Rangitikei Advocate. TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 1908 EDITORIAL NOTES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9097, 17 March 1908, Page 4

Rangitikei Advocate. TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 1908 EDITORIAL NOTES.

WHEN any offender is before the Court it is rightly provided that the public snail not bo allowed to comment on the merits of the ca»o. The Court is supposed to try the case on its merits alone, and without any regard tojjpublic opinion. While the law is so jealous of interference in cases which affect individuals only it may ho supposed that it is still more justified in resenting outside influence when bodies of men are involved. Of late, though the disputes of trades unions have been before the Court we have had some most indecent exhibitions of interference, not only by other trades unions agitators and- demagogues, but even by officials of Government Departments and Ministers themselves, Without any fear or favour the authorities should put into force the clause of the Amending Arbitration Act of last year which provides a penalty of-£IOO for those who aid or abet a strike or lock-out. The Trades Unions who have been passing resolutions supporting the strikers at Blackball have evidently forgotten that this little amendment was made last session. It does not go far enough, it is true, but it should 1)0 sufficient to prevent interference with the work of the Court. It should have provided that any Union making demonstration of sympathy with those on trial should be attached for the time, that any Minister or public servant [taking part should be deprived of office for at least ten years, that any politician making political capital out of the affair should be disqualified for life and that any agitatorjor demagogue who attempted to inflame the workers or even to pose as 'a mediator, should be arrested and detained until the Court had given its decision. Once a case corues before the Court there should be no interference by any party. If the power already given to fine aiders and abettors is exercised, however, some benefits may result from the Arbitration Act.

THE Protectionists have arrived at the conclusion that their cause will be benefited if they can arrange for a display of local manufactures. Strange to say, some country papers applaud this proposal and suggest that Government should run special trains and advertise the affair. Of course no one qestions the ability of colonial workers to make things—at a price. It is said to be possible to grow oranges in Greenland —at a price. The forced articles would, of course, be inferior to those that could be imported. But to make the proposed display of a:;j real value, the colonial articles should be shown in conjunction with imported articles, the prices should be set on such—the prices of the latter being exclusive of duty. It should also be shown how many are really employed in each industry, and what it costs the people to support them. We believe the exposure would appeal even to the most rabid Protectionist. If the display can be arranged on the lines which will show true comparison between the local and the imported articles, by all means let us have it as soon as pos : sible.

THE Cabinet cannot be accused of any undue hatse in settling the site for the dairy school. Most people have long recognised that Palmerston would be the place selected, and though some disappointment will be experienced in Feilding and other centres it was generally felt that the fight against Palmerston was one in which there was little hope of success. Government has decided not to attempt to provide a sort of glorified dairy farm as well as a school and the proposed institution will he on much more modest lines than many people expected. It will primarily bo a technical college for managers of butter aud cheese factories, and the work will be rather on scientific than practical lines. A department for research will also investigate the many difficult problems on r which light can he thrown by chemistry aud bacteriology. Tim there is a largo field for education aud research work of this kind is undoubted, and it is to be hoped that the management oftho institution

will be thoroughly efficient in every way. We trust that the disappointment which .will be felt in Feilding at nofe-being chosen as the site for the school, will not prevent both town and country uniting to press the claim for a training farm for the young farmers of the district. The generous offer of Mr Lethbridge has made such a farm possible, and judicious pressure should he brought to bear on Ministers to make it more than a possibility.