Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY. MAY 24 1917 NATIONAL SERVICES.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 May 1917, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY. MAY 24 1917 NATIONAL SERVICES.

The artiole by Mr W. J. Butler, contributed to the Westland Chamber of Commerce on “ Commerce as,a Public Service,” and which we were privileged to pnblish yesterday, must have struck all readers as one of great interest. Those who take pleasure in thinking that capital and labor are always at war, one with the other, will, in this instance, find that belief quite unfounded. As a large employer, and representing a firm with large investments in industrial undertakings, Mr Butler can hardly be classed as an opponent of the rights of labor. On the contrary, on this as well as on previous occasions when he has contributed thoughtful articles to the Chamber of Commerce or the pnblio press, he has really championed the rights of the democracy as a whole, and put forward thoughts which, if conditions permitted, their immediate utility would forthwith be to the advantage of labor in particular. In the treatment of commerce in relation to the public servioe, the writer of the artiole puts up a strong plea for the rights of the democracy. It advocates the adoption of what is something akin to a centralisation scheme, whereby waste and over-production and shortages would be avoided under a general co-ordination similar to the great example of unification now being practised so successfully by the Allies. Without that grip and direction on the commercial requirement! of the hour, the Allies would never have been able to get ready for the great task of the war in the time they have. They never coaid have been so far forward as they

are to-day without the splendid oo operation one with the other, to supply one had a surplus, • to draw where one had a shortage. Iq the same way to meet the necessities ol the occasion, standardisation had to be adopted also. Hare w is the greatest regulation of industrial effort, saving time, labor and money, and producing the goods in the shortest time possible. Where private enterprise moved too slow, or where there was conflict or delay as between private ownership and public - utility, the Government at home stepped in and ran the businesses as National services. This happened in regard to rail ways, and over ard over again in regard to munition works, ship-building etc. The war and its aftermath, too, is going to hurry the Empire as well as the wot Id at large into advanced socialism. This need not alarm us nowadays, for we see on all sides examples of the Government, as a parental duty for the national welfare taking up national interests where private enterprise lags or finds the task coo heranlanean. The evolutionary changes enforced by the war are thns going to be a tremendous force for the future, and commerce oannot escape what promise* to be the purifying fires of the occasion. There is little doubt but transport' generally will be largely nationalised. The Commonwealth took this step a year

ago, and it has been of immense advantage to Australia. Here iu New Zealand, dependent npun private enterprise for our shipping, we are experiencing a great shortage, and are threatened with a national disaster by the loss of export products whiohif they ciuld be got to market would bring the highest prio?s, but which forced to be left here become a glut on the market, and hamper future production. At the moment there is nothing more critical facing this Dominion than the lack of shipping facilities. It has been an ever present trouble since the outbreak of war, but it is more intense now than ever, and just as for oar wheat, flour aod bread we are dependent upon outsiders, so are we dependent for our tonnage on other places. A le&son is being dearly learned, and it is one of the prices we have to pay for the war, and Nsw Zealand will be lucky if it escapes a national disaster in this respect just now. This impressive experience gives special point to the argument for State control affecting all public services to which Mr Butler refers. In this way we gat to the bedrock of eoonomie3 affecting the national wellbeing: Mr Butler handles the latest failure of State control in regard to the coal mines very nta ly, and altogether appropriately. He is equally pointed in his reference to the administration of justice, our bulwatk of national freedom. -The avo’dance of political influence, whether of class or party, is the cute of the evils he refers to, and under the care of a national board founded and administer-, ed by independent men such as those who mete oat justice according to the law of the land, the success of State control in the national interests will be beyond question. This will be one of the large issues after the war when tbs abnormal is past, and in normal times we Beak to attain the greatest good for the greatest number.

The Military Appeal-Board sits at Hokitika to-m.rrow morning at 10 o’clock

Edward Smith, the unfortunate victim of the shooting accident near Greymouth on Sunday, died at the hospital on Tuesday night.

The Maori ha 3 resumed her running in the We’liugton Lyttelton Ferry Service, and will leave Lyttelton as usual on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, the Mararoi dropping bick to her old running days.

To-day was Empire Day, but was not observed as a holiday, the official recognition thereof being merged into June 4th when the King’s Birthday will be observed as a holiday. It is 24 years today since the Greymouth-Holiitika rail, way was opened.

At the Princess Theatre last evening Pollard’s Pictures, a change of the announced programme, the star being a story of the American civil war of decided interest. There was a very interesting war special, and some clever comedy in a well selected programme. The Overseas Orchestra will practice this evening at the Princess Theatre, commencing at 8 o’clock punctually. A full attendance is desired for the purpose oE seiecling a date for the orchestral concert it is proposed to give shortly.

A letter received in Christchurch recently states that the following prices are being paid by a family in Lancashire, England:—Butter 2s 4d lb, bacon 2s lb: sugar 61b, steak Is 10* lb, and no meat whatever under Is 3d to Is 6d, currants Is lb, plain biscuits Is 6d lb, eggs 3s 6d a’ dozen. No potatoes can be obtained. There are four members in the family, and they are allowed only 21b of sugar each..week.

