TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8269, 24 October 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

In the course of the discussion on the State Forestry Department's estimates in the House last week, Mr T. Mackenzie commented on the remarkable change that characterised the attitude of the House towards the matter of tree planting, as compared with what it was twenty years ago. The remark was certainly justified, for the note of the whol'J debnte was an earnest desire on the part of members that the Government ehonld do more than it is doing at present to replace the vanishing and vanished forests nf New Zealand. Particular exception was taken to the small amount (£500) ol the vote for Government tree planting, and a strong desire was expressed that it should be increased. The Minister, in the oourse of a reply, intimated that operations would, be extended as time went on, and the number of nurseries would be increased. In the meantime any applications for young trees on the part of looal bodies would be granted. We may hope that full advantage will be taken of the offer, whioh certainly supplies, to some etxent, the euoouragmenfc to plant trees, whioh Mr Massey urged should be given to country settlers.

Of the Firoarmq HiII, which has now become law, the gist in its original form was contained in clauses 3 and 4. These provided ttaet "it shall not b? lawful to sell or supply firearms or any kind of ammunition for a firearm to any person under the age of fifteen years," and that "it shall not be lawful for any person under the age of fifteen years to use or oarry or have in his possession any firearm or any kind of ammunition for a firearm." What [is in popula phraseology known as "the pea-rifle nuisance" is too familiar in all its unpleasant significance to most people io need any critical invest! gation here; but there is a sorry record attaching to the use of tirearuip, usually of that light and

hanSy weapon the pea-rifle, by wore or leas irresponsible juveniles, which reasonable people cannot contemplate without feeling that legislation on the subject is a amply justified. Aa indicating the strong feeling there is on this question— feeling which seems to have been eteadily provoked in very community in the colony,—a mot ion by Mr Witty that the sale of pea-rifles, should be abolished altogether appears to have found considerable support in the House. However, wa think bo drastio a proposal as that rather unnecessary, although we quite realize that the irresponsible suooter is an intolerable nuisance.

The Government's railway policy, as disclosed in the Public Works statement, once more illustrates, the futility of placing too much reliance on Ministerial premises, says the Christohuroh Press. Some six or seven weeks ago, misled by some remarks made by Mr HallJones to a deputation, we ventured to congratulate the colony upon the fact that the baneful policy of spending the publio money on little bits of railways all over the oountry was to b8 abandoned. At last there seemed reason to hope that the Government were about to adopt tne oommonsense principal of concentrating the expenditure on the main lines that were more urgently needed for the development of the oolony. bow comes the Publio Works statement, upsetting all these fond hopes and foolish beliefs. Not only are the votes for the Worth Island Main Trunk Railway (£300,000), the Midland Railway (£100,000), and the Waipara-Blen-heim Railway (£45,000) exactly the same as last year, but no fewer than thirteen lines and bits of lines of varying degrees of unimportance receive votes. One of these, the Paeroa-Waihi, is down for less thau last year, £2,000 against £6,000. Nine votes are the same, including £20(000 for the Hokitika Ross line, a similar amount for the OatlinsWaimahaka line, and £IO,OOO for the Orepnbi-Waiaa. In the case of the remaining three railways the votes are larger than last year, the Belensville, northwards, receiving £50,000 against £30,000, the Riversdale-Switzers £B,OOO against £5,000, and the Lawrence-Rox-burgh £20,000 instead of £IO,OOO.

The ouriosity of the commercial olasses in theoolony has been reasonably excited over the proposals contained in the Post Office Act Amendment Bill to anthorise the Colonial Treasurer to pay a higher rate of interest than is now paid upon deposits into the Post Offioe Savings Bank. The extent to which the Government seeks power to increase its interest rate is simply remarkable. At the present time interest at the rate of 3 1 4 per cent. is paid on deposits that do not exceed £200,, but no interest is allowed on more than £SOO. Now, under these rates, it has been pointed out by the New Zealand Trade Koview, the Post Office Savings Bank has in the first six months of this year attracted deposits to the [ amount of £467,765, representing an addition of 5.1 per oent to the accumulated sura of £8,622,023, | which stood to the credit of de* positors on December 31st last. On the other hand, the united bank? of issue, it the same period, with a total of £9,766,008 on fixed deposits added only £91,275, or less ihna 1 per cone, in what the Trade Review calls the savings bank branch of their business. It is obvious, therefore, that already the Pest Offloo Savings Bank by reason of the more favourable terms it offers' to depositors, is securing on deposit tbe'great bulk of the savings of the people of the colony. The Goverment asks, however, that authority be given to pay it as high rate as 5 per cent, on deposits, in the Post Office Savings Bank, that do not exceed £3OO and 4 per oent on so much of deposit as exceeds £3OO and does not exceed £6OO, which shall, it is proposed, be the limit of the sum that shall beat! interest, except in the case of a particular class of deposits, such an those made by friendly, charitable, or provident societies.