TOPICS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 136, 5 December 1929, Page 8

TOPICS OF THE DAY

Specifics to deal with cancer and tuberculosis arc being very much discussed, but no one is pushing any specific remedy for poli-paralysis, which may be described as the cancer of nationalised industry and the scourge of State Socialism generally. As its name implies, it is v disease resulting from political control of commercial businesses which, in order to enjoy continued health, should be of a robust and active rather than of a passive character. In any country where there are sundry samples of public ownership of trading undertakings the disease may be observed in all its stages. It begins with a slight lethargy, and a barely noticeable inclination to sedentary habits. If the atmosphere continues to be unaffected by electrical disturbances, a condition gradually develops akin to sleeping sickness. Unless a change happens—such as a rapid change of air, the more rapid the better—the sickness intensifies, and may even develop into general paralysis, hence the hyphenated name, which links up cause and effect. A complete study of the disorder may be found in many economic text-books, but not under the designation given. In its peculiar application to the New Zealand State Railways, poli-paralysis • was discussed in yesterday's issue. It is clear that the progress of the disease has been arrested in the body and trunk of that great undertaking, but the upper cranium is still badly politicalised, and this hinders any surgical treatment of the withered limbs. Poliparalysis is always hardest to cure at the top. For another disease they are now recommending kerosene, but the final treatment of poli-paralysis will apparently require nothing less than gelignite.

In his reply to Mr. Johnston regarding Post Office Savings Bank business, the Labour candidate (Mr. Nash) emphasised the point which we made in commenting on Mr. Johnston's statement. Mr. Nash said that the Savings Bank had provided the Government with £50,000,000 of money, and he condemned the Reform Government for allowing money to be diverted from the Savings Bank to the private banks. Incidentally, Mr. Nash was incorrect in suggesting that the Government reduction of deposit limits had caused the money to be diverted. Withdrawals exceeded deposits for years before the Government made the reduction, and the great bulk 'of deposits had left the Savings Bank before the limit was reduced. When the reduction was finally made it was, as the Finance Minister stated, to prevent any similar situation arising again. An institution like the Savings Bank cannot afford to run the risk of withdrawals exceeding deposits by almost £3,000,000 in a year. The Government faced this position once, and it did not wish to face it again. But Labour, with big spending schemes and great need for money, is liable to overlook stability factors and to take great risks with the thrift institution in order to obtain ,the money it requires. The Post Office Savings Bank must be regarded primarily as a safe place for the product of thrift, not, as Labour regards it, as an easy means of furnishing the Government with loan funds.

In the long line of soldiers, sailors, and politicians who have held gubernatorial posts in the British Empire have been found, and may still be found, many able men—men whose vision is not limited to barrackrooms, nor to ships, nor to lobbies. But the time may have come when other callings should be called on to contribute their share to the work of governorship, hence the plea of Sir Richard Gregory for Governors who are scientists. On the increasing application of the scientific idea to life and work, a general argument for the proposal may easily be found. But there are scientists and scientist. There is the single-track scientist who has devoted his whole life to the study of one set of technical subjects, and not to the study and handling of people; and there is the scientist who has delighted to read deeply in the book of human nature as well as in abstractions. A business scientist, and nowadays there are many such, has special opportunity to study men as well as things, and from such material good Governors and Governors-General could be made. But the intolerance that exact science sometimes feels for inexact politics is a pitfall to be avoided. Political humbug has to be taken more seriously by a Governor-General than by anyone else in his Dominion; and a governing scientist, if he aspires to be a scientific Governor, must sometimes repress his desire for concrete truth. After all, there is something of science in the record of New Zealand's Glamor-General desig-

nale, but his is a practical science that seems to lit in with New Zealand's primary production like hand in glove. Penetration by deer of the Southern Sounds country, on ihc western side of the main divide, was commented on by Mr. A. L. Hunt in yesterday's issue. He says that on earlier trips deer were noticeable on the eastern and not on the western side, but they are now in charge right down to the coast: Tho astonishing nart of it is that tho deer aro now found in suck great numbers in this, the most inaccessible part of New Zealand, and it is evident that no bush anywhero can now be considered safo from their depredations. We do not know the dale at which deer were first introduced in that part of New Zealand, but have an idea that it is comparatively recent; if so, the spread is the more remarkable, and apparently has been even more rapid than in this district. Deer were on the Tararuas a good many years ago, but fishermen who have fished the Akalarawa for many years had the unique experience of seeing a herd of four deer calmly surveying their operations from the nearest foothill on the opening day of tho trout season. Twenty-five to thirty years ago sportsmen used to speak hopefully but not too confidently of stocking the Tararuas, and some of the old reports of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society proceedings would make interesting reading. Now they have succeeded only too well. Even Mount Marchant, which may be called Wellington's back door, is reported on good authority to be in some parts eaten out. * * * Mention of the possible utilisation of scientists as Governors or Govern-ors-General recalls the fact that there is some cry in Britain for more scientists on boards of directors. The directorship question is not parallel with the other. Long years ago Governorships ceased to be sops for incompetents, but directorships are still so used. Public discussion of the question in the Old Country has brought to light the following type of advertisement: Gentleman of titlo is offered Directorship in private limited company; no investment required. Stated yearly fees and expenses.—Write Box , But even ruling out such cases where the motive is to secure a title for the directorate, or to similarly abuse directorship, there still remain a great many companies who look for directors in the financier and "commercial man" class only. With these Mr. Cecil H. Desch joins issue when he contends that so long as the technical expert is only a servant, to whom directorship is practically barred, "his views are apt to be discounted by his commercial chiefs* accustomed to look for financial results," and British companies will suffer proportionately in comparison with German and American companies who are prepared to accommodate the expert at the top of the ladder as well as half-way up. . All who have had occasion to visit German works and have been met by a director with a university training in engineering or metallurgy, often a man whoso name is familiar to Btudents of research as an original investigator, must have been impressed by the value of such men as directors (writes Mr. Desch). Actually, experts of this kind sometimes form half of the board. In. Britain it is all too raro to meet a company director who is at the same time a trained technical expert, although striking exceptions will occur to readers, such aa amply justify the extension of the practice.