The next send-off to recruits for Trent - ham will take place at the Town Hall on Wednesday next at 8 o’clock. About 60 men are going from the Coast on the occasion, and of that number 16 will hail from Westland. The arrangements for the send-off will be in the hands of +he Overseas Club, which will organise the usual patriotic entertainment, inter, spersed with short addresses by our pub. lie men.

St. Mary’s euchre tournament held last evening proved a huge success. Eighty-four players sat to compete f#r the valuable prizes donated by Mrs T. Heenan and Mr. W. Prichard. Mrs Stark carried off the first prize. After a keen play-off between six ladies for second prize, Miys M. O’Connor proved the winner. The successful gents were Messrs J. Freitas and E. Taylor (Chch.) The Rev. Father Clancy in presenting the prizes, announced that there would be no euchre tournament on Wednesday next, but instead the ladies of St. Marys* would hold a social evening on Thursday. The hall was then cleared, and a very pleasant hour was spent in dancing. The music was kindly supplied by Miss paly, Mrs Richardson and Mrs Bennett. Mr. T. Heenan officiated a* M.O.

“What is your occupation?” asked counsel of a judgment debtor in the Magistrate’s Courfc at Wellington. “Barman,” was the reply! “How much do you earn a week?”— “£2 55.” “But you also get keep at the hotel?”— “No; only my meals.” “Are you married?”—“Yes.” “Any children?”— “Yes, two. One two years and one four years. I have to pay £1 2s 6d a week for a single room for the family. That’s all I can get in Wellington.” Still counsel persevered. “Have you any money in the savings bank?” ho asked. The reply was in the affirmative, and counsel actually looked hopeful. “How much?”—“Five and sixpence!” Counsel sat down in a hurry, and the Magistrate rapped out. “No order!”

The Christchurch “ Evening News” in announcing the intention to suspend publicatLn, stated on Saturday—‘’The main reason tor this step, which has been taken after due deliberation and with a good deal of regret is the inereasing difficulty of securing supplies of printing paper,, which is now more acu'e than ever. Not onlv has the price more than doubled, but with the requisitioning of th. 9 corgo steamers trading between Canada and New Zealand, almost our only available source of supply will be cut off,”

One only and only one pure spirit— WOLFE’S SCHNAPPS.

Ah Moy, an old Chinese gold-digger whose home is near Mosquito Creek, about 17 miles from Greymouth, has been missing for about a fortnight. Hb was seen last Tuesday fortnight taking a track known as the Irishman’s Track. The' district has been closely searched bat so far no trace his been found of the missing man D. Q O’Brien, with the New Zealand Tn-'t-ielling Corps on the western front, has sent to the Mayor of Westport (Mr Arthur Leaver) the stock ends of three shells —a German 75, a Brithh 13-pdr., end a French 77 made into ink-wells and per-holders. They are interesting souvenire of the war. The Mayer proposes to present one to tba Borough Council, one to the library, and to retain the third for himself. At Ross yesterday Messrs W. Jeffries and Co disposed of by auction on behalf of the Mont D or Gold Mining Coy Ld,, 94 acres lr. 23p. of freehold at Ross. The bidding was keen and the block realised £6 10/ per acre. The three acre section known as Porter’s, realised £lO 10/ per acre. Tho tools also brought satisfactory prices, Hodgson’s freehold was passed in at £4 10/ per acre, not realising the vendor's reserve. Mr W. Wieblitz, of Woodstock, offers for sale one-tenth share in the sluicing claim at Seddon Terrace known as “ The Jerk” and water rights. Also a five roomed cottage at Woodstock. Dr Monson, who has beeu engaged m the Mesopotamia campaign and who recently himself was in hospital, is leaving on return to New Zealand t.i. Saturday. In respect to the West Coast-North Island service via Christchurch, the Westland Chamber of Commerce has despatched the following telegram to the Union Steam Shipping Coy, Dunedin : "View resumption running Maori and generally return normal 'conditions respectfully ask in accordance with promise, your telegram 23 April, that on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays steamer’* departure Lyttelton to Wellington be delayed, enable West Coist through passengers and mails connect with ferry boat.” When the Westland Chamber communicated with the Com* pany a month ago on this subject the managemem promised to consider favorably the return to former conditions as soon as trade transit returned to normal. As this now vrevails, it is hopei the through connection will be asain established with as littlefb^gßy^sdil"^^

and colds doctors recom** mend WOLFE.'S SCHNAPPS. For Chronie Chest Complaints Woods Great Peppermint Cure. 1/6, 2/6 The cable news.iu this issue aj sredited to the “ Times ” has appear* ed journal, but only where expressly stated is such news the editorial opinion of the "Times.” For Children s Hacking Cough at night Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure. 1/6, 2/6. John Parkhill was somewha* shy at first about "No Rubbing” Laundry Help, but now ho is one of its staunches supporters and sells a lot of it at the low prioe of 1/ per packet with Thinker Note Book given free.