Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star SATURDAY, JANUARY 24th, 1920 THE WEEK.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 January 1920, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star SATURDAY, JANUARY 24th, 1920 THE WEEK.

The Russian situation is complex as ever, but there are evidences a,t last f!' legitimate effort to retrieve the position ip -that most distressed of countries. The lifting of the blockade, and the opening of trading relations suggest the peaceful means pf penetration Mentioned yesterday. Since . : then has coine of the great naval strength the Allies wjlj gather in the Black Sea, That quarter i? considered the Ip-Lck dflpr entrance to Russia; also it constitutes fhn southern 1 boundary limits of European Russia, as affecting Asia Minor, which is the (buffer territory saving India from Russian aggression. In the light of the military situation, tlie Black Sea. move can be well understood. It is a safeguard. If the trading relations miscarry through any want of faith on thp part of the Russians, there will be a very strong naval force available as a corrective. If tlie reactionaries of Russia are determined to invade Asia Minor, and carry -their propaganda, into Asiatic territory, there will be a force to oppose so unfriendly an .apt. The situation is fraught with much anxiety, and it is well for the Allies to be organised on safe lines. Opinions are divided among .those who have been in Russia lately as to the good faith of the Soviet Government in regard to (he proposed trade;.but food is so urgently required, that tlie responsible authorities are prepared to take a risk, but in doing so they safeguard the military situation by having a force at call at the back ffoor as a corrective in the event of any double dealing.

Newfoundland is contemplating .the possibility of doing for itself what most of us would sometimes like to do for Westland, that is, effect a change in the climate. But, tinlike Westland,. ■Britain’s oldest colony seems to think hopefully of its chance of success. All that it has to do, according to an engineer, is to divert into the Atlantic ijhfl cold Labrador current that now ■flow?! through the 'Straits of Belle Isle, between the ts>Jajid and the mainland. This could be done, i f> is claimed, iby building a. dam across the straits. It would cost an immense sum to do this, but the results, it is argued, would justify the expenditure, particufarly as not only Newfoundland, but the maritime provinces of Canada and the

Northern Atlantic States of America also would be benefited. The Labrador current, which comes straight off the ice of the Arctic CqeaWs the means of keeping tlio Gulf Stream away from the coasts mentioned, and it is believed that if the Belle Isle dam were built, the Gulf Stream would move in towards the continent, and flowing into the Gulf of St Lawrence, would warm the surrounding coasts, keep the St Lawrence river ports, now ice-hound jn winter, open nil the year round, and make Montreal one of the great trade ports of the world, besides, by the improvement effected in the climate, increasing Very largely the productiveness of eastern Cbnoda. There is probably another side of the question, (but it is not stressed by tho engineer whose opinion wo have quoted. In our own ease, we have the Southern Alps controlling our weather conditions largely, find the engineer has not arrived yet, however great his faith may be, who could d.cyiso a reasonable scheme to remove the snow-capped mountains. For that reason our climatic conditions must bo taken ns they are, and onduyed with the best grace possible. Mr Massey is hastening slowly with his Cabinet making. The party demands are probably more exacting than they appear to tho onlooker, and tlie Prime

Minister is doubtless finding some diffi- 1 culty in meeting all the demands made j upon him. The Premier needs some robust colleagues for tlie large porix j folios lie has to fulfil. Defence and | Public Works are the two main vacancies, but they call for special selection. It is assumed of course, that Mr Massey will take Finance permanently, but if he could put his band on a suitable colleague for that responsible portfolio it would leave the Premier freer to attend to the difficult work of general administration ahead. Auckland is looking for a larger share in Cabinetwork, and it is not unlikely that the Minister of Public Works will come from that end. The Auckland press has been complaining that the North Island has not been getting its “share” of the public expenditure, and the fullest pressure will be put upon the Premier to take a step favourable to the territory whence he draws his greatest strength. This is “spoils to the victors” unashamed, but there is not any false pride about Auckland in this matter judging by the way it proclaims its wants in season and out of season. Incidentally it might be mentioned that Auckland is very much averse to the Otira tunnel works, so that an appointee to the Public Works Department from the Auckland province is not to be regarded with any great favor by the South Island generally.

