NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1936, 19 December 1913, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

It was'a very, fine and stirring demonstration of, appreciation of the work of the mounted and foot specials which took place at the Buckle Street Barracks last' evening. The Prime Minister, the Minister of Justice, the Mayor of the City, the Chairman of the Citizens', Farmers', and Employers' Defence Committee, and others_ all paid tributes to the great survice rendered the community by the men from the country and by those- public-spirited citizens who came forward in the different- towns to uphold law and order. It is phasing to think that the expressions of thanks and appreciation which fell from the different speakers arc re-echoed throughout the whole country. The occasion was fitting for an acknowledgment also of the services of Commissioner Cutlen and the regular police; and also of the assistance of those members of the Defejice Forces who made the arrangements for the billeting of the "specials." But especially was it fitting that recognition should be 'made of.the manner in which" the Minister of Justice has carried through the heavy task and the serious responsibility thrust on him by the outbreak of lawlessness and disorder. _ Few people perhaps realise the weight of the burden borne by Mr. Herdman during that first, trying month of the strike. It is largely due to his firm and resolute action that the-rami of terrorism inaugurated by tho strikers was ended and the lesson brought home to the Red Federation that law and order would be maintained at all costs. The Prime Minister last evening d ; >\ ■well snake mention of his colleague's services in the time of crisis. . >

The general public, quite as much as the employees of the Union Steam Shipping Company themselves, will learn_ with very real pleasure this morning of the generous and spontaneous expression of appreciation which the company has made to those of its employees ashore and ailoat' who have stood loyally by it during the present industrial crisis. There is no doubt that the service the company-'® loyal employees rendered materially lessened the inconvenience of the strike situation to the public,' especially in enabling the maintenance of mail services and communication between the North and South Islands and with Australia. The officers and engineers of the vessels displayed a very fine spirit and the company has responded in kind, .'

The handsome offer of a contribution of .-£2OOO to the funds of Victoria College by the Macarthy Trust comes at a very opportune time, and will in conscquence be doubly appreciated. The Trustees desire that the grant'shall be put to some specified use to be associated with the name of the late Mis. Macakthy, and the happy inspiration of Sm Robert Stout to inaugurate a scheme for the endowment of a Lectureship of Economies admirably meets the needs of the occasion. ' The. study of Economies is one of the branches of knowledge which has received little attention in New Zealand, and yet there are few subjects more deserving of attention, Comparatively few of our public men have given any study to the question.and as a result they frequently are led to advocate unsound principles ahcl to follow easy and pleasant-seeming paths which ultimately lead to embarrassment and confusion. Moreover, it is particularly desirable, in view of recent developments in our political and social life that some means should be provided for combating many of the foolish and pcrnicious teachings of those people who appear to imagine that they can promote tho happiness and prosperity of the mass of the people by hatnpering and curtailing production. A course of Economics, for instance, might have shown the strikers in the present industrial crisis the folly of the general strike. It would at least have compelled them to realise the enormous economic waste which their action must, cause and the injury it must do to all classes of the community, including, of course, themselves. However, it is to bo hoped that Sir Robert Stout's suggestion will be adopted. Tho amount of the grant proposed to be made by the Maoartiiy Trust will not suffice to meet the cost of the establishment of a Lectureship in Economics, but the Government might be induced to subsidise it and it might be added to further by private contributions.

■' A-'; cablegram published this-week gave the ■ result of the local option vote .in the Province of Ontario. It was stated that out of 835 "niunici'palities'W 502. ...carried Prohibition. This-marks, an advance for the AutiLiquor party, as- only 380 of these ''municipalities'' -were dry previously." In Ontario the law provides that--oil'petition-' of twenty-five per cent.'of. the'electors on the general or provincial rolls a local option poll can he 1 taken every three years. These "municipalities" arc licensing, districts, and include cities, towns, incorporated villages,- and. utiorganiscd territories. . Prohibition may bo carried;in any of. these municipalities ■by. a' bnrc riia.jorily,' and the see-saw: ch aract e r,. of. this met hud of dea lin •; withyJhi'iililiccniiinK:. ijiiestiun is upjiarent,:;from;'the history of. this-pro-vince. The lirst. b;i!cb of "muni''< •pa litics,-'_W s'o-cal fed, >•' wen W\ ! ' dry in 1 'Another lot followed "suit 'in 1P83,.- itndorsituaucd .under .-ProhibitiojayjiUl'lSPi Jfbea Uio voting

