TOPICS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 118, 20 May 1914, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY

persistent attempts are being made by the Red Federation 1 " Sedition. " and to deceive people, the Public Peace in and out of New and Safety. Zealand, as to the prosecution and pun- . ishment of men who broke the law during the strike. Thus one resolution adopted by the Shearers' Conference records a, " condemnation of tho obsolete and absurd sedition laws by means of which theso men have been imprisoned, and urges the immediate repeal of these f laws." The text suggests that if tho law had not been a piece of archaic nonsense certain men would not have suffered a, loss of liberty. It is, indeed, insinuated tha,t a liavour of "divine right ' of kings" lurks in the word "sedition,"' and that such a term should have no I place in the bright lexicon of an enlightened democracy. The truth is that nothing savouring of " lese-majeste " was in the indictments. The whole purpose of the Crown was to prove that the accused used words by which public peace and safety were imperilled. The men were tried because it was the belief of the Justice .Department that their language was against the cardinal principle of demociacy — the greater good for the greater number. Their speech was termed "sedition," but the aim of the prosecution Was to show that such outbursts were detrimental to the commonweal. .Needless to sa.y, the Red Federation looks for an advantage in a perversion of fact in this matter, and the misrepresentation continues. Thus | comes such a resolution as the New town | (Sydney) branch of the Australian So- 1 cialist Party adopted ;—" We, the So- • cialists and workers of Newtown, enter our earnest and emphatic protest against the action of the Massey Government in the gaoling of H. E. Holland, and, through the workers of Kaw Zealand, demand his immediate release." Similar blunt and brusque " demands " and commands have come from other bodies, but the Government has not yet quaked at the imperative mood of the Reels. Anyone who advises Australians and Now Zealanders to Japan and an prepare for a possible Armed _ invasion from the Australasia. East, and to arm on purely defensive lines, is not a disturber, but a preserver, of the peace. The future of the Pacific is now sufficiently disclosed to us to make it clear that ono of the greatest perils to peace would be an inadequately do f ended Australia; and that Australasians should realise this fact is essential to their own existence and to tho preventing of war. If the steps taken to secure tho awakening of Australasians also mean the alarming of Japan, we in the Southern Seas would regret the fact; yet, if we must, no doubt we would be propared to pay oven that price To impress the busy, unthinking white public with a sense of the danger lurking in the overwhelming hordes of Asia is tho first duty of our statesmen, and, within a restricted sphere, of our strategists. As a strategist, Sir lan Hamilton has said uo more than what is both true and urgent, and as a soldier it does not appear that he has overstepped the bounds. Ho has a very difficult and delicate duty to perform, and in this case it is speech, not silence, that is golden. To say nothing would be easy, but to 'tell the truth to apathetic people is courageous. Sir lan Hamilton would not be performing the essential portion of his mission if he merely moved through Australasia like n dumb show in gold lace. Ab to the AngloJapauese Alliance, it has been justified by expediency, and tho Empire may piofit by ft venewft] of it, but it is not the last word in British diplomacy in

tho Pacific. An Ireland peaceful under self-government would remove certain Irish-American storm-centres, and pave the way for an Anglo-Saxon Alliance, holding the Panama gate to "the meet-ing-ground of continents. " JapaneseAmerican friction over the colour question would facilitate euch a development, and Japan knows it. Kor tho present, Japan has no real grievance against the defensive policy of Australasia, which aims simply at removing temptations from the southern horizon of the changing East. > j An average man or woman— especially the man — can be Nuisance of the remarkable for " Early Door." patience and impatience, out of place and season. Alas, ono is patient | when ho should be impatient for his own dignity, comfort, and profit, and impatient when a little pa-tience would be a boon for other folk. When human patience is scarcely distinguishable from bovine stolidity, the social rcfui'mor needs to be a tireless optimist. Ho has the vision unsplendid of people who will not help to shake off their own burdens. Who has not wondered at the patience of tho long "toils" of cold-footed humanity by the doors of a theatre on a winter night waiting for the belated opening ? They are condemned » to this weary, uncomfortable sta.nding—a nuisance to the general public, by the blocking of footpaths— because the management is engaged in an "early door" industry. The "early door" catches an extra sixpence from people willing to pay that price for sitting, instead of i the miserable, undignified standing in [ the street j and the tendency ha-s ooen to make the "early door" later and later, till only comparatively few seats, at the advertised price, ma.y be available for the crowd that has waited for the final rush. Wo are glad that the City Council has approved the prinI ciple of a reform urged by Councillor Barber. Proposals of fair play for the I public are to be ''embodied in a bylaw, which should provide a full measure of justice for the public, too long tolerant j of an abuse of the " early door " scheme.

