TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8274, 30 October 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

The Saturday Review of the Ist ult., wrote as follows:—"There is a hitch in the tariff negotiations between Australia and New Zealand. . . But, if New Zealand were less keenly in favour of preference tariffs than she is known to be, she might yet be truated not to pay the memory of 'Uick Seddon' the bad compliment ol rejecting a schema to which he out his signature a few hours - before his death," How little they know us, these London journalists (comments "Civia" in the Otago Daily Times). Tfiis keenness of ours for preference tariffs, when, how, and wherein has it appeared? I seem to remember that by way of expressing affection for Great Britain, dear old Motherland, we clapped a few per cent extra on Germany and America, Our kith and kin we tax no less; we merely tax their rivals more.

There are at once apparent, the Speaker Baye, two weak spot-*, two classes of workmen ovei whom trade unionism has not yet succeeded in pstablishing a hold. These are the unskilled and the agricultural labourer. Thes3 two classes form a recruiting ground from which the ranks of the skilled trades in which trade unionise flourishes, are continually replenished. With the casual or unskilled labourer it ic, from the nature of the ca36, difficult for trade unionism to deal effectively. Nor is the danger tu organised labour in this case so great, tor the ranks c-f unskilled industries cannot easily be recruited from the demoralised element which is to be found iu the lower classes of unskilled labour, But with the agricultural labour the case Is different. Tha most serious competition which skilled labour in towns has to meet is that of the hardy coufcrymen who are continually driven there by the intolerable conditions of village life. These men bring a fresh vigour and power of endurance to their new work, which frequently gives them the preference over the townsman, The ory of 'Baok to the land,' Literally interpreted, is, it is true, somewhat chimerical. It should be rather 'Stay on the Sand.' "It iB clear," it adds, "that trade unions have, more than any other section of tha community, a direct iuterest in stopping the infiu> ol agricultural labour into towns.

Ide demand for Female Franchise is essentially reasonable; and the electors of this colony have long since recognised the right of women to an equal share with men m tbe making of our laws. Bat we believe that even the most ardent advocates of Women's Suffrage in this country utifeiguedly regret the liu« of conduct adopted by the leaders of tbe movement at Home. No doubt the so-called "suffragettes » fled it very exasperating work attempting to beat dowu tbe stolid apathy which is the cbief obstaole to this much-neuded reform. But ignoring the question of good taste, i l- . is assuredly a tactical blunder of the worst kind to alienate public sympathy from such a oaaee by unnecessary extravagance or violence. Ever since the Liberals came into power, tbe leading advocates of Women's Rights at Home having been striving to compel Government to take up their cause. But when they interrupted tbe pro oeedings of the House of Commons by indecorous protests from the Gallery, and when they subsequently tried tu bring pressure to tjear upon the Fi-emier and ftlr Asquith by creating an actual riot, they lost more than all the sympathy that their cause had so far gained. After the disturbance in the House of Commons several leading members of the large seutinn of Parliament which favoured Women's Saffrage admitted that tho indiscretions of Miss Billingtou and her friends bad put back their work tor an in< definite time to come.

Wp hazarded the opinion e few weeds ago, says the Dannevirke Advocate, that tho uew railway timetable to be issued about the beginning of November would not make any provision for the improvement in the service demauded by residents of both tbe East and West Coasts. This has proved to be correct. The new time tables have been issued, but it is reported that the only alteration proposed is that the night goods train from Wellington—'Otherwise 'the wild oat '—is t« take five hours from Masterton to Woodville, instead of fouv and a half as at present! Thus the agitation organised at Palmerston North for an improvement has been thrust aside, and officialism is once more triumphant At the representative conference held at Palmeiston North some months ago there was an almost unanimous expression of opinion that several changes woro necessary, with tha view of promoting better facilities for communication between the two coasts than now exists. The suggestions were laid before the Minister, andi it was confidently expected that some im provementa would have been madev buc the net result is that the night goods train is given half an hour longer on its journey!