The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, February 3, 1912. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1002, 3 February 1912, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, February 3, 1912. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Mr R. Ross, a Palmerston North Socialist and platform orator, has been severely mauling Wanganui and Otaki’s Eabour members recent utterances per medium of the public platform and through the columns of our Palmerston evening contemporary. Mr Ross was upset as a result of the views expressed by Mr Veitch at a meeting held in Palmerston with the object of forming a local branch of the Independent Eabour Party. He expressed the opinion that Mr Veitch was completely ignorant of the economic position, and not being able to diagnose the trouble, was consequently absolutely incapable of providing a remedy. Then he turned his attention to Mr Robertson, whom he blames lor not having sufficient courage to repudiate Mr Veitch’s economic heresies when he had the opportunity. He went on to say that “Mr Robertson understood the position, and it was his duty to point out the error of Mr pitch's statement.’’ and finished up with this thrust: “It is a pity the politicians could not be made to see that it pays in the end to run straight, that no matter how tempting and how much easier it may be to pursue the line of least resistance, a day must arrive when the people will find them out, and, disgusted with their lack of courage and general political conduct, sweep them aside to make room for better men.’’ It would seem, according to Mr Ross, that since Mr Robertson has been elected an M.P., be has either fallen from socialistic grace or like Bro. Rabbit “ is lying low and saying nuffiu!” Mr Ross has since been attacked anonymously, but he is able to give a Roland foil an Oliver, and invites his meet him on the when he will make mince-BealSPr them. Messrs Robertson and Veitch will have to watch out for Bro. Ross.

Giving evidence before the New South Wales Totalisator Commission, Mr W. H. E, Wanklyn, secretary of the Canterbury Jockey Club, stated that last season in New Zealand ,£210,000 was paid in stakes lor horse races apart from trotting. (Another witness added that one Christchurch trotting club alone paid ,£15,000 in stakes). In Australia, with a population five or six times larger, very little over ,£200,000 was given in stakes. At nearly all New Zealand country meetings ,£250 at least was given in stakes in one day. The revenue from the totalisator was probably a great factor in enabling clubs to give such large prizes. At least 25 per cent, of the New Zealand owners did not bet. East year £,2,000,000 went through the totalisator in the Dominion. The population was a million, about halt of whom were over 18 years of age, so that 500,000 spent ,£4 per annum. And yet, after giving such convicting figures as those just quoted, Mr Wanklyn added : “The statement that New Zealanders are a race of gamblers is purely theoretical, and, to my mind, rubbish,’’ Perhaps it is a libel to say that we are a race of gamblers, but for such a young country we find plenty ot money for speculation. II the amount of cash spent on the totalisator and in other non - productive channels were invested in something more concrete, there would not be the same restlessness among the industrial workers. Our people are not doing too bad when they can afford to splash seven or eight millions per annum on such trifles.

Sir Joseph Ward gives an absolute denial to the statement ol the Dunedin Star that it is the intention of the Government to resign. There is, he says, no authority whatever, so far as he is concerned, for the statement that has been so Ireely circulated during the last day or two. The statement that the Hon. Mr Millar Is about to resign and proceed to an appointment in Australia is also denied by the Premier. Sir Joseph also gives a complete denial to the statement published on the authority ot a “prominent Eiberal,” that he intended to resign as Prime Minister on February 14th. He also stated that the rumour regarding Hon. James Millar going to Australia was without the slightest foundation in fact. “I have not in any way altered my intention as published some time ago, that I would meet Parliament with the Ministry as it is now standing, and I have not the slightest intention ot doing otherwise, I stated before and the fact remains still that the two leading parties are evenly divided and the balance of

power remains in the hands of the" Independents and representatives of Labour. Under these circumstances it is in my judgment the proper course for the House to settle the question. The Premier added; “If I could have satisfied myself at first that the Opposition had a majority I would have resigned immediately, but no one except those who are politically prejudiced could arrive at the conclusion, after examining the results, that the Opposition had a majority,”

This Wellington Post in commenting on the tramway strike, after referring to the recent amendments to the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, says that one of the new conditions introduced at the request of Labour was that in various industries intimately affecting the public welfare, among which those concerned with “the public carriage of goods or passengers ” are included, no strike or lock-out should take place without a notice of not less than fourteen days to the other parly. It is this ueces-

sary safeguard of the public interest that the tramway employees of the City Council have, after full deliberation, determined to flout. We have spoken of the inducements to lawlessness which almost inevitably arise in the course of any prolonged strike. But what is to be said of a strike which opens with a deliberate violation ot the law, expressly and defiantly perpetrated with a view to increasing the terrors of the powerful but two-edged weapon that the workers are able to wield ? The people of New Zealand will surely realise what a large section of the militant workers of this city are at present prepared to ignore, viz., that there are two alternative methods for the settlement of disputes —law and anarchy. As long as they kept within the law.jthe workers might have won or lost their case without absolutely disastrous results. But the issue has now far transcended the narrow limits of the original dispute. The removal of Inspector Fuller would, according to the report submitted to the City Council by its ElecJ trical Engineer shortly before Christmas, be fatal to the discipline and efficacy of the service. The manner in which the men have since decided to urge their demand would make compliance with it now a grievous blow at the supremacy of law. If lawlessness is to be allowed to override the decision of the elected trustees of the city’s property, acting without a pennyworth of pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, in the result, and acting, so far as the public can judge, in the only way that was possible upon the evidence submitted, what chance will remain for any body or individual, public ;Oj.private, ever again to resist any (filer decree from the same source, Pb>| or unjust, that is urged in the way ? That is the real issue %ith which the citizens of Wellington are face to face, and if they are wise ffiey will see that its g:u\ity is such as to make the inconveniences ot having to walk instead of riding for a week or a mouth, appear absolutely trivial in comparison.