WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 200, 20 September 1916, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

NATIONAL EDUCATION. CATHOLIC DEMANDS. (Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 19. In the Roman Catholic churches on Sunday special reference was made to the refusal of the Minister of Education, speaking on behalf of the National Government, to accede to a number of requests concerning the Catholic schools, submitted to him by a large deputation of clergy and laymen a week of so ago. The deputation did not on this occasion urge that the Catholic schools should be subsidised from the public revenue, though, of course, it did not waive the claim that they should be assisted by the State on account of the national work they are doing. They wanted (1) free places and scholarships made tenable at Catholic secondary schools, (2) Trespasses on the railways for children attending Catholic schools, as in the case of State schools, (3) medical inspection of Catholic schools, (4) issue of “School Journal” to Catholic schools, and (5) representation on the Council of Education. In supporting these requests the deputation disclaimed any intention to bring political pressure in “any form” upon the Government, and appealed simply to the Minister's sense of fair play. Mr Hanan's reply was not encouraging. He would consult his colleague, the Minister of Railways, upon the question of travelling facilities, and when sufficient doctors were available he would provide for the inspection of “the whole of the children in New Zealand, irrespective of schools,” but he would go no further. In the churches on Sunday the clergy, having set aside their vestments and standing below the altar, criticised the attitude of the National Government towards the “Catholic claims” with very considerable warmth, and doubtless gave their sympathetic congregations the impression that the deputation’s assurance in regard to political action had been very matcrially revised. State Doctors. Some of these minor claims of the Catholics —minor in their own estimation only to their demand for State, grants—are being strongly supported by consistent friends of the national system of education, who would not tolerate any departure from its “free, secular and compulsory” character, and it is quite possible that when the whole question comes up for consideration in Parliament a majority of the members will be found favourably disposed towards most of the concessions. If Parliament gets its way it certainly will insist upon the medical inspection of school being made universal as Mr Hainan suggests. The Minister of Public Health would go much further than this. He had said enough in public to make it plain that he is more than half inclined towards the nationalisation of the medical profession. During his efforts to settle, the quarrel between the doctors and the friendly societies he realised that a professional monopoly in certain circumstances might be just as injurious to the public interests as a commercial or a financial monopoly. The fact that the doctors are entrenched behind traditions and statutes and reinforced by that intangible thing called ‘“medical etiquette,”' makes them infinitely more powerful than sugar trusts and beef trusts ever can be, and it may take Mr Russell a long time to produce any material improvement upon the present state of affairs. But after the war there will be doctor- available in abundance, and then it will be easy to secure highly qualified, public-spirited men to undertake the vast amount of medical work for which the State should hold itself directly responsible. War Bonuses. It is unfortunate that the hard things which are being said about the National Government in connection with the payment of war bonnes to well-paid public servants should have been reserved till this late date, The criticism would have come with a much better grace when the facts were fresh in the memory of the public; and when the Ministers immediately concerned were in a better position to defend themselves. But that both the principle of war bonuses and its application are open to objection there can be no doubt in the world. There may bo an excuse; though not a very good one; for adding £ls to the salary of an officer who is receiving £3OO a year in order to relieve him of part of the burden he bears in consequence of the increase in the cost of living: but there is no excuse for adding £IOO on £l5O to the salary of an officer who is already receiving £SOO or £IOOO a year because he has had to work a little harder than ho did before on account of the war. The people who have needed relief and who, speaking gentrally, have not got it; are those in private employment; earning from £2 to £4 a week; and perhaps supporting families. In some comparatively rare instances these unfortunate folk have been considered by their employers, but in the great majority of eases they have had to struggle along with their old incomes and with greatly enhanced prices. No doubt the officers who

have received the big bonuses have well earned the extra money; but it is perfectly safe to say that not one of them would have grumbled if the virtue of ready service to the State in time of stress had been left as its own reward. Land for Soldiers. The Land Boards In the various districts appear to be doing their best for the returned soldiers who are anxious to make homes for themselves in the country. Of course, the best of some boards is not so good as the best of others but there seems to be no serious cause for complaint against any of them. That more settlement of this very desirable kind is not going on is due to the fact that the Government lias not attacked the problem with sustained enthusiasm. The ‘heroic measures' which Mr George Forbes commended to Mr Massey and his colleagues in (Ids respect and in the other respects still have to bo taken,. It was hoped' that when the Prime Minister was temporarily relieving himself of some of his administrative work he would hand over the portfolio of Lands to Mr MacDonald, but instead of this he entrusted if to Sir Francis Bell, whose sympathy; or perhaps one should say his understanding; is with the holders of broad acres; and in a much less degree with the ‘ small men ’ who aspire to the smaller rural industries. Already quite a number of soldiers of this type; weary of waiting for the opportunity promised them by the State; are turning to private enterprise for what they want. So long as they got it on the best possible terms no great harm will be done so far as the indi-

vidual is concerned; but it is reasonable to suppose that if the Minister had moved promptly and ‘heroically’ in this matter ho would have secured a large number of settlers who would

have been a great asset to the country; both as producers and as soldiers.