The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, October 27, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1316, 27 October 1914, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, October 27, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Mr. Snowden’s address on the liquor question as affecting the social, physical, economic and moral problems of the State, delivered in the Town Hall last night, was very logical and convincing. There were no fireworks or fanciful flights, no harrowing details of misery and vice to play upon the emotions of his audience, no personal abuse of those engaged in the trade, but a clear piece of logical reasoning, delivered with a dignity befitting a member of the Mother of Parliaments. So far as the subject matter of his address was concerned,, those familiar with this reform movement bad little to learn from the arguments deduced but to those who have not given the subject much attention the address will provide ample food for reflection. On one occasion he animadverted lor a brief space upon the unequal division of wealth, and stated that he saw signs in this country which were making for the possibility of one of the curses of the Old hand —the idle rich. It would have been interesting to hear a little more on this point, and from what source our distinguished visitor drew his observations. There are, however, still a few monopolies in this country which require careful watching, and it would have been instructive to know—outside the liquor monopoly—of what Mr Snowden had in mind. Probably he will make his observations in this connection clear before leaving our shores.

The views of the Hon, T. Mackenzie, High Commissioner for New Zealand, on the war appear in a Loudon financial paper. Mr Mackenzie is reported to have said : “ What puzzles me greatly in connection with the present awful war is : Why do the peace-loving German people stand the present conditions under which they live ? What can this ruinous war do for them ? Germany’s industrial population has, by long years of careful study, the exexercise of enormous ability and self-denial, and by large financial outlays, developed manufactures and trade and pushed their commerce into every corner of the civilised world. The success which has attended these great efforts has been unparalleled in the history of the world. Five-and-twenty years ago the external trade of Germany was- about That has increased to whilst British have only doubled their trade during that period. In the matter of trade opportunities and facilities the Germans are almost everywhere placed on an equal footing. They have access to British markets under terms which they do not reciprocate and everywhere their trade was gradually extended. The result of this war must be, if not entirely to ruin their enterprise, at any rale to cripple it for years. The maintenance of the German military system has involved enormous cost, and it has compelled other peace-loving communities to spend huge sums annually in training and equipment for their own protection. That applies in a degree to New Zealand. We are training, and we are also determined to eliminate, so far as we can, from the Southern Hemisphere in which we live the danger that threatens us. If one thing more than another has been demonstrated by this war it is the value of democratic which the communities who enjoy them have She opportunity of controlling the governments under which they dwell rather than live under a system of militarism which makes for personal aggrandisement and requires for the satisfaction of the ambitious of the few the sacrifice, at the cost of great suffering, of the real grit of the community,”