NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2430, 8 April 1915, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY

The first considerable body of nurses to leave New Zealand for the front will sail to-day. Ever since the outbreak of the war nurses throughout the Dominion have been volunteering for service, but for one reason and another the Government was not until recently able to accept their offers. Scores of the nurses, failing acceptance by the authorities, have gone at their own expense to England and France, and for months past have been busy among tho wounded. Last week a first contingent of twelve sailed under Government auspices to- join >a party from the Commonwealth for the Australian base hospital in the North of Franco. To-day's oompany, fifty strong, goes to England, thence to be drafted into the military hospitals in tho Old Country and on the Continent as required. It is possible that further parties will be dispatched from time to time, and the way so opened for a representative body of New Zealand nurses to take that part in the work at the front which they have so long desired. Maybo the removal of the New Zealand Force from Egypt to some unknown destination will later offer a further field of activity for nurses from the Dominion. Unlike the Australians, our men took no nurses with them, and the public would doubtless appreciate an assurance that they will not suffer in consequence»wherever tbey may be stationed.

It is not without significance that while one speaker at the Timber Workers' Conference in Chrißtehurch should declare Liberalism a broken reed, another should assert that Mr. Massey had done moro for them than any other Prime Minister New Zealand had had. It is true that tho first speaker, Mr. Hiram Hunter, happened to be both secretary of the Timber Workers' Federation and president of the Social Democratic Party. His denunciation of Liberalism was not intended to benefit the Reform Party, but to bespeak support for the political organisation of which he is the head. The gravamen of his charge against the Government and Opposition was that they "would only do things for the workers under the pressure of public opinion." Tho public, •we fancy, will not regard this as a very serious complaint. The trouble with Mb. Hunter's own party is that it aspires to do a great many things for which there is no pressure bf public opinion at all.

That practical patriotism which shows itself in a preference for Brit-ish-made goods is taking a firm hold of New Zealanders. The Board, of Trade Journal provides evidence that numbers 'qf local business 'people have not been slow to avail themselves of the services of the British Trade Commissioner in Wellington in getting into touch with English manufacturers of special lines desired by them. Many others desiring to find substitutes for foreign-made goods are probably not aware of the facilities offered at the Commissioner's office. Ms. Wickham himself has not only an extensive personal knowledge of the lines put on the market by _ British manufacturers, but those interested may consult at his office extensive files of British trade and technical journals representative of all industries of importance. Jn addition inquiries made for special articles are given publicity in Britain in the Board of Trade Journal, and reprinted in most oases by the various trade publications ooncerned. The New Zealand business man has thus at hand a valuable and ready means of getting into touch with British manufacturers of which he would do well to avail himself to the full.

Hokitika continues to disappear into the sea, and during the high tides of Easter week further damage was done along the beach frontage. The protective works erected by the Government have not proved effective, and have failed to collect tho drifting sand and shingle. It is'a citrioius fact that when he designed tho Hokitika harbour works in tho 'sixties Sir John Coode stated that it would be inadvisable to extend tie breakwater and training-wall beyond a certain distance, as otherwise a dangerous scour would be caused on the beach on the town frontage. The harbour works were recently extended, and it 'is since then that the trouble has arisen. Local residents are of opinion that the remedy is for the Government to build tho protective groynes on the beach out for a distance of 800 or 1000 feet instead of the present 300 feet. The matter is one on which a layman hesitates to express an opinion, but in view,of Sir John Coode's prediction there are not lacking critics who ask whether Hokitika-'s choice is not between the retention of the seaward side of Revell Street or its harbour work extensions.

The drastic experiment in liquor reform made in South Australia will be followed with interest throughout Australasia. At the elections in that State last month the people were asked to decide whether there should be any alteration in the hour of closing the hotels. The present closing hour is eleven o'clock, and the alternatives presented were six, seven, eight, niiie, and ten o'clock. It was provided that there must bo an absolute- majority for the new hour, and to make this possible it was enacted that the votes for the least popular hour should be credited in cach case to the one next preceding. This provision was unnecessary as the event proved. The struggle, as usual in such cases, resolved itself into one between the extremists—tho advocates of six and eleven o'clock respectively. Tho six o'clock party carried the day by a substantial majority, and when the necessary legislation has been put through it will not be possible to sell liquor in South Australia after the evening meal. This means an abrupt change in the social habits of a not inconsiderable proportion of the population, and it remain? to be «rn whether it wili be followed by a rcactbu.