SOME THOUGHTS SUGGESTED BY THE WINTER SHOW.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7823, 16 June 1909, Page 4

SOME THOUGHTS SUGGESTED BY THE WINTER SHOW.

(By Mater Meliora.)

In looking at the animals and birds at the show, even "with the eyes and understanding of an amateur m such matters, one could not help being impressed with the fact that the beauty and value of the specimens exhibited were due first to their breed and afterwards to the conditions under which they had grown up, and the care given to them by their owners. ';... The mixture of pride and indifference displayed by some of the prizewinners and highly commended, and the noisy resentment of others who appeared to think the gaze and criticisms of the onlookers highly intrusive, and by their bearing to sutmest that, if they had the power to express themselves m human language, they would return the compliment and award but few prizes. ' That was the point that most impressed the observant and thoughtful onlooker. How few, amongst the crowds present could be considered, from outward appearance, to be prize/human beings, or thoroughbred m any sense of the word, and the query naturally suggested was: Why is this the case? Breeding is considered of the utmost importance m the stable, the kennel, the fowl house—indeed m every department of life except the human, where it is supposed to be left to the management of Deity, who apparently manages so badly that w!e are inclined to think that if mari'rtobk up the study as seriously as he takes it up with regard to the lower forms of life—where even the flower and the vegetable is not left entirely to the ministrations of Mother Nature—he would astonish himself, and glorify the Deity, whose purnoses and lessons he has been blind to or heedless of for so long. Where specimens of the other kingdoms of life are deficient m some desirable points, causes are looked for and better conditions provided, and when they are bred and reared for a specific purpose, they are enabled to fulfil that purpose. Not so the human being, who frequently gives one the impression that a cart-horse would on a racecourse, or a racer drawing a load of bricks. Such waste of what might be human excellence if-properly cared for by the understanding, and such amazing ignorance of so vital a subject as the production of the future generation that is met with m every class of society—particularly amongst our legislators, who advocate the full cradle, but say nothing about the kind of inmates that the' country requires, and make no offer of honourable provision for them if misfortune should overtake one or both of their parents, and certainly do very little at any period of her life for the mother that bears them. With a mind full of these considerations, I reached home and read m the weekly supplement of our local paper an article headed "Keeping up the Physical Standard," m which we were told "that the heart of the British Empire is rotten, according to the confessions of its wisest men. /"Statistics were given proving the physical _ 'deterioration, and the chief Teasons given were "insufficient and improper food, also lack of space and fresh air." I need not quote further, for all or most of you must have read the article with mingled feelings; but I would remind you that New Zealand has no such excuse of physical deterioration as exists m the crowded centres of Britain, and that she must look elsewhere if she would remove the defects of her own people; indeed, she must attend to the -wiser mating of her young people—for the family life is the foundation of society—if she would rear a race that the Mother Country will look upon with pride, and seek to produce its like upon her own shores. After saying so much m what may ar>i>ear to be a spirit of condemnation, although it is really meant as an earnest note 1 of warning and appeal, I have something to add m the way of encouragement. Last year I was privileged to be present at, and have an exceptional opportunity of examining some infants at a baby: snow. The babies were particularly fine specimens and quite ten deserved prizes, and all to be highly commended ; and although there was a great deal of disappointment; displayed at the result of the competition, my own private opinion was _ that every mother took away a prize m her arms, and that she should have congratulated herself 1 upon getting safely home with it, when she might have considered how much her treasure was coveted by many childless women, whose arms are doomed to ache in_ vain for such a blessing, or worse still, to increase the number of the unfit; for it is not given to every longing woman 'to obtain a husband who is fit to be a father. (We hear even less about the competence oi men to be fathers than of women to be mothers.) The particular point about this baby show was, however, the fact that the mothers were not remarkable for physical beauty of face, although the babies promised to'possess it. I had <no opportunity of examining the looks of the fathers. They niay or may not have been handsome, but certain it is that they were wise m their choice of psf**tnerit, and it'is fairly safe' tp say happy. I do nofctfov a monient suppose that the paretfife of fine children have deliberately chosen each othor and married for that purpose, but there is a wisdom, of love—love which is something higher than mere sex attraction —which enables those who live truly and purely to choose wisely m this matter and makes them ever ready to learn the many wonderful secrets which Nature, the universal mother, is striving to teach her children. As a means towards tlte achievement of .a.stronger ' posterity- 1— physically, mentally, and spiritually—why should we not extend the principle of feaby ghows and give prizes for excellence m oJaep children and young people. " -.'.,■ We .have scholarships, and particular opportunities are given to those with; highly-endowed intellects, .but there are other forms' of excellence 1; and the prizes should b.<? given to the'parents, and take tlie form of substantial grants: of money which' would be of inatßnal 'to them in' raising their young-: ejr /ttiadre^'Md^prfesferving'^^r ow.n hea^r^art^^rly that o£ the mother, .urio# whom %* J?-UW^ fl/f cn p,1.1® very -heavily, and .w-ho .sfrouid &c #arwcularly honoured ;by a grateful cpuntry; and placed upon .a .pedestal, at /my rate asTiigrt M wmms 'X^ r tern; Wfep acgujre /amg MjFgs §v i^r.#£ure : : .