The Press Friday, February 24, 1933. Earthquake Risks.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20789, 24 February 1933, Page 10

The Press Friday, February 24, 1933. Earthquake Risks.

The Society of Civil Engineers has rendered a public service by discussing fully and frankly the problem of minimising earthquake risks. It is disquieting to hear, from men who are in a position to know, that the Napier disaster has impressed some people so little that buildings are being erected without adequate provision . against earthquakes. Such carelessness is criminal, particularly as, according to Professor Cull and other members of the society, to make buildings earth-quake-resisting involves little, if any, extra cost. There is no reason to suppose that New Zealand will not experience heavy earthquake shocks in the future; and every reason to suppose that she will. This need not cause alarm if a careful survey is made of existing buildings and if certain simple and inexpensive precautions arc taken in all new construction work. At present, however, the possibility of heavy earthquake' shocks in some thickly populated areas does and should clause uneasiness. It is not pleasant to have to call attention to these facts. So many exaggerated and harmful reports of the Napier earthquake were published abroad that New Zealanders are wisely reluctant to provoke public discussions about earthquake risks. But it is impossible to be silent when neglect of simple"precautions threatens serious loss of life and property in the future. If, as a result of the discussion; in Christchurch, the subject of earthquakes receives more publicity than is good for the country's reputation, the Government has only itself to blame. An Act prescribing certain minimum, standards of safety in building construction and providing for a survey of existing structures would make it possible to worry no more about earthquakes than about thunderbolts, tidal waves, and other disagreeable but happily infrequent natural phenomena.

France and Italy. The cable news of the last few (lays has made clear the existence of tension between France and Italy. Some of j the causes are of immediate origin, but the more important are rooted in the past, and serve as an unpleasant reminder, in the post-War world, of the persistence of national aspirations, and of the unforgiving and unforgetting nature of sovereign states. Italy Hps always found galling the attitude of superiority assumed by France, an attitude that derives from the disappointment to French hopes of finding a subservient ally in. the' nation whose unification she had assisted. In the 'eighties Italy was isolated, dependent fof her existence on a Great Power, yet not sufficiently strong to make herself sought after. She was fast becoming a commercial rival of France; the French Clerical4>artyifelt bitterly her encroachments on the prerogatives of the Holy See, and her abolition of the Temporal Power; and, a late starter in the race for colonial possessions, she had aspirations in Nbrftiern Africa, where considerable French interests were involved. The course of history had made her the inveterate enemy of Austria-Hungary, the Trentino and Italian aspirations in the Balkans being the immediate danger points. Italy was thus forced by her position to make overtures to Germany. Bismarck's uncompromising reply that "the key of the door leading to us "will be found in Vienna" compelled her to come to an unstable'understanding with Austrir.-Hungary. Italy's allegiance to the Triple Alliance became strongly suspect when, towards the end of the century, there was a temporary rapprochement with France. At the outbreak of the Great War she refused to enter the conflict with her allies, on the grounds that no casus belli existed, her subsequent action being largely determined by that of England'. The advent of Fascism, and the achievement, from within, of a real unity, have made Italy strongly national and raised further points of difference between Italy and France. Commercial and, territorial rivalry persists, and Italy has not forgotten the French occupation, despite repeated promises to the contrary, of Tunisia. There are now resident in France approximately one million Italians, whose complete allegiance is claimed by their new country, a claim strongly repudiated by Italy. The " Fuoruseiti," whose attitude to the Fascist rigime has made Italy an unhappy home, indulge in bitter propaganda, deriving their moans, it is alleged, from French sources. Italian activities in the Balkans have brought her into conflict with Jugoslavia, a country over whose policy Franco exercises more than a measure of control. There ha& been unwise press propaganda in both France and Italy that has needlessly accentuated the differences between the two countries. Ard it is regrettable, but characteristic of strongly national states, th.it public opinion in both! countries has revealed a lack of knowledge of international problems.

Development of Radio. The tremendous part that radio broadcasting is destined to play in the world of the future -was commented upon in a speech on Wednesday night by Professor Shelley. He said that the world was gradually becoming a world of listeners rather than a world of readers. The suggestion opens up interesting speculation as to how far radio broadcasting will be able to displace the written word in conveying to the public the news and views of the world. The time will come, without, doubt, when television will have s been perfected and people, seated comfortably 'in electrically-heated rooms, will be able not merely to hear events described but also to see them almost as vividly as if the audience were actually on the spot. The human race may perhaps develop thereby unbelievable powers of concentration, so that people may be able to remember all that they have heard and recall in the mind's eye all that they have ceen. It is a possibility that writers may eonfront in a new scientific world in which the written word will no longer have the significance or the power that it now possesses. But is that possibility a probability? Will the day come when the citizen will rely wholly upon radio for information and inspiration—when he will merely adjust the knobs on his receiving set to tap the news of the day and the opinions of the thinker, coming to him on waves of sound and vision? Will the newspaper and the book disappear as part of the amenities of civilisation, and their place be usurped by the spoken word and the living picture? If that day does come —and it is reasonable to suppose that it is many generations ahead —the world will have lost much that makes life agreeable and interesting for millions of people who find in books and newspapers a never-end-ing source of entertainment and instruction. These people will have lost a world of imaginative freedom and adventurous thought in which they now seek refuge from the bludgeonings ami perhaps boredom of the daily round. A world robbed of the daily newspaper to-day seems unbelievable and unthinkable. The newspaper is now so much a part of our daily life that we may well feel that we should be lost without it. But there is little doubt that the newspaper will continue, though perhaps vastly altered in'character. The radio, even as the newspaper, has its limitations. Each can survive and doubtless will survive, as the complement of the other. Already this has been recognised, and there is a wide movement for co-operation between the two. They have this basically in common that both can be used for the service of mankind. By co-operation they can make that service more efficient and doubly effective.