TOPICS OF THE BAY

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 46, 24 February 1913, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE BAY

Every day brightens the prospect of success for the Citizens' All Together Easter Carnival, The lor the calls for aid have brought Carnival. mnch pleasant response, both in material and personal Service, but vacancies are still open in the working ranks for volunteers. The city has still some men and women, competent to help well, but too modest to come forward. Such people need nob think that it is too late to enrol for the splendid campaign. Members of all sports bodies are invited to meet in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall tomorrow evening, and the promoters are tonfident of an encouraging rally. This is a time for a great fellowship of enthusiasts in a public cause, a partnership proof against all pettiness, a long pull and a strong pull for Wellington, a movement in which all can rejoice in the I efforts of one another for the public good. Ws do not I'emember when the people's reserves had bo many active friends fighting for thefm. It is good to witness the galvanic preparations for a self-help programme. The move for a healthy holiday sports — one to foster civic brotherliness and sisterliness—- would be well worth while for its own sake, but I there is also the extra objective, the profit from the pleasure to improve public property. It is a, plan to rouße the most listless inhabitant of Greater Wellington. ' New Zealanders, generally, must heartily approve the proposal A Common-sense- of Mr. Haszard, Proposal. Chairman of , the For cstry Commission, that the > taking of oral evidence should be limited as much as possible. We see no need at all for an elaborate exposition of the obvious by hosts of witnesses, who repeat one another's evidence tiresomely, at a, great waste of time and money. The value of many commissions in this country has been vitiated by the tedious examination of large numbers of persons whoso testimony has not been worth while. Th« important thing is to get men of knowledge competent to work out the lessons of the past, to see intelligently the present, and project their minds into the future. In the case of the Forestry Commission, it is understood that the necessary ability exists in the personnel, and the work is clean-cut, We cannot imagine that tho investigators will need a plethora of words to reveal facts which must be plain to an expert observer. Tho principal task of the Commission j« to emphasise, in striking language, the mistakes of the past, and submit practicable advice for the benefit of the whole country. Tho authorities who are abli* to help in this part of the problem are wfl|) known, and their aid can bo obtained without the issue of a general invitation to all and .sundry to make wearisome repetitiohp of tho commonplace. President, T«tfb is still firmly resisting the appeals of many The Mexican influential interests Mix-up. that the United States should intervene in troubled Mexico. There many millions of American dollars are invested, and there ta unlimited Bcopc lou furthev capital, in the development' of the

minetals, oil, and ftprrintlttiral resources. Hov.evei, U. is lepoited today tlm Madfro'a surcossor, Genera! Huerta, hopes to sccm'p ptHfp and order by tha mothocfr of Dniz, (ho founder of modem Mexico But thn method-! nf a Dinz need p, Diaz, am! it hi for time to tpll whether Hueita has th? strength cf tninri and hand to be fail ly termed *» Dis?. Whca tlii.-j powerful leader defeated tno Krcperor Maximilian, he had a still gipatc-v difficulty before him. Ha conquered his enemy, and then had tq eubclue hir, h°lpei-is. tt could nevet b< said that ho rltovo v corvch of State. Rather it was a or-ariol drawn by lion* and tigers and lianas, nnd only herculean ability kept the team pulling evenly. When Dir»?, was knocked out of tl>(s chariot, the team bolted, and fell to fighting and smashing the vehicle. Possibly denaral Orozco. -who ohfca fought for Madero and eventually against hitn, may bo hostile to Htterta, and Orozco is well liked by tho soldiery who servo him. One groat trcubla in Mexico now Is that it it ovcr-solnicrcd. The thrill of niilitariem, with tho espectation of sudden gainb by a chango ot regime, is preferred to the quiet art* of peace by many thousands of men. Another problem lies in the mixture of races; thero is no really national Mexico; no single widespread national inspiration, no cosiimandhig codo of ethics in things social and inriuuia!. lne elements are in fi state ot flux, and it see.M3 that tho seething and bubbling ■will continue for sonio time.