NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 81, 31 December 1919, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

Immigration on more efficient lines is advocated by Mr. Christopher' TuJiNOun, an emissary of the Royal Colonial Institute now in Australia. Mil. Turxour's plea is for the encouragement of group settlement, under which immigrants would bo placed on adjoining sections in groups of, say, 150. On the settlement there should be an experienced head, and a central farm established which would be practically a demonstration farm for the other holdings, and a depot for the machinery required. Tho marketing from the holdings would be done through,the central farm, which would in fact, serve as a general instructional and clearing centre for the settlement. Group settlement on such lines has found'many advocates of late, and the Government, if it has not already done so, might well consider whether our immigration policy can be developed on such lines. There is no doubt that immigrants in the past have had to buy their experience at far too dear'a, iatc., And we don't want future immigrants brought out and left to fritter away their resources through ignorance of local conditions.

A noteworthy feature of all elections held since the termination of hostilities lias been the defeat of the oxtremist sections. In the United States elections were held last year on tho eve of the signing of the : armistice, and the result was the conversion of n, Bepublican minority into a small majority, and the almost universal defeat of the Socialist "ticket." In Britain last December the Coalition was returned by an overwhelming majority, Labour, as represented by its sounder elements, gained in strength, but the extremist wing was decisively rejected. The recent, French elections have shown a decided reaction against all ideas of Bolshevism. In neither Belgium nor Italy have the wild men made headway. The same Attitude was evidenced in the Australian elections, and in our own recent contest the extremists were greatly disappointed over the outcome. Much new blood has been infused in all the Parliaments, and in all the countries mentioned the electors have combined to put in office Governments which, though not reactionary, are solid and not visionary or extremist. Tho democracies of the world have clearly shown that they recognise that the times call for men who are steady and dependable, and not for wild theorists with policies of destruction.

The City Council, in its plans for the better regulation of city street traffic, might do well to consider the provision of tramway landing platforms in certain of the wider and busier streets. In many of the larger cities of the United States such platforms have been found a valuable factor in reducing the number of street accidents. They are as a rule merely low, open platforms, six or nine inches above the stvcfct level, and a few feet wide, and long enough for one or two tramcars to load simultaneously. At night a red light is shown at each end from a low pedestal. Such platforms would be a great convenience, for instance, at the Government Buildings stop and various other points in the wider stretches of Lambton Quay, the Post Office, Conrtenay Place, and so forth. They obviite the possibility of passengers stepping off the. trams directly in front of advancing Vehicles, and people waiting for cars would be concentrated in a spot- of safety, instead ,of being scattered over the street as at present, to Ihe danger of themselves and others. An experiment with a couple of platforms at, siiv, the Government Buildings stop woi'kl cost very little, and would be decidedlv worth making in the interests of public safety.

AcconniNG to a cablegram which appears to-day, the Nationalists have failed to secure an independent majority the Commonwealth elections. With one seat still iii doubt, the state of parties (in a House of 75) is given as: Nationalists, IM; Labour, 20; and Jfarmors, 14. It

remains true, however, that; (he Caucus Labour Party is decisively defeated, and that Mr. Hughes is not likely to limP himself in serious difficulties. At all events, he has the option of leading a working combination of the Nationalists and Farmers against tho Labour extremists. Doubts have been raised by some Australian commonlnlors as to whether Ml!. Huoiins will aeeept this role, but in view of wha.t s;e his himself said about the results of ihe election these doubts seem to rest o;i a slender foundation. Though the Nationalists are divided internally, and from,the Farmers on some questions, they are united in their common resistance to the aims of the Caucus Pavtv, and the establishment of a stable Government, assured of general support from the Farmers' Party, seems to be reasonably assured.

Prospkcts of a satisfactory compromise on the Peace Treaty In the American Senate are improved by reports that PitFSjriKXT Wir.sox is so far restored to health that lie is expected shortly to resume the full discharge of his duties. It is, of course, well known that the President exerts a. strong personal in"nonce, nnrl there is no doubt that his enforced suspension of activities very seriously weakened those who stand fir the ratification of the Peace Treaty on conditions acceptable to the Allies. Many conflicting accounts of the extent to which President Wilson's health has actually been undermined have obtained currency, but die hopeful bulletin transmitted yesterday is consistent with such references to the subject as have apearcd in some of the bestinformed American journals. The New York Outlook, for instance, observed some weeks ago that the fact that the President bad issued a veto message to Congress afforded reassuring evidence that his enforced rest bad proved to be the medicine he needed, and iustified the hope that he might soon be able to resume his place as the active head of the nation's affairs. It is evident that t !, e Outlook attached no credence to tho alarmist accounts of the President's condition that were widely circulated not long ago,.