NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1838, 26 August 1913, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The deputation which waited on the Minister for Education yesterday made out a very strong case in favour of selection for free places in the secondary schools being decided by order of,merit. Tho allotment of the freo places available at present appears to be made according to priority of application which often works out in a very unsatisfactory manner. Mr. Allen stated that ho could see no difficulties in the way of adopting the merit system. Tho whole question of free places, needs to be reconsidered, and in view of the great and increasing cost of education, it is becoming a serious probl'om to make adequate provision for them. The Minister intends to go into the matter, together with the question of staffing and teachers' salaries after the session is over. Higher education should be open to those pupils in the primary schools beat fitted to benefit by it, and who look forward to a career for which such extended course of education is essential; but for the vast majority of school children a secondary school course is unnecessary, and the time devoted to it might bo used much more profitably in learning the trades or otlier occupations which are to bo their life's calling. One solution of the free-place problem would bo to make tho process of selection more severe, and so reduce the number of those gaining certificates; but the matter should be carefully considered in all its bearings before any new step is taken.

The wail of protest against the evils of the party system sent up by the member for Wellington South last week comes as a surprise. Mr. Hindjiarsh, though a lawyer by profession, entered Parliament as a Labour member, and was always understood to be an ardent supporter of tho Labour party. There is no party moro strict in its insistence on binding party ties than the Labour party. It is the party which has endeavoured to extract from its candidates pledges which exact obedience to caucus rule, and which rob the individual of freedom of action in deciding how he shall vote on questions which come before Parliament for decision. Mr. Hindmarsh, we believe, did not give any pledge of that nature, but lie stood as a Labour candidate, and won his seat as a party man. Possibly, with the split. in the ranks of Labour, he realises that his position' is not a happy one. Tho "Red Feds." have got the upper hand, and Mr. Hindmarsh and his friends of the so-called United Labour Party are confronted with an awkward situation. So the member for Wellington South deplores tho party system. So far as his brief Parliamentary record is conoerncd, he has been, like most of the other so-called Labour members, little more than an echo of tho "Liberal" party. He has voted consistently with that party, in and out of office. If he now finds his position uncomfortable he has no- one but himself to blame for it. .

The position in Mexico is still .chaotic, and, according to a cablegram which wo publish in another column, Britain, Franoe, and Japan are bringing pressure to secure a peaceful settlement. A great deal depends on tho attitude of the United States, and an announcement on this point will be made today by President Wilson in a message to Congress. Some of tho European Powers are dissatisfied with the means taken for the protection of tho lives and property of their subjects. Their direct interference would bo regarded as a violation of the Monroe Doctrine, and yet tho United States has so far re-

frained from taking effective action. Referring to this aspect of the question, the New York Outlook says: "The time seems near at hand, if it has not already come, when the United States should cither defin-

itely recognise the Huerta .Government or should withdraw its Ambassador from Mexico, and say in effect to European Powers: 'We cannot undertake, to bo responsible for the protection of non-citizenß in Mcxico, and you may do what is necessary to protect them'; in other words, should t-o that extent abandon the Monroo Doctrine; or else the United States should vigorously, emphatically, and effectively say to the Mexican Government, 'If you cannot protect non-Mexicans in Mexico, we shall have to do it.' " Some of the Powers have already recognised the Huerta Government, and the delay of recognition by the United States has led to some demonstrations against Americans, and in addition to this at least one European Power has called the attention of the United States Government to tho present unsatisfactory state of affairs. President Wilson's statement of policy should do something to regularise the position, though direct intervention might prove a very troublesome matter.

The Phime Ministeii plainly was a little shy of the proposal of the deputation which waited on him yesterday, and urged the putting forward of the clock during three months of the year, in order to "save daylight." The idea is really an excellent one for city folk, ft would simply mean getting up an hour earlier all round, and having an extra hour's advantage at the end of the day. Business people who now go to their offices and shops at 9 o'clock in the morning, and leave work at 5 or G o'clock, would go at 8 o'clock and leavo at 4 o'clock or 5 o'clock, as the case may "be. The clocks of the country would still indicate that they were observing the uauol hour?, but actually thoy would be going to work mi hour oarlipj',

and leaving an hour earlier than at present. The advantago would bo that peoplo would get up earlier, and have more time for daylight recreation after working hours. Thoso working in the city would hardly notiec tho difference in getting to work, but would appreciate the benefits of the "extra daylight" they would gain. In tho country it would be different. Early rising is already the rulo there, and to put tho clock forward' an hour might not only prove a hardship* but would bo liable to dislocate working arrangements in connection with dairying, harvesting, and shearing. The experiment is so attractive, however, that one would liko to see Parliament venture on it, even'if in some more modest form than that proposed under the Bill now before the House of Representatives.

The Sydney papers which arrived yesterday show how critical the position in Federal politics really is. At the conferenoe of tho Liberal Association in Sydney the Federal Prime Minister (Mr. Cook), referring to the proximity of _ tho New South Wales State elections, significantly remarked: "If you are not quick wo shall bo first again." This evoked tho interjection: "Tho sooner tho better." Mb. Cook admitted that the outlook was not too bright. "We are," he said, "depending upon the noble seven in tho Senate, and wo shall sco what wo shall see," He further declared that tho question of a dissolution depended upon tho Opposition,, and added, "They aro showing a disposition to obstruct and hinder us in every way." The Government will not bo content with anything but a dissolution of both Houses; but, as Senator Millen points out, that can only como in tho way provided in the constitution. In a clear and concise explanation of the situation, ho shows that it can only be brought about by the House of Representatives passing a measure and the Senate then either rejecting_ it, failing to pass it, or passing it with amendments . which the House'of Representatives decline to accept. If that measure is, after the lapse of three months, sent up again to tho Senate, and meets with the same fytc, then tho requirements of the Constitution have been complied with, and tho way is open for a double dissolution. It will be seen that time is required to bring this about, After a double dissolution, if tho two Houses are still unable to agree, then they meet, deliberate, and vote, together, a simple majority deciding tho fate of the contested measure. Holding such a strong position in tho Senate, it is obvious that the Opposition will not desire to see that House prematurely dissolved. Consequently their efforts will probably be directed to incessantly harassing the Government in the House of Representatives in order to prevent work being done, and so render tho session barren. If a dissolution should bo forced in this way, it would not affect tho Senate, but merely tho Houso of Representatives.