TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8594, 22 September 1893, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Most people will remember Athletics that last year an eight-oar in boat race on the Seine, beJfrance. tween crews of English and

French amateurs, resulted in the decisive defeat of the Englishmen, and

that during the following winter a French football team crossed the Channel, and tried conclusions, with varying fortune, with English clubs. Perhaps, though, every one may not know that athletic sports of all descriptions have taken firm root in France during late years, and that, too, in the face of considerable opposition. The Pall Mali has interviewed M. Gidel, Principal of one of the Lyc-es of Paris on the subject, and that gentleman in the course of his remarks delivered himself of some unintentionally diverting statements. For the last two decades, it appears, French youths, '" when they reached an age at which they believed themselves capable of reasoning " poo away childish things, so to speak, and usually passed their leisure in conversation." Thi3 state of affairs greatly troubled the heads of educational establishments, but, said M. Gidel, " it came finally to be generally admitted that scholar life, as ib is understood in England, had other points than the disadvantages indicated by certain of your writers and philosophers, and our young people quickly threw off their apathy." A great reaction followed and athletics became popular, among the contributing attractions, according to our authority, being "bhe varieby of the cos- i tumes." (!) Who bub a Frenchman could ] have said that ? Ib was feared that | ,the vanity of the youths might be fed by j the public exhibition, of their prowess, j while fond fathers and mothers were afraid j of the dangers to which their boys were exposed from blows, falls and colds, and association with boys of richer families. In spite of however, athletic pports lived ab.d are still pursued eagerly. Young France is even learning to take his pleasure sadly, for we learn that his former somewhat excited expressions of joy or displeasure have considerably abated. M. Gidel strongly approves of football, and laid especial stress upon its. value in the matter of discipline. Those Who played ib had to obey the captain, and regard their own individual success as a minor consideration to that of the whole team. " These," said M. Gidel, with a candour which disarms further remarks, " are important points, especially for us," as he thought French youth were "under the disadvantage of not being accustomed to content themselves with an effaced role." On the whole, his opinion was that there was reason for unreserved congratulation on the increase of the popularity of athletics in France. Some eminent French docWhab the tors, however, do nob alboDoctors Say. getber agree with M. Gidel as to the good results likely to follow the introduction of British games into France, and Professor See, head doctor of one of the Paris Hospitals, puts forward his opinions as follows :— ** Football is dangerous and useless. Lawn tennis is harmless. Foot-racing is of mediocre utility. Competitions in which heavy weights are carried should be put down. Bicycling is a most remarkable exercise under conditions which I will point out. Record breaking should not be encouraged ; the over fatigue of the compebitors, with all its consequences on bhe heart and bhe constitution, is to be feared. It should be restricted. Gymnastics may be useful if well directed. * Swedish' gymnastics should be encouraged as far as they tend to develop the respiratory organs and the muscles. Fencing—one of our national exercises—is to bo highly recommended —ib develops the chest and increases strength. Rowing, which enjoys such favour bo en in France and England, is very useful. Boat racing, however, is frequently dangerous, and serious accidents have been mentioned by English doctors as having followed the violent exercise of the oarsman. Riding is merely taking an airing, if the horseman is skilful - if he is not, it is injurious.

Professor See then proceeds to put his foot in ib. For' children under twelve years he allows " easy games, in which no effort is required, "such as lawn tennis." We don't know how French boys play tennis, but we will engage to pick in five minutes a dozen young New Zealanders of twelve years (girls or boys) who in the course of a few sets would give the professor all the violent exercise he wanted for a week and probably cause him to alter his views as to the amount of effort required. Professor See also allows children to walk fast, bub bhey must not race, and he absolutely forbids bicycling, though from twelve to eighteen years of age ib is excellent, as also is rowing. He would allow nobody who has the slightest affection of the heart to ride a bicycle, and thinks it is very bad for consumptive people, but good in the case of asthma or nervous diseases. It is very bad, he says, for women in general, though he would allow stout, women to try if they were otherwise in good health. We have yet to see a stout woman on a bicycle, and hope we never shall/ In spite, however, of the restrictions which Professor See would place on the French boy who preferred games to conversation with his fellows, athletic sports will probably continue to flourish in France, for few people are guided by their doctors'opinions unless they actually .unwell. The military authorities place the highest value on the new movement, and one prominent official said it would be impossible to encourage in too great measure in France games tending to develope either strength or skill. To quote an -..-repeated remark once made by the Duke of Wellington, "Waterloo was won on the cricket fields of Eton," and who knows but that in the next great European war, so long expected and so much dreaded, the result of some great! battle may not be due to the valuable lessons learned on French playgrounds.

Judging from what we read in Pigeonß the papers, and from the habits Among of certain new arrivals in New Hawks.'':. Zealand, a good many men in

Australia are now reduced to that precarious, and in some cases risky, means of earning a livelihood known as "living on one's wits." There may be an honesb means of doing this, but appearances point the other way, and the practice in many instances seems synonymous with living on the lack of wits possessed by other people. Some time ago an -ccount of the manner in which a young fellow was fleeced by some sharpers in Melbourne went the round of the papers, and now an almost exactly similar case obtains publicity through the medium of the Melbourne City Court, In this instance two Swedish gardeners, Wilfred Matteson and his brother, went to Melbourne for a holiday, and in the course of their rambles fell into conversation with a man named O'Brien, who told them he was looking for men to take up bush-felling work in Western Australia. The large wages he offered induced them to decide on going, and accordinely they sent for a younger brother, and" withdrew all their money, amounting to £186, from the Bank. It was explained to them that their new « boss" was bus* purchasing stud sheep, and an arrangement was made for them to meet him next day. The three brothers handed over their money to the agent for safe keeping in his portmanteau, but up to this point had evidently not lost all their common isense, for Wilfred Matteson explained in his evidence that he slept in the same room as O'Brien, "mit «* e y e °» the troonk," for fear the money should disappear. The alleged employer was interviewed next day and found to be a most engaging person. While matters were beins talked over in walked a stranger who

stated, apropos apparently of nothing, that the previous night he had had a drink which had cost him £40, through his playing some game in connection with seven pieces of paper. He played the game with the "employer,"and, losing £1, tendered what seemed to be a £50 note in payment. This was returned to him, and he thereupon threw it into the fireplace with the remark that an uncle had just left him £80,000 with the stipulation that he was to give £100 to any honest working man possessed of a ' similar amount so as to give him a start in business. The succeeding " business" is not I not reported, but in the end the Mattesons lost all their money over the game with the seven pieces of paper. The " rich man," apparently not wishing to rob them, gave them a cheque for £300 in an envelope, and he, the "employer," and the agent then departed on various matters of business, after making an appointment for meeting the brothers later on in the day. Needless to say that appointment was not kept, and the simple Swedes, waking up too late to the idea that all might not, perhaps, be correct, opened the envelope to find that the cheque for £300, so generously given to them by their rich acquaintance, was a piece of blank paper. In the interval that elapsed between this swindle and the detecj tio_ of the "agent" that worthy came within the clutches of the law, being sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment for vagrancy, and waa brought out of prison to answer to the charge of defrauding the Mattesons. His original sentence will now probably be handsomely increased, but that will hardly compensate the unfortunate brothers for the loss of their money and situations.