The Daily News. SATURDAY, APRIL 9. A LABOR PARADISE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 359, 9 April 1910, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, APRIL 9. A LABOR PARADISE.

j It is hard to understand "what ultimate , goal tile worker desires to reach; and j harder still to understand his reasons for hoping that any Parliament will be able to put into effect, the plans his leaders make. At the recent Australian Trades Union Conference the aspirations of workers were vividly set out, and to state it plainly, if they are realised, the worker will live in a sort of gold-mounted Arcadia. The leaders base the potential results on "constitutional methods." That is to say, they look to a Labor Parliament to effect the change from the present system to the Arcadian type. The Conference did not favor strikes, and it is to be at once admitted that no strike could force the reforms they foresee. The Conference showed that it was only necessary to obtain a Labor majority in Parliament, and the wages in every industry would he raised, that the powers of Parliament would be extended, and that the banking, sugar, tobacco, confectionery, meat, butter, coal, artificial fertiliser and agricultural implement industries will beltaken over by the State, which is to manage them in the interests of the community. The working day will be shorter, there will be regular holidays, and prices will be lower. "More important than all these together," everyone will be provided with congenial employment. It is impossible to conceive that the average sensible working man believes the person who tells him this. Economies are set aside, individual human ambition is set at naught, and it is concluded that the paid Labor member will in ■Parliament continue to be the fighting force he believes himself to be before he gets into the "House." Parliament does not dominate a country. If it does so it is doomed. The people are not the servants of any Parliament, and Parliament must perforce be the servant of its employers. The suggestion that- a Labor majority in any Parliament could justly wield enough power to effect these class reforms is proof nositive that such a. Parliament would be unpopular and the worst kind of coercive body. Such a scheme would be as unpopular v.-r;h the ambitious worker as with the private employer. The wholesale wiping out of private enterprise at the instigation of a Laboj- majority would mean, in the first place, such an enormous scheme of compensation as to appal the elector—the man to find the cash. If J ou carefully think of the men in Taranaki, for instance, who have achieved something better than a mere pittanee earned from another man, you will find that they have been ambitious working men. They have made their own Arcadias. If they have leaned up against the Government for their all, their all can be counted easily. Such dreamers as the Australian workers who believe in the Arcadian scheme have carefully eliminated the possibility of anybody outside a Labor majority in Parliament having any ambition or mind of their own. No credit is given for human strength or human weakness, individual aspirations or the ability to fight one's own battle. They simply cut and dry a scheme for four million people, consulting only perhaps fifty of that number. It is to be plainly seen that the men responsible for the scheme speak only for the few whose asset is the . work of the hands. In a scheme of nationalisation of industry the first essential is the nationalisation of the land, which is the source of all wealth. The dreamers have carefully said nothing about land. They also plan to do less work, thereby decreasing 'production. They plan idler times. Idleness is the father of wickedness. The nationalisation of industry which would give the State the control of vast commercial concerns and the handling of incalculable sums of money, would create the largest crop of sycophants and leaners the world has ever «een. To increase a thousandfold the •ervants of the State would sap the individuality of any nation. To dominate a whole country from one wing of a Parliament would be a more w-cked thing than the Massacre of the Innocents.

AN OPPORTUNITY PASSES. The Recreation Grounds still present a sorry spectacle as the result of the turious gale. Great trees are Shattered, and others are stripped of their limbs. Even the second growth of native trees,! which can be most correctly described as undergrowth, and whose varying I tints of green formed a most effective I setting for the imported trees and| shrubs, was bruised and battered, and ■blown to pieces. The pungas, the glory of the Taranaki landscape, bowed before the blast, gave up their beautiful fronds to the tempest, or broke off short. Such devastation has never been equalled or approached since the New Plymouth Recreation Grounds were first planned. Even to-day, despite the wreckage which j everywhere imeets the eye, the grounds are still the pride of the people locally, and the envy of visitors from all parts of the globe. What, however, is being done to restore them? Such has been the general feeling of regret 6ince the l damage was first reported that we feel / sure that 'had the Board immediately! made a practical appeal for funds, the response would have been liberal. Following on the track of the gale with a I grand benefit concert, or something of j

the kind, the Board and a staff of ener-: getic honorary ticket-sellers must have; gathered in sufficient money not only! to put on extra labor and to some ex-' tent remove the traces of the gale, but als'o to considerably strengthen the' finances. The opportunity has not yet! passed, and it would be a pity to let it* slip. The recent substantial donations' to the funds by the Hon. 0. Samuel l and Mr C. W. Ciovett have, of course,) relieved the burden of anxiety off the 1 s'houlders of the trustees, but we ore afraid that the Board will not be able' to keep the grounds going on voluntary contributions. Organisation is necessary' to secure that measure of public sup- 1 port that the value and beauty of our lovely Recreation CJrounds require and so richly deserrt. r

LOCAL AND GENERAL. The Recreation Sports Grouna wmliiittee intends holding a dance in the Brougham-street hall on the '2l-st insi. The next meeting oi the Tarauaki School Commissioners will be held on Friday, iiay '2Ulh., instead of the lliih of the month.

