NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1868, 30 September 1913, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The very interesting return laid before Parliament last Friday showing the names of the individuals or firms to whom legal fees were paid by the Government in connection with the compulsory acquisition of estates for settlement afiords an excellent illustration of how the Continuous Ministry spent the public money. The sum of over £12,000, exclusive of disbursements, was expended in law costs for the purpose stated, and the legal gentlemen who reaped this harvest from the Treasury chest were for the most part stalwarts attached to the cause of "Liberalism" by ties of interest or principle. An outstanding feature of the return is the kindly regard which the then Government appears to have had for the legal firm of which Sir John Findlay, K. 0., is the head. We cannot say off-hand how many of the cases in which the services of this firm were employed were disposed of before Sie John Findlay entered the Legislative Council as the nominee of the Government and became a Minister of the Crown; and it is only fair to point out that he has placed it on record that after he became a Minister he did not share in the profits of his firm, but merely received an annual payment of a faxed amount. Still out of the £12,000 odd paid by the Stato in law costs his firm received over £6000 from this sourco alone. A correspondent, whose letter appears elsewhere, asks what would the present Opposition be likely to say if such a return were presented concerning the Massey Government '! Judging by the time they have been wasting and the fuss they have been making over various mare's-nests they have succeeded in discovering, nothing short of hanging would be considered by them sufficient to adequately meet the needs of the situation. The next time the member for Wairau embarks on one of his dreary discourses on "spoils to the victors," the proceedings might be considerably enlivened uy a lew pertinent inquiries as to what he knows of the political sympathies of his legal brethren who have the good fortune to figure with him in the return just laid before Parliament.

The strike is a weapon which often pierces the hand that uses it. Tho Dublin labour trouble is an impressive illustration of this fact, and it is not surprising that Mk. Eamsay Mac Donald should deprecate any extension of the struggle in the way of sympathetic strikes, as by widening the area of conflict the chances of victory would be lessened. If some provision, such as is contained in Mr. Massey's Arbitration Bill, for bringing the parties together in conference before the strike began were part of the law of the United Kingdom all the loss and suffering which are now being experienced in Dublin might never have occurred. The enormous cost of strikes is emphasised by a circular recently issued by the Management Committee of the Northumberland Miners'_ Association to its members. The circular points out that, owing to the three-shift strike _in 1910 and the National Strike in 1911, the Association has no money, and there is a bank overdraft of £10,0®), which will be increased to £16,000. The cost of the county strike was between £23,000' and £24,000 weekly. The officials appeal to members to recognise that, all attempts to securp reforms must be measured by strength and governed by reason, and that if these reforms have to be secured they will have to increase their contributions. This surely goes to show that it is in the best interests of the men themselves that no strike or lock-out should be permitted until after a reasonable opportunity has been given for both sides to discuss the points in dispute in the hope of arriving at a mutual agreement. This means an appeal to reason, before an industrial war is declared.

Eepublioan Government has not proved a success in Portugal. The Monarchy which preceded it was certainly a long way from perfection, but ever since its overthrow there has been a reign of terror and chaos. Eecent cablegrams show that both Royalists and Syndicalists have been plotting against the Government. All classes are discontented, and the authorities seem powerless to restore stability to the country. The Lisbon correspondent of the Morninn Post recently stated that the Democrat party actively encouraged disorder during the first two years of the Republic and attacks in Hie streets on leaders of other Republican parties arid mob violence of all kinds (assaults on newspaper offices, attacks on prisoners, etc.) occurred under their auspices. When the party came into office last January it changed its attitude and called L loudly, for tranquillity, and order.

Unfortunately, such sudden turns and artificial distinctions are more characteristic of the Republican mind (which would move social evolution, finance, the character of a nation this way and that as if they were dominoes) than of real politics. The party of disorder continues, and its object is to overthrow what it calls the bourgeois Republic, from which the people liavo not obtained the cheap food and cheap houses that they were promised. Nothing but a period of firm and just administration can bring order out of the existing chaos, and establish that sense of security which alono can give prosperity to a country. Unfortunately Portugal docs not_ seem to possess a statesman who is able to inspire general confidence and weld the nation together.

The strain of the session's work does not appear to have had any depressing effect on the spirits of the Phime Minister and those members of tho Reform party who journeyed with him to Palmcrston North yesterday to do honour to the member for the district and his constituents. The gathering apparently was of a most enthusiastic nature and the speakers in a, most cheerful frame of mincl. It must have been brought home to the public very forcibly long ere that the outstanding feature of the Massey Government is the sincerity of its intentions respecting its election pledges. From the outset it has set earnestly to work to give effect to its platform as laid before the electors, and _ it has shown again and aga.in_ during its brief term of office that it is not going to rest on its laurels and claim respite from further effort on account of what it has already accomplished. Last evening for instance the outstanding note of the proceedings at tho Palmcrston gathering was the determination expressed to press forward with the_ work of reform. Even those critics who are so ready to crumble over trifles, and thoso who" find fault with Ministers for not having revolutionised _ tho administration of the country in fifteen months, cannot shut their eyes to the fact that in practically every reform it has undertaken it has done better than it promised. If the Government has failed at all, it is in the matter of making known to the public how much it has really accomplished. A few such gatherings as that of last evening, howover. should soon remedy this neglect.