NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 300, 13 September 1920, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY

Christchnrch is complaining of a scarcity of boy labour, and the "Sun" quotes nu instanco of a boy fresh from school calmly announcing that he will not consider a commencing; wage of anything under 30s. weekly. This scarcity of boys is not .merely a local affair, and is the result of our declining birth-rate. In 1019 the birth-rate fell to the unprecedentedly low figure of 21.55 per thousand, and it follows, of course, that about 1933. when the boys bom in 1919 begin to leave school, there will be 3000 or 4.000 less boys than usual looking for work. The census of 1916 showed us with 51,020 hoys between the ages of 15 and 21. a decreaso of 2033 as compared with the previous census of 1911. In 190G the number in the group was 53,360, and in 1801 51,015. This means that while the total population increased in Hie fifteen years 1901-1918 by 326,000, tho number of lads in the ago group 15-21 years increased by only 015. In other words, while in 1901 the males in the age-group represented 13.21 per cent, of the population in 1916 they represented only 9.78 per cent. These facts are just one more argument for special relief to parents. This country's prime need is population. The best immigrant we can have is the baby. Away back in tho 'eighties, with a population less than half of what it is to-day, there was an annual crop of 18,000 to 19,000 babies. Last year tho number of births was only 21180. With an insignificant birth-rate, an inconsiderable immigration, and Labour revolutionists endeavouring to strangle production, ,one needs to be an optimist indeed to forecast a future of rapid growth and increasing prosperity for tho Dominion.

In choosing a Director of Education the first and last consideration should be to get tho best possible man for the position. If two candidates are bo nearly equal in merit that there is practically nothing to choose between them, the local knowledgo of the New Zealand man should be the deciding factor. To 6ay that a first-c'.nss man from outside should bo oossjd over and a second-rate man appointed because he is a New Zealander is folly. To confine applications to men with educational experience in New Zealand is still more unwise. This country has not yet reached the stage when it is.wise—if ever it is—to nail up the motto' "New Zealanders only need apply." In tho debate in Parliament on Friday we were told through our neglect in eiK.ouraging the local man the Dominion had lost some of its most brilliant sons,' and tho case- of Professor Sir Ernest Rutherford was quoted. Perhaps wo might by some means have succeeded in preventing Sir Ernest Rutherford from seeking (Hie larger fields for his genius abroad, but what would have been New Zealand's gain would have been the world's loss. It would have been quito impossible for us to have riven him the scope necessary for his rife to his present eminence. In education and 6cienao ii littlo community of a million people cannot afford to practise a policy of isolation. AVo must profit from what is being learned abroad. Whatever else is done in education) in tho future wo hopo some permanent system of travelling scholarships for our most promising lynchers will be inaugurated. * * * * It now appears that Mr. George Lansbiiry, oditor of tho London "Daily Herald," lias had remarkably good grounds for his rose-tinted views of Bolshevism 'as a short-out to tho millennium. In Shakespeare's day ; a world of yilo ill-favoured

faults could bo made to look handsome on three hundred pounds u year. Tho "Daily Ilerald" has ,£73,000 worth of virtues to see in the Russian Socialist liepublic. Last month were published a number of Russian wireless cypher messages decyphered by (lie Admiralty. They wore exchanged in February and March and later months of this vcar and discussed the question of how'much niouey should be given, to Mr. Lansbury for tho "Daily Herald." In a detailed reply the '"Ilerald" stated llhat "no money or newsprint was ever received from the Bolshevik or auy other Government." In tho same message, published in The Dominion of August 22, it was stated: "Mr. Lansbury says tho Bolsheviks never offered him a money subsidy." This is positive enough. But why did ho suppress r3io very material fact that in 1919 a director of tho "Horald" was given .£75,000 by the Bolsheviks? In Friday's cable message we were told: "The 'Herald' announces that Mr. Francis 3¥feynell, its director, received .£75,000 from the Bolsheviks during his visit to Russia- in 1919, and still holds it." Unless its readers approve of the acceptance of this money tho "Herald" says it will have to double its price. Our local parlour Bolsheviks will have to wash-out the "Daily Herald" as an impartial source of information as to tho state of Russia. Its reasons for seeing virtues in Leninism are solid enough, but too peculiarly personal for goneral acceptance.

» * * * A booklet containing'a full report of the lug meeting of Poverty Bay farmers held to discuss tho Meat Trust question has been sent us for review. The meeting is described as the largest and most representative evor held in Gisborne, and as was telegraphed at the time a motion was carried by a large majority to the effect that it would be detrimental to the interests of fanners to issue an export license to any of tho American trusts or like enterprises. The discussion, as reported, suggests that tho farmere present gave both 'sides a fair hearing, and the whole question wjw thrashed out dispassionately enough, but when it came to. voting there was no doubt whatever as to how the weight of opinion went. As ono speaker remarked: "If the trusts had not given the Americans a fair deal they would not give New Zealand a fair deal," and this is the view most of those present appear to have held. The idea held by some people, that by allowing the trusts to come to New Zealand to trade they were securing more compotition was well answered by another speaker at tho meeting. "The exact opposite is the case," this speaker pointed cut, "for all trusts are bnsed on their power to kill competition." This may bo a little sweeping, but tho fact remains that tho main purpose of theso large combines is to eliminate competition in ono way or another, secure control of the market, and then fix their own prices. The farmer, in considering this matter, wants to look aliead. He has the experience of the farmer in tho home of the trusts to guide him, and he would be foolish indeed to shut his eyes to what haa happened there

* # * # The situation in Italy when Signor Giolitti took up the reins in June was bad, and it has been steadily growing worso. It was remarked by "The.Times," in, discussing Signor Giolitti's return to office, that the indefinite scries of strikes of all kinds upcu political grounds and of outbreaks of "direct action" unquestionably pointed to the existence of something like latent Bolshevism over wide areas. Tho various incidents up to that timo reported might bo regarded as straws only, but then and since they liavo all pointed in the one direction, and show how the wind is blowing. In the intervening threo months the wind has sat in the same dangerous quarter, and has steadily increased in force. Twenty years ago Signor Giolitti averted a similar catastrophe to that which now threatens by the expedient of corrupting and demoralising . tho Socialist Party. The Socialist Party of to-day is a different body and will not be conjured off with similar unscrupulous spells. Italian industry has been hit exceptionally hard by the pest-war conditions. Her manufactures are a hot-house growth artificially fostered by successive statesmen who have refused to admit tliat the absence of coal or raw materials on the spot constitutes more than a trifling disadvantage in turning tho people from agriculture to industry. Agriculture is, and must remain, Italy's mainstay, and if Che present difficulties of her manufacturing industries lead to their collapse, it may benefit her in the end by concentrating attention on the enormous possibilities of development of her real wealth.