RANDOM SHOTS

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 34, 8 February 1913, Page 18

RANDOM SHOTS

BY,

The "wayward firemen"—l adopt rtihe dtlightfui phrase from a southern contemporary—have been a-t it again. Durinjr the past fortnight in Auckland the departures of two steamers have been delayed by the action of the stokehold crews. In WeUmgton boats have been laid up because the stoker d considered the staff that ihad manned them for years inadequate. My- attention 'hat? been directed to the question just now by appreciation of the application of the word "wayward"' to the men; it is so apt, so suggestive of naughty children, who want laying across papi's knee and soundly spanking. And this ie just what ifcbese great overgrown, irresponsible men do require. I have every sympathy witih the labourer in his endeavours to better his lot, and the conditions under which the firemen work are no doubt subject to vast improvement; but come sense of responsibility in the maintenance of great public services is necessary. If conditions are individually an-d locally uneatisfaotory, due notice of intention to leave if the state of affairs is not bettered,, is reasonably to be expected. But as long ad the shipping companies require to qualify their notice aa ito boate sailing with the proviso "firemen willing.' , the men alienate all sympathy from such real grievances they may" have. The law should provide similar good conduct discharges for firemen to those issued to seamen. fcfc£±££±i±* I received the other day a sample of a surprising work of art issued by the Australian postal authorities. Squatting on an abnormally stout tail is an animal with a sufficient resemblance to the more famous Australian marsupial to be identified as intended to represent some branch of the kangaroo family. This unfortunate beast is coloured a browuy red, and is dumped in the arid centre of a white Australia. The body of the stamp, for in such form does the reproduction appear, is composed of red parallel lines on a white ground. Below the extremity of Victoria is a white spoi that is, presumably, Tasmania, but w,th a section of the community will be the subject of ribald mirth. The "White" Australia is no doubt regarded as a sharp idea, by misguided officials, but the stamp as a whole is a reproach to the artistic reputation of the Commonwealth in general, and an indictment of the existing Labour Government's right to represent the people in any matter that calls for the exhibition of even a semicultivated taste. 111111111± Our public functions are in danger of seriously degenerating in tone if two episodes that are chronicled in the country Press this week are to be accepted as any criterion. A± the opening of the post office at Kawakawa, in the presence of two-score persons, a huge individual suggested in a loud voice that the local member should "turn it on"; and, no doubt deeming it politic, Mr Reed complied with the request Then at Putaruru, after a luncheon to the Premier, some spirited individuals took charge of the liquid refreshments, with the result that there was an altercation in which a bottle figured, while a Maori ran amok, bnt slunk away with bis currish tail between his legs when there appeared signs of some serious opposition. Ido not -wish to suggest that 3ueh scenes are of common occurrence, but the fact that I find these two instances printed in the course of a week is disconcerting. The next unseemly affair at a country political, or semi-political, function should lay the offender open to that summary retribution that sometimes follows when an irate public is provided with a handy and preferably filthy duck pond. ±±±±111111 Tie popularity of Wheeling, a town in West Virginia, is going ahead, by' leaps and bounds. An enlightened Board of Health has decided in favour of permitting public osculation, "providing the lips are clean." No longer will it be necessary for the amorous once to wait till the shades of night shall hide their manifestations of devotion. Unabashed and unashamed they may embrace in the public square. This is against the general trend of American practice. On the river at Boston, for example, it is dangerous to kiss your best girl in a canoe, not because cf the considerable risk of upsetting the frail craft, but for the reason that some soulless minion of the law may apprehend you and get you fined two dollars. You will even find the man in blue lining the bank in the evening, peering into the gloom in search of'possible offenders. AH that is now necessary for the town authorities of Wheeling to do is to appoint all policemen examiners of lips. It will increase the popularity of the town from the point of view if at every street corner is to be seen a blushing young couple—he and her—holding up their Kps for the inspection of the ibobby preparatory to indulgence in a chaste salute of greeting or farewell. ±±i±±±±±±± Some youngsters whom I have encountered in public conveyances and in the Tcalke of private life more recently have left mc with misgivings as to the future of the rising generation. Outside their lack of manners towards strangers, and their neglect of the ordinary decencies, their manifest contempt for the requests and commands of their parents, show a disinclination to respect any form of control that augurs badly for the future of the race. Now, I have a theory that this disregard of their parents arises j from fhe failure of those same parents to insist on obedience at an early enough jtage in their children's careers. And if through this fault a child becomes so unruly that he or she eventually fails into the clutches of the law, are not tihe parents blameable? In this connection a curious punishment is advocated by an American, who is president of the American National Congress of Mothers, so should know something about parents She proposes that when children known as •'bad" are brought to the Juvenfle vxmrte for judgment their parents should Oβ summoned and formally charged with *?*!. B Jdn —° n the assumption that cnudien faults originate either in the parents' bad habits or i n the parents' neglect. This is a reasonable view, and if parents were made to realise that an offence by the child against the law would result in a charge against them-! selves, we would hear leas in our Coterte j of the child who is alleged to be beyond jarentai control. 1