THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1909. REPORTING THE OBVIOUS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9619, 12 October 1909, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1909. REPORTING THE OBVIOUS.

The Government's mania for Cornmissions should demand the serious attention of Parliament at an early date. Atone time it was thought that the establishing of a Royal Commis- , sion to enquire into any public ques tion of unusual interest was a rather clever political dodge, but the novelty of the practice has ceased to exist, while its usefulness has, of course, never been anything else than nil. Then again, the Royal Commission dodge has cost a good" many 1 thousands of pounds, hut to a country that can afford *o give away a few Dreadnoughts (although it is at the same time "retrenching" the Public Service on the ground of necessary economy, with no unsparing hand), the mere cost of the Commissions is a ttumpery matter. The latest Com- ! mission report is that of the Timber I Commission. The printing of the report cost £525, so it is fairly evident that the Commission must have worked hard, and, no doubt, did its best to a little fresh light on a rather threadbare subject. That the report of the Commission is not of a startling character, and that it does not contain a wealth of entirely new and valuable information is not the fault of the members, because there really wasn't anything that could possibly be found out, neither was there any information to coliect, which a well informed Government: should not Have had available. The report of the Timber Commission re minds us somehow of the litth stoiy told concernine the huoband who returned home late at night after a hard day's work. He explained what he had been doing during his absence. "But can't you telli me some more?" queried his wife. He replied in the negative "Why not?" persisted the curious wife. "Because, dear," replied the weary husband, "there isn't anything else to. tell." One of the recommendations of the Commission is that a duty should be placed on Oregon timber. During the campaign which preceded the last General Election Mr John Hunter, when contesting the Masterton seat, pointed out very clearly the advisability of imposing such a tax. Then we are, also, toid that the Governmenf'should encourage the use of native timbers, and vigorously pursue a policyoorf r afforestation. Every second man in the street, if he had been asked about such matters, would have expressed himself similarly. The public generally know

what the Government should do, but

what is often a mystery to them is to

know what the Government is doing.

As a matter of fact, ho far as we can see, the report of the Timber Commission does not supply anv fur ther information than an intelligent saw miller of good experience could have spuplied to the Government in the course of a day. However, now that the Government has got its report it is to be hoped that it will act upon it, by taking advisible steps to protect and a valuable industry.