Rangitikei Advocate. TUESDAY, MAY-23, 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8824, 28 May 1907, Page 2

Rangitikei Advocate. TUESDAY, MAY-23, 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES

THE nows that twelve Auckland players nominated to play iu the North v. South football match have refused to sign the declaration required by the Rugby Union makes it clear that the action of the authorities was perfectly justified. Wo must conclude that some of Lie players concerned have been and have consented to join the. proposed professional team for England. The assertion hy one or two players that they have no intention of becoming professionals points to the supposition that they have been led by a false feeling of comradeship to join their fellow players in refusing to sign. We must regret the existence of such a sentiment, as it sliows that men who are and intend to remain amateurs do not sec the necessity of dissociating themselves from those who place no value ou the amateur status. We admitithat any man has a perfect right from the point of view of the individual to use his skill at football as a means of making money, but it must be clear to all that Now Zealand is not a large enough country to have both amateur and professional unions, and therefore it is wise in view of the undoubted evils which follow from professionalism to restrict ourselves to the amateur game. Once professionalism in football is allowed it merely becomes a matter of money bags to decide what ciub shall have the host team, and the Rugby Union is therefore perfectly justified iu demanding that players who wish to make money out of football should do it elsewhere than iu New Zealand. We hope, and we fool sure that wc carry all true sportsmen with ns iu the hope, that the Union will stand firm iu its attempt to nip professionalism in the bud and to preserve footbaL from becoming a more moneymaking busings.

THE contest against corruption in Hew York is evidently being energetically carried on by Governor Hughes, who, it will be remembered, was elected after a hard fight with Mr Hearst, the millionaire owner of many journals of the “yellow press” type. The first action taken by Mr Hughes was to examine Mr Kelsey, whose duty it was to supervise the insurance companies, and finding that that official was quite unacquainted with the details of insurance business, Mr Hughes recommended his dismissal. The Senate, however, refused to carry out the recommendation, and it appeared for the time that the Democratic majority in the State Assembly would nullify Mr Hughes’ efforts. A recent cablegram, however, states that the Senate has recently passed a Public Utilities Bill, creating two commissioners whose duty it will bo to regulate, the business of corporations conducting public services such as railways, lighting, etc. Mr Hughes is said to he closely identified with the measure. Provided the commissioners are- efficient and honest men their appointment should have good results, as the companies who control the street railways and other public conveniences have hitherto done exactly as they pleased. In many cases promoters bribed the memohrs of the Legislature in order to obtain concessions on terms very unfavourable to the public, and the j railways are conducted with a total I disregard of the safety or couIveuienco of citizens. If the now Governor can succeed in bringing the men who have hitherto defied • the law into their proper place lie will go far towards securing his nomination as successor to President Roosevelt. The people of the United States would undoubtedly re-elect Mr Roosevelt were he to stand, but the opinion generally expressed is that, after the many statements by the President that he would not again accept office, it would he a sign of unexpected weakness wore lie to go hack on the assurances ho has given.

THE New Zealand Times still continues tv) hammer away at the absurd statement that the aggregation of large estates is going vn iu Now Zoahmil regardless ol the fact that the increase in values which it quotes is mainly duo not to aggregation of country estate.., out to the rise in value of town properties. Wo do not doubt that if figures could-"be obtained excluding lauds iu boroughs and townships, the story they would tell would bo very different. Mr W. J. Birch, iu a letter to the editor of the Times, states that aggregation is certainly not going on in this district, and mentions the following estates which have recently been cut up—Westmcre estate, Imlay, Clxnrtou, Poxton, Arles, Harrison’s, Ruataugata, Ann Bank, Makoliau, Heaton Park, York Farm, the Bulls estate, Lethbridge’s, Mausou’s, McKelvie’s, Judge Proudorgast’s, and several others. As a reply to ( ids the Times quotes some indefinite statements by Mr Hogg as to aggregation in the Wairarapa. Mr Hogg mentioned that the Land Board has permitted sections of 200 or 300 acres to be lumped together, making farms of 500 or 600 acres, and specially refers to sections near Rakauuui. Rakauuni, we may say, is 33 miles from Pahiatna on a road the last portion of which is absolutely impassable except on a stout horse .for nine mouths of the year. The sections are rough, with practically no ploughablo land, and were cut up too small iu tiie first case, and the Laud Board allowed them to bs increased, as otherwise the people would" not have remained on land from which they could not hope to make a living. If Mr Hogg would point out the names of • persons in the Wairarapa who since 1903 have

added [to their properties so as to bring them- oyer tlio unimproved value of £IO,OOO lie would bo doing somethin# to prove his ca.sc.