Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, JULY 15, 1905. WEEK END COMMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 3547, 15 July 1905, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, JULY 15, 1905. WEEK END COMMENT.

Parliamentary work during the week has no! included any startlh g features, and members have pursued the even tcnrmr of the r way within the walls i f the House. The Premier took a flying trip to Christchurch for a new drill-shed stone laying there, and in his absence apparently no vexati ns ba ting tactics ware indulged in hy members on Opposition benches. Perhap; they th night the rest of the Ministry unworthy of their seriou : attention.

It must occur to' the average newspaper reader, however, that this svstem that has grown up of Cabinet Ministers making ligh-n ng like progress to various parts of the colony to bo present at “official openings’’ of pub ic buildings or bridges, or the laying of foundation stones is getting a little over-done. So much display seems unnecessary, and the money spent on tivse functions might with greater benefit be expended in other directions. Back-blocks settlers, “ the brick-bone of t’ c country,” as 'hey are so often called by the Premier, whose heart bleeds for them, do not care a hang for all Ibis show. They want means of access to their homes, and expenditure on big guns’ travelling and entertainment do not add one chain of metal to their roads.

Foxton p 'ople may yet live in hopes of seeing extended wharf accommodation at the M mawatu river port. Re ; plying to Mr Vile, M.H-R., the Minister for Railways said that inquir es are now being made and data obtained as to the business done at Foxt m and the necessity for increasthe wharfage accommodation. When that information is available the Minister “ will have plea c m - e in looking further into the matter.” Meanwhile, however, we think it would be wise on the pait of Foxton people if they “look further into the matter” with a view of also doing .something. Ministerial action lias a curious faculty of resolving itself into thin air unless there be some ulterior gain apparent in the shape of favourable votes.

Allegations that N-nv Zealand produce, on reaching Horn-.-, has been shipped to Con*mental ports, there adulterated, a..:.1 then reshipped to England for sale as colonial produce, have been rife for some time. The Minister for Industries the other Jay informed the member for Manawatu that the matter had been receiving attention from the Government for some time, and that the Imperial authorities had been asked to legislate against ' he practice.

The Cook nyd Society Islands, the ju lying portions of the Britain of the South, have been somewhat unfortunate in the past in the matter of communication with the Mother Colony. This summer, however, so the Minister for Customs has in formed Mr Vile, an accommodation house for travellers will be available at Rarotnnga, a monthly steam sm-vme from Wellington is expected to he inaugurated by the Union Steams’ip Company.

One of the Government services that has given rise to a great deal of com ment lately is the. Defence Department, the administration of which is said to lie causing much dissatisfaction amongst volunteers. We notice from a Home contemporary that Dr Torrf.y —he will be remembered by many in c mnection with the Tony-Alexander visit of some time since—has asserted that as a result of his revival efforts a Bible class has boon started in the War Office. WiTiout giving an indiscrimi nate welcome to revivals the writer thinks that the public will welcome any sort of revival in the War Office —even if it makes the Army Counci issue n manual of siege tactics founded on those practised at Jericho. We would respectfully advocate that Dr Torrey should he appointed a Royal Commissioner to inquire into the possibility of a revival in our own War Office in Wellington, which is apparently so well protected by red tape entanglements that common-sense cannot get in touch with the garrison officials.

The gentle art of “ cornering," as uractised by millionaires and other irresponsible persons, has seemingly run through all exploitable avenues on this mundane sphere, and now soars at higher game. Mr Rockefeller, of the Standard Oil Trust, is a man—shall we say of unctuous rectitude? Outside business he is a iamous philanthropist and church

worker; inside busiiieitSfi—whll; He is John Rockefeller! However, th 6 great brain that amalgamated the oil wells and refineries of the States has turned to the consideration of church nldtfers. til it ittdrriont of inspiration he conceived the idea Of StAriciar'dising all the churches in tho United States and forming title vast ecclesiastical trust. AtricricaliS will Stand many things from millionaires. They have not objected to Rockefeller cornering wheat, or steel, or copper, or oil, but human nature is bounded by some limits ol feeling. Will not Americans draw the line at any endeavour to corner HdavSn ?

Alfred Austin, Britain’s Poet Laureate, is said to be writing a poem on the Russo Japanese war. Baron Bloh was evidently qAiite right, an English contemporary remarks, when he said that the horrors of war would in the future become too hideous to contemplate. It did not occur to our contempory, probably, that this might eftectuahy bring about the abolition of war. It may be, however, that many men would prefer to face the rattle and roar of an opposing line of fire than brave the horrors of a bombardment of a few stanzas of alleged poetry. We have seen the first lines of “ poems ” that would hold indescribable terrors for the bravest of men.

During the past week Farmers’ Union delegates have been assembled in conference at Wellington, and an important step has been taken. It has been an oft-repeated contention that the Union was a nonipoblical body, and yet it desired to make its influence felt in re’ation to legislation afteqting country interests. Now members have awakened to the necessity of coming openly into the lists as an organisation with political significance, and will extend their united support to the Parliamentary party which promises to forward the interests it exists to conserve. Under these circumstances we may look tor an effective showing by the Union at the next elections.

A new interest is imported into the contest fir the Manawatn seat, so far at anv rate as Foxton is concerned, bv the announcement that Mr F. W Frankland will be a candidate. This gentleman makes the fourth in the fi -Id, He stands as an Independent Liberal, and while supporting much o r the work of, the present Administration reserves to himself the right to vote as conscience directs and not as the exigencies ot party may dictate. While recognising the many good qualities possessed by Mr Frankland as a citizen, and while convinced that more men of his mental and moral calibre are sadly needed in the House, and that, moreover, a local candidate has strong claims unon our sympathy, we shall defer a definition of our attitude toward the new candidate until he publiclv enunciates his views. We understand he will favour, among other things, the freehold tenure ofland, with certain, restrictions, maintenance of the independence of labour interests, the referendum with initiative, elective Upper Hous“, and (theoretically) elective Executive, As, however, Mr Frankland avows himself an ardent Imperialist he would not press the last proposition, which might conflict with Imperial tradition and sentiment. It is safe to say that, if elected, Mr Frankland would prove a member worthy of every confidence from all parties, and if he is not returned on tliis occasion we believe this introduction to the people will result in their availing themselves of his services at a later date.