NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1860, 20 September 1913, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

Local shareholders of the Bank of New Zealand and representatives of other centres appear to have arrived at an understanding with tho directors of the institution regarding tho proposals affecting tho bank in the Bill now before Parliament. It seems that the majority of the shareholders present, who apparently havo lost hope of Parliament doing justice to their claims, came to the conclusion that it was better to accept almost anything at all. rather than risk getting nothing in the way of amendment of tho Bill. They in conscquenco decided to offer no opposition to the Bill, provided the clauso stipulating for a sinking fund of £50,000 a year to extinguish the million State guarantee was eliminated, and authority given to call up the balance of the uncalled capital on tho existing ordinary shares, and thus remove the liability tho shares now carry. It is said that Bomo of the shareholders strongly objocted to tho assumption that Par-

liament would not bo likely to deal justly with the claims put forward on their behalf, and withdrew from the meeting. Tho position 'thus reached is not a satisfactory ono. _ It is desirable that tho point of view of tho shareholders should bo fully placed before the membors of the Public Accounts Committee, to whom the Bill was referred for consideration, particularly in view of tho fact that a large proportion of tho sharcholders reside in England, and no room should be given for complaint as to tho treatment accorded them. It will do tho Dominion no good in financial circles at Homo to have it suggested that the measure which so vitally affects tho future of tho institution and its shareholders was forced down tho throats of shareholders without a thorough examination by Parliament into tho justico of its provisions. Tho Public Accounts Committee will, we trust, see that those shareholders who may disagree with the proposed compromise are given every opportunity of appearing before it.

A PEOUiiiAR incident has happened in connection with the debate on the Electoral Bill in tho Australian Federal Houso of Representatives. The Government seems to have allowed itself- to bo caught napping, and fell into a little trap laid hy the Opposition. It appears that when tho House met yesterday to continue the debate on the Bill, a few Labour members slipped out, with tho result that there was one short of a quorum. The Government Whips were unable to make up the required number in time, and proceedings had to be adjourned till Tuesday. The occurl'ciico is not likely to prejudice tho Government's position seriously, but it will assist the Labour party in the obstructive tactics they havo adopted with the object of blocking all legislation. It also shows an astonishing lack of organisation and, discipline on the Ministerial sido of the House, which becomcs: all the more remarkable when it is remembered that tbe Government has to depend upon the casting vote *of the Speaker. The responsibility of keeping a quorum present lies upon tho Government, and any laxity in this matter might at any time land the Liberals in a very awkward fix. It is true that the Opposition only gained its point by a trick, and tho result is merely a little further delay; but in a serious crisis such as at present 'exists in Federal politics, the Ministry and tho party Whipß cannot afford to tako any risks.

Work and hardship are essential to life and progress, while the paths of idleness and luxury lead to storility and cxtiDotion. This scema to bo a law of Nature, judging from the observations made by Professor Macmillan Brown during his recent visit to the Caroline Islands. In an interview which wo published recently, ho stated that in islands whero the people have much luxury and little work the children are few, while in communities which have a severo rtrugglo to live, the children are many. The moral for civilised man, according to Professor Brown, is that "reduction of work and plenty of food from the''State" mean annihilation of the race. , It seem? that in order to prevent racial deterioration some form of selection is-neces-sary; and selection Involves competition and struggle for existence. Civilisation has blunted the edge of Naturo's devices for securing the survival of the fittest, and to iive an easy and comfortable life seems to have becomo the chief end of man. Sinoe tho advent of the human race new factors and new standards of value have made their appearance, and tho great problem winch now faces tho civilised world. is how to secure and maintain the highest degree of mental, moral, and physical fitness without tho aid of that ruthless competition and continual fight for life oy which Nature weeds out the weaklings among tho lower animals. Tho twentieth century haa to grapple with this question. '

