NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1405, 3 April 1912, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

Theue is no great necessity for comment just now upon the activities of the people who, in their own phrase, are "working up" the movement to soften the lato Prime Minister's deposition from office. But we cannot overlook a very singular statement by the new Minister for Finance at a local function yesterday. Mn. Myers, who rather absurdly called tho member for Awarua "a heavcuborn administrator"—a slap in the face, this, for the nation that talked through tho ballot-box last December —said he himself was fortunato in that he would, so far as the national finances aro concerned, have the benefit of Sik Joseph Ward's advice at all times. This merely confirms tho very general suspicion that so long as ho remains in New Zealand and so long as the "Liberals" are in office tho member for Awarua will be the reality of which the reconstructed Ministry- is merely the shadow. AVliat the public will think of such a situation as that is quite obvious, and it ought to be obvious, _ too, to the Ministry itself. The public is not going to allow the member' for Awarua to do, without authority, what it objected to when it was done with authority by the Prime Minister. Me. Myers must surely have lost sight of sound principles when he openly admits his intention to consult one favoured private member concerning the future financial transactions of the Government. The member for Awarua is to ha consulted about matters, apparently, concerning which Parliament and the public will have to be content to remain in the dark. Mn. Myers really surprises us; but perhaps it is just as well to know that the latest democratic development, is government by a private person.

In the journey to the South Pole, Caitain AjiuxnsKK seems; to have had all the luck. He had singularly good weather for Antarctica, he happened U pnn a, wmpovofcivflly oi?y route, jiad he roacticd tb * ok \Yo aow

know (lint Captain Scott was not there before him. After much toilsome marching, sonic; narrow escapes, and repeated experiences of the worst rigours ' of the Antarctic winter, the British leader with four comrades slarted on January I! (nearly three, weeks after Captain Amundsen's visit to the Pole) to traverse the last 150 miles. They have probably arrived there and learnt that they are not the first to reach that desired destination. It remains to take comfort from the success of the scientific work of the expedition. Tin's, we are told, is of the most valuable, character, all the plans having been carried out almost in their entirety. The results will bo useful in many ways, and perhaps some day everybody will have, cause to be, grateful to Captain Scott for not sacrificing the scientific objects of the expedition to his natural ambition to be first at the Pole. He and his gallant band have certainly undergone much in the endeavour to win some further secrets of the frozen South. They have made the first Antarctic winter journey, and they have passed through such storms as no other adventurers in those regions have returned to tell of. Captain Scott has again proved his powers as an organiser and a leader, and when he reappears in New Zealand he will meet with an enthusiastic welcome.

If the decision of Mr. Riddell, S.M., in the cases brought against two young men for their failure to attend the parades prescribed by the Defence Act, 1909, is allowed to stand, the fabric of our new defence system is seriously threatened. The judgment of the Magistrate is rather confused, and is wanting in logical order—or so it will appear to the logically-minded layman—but two things are clear. The first, and the lesser in importance, is that a youth liable for service can keep the Defence authorities standing about waiting for his pleasure in the matter of attending parades within the prescribed limits of the law. The second point that emerges from the Magisterial judgment seems to be that there is no civil power to punish failure to attend 'parades. The only punitive power, it would appear, is military. "It is obvious." said his Worship, "that a failure to attend any drill, day parade, or training camp, would be a breach of discipline, which could be dealt with by the commanding officer, or by court-martial under the regulations." We should say that it is obvious that the reverse is the case. The nation is not under military law. A youth liable for service is not subject to military law in his civilian status. Regulation 200 ("'Discipline in the Territorial Force") shows the limits of military authority, which operates only upon Territorials "when performing military duty or going to or from the place of parade, exercise, or military duty." Either the Magistrate is at fault, or the law. Wo have done our best, by curbing our comment, to make things easy for the authorities,- but the way in which the new defence lav/ is being handled is becoming seriously disturbing.

The City Council last night approved the recommendation of its Finance Committee that £1000 should be granted out of the municipal funds to the Academy of Arts for the purchase of pictures from tho Baillie collection provided the citizens can raise £5000 by private subscription. The recommendation is a good one. It declares the propriety of a handsome municipal subsidy to a m6st worthy public object, and, at the same time, it recognises the principle that municipal grants for special and unusual purposes shall be contingent upon proof of public approval. The task before tho Academy is obviously a very severe one. . To "collect £5000 from tho Wellington public for the purchase of pictures! "Why," we can imagine those neighbours saying who believe that Wellington is a sordid material community, "why, Wellington has no money or time to spare for anything that is not grossly utilitarian." We must admit that the responso of the city in the past to appeals for funds for the better representation of the public's regard for pictures has never been very respectable. But when it is remembered that there is now presented an exceptional opportunity to secure a fine nucleus for a National Art Gallery that in time can be made one of the best possessions of the public, there is no reason for despairing of the prospects of a good response to the City Council's offer. The chance is at last given to tho wealthy and tho less wealthy of our citizens to retrieve, the credit of their city. A vigorous canvass for funds is to be undertaken, to which we wish all success.