit he was still forced to admit that he had not been able to cover all the ground desired. During yesterday's debate the Rev. L. M. Isitt made his first important speech, and it was quite on the approved lines of the average

Government follower. He denounced the Opposition and bestowed his benediction on the Government, and met with the well-merited reward of hearty endorsement from the Ministerial following. The Prime Minister quite properly congratulated him on his maiden effort.

Walter C. Kelly, "the famous Virginian Judge," is an American who has been telling his compatriots some facts about the world as he scowled at it on a recent tour. He is what Autemus Ward would call a "humerus cuss," and his interest to us is in the fact that he seems to have visited New Zealand. Of London he has some kind things to say. But the rest of the Empire, to.quote what Wallace liuvin's lovesick "hoodlum" said of life, "gave him a pain." "In Cape Town a man asked me if I didn't think the town was nicely laid out. 'Yes,' said I, 'but why delay the burial?' " As for New Zealand, he says, "I'll never {jo there any more," and he gives his reason:

It is a country where the women vote. Au4 it is entirely under the domination of Scotch Presbyterians. Heaven save us from the kind of laws they have in New Zealand! They haven't been able to stop the sun shining yet, but they'll try to do it. Keiv Zealand as a country is the. result of the poverty of England and Scotlaud. The. people of New Zealand are so afraid they may happen back into their old starvation state that they are the lightest wads on the habitable globe. \ Ken' Zealander wouldn't pay live cents to '-ee King George and Queen Mary in a double trapeze act.

This is so idiotically delightful that Mr. Kelly can rely upon getting no free pass-on the railway if ho forswears himself and comes back to see us "tight wads" again. What we cannot understand is how this sensational and unparalleled person did not make himself felt when he passeo. through here. Did anybody here see Mr. Kelly?