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NOTES OF THE DAY

Any suggestion for securing an inmeasea supply of coal is worth careful consideration. On the motion of Mr. A. V. Roberts the Chamber of Commerce yesterday adopted a resolution urging Hie Government to dispatch a delegation to arrange for larger supplies of Newcastle coal. Australian papers to hand report tho sale of Ufl.'flOO tons of Nowcastle coal to Sweden at 525. fid. per ton f.0.b., and indicate tliat the mine-owners are concerned to develop thoir foreign trade. Freights are now stated to bo plentiful, and there is much congestion of shipping at Newcastle. Tho 'output from the mines is still below the pre-war standard, and it is only during the last few months that the companies have been attempting to recover their trade abroad. At present, it is stated, they have succeeded in regaining about 20 per cent, of it. At the same time there is a keen demand for larger shipments for Melbourne and Adelaide, each of which cities appeal's to have never more than a few days' sup plies in hand. Newcastle coal will not solve our difficulties, but a first-hand investigation of the extent of the reliei to be obtained from this source is well worth undertaking.

The distinguishing feature of local politics in New Zealand at the moment is the apathy of the electors. Most de< cisions on loan polls lately have been on extraordinarily small votes, and in Miramar yesterday only a third of the electors took the trouble to vote for or against the continued existence of the borough. That a majority of this minority was in favour of amalgamation with the city is fortunate as amalgamation is clearly, wo think, to tho interests of both Miramar and the city. At the same time this evidence of apathy in local affairs is disconcerting. If MiTamar residents are so indifferent as to the fate of their borough are their neighbours in the city likely to be more concerned over the forthcoming loan poll ? Is it to be left to a handful of the ratepayers to say "Yea" or "Nay" to a schedule of proposals with a total estimated cost approaching two millions? In such a case somo queer results may be seen. The Miramar polling should be a warning to city ratepayers to record their votes on tho loan proposals or run the risk of a fiasco.

City merchants are concerned to thtink that Wellington is on the road to losing its position as the premier port-of the Dominion. This result is more or less inevitabjo if the anarchy on tho waterside is long 1 continued. Tho fact of the matter is that the country generally is at' tho cross-roads. It has to make a choice between progress and prosperity or "Bed Fedism" and stagnation. We cannot have both. This is a fact that has to bo clearly realised if conditions are to mend. The Labour extremist's idea is to progress by wrecking society. Ho will persist until it is established beyond doubt that it is he himself who will be wrecked. # # if » Tho views of Senator Harding on American foreign policy aro important. Mr. Harding is the Eepublican candidate for the Presidency, and the Eepublican candidate has had tho habit of carrying tile day. Mr. Wilson, a Democrat, only got in because of a quarrel between two Eepublicans, and stayed in because of a war. It is discouraging, therefore, to find the present Eepublican candidate expounding a nebulous and contradictory peace policy. He will have nothing ail all to do with tho League of Nations, the principal contribution of America to the peace. At the same time he has apparently a cut-and-dried scheme of his own for ..controlling international relations. Whether this scheme is likely to be any more acceptablo to the United States Senate than that which it has rejected has to be proved. Whether Europe is prepared to scrap the machinery of the League and adopt the scheme of another American President is also doubtful, to sny the least. Mr. Harding is an advocate of "peace by resolution." Apparently ho will not adopt the Allies' Treaty with Germany, and he will not make a new one. This, it has been pointed out, would leave America in the happy position of being able to claim benefits under the Treaty of Versailles whilo disowning obligations. Senator Harding's foreign policy does not promise to restoro America's lost prestige abroad. * * * * Though the New Zealand representatives aii the Olympic Games have not carried off any of the chief honours they have performed creditably enough. The two members of tho team whose prospects appeared brightest, Hadfield, the sculling champion, and Wilson, who is in tho front rank ovor hurdles, both won heats in their contests but failed to gain a first decision, whilo Davideon, the sprinter, and that remarkably promising young 6wimmcr, Miss Wal< rond, aleo secured places in preliminary heats. Probably all the members of tho team were at a disadvantage owing to their late arrival in Europe, and it may be taken as a test of their quality that in the circumstances they, gained tho prominence they did. The venture was well wordh while, but on the next occasion that New Zealand sends representatives to tho great international sports carnival, it would be advisable to so arrange matters aa to givei flioni a longer Mine for training after landing from tlioit sea voyage.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19200831.2.11

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 289, 31 August 1920, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
901

NOTES OF THE DAY Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 289, 31 August 1920, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 289, 31 August 1920, Page 4

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