Rangitikei Advocate. MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1907. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXIII, Issue 9038, 30 December 1907, Page 4

Rangitikei Advocate. MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1907. EDITORIAL NOTES.

FINLAND can boast the possession of the most democratic Legislative Assembly in the world since women as well as men have the privilege of voting for candidates and being elected as members, and practically everyone who has attained his or her 34th year has a vote. The most striking feature of the new Chamber which has just completed its first session in that it contains 19 women among its 200 members. The results of the session’s work by this Assembly have been very meagre, only one measure of first class importance having been passed. The new enactment amounts to a total prohibitoin of all traffic in spirits, beer, and wine; only for medical and technical purposes may spirits be produced, imported, stored and distributed as a State monopoly. Exceptions are made for the Russian troops in Finland. The ecclesiastical use of wine is forbidden, and some non-alcoholic beverage must be substituted at the communion. One member, a male one, it may be added, could uot see why churches should be the only taverns left in the country. No one is allowed to keep alcoholic drinks in his house, unless he can prove that he came into possession of them before the law comes into force. The law authorises the police and various other officials to enter any house, on reasonable grounds of suspicion, and search it for spirits, wine, or beer. Carrying alcoholic matter involves the forfeiture of the vehicle, with horse and harness; similarly, a vessel the principal cargo of which consists

of alcoholic drinks will be seized. Penalties for other offences against the law arejexpeedingly heavy, varying frofn a fine of £4 to penal servitude for three years. All objections to the stringency of the measure were waived aside, and the feeling which dominated the debates on the question is summed up by the statement by one of the best known women members, Baroness Gripenberg, that in dealing with a question of this vital social importance it was quite time “to . leave reason aside and let sentiment prevail.” There seems a probability that the measure will be disallowed by the Crown, so that the world will be deprived of the valuable object lesson which would be provided by the action of such a drastic and illconsidered law.

There have been many benefactions by wealthy citizens to the cause of education in the United States, and Canada seems to be following the example set by her great neighbour. One of the latest examples of munificence is Macdonald College, founded by Sir William Macdonald, of Montreal. The object of this new foundation is the spread of knowledge in the interests of rural districts, and the training of teachers especially for rural schools. The college property comprises 561 acres, and has been arranged into three main areas. These are the Campus, with plots for illustration and research in grains, grasses and flowers, containing 74 acres; a farm of 100 acres for horticulture and poultry keeping; and a livestock and grain farm, 887 acres in extent. The cost of buildings, land, and equipment exceeds £300,000. Besides this amount Sir William Macdonald has allotted £400,000 as a permanent endowment, so as to make the college self-supporting. He hopes that the new institution will do much to improve agriculture in the province of Quebec, and that the rural schools will be revived and redirected through the normal college in con. nection with the Macdonald College. The college is incorporated with McGill University, and its principal is Dr. James W. Robertson, O.M. G., late Commissioner of Agriculture and Dairying for the Dominion. It has a highly trained and enthusiastic staff of teachers, who will give courses of instruction in three departments or schools—the school for teachers; the school of agriculture, and the school of household science, in which young women will receive training in tranches of household economy. There is accommodation for 300 women and 150 men, and there will be no. Charge for tuition to residents in the province of Quebec. Board and washing will cost 13s per week when two students occupy one room, or 14s a week in the case of students occupying single rooms. Institutions of this sort, of which there are several in Canada, must do a great deal to raise the level of the intelligence of those occupied in rural pursuits, and it would be well for New Zealand if we could have colleges of a similar description. Private liberality hitherto has done little for our educational progress in this direction, partly because men of great wealth are rare in this country, and partly because our habit of looking to Government for asssistance, has checked the spirit of giving.

RETIRED Admirals who seize the pen to write to the Times are generally as plain and energetic in their language as if they were still giving orders on the quarterdeck, or whatever corresponds to that sacred spot in the modern battleship. Admiral Oolomb has no time for the proposed scheme for an All Red route. He objects first to the name, as no route which is mostly maritime has, in his opinion, any claim to that title. But still more he objects to the emotional clap-trap which may delude the British nation into great expense for a costly sham which will not prevent commercial competition in time of peace or prevent a victorious Admiral in war time from shutting up the route like a telescope. Admirals, we imagine, if of the temper of Sir John Colomb, on occasion shut up a telescope with a bang. The contention of the Admiral is that Britain cannot afford to spend large sums in subsidising a line of steamers on a route which will not pay in view of the fact that all her energies are required to maintain her naval forces at the two-power standard. The contention has much force, though at present the enthusiasm of the advocates of Imperialism leads them in many cases to neglect such unimportant questions as those of mere pounds, shillings and pence.