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Members of the Keseivot. Gor.:mittoe of the City Couucil recently inspected that portion of the Town Beit near the Homo (if Compassion, Island Bay, wlvjre ,it is proposed to establish municipal golf links. Those who are interested in the scheme consider the ground quite suitable for golf Jt is piobable that a recommendation will be made to tho council at it 3 next meeting to form goJf links on the portion of the Town Belt referred to. In order to bring the work of the Sociaty for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals more under the notice of the public, and incidentally to raise moH6y, it has been practically decided to hold a big concert in the Town Hall. Arrangements are already in hand, and it is hoped that a strong committee of Indies will take in hand the selling of tickets. Prominent members of the rtvage Club and Operatic Society have •ropiised to give items. It Las been decided by tho Home Mmioriul Committee to hand over all the funds received to Mr. W. Foster and Mr. D. Bedingfield (headmasters of the Peto.'ie District High School and Petone West School respectively). The annual interest is to be equally divided between the two schools for the purpose of providing a prize for each, to # bo known as the Home Memorial Prize. The ;illotment of the prizes will bo left to the discretion of the two headmasters. Mr. G. Miller (secretary of tho committee) will submit a (statement of the funds in about a fortnight's time. Jn tb" courso 01 a lecture on " Eage- | nice!." Dr. Benham, of Dunedin, said ; , 11 It nui'«t bo the fervent hope of every* one who has tlm eugenic ideal at heart that vo autocratic inspector of schools j will introduce sex. hygiene in the syllabus of New Zealand as a compulsory <iabjecl.. The time is not yet ripe for it. Mai«y yen: 1 * must pa-ss by hefore it will lie desiriM- .Mid then it must not bo, made a compulsory subject. It can, iL eoems to me, only be taught at all by comparatively few teachers, who have special qualifications, quite apart from the knowledge of the physiological principles and biological facts involved." During the recent encampment at Takapau D. Battery, Wellington, carried out an instructional shoot with the 15-potinder guns, using a corrector and collective ranging for the first time. The corrector was made locally, and an opening series was fired as a test, prov- | ing it to be quite accurate. Four series > with time shrapnel were then fired by the battery officers, at ranges varying from 3475 to 4300 yards, with very good results. The last series fired was specially good, the last eight shots _ out of a total of sixteen proving effective. The Other series resulted :— -First series, 16 shots, 4 effective ; second series, 18 shots, 6 effective i third series, 25 shots, 8 effective. The work of constructing the^ Knox Home for Incurables at Tamaki is now nearing completion, and it is expected that the formal opening of the institution will take place on 18th July (states the Auckland Herald). The names, of the Me Mrs. Knox and the late Miss Maitland Thompson will always be held in grateful remembrance, for it was through the generous provision made in their wills that the fine now building was made possible. Both ladies were members of the Presbyterian Church, and b6th specified that the home should be entirely undenominational. The home has been erected at a cost of about £20,000. Situated at a. distance of eight miles from Auckland, i» -the VJe&b Tamaki district, the Knox Estate originally comprised an area of 230 acres, extending from the Panmure-road to the -waters of the Tatfiaki, the whole being comprised of rich volcanic paddocks. The truetees disposed' of all except 38 acres immediately surrounding the home, and a further 20-acre reserve to be used for agricultural purposes. The new home will accommwlater 60 patients. Captain J. Henry, who has been appointed Inspector for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty^to Animals, in succession to Mr. F. Seed, has had an interesting career. He enlisted in the 7th Dragoon Guards in 1878, and a few months la.ter his regiment was transferred from Dublin to Aldershot, and later to Norwich. The Guards were, in 1882, ordered away to Alexandria, owing to trouble caused by Arabi Pasha. They were at the battle of Tel el Kebir, and the following year Captain Henry's regiment was despatched to India, where it was stationed for ten years. Mr. Henry had by then been promoted to the rank of sergeant-major, a position he retained until he severed connection with the Guards. He saw further; service in Egypt, and was at the front in the South African war. In May, 1900, Mr. Henry joined the South African Constabulary with the rank of lieutenant, and a year later was made captain. t At the end of the war he was appointed Inspector of Police and Commandant of the Hoopstad district, and remained in that position until. Responsible Government was established. He has engaged in farming and other pursuits in this country. Canada and her affairs were the subject of aomfl remarks made by a visitor from the big Dominion to a Post re- ! porfcer to-day. Last fall, when he took | liis departure, he stated, something of a I depression prevailed, due in a large | extent to the slump that had occurred Alter the boom in real estate. Fortunes were still being made in land transactions, but money, a few months ago, > showed a tendency to be tight. Imini- ' grants were still pouring in from over- ! seas, and as a large percentage of these j remained in the towns, the labour ( maiket sometimes became glutted. Owing j to the heavy preferential tariff in favour of British-made goods the large manufacturing firms in ths United Stateß wciu opening up, or had opened up, establishments in Canada— this especially applied to the motorcar industry. He had ro doubt tliat the country would Boon recovti iroin <my temporary disad- | vantage it might bo Inbouring under, for, although its area was larger than tlic United States, its population was , oniy sornc 8,000.000, as against j 90,v00,000, and v.ith it,-* huge forests, mineral vvc4.li.hj auc! vast areas of cultivable, un«-<"ciii>ind laud, its future was ' exceedingly bright. There is every reason for tho indignation 'ajitcli is /eU oval Uie distressing stalf of disrepair ot' the important road thai coimects Perth, Western -Austialia, witli its port, fi'tMjianide. a dwpn miles awa) fiviitcb our Ai'.stiaJi.'iu correspondent). The (ir/vernnmrtt will not iwdeitaKc *.o shou'der the responsibility of putting L'ils highway into a pioper condition, *uid thu rnouicipaliticb consented either cniniou o: will nob do the work. :io disgusted have the citizens of Pel lh ann adjacent suburbs become that they have decided to put tbtjir own sr^uii'urs ( o i.lie wheat, or raMier to thf .ihovel and tho piik. 'i'lius on Stvndiy laai U.p authorities were shamed )>y it strong party of citizens, equipped wifli drays «md" tools, to Gay nothing ot" a goodly supply of xefrcslijriunts, including beer, who put in the day at milking tli'e^Live lepairs of wmc of the Wurgt jjutclic!-. Ihe i"ad repairing "bee" complied M 0 wen. Homu 600 li/«<1 bo-u "tpcLk'd. In connection with the disappointment as regards numbers, a bit of interesting interference by union officials has to bo recorded. Three huiidfe'J men from Frernantle intended tojoin in the "bos," but they were warned oil' by unto/I pickets. Wo have aot yet heard whether this hostility on tho part of the unions was ou industrial or political grounds, |