CURRENT TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Volume 11, Issue 2280, 11 November 1897, Page 22

CURRENT TOPICS.

The mayoral election for Greater New York has, according to the cable, retammany suited in the return of Chief bedivivus. . Justice Van Wjck, and the restorabion to power of the notorious Tammany ring, which has become the synonym for all that is' hiunicipally corrupt the world over. The^event is of more than .local interest for several reasons. Since the, last election ttie City of New York has been enlarged by the inclusion of Brooklyn, with a population of about a million, and several other cities hitherto independent, io that the newlydesignated Greater New York includes a population of about four millions.- In the area now i comprised in the enlarged city there had always prior to the election of 1894- been a considerable Democratic majority, and this was met, whenever State officers were to be elected, by Republican majorities in the rural towns and centres, aud in former years the Republican " bos 3". made bargains with the Democratic "boss." Tbe last mayor 'was a Republican, elected on the wave of reeentment which followed the disclosure of the corruption of the police under the Democratic regime. Both parties were really responsible for this corruption, since the Republicans connived at it. Under the Republican mayor a furious rage for reform set in. The Puritan'c zeal cf the Board of Commissioners led to invasions of private liberty, and in particular a stringent excise law alienated the German popu'Utiont- To meet this a Citizens' Union was formed, and it aimed at securing purity of administration by excluding national parly questions' from" local- politics. • Their nominee was Mr Ssth Low, the 'young president "of Columbia University, and they I secured the names of 127,000 votes to his [^requisition. Mr Low is an educated .and .wealthy man. He was mayor of Brooklyn wnw. liojeago, and displayed great busioess ability and common sense, and not long since he gave 1,000, 000d0l to the university over which he presides. Bis candidature was not i accepted by' the Republican "boss," Benator ■p<att. ■ Even the Republic^iis would rather have a --Tammany Democrat "witb. whom "they could divide' the, spoils than a Republican who, wculd ensure pure govern men f, so they sought one who had not been too closely identified with corruption in the'past. Presumably they have found their mm m Chief Justice Van Wyck, and it is'probabje they put up another Republican in Mr Tracey to split the vote and so keep |Mr Low out. In thiß they have succeeded, and' New York is again delivered into the hands of brigands. -

The lady who fills a chair at the inuuicipil table at Pebone does not seem thk lady so far to be able to get on any councillor, more amicably with her fellow councillors than did the lady mayor of Onehuoga with bers. The Petone lady's name is Mrs Raby, and it seems that at a recent meeting of the council she was adjudged to be guilty qf. using objectionable language- to her., fellow councillors, aud by the courtesy -of the council, was permitted to withdraw the- words. Since then Mrs Raby has, written to -the . press, and, it is alleged, that- *he' lists'- miereptpßented -what' occurred at "a committee meeting, this cdnetitutin?,'' in the../6pinidn- oil her fellow^-' councillors, a breach of privilege demanding tbe severest punishment: ■■ The offered no apology, and was not presentwheu ■ , her corrduct >wu criticised; and a motion was carried as follows:—" -That fhis council- ia of . opinion that Cr, Raby has been guilty of conduct unbecoming » ' councillor and desetviDg of censure, and orders the resolution to 'be placed on the minute?, as no 'proper apology for 'such, conduct has. been offered." Notices of motion "were subsequently given to remove Mr* Baby's name' from the committees to which she belonged, and the Jady may consequently consider herseljE*liminated' from the practical work, of the council; It is unfortunate .that' the second eiperimeDt^in this direction should' have resulted disastrously. They' cannot be -held" to prove woman's incompetence for municipal or other public work. Women who tssunae such positions have to contend against much prejudice, and, in. -Mrs R*by's"caee, we fear, positive ' rudeness. In such an event the situation demands the exercise , of much ' womanly forbear* u'cfc^ and tact, and in neither of the cases on record in this colony do these qualities' seem to hays been forthcoming. Tfiis is unfortunate for the /-taus'e of woman's advancement. •■ ■ • - «-^

The growing spread of athleticism makes this a question of considerable are - importance, and the V British .athletes Medical Journal" discusses it healthy P from a medical point of view.

It" finds '. itself compelled to answer the question .in the negative. It refer*, of course, entirely to men who " train." Many 'of the3B are extraordinarily healthy fellows, but that does not touch the question. Noue but. strong and healthy men are likely to enter in, or at least '-persevere . in, athletic pursuits,- and- the question really .is ■ not^ Do some of .them remain healthy?- but, Do they, remain.- as .healthy when they devote themselves - to- .the one object of developing mutcle as- they, the *sme people, would if. they, led an ordinary outdoor life, eating ordinary food, and taking a reasonable .-amount of exercise, without any attempt at interfering with their weight or increasing their muscles ? The muscular strength is often developed at tbe expence of serious strain of tbe more important organs. The natural athlete may suffer but little from the process of training, but in proportion -as a man has to. "train hard, to re strict his natural appetite, and to undergo severe strain before he can g«t his musoies in order, so does the probability of injury increase. Bat it is not in dietetic training that danger i antes ; it is the prolonged and violent muscular I efforts demanded by modern athletics. The wear and tear of . the muscular system is acknowledged and. expected, but the wear and tear of the • nervous system is greater than is generally recognised, while the strain on bte vascular system is very great' indeed, .placing those in serious peril who carry on their athletic feats too long in life. "-Notwithstanding! then) the array of vigorous and hearty middle-aged, and even elderly, men who have survived- the ordeal, we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that the record-breaking, which is' now the aim of every self-respecting athlete, is. productive of such an amount of strain, especially to the vascular system, as when often repeated must do harm. 4 The athlete is often healthy, but this is in apite of rather than by virtue-of hie athleticism."

A well-attended meeting of the Engineers'. Demonstration Committee was held on Mon-. day, .Mr Davie presiding. It was reported that the amount collected" on Saturday and Sunday for' the assistance of the engineers on strike was £25 9s Id. A unanimous vote of thank* was accorded to Mr Ben Tillott far his gratuitous r

services on the occasion.