WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 April 1921, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

—, THE EDUCATION SYSTEM. t . , AN APATHETIC PUBLIC. (Our Special Correspondent;. WELLINGTON, April 20. The meeting of householders held in j and around Wellington for the election j of school committees were no more ini spiring than those held at places remote from the seat of government ap- | pear to have been. Almost without exi ception they were poorly attended and j sadly apathetic. The familiar resolutions in regard to school books, the size j of classes and the magnitude of the [ syllabus wore reaffirmed, but without [ enthusiasm, and it is to be feared withj out a great deal of understanding. A j progressive educationist discussing these ! facts to-day declared the administration ! of the Dominion’s school system to be ! one of the most deplorable examples of tin* failure o£- democratic government The system itself, he said was defective : in many respects, hut its administra- " lion was mainly responsible for the existence of a half educated people in one ■ of the most favoured countries of the world. 1?A ]I. \Y. VA’ AIE X A! AX ‘ GEM EN T. { There was some very plain speaking at the first anneal iimci'ir-; of the CenI tea! Progress l.eaauo last night. Mr 1 Stuart Yi’ibun, a responsible business { man, declared that Wellington was ne--1 glocted by the Government because it J pul no “ginger” into its demands. If j Auckland were served r;s badly as Wellington was served the Auckland menij bars of the Cabinet simply would be fired. .Mr AY. U. Field M.P.. one of j the Prime .M inister’s faithful followers, strongly ’denouneed the management of the railways. The Manawatu line, he stated, was being positively strangled. It was impossible for people living only twenty-five miles from Wellington to get into the city to do their shopping and to return the same day. Then the fares were so high people eoukl not afford to live out of town, and uotor vehicles were drawing away business from the railways every day. These were some of the milder protests, but coming from political friends they 1 should not go unheeded by the Government. THE COAL DISPUTE. There have been no fresh developments in the coal mine dispute since flic conference between the* represntatives of the employers and of the men broke tip on Monday. The representatives of the employers declare they are fully determined not to waste further time and breed additional irritation In discussing terms which the men themselves must know to be wholly impracticable. The currency of the former agreement between the parties has expired, hut if contains a clause providing that it shall remain in force till another agreement is made. The next move therefore rests with the representatives of the men. Meanwhile they an" communicating with the various unions concerned, and no definite step is likely to be taken before the beginning of nexi week. The public generally are still optimistic of a satisfactory settlement being reached. I BUTTER. It was announced yesterday that the retail price, of butter will remain at 2/3 a pound for cash up to August next, when the new season will begin. 'This is regarded as reasonable by the, consumers, though the price still is somewhat above the “London parity’’ and trie retailers are objecting to the smallness of their return. The factory price is fixed at 2/1$ a pound, and the cost of delivery to the consumer is 3RI so that to keep the retail price at 2/3 the Government will have to pay a subsidy of 2d a pound. Mr Massey had hoped to discontinue the subsidy, but presumably a closer investigation of the conditions has shown this to be undesirable at present. It is understood, however, that ‘there will l>e no subsidy and a positively free market after August next.