NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 122, 16 February 1921, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY

Unless tho earnings of the State railways expand remarkably in. the last quarter of the current financial year, tho completed accounts to March 31. next will probably disclose a yield of net revenue insufficient to pay interest on the capital cost of tho undertaking. The financial returns for the period of 40 weeks to January 8 (published in our news columns last week) afford the following comparison of the current year with 1919-20: —

RAILWAY WORKING, APR. 1 TO JAN. 8. 1919-20. 1920-21. .£ £, Revenue 4,118,878 5,110,315 Expenditure ... 2,997,581 4,175,862

Net revenue 1,121,297 934,453 The table shows that although revenue for the period of 40 weeks increased by nearly a million as compared with 1919-20, the accompanying increase in expenditure is so much heavier that the surplus of net revenue is substantially reduced. This position is largely accounted for by wage-increases and the high cost of coal. It should be noted that increased rates, imposed on August 26 last year, were in force for approximately one-half of the period of 10 weeks. In the period since they were imposed, the new rates seem to hare increased the surplus of net revenue on an average by approximately „£10,0i)0 per week. Assumirffc that this increase is maintained to the end of March, the total of net revenue for the year will still be substantially less than it was in the preceding year. It seems hardly possible that the percentage of net revenue to -capital invested for the current: financial year can exceed four per cent, as compared with 4.53 per cent, in 1919-20.

YVollingfon seems to he threatened with the possibility of a Labour Mayor of the extremist variety, in the person of Mr. P. Hickey. This gentleman, who came into prominence some years ago chiefly on account of an emphatic pronouncement on the subject of agreements, at present is the guiding spirit of the LabourSocialist newspaper in Wellington. This organ of extreme* views and Bolshevik sympathies may not truly represent Mr. Hickey's own opinions and sympathies, but thp Labour candidate for the Mayoralty would hardly be flattered if he were classed as one of the “moderates” of the Labour movement. 'As a matter of fact, Mr. Hickey’s prospects of success in the Mayoral campaign would amount to nothing Kt: all but for the vote-splitting which seems likely to occur through the number of candidates now offering. It was hoped that n business man of outstanding capacity and financial experience would be induced to contest the Mayoralty on the present occasion, the idea Iteing that the financial problems ahead of the city for the next year or two will make a special demand on the judgment and business capacity of our civic authorities. As it happens, three City Councillors—Messrs. M'Kenzie, Norwood, and At light have been requested by friends and supporters .to contest the Mayoral office, and with the prospect of ill three going to the poll and dividing up the votes of those electors who do not favour the Official Labour nominee, that gentleman may slip in on a minority vote. At any time this would not be a pleasant outlook for the city, but in the. circumstances which exist to-day it is a very disturbing possibility. The obvious .thing to do° is for the supporters of the three couu'-.iltor candidates to come together and to choose tho strongest of the three to contest the Mayoralty with the official Labour candidate.

Although the Act of last session under which small suburban shops are required to close at 6 p.m. passed unopposed through Parliament, this does not necessarily mean that it was enthusiastically approved, or even that its effect was realised. A sleepy House or Council has time and again allowed legislation of unsuspected possibilities io pass without comment. Whatever opinion may be 'held regarding its merits, it is now quite clear that the Act in question was not given the consideration it ought to have received before being passed. At the same time it is rat'her unlikely that the measure can be satisfactorily reviewed during vhe forthcoming short session. The questions involved me somewhat complex. Most of the small shopkeepers concerned rely largely upon tv special class of trade which is normally conducted at other hours than those observed in the principal shopping streets of towns and cities. Some of them could better afford to close during a great part of the day than at the early evening hour now enforced. Main street shopkeepers may contend, on the other hand, that the small suburban shops, before the present Act came into force, competed with them under unfair conditions. The nuv.'ter will hardly be adjusted satisfactorily until a Parliamentary Committee has taken evidence on both sides, and this very possibly means that the

adjustment will be delayed until Parliament meets to deal with ordinary business in t'he latter part of the year.

Counsel for one of the men charged as bookmakers in the Supreme Court on Wednesday suggested that the jury mighp by way of rider, express its view of i'he methods adopted by the police in securing evidence in the case. Our condensed summary of the remarks of Mr. Myers, tho counsel in question, on this point made it appear that he was suggesting that the jury might express their view as to the law, which of course is quite a different matter. However. t'he presiding Judge held that counsel had no right to ask the jury to do anything but give its verdict. There is a tendency at times to belittle the difficulties which confront the police in the suppression of what is known ns “the gaming evil.” They are expected to put a stop to bookmaking, but when they seek to trap tlhoso suspected of breaking the law, there are people over-ready to take exception to the only means they have of securing evidence—that is by making boils themselves or arranging to 'have bets made with the supposed bookmakers. The procedure to which Mr. Myers took exception, however, was of a somewhat different nature. It was the use by the police of a man against whom they are supposed to have had evidence which might 'have made him liable under the law for making bets with an alleged bookmaker. This man appears to have been persuaded to assist the police in order io minimise his own offence or to save himself from prosecution. It is not a popular role to appear in, and clever counsel can usually manage lb give a twist to practices of this kind which places those concerned in an un favourable light. ■ Such methods, however, are legitimate enough, provided the police do not abuse their powers; and chore appears to be no evidence that they did so in this case.