LEAGUERS AND THEIR LEAGUES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 49, 26 August 1911, Page 4

LEAGUERS AND THEIR LEAGUES

Now Zealand has no lack ol league — political, social, sentimental, philanthropic, pftti-iotic, flXotie, quixotic, and others. Whether the inhfibitfcnt*, born We 015 itntnigfan^ feel a lonelinces in these bright islands eet a^ solitaires on the vast breast of the Pacific, and, therefore, yearn for company, v*e know not. Neither know we whether the Mr from the circling sea. has & quality to impel man to leagues. Th© university professors have perhaps better opportunities to theorise about causes. We are mdfe concerned for the moment, with effects. Tho percentage of league per inhabitant is perhaps higher in' New Zealand thaji in any other country in tho world, excluding China perhaps, Man has ever been a gregarious animal (w© use the word 1 in th« cold, scientific sense), and the higher he climbs the pea-klees alps of civilisation ths more he specialises in greg&rioufiness. It is ind*«d an era, of specialisation. All times are league time for some men. They find infinite comfort in (society and sociotie*. There i« ho eweeteT eoag lot them th*n. 11 Fot He's a Jolly Opod F«Jlow," and even the foras, ceremonie&, and convene tions are ts meat atid drink to them to hearten them up on life's road. Other men find league enough in the ordinary fellowship of their brethren in cities at ordinary times, but even these people, who are perhaps apt to kngh at the leaguishnees of their contemporaries, may be moved league-ward© by ft special force at a Bpeci&l time. Such a tim« is an election time, general or municipal. From now till December one may expect new leagues. Some may d© old league* with hew names. Some may have old motives with, new brands. Some may be genuine new leagues, the growth of new enthusiasm* Looking backward the eye encounters a long line of leagues. Grass grows on the graves of Borne of them, Others a-re at the point of death, and they gasp for an elixir to restore the old* tim» vigour. Others limp along a rough road againafc a wind that blows dust upon them. Is there never a bard to sing a ballad of lost leagues or give mnßic to cheer half a league or some oth« fraction o! a league onward ? Half a league may be better or wows than no league, according to circumstances. Where is now the Wellington Citizens' League, which came out with colours flying and drum* beating not long before 26th April, th& date of the municipal elections? We understand that it is etill alive, and indeed it may be working modestly with etupendoua energjt in quiet places, but no sounds of that energy reach the public ear. The promoters are under promise to work for the common good, and there is abundance of work to be done* The National League has not yei, come out of winter quarters, but perhaps the golden trumpets of the daffodils and the silver pipes o! the oirds will soon play that league into the fighting arena. While the people wait for signs of life in. those two 'leagues, other leaguers are abroad. We are pleased to see that the name New Zealand is in come leaguers' thoughts, but it seems that S4veral sectional "New Zealand leagues" may be formed, before any really national league is built, up. The misfortune is that much 4i the promising material for such a league is grabbed up by the makers of other leagues. Strong men, magnetic men, are needed for a iuational purpose.