NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1963, 21 January 1914, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

"". The '.physical instruction: camp for teachers now being hold a!. Day's Bay is an impressive'reminder to the general public that the' new scheme of physical culture is going to form a*.very, important ' part in school-life .in New Zealand. It is gratifying to hear that the teachers are , entering into the spirit of the thing in an enthusiastic manner, and everything points to the fact that the "oybtcm will coon tie fully established and Jβ thornufih going

of the ; r dri!l and;: personal acquaintance with •tlic'.ifinstnrcloi's'j.havc "-.clonq. a gi'Oiit ;dca,l«toVrcinoye 'any" prejudices which ■jiia.v^lui'yc , ; beeii,\fclt regarding the !n<yy?c!ep;irturei arid wherever the in-:]strCiictjunfclasses■■lmvo-been lield the ;ici'u.'l)<;i:s;.have"expressed iipprt'i;iatioii Jpf%h:it{Jis!; being ■done: The Hon. ■ ; J.AMEs ; ALLEK';(Ministcr of Education) ■ ant! Mr. IIoYD"GAnucK , (Dircctoi , oi have- every Jreasonj ; to';.be satisfied with' the progress which has been made. '• Addressing. 'the. teachers on; Monday aftcrsiibon,' 1 Mr.' Ar.LKS: said he recognised ■the.sacrificc'.tlicy-made in giving up 'part'of. their holidays for the camp, '..a'nd'-hc'thoiight that the Wellington ..teachers would pronounce the same .judgment on'the scheme as.teachers in other parts of the Dominion, such as -'Auckland and Hawko's Bay, Itis hardly necessary, to state that in both these places the verdict has been decidedly favourable. The school .teachers may sometimes feel that a rather heavy load is being placed on their shoulders, but every teache;. , worthy of the name realises that the health of the children is a matter of supreme importance, and that it is inevitable that increasing attention will have to be given to. the physical .development of his pupils. Mind and body act and react on each other, and a child with healthy body is in a much better position to profit by the general instruction he receives than one whose ■ physical unfitness makes it difficult to stand the mental strain. •.. ': ■." ■ ■ ■'■ .

■The Wellington Carnival was a pronounced success last year, when a profit of over £1800 was obtained. This satisfactory achievement should encourage citizens to put even greater energy into the work, and if this is clone there is no reason why this year's effort should not surpass that of last year both as regards the attractiveness of the display and the financial result. The meeting of citizens held last night indicates that the enthusiasm of the promoters _is not waning, and the experience gained in the management of the previous Carnival will no doubt be put to good use. The object of the undertaking is to provide funds to assist the City Council in beautifying the city, and it is the duty, and ought to .be tho pleasure, of every good citizen to give help and sympathy to any movement which aims at increasing the attractions 'of Wellington and making the most of its many natural , beauties. One of its speakers at last night's meeting stated that there were rumours that the Carnival this year would not be as successful us its predecessor, because some people .had not been quite satisfied with the manner in which the money had been allocated on the previous occasion,.but any such suggestion may be safely brushed aside. Such a narrow and petty attitude is not likely to find favour,with the citizens of Wellington. There will always be differences of opinion and points of view as to the details of any scheme for beautifying the city and improving its reserves. It is impossible to carry out every suggestion, and individual wishes must give way when they clash with the opinions of 'the majority. Tho desire of everyone is to make the city more beautiful, and when all are working for that end there should be no room for friction and .discord

Prosperity seems to be inflicting almost as many tribulations upon the New South Wales Labour Party as adversity did during the term of the, last Parliament, when it maintained a precarious hold upon office by the aid of a majority of one. In that time of trouble Mr. Holmas and his colleagues had to meekly turn the other cheek to the buffets of Mr. Speaker Willis. Now Ma. Willis has been rusticated by the electors, and the ■ Labour ' Government is in power with a substantial majority at its back, but another ogre has risen up to disturb its peaoo in the shape of its own party caucus. Last month the caucus took a controlling hand in the election of a Speaker, and this is only a boginning. Mr. Holman's position as Prime Minister and leader of his party is apparently unchallenged, but the caucus is going to .choose his Ministry. A rule in the- instrument oi control of the New South Wales Political Labour League provides that ''Labour Ministers shall be elected in caucus by the members of the Legislative Assembly after each general election." Mr. Houujf is placed in a position that entitles him to sympathy. On the tine , hand lie is assailed by the. reproaches of angry colleagues, who object to being turned down, and on the other he is faced by the certain prospect of embittered relations with a party caucus which intends to provide him not only with a ready-made Ministry but with a policy. Nor is this all. A big Labour Conference is to assemble at Sydney on January Sβ and sit for about a week, and the caucus is to hold its' meeting three days later. Its task of Cabinet-making. and anything else that it may do will thus be carried out under the \ shadow of ,'the conference, and presumably the relation of the conference to the caucus will be pretty much the relation of the caucus to Mr. Holjias. There is no cause for wonder in the reported indignation of some of the Lnbour, Ministers at the position in which they find themselves placed. The situation is nothing short of a wild burlesque upon the political institutions which are designed to secure democratic representation and rule. Mn. Holman and his followers Were returned to power by a majority of the people of New South Wales. The Labour Ministers went to the country in that capacity, and no doubt the fact influenced their election. If democratic, principles dominated the position the matter would end at that, but as a matter of fact the interference of the conference-dominated caucus is a reversal of democratic procedure. At best the Lnbour leaders represent only a single class of the community, and no more than a section of the people who elected Mn. Holman and his supporters to Parliament. In actual fact they will constitute a more or less irresponsible, electoral college, and recognition, by the Labour Ministers and party o*f their arrogant assumption of authority will represent a grave breach . of faith with the. doctors.