PARTIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 298, 16 December 1922, Page 6

PARTIES.

It is really kind of the "Herald" to admit, in- its interesting excursion thi« morning into' the history of political parties, that "in the vicissitudes of party warfare the Liberals have inherited the right to be regarded as one of the two great parties in our politics, despite the lack of a truly distinctive name." The Liberal party is duly grateful, but we must assure the "Herald" that even the withholding of its favour would not I prevent the Liberal party from determining to preserve its separated identity. The "Heraia's" repudiation of Conservatism and its dissertation on the allembracing beauty of the title "Reform" Eire interesting. "The name Conservative lias gone from our save as a term of mild opprobrium." To this it may be replied that Conservatism never dies; it is one of the. permanent conditions of the human mind. It has its good uses, but it is the claim of Liberalism that the Liberal policy is superior in that while it does not seek to break completely or hurriedly with the past, it moves forward more rapidly and in a more enlightened spirit than Conservatism. The trouble about the Reform party ia that it houses the Conservative element in the Sew Zealand nation— the large landowners, the capitalists v/ho can see nothing wrong with capitalism, and all the mass of people who are quite satisfied with things as they are. The party took the word "Reform" to indicate that it meant to reform the Liberal policy and administration. How mnch hae it reformed? There is one thin?, however, it does not try to reform, and that is the Conservative clement in its ranks. In respect of the pressing problems of the day it has nothing to offer. Liberalism, on the other hand, has something to offer. It stands between what the Americans would expressively call the "stand-pattism" of the Conservative part}", and the headlong pace of Labour. It is"characteristic of the Prime Minister that he should profess to see no need lor party strife. "I iyill just say," he remarked at the welcome to Sir Francis Bell on Thursday, "that we coutd do well without party politics for five or ten years, and the country would be better. If we could drop party, and work together for the prosperity of the wonderful country we live in, we would be doing the best in our power. I will leave it at that." Unfortunately for hhn the country will not leave it It is divided in its political opinions, and it is predominantly Radical. That Radicalism will not be denied. The plea for a cessation of party warfare means really that the Reform party should be allowed to govern the country for an indefinite period. That would be delightful for the Reform party, but the majority of electors have other ideas.

wmie preparing wj leave »iiu nin i>»»ui t Taumarunui, Samuel Woods, a rail- E ray guard, suddenly collapsed at the " nquiry counter on the railway station, nd died within a few minutes. Deceased, . rho was aged between 40 and 50 years, ' irae well known as one of the regular , uards of Ihe Hamilton-Taumarunui ervice. h An eleven-year-old 'girl named M» E Barton, the daughter of Mr. Barton, n 3.M., put up a great ewimming perlorm- J mcc at Wangahui yesterday, covering t »ver two miles in the school distance v swimming test. She kept a regular t pace all the way, and she had to be 3topped. She was quite fresh when she j finished, and could eaeily have gone j, mother mile. Another little girl, Gwen. 0 Eggleton, swam 1$ miles. The death of an infant named George 2 r letcher, whose parents reside at Ethel n street, Mount Eden, was the subject of t i coronial inquiry by Mr. MoKean, S.M., b it the morgue yesterday. It was stated t hat the child was apparently well when a ed at 10 o'clock on Wednesday, and g vent to sleep with its mother in a double 1 ;ed. It was found to be dead in the! , norning. A post-mortem disclosed that t leath was due to suffocation, due to the If nfant pulling the bedclothes over its r nouth, and a verdict was returned to { ;hat effect. ** • In the early da3"B of the Dominion nany young fellows came to New Zeaand who led a roving life, going from >ne camp to another, never getting mar- • •ied or settling down to a regular life. They were strong, and never thought of .he days when they would be old, when ( they would need a little more attention in their declining years. They lost touch ( ■villi their relatives in many cases ovei balf-a-century ago, and in a few cases Dve,r seventy years ago, and now in their extreme old age of sometimes four score ' tears and ten they find themselves looking for a home where they may be cared ' for during the few remaining years of their lives. There are several such cases ' in the city that have been cared fpr