NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1485, 6 July 1912, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

We omitted last week to notice the details of the railways accounts printed in the Gazette. Tho returns coyer the second month of tho current railway year,, and we observe with regret the continued falling off in the net returns on tho Southern lines. For tho eight weeks schedule (April 1 to May 25) tho leading totals are as follow (tho corresponding figure for last year also being given): Not Net Inoreaso revenue, rcvonuo, or 1911. 1912. decrease. & & & North 110,019 129,061 12,445 Inc. South 132,217 127,330 4,887 dco. The Gazette also gives, for the first time, the capital sunk in the railways system at March 31 last. Tho total on March 31 of 1911 was £31,509,960; on March 31 of this year it had risen to £32,689,179, an increase of £1,179,219 in capital expenditure during the 12 months. Excluding some comparatively small items (stores, etc.), which cannot bo allocated between the two islands, wo get these figures relating to capital cost: — On March On March 31, 1911. 31, 1912. North Island 14,2311,041 14,829,608 South Island 17,099,058 17,007,522 This enables us to see how tho twu systems fared in the year 1911-12. Tho average capital sunk lay in each case between the two terminal totals, and if we take tho mean in each case, and charge interest at'£3 16s. per cent., we find that the interest hill on the Northern system was £552,115, and on the Southern system £660,576. So we get this result for the year 12:Net Interest Profit revenue, bill. or loss. »} L, & £■ S, North ... 003,484 552,115 116,309 pToflt. South ... 542,129 660,576 118,447 Toss. Comment upon those figures is needless. Parliament should insist upon an inquiry and explanation with as littlo delay as possible. Wo aro not now complaining because tho rail-way-users of the North Island are being qxploited. All we wish to point out is that there must bo many things radically wrong in the railways management, and that the country as a wholo cannot hut suffer from management of that kind.

It is much to be regretted that the Government should have brought down the Defence report yesterday for the simplo purpose of holding back for a few hours the resumption of the no-confidence debate. Wo do not liko to suggest that the Government was also mindful of the fact that they could thus also secure that the report would not be adequately discussed. At any rate it could not be, and it was not, adequately discussed, and the Government must take the responsibility for having used even the defence question for tactical purpftscs. !Jhc discussion was of no importance; it consisted merely of one praiseworthy but quite unnecessary speech by Me. Wileord in reply to Mr. Payne. As to the report, wo shall defer our comments, but we may express a little doubt as to the warrant for the almost untempered optimism of- the Commandant. The public has not forgotten the fashion in which the Ministry by its vacillations and weaknesses and inconsistencies, brought near to peril the vital principle of tho Act, and it would be idle to deny that an impression was left on the public mind that tho Commandant did not take tho Ministry as firmly in hand as he might havo done. One hates to seem critical where defence is concerned, especially in the early stages of the new scheme, but criticism cannot be dispensed with; and it is not clear to us how the Commandant finds, out of the data in hand, material for his confidence that the scheme will not cost more than the figure Loiid'Kitchener named. One good fact is the fulness of the enrolment.

A little while ago wo had some reference to the nauseous rhetoric of Mrt. Bireell : at a "Disestablishment" rally, but Mr. BmrtELL is but tho faintest echo of Mn. LloydGeorcie. Tho mail brings us the text of his recent speech at Swansea —tho ono which led even the Westminster Gazette to pause in the midst of its fierce campaign on behalf of the spoliation of the Church in Wales. Hefcrring to persons now living—and living in decency, honour, and peace—the Chancellor descended to a depth of mingled coarimijß?B n-nd invqrtivo wljirh wok nearer bkapheiny (siuce it was a

political speech) than mere bad taste.

Why (ho said) vessels consecrated to (lie sanctuary are. still oil their sideboards. Tho meats dedicated to the altar slock their larders to-day. Tho richest laad in England and Wales is land which was consecrated to the servico of God and His poor which they have got to-day. Go to the Primrose League meetings. Tho very primroses «in'cli adorn thoir buttonholes aro plucked from land consecrated to tho scrvico of tho altar.

And of course he talked of "ten thousand littlo Tsars," and of his opponents as people who thrust the poor into "miserable dens, the devices of which were seething with disease and death," and. wreathed tho whole thing with pious garlands. It is no wonder that the Gazette, which had been steadily backing up the Chancellor and his language, suddenly felt ill and suggested that that sort of thing might now cease.