The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, January 9, 1912. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1091, 9 January 1912, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, January 9, 1912. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

SOME time ago the Palmerston North District High School was destroyed by fire and a new, handsome, and well-appointed structure has arisen phoenix-like from its ashes. The Education Department dealt very generously with the Board of Governors in the matter, and as a result the institution is now worthy of such a populous and growing centre. The Board of Governors find that certain extras are required, and special- efforts are being made to raise the needful tor such purpose, and a letter was read at last night’s Borough Council meeting asking for financial assistance The Council decided to give the Board of Governors the net proceeds of a picture entertainment—which should at least result in ,£lO being forwarded. The action of the Council in this matter, while commendable —because local children receive educational benefits from this institution—is somewhat difficult to understand in view of its lelusal to assist the local {State school. The local school committee receive insufficient money from the Board to cover incidental expenses, such as cleaning and keeping the school sanitary, effecting minor repairs and purchasing stationery. The Borough Council charge the school a pan tax of odd per year, and the committee some time since asked for a rebate of portion of this charge, which the Council declined. The committee held a concert a few weeks ago in order to “ raise the wind,” but the Council charged full rates for the hall. The school grounds require grading and levelling in order to prevent accidents to the children while indulging in necessarv out-door exercises and swimming baths are urgently needed so that the children may be taught to swim—ll very necessary part of their education. Money is required tor all these very essential things, and we think the public will agree with us when we state that it is inconsistent of the Council to assist an outside institution when the money is urgently required, and could be expended to better advantage on local school improvements. Further, the Council by its resolutisu last night, has set up a precedent in reference to picture entertainments, which other institutions will not be slow to take advantage of. While we agree that the Palmerston District High School is worthy of assistance it should be remembered that the local State school has a prior claim upon the Council’s generosity.

There is law which operates in New Zealand and other parts of the British Empire in respect to the prohibition of the sale or distribution of certain literature. We believe a number of novels which, it is held, have a demoralising effect upon readers, are banned in New Zealand. When it is known that such books are prohibited certain people express a burning desire to get hold of them in order to satisfy a morbid mind. Paper vendors on the railway manage to get hold of such literature, and knowing that the demand exists, finds a ready sale for it. With the utmost frankness a newsvendor on the New Plymouth mail a short while ago poked a certain banned book under the noses of male passengers and asked whether they had read it. He then turned to a certain page and read a choice passage, at the same time explaining that the book had been banned. We are informed that the booksellers do a good business with this class of literature on the Main Trunk trains and while the sale of such literature may not have a demoralising effect upon some people it certainly has upon others and the Railway Department should look into the matter.

Thk Hon. Oliver Samuel, m.1.c., publishes his views in the Dunedin Star in respect to Legislative Council Reform. He says: “Under the party system, which dominates our Legislature and our Government, it seems to me that, whatever may be the case with a nominated body, an elective body must, of necessity if not aided by another body not subject to the like disadvantages, be. unfitted tc do good work in legislating. Kveu when Parliament, the press, and the public are not approaching, or in the throes of, a general election, the atmosphere of the House of Representatives is so affected that little or no regard is paid to anything which does not seem likely to conduce to the success of one's party or to injure the other side. The merits of a question are practically disregarded in very many cases, there being neither the requisite time nor the adequate inducement to consider them.’’ He goes on to say that “members of the House spend most of their time in party intrigues and squabbling, and are compelled to devote their special attention to ‘roads and bridges’ (tor success in obtaining public money for their districts is essential, in order to retain the confidence of their constituents), to propitiating those who can assist them in attaining their own ends, and in attending to the voluminous correspondence which they daily receive from constituents and others, and towards the end of the session many Bills are passed by the Lower House without having been read by many members. The Council, on the

other hand, is not affected by such disturbing influences. The writer goes on to point out that if the Council is made the dumping ground of men unfitted for the position it is not the faidt of the “nominee” system. He argues that the people elect the House of Representatives, that House selects the Government, and that Government selects the Legislative Councillors, as they also do the Supreme Court and Native Lands Court Judges, the High Commissioner, the Auditor-General, Soli-citor-General, Public Trustee and all other permanent officials. If there have been and may in future be men appointed as Councillors on political, party or personal grounds, not fitted for the position, does not this also apply equally in the case of appointments to the other offices I have named ? . . . '. If a Government does not properly discharge its duties and functions, should not it be rather removed from office than have those duties and functions taken from it and placed in the hands of the electors at large, who cannot possibly possess the requisite knowledge ot the individuals available for appointment to enable them to judge of their fitness for the special duties required of them? Above all, he concluded, it should be universally recognised that in the case of appointments to the Council (as, for instance, in the case of appointments to the Supreme Court Bench) the paramount duty of the Government is to select fit persons, and that it is discreditable and improper to appoint any person a member of the Legislative Council on any other ground than that his appointment is desirable in the interests of the people of New Zealand as a whole.”