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Hokitika Guardian, 19 May 1920, Page 2

Hat’s off to the Hon J. G. Coates! Wo opine that there has been few Cabinet Ministers who have visited the Coast who have made the same friendly impression on the people as the present Minister of Public Works. Mr Coates has a frank, easy way which first attracts, and later as he opens his mind there is a captivating feeling that here is an earnest young man setting about a great task with just the right bent and

In the right spirit. Mr Coates aims at developing a sot policy for the public works administration. It will probably not lit hero and there. Westland, for instance, will not appreciate the details, but from a Dominion point of view there is the germ of sound administration in the intention to fashion and shape a lino of action which will be an ordered scheme of equality based on the importance of the roads and works generally. Tn well settled districts thero will be less to complain of. It will be the back block districts like Westland which will feel the pinch of such a policy at least ( for a time, but even here the situation could be bettered by some elastic provision whereby there will be provided, as 'there was in years gone by, special provision for back block works. With this exceptional proviso, Mr Coates should be ablet to put for-, ward a scheme which will be for the betterment of the Dominion as a whole. The Minister lias an earnest ambition to discharge his duties to the advancement of New Zealand. He has a clear idea of what should be done, and it remains only to work out the details satisfactorily. Mr Coates is one of the most approachable of Ministers. The public men who have met him during bis all too brief stay in Westland are loud in their praises of the new Minister. Mr Massey has an enthusiastic colleague in Mr" Coates, and the reputation of the Reform Party is going to be enhanced by the performance of the task Mr Coates is setting himself. Tn dealing, witn the local deputations he took up a very fair attitude. The Minister -made no rash promises, nor did ho display apparent generosity. Rut lie viewed each question, fairly on its merits, and each request was argued out with the deputation. If the local body put forward its view, the Minister advanced the other side of the- question, and the decision was reached not from the Ministers’ .own point of view, but from weighing the' two sides of the issue fairly. Perhaps what gave most satisfaction of all was the Minister’s, general desire to see works of urgency unshed along where thero were facilities to do so. We know jtliat m tlie past the .Estimates have been loaded and overloaded with money that it is not possible to spend in one, two or even more years. The votes are carried forward indefinitely. Mr Coates appeared desirous that where works were shown to be urgent and the money was voted, ev.eiy effort should be made to carry them out. Mr Coates preached also self-reliance. He does not hold that the local bodies should appeal to the Government all the time for all the money. Where a local body is prepared to help itself by providing part of the funds, ho showed a disposition to assist with a subsidy. He took up a practical attitude on all occasions. Mr Coates is not a man to hold his deputations at arm’s length, but takes them very much into his confidence. The confidence begat confidence and the end was a very cordial understand-' mg in which even a negative reply could he understood and to that extent appreciated. It can be predicted that Mr Coates’ administration will give a greater confidence to the members of local bodies, and the result will be much improved local government all round. For this very substantial rensqn, we repeat, hats off to the Hon. Mr Coates!

Although the British are credited with a national habit of . seif-determination, during the war, at least, they showed less disposition to wash their dirty linen in public than their enemies, jno Englishman, for instance, published in a neutral country such a savage indictment of his own country as Fernau and Flatzko and several other German and

Austrian writers ,including Rudolf .). Kreutz, author of “Captain ZiUner.” This book, which first appeared in Sweden, describes the experiences of an ofli- ® eer in a Viennese regiment on the Gaiician front, and gives an appalling pieture of the demoralisation and disorganij sation which existed in the Austrian army in the eariier months of the war. ’ Of the rank and file only the GerniauAustrians show any resolution, and they are badly led. Czechs and Rutheniaus go over to the Russians in battalions. ( A few of the regimental officers know , their work, but many do not; indeed, , the higher the rank the less the capacity. The staff contains all the shirkers and thrusters ,wlio owe tlieir places to influence and intrigue, aiid run away at the first sound of the guns. Generals hurl cavalry to certain anniliiliation against artillery emplacements, or order impregnable positions to be taken “at all costs” to retrieve tlieir own errors. The staff fares sumptuously, while the troops shiver and starve for lack of bread. TITe story, which bears the impress of truth,, explains the initial successes of Russia in the Galician theatre, and the German intervention. This was received with mixed feelings by the Austrians. Many, especially those of non-Teutonic descent, resented tlie intrusion and dominance of arrogant Prus sians, who did not attempt to hide their contempt for .Austrian military qualities. On tlie other hand many of whom Zillner was one, realised that without German thoroughness and stiffening Aus tria’s speedy collapse was inevitable.