Can lucerne be grown successfully in Tarauaki? The question is answered in the allirmative by .Mr. J. IS. lkrleyman; who forwards us a sample of luK'erne (alfalfa) grown on his farm at Waitara road. The sample shown gives succulent feed about a foot in height, and represents a. moiitii's growth. This crop has been cut on four previous occasions this season. Mr. Barleyman is convinced of the suitability of lucerne as a crop for the soil in this district. The secretary of the School Commissioners lias prepared a list of unlettable reserves which it is proposed to dispose of. The schedule includes practically all of those sections whose weed-infested condition forms the kernel of the Board's monthly meetings, and care should be taken lest in the general clearing-out the members find themselves with nothing to do but pass the accounts and collect their travelling expenses. The members will feel a deal easier in mind when the last lias been heard of one or two troublesome reserves.

The ranger to the School Commissioners asked the Board yesterday to let him know what power he had to compel lessees of the reserves to drain low-lying lands. He points 'out that some sections, which were low-lying, •when denuded of timber, became damp, and the natural growth of raupo spoiled the grass. Of course, the land then became quite useless, although the lessees appeared to be carrying outh the provisions of the lease on the whole. .Mr. Marchant wanted to know whether, under the clause providing for the farming of the land "in a husband-like manner," he was empowered to pompel drainage of such land. The question has been referred to the Board's solicitor for an opinion. The force of the gale last week in portions of the King country was extreme. Mr. Jennings, M.P., who returned this week after spending tne Easter holidays in Taumaranui and Auckland, states that when he passed Raurimu, the township at the foot of the spiral on the Main Trunk line, he was surprised to notice the bare appearance of the beautiful rimu bush about the township, which was standing a fortnight ago. On asking one of the residents of Raurimu why such extensive clearing had been done, he said the gale was so violent that quite 150 of the trees round the township had been blown down. Further along the line, towards Horopito, large trees were seen uprooted. At Mangapeehi, dozens of trees, three feet in diameter, were blown down, and impeded the traffic on Ellis and Burnard's tram timber line. Mr. C. Carter has an attractive window; display just now devoted to his increasingly popular "Golden Gift" tea, and the scheme is attracting its full share of attention. The idea of the win-dow-dresser is ambitious; perhaps extravagantly so, for, ignoring the regular steamer service, declining to await the deepening of the harbour at Moturoa to admit ocean liners, and apparently putting little faith in airships., he has constructed an enormous traffic bridge from the tea plantations in Ceylon to Carter's store in Devon-street. On the bridge are two trains bearing their freights of "Golden Gift" tea direct from Ceylon to the enterprising proprietor of the brand. "Good as gold," says a placard in the back of the window, and certainlv the tea is "eatchinsr on." The main idea of the window is this enormous bridge, but there'* a wealth of other detail. Australia, Indift. Ceylon, and New Zealand are raised in piles of tea from a sea of green painted lead. The window should achieve its purpose in "booming" an excellent tea. There's a lake in the district between the Meeting of the Waters and the Egmont road. It is called Lake Umutekai. Many years ago the land round about it .was vested in the School Commissioners. At that time the lake was a beautyspot, its deep still waters fringed by lovely native bush. It was, however, an unlettable piece of country. The Board Of those days looked forward to the time when Lake Umutekai would become a favorite picnic resort for the people of the district, and left a roadway to it. Time passed, settlement came, and with it the destructive bush fire. Lake Umutekai, unfortunately, came within the fire zone, and the lovely little piece of bush was ruined. To add to her list of misfortunes, the ■iwater itself receded by some eight feet, leaving an ugly beacli of logs and stones, which soon became a bed of weeds. The lessee of the adjoining land has done much to prevent their spread, but it was recognised by the Board yesterday that it was scarcely fair to expect him to do this for nothing. So they have offered him a year-to-year tenancy at a peppercorn rental provided he will keep down the noxious weeds. In the meantime, Lake Umutekai would appear tohave been "scratched" from our list of picnicking places.

