The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, December 17, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1337, 17 December 1914, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, December 17, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

At Palmerston High School prizegiving ceremony on Tuesday night the Rector (Mr J. E. Vernon) stated that 95 per cent of the pupils attending the school came from outside Palmerston. This bears out the argument in favour of centralisation for secondary and technical education. The so-called country district high-schools unless far removed from a large centre, should be abolished. There are probably enough proficiency scholars at the local State school with the addition of one or two from Moutoa or Oroua Downs to make up the complement, twenty, to raise our local primary school to the dignity and status of a district high school. We question the wisdom of such a step and for this reason : We are within easy distance of one of the best equipped and efficiently staffed secondary institutions in the Dominion a school which is gaining a Dominion reputation, to say nothing of the fine technical institution. To cast the opportunities afforded for access to such an important seat ot learning in favour ot secondary instruction in connection with our primary school would not be to the best advantage of those seeking higher education, and we do not for one moment believe parents interested would sanction such change and much as we have the welfare of our local school at heart we believe it would not be in the best interest of our scholars. With free locomotion for our scholars to Palmerston, we are on a good wicket and it would be a retrogressive step to convert our school into a district high school.

ThK Massey Government has been confirmed in office with a majority of two oyer the combined Opposition. To carry oo with such a slender margin, as the Auckland Herald points out, might be untenable were the Reform Party composed ot such incongruous and discordant elements as those which mustered under the banner of Sir Joseph Ward. Fortunately tor the country, the Reform Party is compact and united, agreed upon principles and loyal to its leader, whereas a Ward majority, whatever its virtues, could only have hoped to remain unbroken by constant concessions to its Federations! tail. Only 32 of the Oppositionists who have so far

secured seats acknowledge Sir Joseph Ward as their party chief, the remaining seven being “ Labour ” men of varying complexions—from the sober hue of Mr Veitch to the carmine of Mr Payne and Mr Webb—who support Sir Joseph as frank opportunists, and would generally withdraw their support if he dared to display in office any displeasing independence. Even with his small majority Mr Massey is able to appoint a Speaker and to hold the Treasury benches, as will be promptly admitted by every reasonable Oppositionist. Under the circumstances patriotic oppositionists can be relied upon to give Mr Massey support upon all national and imperial affairs.

For the present, at any rate, the Government has a majority of two, and, so far as the claim of the Opposition to disturb existing arrangements is concerned, the proverb which says that a miss is as good as a mile meets the case, says the Post. The Government has a right to carry on the business of the country during the six months preceding the ordinary date lor the meeting of Parliamrnt, and it is also its duty to do so. Mr Massey is under no such obligation as that which Sir Joseph Ward somewhat tardily discharged after the general election of 1911. The verdict of the electors on that occasion was, at the best, ambiguous; at the worst, it was a vote of no confidence in the Ward Government. There is no such uncertainty now. Democracy means majority rule, and having a majority the Government is entitled by the theory of democracy and the practice ot representative .government to remain in office. What may happen in June is another question which depends in part upon different considerations. It may possibly be determined by the result of a byelection in the interval. Failing that, a majority of one would be a narrow margin to carry on by, and though the task would not be an impossibility, it would necessitate the avoidance of occasions of controversy and the exercise by both sides of a policy of mutual forbearance. Will the patriotism of Sir Joseph Ward be equal to this task ?

[Since the above articles were in type, the amended figures in connection with the Hawke’s Bay seat have come to hand.]