WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 September 1916, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

National education, catholic demands. (From Our Own Correspondent.)' Wellington, September IS. In the Soman Catholic churches yesterday special reference was made to the refusal of the Minister of Education, speaking on behalf of the National Government, to accede to a number of requests concerning the Catholic schools submitted to him by a large deputation of clergy and laymen a week or so ago. The deputation did not on this occasion urge that the Catholic schools should be subsidised from the public revenue, though, of course, it did not waive the claim that they should be assisted by the State on account of the national work they are doing. Its requests were more modest and for the most part less contentious. They wanted (1) free places and scholarships made tenable at Catholic secondary, schools; (2) free passes on the railways for children attending Catholic schools, as in the case of State schools; (3) medical inspection of Catholic schools; (4) issue of "School Journal" to Catholic schools; and (5) representation on the Council of Education. In supporting these requests the deputation disclaimed any intention to bring political pressure in "any form" upon the Government,' and appealed simply to the Minister's sense of fair play. Mr. Hanaivs reply was not encouraging. He would consult his colleague, the Minister, of Railway, upon the question of travelling facilities, and when sufficient doctors were available he would provide foi the inspection of "the whole of the children in New Zealand irrespective of schools," but he would go no further. In the churches yesterday the clergy, having set aside their vestments and standing below the Altar, criticised the attitude of the National Government towards the "Catholic claims" with very considerable warmth, and doubtless gave their sympathetic congregations the impression that the deputation's assurance in regard to political action had been very materially revised. STATE DOCTORS.

Some of these minor claims of the Catholics —minor in their own estimation only to their demand for State grants—are being strongly supported by consistent friends of the national system of education who would not tolerate any departure from its "free, secular and compulsory" character, and it is quite I possible that when the whole question comes up for consideration in Parliament a majority of the members will be found favorably disposed towards most of the concessions. If Parliament gets its way it certainly will insist upon the medical inspection of schools being made universal as Mr. Hanan suggests. The Minister of Public Health would go much further thon this. Ha has saio enough in public to make it plain that he is more than half inclined towards the nationalisation of the medical profession. During his efforts to settle the quarrel between the doctors and the friendly societies he realised that a professional monopoly in certain eircum stances might be just as injurious to the public interests as a commercial or a financial monopoly. The fact that the doctors are entrenched behind traditions and statutes and reinforced by that intangible thing called "medical etiquette" makes them infinitely more powerful than sugar trusts or beef trusts ever can be, and it may take Mr. Russell a long time to produce any material improvement upon the present state of affairs. But after the war there will be doctors available in abundance, and then it will be easy to secure highly qualified, public-spirited men to undertake the vast amount of medical work for which the State should bold itself directly responsible. WAR BONUSES

Tt is unfortunate that the hard things which are being said about the National Government in connection with the payment of war bonuses to well-paid public servants Should have been reserved till this late date. The criticism would have come with a much better grace when the facts were fresh in the memory of the public, and when the Ministers immediately concerned were in a better position' to defend themselves. But that l.oth the,principle of war bonuses and its application are open to objection there can be no doubt in the world. There may be an excuse, though not a very good one, for adding £ls to the salary of an officer who is receiving £3OO a year in-order to relieve him of part of the burden he bears in consequence of the increase in the cost of living; but there is no excuse for adding £IOO or £l5O to the salary of an officer who is already receiving £800« or £IOOO a year because he has had to work a little harder than he did before on account of the war. The people who have needed relief, and who, speaking generally, have not'g°t it- arc those in private employment earning from £2 to £4 a week and perhaps supporting families. In some comparatively rare instances these unfortunate folk have been considered by their employees, but in the great majority of cases they have had to struggle along with theii old incomes and with greatly enhanced prices. No doubt the officers who have received the big bonuses have well earned the extra money, but it is perfectly safe to say not one of tltem would have grumbled if the virtue of ready service to the State in time of stress had been left as its own reward. <

LAND FOR SOLDIERS. The Land Boards-in the various districts appear to be doing their best for the returned soldiers who are anxious to make homes for themselves in tliß country. Of course, the best of some boards is not so good as the best of others, but there seems to be no serious cause for complaint against any of the'm. That more settlement of this very desirable kind is not going on is due to the fact that the Government has not attacked the problem with sustained enthusiasm. The "heroic measures" which Mr. George Forbes commended to Mr. Massey and his colleagues in this respect and in other respects still have to be taken. It was hoped that when the Prime Minister was temporarily relieving himself of some of his administrative work he would hand over the portfolio of Lands to Mr. Mac Donald, but instead 01 this he entrusted it to Sir Francis Bell, whose sympathy, or perhaps one should say his understanding, is with the holders of broad acres and in a much less degree with the "small men" who aspire to the smaller rural industries. Already quite a number of soldiers of this type, weary of waiting for the opportunity promised them by the State, are turning to private enterprise for what they want. So long as they get it on the best possible terms no great harm will be done so far as the individual is concerned, but it is reasonable to suppose that if the Minister had moved promptly and f'ieroically/i in this

matter he would have secured a large number of settlers who would have been a great asset to the country botli as producers and aa soldiers.

•THE MILITARY BOARDS. The personnel of the Military Boards, which are to hear appeals under the Military Service Act, has been practically settled by the Recruiting Board, but the Ministers are not yet ready to make an announcement on the subject. When the Boards are constituted the members will be asked to meet in conference in Wellington for the purpose of considering matters of procedure and arranging a uniform plan of operation. The powers of the Boards in dealing with applications for exemption will be' wide, and it is important that they should act in concert. The personnel of the Central Appeal Board, which will hear appeals from the decisions of the district Boards, has still to be arranged. Apparently the services of the Boards cannot be required fot some weeks to coint. FILM CENSORSHIP, The i-icture Censor is at work, but so far he has firmly declined to have any converse with the newspaper men concerning the task he has undertaken. He has stated that he will be ready to say something after the end of the present month. At present he is spending long hours in the little picture theatre that has been erected for him at the rear of the Parliamentary buildings, and it is reported that he has already rejected two of the films submitted to him by the picture proprietors. They were dramas in which the sex element obtruded over much. GUARDING AGAINST IMPOSITION. The Minister for Defence stated, in referring to the new form of registration, that the Defence Department was not undertaking to pay 5s to every man who might come along and fill up a registration form. A day's pay would be handed to the bona fide recruit, but obviously the Department would have to guard against imposition. He did not think that payments should be made to men who were obviously unfit, or who had previously been rejected and had no chance at all of passing tho doctors. It would be necessary, too, to guard against, sheer fraud. A man might register at -evcral different offices and collect 5s each time if the regulations were too generous in their operation.