NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2431, 9 April 1915, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY

With three new freezing works appearing on the scene, the farmers of the West Coast districts should not lack competition for their stock. At the end of February the new company at Taihape accepted tenders for the erection of its plant; and in the middle of March the feilding company, which had already purchased a site, announced that sufficient shares had been taken up to enable the directors, to proceed with the erection of the works. Now comes the announcement that the Wellington Meat Export Company will definitely enter the field and erect a plant at Kakariki. In addition to these new undertakings, the existing works at Wanganui and Longburn have increased their capacity. All this development shows a firm belief by practical hard-headed business men in the future of this portion of the North Island. Between the Main Trunk and Taranaki railways there is a largo area of excellent sheep country at present only partially broken in. If the competition among the new works hastens the full opening up of this great hinterland, they will prove an important factor in the development of the North Island.

Whatever Australian Federation has achieved, it has not produced those economies of which its advocates talked so fluently fifteen and twenty years ago. Among other things, it used to bo asserted that the appointment of a Commonwealth High Commissioner in London would make all the State Agent-Generals unnecessary. The saving under the one head was to be more than sufficient to defray the expenditure under the other. The Federation is now in its fourteenth year, and the State agencies in London, so far from disappearing, have steadily increased in expensiveness, while the cost of the Commonwealth representation has also shown a marked annual expansion. The Melbourne Age has been going into the figures and finds that it is costing in all £114,000 per annum to represent five million Australians in London. Tho expenditure, it declares, is sufficient for the representation of an empire. Certainly the New Zealand expenditure of about £10,000 per annum on its High Commissioner is decidedly modest by tho side of the swollen Australian bill, and it cannot be said tbat we are suffering greatly through the absence of that swarm of more or less ornamental officials whose existence in the case of Australia the Melbourne Age deplores.

Since it came into office under three years ago, the Government has given substantial proof of its determination to push ahead with the work of closer settlement. It has already cut up anumber of estates in Hawke's Bay, where its work compares more than favourably with that of the Administration which preceded it, and yesterday the latest of these Was balloted for. This was a block of six thousand acres of the well-known Gwavas estate, formerly held by the Cablyon family. For the twelve sections into which it was subdivided there were no fewer than 165 selectors competing. The number of qualified applicants appearing at the recent ballots shows that tho demand for land is as keen as ever, despite the increased rate at which subdivision by tho State has been proceeding. A point to which attention will nave to be more closely directed in future is whether tho Native Department is doing its full share in relieving the land hunger by making idle Maori lands available for settlement. A speeding up on this side similar to that in Mr. Massey's Department would be welcome.

Apart from its political activities, the Women's _ Branch, of the Reform League is doing a valuable work in interesting women in various phases of public affairs. Last evening, for instance, its members had the opportunity of listening to the views on education of two experienced and highly competent women teachers. Education is a subject of direct and especial interest to women, but too Tew have more than the- most cursory idea of the working of the system which is day by day moulding tho character of their children and equipping them for the battle of life. In the intimate first-haiid talks such as those to which the members of the League listened last evening, the dry bones ot olliciaj reports and Parliamentary discussions beconio clothed with llesh and blood, and the mothers have the opportunity _of learning something of the ideals of the teacher Hiid'Uio difficulties that, betel, her, il (It!} sUudiii'cJ of l/lw -adclMtiseg Uo-

livered under its auspices is maintained, the League will do much towards developing a critical and wellinformed body of opinion among women on thoso phases of public affairs with which they are most nearly concerned.

The visit of the Japanese Trade Commissioners to these shores is a reminder that as years go on the interdependence of the various peoples around the Pacific will be very much greater than it is to-day. The Japanese arc a great manufacturing nation, and our trade with them and theirs with us is likely to develop steadily as time goes on. We are deeply sensible of the part Japan has played in co-operation with Britain in the war, and the sentiment thus created must have its effect even in business association. There appears to he room for a profitable interchange of commodities with our Eastern allies, and more especially in some of those lines of goods with which Germany had secured a hold on our markets. Much will depend on the Japanese merchants themselves in catering for our needs, and the shipping facilities provided will also be an important factor. Our visitors no doubt are giving attention to these and other considerations, and the information they will oarrj back with them should prove of material assistance in furthering th». ends they have in view.