/'A singular letter" was how Mr. Corkill described a communication from the Advances to Settlers' Office, read at the school commissioners' meeting yesterday. The superintendent wrote' in reference to an application for a loan by. one of the Board's lessees, the security offered being a renewable lease under the Board to come into force in June next. The letter asked the Board whether it proposed to lease the land under this Act or that Act—what one doesn't matter—and then calmly requested to be informed by what right the Board leased at all;'that is. the superintendent wished to be informed of' the date of the Onler-in-Couneil by which the commissioners derived their leasing powers. The cream of the joke lies in the fact that the Board of School is very little else but a leasing authority, empowered under the Education Act. Aigain, the secretary explained that the Advances to Settlers' Office holds scores of the Board's leases as securities, and has done so for years past. The members of the Board characterised the application in strong terms. Mr Jennings, M.P.. ejaculated" T can t understand al] the humbug that's p-nino- o n. By jove. I'd like to be King of this country for a bit. I would. T can't understand what's going on at nil." None of his colleagues appeared able to enlighten him. and with a few jokes as to the term of Mr. Jenrting's reisrn as His Majesty Willis. *n of New Zealand, the Board parsed the j letter on to its solicitor for ad rice. 1

Though one man swears bv lemonade When it is fifteen in the shade. Another mav prefer his beer. And think the first man's taste is queer. Though one mav stick to water pure; Another natronise the brewer; Both will, of course, nerforce' endorse The worth of Woods' Great Peppermint Cure. .. jg

At a recent meeting of a Taranaki local body a member exclaimed: "I don't' tkink the builders should be allowed to ride 'slip-shod' over tile Council!''

A few minutes after .seven o'clock last night the lirebelis rang <>ut an alarm. The lire was located in Mr. .1. Robert.-,' uid smithy on the Kawau Pa reserve, and wa~ soon extinguished.

Dr. Allen, in his address at Whitelcy Hall last night, expressed his opinion that Taranaki should be able to carry a couple of millions of .people. The ex-borough foreman of Inglewood lia.s issued a public challenge to any councillor to rc.sign, "and," he adds, "i will contest the seat with him as a protest against the Council's action re the organisation of the stall." To save humiliation councillors should not allow the challenge to go unheeded!

The traffic returns oil the North Inland main lilies and branches during the four-weekly period ending March otli, amount to .CH.'i.HoK lid. against Ci:}2.32:i 12s 10d for the corresponding period last year. Passengers accounted for ;Ctil.;io3 Us ltld, and goods £71,.'i.)4 8d - ' Some amusement was caused in the Magistrate's Court >at Auckland, ill a case in which a lady solicitor appeared The lady was asking a debtor a question, when he turned with a surprised look and said, '"Who are your What's your name?'' "The lady is a solicits of the Supreme Court, interposed Mr. Kettle, "and appears for the judgment creditor." "Oh!" replied the witness; "is that so?" and the examination proceeded, with the result that an order for payment was made. A "printer's error" is one of the bug'bears that beset newspaper men the world over, we might say. These "printer's errors" lead to many an unfortunate contretemps, but often the unconscious humor set up is most piquant. In his lecture at St. Mary's Hall last evening on "The Navy" the Rev. the Hon. Yarde-Buller gave a capital instance, the fact that it had a personal application being richly enjoyed. In the Jack Tar's pa,per he was referred to as "a wholesole restraint without being a depressing iniquity." The difference between "wholesome" and "wholesale" is a wide berth. More than usual variety characterises the April number of Progress, just to hand. There is a sketch ot the Taranaki oil field, with illustrations, which make the public of the Dominion better acquainted with one of its most promising resources. The Kaipara and her repairs at Auckland Dock fill two pages very interestingly. The result shows how easy it is with the appliances now in the Dominion, to repair a bis shfy of this class. A new feature is a section devoted to the motor-boat sport and the industry which caters for its wants, together with an account of a motor-boat excursion on the Taieri river. An article with copious illustrations on the building of aeroplanes will be of practical interest to the builders of aeroplanes, who, judging bv the increasing mention of them in the newspapers of the Dominion, .<ire cettins numerous and enterprising. In this article description and illustration are very full and instructive down to the minutest details. On the whole, Progress for April is a very full "and suggestive mimbprt

A motorist was passing along the Normanby road on Thursday, and while the car was travelling down an incline a cow, which had been hidden by a clump of gorse growing alongside, rusned on to the road. The driver made an effort to pass between the cow and the embankment, but the vehicle struck the animal and smashed into the bank. The impact was so terrific that all three passengers were thrown out. The car made a rebound, and then again ran forward upon the prnstraate forms of passengers. With great presence of mind Mr Inns (who had retn'ned his grip of the steering wheel- pulled the car sharply away. This caused the front wheel to miss one of the passengers (a Mr Campbell), but the hind wheel literally scooped him up the embankment and left him lying on the to,p of it. The lady was rendered unconscious, hut rallied after a little while. Mr Campbell, after Mrs' Fitzmaurice had been attended to, also relapsed into unconsciousness. The little boy, three years old, soon recovered from his fit i of crying, unhurt. The damage "in! sight" to the car is estimated at £3OJ The cow is all right.—Hawera Star. i

