NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1882, 16 October 1913, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The member for Raglan (Mr. 11. F. Bollard) will earn the gratitude of long-distance railway travellers if his representations to the Minister of Railways will save them from the annoyance of being continually awakened'by guards and inspectors for the purpose of showing their tickets. 'No one blames the railway officials, who must act according to regulations, and it is, of course, necessary that the Department should take all reasonable precautions to see that it is not cheated by unscrupulous people; but it ought not to pass the wit of man to provide' against fraud without making railway travelling Tho Minister, in reply to Mr. Bollard's question, admitted that "widespread complaints" had been received, and said he hoped soon to be able, to announce that the annoyance would be mitigated. The "Tickets, please," nuisance is not confined to New Zealand. It has_ recently been receiving attention in the columns of the London Times. The Bishop- of Sebastopolis (Dr. Vaughan), in a letter to that journal, states that the difficulty could easily be got over by placing tho ticket somewhere where it is accessible to the collector without the co-operation of the traveller. In America, ho states, travellers often place their tickets'in their hat-bands and go to sleep. The guard takes the tickets out, _ clips them, and replaces thwn without awakening the sleepers or interrupting their dreams. Dr. Vauqhan suggests that a paper-clip should be placcd over the berth where _ the traveller is resting, and tho ticket placcd in it ready, for the guard, whenever he conies round. _ Of course, the possibility _ of ticketthieving has to be considered, but people must take some risks in their journey through life. It is strange that in this inventive age some simple plan to protect the tired passenger from having his rest continually broken in order that the guard may punch a hole in his ticket has not been discovered long ago. Some of the young inventors in the Railway Service might well give the matter a little consideration. The man who solves the problem will become a public benefactor.

In regard to the joint control of the New Hebrides by Britain and France, to which reference was made in these columns in yesterday's issue, the Manchester Guardian states that "the Commonwealth Government is strongly urging the Imperial authorities to decline all proposals lca,d-i ing to Great Britain's withdrawal from tho Condominium in the New Hebrides. It is thought that the visit to London of Sin iOaukay*. .OpYenw.r. is.

connected with the negotiations between' Sir Edward and the French Government in regard to the New Hebrides. The Gambia, which borders on French territory in Africa, is the colony which it was proposed a few years ago to transfer to France in return_ for the relinquishment of rights in the New Hebrides." Notwithstanding tho friendly relations which at present exist between Franco and Britain, the French Government cannot bo expected to relinquish its_ hold on tho New Hebrides for nothing. Some quid pro g'wo'must bo given, and if some such exchange as that suggested above could be arranged it would certainly meet with the approval of Australia and New Zealand. Tho time seems to be opportune for reminding the Imperial Government once more that the Condominium is not working satisfactorily.

The New South Wales Assembly is now on its death-bed, and the State 'Premier (Mr. Holman) has opened tho election campaign for the Labour Party. It is going to be a very bitter struggle in which both sides will havo the gloves off. It is stated that tho unity of the Labour Party is more apparent than real. Thero has been a, good deal of jealousy and squabbling among its members, and there is a feeling that Mr. Holjian is not quite wholehearted in the cause. His opposition to the referendum proposals is still fresh in-the public mind. These divisions must, of coursc, weaken the Labourites in tho fight which has now commenced; but they have tho satisfaction of knowing that their Liberal opponents are not altogether a, happy family. Mr. Wade's generalship has not escapcd criticism, and it is said that ho has alienated support which a more tactful leader would have secured. About half a dozen Independents are offering themselves for election, and according to the Sydney correspondent of the Melbourne_ Age some of them are apparently in safe seats; but the recent Federal elections went to show that the people of Australia db not want men who are neither one thing nor the other. The situation has been complicated by the appearance of a new factor in the shape of a Country Party, which hopes to hold tho balance of power between the Liberal and Labour sections, and to compel each of them to "put its own programme aside while it carries out the Country* Partyjs policy." One of the leaders of this now group states that "Ministers will be our pick and shovel men, to make country roads, to construct railways, to dig irrigation channels, and to open up tho country; and our party will bo the man with the gun, whose duty it will bo to see that they do what they aro told, and get up >to no monEey tricks." It is quite possible that a cross-current of this character may upset expectations to a certain extent, and even if tho Country section does not make its appearance on the, floor of the House the attempt to bring it into existence may prove disastrous to one of the main parties.