PRESS COMMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 July 1929, Page 8

PRESS COMMENTS.

The country is alarmed already by the determination of the Government to please everybody everywhere who wants a new railway or a new road—especially roads or railways which had been held up for further investigation by the last Government—and by the furious rate at which it is absorbing labour, and boasting about it, in tile Public Works Department, in tliesc matters the Government must of cqurse go where Labour drives, but Llie Reform Party is under no obligation to say that it approves. It cannot be expected to stand icl.v by if the two Radical parties begin outbidding one another for popular support at the cost of the country's credit. It has to lie remembered also that one new Department of State has already been established and that another has been

reposed, though no reform has been more urgent for a. long time than a reduction in the cost of government. Mr Coates is going to have, one of bis most, interesting sessions, but we hope he will not allow, his generosity to his rivals to close his month if their recklessness begins to he too flagrent.— Oh r istc hur eh “P r css. ’ ’

Js it not salutary that, the truth should hurt and horrify, when without nurt and horror it c..nnot be known? Caere may be weak hearts which have to ue saved from tne rude shock. They are amply guarued by such precaution as Mr it. J. Dell tell us ims been taken at the Canterbury Public Library : the intending borrower may be warned by the attendant that Remarque’s cook is painful, reading. To go further is to come within the accusing sway of Milton’s law: “Who destroys a good book kills reason itself, .iills the image of God, as it were, in the die.” A fact which grins mockingly at tn.s anxiety to keep it 1 jail dark on the Auckland front is tMs, than any experienced -'ltjjadcr could go into the Auckland Public iJbrary—no exception, of course—and m ten minutes .pick from catalogue or shelf as many books whose whole moral tone is offensive and subversive . —Christchurch ‘ ‘Sun. ”

Mtr. Justice Smith says that automate vending machines were not in contemplation when the Shops and Ofiices Act was enacted. But, as it happens, this statute, perhaps unwittingly, makes provision against their being usfed to infringe the, spirit of the law. Possibly shopkeepers have another string to their bow. They are directly, or indirectly important contributors to lue rates, Before automatic machines can be installed in the streets the permission of the city corporation is ndeessary, and a yearly fee has to bo pa.d. Combined representations .night induce the municipal authorities to' decline applications or to make the yearly fee prohibitive. As a matter of .act, it is understod that the initial _ost of a machine and the present annual fee make it problematical whether there is any pro.it in this itj’le of vending goods. If it were otherwise one might expect in time to 1 find our streets encumbered with i second line of trading positions. There might even be at times queues .•f*people waiting, coin in hand, before iome machine dedicated to the dis.rlbution of some article that had aught the public taste. The primirV purpose of the streets is traffic if 1 quite another kind, and such practices would seriously impair that purose. Shokpcepers would lie acting in me public interest, as well as their nVn, if they moved to prevent any uich development in city life.—Dunulin “Star.”

Tlie growth of the sheep flocks proves' that the carrying capacity of the iaiid has been increased to a very substatntial degree. Tlie economic staff >f! tlie Agricultural Department ,in a return published in the last Year Book ddmonstratccl that this was so, and here, in the sheep statistics, is a further illustration. It is gratifying evidence of the strength and vitality of primary industry. It should, also inspire new confidence, in and create ad-* ded enthusiasm for, the cause of land settlement. If one section, so important a section of primary industry is adding to its productive plant in this fakhion, the prospects should be good enough to justify expansion by multipa tion of the numbers engaged in it.— •‘.New Zealand Herald.”

Mr Taverner says he found “abundant evidences” in Pictoir and Blenheim and in other places “of unanmous support of the South Island Main Trunk project.” It would be strange if he had not found such support. Does an average child refuse a chocolate? Mr Taverner also says there is a large area along the line that could be brought into closer settlement. The Government however, must do better than this if it is to convince the public that the line is necessary. There may be a case for completion, lint it has not been presented in detail. At present the case for the opposition hold the field.' A high authority has stated that even with the most intensive traffic, lines costing over £!?0,000 a mile cannot pay their way and it is estimated that tlie line, wil 1 cost over £30.000. Generalities about land settlement and scenic attractions do not dispose of these figures.—Auckland “Star.”

We have made a good many mistakes in choosing our human imports — mistakes as regrettable in their account as our own—and that we have probably made as many mistakes of omission in not attracting the very men and women who would have made a success of things. For, in the main every badly chosen and unsuccessful immigrant is taking up the room one who might have neon well chosen and have done well. According to the Prime .Minister, immigration restrictions are to continue. 'Probably tho check on the flow will lie more useful in affording a chance to organise a better system df advice and choice and establishment than in any other way— Christchurch “Sun.”

There appears to lie no reason to anticipate any slackening in the competition which the .Railway Department must face from motor transport There can be no doubt that to-day it it endeavouring to cater for the needs of the people, and that its efforts to popularise railway travelling have been carefully planned". Tho measure of success achieved with respect to goods traffic should afford encouragment for further developments. Mr Taverner lias been entrusted with^tho control of a. great public undertaking, and if fie can effect financial improvements, by providing more convenient and more efficient service ,his efforts will quickly "be recognised. The financial affairs of the Railway Department are of such ; importance that any improvement there would be at once reflected in the wider sphere of national finance.—■ “Lyttelton ' Times.”