CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 52, 23 August 1911, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

IMPORTED HELP. A fresh attempt is being made in England to assist the dominions of the Empire in solving the ever-pressing problem of domestic hplp. The Colonial Intelligence League has been formed under the presidency of Princess Christian Of Schleswig-llolstein, and has established an "intelligence office," which is to "estimate the demand for women's work in the colonies and bring it into relation with the supply in England." A branch of the League is working in British Columbia, and it is hoped that similar branches will be opened soon in Australasia. The aim of the League is to secure the co-operation of expert agents in the dominions, It will be thoir business to secure information for the League at Home concerning openings for women workers, and to assist in the establishment in the dominions of "settlements" in which women will be trained to fill the positions awaiting them. The League has been formed for the purpose of helping educated women to find suitable employment, but it will not restrict its operations to any particular walk in life. It is understood that women who desire to obtain employment in domestic duties will command the ready assistance of the organisation, which will guarantee the efficiency of its proteges, and in return will require very definite assurances of the suitability of positions which are offered to them. The League has been in communication with a committee of ladies in Adelaide, and a reciprocal agreement has been arranged. The committee in Adelaide was formed for the purpose of welcoming immigrants and keeping in touch with them during the first twelve months of their colonial life, the idea being to promote the immigration scheme which the State Government has in hand, and there has been no difficulty in extending the scope of the committee's operations. The organising secretary of the League in London has secured promises of help also from Sydney, and further extension is expected. The League certainly appears to be working along promising lines, and it should help in putting an eiul to the worries and troubles of colonial households. MR. McGOWEN ON GERMANY. "Except perhaps as regards advanced methods of education, from no other point of view do I consider that Germany can outstrip Great Britain," In these words Mr. McGowen, Premier of New South Wales, as reported in the London Evening Standard, summed up his impressions of his recent visit to the Fatherland. "My trip to Germany," he said, "was interesting and instructive to a degree. f. took a keen interest in what I sit\v at Knipp's famous works, which do a large amount of manufacturing for my Government, and also at Siemens', win re 1 viewed some of the most nn ! "il;ile machinery in the world. My ex'H rimers there, were, indeed, of an eye-opening description. ' Krupp's is a wone■ rs'.sl while the conditions of sair.'iiioii, I>'■•!)t and general clcanlines'; struck me as being peri '-tiprfwd by the fact trial, : ■ i t was shown, without the slij'liiiK. lie.iii.ation, the process of making tim law guns for the new German Dreadnought i-las* of battleships." Of the trim appearance of the German towns he passed through, Mr. McGowen had something to say. Touching on the industrial of tlie Kaiser's kingdom. !i" remarked that evidences were given iiiiii i(ml i.his art of commercial "go-ahead >" .-o" on tile part of the Germans was largvly traceable to an educational source, "in no other respect," Mr. Mi. added, •"do I think our German ten show us points. Following alone; Meiilar lines as regards education a, (inn.my, liritain need have no fear of limr. or any other nation. 1 should thai I lie rivalry between Great liritaiii and Germany is nothing but a friend!)-, industrial one. Germany is an industrial beehive and the Germans are wry busy hers. They realise that flic must, 'hustle' if they are to get the belter of the industrial deal. Yes, they know there is another big hive across the English Channel—that's what makes 'em hustle."