The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, January 20, 1912, NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1096, 20 January 1912, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, January 20, 1912, NOTES AND COMMENTS.

We have received a communication from Mr E. Newman M.P., in respect to the desirability of urging upon thq Minister for Railway the necessity of raising the age limit of infants, who are allowed to travel free on the railways. We have previously suggested that the age limit should be raised from two and a-half years to seven years, and we reiterate that the Government would not lose anything by the concession. Mr Newman promises to spare no efforts to have the matter ventilated. If he succeeds he will secure the thanks of hundreds of struggling mothers throughout the Dominion.

Speaking at the conference of the South Island Dairy Association at Christchurch, Mr D. Cuddie, director of the Dairy Produce Division of the Agricultural Department, said that reports from Doudou regarding dairy produce were very encouraging, and New Zealand cheese and butter were very highly spoken of. A great improvement had been effected by the system of grading, but it was their duty to keep improving all the time, and it each one connected with the industry did his level best, they would make even greater progress. As instancing the great growth of the dairy produce export of New Zealand, Mr Cuddie said that in 1900, 5000 tons of cheese had been shipped, while last year 30,000 tons had been exported, an increase of 600 per cent. For the period ended 3rd January, cheese showed an increase of 23 per cent.

A nice point relating to the rules which govern the deliberations of public bodies cropped up at the Southland Education Board meeting ou Friday. The Board had gone into committee, and passed a resolution affecting a teacher. When open Board was resumed, a member experienced in Parliamentary practices proceeded to traverse the whole question when the motion for the confirmation of the resolution was brought forward.. Members took exception to the re-opening of a discussion which had been brought about by the sacred privilege of committee secrecy, but the member clearly demonstrated that he was well within his rights, and that he was acting in keeping with Parliamentary practice. The point is one that has a direct bearing ou the deliberations of all local bodies, and is worth keeping in mind by those who are averse to the secrecy on matters to which they consider the fullest publicity should be given. It might be just as well to add that public bodies are too prone to go into committee ou questions which directly affect te welfare of the community.