PRESS OPINIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 10 May 1913, Page 4

PRESS OPINIONS.

It lias long been our opinion that the primary schools of New Zealand are being starved in order to find money for secondary education which might very well be paid for by the people whose sons can afford the time to take advantage of it... But it, is upon tho primary system that mainly depends the future of tho .State, and the good of the greatest number demands that everything should be done that is possible to ensure adequately efficient instruction for the children of the great mass of the population. Is this the present policy of the Education Department? We very much doubt it. —Marlborough Express.

Certainly the rate at which direct appeals to the people are being; multiplied in New Zealand is leading; to \»p necessary expense and a considerable dislocation of business-. - Tf the Socialists get their way, and add tjie referent! mil, initiative and recall, and a, few" other electoral "fads" of tJio same kind, we shall probably have to pass so much of our time in taking part in polls and elections' that it will scarcely leave a sufficient margin in which to earn the money necessary to support nil these luxuries. —Christchurch Press.

We do not deny the right of a Government to reward their adherents, but \v% see distinct inconsistency in any suggestion by Mr Massey that more Councillors should be appointed, seeing that ho has denounced the nominative system and has promised to destroy it.—Southland News. The last,revision of the tariff Was undertaken by the Hon. J. A. Millar, and peoplo who remember the storm which descended upon the Minister's head will wonder how his successor is going to fare. Mr "Millar was a, very strong and a very able Minister of Customs, but Mr Fisher has still to prove himself, and he has undertaken at the outset of his Ministerial career a task which presents exceptional difficulties a* well as exceptional opportunities. Lvtteltoii Times.