CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 284, 23 April 1913, Page 6

CURRENT TOPICS.

WORKMEN'S HOMES. Tlie Mayor of Hawcra lias given the local Star some interesting particulars relating to workmen's homes. He explained for the beneiit of those who may not l>e quite familiar with the provisions of this Act, that a "worker" means "any person," 21 years or over, earning not more than £175 a year; nor owning or leasing land. . . The land would be cut up into areas from one-eighth to one-quarter acre sections, and £lO cash is all that is required by way of deposit. The particular section being chosen, the applicant then selects from the Government designs the plan of the house he fancies. There are a number of designs to choose from, ranging from a £2OO cottage up to £450. The value of the house, plus the section, is then capitalised, and the purchaser is charged 7 per cent, on this—3«/a per cent, intciv est and 3% per cent, sinking fund which extinguishes the capital in 25 years. The houses will be built in cither wood or concrete—the concrete costing about £lO in £4OO extra; but the latter are everlasting, an<l soon recompense

the extra cxpcnsu by way of saving depreciation, insurance, painting, etc. Properties may be re-sold at any time on payment of the balance to the Government, but whilst there is any money owing 011 tlieni they may not be transferred without permission of the Hoard. In the event of an owner being transferred or leaving the district, the incoming man repays to him the value of all permanent improvements, and he, gets credit, also, for the amount of principal I paid off. There was a scheme afoot in Xew Plymouth a veur or two ago to take advantage of the Government proposals. Has it died ft natural death?

TflK RAILWAYS MANAGER. Mr. Hiley, the new General Manager of Railways, is a wan of 43 years, and is therefore comparatively young, while a reference to our own classification list shows that we have in the senior division many oflicials with from twentyfive to forty years' service. In other words, these men were gaining their railway experience when Mr. Hiley was still in pinafores. It is not even as if Mr. Hiley had devoted the whole of , his adult years to railway work, lie joined the North-Eastern railway service as recently as 18!)1 in the capacity of clerk, was assistant to the general inspector in 1904, was for six years in charge of the advertising department,, and in 1001 lie became chief clerk in the district superintendent's office at York. Then, for three years, be held the position of chief pasesnger agent for the Great Northern Railway, and finally, for the last five years, has been district goods manager of the North-Eastern Railway at Hull. It is not a great record, and, when we remember what the post of district goods manager at Hull is worth, it is apparent that Mr. Hiley has met with extraordinary good fortune in being translated to the position of General Manager of the New Zealand Railways at £3OOO a year. But what about the scores of senior men in our own service, with experience varying from 2o to 40 years, who have been passed over to provide a highly-paid billet for a comparative junior with no knowledge whatever of colonial conditions and requirements? The whole proceeding reflects unfairness and injustice. What inducement is there for able men to remain in this or any other branch of the public service when the acknowledged policy of the Government is to ignore conspicuous merit in our own country and offer the prizes that were designed to stimulate ambition to strangers of lesser experience and unknown capacity?— Wellington Times.

ANOTHER MOKAU MYSTERY. We have had Mokau ere this, but never one so surprising. Here is the somewhat curious cablegram forwarded from London: "A Mokau syndicate has cabled an offer of £IOOO to Ernest Barry, the world's champion sculler, to row an unnamed sculler on the Mokau river in November next." So, from its rural seclusion, this Taranaki stream has leaped after the fashion of a tidal wave into the forefront of the world (facetiously remarks the Wellington Post). Many were sceptical when the ArnstBarry contest on the Zambesi was mooted, but picture the wonderment and hot curiosity of the sporting enthusiasts at Home at the name "Mokau"! In fancy we see th<» rush to the office of the Dominion's High Commissioner for further information as to the whereabout of the syndicate and the river. What a ransacking of the encyclopediae for enlightenment on Mokau, and what a problem for the authorities outside these islands, searching the map of New Zealand "for the strange and unfamiliar name! The out-of-the-way, forest-hidden Mokau stream is in the way of becoming a Niagara. Perhaps the most exacting strain on the imagination is that of visioning the mysterious arid romantic "unnamed" and the lithe champion flashing dripping blades down the gleaming, fern-boweral Mokau (where room could be found), the while bellbirds (did they live there) chimed the "unnamed" first past the gun. Even if Barry takes it seriously, the olTer is hardly attractive enough to lure the Britisher across the world, especially as, in the event of his beating Peaive, the Australian challenger, he would have the right to await further opponents 011 the Thames —his home course. As the match is proposed for November next, it may be assumed that the "unnamed" (not necessarily ''unknown") is already sufficiently proficient in the art of the sliding seat, the legdrive, catch and recovery to warrant the syndicate's -rather amazing offer. Whom has 'the syndicate up its sleeve? Is it the gall'ant Webb, confident he can come back, or Arnst, who is anxious for matches? Is the "unnamed" really an "unknown," nursed carefully in the Taranaki wilds from t apprenticeship to achieve a great coup?? Assuredly, the country will not be Satisfied until the syndicate reveals itself and the cloaked wonder to public scrutiny. This ambitious syndicate (if a'cable sub-editor has not nodded, or if there has been no waggishness at this end of the wire), should it fail with, Barry, might reasonably enter into negotiations with Johnson for a championship gjj>ve battle with, say, Palzer, to take place at New Plymouth or Patea. Further information in re Mokau will be awaited with interest;

VALUE OF ADVERTISING. Speaking at a meeting at the Hotel Cecil, London, Mr. T. J. Barratt, chairman of Pears' Soap, said it is commonly supposed that advertising necessarily increases the cost of the advertised article, but liis very lengthened and extensive experience proved entirely the contrary. "As a consequence of that expenditure," he said, "the greatly increased output has resulted in enabling us so to reduce all our costs of production that our specialty to-day is obtained by the public at over 30 per cent, less than the price charged without that advertising ex ; penditure. To-day, after twenty-three years' lapse of time, bringing mv total to sonic, three millions spent in advertising. my experience permits me still to endorse that statement."