For Minister of Defence, the Government might make a selection from the returned soldiers elected to Parliament, and in this connection the name of Colonel Mitchell has been suggested. Colonel Mitchell was not a pronounced Reformer. He was elected as an Independent, and in that condition of mind regarding party politics, he should make an ideal Minister of Defence whose task for the immediate present will be to wind up matters arising out of the war. As one who served and knows service conditions, he should be possessed of a fund of information and knowledge which should be worth a lot of money to the country in the washing-up process. On the face of it, an appointment of this kind should bo eminently satisfactory. As regards Public Works, there is so much ahead of the Dominion in the way of large works for railways, hydro-electrieity, roads and housing, that a Minister of wide experience and outlook is desirable. Mr Massey’s choice of selection is rather limited among his own party, and if he should look beyond into the camp of the Independents, such a man as Mr W. A. Veitch would make probably a most acceptable appointment. Mr Massey is now shouldering Railways and he may have to take Finance when

Sir James Allen retires, which suggests a danger of a one man Ministry. The needs of the country require these matters to be definitely settled, so that administrative work may progress on well settled policy lifj.es, and tlie recasting of the Cabinet should be ba,stent'd and not delayed as at present.

Apßoros of politics, the liberal Party met this week, farewelled its former leader, Sir Joseph Ward, and elected a new chief in the person ' of Hop W. D. S. MacDonald. Sir Josenh Ward was a victim of the party machine operating in its most abhorrent style. This defeat was po vietpry for the winning .side for it will rebound to their discredit for all time. Sir Joseph is now out of politics, and lije will be much missed—liis place will be hard to fill. Especially will he bp missed in regard to the financial dealings of the country. Tn file Najtipnal Ministry lie had a free hand jn linagce, and lie steered tlie country through the frying times of tlie way, ip such a. way as to leave the public finapep at the close of hostilities in a safe and sound condition. Mr MacDonald who succeeds Sir Joseph jp popu. lap }.n these parts, because of his native frankness and outspoken loyalty. He has characteristics which make him very much liked, and he will be a popular leader. He starts off with very few political enemies, and will be well backed by his party. The Liberals will constitute the official Opposition, and 6> each they will be critics mainly. Some of .the Reform press are asking for fhe Liberal policy. That is well known, and in opposition the party may be expected .to act up .to ,their principles—No mor.e nor no less. There is not any question pf turning ,th,e Ministry out, but it will be a matter of pndenvouring to keep Mr Massey to his election pledges, and criticising his Sr- j gislation with a view to making it as satsfactory as possible. If Mr Massey attempts all he promised the Opposition .vyjjl )iave its work cut out to assist in the necessary Revision which will be. required.

At present there is nothing to show (states tlie Auckland “Star”) whether the resolution carried by the majority of the Taupiri miners is genuiny, m,canting that it will be the basis for action. The motion embodied a suggestion to cut adrift from the Alliance of Labour and to have at Huntly just an individual union, with no cords, save, those of Ordinary sympathy to bind them to other jUffV'U.S.- But this rumour has come out. The inesting was orginally called by certain leading men-among the miners, sp it is said, to consider the advisability of tightening up tho “go-j slow,” so that each man would bp earn- .

ing 10s a shift instead of 15s. A communication has been received in Auckland saying that the other motion concerning tho break-away from the Alliance was carried, there being a few dissentients, and those interested with some ability for reading between thp lines, have given it as their opinion that the actual motion carried was really a. surpriso movo against the active agitation element who have so far run things their own way. It has always been understod by observers at tho Waikato collieries that there is a fairly large section of the miners who are at heart opposed to tho practice of diminishing their earnings by slowing up. Tho hint was given out by one who is something of an authority on The coal situation, that jyiy further diminution of the coni output wo,uld quite hke_|y be 1 followed by a. counter-action o’f some sort. It is said that- generally there is much objection among the coal minp workers to tho “go-slow” methods, but that the heads of the unions rule the position. This seems to he the ease at • fwjipiri, and accounts for the desire to break away, and act as a union independently of tlie head instructions. Apparently it would not take a groat deal to make such a rift general, and it ( might bo on this account that the nu- .

thorities are temporising over the matter. There must be some undisclosed reason why the present disastrous condition of affairs is being tolerated so quietly.