NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1622, 13 December 1912, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The dbminant note in Australian newspaper comment on the result of the Sydney municipal elections is, so far as the leading dailies are concerned, one of supreme thankfulness for the- escape of the _ Sydney Corporation from the domination of the Labour machine. Their chief anxiety, as we pointed out when the cabled announcement of tho result of the election came through, was that the Corporation finances, at_ present in a very critical condition in the sense that some continuity of administrative policy was .essential to their stability, should not be handed over to the control of a party committed to all sorts of visionary and impracticable schemes for the professed benefit of its followers. In his last report, the Town Clerk of the Sydney Corporation remarked that tho past year had been "a record one as far as notices of motion are concerned in regard to increases of wages." "The Council determined, in several instances in direct opposition to the reports and recommendations of tho heads of Departments," he pointed out, "to increase wages and make allowances irrespective of service—good, bad, ohd indifferent being treated alike. The effect of actions of this kind on tho morale and discipline of the service can scarcely be realised." Willi the lessons of the Wellington tramway strike to point the way in future disputes with its employees, ■■out'own City Council will probably detect a.familiar ring in the above outspoken protest by Sydney's chief administrative officer. The curse of all municipal corporations is the politician councillor who regards a term in the Council Chamber as a means to a personal end—political advancement. His fundamentally, is not for that which will bring municipal prosperity, but for that which has a discernible return in political support. ■ If the complaint of the Town Clerk of Sydney is of the misdeeds of- a "moderate" Council, one may well imagine the state of that officer's mind after' a spell of administering the policy of a Labour machine. ■ Amongst tho appointments which the Government lias under consideration at the present time is that of Resident Commissioner at' the Cook Islands. The filling _ of this position is one which requires some care. The duties are not very onerous, but they call for the exercise of judgment and tact, and also some knowledge of the Nativepopulation, their ways and habits _ of thought. During the recent session of Parliament the attitude of the Government concerning the Cook Islands was not such as to convey the impression that tho troubles which had for some time previously disturbed residents at the Islands, had received any careful thought from Ministers. The Minister in charge I of the Islands, indeed, was most unhappy in his references to the subject on such occasions as it was raised in Parliament. In the recess we trust that the Government have given the matter closer attention and that when the appointment of Resident Commissioner is announced it will give more satisfaction than their attitude up to the present time has done. It is always an exceedingly difficult and delicate matter for an individual of the militant _ Socialist class to reconcile his political principles with his private interests, especially when the disturbing element of material prosperity adds to the complexity of the situation. According to the Sydney Daily Telegraph, the Labour-Federal Attorney-General (Me. W. M. Hughes)_ has recently felt it incumbent on him to "apologise for having owned some giltedged script in an insurance company." Mn. Hughes's three-fold plea for forgiveness was based, firstly upon, the well-worn excuse that the extent of his "offending" was small—only a matter of 35 shares. To which the Daily Telegraph retorted- that some of the shareholders in tho much-maligned Sugar Company owned less than that. Secondly, the investment did not return him more than 5 per cent. Hero again the Telegraph referred to the "fiint-souled monopolist" Sugar Company's shareholders who, having bought at a premium, had to be satisfied with less than five per cent. Thirdly, he reformed and sold out, but even that plea is regarded by the Telegraph as inadequate. "We are not," it remarks, "told tho price at which Mn. Hughes sold his scrip when ho became converted and returned to the Socialist fold from which lie had strayed in' ouest of gilt-edged pasturns. Decidedly more information, therefore, is required before tho pica of repentance can be fully accepted." "We do not know why owning shares in a good investment company should have had to he apologised for," adds tho Sydney journal, "by Mr. Hughes, or anyone else, but if he thinks apolory is necessary there is no use putting forward one with daylight shining through it." That is hint tho point. Why should a man reel called upoa to justify

or excuse the very provident expedient of investing a small portion —or any portion—of his capital in a reputable company?