reversed, and period of Licensing, set- in. Licenses, can :j be granU'dj: in : Ontario •• on the.'folluwiijg/'sealed!;!; license to every 250 inluibitanln'.\for! the • first ]000, and 1 to. every.-100, of the population thereafter.' Applysuch a liberal scale of licensing to-Wellington and this city.would have over 200 hotels licensed instead of 47. Another wave of Prohibition swept over the rural municipalities of Ontario in 1899, only to be reversed in 190 G. Licensing was revived at a subsequent period in a number of municipalities—the more thickly.;''populated ones-Hind now, in .10i.'!, : . we find the Prohibitionists have been.«again .•successful in capturing 11'4/"iiiunicipalitics. It is probable that . the - new'-';captures are rural ■;'.'niimicipalitics,''. r because of. the .twenty-three, towns, and cities in On:tario which diad-5000 or--more inhabitants' at" the last census, it apipears that, not one was under -I'rulu-. iiibition. The prohibitory enactment seems ..to. have been well . en : forced .wherever carried hitherto, for. during one of the. Prohibition per.-. :iods; -licensing-inspectors laid 9157 informations for sly .grog-selling-, and obtained SGG;s convictions, it is ■'this aspect of Prohibition, and the. "bare majority" that- have made' Ontario so variable in her policy with regard to this question. There does not seem to be much stability either cue way or the other as to the advantages of Licensing or Prohibition. The net result seems to be, however, that Prohibition is gaining ground in rural territories, while the towns of Ontario are maintaining? a far more liberal system of licensing than prevails in New Zealand.

Mention was made in The Dominion a few days ago of the easy passage through Parliament of the Labour Disputes' Investigation Bill, which extends the principles of Arbitration to disputes involving unregistered labour unions. It was pointed out that tho well-nigh unanimous approval of the Bill by the Leader of th~e Opposition and his followers was in striking contrast to thii wild abuse and vilification hurled at the Government by the local mouthpiece of the Opposition and other journals of its kind when the proposals embodied in the Bill were first introduced a few weeks ago. It is only fair to note that one of the newspapers which supports the Opposition party in politics, the I)unodin Slnr, stands out- in this matter as an honourable exception to the

ranting journals with which it has the misfortune to be politically allied. Speaking of the Labour Disputes' Investigation Bill, the >57ar remarks:

"Tho lion. Mr, Massey, as Prime Minister of this little Dominion of tho Southern Seas, has made a contribution to the paramount problem of the day worthy of mow than passing mention. It is contained in the Bill, the purport of which is to provide machinery for tho investigatisn of labour disputes and for their peaceful settlement. We have already referred to tho reception this Bill obtained in the House of Representatives. It cannot ciaim to embody any novel and unlcnoivn principle, since it follows the lines of the Labour Disputcx.' Investigation Act of Canada. Nevertheless, it represents a timely and courageous extension ef ths principle of Conciliation at a period when New Zealand is in the throes of a gigantic struggle between Labour and Capital. It is a 'Magnificent challenge to the forces of disorder at present running riot."

After emphasising the necessity of putting clown firmly the wrecking tactics' 'dt' : thy foreign agitators,, the Mar goes on to say;

"There is a refreshing thoroughness about the Hon. llr. Massey's Bill. It pro vides not only for an effective check upon tho inception of strikes, but also for ttu: enforcement of voluntary agreements, and. for tho disuontiuiuince of a lawful strike ns soon as it lias fullou into disfavour with tho majority of the workers involved. Agreements such as that which the Federation of Labour have taikeii will.lk; registered under Uie Conciliation and Arbitration Act, and enforced according to its provisions. With respect to the continuance of a strike, 5 pw cent, of tljo workers directly concerned in the strike may at any time demand a sceret ballot of al! the- workers involved to determine whether or not it shall cease. The Bill is worthy of support, and it is pleas, ing to note the general favour with which it ha? been received in Parliament."