NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1824, 9 August 1913, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The success of the Socialists at the Grey election appears to have gone to the heads of some of their leaders, and some rather wild things are being said and written. They arc quite without any sense of gratitude to those "Liberals" who dragged their party in the dirt to assist them to victory, fully realising, no doubt, that the assistance given was by no means disinterested. Mr. p! C. Wr.ui), we are told by the official organ of the new Socialist organisation, enters the national Parliament''as the honoured herald of Labour's political army—the first red stanthe newly-risen Social Democracy." He is to be followed shortly, so the story runs, by a further contingent of "rods," who will assume control of the governmental powers, and "this will be the day of i.hn Social Revolution." On the morrow will commcuce tho work of trims-

formation which, to quote the official circular of the party, means "the Socialisation of the means of production, distribution, and exchange." In other words, the sweeping away of all existing property and business interests. This is the end to which the presont leaders of the "Liberal" ■party have lent their assistance, by rushing in to help the "lied Feds." at the Grey election. No doubt many good "Liberals" will repudiate the action of their leaders in this respect, hut they cannot shut their eyes to the fact that it is the leaders who speak and act for the party, and it is by their actions that the party is judged. If for a petty end the party wil} act in this way to-day, and stultify all its professions, what will it not do to-morrow for some equally trivial reason 'I The outstanding lesson of the action of the "Liberal" leaders is the proof it affords of their short-sightedness and complete lack of any real sense of responsibility; and furthermore their want of guiding principles. They stumble into the most obvious pitfalls—even the danger signal of Bed Socialism waved under their very noses by the so-called Social Democrats did not cause them to pause until too late they found they had dragged their party into the toils of an organisation pledged to revolution and confiscation.

The hope that the outbreak of smallpox in tho north. would be quickly stamped out, by the prompt steps taken by the Health Department officials docs not seem likely to be realised. The more recent reports ,have not only shown a steady addition of new cases to the increasing list of patients, but in some instances a, more malignant form of the disease appears to have been noted. The Auckland Branch of the British Medical Association has now taken action, supporting the efforts of the Health Department in the matter of urging the public to take precautionary measures in tho way. of vaccination, and it is to be hoped that the public will not treat lightly the warning thus conveyed, _ Wellington and the surrounding district have been fortunate up to the present in escaping almost scot-free from the epidemic, which has secured a hold further north, but there is no guarantee that this happy state of things can be relied on to continue. We sincerely hope that tho disease will not get a hold here, but the surest means of safeguarding against the unpleasant contingency is vaccination.

The split in the ranks of LabourSocialism, the outcomc of the failure of a section of the self-styled United Labour party to get more of its way at the recent Unity Congress, is producing interesting developments. The United Labour party, which exists in little more than name, is seeking, to include in its ranks all the organised Labour unions outside the bigger and more powerful United Federation of Labour, The latter organisation is the outcomc of the Unity Congress, and is the far more active fighting force, and looks like winning all along the line. A recent circular issued by the United Labour .party is very vigorously handled by twenty-seven Christohurch delegates to t;ho Unity Congress, who have issued a manifesto to their fellowunionists charging the United Labour party with "wilful misrepresentation" concerning the Congress proceedings, and criticising the. conduct of the seceders in very strong terms. A circular issued by Mr. D. M'Laren is described as " a libel on and an insult to the intelligence of the delegates present at the Congress, and the workers whom they represented." Mr. W. T. Young, president of the new federation, also has a good deal to say concerning what ho calls "the glibly uttered falsehood that many' delegates left because they were dissatisfied with the decisions at the Congress." In support of his charge of falsehood, lie quotes the figures of. the divisions during the Congress,- emphasising that on the last day of • the sittings of the Congress no fewer than 22G votes were cast on the question of the constitution of the SocialDemocratic party. From the figures supplied it seems that during the first week the votes recorded on important divisions averaged over 300; while the second week showed a fall-ing-off, the lowest recorded being 212, and the highest 289. The falling-off, such as it was, according to Mr. Young's argument, was mainly due to the Congress extending over a fortnight, while many of the delegates had only one week's leave ot absence.f "Whatever the cause may have been, however, the United Federation of Labour certainly appears to dominate the Labour situation as a live force.. It is better organised than secedors from the Congress, it has been stimulated and encouraged by its success at the Grey election, and it is gaining new recruits to all appearances much faster than tlje United Labour party. It is very significant that the latest union to range itself under the "Red" banner is the "Wellington "Waterside "Workers' Union, of whicih Mb. D. M'Laren was for many years the moving spirit. This must bo a hard blow for Mn. M'Laren and his fellow-Eeceders from the Congress.

'The' Opposition are very sensitive just now to any jocularity concerning the question of the leadership of their party. Members on the Government side of the Houso have derived a good deal of amusement at times from noting the keenness displayed by some of those, on the Opposition benches to fill the role usually taken by the leader of the p'arty—when it can get a leader—and in tho early stages of the session particularly tho question of who would be leader for

the day became a standing joke. One day Mn. G. W. Russell would secure most prominence; another day Mn. Hanan; then Me. Mac Donald, or Mn. Witty or Me. Wilford would have an innings. Yesterday the member for Mataura took advantage of a little incident to facetiously sum up the situation and place the various leaders in their order of merit. The fifth Leader of the Opposition, he said, referring to Me. Wilford, had stated the attitude of the party towards the clause under discussion, and his views had been endorsed by the second leader, Mr. Hanan ; while the fourth leader, Mr. Witty, had also spoken. The third leader, Mn. Mac Donald, however, sat silent, and the House was left, in doubt as to the views of the party until he had spoken. Unfortunately, leader number one, Mn. (!. W. Russell, was absent from the Chamber, but with the opinions of the four other leaders to guide them they might get along without, him. The humour of the member for Mataura was not at all palatable to tho Opposition, and there were loud denials from members on that side of tho House, Mn, Han ax being particularly insistent Tic ttina vu Mb. J

Anderson's gentle gibe was that the Opposition i? not at all a happy family on this question of leadership. Even Sir Joseph Ward, whatever may be said to the contrary, is not wholly acceptable to all members of the party, and as for the other possible leaders there is so little to choose -between them that it is only natural there should be differences of opinion as to which would bo the best choice. The masterful manner in which Mr. G. W. Russell has of late taken to himself the privilege of leading off for the party has jarred the susceptibilities of some members with equal claims to consideration but less alert in catching Mr. Speaker's eye, and the subject of leadership is in consequence a somewhat sore one to touch upon.

A very happy choice has been made by those who have had in hand the task of providing some'means of commemorating the many services rendered to the coriimunity by the late Mns. A. K. Newman. The decision to utilise the funds so spontaneously subscribed by tho many admirers of the splendid work of Mrs. Newman in the erection and furnishing of a Solarium attached to the Convalescent Homo, is in complete harmony with the whole life and work of tho lady whose memory it is desired to honour. It is no mere showy effort to catch the eye by outward display, but instead is a memorial which throughout the years to come must > bring comfort and cheer to many sadly in need of it, and will pervo to recall grateful memories of the gracious lady who in her lifetime did so much for the institution with -whioh it is associated, and who was. always bo ready to respond to any call for the relief of those who had fallen on misfortune or affliction. The Solarium will be opened this afternoon by Mrs. W. H. S. Moorhouse, Presitlent of the Convalescent Home Trustees, and a co-worker with the late Mrs. Newman in promoting its interests; and there are, no doubt, a great' many citizens who will seize tho opportunity which the occasion affords of paying tribute to the memory of one who had so endeared herself by her works to all sections of the community.