NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 296, 8 September 1920, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

Tho selection of Mr. T. M. Wilford as Lender of the Liberal Party will occasion little surprise. With the defeat of Sir Joseph Ward, Mr. G. W. Russell, and Sir James Carroll at the general election, tho death of Mr. Mac Donald, the absence in England>of Mr. A. Myors, the assertion of independence by Mr. Hanan, Mr. Wilford is now, with, the exception of Mr. Ngata, the solo surviving "front-bencher" the party possesses. Mr. G. Forbes probably carries as much weight as nnyono eke in the councils of the party, but ho lacks Mr. Wilford'?. platform qualities. For a term during the lifo of the National Government, and before he entered its ranks, Mr, Wilford unofficially filled tho role of nominal Leader of the "Opposition," and in tho present Parliament he was the late Mr. Mac Donald's first-lieutenant. He i 6 wellinformed on Parliamentary procedure and the rules of the House, and probably his selection is the best tho party could have made fropi its present attenuated ranks. Ilis qualities as a leader and his ability to hold together tho members of a party who find so little in which to disagree with the Government of the day romain to bo tested. *■* # *

The "damn-the-public" frame of mind continues its manifestations in certain sections of New Zealand trade unionism. This time we have the Waikato miners, who earn about 30s. a day, tying up the northern coal trade with a demand for weekly railway tickets at 2s. Gd. instead of 4s. 9d. The dispute has nothing whatever to do with the conditions of their employment, and it is stated that in living at a distance and using the railway to the mines they do so entirely at their own choice, as most of them have had the opportunity of obtaining houses close at hand. The "grievanco"—if such it can bo called—arises entirely from the fact that tho cheaper railway rate rules at the Statn mines. No doubt as soon as this ridiculous dispute is cleaned up we shall haro the men out again because the State miners can get Into the picture theatre for twopence less than is charged at Huntly. The public must make up its mind whether it is prepared to submit indefinitely to this sort of tyranny. Yesterday the Wellington waterside workers lield up the business" of the port to express their sympathy with the Russian Socialist Republic and othor things. Perhaps they forget that people who hold 6top-work meetings in their Russian paradise ore dealt with at drum-load courtsmartial, and tliat workers who won't work have their grievances reviewed in Russia not by Conciliation Commissioners, but by firing squads.

There are two classcs of people who possess the privilege of saying what tlicy please about anything and anybody without being under the inconvenience of having to prove the truth of their words -the Judge on the bench and the politician from his place in Parliament. In the Supreme Court yesterday judgment was given by Sir John Salmond iu a case in which a solicitor sued a Judge of a Native land board for libel. His Honour held that the words were uttered by tho defendant while sitting in his judicial capacity, and in conscquenco were absolutely privileged; This rule of absolute privilege has been maintained in the public interest to ensure the unfettered administration of justice, it has been used with wisdom and circumspection by nearly all Judges who have possessed it, and it is much better to take the chance of a rare occasional misuse of it than to tie the tongues of Judges. Members of Parliament have the same right of free libel. They do not move in tho same calm, judicial atmosphere, and are known on occasion to talk with moro heat than Accuracy.. Happily in their case it is always appropriate for a person who considers he has been libelled to challengo the repetition of tho words elsewhere than on the floor of tho House. If the challenge is declined tho public can usually be relied upon to draw their own conclusions, and tho libel .is apt to rebound to the discredit of bim who uttered it. A member of the Imperial Parliament recently declined such a challenge, and tho iJici ■ dent, it is significant to note, was followed by a free expression of opinion that the right of free libel should be withdrawn from Parliament.

The Dominion's invisible air policy is evidently exercising tli6 miiul of Air. Witty, wlio is asking the Government whether it is intended to provide (in aerial nuiil service between the North and South Islands. Such a service is no doubt feasible in fair. weather, but it is (juestionnblo whether there is anv real opening for it even with telegrams at a shilling. In any case "before toying with experiments we really ought to bo given some sound exposition of the principles that should guide our air policy. We lmvo heard it stated on good authority that the machines most suited and most economical for commercial flying are useless for war work. l''or bombing and reconnaissance what is wnnted is apparently a maclvino enpablo ol rapid climbing and manoeuvring. If an ordinary commercial machine went out with ji loa<l of bombs it would be obliged fo fly 90 low that an enemy warship would liavo 110 difficulty in bringing it' clown before it could deliver its attack. If this is so it means that commerce and defence in the air will not go hand in hand. It has l»en suggested fo us that what tho Dominion requires for aerial defence te a small squadron of half-n----dczen, or a dozen, thoroughly up-to-dnto military machines. With thaso we could

give our airmen refresher courses, nnd the machines should bo relentlessly sorapI>cd and replaced with every advance in design. We cannon look forward to doing a. great deal in the nir in the near'future, but it is advisable that we should make up our mllnds exactly what wo do intend, and do it thoroughly and

AdvocaJes of electoral reform should nolo that tho New South 'Wales Government has found a by-elect'on under proportional representation something of a conundrum. In the Murray electorate a vacancy occurred 011 the elevation of Mr. Beeby to the Bench. At the general election tho ihrco members elected were Mr. O'Rrien (Labour), Mr. Ball (Nationalist!, and Mr. Beeby (Progressive). Two Labour, one Nationalist, and one Progressive candidate were defeated. When it becamo necessary tq fill the room of Mr. Beeby it was found that the law made no provision for byelect'ions. In any caso a by-oleci'ion in a constituency would not rcplaco a minority candidate by another minority candidate, but would result in the election of a candidate of tho dominant party in the electorate. As proporBnnal representation lias as its express aim tho duo representation of livaiorities ■Vhis meant the defeat of its purpose. After taking legal advice the New South Wales Government appointed as Mr. Beeby's successor a Labour candidate, Mr. Clear, who had contested the third eeat with him at the general election. Tho result is that Labour now Ims two representatives for an electorate i."i which of the 19,832 primary votes cast less ilhan half—only 9039—wero for Labour candidates. And this is called an accurato reflection of the will of tho people.