TOPICS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue LXXXIV, 23 September 1912, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY

As an inducement to members of Parliamenb to spend the The Politician week-end in and about Abroad. Wanganui, it was men* tioned that no deputatiomsts would lurk for them in either the highways or the by-ways. With this guarantee of respectable behaviour on the part of any persons aggrieved, a strong contingent Of politicians made a merry picnic party. They found that instead of the ordinary deputationists, certain roads Waited upon them. Some of the visitors were switched on to the Raetihi road, and they were introduced to such joys of travelling as Mr. Wilson, member for backblocks Taumarunui, occasionally describes in the House. Sometimes the coach was steady, and sometimes not. Here and there the wheels went down two feet in the ooze, and the joltings must have undoubtedly impressed the sad condition of the road upon the excursionists. Other trips, less perilous, Were arranged, but the hosts took care to make the Parliamentarians notice tliinga that required attention near Wanganui. The leading townsmen were frank about it. The chairman of the Chamber of Commerce said id was recognised that Parliament was a glorified board of works, arid therefore it was necessary that members should become personally acquainted with the needs of the district which they had to administer. It was fair enough for Wanganui to make a bid for a due share in the scramble for doles, but it is not pleasant to observe that a district has to resort bo some stage-management to influence members of the "board of works." Not all districts are so w*ell situated as Wanganui for such a campaign j not all have a beautiful river to lure the member, while the muddy road is kept in the background till he is caught. The moral of the picnic stands out prominently ; the necessity for reform in the system of allocating money for district needs is once more stressed. To-night is for the early settlers at the Town Hall. Other citiRally of zens, we hope 1 , will be there Pioneers, in plenty to give a cheer for the hardy men and women who helped valuably ill the making of Greater Wellington. It is important that the evening should be pleasant alike for the veterans and for those who wish to honour the principal guests. Therefore, let the speakers kindly remember to keep their discourse within reasonable bounds. Popularity is usually propor^ tional to brevity in public speaking. The audience likes a brisk, vigorous delivery —life, colour, movement. If any man feels that he cannot give such things (was there ever such a man ?) it is his duty to respect the clock. We wish the public to have a happy of tonight's programme. A successful rally this time will mean a better one next year, however good to-night's assembly may be. The task to-d;iy is to create a public opinion about Hie old titnob, a wsotimfitt about tho past as a stimulus tor- furlbci sturdy progress. Tb.6

Early Settlers' and Historical Association has been hindered by a lack of interest about the ntirrirtg days of old. but there are signs of an improvement. After to-night an energetic committee should make all possible haßte to link up with pioneers who have a store of memories of the history mad© in this part of New Zealand. All available material should be secured without delay. Many a good resolution has been made, and many a splendid opportunity has been lost while people who had some interest 111 the old times waited for a lead. It was nobody's business, definitely, to keep in touch with pioneers, and so they htive been allowed to go their way, one by one. The now association hopes to make some amends for the city's apathy in the past. Though no amount of activity can wholly atone for the long neglect, a field for much desirable work widens out. The citizens generally should heartily encourage those who are willing to g^ive their time and energy to this liistoncal research. "It is proposed," states a cable message ¦ , from Sydney, "to esPunishment, tablish a prison newsor Rest Cure? paper as part ol a scheme to make the prisoner s life more endurable." Taking a line from the paper, one may assume that the pipe ahd other little luxuries will come into the curative scheme. Why be free in the days to come when each person detained in the' sanatorium (no longer known as a gaol) will bo a ' patient rather than a prisoner 1 Ho will be an "interesting case" for the moral physicians and healers. Already some scientists regard burglary, murder, and other crimes as merely symptoms of "disease." In a broad fense of that word "disease," those- theorists may be right, but the world is not yet sufficient* ly civilised to profit by that "disease" theory as a general rule. The more the public is assured that crime \n a "disease," the greater will be the spread of the "disease," especially if elaboratecare ie taken "to make the prisoner's life more endurable." An over-insist-ence on "disease" a« an 'explanation of wife-beating or selling sly grog or running a "tote shop" will not help much in the curing of the sufferers. The tendency is to reduce more and more the sense of personal responsibility and to make the individual feel that what he does, whether right or wrong, at any moment is inevitably dependent on what he has or has not done during all the preceding moments, and anyhow he is the victim of a "disease." If the trouble manifests itself in assault and I batltory, forgery or adulteration of food, it is not to be a case for punishment but cure, by gentle means and pleasant, if certain amiable philanthropists have their way. A mushy Bentimentalism in this matter has occasionally reduced imprisonment in an American "penitentiary" to an absurd trave&ty of punishment. The old order of barbarity for prisoners has happily passed away, but it is still necessary to strew thorns rather than rose petals on the path of the lawbreaker. If gaol is made a comfortable place, wher« a man has his living a». ettred, with no worry whatever about the cost of it, and his own special newspaper, the "«Ji«eafie" of crim© will ever be a fashionable one.