NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1718, 8 April 1913, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

Auckland has been experiencing a slump in its property market; so we are told by a telegram published in yesterday's issue. »It has been going on, it seems, for over a year, but our iriends in the northern city kept the. information' strictly to themselves, and it is only now when they consider that the tide has turned that the rest of the Do.minion is: let int-o the secret. Auckland has long been famous for the vigorous' manner in which .it has boomed its prosperity and kept any indications of adversity in'the dim background. _ Some of its citizens will n °t admit even to this day that there ever was a case of'plague in their midst—it was blood-poisoning or some more or less commonplace disease. One cannot help admiring such unwavering local patriotism, even if it docs seem rather parochial at'times. "My city right or wrong' may not represent the highest ideal of patriotism, still it is much to be preferred to the state of mind of those people who have no pride in their city, and, provided their own interests and comforts arc not directly assailed,' utterly neglect the duties of good citizenship, and take no part in civic affairs. It is to be hoped that the coming municipal elections will show that indifference such as this, so far as Wellington is concerned, has become. a thing of -'the past. There certainly never was a time in the history of our city when it was so imperatively necessary that everyone who has the welfare of the municipality at heart should exercise his _ full rights and privileges as a citizen. It is a fight between steady progress and development of the city in 'the interests of the community as a whole on the one hand and on the. other government by one section in the interests of that section. No open-minded man should have any difficulty in making his choice. It appears to us that we can make a helpful suggestion to Me. D. 11' Lares on a point upon which, as his curious half-pleading, half-;self-laudatory opening speech, of yesterday makes plain, he can do with a little instruction. He named various public events in which, as Mayor, he had been concerned, such as the arrival of the new Governor, and he specially mentioned the Municipal Conference, which, as ho rightly said, had been attended by "men in business, men in profes-. sions, and men in big ;undertakings of one kind or another." "What," Ije asked, " | 'does that indicate to you? It indicates that this cry against the Labour Socialist is so much buncombe." Most people, if they thought about it at all, thought that it indicated merely that the visitors to the Conference were sensible and decent men, unconcerned with: Mr. M'Laren's politics, or his personality, or his existence. It is so like Mr. M'Laren to conclude that by their attendance at the Conference all these men showed their affection for his politics and their conviction that "this_ cry" against LabourSocialism is, buncombe. If everyone who _ behaves towards Mn. M'Lahen in the fashion of an 'ordinary ina.n is to be nailed up as a contemner of those who dislike Socialism, Mn. M'Laken will soon bo a. very lonely and much-avoided man. The visitors to the Conference, Lord Liverpool, and everyone else who came into official contact with Mr. M'Laiien, will be a little surprised to hear that they thereby gave_ a benediction to Labour-Socialism. And since the Mayor of Wellington, whoever he may be, will always be required to take an official front place at many gatherings, it would positively hi; much safer to get a Mayor who will not convert to his political uses all the innocent peonle \ghose duty it may be to attend those gatherings. While there appears to have bfcen deplorably bad management in not providing for a fitting reception for the crew of H.M.S. New Zealand at Melbourne, no exception can be taken to either the heartiness of the welcome or the tenor of the speeches at the dinner tendered by the Commonwealth Government To the captain and officers of the battlecruiser. Heading the report of the ! proceedings, one cannot fail tu be ' struck with the oonlrasl. between the j attitude of the Labour leaders of the | i

Commonwealth ami the majority of those who claim to represent organised labour in Now Zealand. The Federal Acting-Minister for Defence, while declaring that he was a member of a party which dearly loved peace, added that the day when it could be secured was not yet. Therefore, lie proceeded, tliero is only ono tiling to do, and wo live doing it—we, tho Commonwealth, awl New Zealand. It was no use relying on the brotherhood of man, which, ho was afraid, was about as valuable as a silk umbrella would bo to protect us from shrapnel. . . . Sensible men. however, could not, nnil would not, closp! their eyes to the conditions which menaced and threatened to destroy them. They would be doubly stupid if they did not rocognisc Iho position, and were prepared for the situation that might arise. They would have to lake an activu part in the defence of the Umpire. Thpy need not fear criticism as to what Australia was doing, or oiler auy on what New Zealand was doing. 'The world was looking on and making a note of it. New Zealand, Australia, and Canada had taught tho wholo world a les-ou, and if anything would mako for peaco that would. Wc know, of course, that hero in acw Zealand there arc a few of the leaders and the bulk of the rank and file of the ■ workers who will heartily agree with tho views of Mn. Hughes as set out above. But unfortunately the dominant element in the ranks of those who profess to voice the views of Labour here are cither lacking in patriotism or arc unable to appreciate the peril which lies behind unpreparcdness, and so wo find them carrying 011 their noisy campaign, bringing discredit on the cause of Labour. The very bellicose gentlemen who voiced the opinions of tho shearers' deputation to the Prime Minister a few days ago arc now having some of their statements challenged. Mr. M'Leod, for instance, attributed to Me. H. M. Campbell, M.P., certain remarks on the subject of pests— labour and political pests—which Me. Campbell politely disclaims the responsibility for. Me.' M'Sae, another member of the deputation, made certain allegations of "blacklisting" and victimisation, mentioning the name of a Masterton registry office-keeper in connection therewith. This morning we publish a letter from the registry office-keeper in question, in the course of which he gives the assertion a flat contradiction, and issues a challenge on the subject to Mr. M Hae. 1 The letter referred to seems a very fair and straightforward one, arid if Me. M'Rae has any evidence atall to support his .contention, he is afforded the opportunity of "fleecing" tho gentleman with whom he is ih disagreement to, the extent of-,£20. It will be interesting to note whether the challenge will be taken up, or whether, like so many others of his. kind,, Mn. M'Rae is content to rely on bald assertion, leaving such inconvenient and troublesome things as proofs to those who prefer them.