NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1497, 20 July 1912, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

Ministers are having a very busy time just now with deputations and in preparing the legislative work for the coming session. Yesterday there was quite a stream of deputations to members of the Government, and in some cases the requests made involved large questions of policy The representatives of the Trades and Labour Council, for instance who wajted on thq Minister for Kailways, asked that in future the whole of the work of constructing locomotives for tho States lines'should bo carried out in the Government workshops. If it were possible to do so at a satisfactory cost, and with satisfactory rosults, there is no good reason why the State should not eventually manufacture all its own locomotives. Moreover, the deputation made a very sound point when it contended that the fact that there was only one outside firm capable of tendering for this work created a situation which really amounted to tho work being let without tender. It does not follow, of course, that tho price at which the locomotives were ordered .was an unreasonable one, but in the absence of competitive tenders, there is always a risk of a bad bargain being made by the Statb. While it may be desirable from many points of view that tha State should manufacture its own locomotives, care must bo taken to see that this local industry is not costing the country too dear. The locally-made locomotives very highly spoken of in the Hailway's Statement presented to Parliament, but the firemen and engine-drivers who have to use them sometimes tell quite a different story. The new Minister, before he commits himself finally to any policy in the matter of locomotive construction, will probably deem it prudent to inquire into the relative cost of running and efficiency of the locally-made as against the imported locomotives, and also as to their relative wearing capacity.

It. may be remembered, that last month the cable agent gave us soma account of the unpleasant side of the amateur golf final between Ball and Mitchell. The ouriously-worded cable message led some people to fancy that the. "aristocratic" spectators had loudly expressed their disgust that a mere chauffeur (Mitchell) should get into the finajUagainst "Johnny" .Ball," and W* suggested that the fact would probably turn out that the "scene". consisted of a disgraceful demonstration by RadiT cal spectators in favour of, and much to the dismay of, Mitchell. ■■' The English papers confirm our:conjecture. The Dattij News, a Radical organ so little scrupulous as to be willing to use even its sporting news columns for tho inflammation of its Radical readers, was responsible for the suggestion that "the members of the aristocracy of the game" had been the offenders, but it was unable to give any real proof, and was unable to deny that the artisans of the district about Westward Ho! "cheered Mitchell's good shots noisily. . The Daily Telegraph gives the obviously fair account of what took place: Hγ. Mitchell, as. quiet and unassuming a fellow as one' would wish to meet, nvuet havo been rather embarrassed by the uproars of delight which greeted his efforts, especially as there was not nearly so much cheering for his opponent. It was easy to see that tho rivals were the best of friends, as they contested this great match; but Mr. Ball was somewhat neglected in the matter of applause, whereas llr. Mitchell was the victim of overwhelming ovations, even when they wore not altogether justified. Somo of tho shouts that went up reminded one of those heard at football matches. Humour said that all the members of tho local artisans' club and their friends had struck work for tho afternoon' in order to be present. However, the whole scene was one of intense excitement, and as Mr. Ball was much too experienced a player to bo worried by a display o£ partiality no harm was done.

All the writers agreed upon the good sportsmanship and friendliness of the rivals, and that is the important thing after all, The only moral of the cable messages wo received is that it is unfortunate that Radical journalism in London ie ready and able to create a sensation by pressing even a golf final into its dishonest policy o? keeping hot its readers' feeling against those who are, or who are supposed to be, unfavourable to Lloyd-Georgeism.

The statements made in connection with tho duties imposed upon nurses undergoing training at St. Helen's Maternity Hospital will surprise most The nurses in question pay a premium to the State for the privilege, presumably, of being trained and qualified to follow the profession of nursing. According to several correspondents who have written us on the subject, a good part of their training would seera.to be designed to equip them as domestic servants; while they are also placed in a somewhat embarrassing position in the matter of expenses incurred in performing their nursing duties outside , the Maternity Hospital The allegations mado certainly call for the attention of ths Minister in charge of this Department.

One of the questions which will require tho early : attention of the Slassey Government is the course to be pursued in connection with the new Parliament Buildings. The new Ministry have been left some awkward legacies by their predecessors in office, and this matter of the Parliamentary Buildings is amongst the number. The work has now been advanced sufficiently far to make it somewhat embarrassing for tho Governmont to detovmine the best cours* to pursue. The public and Parliament were kept in ignorance by the Continuous Ministry as to the actual intentions behind the dreadful mutilation of Parliament grounds, and the laying of tho foundations for one section of the building. The exact nature of tho structure proposed to bo erected was not disclosed, and all the public know is that some modification or alteration of tho Government Architect's design was intended to bo carried out, Tho now Government will need to go into the,

whole question very_ carefully before arriving at a decision as to what is best to be done. Past experience has shown that the estimates for public buildings and public works carried out under the Continuous Ministry were utterly unreliable, and while it is desirable that in the erection of so important a structure as our Parliamentary Buildings, something imposing in outward design and adequate in internal arrangement should be provided, the country has no money to squander needlessly. It is assumed that the work will havo to proceed somewhat on the lines already laid down, but it does not necessarily follow that the Government will find it desirable to ac quiesce in tho plans of their predecessors in office. It would bo interesting to learn the actual cost of th? work so far dona as compared with the estimates.