NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1232, 14 September 1911, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

It is quite a mistake to suppose that the divorce laws of America are so lax that in divorce suits the Judge is not required to use his judicial sense in any greater degree, than when ho affixes a postage stamp to a letter. On the contrary, the Judge is often required to use all his powers of analysis and synthesis, as is shown by a case that was heard in, the Supreme Court of New York at the end of July. A' Mns. Gaylord sought for a divorce, alleging that her husband was in love with a Mns. Ross. The Judge, we gather, "lingered upon the evidence that while Mns. itoss when she appeared in the street was often accompanied by a poodle, yet.more frequently she was accompanied by Mr. Gaylord, wlio, though naturally a proud, aggressive citizen, was under her influence, humbled and subdued." Tho fact that Mr. Gaylord dodged the detectives was given its due weight. The Judge did not blame the man, "but a man does not take pains to throw them off the track if, for instance, he is going to church." It was also shown that Mil. Gaylokd had exhibited a willingness to do little services for Mns. Ross, such as carying homo her groceries, "and Mr. Gaylord," his Honour observed, "did not look to me like a man who would carry groceries' home for anybody whom he did not love and cherish. It, was the garbage can that settled the matter. Mr. Gaylord used to sot out Mrs. Boss's garbage can for the dustman to take away, and it seemed to the Bench that "nobody sets out a woman's garbage can' for her but her servant, husband, or lover." This is , a very bold ruling, which the Federal Supreme Court would probably upset. But it is quite obvious that the American divorco laws arc not so easy running and mechanical and so liable to atteniuto the judicial faculty as we outsiders are prone to fancy. The particular angle at which a gentleman removes his hat when saluting a lady in the streets offers - great scope for judicial powers of deri;' tion while the act of opening a door to permit the exit of one of the gentler sex lends itself to enormous possibilities. And yet the American people are said to have a keen sense of humour.

The New South Wales Legislature is of course the finest home of personalities in the world of politics: even the French Deputies must take a. second place. Tho high standard of the House of Commons was emphasised by the shock the public received when it heard that Me. Asquith had been called a "traitor" during tho recent stormy "scene" in the House. Ono of Mr. Asqui'th's friends, however, easily took the trick by howling that the Unionists wore "insolent swine." The 'scene" attracted some notico in America, and led the Daily Telegraph's New York correspondent to give some American examples of political "language" for purposes of comparison. Mb. • Taft created_ a sensation not long ago by referring to "malevolent scandal-mongers, who show venom" —a phrase we present with our compliments to those members of the Government party ,who delight in this sort of argument. The Mayor of New York is a much blunter person than Mn. Taft. Lately he had a quarrel with Professor Lowell, and, replying to a statement made by the Professor's secretary, ho simply observed: "I can't make out what the puppy means." Mn. Roosevelt, of course, has called so many people liars that they have formed an Ananias Club. The other day a Tammany Boss startled a dinner party by _ suddenly rising and proposing this- toast: "Let mn propose a toast to his Excellency the Governor of the great State of New Jersey, the Commander-in-Chief of the New Jersey Militia, an ingratc, also a liar."

One of the most vigorous and inspiring political circulars that it has been our pleasure to receive came to hand recently from one of the candidates for tho Hawke's Bay scat, Mr. H. M. Campbell. The circular announces Mr. Campbell as a candidate who stands for straightforward

administration, and he certainly announces straightforword and clear-cut views and a sound and progressive platform. Like many other young New Zealanders he is filled with concern .it tho drift in our politics and he regards the time as a critical one in the history of the Dominion. To quote his own words: At the present time wo are face to face with a crisis in the history of a young nation. Wo arc at the parting oi the ways. One road leads not only to national prosperity, but to the truo greatness that is born of national integrity and a high moral lono ill public affairs— tho only greatness that will last through tho centuries. The other leads by an easier route—the way of apathy and thoughtlessness—to a conventional prosperity that is rotten at' tho core. For, do not forget that tho loveliest country can bu made a Uell for those who live in it if its public affairs are allowed t'o get into the hands of a set of time-serving, corrupt politicians. On a no-confidence motion Mr. Campbell announces that ho would vote against the present Administration. His platform includes a thorough investigation of the financial position of the Dominion; reduction of taxation on necessaries of life; fostering of industries ;_ an active land settlement policy with the leasehold as a steppmg-stone to the freehold, and limitation of area; abolition of the ballot system and substitution of public tender to eliminate the land speculator and assist the genuine settler; an elective- Upper House under a system of proportional representation; Civil Service anl Local Government reform; old age pensions to women at 60 instead ot 65 years; insurance against sick--ness and unemployment and so on. Mu. Gajipbell is said to be conducting an active campaign throughout the very large electorate which he is seeking to represent, and his chances of success are wcll_ spoken of. The country, we believe, is ready to welcome candidates like Mr. Caiii , - iiell, possessed of definite views on the large political issues of the day, and especially men of the younger generation with progressive_ ideas, who take a real pride in their country and who.'scorning the petty makeshifts and trickery of the time-serv-ers, would seek to build up that national spirit which alone can assure for New Zealand tho high place in the Empire and amongst the nations of the world that she is entitled to aspire to.

It is a little 'surprising that, in view of the large amount of attention—even if only spasmodic attention—given here to the necessity for taking care of the teeth of children, so little has been done in opposition to the sweets habit. The subject wae interestingly discussed during Hi. recent conference of the British Medical Association, the discussion being initiated by the Lecturer on Dental Anatomy at tho London Dental Hospital. He deplored the increasing consumption of sweetmeats, and painted an alarming picture of the resultant evils. Sweets exposed to_ flies and dust; sweets coloured with poisonous or harmful dyes; sweets that actually broke the enamel of tho teeth—these aro consumed in immeasurable quantities. It may be of interest to parents to hear that caramel toffee and chocolate aro particularly injurious; or. as the lecturer put it, bacteriophile, while barley-sugar and acid-drops are bacteriophobe. Another eminent dental surgeon declared that "if the most noxious habit.of eating sweets between meals could be stopped there_ would bo a large saving to the working classes, possibly enough to pay the workmen's contribution tr the now Insurance Bill." Other speakers—and amongst them Dr. Woods Hutciunson—declined to join in the hue-and-cry against sweets, but most people will fancy that in this matter it is better to be safe than sorry.