PRESS COMMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 March 1929, Page 8

PRESS COMMENTS.

It is pleasing to find the Department agitated to the extent of proposing the early appointment of a committee to consider the crossing question—a committee which, since it is to include representatives ot the road-users, may be expected to take a level-headed view of things. But, while it would he foolish to decide, say, on any one form of safety device without‘examining all the others offered—and the Department is being almost overwhelmed by eager inventors—the public calls or action, not long-dr.iwn-c.ut investigation -and .ponderous consideration. Probably 80 per cent, ol crossing accidents are due to motorists carelesseness but the Railway Department put the crossings there and it cannot escape responsibility for accidents until every one of them is reasonably safe, even for the careless road traveller.—Christchurch “Sun.”

The fact that every freezing company has given pledges of its integrity by erecting buildings and equipment that would be worthless without the Minister’s license has not been suTicieent. It lias been compelled to submit to the dictation of the Meat Board or of Departmental officers in regard to the character and the extent of its operations. These restrictions are not necessary to defeat the meat trust; by the Minister’s enormous powers that menace has been destroyed, they aie simply an arbitrary interference with legitimate private enterprise. Protests have been made against the privileges conferred on electric power boards; the administrative restrictions on freezing companies are a precedent tor denying gas companies any right to compete with power boards and rationing their output. Similar restrictions might he imposed, by the same straining of an obscure piece of legislation, upon any other industry or branch of commerce. It is a matter of indifference whether conditions imposed on the Westfield works have been obeyed or ignord. The question is whether legitimate private enterprise should he subjected to such control at all.—‘ Nev Zealand Herald.” ,

Any complaints about taxation received from the motor organisations seem to be based not on the amount paid, but on the manner in which it is expended and the astonishingly slow rate of progress in the prosecution of road-construction. It is to be hoped than any proposals for changing the motor taxation will be put before the counties early enough to give time for them to discover how the alteration will affect the payers of county rates on whom the burden of road maintenance in the country will be increased in sympathy with a falling-off in the sums received for the roads from the taxes on motorists. If the taxation is heavier than is necessary some remission would be welcome, but is seem to us that the United Party’s proposals will go much further than a slight reduction in the petrol tax. Nothing definite is known, of course, but the county councils will require to watch events very carefully in the interests ol the rural communities.—“‘Southland Times.”

In a recent debate Sir Francis Bell recalled how, for some time alter his Party took office, and before the passing of the Public Service Act, which took such patronage away from politicians. lie and a feilow-Minister were “daily pressed to consider the cla’ins of persons seeking to enter their sons and daughters in the Public Service whose desires had not been met by the other Party.” That is not a system which any responsible person should desire to see restored. There are lanlts in the present system. Appeal beards would give more confidence if they were presided over by a magistrate, which has been a request of the Public Service Associatoin. The Act provides for two assistant commissioners: for a long time past, from mitives of economy, the high duties have been loft to a single high officer which is placing a great deal of power in the hands of one idividunl. The system is unfair to Ministers when it means that a Minister or Education, for example, is unable, or may be unable, to have any voice whatever in the appointment of the director who is to work as his right-hand man.—Dunedin “Evening Star.”