CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 221, 18 March 1914, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

I'AUTV POLITICIA.sS. At the present moment tuere are a j{*od many politicians in New Zealand who appear to be doing everything for the party and little for the State. As long as the party system endures—and no one can predict its ending—there will bo party squabbles, and much energy and time that might be devoted to furthering tha welfare of the country will be expended upon futile bickering and recrimination. Both the Reform Party and the Liberal Party are to blame for the nature of the present campaign, but it is a great deal easier to find excusea for the Opposition than it is for the Government. The Prime Minister and his colleagues should be setting a better example. If they w.ould use the public platform for the purpose of discussing politica bhey would compel the Opposition to discard generalities, and the result would be a very levelling up of our political system. The Opposition, of course, would continue to criticise the party in power, but constructive criticism would be a great deal more instructive and interesting than is the unceasing use of the "You're another" style of "argument." Unfortunately one politician is as bad as another. —Timaru Post.

AN ENDLESS TASK. Says the Melbourne Age:—The labors of Sisyphus, eternally rolling a heavy stone up a hill to find it rolled back again, forms the classic picture of useless labor. It was a punishment indicted by the gods. But really it is almost equalled by .the stupidity of man in punishing himself, as we have done for more than a generation in Australia, in sending every year sonic millions' worth of wool 12,000 miles across the world, only to have it carried back again to us in woollen piece goods and apparel. Twenty-four thousand miles of useless carriage to and fro, to the loss of everybody concerned except the shipping carriers. Even the free-trader, in spite of his eternal'hankering for foreign' interchange, has to confess that every mile of useless transport service is a tax upon man. And yet we Australians, who pride ourselves on being about "the latest thing out" in up-to-date contrivances, have borne this tax for forty years, and are still patiently enduring it.

TO MODERNISE JERUSALEM. One of the richest Jewish merchants in New York lias just retired from business—but not to a life of ease. Mr. Nathan Straus, it is announced, intends to better the Holy Land and try to modernise and improve Jerusalem. He has an imposing record of good works, and these, supplemented by what he has in prospect, will round out a full life of benevolence. Ilis intentions include: (1) Inducing pities, especially throughout the United Slates, to require pasteurisation of milk as a prevention of tuberculosis; (2) establishing a pure water supply system in Jerusalem, in which he asks aid to the extent »f .U2O.UOU a year for five years; (3) modernising the city of Jerusalem, which he refers to as the old homeplace of his race. "The needs of Palestine are very great," says Mr. Straus. ! 'I went to Jerusalem last year because f was drawn there by associations of the Holy Land. I found conditions that appalled me. Starvation and disease held tlie people in their grip. I did what one man could to relieve the unfortunate, establishing a health department for Palestine, and soup-kitchens in Jerusalem, at which 330 people are fed daily. Jerusalem stands on a hill, and there is every reason wliv it should he made as healthful and delightful a piece to live in as the most modern city in the world. What is chiefly needed is .modern waterworks. There is plenty of water to be had if proper pumping stations were erected. At the present time water is the most precious possession of tlie household. It is kept in cisterns under lock and kev; every*!lrop of it is valuable, because there' is no water system available. The defects of the sanitary arrangements of the citv on this account are terrible"

CONCRETE FOR ROADS. An American writer puts forward the contention that a large sum would, bo saved every year on road maintenance if horses were altogether abolished ami till vehicles motor-driven. Good roads would lie required in the first place, and the consequent saving in maintenance would provide for permanent roads in ill! the principal States of America in from ten to fifteen years. One of the chief, hindrances in good roads work has been inefficiency. Roval Oak township, in Oakland county, built a macadam road a year or two go to connect with a concrete road in Wayne county. The macadam road was almost impassable within sit months. The first mile was built by a contractor. The township built the second mile itself. It is better, but not good enough. A Detroit man built a mile of concrete through the township with the aid of other property-owners. It is a model thoroughfare. • Not a penny has since, been needed for its upkeep.' lint, the township authorities, still afraid of the initial cost of more durable roads, are wedded to the obsolete macadam construction, with a maintenance expense that grows larger yearly. In New York State the macadam road has been found to be a heavy annual tax. and it does not meet the traffic conditions of to-day. The authorities have paid as high as £2OO a mile per year for maintenance. Starting with an initial cost of nearly £2OOO per mile, the expense, of maintenance the following year would be about £IOO per mile. The next year it would run to Cl2O. the following 12 months to £1(10. and after costing £2OO per mile for a few years more the road would then need to be completely rebuilt. In constructing highways one of the cardinal points is that they should be built and paid for by the present generation, and not bv future generations.