A mild sensation occurred at St. Mary's Hall last evening at the opening of the Rev. the Hon." Yarde-Bnller's' lecture. "Jack Ashore" was the title of the address, and all arrangements had been made to have the sneaker's re-, marks illustrated bv limelight views. When lighting up, however, the retort of the lantern got, out of order and caught fire, and immediately there was! a general commotion, especially among I the ladies and the young people. Amid] cries of "sit still." the operator, Mr Evans, disappeared with the blazing] lantern at the nearest exit. The "re-'l tort" that Mr. Yarde-Buller supplied in its place was one that cet everybody' at ease: "I usually take up 'lie collec-j tion at tilie end of mv lecture, but tonight I think it would be well to do' so'now!" Later it was discovered that the lantern had been put out of com-; mission through the accident, and so all I that was vouchsafed to the audience of' "Jack Ashore" for the evening was the! smellful presence of gas. Then Mr.' Yarde-Buller hurriedly dug up some notes on "The Navy," to which, it may be said, he did full justice, and the audience went far from empty away.

BLANKETS, RUGS. AXD SHEETTXG DIMINISHED PRICES AT THE MELBOURXE.

Any time's a good time to buy these household requisites, if there's 'a bargain in sight. Particularly now, with the mercury creeping towards zero and long keen winter nights in view. When ve were buying for this season, months ago, .we foresaw the rise, and in preparing for a season of values bought nearly fifty cases, amountinc at that time, when prices were low. to nearly two thousand pounds—to which you can now add five hundred more for advances since then. Prices like the undermentioned are bringing us hundreds of customers who have never before been in our stores. They have heard from the others of the bargains—it is the lure of economy. Buy now for the winter. TToavv three-quarter Witney blankets] white and fleecy, lis fid nnir: full-size, los fid pair. Heavv blue blankets, single bed size. 8s 9d pair; three-nuarter size, 12s fid pair. _ Genuine Roslvn blankets, finest value in the Dominion, ner pair three-miarter size, 1S« fid: full doublebed size. 24s fid. Splendid bush ru«s 6fnn bv fi4in, 5s lid. Reversible Austrian rusrs, 7ft long bv fift wide. 9s fid. Pretty check rues. Sft (iin bv 7ft. 14s fid. Lovely Kaiapoi travelling ru«s. 15 s fid. Heavy herringbone and twill unbleached fiheetins. 72in wide, Is vard. Heavy white and colored towels, verv lartre size. Is each, worth Is fid. On sale at rmr three stores, New Plymouth, Stratford, and Eltham.—Advt.'

.■nr.aiion is 'ueiiig obtained by tile il'M. l)r Fi:idlay from the Federal Atu>rney •. icueral regarding the Australian < 011:1 ■ >Mv. v'lilt h's arrangement with the Engii-h mint for production of silver * oinage. With this to hand, the whole question of coinage arrangements tor New Z-ttla!i<l will lie considered by tho (lovernnient.

For the jKist twelve months the ll- ' '1 victuallers in New Plymouth'-have very kindly provided free board nml lodging for the L'luuket nurse, who works here in the interests of the iieaitn ol women and children. At a. meet big yesterday the Association, recognising the good work which was being done by the nurse in the district, decided to lurther assist the Society for the Promotion, of the Health of \\ omen and Children by keeping theiiurv for another year. This was included in the report of the Society presented at the annual meeting last night, and tiie announcement was greeted with loud applause. A hearty vote of than&R to the Association was earned by acclamation.

Mi. ( . R. Haines, who says his ancestor* have been yeomen farms in Sussex since 1200. in a letter to the London PpecT.uor, asks: "Agricultural England. Cathedral, feudal, residential England, how U it inferior to coal-mining, ironworking. cotton-spinning' Britain? And what lias modern industrial, democratic Britain done comparable to the achie*emev.ts of aristocratic and agricultural England ? The cotton-spinners are notoriously the most selfish of all »ur workers, as their treatment of th« Indian cotton industry sufficiently showed. The other two industries mentioned subsist and prosper by the exploitation and destruction of the capital assets of our native land, its coal, its iron, and its incomparable patural beautv. Agricultural Enehnd. on the other hand, enriches and beautifies the soil from which it draws its (at nresent) precarious liv-in-r. and. ""hut is of far more consequence still, breeds the hardv race of n;"ii 'hat has carried the flirr „ n ,l tie laiiiriia."" and the commerce'of England nvev " fi'-Ti of the habitable world. And on- Pitheiral cities, are thev not as honest, and as law-abiding, and as intellectual. and as beautiful as the chapel town-- n 1 the conventicle villages of the C'vmrv?"