CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 289, 1 May 1911, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

MAYORS AND PEOPLE. In Eltham: recently the people had a chance of electing one of two tried councillors, . or . a gentleman who was, though a popular, citzen, not a councillor. Under the existing system the people are entitled in any borough in New Zealand to elect as chief citizen anybody they choose, whether he has municipal service to his credit or not. It therefore occurs that a gentleman who has 110 knowledge of municipal politics is suddenly called by the people to lead the old Council in the service of the people. This is the people's concern, and it is fruitless to blame them. In its conduct of public affairs New Zealand is generally guided by British precedent. New Zealand, however, varies the British process of obtaining cuicf magistrates. A mayor leads a council in both New Zealand and England, but in New Zealand a council has no choice of leader. It would be more reasonable, and certainly more equitable, if the councils chose their own leaders from their own ranks. The proceedings of local bodies in New Zealand are based on the conduct of Parliament, but the people of New Zealand do not elect a Premier, and the people of a borough need not be called upon to elect a mayor. Our Eltham contemporary point out, in dealing with the local mayoralty, that the attainment of the chief magistracy is the only honor to which councillors may aspire. We agree that it is wise to obtain the services as mayor of a man who by devoted work in a council is familiar with the hundred and one details of municipal affairs. To copy the English system of appointing chief magistrates would dispel any discontent that may have been caused in the past bv the action of citizens in choosing men from outside a council. These remarks have a general application and do not specifically apply to Elthami

IS IT A JOKE? The feeble response of the youth of New Zealand to the more or less imperative call of the Defence Department suggests that the'said youth do not take the call seriously. The individual youth is possibly guided in his decision not to serve until he is driven per policeman by a general knowledge of the futility of the old-time Defence Department, which sheltered behind a dignified inefficiency. The diluted brand of compulsion that has superseded the hap-hazard system then in vogue has already shown "good colors." The officers and "non-coms." who (under a keen Commandant) are now administering the business of defence, are, happily, not bosom friends of those they control. The old system failed, mainly because of the familiarity of all ranks. To-day it is the business ■ of area officers, district adjutants and sergeants-major to "soldier," and to do nothing else. The excellence of the charge is observable in the ranks of Territorial corps. The men who formerly objected to the necessary dominancy of superiors now "jump to it." A soldier who doeß not "jump to it" is absolutely worthless. It is shown that 4000 potential soldiers who are allegedly compelled under the new Act to register have not yet done so. This in a single district. (Wellington). In a few weeks (by June 2) it will be competent for the Defence Department to hale these youths before a magistrate and to charge them with neglect of duty and to disfranchise them and to deal with them in other ways. The vital question is, will the Defence Department use its powers? Will the politicians be content to allow outsiders to believe that there is "universal compulsory military service" in New Zealand? Already Lord Kitchener's scheme and advice have been quite lost sight of. The large' body of loafers in New Zealand are over the age of 21 years. They will still be permitted to stand at street corners and sneer at the defence force.

Their juniors are apparently no keener than they, and have failed to recognise that the State moans business. We arc not yet quite sure that the State is in earnest. The mustering of defaulters to show cause why they have not answered the call will be the only proof of the intention of the Defence Department to carry out its programme. In the meantime, the real defence force of New Zealand is no stronger than it was last year.

JUDGES AND UXIOXISTS. New Zealand is not the only country where Labor objects to the manners and methods of some judges. Not long ago Mr. Winston Churchill received a deputation from the British Trades Unions Parliamentary Committee and listened to some very plain opinions. One of the grievances was that the constitution of juries was unfair and impartial. It was shown that if workmen offended large firms and were prosecuted "two or three of the largest financial members of the company were empannelled as members of the special jury." One spokesman said that a trades unionist who was tried before the High Court had no chance of a fair trial. His case was prejudiced before he entered the box. This speaker caused a chorus of "hear, hears!" when he said that quite a number of aged judges should be removed from the Bench. The Home Secretary seemed to be sympathetic. He deprecated the expressions of opinion from the judicial bench which were calculated to destroy the confidence of the great mass of working people, who were the most important element of society. Mr. Churchill said that on many occasions statements had been made from the Bench reflecting on trades unions in language that was extremely ignorant and quite out of touch with modern thought. The authoritative statement of the Home Secretary that the democratic principle on which the British jury system was based had long departed, certainly justified the deputation in its conclusions. In New Zealand, happily, juries are generally absolutely democratic, and, except in those cases where the right of challenge is too liberally exercised the public may be said to get a "fair deal." It is obvious that in many cases where special juries are empanelled and a judge is biassed against the class from which the defendant is drawn, justice cannot be done. The demoqratisation of all juries and the education in democratic principles of English judges is, therefore, a task which British Labor has set itself, and one in which a very powerful Minister seems willing to help.