PUBLIC OPINION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2569, 2 August 1909, Page 7

PUBLIC OPINION.

THE DIGNITY OF WORK

The fact that wo live in an age of new ideals is one that is forced on -our attention from time to time; sometimes by a very great event, hut more often by the small, though .perhaps to us more important, happenings of every-day life. This is time of many things, but perhaps most true -of ah in relation to social and industrial questions. In some respects, perhaps in 'many, our ideals have altered for the better. The old idea which as--sumed that the employer of labor was to be considered not only first, but first, last, arid every time, while the worker was to ; ‘he :got as cheaply as possible, has practically passed away, at least in English-speaking countries. In its place, however, we find somewhat vague ideas on the relations of those who employ and those who are employed, but with the ordinary result of a revulsion of feeling* leading more or Jess directly to the' conclusion that those who work should take the place once occupied by those who employed and paid them. If the old question was how little wages could secure the services of the workers, and how long the workers could be induced to work in a day I>3’ the fear that somebody else woukl take their place, the new one has a tendency te become how large an amount of wages can be extracted from the employer, and how little can be offered, either by time or labor, in ex•ehauge.—“New Zealand Herald.”

NEW ZEALAND’S DREADNOUGHT. “Nine-tenths of the people of New Zealand” are very firmly convinced by now that Sir Joseph Ward could have produced equally good results without doing the thing unconstitutionally, and really even the moral dividend in the twilight of the chapter seems rather small, in any event. “A great spirit of Patriotism” has not been created. There cannot be degrees of patriotism, positive, comparative, and superlative patriots. We have yet to see whether the offer has created the one thing requiring to be created, namely, a spirit of resolution and a readiness for real self-sacrifice.—“ Dominion.”

GAS COMPANY AND COUNCIL. Who .believes that if the matter were submitted to Parliament to deal with •do novo such a right as that in question would be given to the Gas Comuiiii- against the City Council’s consent and without compensation? This is a plain issue, entirely distinct from the Melrose gas question, with which the managing director of the Gas Company complains that the City Council ill as tangled it up. —"Evening Post.” MAORI LANDLORDRY.

Instead of perpetual Maori land.lordry there might be a terminable Maori lease under which the Native owners would draw rent for a. period of years, while the European occupant would have the right to gradually reduce the Native interest and ultimately to extinguish it. This system would give the Maori owners a generation or two in which to learn how to work themselves, and would prevent them from becoming the idle parasites upon pakeha industry which some of their leaders are trying to make them.— “New Zealand Herald.” WATER-POWER"REGULATIONS, The main point, however, about these regulations is.that they are designed to do two things—(l) ensure the definite carrying out of legitimate work, and (2) to .prevent concession mongers getting possession of rivers and hawking them round for sale to their own great profit. If the regulations do this they are justified. There may be cases where they will place obstacles in the way of desirable enterprise. Experience and the production of definite information about these instances will show the extent to which variation should be countenanced. No one can but wish to see the matter administered, with perfect fairness, but there are two sides to such questions as this, and the interests of the State -are not to bo overlooked when contemplating the relative claims of public and private interests. —“New Zealand Times.” THE JAWBONE OF AN ASS. Wo may not want hack the legislators of the olden days, but, by comparison with the present Houses, they were giants in the, political arena. It is not a. question of whether a man is a Radical or a Liberal, but is he a wise and careful man. There has been neither wisdom nor carefulness in the administration of the affairs of the colony. The late Government and friends of the Government have stuffed the State service with unnecessary men, whose services they are now compelled to dispense with, making still worse conditions that arc had enough. If there is & Mr Wilson about he could appropriately “table” the jawbone of an ass in the Legislative Assembly’ of New Zealand, if not as an evidence of our faculty for making a mess of things, at least as a sort of heraldic design for the Dominion’s next armorial bearings.—“ North Otago Times.” IN SCHOOLS. The fact is that the tendency.of the clergy to enter the political lists has weakened their authority in a sphere in which in former years they held undisputed sway. In some respects the influence they have exerted in the economic and political arenas has been for the public benefit, but the tactics of the generals of the church militant have not always recommended themselves to the good sense of an educated democracy. The element of controversial bitterness has created inevitable resentment! It is this factor which has been largely instrumental in preventing a modus vivendi in regard to the Bible-in-schools question. This issue may for the present be regarded as quite outside the range of practicability.—Wellington “Times.” THE LEGALISED BOOKMAKER. tt It was foolishly agreed by Parliament that the men should be allowed to ply their calling on the open turf, but thev hpvtf found dark corners for their work. The bookmakers may, of course, continue even if the Govern, ment’s broom ds brought out against them, but the point now is, that they , are helped in their work by the State’s 4 attitude towards them. The licensing of bookmakers has received a trial, and ft has been a failure. Parliament’s duty, therefore, clearly lies in, setting an official bar sinister on 1 the escutcheon of the bookmaker. —“Evening Post.”