PRESS COMMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 September 1927, Page 4

PRESS COMMENTS.

The way to examination results leads along a narrow groove and while that is followed the tabulation of health and progress statistics will lead nowhere. If the record card showed tho full development of each pupil at the completion of his formal education, it would be a pity for it ,to “go into tho archives of the Education Department at Wellington,” for it would bo a valuable testimonial for the applicant for work, and highly illuminating for any employer of labour. It is to bo regretted that tlie Department lias not consulted the. teachers before adopting this record system. Not only would their assistance have been worth while, but co-operation would have generated an enthusiasm without which no scheme for adoption in the schools can ever be entirely successful. But good may como out of tho Department’s proposal if it shows how inadequate are statistics of physical and mental progress alone, and how necessary are the records of mental tests, of wider powers of self-expres-sion among the pupils, and of the part played by each in the little communiity of the school.—“Lyttelton Times.”

If his customers insisted on having the locally-made articles, and would take no others, the shopkeeper would be as enthusiastic a seller of them as ihe Manufacturers’ Associations could wish. The manufacturers are missing the point altogether when they scold the shopkeeper. If they must scold anybody, they should scold the consumer, of whom alone the shopkeeper thinks, or needs to think. Instead of scolding the consumer, however, they ought to study him, and persuade him of the excellence of the New Zealumlmade article, show him the advantage to himself in buying the local product, keep him aware of the existence and merits of their wares—in a word, do what tho foreign manufacturer has done and is doing. This they can do by offering him better value for his money than the foreigner offers, by offering him just what lie needs, or thinks he needs, and by carrying out a policy of unremitting publicity.Christchurch “Press.”

To promote the advancement of the country, and at the same time to supply local markets for primary products secondary industries, without which towns cannot exist, are indispensable, and thus the interest of the primary products are closely involved in tho successful development of manufactures in tho larger urban centres. Just as England has injured her agricultural and pastoral industries bv concentrating solely on manufactures, so New Zealand may cripple herself in tho future if she relies on one type of industry and one scource of national income alone. The means by which tlio growth of secondary industries may be host secured arc, of course still open to discussion.—Auckland “Star.”

The Dominion Is dependent on overseas sources for the whole if its light and heavy oil fuel. The total imports of all kinds of mineral oil represent a value of between three and four millions sterling and the hulk of them come from the United Slates. It is easy to see that if. through the utilisation of a low temperature distillation process, the country could produce nearly all our own mineral oils and motor spirit, an immense saving would be effected. Moreover, there is the pen sibility that, treated by such a process, the lignites of Now Zealand would yield an abundant local supply of good 1 .steam coal, sufficent, perhaps to reader tho Dominion practically independent of supplies from Australia. That the process of obtaining oil from co.tl is now commercially practicable was indicated in a recent cable 'tnessa -e which stated that tho Royal Dutch ami Shell Oil group was negotiating with a (German trust for the exploitation of oil deprived from coal.—“Otago Daily Times”.