CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 44, 1 June 1910, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

NURSES FOR THE BUSH. X cablegram in the News of yesterday gave an indication of a work the Countess of Dudley, with skilled help, is albout to undertake in Australia. The need for a similar system is very apparent in many parts of New Zealand, the interest of the country people in New Zealand ibeing identical with that of the backblockers of Australia. The Countess of Dudley was spurred to her endeavor by the work undertaken by Lady Plunket for the infants of New Zealand, and if it becomes the habit of leading ladies in the Commonwealth and New Zealand to use their influence in the direction indicated many of the terrors of the back country may disappear. We know that some clergymen of the best type give up their lives to the pursuit of their calling in the waste places of the earth, and also that these men are influenced by the consideration of helping their fellow-men in a physical as well as in a spiritual sense. We know, also, because it is demonstrated in Taranaki, it is possible for women to devote their skill in a great and worthy cause, and there is no cause more worthy than in the field of nursing in the hackblocks. It, however, calls for men and women of strong individuality and great unselfishness, and no doubt with the proper enthusiasm as the mainspring the results would be successful. Many a married man who' has the pioneering instinct does not pioneer ibecause he is too chivalrous to take his wife into the bush away from every convenience of civilisation. Unfortunately, the march of civilisation has made maternity nursing one of the essential elements of it, and there is nothing more pathetic than a lack of attendance in such cases. Years ago we advocated a scheme for the removal of the harsh conditions now existing. There is a district nurse for Taranaki, but the difficulties of extension are very great, possibly because there are few organisations in New Zealand that extend the scope of maternity nursing outside the towns. The women of the bush are as worthy of skilled attention as the women of the towns, for it has to he remembered that the towns are recruited from the country and depend entirely on it. We sincerely hope that the scheme of district nursing will flourish and have good results in Australia. Saving the mothers and their children is better worth attention than any other social scheme. We might with advantage copy Australia in the splendid plan devised by the Countess of Dudley, and extend the scope of the system inaugurated by the Taranaki Hospital Board.

NEW ZEALAND INDUSTRIES. New Zealand depends for the larger portion of .her income on raw products, and the quantity of it exported is remarkable, considering that it is produced by so few people from a comparatively small area. The development of manufactures is naturally slow, because the necessity has not yet arisen for the Dominion to use the major portion of the I things she grows. In cases where New Zealand specialises in manufacture the results are extremely gratifying, and the quality of some commercial goods produced is "as good as the best." New Zealand cannot he charged with a lack j of advertising, outside its own borders, but it is not always so keen about advertising within its own borders. We as a young country ought to be Very proud I of the goods we produce and of the label I "Made in New Zealand." From 6th to I ll.th June New Plymouth shopkeepers I will have an opportunity of specialising I in the display of New Zealand-made i goods, and those who are keen on the | progress of the country should make j every effort to demonstrate to the people that the Dominion is not behindhand in the race for commercial supremacy. Britain is the greatest manufacturing country in the world, her goods are, as a general rule, better than those of any other country, and she has a reputation for solidity and value not possessed outside the British Isles. Although we are Britons, too, there is less regard for excellence of construction and skilled workmanship, because of the "faster" conditions obtaining in the Dominion. There is no doubt at all that colonials can produce goods of fine quality if they try, and many of the leading' lines of manufactures have no superior. The help of retailers is very necessary if our manufactures are to supersede "the imported article.. As time progresses it will be necessary for New. Zealand to use much of its'own raw products, and next to agriculture the making of necessities will be the most important phase of colonial work. Competition for colonial markets is at present excessively keen, and the fact that the imported article, even when it pays heavy duty, is cheaper than the local" article "is, perhaps a handicap on manufacturing expansion. Still, manufacture must necessarily expand with the increase of population. We hope that the shopkeepers of New Plymouth will "put their best legs foremost'' between the dates mentioned.

TO-NIGHT'S MEETING. A meeting of ratepayers is called by the Mayor for this evening for the purpose of considering proposals for the construction of tramways, and also for the purpose of considering. the Local Bill authorising the Council to grant building leases of a portion of the Racecourse Reserve, east of Revenue road. Before the Borough Council can go further in the matter of the tramways scheme, it l

is necessary that ratepayers should givei them a lead. As is known, the Tramwaj'3 Committee, after carefully considering tlie question, reported in favor of I the constructs,i of a system from Fit/.-j roy to the Breakwater at a cost, esti-| mated oii the basis of the cost of the Wangnnui system, at £40,000. Basing the probable revenue and the running cost again on the Wanganui system, they were of opinion that the scheme would be almost self-supporthig from its inception. The Council was, asked to take up the scheme as a municipal one, as' against the creation of a special tramways district, and it now remain.; for ratepayers to say whether or not the Council shall proceed with the scheme and obtain the necessary expert advice before taking a poll 07) tlie subject. It would, to our mind, be a pity if to-night's meeting declared against the Council proceeding with the scheme. A good case has been made out for it, and the borough is warranted in going to the expense of obtaining a special report from an expert on the proposal. This report would be in the possession of tlie ratepayers before the poll was taken, so that by authorising the Council to go ahead now, ratepayer?, would not be committed to the scheme ip any way. I'.pon the matter of control of the proposed tramways there is some difference of opinioa. but the settling of this need not interfere with the merits of the scheme as a whole. Probably this point will be considered to-night and settled one way or the other. The outlying districts, it must be said, are <piite willing to participate in the scheme and accept their share of the responsibility. If there were losses tbev would share them with the borough; likewise the .profits. The Borough Council's share would be four-fifths, and the point to be considered is whether it is wise to have divided control, with its attendant disadvantages, in return for the subrubs accepting a fifth of the total liability. It is a matter ratepayers should decide for themselves. The' other proposal to be considered 'by the meeting is not likely to meet with opposition. The Council desires to let, on buildI ing leases, twelve and a half of land in the Racecourse Reserve that is ■now used for grazing. It is not required as a reserve, and were it cut up and leased it would produce a pretty considerable revenue.