Ufrii.ir of Recieuif, !/ ll!!3. 



PROGRESS OF THE WORLD. 



K^9 



minder that the best haws in the world 

 cannot protect a community unless they 

 are obeyed. New Zealand has led the 

 world in the attempt to make strikes im^ 

 possible. The si'^ht of her workers re- 

 fusing to lay their case before the 

 proper tribunal, and defying the law 

 by using the hideous weapon of a strike, 

 will damage the cause of industrial 

 arbitration everywhere. No doubt tlie 

 men got out of hand, and once on strike 

 the union officials can do nothing but 

 support the men. That is always hap- 

 pening at home, where there is no per- 

 manent and pr(i]icr authority whose 

 business it is to settle differences between 

 employer and emplo)-ed. Whatever the 

 merits of the case may be in New Zea- 

 land, the men h;)\e alienated s\-mpath\- 

 b\' their action. W .iterside workers m 

 other ports are leaving work m sym- 

 pathy, and the trade of New Zealand 

 will be paralysed solely because the men 

 refuse to obey the law. Technically 

 they are not committing a punishable 

 offence. Compulsory arbitration applies 

 only to those unions which are regis- 

 tered under the i\ct. Recently the 

 Court granted the application the 

 Waterside Workers made to l)e re- 

 moved from die register. The shipping 

 companies are making special arrange- 

 ments to unload their steamers, and de 

 mand Government jirotection for the 

 men they employ. Riots have occurred 

 in Wellington, and there has been fight- 

 ing between the strikers and the special 

 constables enrolled to kee]) the peace. 



State Governors. 



Every now and again some member in 

 one or other of our many Houses of Par- 

 liament urges the (jovernment of the 

 day to suggest to the Colonial Office thai 

 no more Governors should be sent out 

 here from home, and several newspapers 

 strongly advocate the appointment ot 

 local Lieut. -Governors instead, as in 

 Canada. Before Federation, we are told, 

 the State Governors were necessary ; 



since the ai)i)ointment of a Governor- 

 (ieneral the need for them has disap- 

 peared. Therefore, let us do away with 

 them, and content ourselves with local 

 men as Lieut. -Governors. No doubt the 

 bare official duties now performed b\- 

 the Governor could be equally well done 

 by a Lieut. -Governor. But no local man 

 could possibly keep up that direct con- 

 nection with the old country which is one 

 of the chief reasons for having a Gover- 

 nor, a connection more than ever needed 

 now that Australia is taking so much 

 greater an interest in Imperial affairs. 

 Try he ne\er so earnestly, no local man 

 can possibl)- dissociate himself entirely 

 from the influences in the midst of which 

 lie has grown up. lie can never have the 

 detachment of an outside man. From 

 the jMirely social point of view, a British 

 Governor must always be more popular 

 than a local num. No matter how- 

 esteemed a local Lieut. -Governor may be 

 personally, he could never endow his 

 office with the social position it enjoys 

 when a P)ritish (jo\ernor fills it. 



The Difficulty of Selection. 



The tendenc)-, too, if the appointment 

 were hxal, would be for the same man 

 to fill the position year after year. A 

 chani-e every fi\e years would be most 

 necessary. It is constantly urged that 

 political leaders ought to go fairly often 

 to Eiigland in order to keep themselves 

 in touch with Imperial matters. This is, 

 as a rule. iin]M)ssible, but they can at 

 present, at aii\- rate, ha\e the advantage 

 of the advice of and association with an 

 Imperial Goxernor -^a man well in- 

 formed about Imperial affairs, and iii 

 close touch with Ic.iding statesmen al 

 home. One could mention man\' .\us 

 Iralians who woulrl fill the office ot 

 Lieut. -Cio\crnor with great distmclion. 

 but could one be appoinlecl every livc^ 

 years without serious umbrage being 

 <>"iven to one section or another ot the 

 comnmnitv :' The Hritish (joxernor is. 

 at an\' rate, eiitirelv renioved trom Icjcal 



