PRESS COMMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 September 1927, Page 1

PRESS COMMENTS.

Those who are opposed to compulsory arbitration talk loosely of a voluntary system of negotiation and a reliance on gentlemen’s agreements, but no practical employer believes in these shifts, and tlie worker is not likely to be deceived by them. There is not much wrong with the machinery of tho Arbitration Court. It is capable -of amendment in certain directions, but those who talk of drastic amendments would much prefer to see the system abolished.—Christchurch “Star.”

If all’ the forebodings of the Daylight Saving Bill’s opponents are fulfilled after the brief trial of three months—which is all the country is committed to by the Bill—all those who favoured it before its adoption will be if they are perfectly honest in tlieir present avowals that they are not seeking to introduce something which will benefit the townsman at ithe expense of the country dweller, and just as eager to obtain its repeal as they have been in the past to secure its passage through the House. Those who seek to obtain tlie benefit of an extra hour of daylight for New Zealanders do so in tlie sincere belief that a system which lias been in operation in other countries many times more populous than ours, for so many years, and has been attended with such success in achieving tlie benefits it set out to obtain, can be applied with as little bother and inconvenience in our own country, and will give results proportionately as good.—llaweia “ Star.”

Among the greatest of the difficulties facing any agency striving to check pil laging is this freemasonry wliieli is on couraged freely, to the hurt of tho common weal, because there is no greater incentive to crime than tlie knowledge that tlie law is impotent. 'Men who see others indulging in robbery, and waxing fat bn the proceeds, will find themselves under strong temptation to follow the course which has been rendered comparatively safe through the “sporting” neutrality that provides a cover for criminals. Pillage could not exist very long if this conspiracy of silence did not continue to operate against tlie interests of the law and tho well-being of honest people. Co-operation between shipping companies, trades, and port authorities can make tlie task of the law easier, but the real solution must come from the workers who, honest themselves, are prepared to assist in putting down a form of dishonesty which ultimately injures them.—“ Southland Times.”

It is fitting to presume the uprightness of each set of contestants, of those who would eliminate education boards and of tiiose wlio would retain them. Unless it is agreed that each is animated by good motives, the most important of which is a strong desire for tho welfare of our education system, we get nothing but stultification based upon “you’re another” tactics. It is right that there should be this desire for the welfare of our education system. With whatever faults it is debited—and they are not especially easy to find -—it lias at least assured tlie country that nobody is illiterate. The country may have paid dearly for this—in money—but that is not to bo debited to the cost of banishing’ illiteracy. Rather it must be set down to tbo mistaken idea tliat what is called the higher education should be provided for eveiybody.—Napier “Telegraph.”

The new methods of testing the value of teaching, and the excellent efforts that are being made to deal with children for whom the ordinary classes are unsuitable, are two instances of the value of interchange of views with experts in other lands. Tf pride in citizenship of tho Empire is to ho maintained it will largely depend upon the training given to the boys and girls of to-day. No training could be more valuable for the teachers than opportunity for knowing other parts of tho Empire besides his or her own homo country. For this reason it is much to lie hoped that the efforts of the Imperial Education Conference will meet with success.—“Taranaki News.”

A section of the urban population can pass on the burdens of tlie Arbitration Act and of tbo tariff, and in the end the burden is left on tho shoulders of the primary producers, wlio, selling most of tlieir produce abroad, must carry tlie burden themselves. The result must be tlie infliction of injury upon the most important organ of the nation’s economic body. This, although the most striking, is not tlie only instance in which the address ignores a vital point in the argument. Tlie case against preference for unionists, for example, is met by the plea that compulsory unionism will give to the “ moderate ” workman a restraining hand upon the hot-heads. This plea, is quite unsound, but even if it were sound, tlie central fact remains that it is repugnant to all sound principles that a man should he forced to join an association in order to earn his bread.—Christchurch “ Press.”

Tho seasons and the prices are not alone to hi’ame for the shortness money and the failure to make the farm pay. Those who know most about the economic conditions are outspoken in their appeal to farmers to exercise thrift. The same appeal may with equal force he made to all classes. In facing the prospect farmers will have to look more closely into those expenditures which are not necessary and which carry so many others in their train. A short period of intense thrift would be healthy for us all and do the Dominion great service. Such a lessening of expenditures as could easily be made would help many a. man to tide over his season and market difficulties. The only alternative is a lengthened procession of failures and a longer period of losses alike to farmers and to traders.—Waimate “Advertiser.”