NOTES OF THE DAY.
The Australian Federal Government is increasing its island possessions. It has had Papua under its wing for some time past, and now the Federal Parliament is considering a Bill to take over the government of Norfolk Island from New South Wales. One member suggested that as the island is twice as far from Sydney as from Auckland it might be better for New Zealand to take it over. It appears, however, that when the Federation was established it was understood that the Commonwealth was to control the affairs of the island, and it does not appear _ likely that any objections to this course will be raised by the New Zealand Government. Some years ago the possibility of Norfolk Island being attached to New Zealand was discussed, but the matter was allowed to drop, and New South Wales took it over with the consent of the Imperial Government. A movement is now on foot in Australia to get possession of New Caledonia. It is suggested that France might be 'willing to cede this island in exchange for British territory in some other part of the world, and when the matter was recently brought before the Minister for External Affairs he admitted that it would be a great advantage to have control of its nearest island neighbour, although that would entail very serious obligations. New Caledonia, like a number of other places, might have been British in days gone by, but its value'was not appreciated at that time. So the chance was allowed to slip by,, and it is not an easy matter to repair the mistake. It is now generally recognised that it would be a splendid thing if New Caledonia could be brought under British control, and if France would relinquish her hold on the New Hebrides. Both these ideas may some day bo realised, but it is impossible to say at present how the transfer can be arranged.
Anypne who listened to the antiReform speeches during the recent organised obstruction of the Estimates in the House of Representatives will have no difficulty m understanding the statement made by Professor Hawkins at the British Association Congress that there is no necessary relationship between speech and intelligence. Mr. Harris, the member for Waitemata. was so impressed by this thought that he placed the cablegram containing Professor Hawkins's remarks on record in Hansard yesterday, and it is to be hoped that it will receive the attention it deserves. The Professor also contends that speech is being gradually Relegated.,to a subordinate position lnr'thb development of mankind. This fits in with the declaration of another scientist that as Nature's method of securing the survival of the fittest has ceased to be a factor in human development the prooess of intellectual evolution has stopped, and that we are now becoming more moral but less intelligent. It does seem a pity that we cannot bo both clevcrer and better, but wb may draw some consolation from the old lines: "Be good, sweet maid, and let who can be clever." There is certainly more language in the world to-daj' than there was in Shakespeare's time, for our dictionaries have grown enormously since then, and people speak so much nowadays that they have little time to think. It is not surprising in such circumstances that someone should have discovered that there is no necessary relationship between speech and intelligence.
The Hon. 0. Samuel, who was Chairman of the Committeo of the Legislative Council se(i up to inquire into the question of the reform of the Constitution of the Second Chamber, delivered a most interesting speech in the Council yesterday afternoon, reviewing the Committee's findings and the evidence upon which they were based. Mil. Samuel may be regarded as the leader of the opposition in the Legislative Council to the Government's proposal to make the Upper douse an elective body, chosen by the people under a system of proportional representation. Although a determined opponent of the measure introduced by the Leader of the Council, he is not a mere obstructionist, and he has made it. abundantly clear in his speeches on the question that he has given the_ subject close study, and has familiarised himself with the various Second Chamber systems in operation throughout the Empire. His speech yesterday bore testimony to the exhaustive nature of his researches, and he very ably stated the case for election by the individual members of the two Houses of Parliament. His argument against the Government's measure, however, was more effective than the reasons he advanced in support of the recommendations of the Committee. No one, we imagine, has ventured to suggest that the.system embodied in the Government's proposals is wholly satisfactory, and it is not difficult to point to possible disadvantages under it. But the nomination system has been proved to be unsatisfactory, and despite anything that may be said to the contrary the country has little confidence in it. ' Mr. Samuel practically admitted that . the existing system is not regarded favourably, although he attributed this fact to ignorance of the work done by . the Council rather than to any shortcomings on its part. With the exception of one or two of the more rabid members of tho Council this, we believe, is now the view of Councillors generally. They admit that there must be some change, but they are reluctant to givo the people the right to elect their representatives in the Second Chamber. _ Mk. Samuel's advocacy of the election by tho two Houses of .Parliament appeared to reeeivo the sympathetic attention of the majority of .the Council. He is to be congratulated on a speech which displayed evidcnco of a great amount of research and much careful thought, but as was to be expected the weakest part of his case was that in which he sought to showthat the people were not qualified to choose their own governors.
In demanding a second inquiry into the wreck of the steamer Devon Mk. M. Myers, counsel for Captain Cauxce, not only, served tho interests
of his client but those also of the shipping community generally, and of the port of Wellington itself. The first inquiry held that the commauder of the vessel was to blame; the second, with a Supreme Court Judge presiding, has held him blamoless and incidentally made valuable suggestions concerning the lighting of the port. Wo are not prepared to say that the whole of the changes suggested should be given immediate effect to, but it must bo obvious that the Falcon Shoal light should bo altered, and the risk which seems to have brought disaster to the Devon removed. The Harbour Board apparently has not considered it necessary to carry out the improvements suggested by the. Merchant Service Guild, but in faco of the finding of the Nautical Court of Inquiry and its memorandum on the subject of harbour lighting, the Board cannot avoid reconsideration of its view of the position.
It will be seen from the opinion of the Solicitor-General, published in another column, that the action of the Government in bringing forward the Estimates in the usual way is fully endorsed by the Crown Law Office. Sin Joseph Ward, when he sprang his "surprise packet" on the House and declared the courEe followed by the Government to be illegal, strained the contention put forward by the learned counsel whose opinions lie had sought. •Wo expressed surprise at the time tha,t ho should have gone to the trouble Of consulting counsel at all on the point. His only purpose apparently was "to endeavour to further hinder the course of business in Parliament by taking advantage of an assumed technical defect in procedure: although his own Government h; a followed a similar course under like circumstances, It was a petty thing to do, and oven if he had betn in the right would Have served :io good purpose. Now both tbo Attorney-General, and the SoficitqrGeneral have expressed the view that the course followed by the Government was legal and regular. Mr. H. D. Bell, K.C., in his clearlyreasoned statement of the position, has stated a similar opinion. Perhaps the Leader of the Opposition and his party will now settle down and assist to. further the business of the country as their constituents wlio sent them to Parliament no doubt expect them to do. '
The effective manner in which Mr. Webber, the Mayor of Richmond, Victoria, has been brought to book for his omission of the loyal toast at a recent public function is an unmistakable indication that public opinion in Australia will not tolerate any suggestion of disloyalty or disrespect to the Crown. Mr. Webber apparently has como to see the error oi his ways, for he now states that ho realises that in his public position ho has no right to force his views on others, and he promises to bear this in mind at future functions. It is, however, doubtful whether a man who declares that he is a Republican and does not believe in monarchies is justified in accepting a. public office under a monarchical form of government. Jhc ICino is just as much .part of the Constitution as Parliament, and it is difficult to sec how a man can consistently hold an office and exercise functions conferred by a Constitution in which he does-not believe. Mr. Webber is not only Mayor of Richmond, but he is also a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, and this made his disloyalty the more grave, inasmuch as he must have taken the oath of allegiance to His Majesty. This oath requires a member of Parliament to be faithful to the King and to bear true allegiance to him. It is a healthy sign that both the Assembly and the Town Council promptly condemned Mr. Webber's disloyal utterances. Experience has proved that kingship is not inconsistent with democracy, and that in no part of the world do the. people enjoy greater liberty of thought and action than in the British Empire under Kino George V.
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Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1859, 19 September 1913, Page 6
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1,671NOTES OF THE DAY. Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1859, 19 September 1913, Page 6
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