by the benevolently inclined, and at this ■ season of the year, when the mind goes | back over a long period of Xmae seasons there is a feeline of thankfulness ' that the spirit of the Founder of Christianity is abroad in the land, and that instead of loneliness, tended care is be- { stowed on many an aged -person who as far as they know have not a relative or kinsman in all the wide world. The danger of allowing infant children to sleep in a bed with adult persons was recalled at an inquest held at the morgue yesterday. George Fletcher, a baby boy, was put in a double bed in which his mother elept on Wednesday night, and on awakening next morningit was found that the 'bed clothes had covered the little fellow's head during the night and he was dead. The parents, who reside at Kthel Street, iMount Eden, state that the baby was in- normal health on Wednesday night. A verdict in accordance with the medical testimony was returned, death 'bein? caueed by suffocation, due to misadventure. "We have a momentous task before us —th» new school," said Mr V. J. Liarner, chairman of the Board of Governors of King's College last evening at the annual distribution of prizes at the Town Hall. He went on to say that the task was not undertaken for personal motives, butj because the board really believed that Auckland required a school of the type they controlled. The boye were trained on all sides—physically, intellectually and religiously. The school was seb among beautiful surroundings where the boys had every chance of growing into active citizens. It was not a .class school for it contained boys from every rank of life and was controlled' by pubHe spirited men. Tf they could rely on the same loyal and enthusiastic support in the future from th* parents, staff, old boys and present boys as they had hnd in the past, he felt siiTe the college would; continue its prosperity, usefulness *ndi dignity. An improved condition of things was reflected nt the final meeting of the year of the Relief Committee held yesterday. Members had to confess that it was one of the easiest meetings held during , the year, and all the business was transacted within a space of three hours, which is probably a record for the past twelve months. The business was chiefly renewals to provide for very old people, many of whom were remarkably well preserved for .their years, and who had in their former years seen better days. It was i<. great pleasure for the members I of the board at this Christmas season to be able to render help to those who appreciate so fully what was so freely given. Regarding Saturday goliool at King's College, the headmaster, Mr. C. T. Major, ill the coura* of his report at the annual distribution of prizes last evening, said that some misconception had arisen con-i corning the innovation. The boys bad | tried it and seen its advantages and' would not willingly retrograde to the old j system. Six mornings' and four after-1 noons were better than five of each, and a short break of onp day. Sunday, was better for school work than two days spell. For the boarder there was no question as to which was the better plan for there was no aimless wandering about on a Saturday mornine. no hankering after the Queen Street parade and no trouble from idle hours. "Personally," Mr. Major concluded, "I have no mieeivinscs. The new departure is in the best interests of the bors, and now that its novelty has worn off, will commend itself to all." A portrait of Professor Starr Jordan, formerly president of the Stanford University. California, has just been finished by Mr. Spencer Macky, the Auckland artist, who is now living in San Francisco. (Mr. Macky's reputation aa a portrait painter has also led to him getting a commission from the authorities of the Agricultural Department of the State of California to paint a portrait of -Professor Ehvood Mead, of the California University. Mr. William Buckley, aged 27. a railway employee, sustained a severe injury to his foot yesterday afternoon whila shunting at Penrose. He was admitted to the Public Hospital at about 5 p.m.. the foot having been crushfd. Mr. Buckley, who is a married man. was reported this afternoon to be making satisfactory progress. The Makora, the ferry steamer which plies between Auckland and Devonport, met with a mishap yesterday afternoon, the result of which was to "put her out of commission. While making the four o'clock trip from town she struck a lartre submerged log, and one rudder was badly damaged. Prize piesentations in conection with the Auckland Grammar Schools will taike place as follows:—Boy's School.— Town Hall, Tuesday evening, 7.45 p.m.; G»ls' School, at the Boys' School, Epsom, Wednesday 7.45 p.m.; Mount Albert School, at tfltesjchool, Thursday; 3 p.m. Particulars are advertised.

