NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1629, 21 December 1912, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The Minister of Public Works is always direct of spcech and at times ho has a happy Knack of stating a position with extreme conciseness and clearness. This has enabled him during his brief term of office to make it very plain that while he has been forced into a position of having to do unpleasant things it is no fault of his or his Government; and also that he is doing tho best thing possible in the circumstances. He apparently fully satisfied tho Hastings deputation, which waited on him on Thursday last, on tliis point. No Minister, and no Government, is ever anxious to stop public works,_ and especially railway construction. It is not a popular thing to do and politicians like popularity. But it may at times be a right thing to do, and the politician who has the couragc to do tho right thing in npite of ita unpopularity, is sufficiently raro in this.

country to command admiration an well an approval. _ Mu. D'iiahkr in doing the right thing in corincction with tho nLopnngo of certain railway works in order to cri/tblo tho more urgently-required road works to bo pressed forward. Railways, im lie explains, are no use without Toads to feed them. Wo havo not the least doubt that people generally in New Zealand to-day, surfeited as they have been with the constant endeavour of the Continuous Ministry to do the popular thing of the moment, and to always, utter the words that will please, will find it a pleasant change to have Ministers doing the right thing regardless of whether it is popular or not and placing the facts before tho public frankly and openly even when tho facts are not as pleasing as they might be. One does not look for perfection in any Government, but an honest endeavour to do the right thing in a straightforward manner counts for a great deal with the bulk of the public.

Canada, it is stated, does not object to Mr. Bonar Law's proposal | that there should be a conference 1 between the Motherland and the Overseas Dominions on the subject of Tariff Reform. It is added that Canadians do not desire additional prosperity at the expense of the English workers. There is a hint in the latter suggestion that Tariff Reform, as viewed through Canadian ev £ s, is likely to prove prejudical to the English worker. Probably this idea isoased on the fact that Canada. like New Zealand, already gives preference to British manufactures, apd this • without seeking any reciprocal step on the part of the Motherland. Apparently it is thought in Canada that any arrangement arrived at by such a conference as is suggested .by Mr. Bonar Law would involve mutual concessions instead of the Motherland continuing to retain her existing advantages without giving anything of a similar nature in return. _ This, of course, does not necessarily follow. An Imperial Conference would be of advantage in affording an opportunity for a clearer understanding between the various parts ■of the British. Dominions as to their relative ability to supply, the needs of one another and also as to the best means of developing trade within the Empire. But such a conference could not expect to bind either the Motherland or tho Overseas Dominions to ,any tariff treaty. Each country must be left in the end to decide these matters for itself. Nothing could be more dangerous than any attempt to drag the Overseas Dominions into the turmoil of party politics in England. Tariff Reform may be a good thing for Britain or it may not; but it must be left to the people of Britain to settle the matter for themselves.

Tee steamer fireman is a problem vet to be solved. In 110 branch of labour is so much trouble and inconvenicnce caused as is the case with the men employed in tho stokeholds of steamers—particularly in tho case of the larger vessels. He not only absents himself from duty when in port with a supremo unconcern for everyone, and often on the eve of departure returns; in a condition which renders him incapable of performing Lis duties, but on the voyage he is usually a very difficult pprson to deal with. The trouble which is being experienced by tho captain of the at tho present time affords' a striking example of tho indifference oisomo of these men, not only to the interests of those who employ them, but to the convenience of the travelling public as well. Three or four men are able to hold up the ship, delay tho transport of cargo and of passengers and mails, and interfere with the time-table running of the company's vessels at a time- when it will cause thp greatest • inconvenience to everyone. Meantime one of the firemen goes ashore and celebrates the occasion by getting drunk and landing himself in the Police Court. Possibly, if there was more strictness in issuing, discharges to these men and in re-engaging them, thore would be less trouble and a better class of men would gradually come into the service, At the present time it is an occupation which is fought shy of owing to the large number of undesirables who find employment at it.