RANDOM REMARKS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 575, 11 June 1913, Page 3

RANDOM REMARKS.

By Onlooker. The agitation of Taumarunui town and district residents with a view to having a separate hospital district is at last beginning to take definite shape, and there appears to be no objection on the part of anybody to the proposal. The Waikato Hospital Board is in favour of portion of the district being severed, and the members will probably be glad when the severance is accomplished. Providing the Government is agreeable to the setting up of the new disttrict, there is no reason why the neccessary legislation should not be passed during the coming - session. The only matter which may excite controversy in respect to the proposal is the question of boundaries, and those interested should consider this phrase of the subject very carefully. The question of hospital facilities at Te Kuiti is a subject which merits tbe consideration to both town and country residents. The Hon. Mr Allen has returned to the Dominion from his conquest of the London money market, and there is beginning to be a wild scramble for the dividend. During Mr Allen's absence his colleagues have been busy impressing the electors with the fact that Mr Allen has succeeded in saving the country. Now that the Minister has returned the task of the Government Will be to impress the people with the fact that a three million loan can only go a certain distance. When the money is distributed in the various channels, the country will again require saving through the aame agency. The political game is full of interest, but an enormous amount of passioned eloquence would be saved if the financial operations of the Dominion were conducted on the lines suggested by Mr Harold Beauchamp, with a board representative of the various portions of the Empire conducting the operations. It is also probable that a considerable saving would be effected to the borrowing countries. However, this is by the way, and for tbe present operations have to be conducted in the good old style. Mr Allen has done well for New Zealand, and the only portions of the country which will grudge due recognition to the fact are those who do get as big a share of the dividend as they expect. The development of he country in the matter of land settlement, roads, and bridges and railways, is to be specially attended to, and if the promises in this direction are fulfilled the country must benefit accordingly. A special plea should be made on behalf of the backblocks. The matter has been exhaustively debted by the Te Kuiti Parliament, and a verdict has been returned in favour of roads as against railways. This means that the various ambitious project? advocated by the chambers of commerce and railwav leagues of the di - trict will be hung up for a time, but, as before remarked, even a three million loan has limits. The many friends of Mr G. P. Finlay will be glad to learn that he has returned to Te Kuiti greatly benefited in health as a result of hia holiday. The profession of law makes many demands on the time as well as the talent of those who wish to succeed, and the tendency to burn the midnight oil makes demands on the constitution. It is well known that legal practitioners in the King Country have to contend daily with the various interesting and amazing details of the native :egislation. It is also an instructive but deplorable fact that in such an unequal contest the indivdual has no hope of success, and if he persists his inevitable reward is tu go down and out. Probably Mr Finlay proceeded as far as human limitations would permit into the maze of native legislation. He has survived, and his presence among ub again so specially welcome. It is to be sincerely hoped he will in future trifle less with such an insidious and dangerous branch of the professon. Mention of native legislation brings with it a host of ideas and recollections associated with the progress of this district. It is interesting, moreover, to observe that there is every probability of further legislation. The county clerks of the various districts affected by the existence of native lands have taken the desperate resolution of waiting on the Native Minister with suggestions as to the collection of rates on nativ# lands. Presumably the burden of their refrain will be that they have never collected any native rates. Wai tomo Countv has been more fortunate, but the King Country has never been noted for the achievements of its public men. Even the native land legislation has to compromise at times in the heat of battle, and wait for further crop of amendments in order to ensure a victory over the devoted student. Tbat victory has consistently rested with the legislation hitherto, has not daunted our people, and the present Native Minister will require to keep busy in order to maintain the record. The Te Kuiti Debating Society is having a somewhat parlous time at present. From a variety of causes the interest in the debates this session has inever reached the standard attained last session, and drastic methods are contemplated to inspire that feeling without which no debating society can satisiactorily exist. It has even been suggested that the Labour party should be entrusted with tne reins of Government for a time, but the case is hardly serious enough for the adoption of such a desperate remedy. The holiday feeling is responsible for much of the indifference displayed hitherto, and now the winter trip to Auckland has been survived there will doubtless be an accession of interest in the more solid things of life. The opening of Parliament at Wellington this month will quicken the interest in politics gc ::t rally, at T ihe corr; 1 between the proposals of the Maaaey Government and the Howarth Administration will be waited with interest.