NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 19, 17 October 1942, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS

in the course of his speech in the uo-eoulidence debate in Farliamen. the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, mentioned in connexion with the assump lion by the Government of the control of the Waikato mines that the owners had agreed with the proposed regulations on every point except 01)t —tby clause providing that tlie Minister of Mines as chairman of tlie board of control should have a casting vote. Tlie owners’ objection is quite understandable, The clause in question capped the whole set-up of tlie board’s constitution, which, as framed, gave it a distinct savour of Ministerial control. The owners were given four representatives on tile board, to be selected from a panel by 'the Minister himself; the workers, tw. representatives, also selected by‘the Minister from a panel: a seventh member, was to be appointed by the Minister himself. On top of this tin? Minister was given a casting vote as well as a deliberative vote, thus emphasizing tlie Ministerial colour of the new regime and constitutin: perfectly reasonable grounds for the objection raised by the mine-owners

'Fhe fine of £lO and costs imposed upon a member of a Wellingtm E.P.S. wardens’ group who failed to attend a compulsory parade should serve to impress upon all members of the service the’duty they owe the community, and the power which exists to punish slackness. For the most part, civil defence personnel have proved themselves keen and con scientious. but—as is inevitable ill any compulsory organization—the service has its minority of reluctant persons, who prefer to leave duly to the other fellow. At a time like the present, when the task of civil defence organizations is to maintain preparedness, notwithstanding a certain monotony of training and waiting, apathy and slackness even among the few constitute a serious handicap. Even though a slacker may he little loss to his group, he can become a bad example to others. Most men who let parades go by default do so thoughtlessly rather than deliberately. But this does not excuse them. Today the citizen awes it to himself and to his country to think, and think well. The casual attitude of the individual toward personal responsibilities has been, in the aggregate, one of the greatest weaknesses of, and dangers to, democracy. Those who by their actions, or inactions, help io prolong that weakness are doing their country harm. There should bo no hesitation in making tin example of them.