NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 115, 8 February 1919, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

An excellent example lias been set by the New Zealand Hardware Association and by_ the Master Drapers' Association in the matter of their attitude to returned soldiers. Both these organisations have publicly pledged themselves to reinstate all former employees on their return from active service, and' the master drapers have also dccidcd to recommend that in filling othpr vacancies returned men should be given preTo further assist tho Repatriation Department in its work the master drapers have agreed that a sub-committee should be appointed in each centre to deal with all matters of this nature. This is the sort of thing that is whntccl to make the wwk of repatriation proceed smoothly and satisfactorily. Other organisations of employers might act on similar lines. The sooner they so the greater the service they will render and the more it will be appreciated.

To-day's messages show that organised are being made to reestablish constitutional methods -and the rule of majority in the British trades unions. It is mentioned amongst other things that the executive of the Associated Socicty of Engineers has decided to suspend ■shop committees and secretaries on account of unauthorised strikes, holding that these were contrary to the opinion of a majority of trade, unionists. A comprehensive (est of these opinions is promised in tli'i proposal to hold a special session of tho f General Federation of Tradw Unions. Tho essential question ,if, issno is whether organised Labour as .a whole is capable, of effectively controlling ''militant" minorit'v which at present threatens to wreck its organisation. As Mi:. Cmwes pointed out in a statement transmitted yesterday, loyalty on the part of tho workers, primarily loyalty to one another in their own ranks, is essential if they are to secure tho satisfaction' of- their legitimate demands. Since the .Bolshevik elements everywhere rely upon the suppivssi&n of orderly methods of major-; ity rule, it is likely that such nrasures as arc in train in Great, Britain will make 'for the early defeat of . the attempt to establish Soviet, conditions intha.t country, It has to be recognised, however, that it

is easier for a noisy and mischievous minority to cast the affairs of a unibn or of a larger organisation into disorder than to checkmate and defeat such wrecking tactics.

The elector of to-day is having the value of his political franchise impressed on him perhaps us novcr before. The efforts that arc.being made 1 by one section or anotheiyas we'll as by Government officials and the Press, to see that he does not miss his (or her) chance to vote at the coming Prohibition poll; excel all previous records in this direction. There arc people, too, watching with equal zeal to. see. that nothing in the nature of rolLstuffing takes placc, so that the electoral' rolls when compiled will be clean and above suspicion, and a true test of public feeling he made possible. If as seems probable interest in the struggle increases towards polling day, the percentage of votes recorded to the number on the roll should be unusually high. There are people who say that a big poll on the liquor question cannot be obtained unless the voting takes place on the day of a general: election. That view is liable to be: falsified at the forthcoming, poll.

The inquiry undertaken by the Parliamentary Industries Committee will inevitably assume the. character of a flying survey, but even at its present early stage it seems likely to serve a useful purpose. It should ; help_ to bring members of Parliament into more effective touch with some of the biggest industrial questions of the day, and at the same time it is bringing some interesting detail information to light. For instance, the necessity has been emphasised of late of .discovering light employment for returned soldiers who do not wish to be- idlo but are'unequal to a. severe working strain. Witnesses before the committee have, already directed attention to two industries which seem to deserve consideration in this connection. • One is the growth and manufacture of tobacco, .and the other is toy-making. This last is by no means to be dfcspised. It has been undertaken by. partly-disabled soldiers in other countries, including Australia. Its commercial importance is far from negligible, and at'the., same time it has higher claims ;to attention. in the scope it affords for promoting both the happiness and the healthy development of children.

The very high tribute paid to New Zealand soldiers by General Harper, the officer commanding -the army corps to which the' New Zealand .Division was attached in the closing stages of the war, fjilly bears out similar eulogies from others well'qualified to speak of the qualities, of our men. The General's comments, however, are of special interest in ono particular. It will be noted that ho specially stresses flic continuous succcsses won by the New Zealand Division which he says "hn-s been unsurpassed in the final series of . attacks which led to' the enemy suing for peace." The significance of this reference lies in the evidence it affords that right.up to the very close of the desperate struggle the men from New* Zealand wcro fighting as gallantly and as well as ever they .did. This is a very big thing to say after four years of war, and will be regarded by many as the highest of tho many eulogies which have been passed upon the forces from this Dominion.