PUBLIC OPINION

Hokitika Guardian, 9 February 1931, Page 7

PUBLIC OPINION

ELECTORAL REFORM. “If tiie election were to be held i der the alternative vote,’’ states i “Daily Express,’’ there is not a pol cal expert in the country who woi dare to forecast the composition of t new House. Will there be pacts a secret understandings between part as to the secondary vote? Will caw dates urge the voters to back ‘Robi son to win and Smith for place’ ? W the Conservative electors who ha placed their man at the top of t poll be content to have him displace by a Liberal through the seconda preference of an eliminated Socialis These are only some of the questioi which thrust themselves forwar There are countless others. The e perience of yearn is being thrown in an experiment which may produce ai result.”

IMAGINARY FOREIGN PLOTS. “Not content with the wholesale shootings of experts accused of slackness and of sabotage, the oligarchy is now seeking by the invention of imaginary foreign plots to rouse a storm of hatred against ‘capitalist’ Governments abroad. It may succeed by this means in rallying its supporters for the moment and in pacifying the dissensions in its own ranks. Rut it is a dangerous cure for unpopularity. Unhappily it endangers others as well ns those whq resort to it. These shootings without trial were evidently found not to have sufficient effect on the public mind, and it became necessary to stage public trials of the unfortunates who are being made responsible for the failure of the Communist experiment. The trial just ended is the first to be staged on the big scale. Its producers are evidently satisfied with the results, for the public is promised a number of others.” —“The Times,” London.

WHAT THE DOLE MEANS. “ There is good reason for believing that whether as a result of the operation of the new Act or as the result of the depression in trade during the present year, a considerable number of persons are now claiming unemployment benefit upon leaving employment who formerly would not have done so. it may be computed that if the average rate of exit experienced during the three years 1925 to 1928 had continued during the subsequent two years, while the numbers of new entrants remained the same, there would have been passed out of the insurance scheme approximately 185,000 males and 130)000 females who are now included in the figures for July, 1930.” —British Labour Gazette,”

CHARITY FEELS THE PINCH. “Here and there a society has been able, through special circumstances, to build up a temporary reserve, but this lias been earmarked for expandin' l work, and a year that is ‘bad’ will make the task difficult where it had been thought easy. But generally, the responsible centres of Christian activity find themselves, as the frank statements of their representatives show, faced bv perplexities that are harder to resolve than they have ever before been. We are in the presence of a crisis—a time of judgment—which has to be faced by every one of us. What of the children who look for food and raiment? What of the sick and afflicted who stand in need of assistance for the well-being of body and soul? We may increase the questions indefinitely, for what side of human life is untouched This is the testing time t<» see that the causes that need assistance will not lack support.—“ The Record,”