PRESS COMMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 May 1927, Page 1

PRESS COMMENTS.

It has been well said that the real point of education is to teach children hirw to learn, so that a child's education may last through the whole of its life. Can it he said truthfully that the present system of education in New Zealand is teaching children to learn how to make the most of life not only for themselves, but for their country and Empire? What is required much more than elaborate curricula and pretentious examinations is a simple syllabus, with less of the fatigue of homelessons and the study of relatively useless subjects.—Auckland “Sun.

We have urged that the wheatgrowers are entitled to higher protection than is at present given them, and if they were to fight steadily and unitedly they could get it. In the meantime they would perhaps he content to receive a shilling a bushel better for their wheat than is now offering. and it- would be of general benefit- if the millers could be induced to give this extra shilling under a guarantee of protection against the Australian millers. Although the millers have kept their own counsel, it may be supposed that such an arrangement would be suitable to them. The Government, of course, would he required to give a specific guarantee of the kind at which Air Coates so vaguely and cautiously hinted. Christchurch “Press.”

The Minister of Agriculture has given out figures showing that millers could easily afford, at the present prices of flour and offals, to pay 6s a bushel for wheat and do well. From the result of yesterday’s conference it would seem that farmers would be content with that price. In that case there should be no need either for any alteration in the present price of flour or for any weakening of the only protection the consumer has—viz. the possibility of importation of flour. Already the Government has promised an investigation of the cost of wheat growing in consequence of the farm-

er's plea that ho has .suffered for tho benefit of millers and bakers. But would that inquiry go far enough ? It should not only embrace the wheat growers’ costs, hut a close inquiry into milling economics and the cost of the baking business.—Dunedin “Star.”

If Great Britain is entitled to issue permits in respect of whaling in the Boss Sea, and New Zealand to receive royalties oil the oil obtained, it would appear to ho a logical arrangement that the permits should be reserved for this country. But the whole position requires clarifying. Mr Thomson suggests tho desirability of an international convention to deal with tho matter, and, if no readier method is available, that would he a. useful procedure if the effect- would be- to clear up the present obscurities.—“Otago Dailv Times.”

There is; a clearer and clearer understanding of the causes of tuberculosis and of the principles by which they are avoided and their result is countered ; and there is no little improvement in the methods of applying those principles. The fast few years have seen the problem of tuberculosis move and more definitely stated, and met, as a problem in which the forces of darkness must be overcome by the forces of light. This.is not metaphorical language, but literal. And. though it lias long been possible to look forward hopefully to complete conquest of tuberculosis, hope has so been strengthened of late that it is not too bold to call it confidence, and confidence, like Dr Blackmore’s, founded on reason.—Christchurch “Sun.”

It fhe Labour Party places any value whatever on logic, and consistency it should now delete the preamble. To do so. however, would raise a storm of protest from a' very large section of its adherents as being a traitorous surrender of first principles. And, as experience has already shown, making] the effective clauses harmonize with the preamble at once freezes tlie sympathy and support which the Labour Party is so in need and hope of from those whose recent experience on the land has been unfortunate because of the reaction after a boom. As a matter of fact, many of the evils which Labour’s land policy is designed to remove do not arrive from any inherent fault in New Zealand’s existing land policy, hut from post-war world conditions in general and from local post-war land boom conditions in particular.—Dunedin “ Star.’’

The country, and the fanners themselves, may he able to weather a period of low prices—they have done so in the past—hut neither can afford to risk weakening the co-operative system as applied to our dairy industry. There is ample room for extending the system in directions which would benefit the farmers, and thoroughly representative hoard could do much that is of value. But, despite the efforts of the Labour executive to encourage a policy of fighting the provision trade in London, no can see nothing to he gained by antagonising our chief customers. The policy adopted this year lias had most serious consequences and has had to be abandoned. The principal thing is not the results of one season’s operations, or the failure of compulsory control, hut the position of the co-operative dairving industry. Labour’s remedy is more and more control. We would prefer more and more co-operation. “Lvttclton Times.”

With an assumption of wisdom that it does not possess, and in pursuit of its Communistic phantasy, the Labour Party lays it down that the only means

by which the dairy industry of New Zealand can he put on a sound basis is by co-operative buying, transport, and distribution. That means, if it means anything, the establishment of co-operative stores all over Britain for the marketing of New Zealand dairy produce. It is a great scheme, hut it involves an enormous amount of capital, and no effort is made by its propounders to show where the money is to come from. That is a detail that does not trouble the Communistic Labour Party.—Oainaru “ Mail.”

New Zealand butter stands alone in quality, and it has driven the Danish butter to the northern parts of the country. It is not difficult to appreciate the use to which they will put anything tending to make the Dominion’s produce unpopular. We hope we have made tlie position clear to our correspondent. The differences are so vita] that to quote the Danish system ns a justification for New Zealand’s pricefixing policy is rather extraordinary, and the Australian system, ton, is markedly different as we have shown. —“ Southland Times.”

A political party which promises in one breath “ full recognition ” of an owner’s interest in land, and in the next affirms that public ownership of land is the only remedy “for the present chaos and muddle,” has no right to complain if it is accused of talking with its tongue in its cheek. There is

no reason to doubt that the Labour Party is sincere in stating that it aims at the public ownership of land. In that case, however, its promise of full recognition of the interests of private owners of land becomes a thing of derision.—” Wairarapa Age.”