To say that extraordinary things are' happening in Ulster is_ quite a mild way of describing tho situation. In a cablegram which wo publish elsewhere, it is announced that a Lieutenant-General has accepted tho commandership of tho Ulster Volunteers, who aro said to number 170,000 men, It is admitted that all this drilling and enrolling aro illegal, but Sir Edward Carson openly declares that the Government does not dare to interfere. There is no pretence at secrecy: everything_is being dorio in. the light of day. Sir Edward and his friends are now giving the finishing _ touches to tho scheme of provisional Government which is to como into operation as soon as the Hcpio_ Rule Bill becomes law. This also is illegal, but the Ulster leaders state that it is sometimes necessary to. do illegal things in order "to assert tho elementary rights of every citizen." Tho Belfast correspondent of tho Horninp Post makes the following interesting references to tho provisional Government scheme

Only those behind, the scenes know what a vast amount of work is involved in the creation of tho new legislative machine, which will bo expected to v.erk without a hitch, for any breakdown might jeopardise all tho plans. In tho past Governments ha,vo be (fa evolved from small beginnings, but in 4io ca6o of Ulster provision will havo to be made for taking over a vast, complicated network of detail, and doing so with tho least possible disturbance of tho daily routine of a great industrial province. To those who havo known Sir Edward Carson only as a brilliant platform controversialist or a legal advocate of the first rank, his work behind tl;o scenes has como as a revelation. His mastery of detail and ability to seo ahead havo proved of the greatest possible assistanco in smoothing the rough edges of tho scheme. The fact tjiat the British Government is taking no steps to interfere with theso preparations seems to indicate that something will happen before tho Home Rule Bill becomes law. Mr. AsQuith may play some card at the last moment which will avert a catastrophe. In the meantime, tho whole Empire is watching developments witn the jntensest interest.

, In an attempt to explain away the exposuro wo made a few days ago of its ignorance or dishonesty in attacking the Massey Government for a_n_ alleged amendment of tho Conciliation and Arbitration Act, which, as a matter of fact, waa made by tho Ward Government fivo years ago, the local anti-Reform journal plunges still deeper into the mire. It now is good enough to admit, that an exactly similar provision to that which it complains of was included in tho Ward Government's Act, but it saya Sir Joseph Ward's clause only re-, ferrod to strikes by registered unions, whereas Mr. Massby's proposal refers to all strikes. This is just the sort of tiring one would expect from the journal in qucstiou, and is quito •afs inaccurate as its previous statement. Blr JosopK .Ward, It sUtco, did not

make all strikes unlawful.... Mr. Massev proposes to make all strikes unlawful, irrespective o( tho consideration wliethur there is an award or agreement in existence or not.

This statement is untrue. Mr. Massey's Bill not only docs not make all strikes unlawful, but it prescribes a procedure to make strikes lawful. Ail that tho Bill does is to ensure that certaia attempts at settlement shall be made before a strike is decided on, and that if those attempts are not successful, then a sccret ballot shall be taken. If that ballot is in favour of a strike, then tho striko becomes a lawful strike, and nona of tho penalties under the Act app'f to those participating in it, or to those assisting others engaged in it. Sir Joseph AVard's clause, which was exactly tho same as Mr. Massey's, deals with.unlawful strikes only, and Mr. Massey's deal 3 with unlawful strikes only. Tho principle and effect of tho two clauses aro the samo; and the New Zealand Times, of course, knows it. But having stupidly blundered into a violent attack on a clauso of an Act passed by its patron saint, Sir Joseph Ward, in tho mistaken idea that it could lay the responsibility on the Massey Government, it now dishonestly strives to wriggle out of an awkward situation by a further plunge into misrepresentation. The Leader of the Opposition must at times find the efforts of his over-zealous admirers extremely embarrassing. Tho indiscretion of the_ New Zealand Times in tho present instance was no doubt designed to convey to tho Labour party—for the support of which the anti-Reformers are busily angling— an idea that_ Sir Joseph Ward would nover think of bringing in so "scandalous" a clauso. Instead of doing this, tho journal in question has stupidly directed attention to Sir Joseph Ward's attitude towards Labour whon he had a big majority at his back, and. being then wiffiout need of Labour s votes, was ablo to give rein to his-real feelings concerning the claims of tho worker. \