OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 136, 19 June 1901, Page 4

OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.

Mr Scddon, fortunately, is a clearheaded, practical man; befools his followers to the top of their bent, but proceeds no further.—Dunedin Star. The rival kings—Scddon and Mahuta—have had their diplomatic engagement, and, as might have been expected,- the Premier managed to assert himself again. —Thames Advertiser. Indications point to the occurrence of several storms in Parliament as soon as tho session opens, which not even the soothing effects of last year’s 1140 bribe will avail in averting.—Gore Ensign. The Hon. James Carroll has friends everywhere, but he has a regular panegyrist up in Auckland. This individual has rushed into print with a encomium which will cause tho Native Minister to blush vividly.—Free Lance. Tho Nelson City Council is averse to spending any money on an arch in AVcllington, considering it would be an absolute waste of money. Titles are not expected Nelson way, that is quite evident. —Pahiatua Herald. Local government in New Zealand was once strong and vigorous ; but it has been so “ cribbed, cabined, and confined ” by its task-master, the Government, that it scarcely retains a shred of independence. —Masterton Times. Tho Marlborough public is a particularly hard one to wake up. It has slept so long and so soundly as to require something akin to an earthquake to rouse it into action. The Fat Boy in “ Pickwick ” is its prototype.—Pieton Press. The Trades Unions have had a very good innings : it is time that Parliament devoted greater attention to matters affecting the welfare of the farmers, and, amongst other things, embarked on a modified freetrade policy.—lnglewood Record.

We believe, ourselves, that before long live thousand farmers in Now Zealand,

enrolled in “ The New Zealand Farmers’ Union,” will speak to the Government in a way that our rulers are, as yet, unaccustomed to.—Mastertcn Times.

All this display, all this arch building, and illuminations, and address-giving, and all flummery of whatever kind is a wicked and wanton waste of public money and time, and a servile bending of the back quite unworthy of the democracy of a free country.—Dunedin. Liberal. About three-fourths of this settlement will proceed to Auckland to view His Itoyal Highness, and, as the remaining fourth will go to Rotorua, the township will probably be ticketed “To Let.”— Opotiki Herald. The Government is infusing a spirit of militarism into the native race of New Zealand which is calculated to be productive of much injury. The Maori is not too fond of work at any time, but put him in khaki and he will not work at all. His chief occupation is dawdling, and drilling and drinking.—Masterton Times. New Zealand will, in duo course, evolve the Trust, and follow the example of America ; indeed, one Trust is already launched in this land. Combinations of capital naturally follow in the wake of combinations of labour.—Masterton Times.

Arbritation and conciliation are flue sounding terms, but whatever may bo said in favour of the principles they represent there can be no doubt that the practical application of those principles to the settlement of labour troubles in New Zealand has resulted in an abnormally large crop of unheard of disputes, —Wanganui Chronicle. It would be much better to try criminal cases before two judges trained to such work, as it would be a less costly and more satisfactory procedure than that of' the jury system, which is recognised by all thinking people as a cumbrous and expensive system, by which frequent miscarriages of justice occur.—AVanganui Yeoman.

It has been pointed out to the Teachers’ Salaries Commission that they should deal honestly with the women teachers. There is no more cruel injustice to all New Zealand than the assessment of women’s work at a lower value than that of men, and we trust that in this particular comiection the anomaly will no longer bo permitted to exist.—Thames Advertiser.