NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1677, 18 February 1913, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

There is something to be said for the protest ma,de_by the school inspectors when doing honour to two of. their, number, who have recently retired from the active list. ChiefInspectors Petrie and Goyen have both rendered conspicuous service to the cause of education in New Zealand, and it is fitting that those who are best able to judge their work should pay due tribute. Inspector. Bakewell, in moving the motion expressing tho feelings of the Conference on the matter,; added the protest referred to, which was in the nature of an expression, of regret that in the distribution of honours to public servants those who have "devoted their lives to the discharge of the highest duty and the noblest function of tho State" have been overlooked. This, reference to the neglect of those who have distinguished themselves in the carrying out of our State system of education is warranted. There is a tendency to overlook the importance of tho task which devolves upon those engaged in the teaching profession and in the conduct of our Stats schools. There are few material benefits to look forward to in the profession, and at no stage can those who pursue it feel that tho reward for their services is framed on a liberal scale. When one considers the importance of their_ work and the necessity for attracting to tho profession men and women possessed of.the special qualifications required for its satisfactory performance, it is surprising in tho circumstances that so largo a measuro of success has been met with. Probably the motion carried by the Conference will have a good effect.in bringing under the notice of the powers th be tho particular form of, neglect now complained of.

It is perhaps not very surprising that the Opposition newspapers, unable to criticise' adversely Mr. James Atxr.K's fivat lgan operation, are not going to adp'- 4 that the

Minister did very well. A notable exception, however, is the Dunedin Star, which is warmly congratulatory. From the brief particulars published, the Star calculates that tho money will cost between 4 1 -Bth and 4j per cent.—a notable gain on the £5 odd that we have to pay for the loan floated last autumn. Mr. Myers, in replying to criticisms of this loan last year, defended his choice of a short-dahd loan on tho ground that the monoy-markct was unfavourable, and 60 forbade • the idea of a long loan. In recalling Me. Myers's speech, our Dunedin contemporary points out that "since thon conditions on the London market have become worse," and adds: "Not only has Mr. Allen done what Mr. Myers declared was impossible, but ho has done it on better terms than Mr. Myers secured his" short-dated loan, for tho Dominion is certainly paying not less than 4j per cent, on that issue, and, before very long will have to bo making arrangements to redeem it." We fancy wo can remember that Mr. Allen was told by Sir Joseph Ward that neither he nor any of, tho members of the Reform party knew more about finance "than my boot." Sir Joseph Ward also declared that when the then Opposition became the Government, and took 'the national finances in hand, they would "make a holy mess of it." Our Opposition friends generally do not seem to be pleased that this absurd .prophecy is utterly falsified by facts.

There is occasion for general satisfaction, at. the rapidity with which tho meat exporting compani'iß are getting back to their normal output of carcasses, despite the strike of the slaughtermon. The loss occasioned by the closing down of tho works for any prolonged period would not have fallen only on the_ meat companies and the farmers with fat stock, but. would in a Jessef degree have been felt by the. whole munity. Any condition of things which interferes with tho export of our surplus primary products, and which brings to a standstill a source of wealth-production, injures all, classes. It is plain' now that tho. slaughtermen, acting presumably under the advice of their leaders, over-reached themselves. They were offered a substantial advance in rates,, which would havo enabled them to earn very handsome wages, and tKey refused and demanded more. Many workers who be.expected to bo in sympathy with them felt that they acting Unwisely, and selfishly'as well, for they wero penalising those .engaged in other branches of the industry, who had nothing to gain from the strike, but wero forced to remain idle > and suffer loss because .of tho action of the slaughtermen. Some of. the Labour leaders appear ito be slow to learn that the stnko is not always a wise or a safe' weapon to use—that there must bo some good justification for its adoption if there is to be any hope of it winning public sympathy and bringing'success.

The Hon. Q. Fowlds, who has. kept himself rather quiet lately, has emerged into the,open again. A Christchurch newspaper prints an interview with him, in whidh he "chatted on politics," and made it pretty, plain that exclusion from Parliament has' sadly affected the broadmindedric'ss and common-sense which his friends used to- declare they saw in him. One of his statements is thus recorded: . ; The stringency of the monoy market also miWated against the popularity of the Government in the north, as it received a good deal of blame for tho'position. Local bodies had strongly condemned the Government for its attitude in regard to loans ''to local bodies; and some of tho'Government's I 'most severe critics woromeu who previously were supporters of the. party it represented. We are not disposed to believe that Mr.Fowlds is stating a fact, in the second of these sentences. We do not believe that anybody who is, disappointed because the Treasury _ is not overflowing into the local bodies' coffors is so stupid as to blame the Government, Binco it is known to every man and Woman in the country that the Reform 'Government has no more to do with the muddlo and the stringency which Me. Masbey inherited than the man in the moon has. We may bo sure that Mr. Fowlds took no pains, to set right tho growlers he suggests he. has encountered. It is his business apparently to rejoice over any difficulty the Government* may meet with in [restoring stability and order ip. the national economy.