The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, October 24, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1315, 24 October 1914, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, October 24, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

On Monday next Foxton is to be houomed with a visit from a distinguished member of the British Parliament, in the person of Mr Philip Snowden, M.P. Mr and Mrs Snowden have received a warm welcome to the Dominion by the Premier, and have been accorded civic receptions in every town they have visited. The distinguished visitors came to the Dominion primarily at the invitation of the N.Z. Alliance, with the hope of helping on the temperance cause. Apart from this, however, there are many problems which can be investigated in this young country which will be of vital interest to thousands in the Old Laud, and, on the other hand, New Zealand will gain in prestige by the perigrinations ot such distinguished people. We are glad to welcome the Snowdens, and others irom the Homeland who seek to uplift and better the physical, economic and moral fibre ot the British people throughout our great and glorious Empire.

Thk difficulties which confronted Government supporters in this electorate in the matter of a candidate have now disappeared, and Mr W. H, Field has been finally selected to carry the Party flag at the forthcoming general election and will commence his campaign next week, Messrs Brown and Field decided to submit their differences to and abide by Cabinet’s decision in the matter and Mr Brown has loyally decided to sacrifice his candidature rather than jeopardise the seat. The Party is now united and will get a straight run. Mr Brown is entitled to the thanks or the Party for his loyalty and self abnegation. While the present system of government obtains, party discipline is essential and personal prejudice must be stifled to ensure success at the polls. Three candidates, each representing a distinct party, will now contest the seat aud the battle will be fought on well defined lines.

The Manawatu A. and P. Association turned down a donation of from the Palmerston Licensed Victuallers’ Association this week. The A. and P. body thought the donation too small in view of the fact that the show was such a huge benefit to the, hotelkeepers. Asa result of “ looking the gift horse in the mouth,” the hotelkeepers have diverted the gift to the Belgian Relief Fund, and the Association are so much poorer. The A. and P. Association, by their action, have made themselves look ridiculous in taking up such an undignified and mercenary attitude. While it cannot be denied that the hotelkeepers reap a benefit from the thousands who attend the Show, we presume they lay themselves out to meet the requirements of visitors, and we fail to see by what right the Association should dictate as to what they should give by way of donation. The Association should endeavour to broaden its mental vision.

AT one ot his recent lectures on advertising, given at Liverpool, England, Thomas Russell, ot London, emphasised strongly the value of newspaper advertising. “The time,” he said, “was ripe for a great extension of advertising, and newspaper advertising must always be the mainstay ot publicity.” He illustrated the fact that scientific advertising did not add to the cost of the goods, but secured a material reduction of price. Indeed, the more an article was advertised the cheaper it became, and the more self interest compelled the manufacturer to keep up the quality. Certain articles of great value to the public could never have been manufactured at all had it not been that advertising ensured a sale large enough to warrant the putting down of the elaborate and very costly plants. Advertising was the cheapest method yet devised by the wit of man for the sale of honest goods. The great commercial discovery of the age was that it did not pay to advertise unless the goods advertised were honest goods, while nothing which was not true was good enough to put into an advertisement. The Commercial Review points out that, ‘Undoubtedly the first and most potent advertising force of the present day Is the newspaper. Here is a field so vast and so complex that it needs the most careful study of every varying condition to accurately estimate

its possibilities, and a whole array of specialists and experts in all blanches of service have come into being.’” The value of advertising cannot be over-estimated even in the most modest journals. How often one hears disparaging remarks about the uselessness of advertising in ‘‘country rags,” but bow such detractors howl and squirm when the “country rags” find it necessary to chastise them. Then one would think the whole world were looking on. Judicious advertising is money well spent and the business man with intelligence knows and appreciates this —the other fellow doesn’t, hence his slackness.

Had Germany not received the check trom Belgium at the commencement of hostilities she may have succeeded in the initial attempt to crush France, but the great defence put up by that little kingdom and the Allies skillful parrying has made it clear that Kitchener knew what he was talking about when be said the war would be long drawn out. The longer the war lasts the worse it will be for Germany. If it comes to a population test the superior position of the allies is at once apparent. The British Empire, according to the most recent returns, numbers 416,318,665 persons, of whom over 45,000,000 are resident in the United Kingdom. The populations of the principal Dominions and colonies are as follows : India 314,^55,240 Australia 4,449,483 New Zealand 1,050,000 Canada 7,081,869 Natal 1,191,958 Cape Colony 2,563,024 Transvaal 1,676,611 Orange River Colony 526,906 Rhodesia 1,780,871 Uganda 3.503.564 Northern Nigeria 8,069,671 Southern Nigeria 7,836,189 A fairer comparison, however, may be obtained by taking the white populations of the states at war, and for this purpose the white population of the British Empire may be set down at well over 60,000,000. The comparison of population, then, is : British Empire 60,000,000 France 40,000,000 Russia 171,000,000 Belgium 7,500,000 Total 278,500,000 Germany 65,000,000 Austria 49,000,000 Total 114,000,000 If the war be won by the silver bullet, then victory must certainly go to the Allies. When war was declared the “war chests” of the principal Powers were stated to be: — £ Great Britain 40,000,000 France 189,000,000 Russia 174,000,000 Total £> Germany 54,000,000 Austria 47,000,000

Total