NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1847, 5 September 1913, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The urgent need of effective steps being taken for the care and control of feeble-minded girls is emphasised in the annual report of the Door of Hope Society at Auckland. That these unfortunate and irresponsible girls should be allowed to roam about without restraint is not merely undesirable, but a distinct danger to the community, and everyone who has paid any serious attention to the matter admits _ that it should have been dealt with long ago. _ It would be a real kindness to the girls themselves for the Stabs to take them under its eare in order that they might be properly looked.after and usefully employed. It is satisfactory to know that the Minister for Education recognises the importance of grappling with the problem. In his recent Budget he stated that works are to be set in hand at Otekaike, where a home for feeble-minded boys already exists, in ofder to enable girls to be received there. This, of course, is a very necessary step, but it is not a solution of tho problem, for it is no use protecting these girls until they reach the age of twentyone, and then letting them go. free to become a potent factor in race degeneration. They are not fit to look after themselves, and for their own sake, and for the sake of society, they should be placed under permanent'control.

The wonderful aeronautical performances which have just taken place in France point to tho possi* bility that before many years go by man will be as much at home in the air as he is at jiresent on land and sea. M. Pegoud's astonishing act of looping the loop in a Blehiot monoplane fitted with the inventor's patent "stabiliser" makes it difficult to place limits on the utilisation of aircraft for military, commercial, and recreation purposes. One feels that M Bleriot is making no extravagant claim when he declares that he can build a non-capsizable monoplane as safe as a lifeboat. Men of the keenest intellect are devoting their wholo time to improving the existing methods of aerial navigation, and new ideas are continually being tried, so that at any moment some startling invention may be announced. Tho perfect flying machine has not yet made its appearance, and the vast majority of mankind may have to be content for some time to come to do their travelling on trams and Wains and steamers, but it isnot impossible that the day will come when aeroplanes will bo as cheap and as common as motor-cars, and when an air trip around the world will be quite a popular form of recreation.

Once again the Wellington Employers' Association draws attention to the harmful effect which the existing spirit of labour unrest is having upon industrial enterprise. The uncertainty as regards the future makes people very cautious about putting their money into any business which involves the employment of a large amount of labour, and this state of affairs must continue until greater dependence can be placed on the stability of labour. A business man does not feel justified in entering upon a new venture unless he can see his way to the satisfactory carrying out of the project on some settled Hbasis, and it is very difficult to do this with confidence in view of the unsettled condition of the labour market. A period of peaceful development is one of the greatest needs, of the country, and this cannot come until the relations between employer and employee arc placed on a more satisfactory footing. It is to be hoped that the legislation to be introduced by the Government will assist to place our labour laws on a just and workable basis, and that the country will then be given a long rest from legislation of this character. The continual tampering with the relations between capital and labour has a very disturbing effect, and our industries should be given an opportunity of recovering from the troublous times they have been experiencing for some years - past.

The primary school teachers have been keeping their grievances before the public so constantly and bo energetically of late that many people have almost forgotten the existence of the secondary school teachers, and the fact that they too have wrongs to be righted. The secondary school teachers arc now holding their annual meeting in Wellington, and they sent a deputation yesterday to the Minister for Education to give reasons why their salaries should be increased, and to discuss the possibility of their being placed in the same position with regard to superannuation as Civil Servants. These men and women are_ doing a greatwork for the community, but because they arc, comparatively speaking, few in number their just claims for higher salaries and improved conditions are apt to'be overlooked. However, they spoke very freely and frankly to the Hon. James Allen, and made out a very good case for favourable consideration, both as regards pay and _ superannuation. This was candidly admitted by Mit. Allen, who stated that he had already made provision for some increases, and promised that next year legislation would be brought down dealing with the salaries of teachers of both primary and secondary schools. Mr. Allen is in the unfortunate position of hnvinn inherited a legacy, of accumulated neglect j

from his'predecessors 111 this as in other matters, arid the wrongs that have been piling up for years cannot be righted in a tew months. The present Government is certainly not responsible for the grievances against which the teachers arc now protesting so vigorously, but educational reform has a prominent place on its programme, and Mr. Allen is tho right man to take it in hand and to make the lot of the teacher a more happy one. Tjie statements contained in the letter of Mh. J. M. Muir, which will be found in another column of this issue, are of considerable interest and importance in their hearing on the butter industry of the Dominion. But they go further than this: they trench on the whole question of State subsidies in relation to shipping services and emphasise the necessity for the exercise of greater care in the framing of the conditions under which subsidies are granted. So far. as we understand, the situation, the Union Steam Ship Company is carrying out the terms of its contract, and If that is the case the contract leaves much to be desired. It is pretty generally recognised that this shipping company does not run its business on philanthropic lines, and it is by'no means a popular institution, despite its admitted enterprise and the very fine class of steamers it has brought into its service. But even where it has made a good bargain and is well within its legal rights in the course it is taking, it is unwise even for so powerful an institution to give rise to the suspicion that it has so little concern, as is alleged, for tho producing interests of the country. It is surprising to us that the company has not seen its way to meet the butter exporters, to some extent at least. The suggestion that the outward Vancouver steamer should call at Wellington as well as at Auckland may not bo practicable at present, but at least some more reasonable arrangement as to the booking of freight space should bo possible.