NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2147, 13 May 1914, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

bom of the more sensibfc of the supporters of tho Opposition who realise that all the noise which tho hot-heads of their party are.making ' at the moment will not &mnt for much at the balbt-bos seem to have been not a little perturbed by the recent announcement of a largo batch of Reform candidates for the coming general elections. Noisy declamation, and even the howling down of political opponents, may serve some useful purpose with the ignorant and unthinking; but they do not carry a party very far on polling day. So we find tins more intelligent section of the Wardists deploring their , lack of organisation and pointing with.alarm to th» signs of preparedness disclosed by their opponents. There are some who support the Reform Party who hold the opinion that the party should follow in the footsteps of the other side and make, more noi.se and display their strength on every possible occasion. Some even think they should' organise those asmsing little personal demonstrations which seem to give such pleasure to Sm Joseph;Waap—those "spontaneous" welcomes from groups of admirers at wayside stations, an4_ other tricks of "the- '.same kind practised by ingenious political organisers. The Reform Party, however, canl, occupy itself more profitably. Its opponents are. beginning to rccoghjsu this, and it is flattering to find that they are .proposing to follow in its footstep's. Ujifprtimately they hav« begun, somewhat late and under a heavy handicap, A party without a policy, and with- a leader who has failed so badly, in the past, is not calculated either to. inspire confidence or arouse enthusiasm. It is growing- increasingly plain that the very widespread public support which has been given to the movement in favour of affording the people of the Dominion an opportunity of expressing their opinion for or against Bible lessons in State <jchools is causing alarm amongst those in opposition to ii All sorts of red herrings .arc being drawn across the issue to lead citizens astray and cause confusion. l.)ire possibilities are hinted at, and politicians arc warned with, mysterious ■hints of- dreadful -eventualities should they dare to gi.vc the people the right to vote on this question, so directly affecting the welfare of their, children. No- doubt this may bo good strategy with the weak-kneed, but it is not very convincing when placed side, by si tie-with the'facts of tho position. A great many attempts have bean made to discount the quite astonishing success which has attended tho efforts of those 'who are working to secure a place for the Bible'in j the schools of the country, .but the ; fact remains on record that nover : before in New Zealand has so large ! a number of citizens united to demand from Parliament the riqht to vote- on a, given issue. Parliament is not asked to amend the existfris law so_as to provide for Bible lessons being given in the State schools. It is merely asked to give the people ' the right to decide the question for themselves by way of a referendum, i Over 13.9,000 electors have signed re- i quisitions in favour of a referendum ■ on the question, and if "tho' voice of ! the people", counts for anting at ! nil, how can such a request lie' is?. < uored? Ik i(s annual iT-porf: tlie Wellington Chamber of Commerce devotes , some attention to the question of , better access to the Wairarapn and i the opening up of the East Coast by railway. The matter has been a 1 good deal before- the public within ; the p-ttbt von r or two, aitd it kn been < .mflfire. *hi]tfrw.n.£k>,rUs-.i' JJis.fc-.nnnna*. I

,' spent in opening up this wide tract i oi country will yield ;i handsome ye- - turn. Delegates from the Chamber - of Commerce who visited the district in company with the Minister of Public Works (Mr, Fhasek) wer-o much impressed with the possibilities, and their, views are no doubt embodied in the report to be placed before members of that body later i« l ' the present month. An extract from i the report is worth reproducing i here with a view to stimulating the f interest, of Wellington business "peri. I pin m the efforts which are haing • matle to expedite thfl opening ud of the hack country along the £a' 1 Coast. _ It is as 'follows': — [ Tt was nphartnt to the Ch.imlw.rV dele- . fines .that lire want of R ood cainimnikd- . nan is hindering (ho district from pro. , ihu'inif anythins like' what it is callable , of clomp, .e«nsi<lf ring tho fertility of the ■ Ffiil and the find climate. Th»v 'Mportciii i t,la, i ! f *,!;}»,,' m '8 e n '' e ' l roohl be mail© to I Mad to Wollniston what it is cauable of . producing, a groat impetus would bo Riven , to the trade ef the city, anil lk»y ttcam- • mended that the lend its Rapport to any selieme having this and i the general devetoVimenKoF the Wairiuapa. ! and East Coast district in view. ! There should bs no relaxing of cf- - forts olji tho. part either of the Waif rarapa and East Coast residents or - of the people of Wellington to im- • press on the Government the import- '. ance of making adequate, provision E for the requirements of the district - under mv'kw. The Minister of Pub- • He Works is sympathetic, the mc-M----5 hers for the districts affected,- Sip i Walter Buchanan, and Messrs. 3 Svkes, Escott, and Huswn, are »'' i actively working towards the desired ' end, and during the coming session I it may be expected that something i definite will be dofos.