►wyer (Mr. Towle) was granted a decree isi at the Auckland Supreme Court toay against Joseph Francis Dwyer, i oardinghouae-keeper, Wellington. Petiioner stated that she was married in . 891, but that the marriage was not app'y. There were four children born, nd the parties conducted a boardingouee in Wellington. One day in 1915 ] )wyer simply disappeared, and had i ever returned. He owned a house at lotorua. When served with the peti- i ion he filed a defence, which he after- i rards withdrew, "as he had no reason i o oppose the divorce." "As far as 1 am aware," said the < irector of the Wellington Technical Coicge at the Town Hali, "this is tlie firat ' ■ccasion when, except during war-time, ' he breaking-up ceremony of a large New lealand school has been accompanied by ] o dietribution of prizes. At the Chelenham Ladies' College, the largest and est-known girls' school in Great Britain, } he principal, although not able to break ( way altogether from the tradition of , jiving prizes, would never allow the pub- ( ie presentation of these—they were al- , rays handed to the girl without cerenony in her study. We have gone urther than this, and what is more renarkable etill—it Üby the wish of the mpils themselves that prizes have been tboliahed altogether. I feel sure the cork of the school will be done no less ■fficiently because it is done for a worthier end than that of winning » >rize. And prizes are abolished not nerely for clase work, but for athletic md swimming sports as well, so that we ire coming back to the ideale of the old ireeks, probably the finest athletee the jvorld has known, who rewarded the vic;ors in their contests with a crown o aurel. After all, it is not the result :hat matters most; if we play the game, md do our best at the job in hand, we need not concern ourselves overmuch ibout the result." A dispute between three Chinese launIrymen (working in partnership in Customs Street) was mentioned in the Auckland Supreme Court to-day. William Than (Mr. Holmden) sought an order for the taking of accounts in his partnership with ging Hoy and Back Hoy (Mr. r. F. W. Dickson). Chan's allegation wrie that he had not received his fair share jf profits, and also that he had been refused access to the books. The defence was a denial, and it was alleged thai Chan's signature or repeatedly on the pages of the books. There was no objection to the taking of accounts, and an order was made, it being mentioned that the books would mve to be translated from the Chines , : language. The blind rush to Grammar jffice as against a trade was commented on by Mr. Xoel Gibson, headmaster of the Dilworth Institute last night at the prize-giving. There was a great need for the properly/trained journeyman, the man that had served a proper apprenticeship to his trade. Mr. Gibeon deprecated the growing habit of making Gierke of boys. Th«r? would, he said, be plenty of work for years to come for the skilled journeyman. ' The prospects were at least as good as and in some cases hetUr than those which faced the majority of lads who sought the more popular work to be found in offices. There was greafer certainty of work, lese responsibility, and often better pay ahead of the skilled builder or other craftsman than there was ahead of many clerks, and indeed, come professional men. Moreover, to one who was interested there must be a world of pride and pleasure in seeing the actual products of one's work well done. We needed a little moe pride in craftsmanship. An interesting improvement on the dictaphone has been introduced into the office of an Auckland merchant, Mr. F. S. Morton, who gave a demonstration of the machine to a "Star" reporter this morning. The contrivance is styled a telegraphone, and , will record songs, speeches, telephone conversations if linked to the 'phone, broadcasting wireless reports, concerts and any form of natural or mechanical sound. The recorder is thin steel wire, five miles in length, which is wound from one spool on to another. Messages mar be recorded and preserved for any length of time, or may be erased automatically when receiving the next message, thus making it possible to use the wire many times over. If plugged into the telephone, with the addition of a little device, the machine will inform any who ring in the absence of the subscriber that he "Is out, and is there any message?" If a message is given the machine will record it, and the | subscriber may listen to it being re-| peated to him on hia return. | Mr. Commissioner W. H. Bowler, who has been holding a native Land Court at Rotorua during the past month, returned to Wanganui on Saturday. This morning Mr. Bowler gave a decision on the investigation of the title to an area immediately Lake House bathhouse. Messrs. Bradney and Binns' p.s Kat patiki will leave the Queen's wharf tomorrow at 10 a.m. for the usual Sunday Riverhead excursion.