TOPICS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 31, 7 February 1927, Page 8

TOPICS OF THE DAY

Wellington, is not lich in school sites ■with adequate play areas. To meet the deficiency the' City .■Council* has agreed to 1 reserve a part of the, Tow Belt for a play area for Newtown East School, and has also approved an arrangement between the "Winter Show Association and the Education Board -which provides playing space for a school in West Newtown. To such arrangements no exception can be taken provided the land is not wholly and permanently alienated. Keereation for the children is of first importance; but it may be provided under better conditions than those usually obtaining. Some school playgrounds in 'Wellington fare dreary, ugly places, asphalt or shingle shut in with unsightly paling fences. "We would suggest that, in laying out play areas on the Town Belt, better results, may bo obtained if the plans are made subject* to the approval of the Director of Parks and Reserves. The Council indeed might assist in forming and maintaining the play areas on condition that they are available as public recreation grounds when not required by the school-children. Such an arrangement would be beneficial to all concerned —to the school-children and to the residents of the locality. "What should not b& allowed is an ugly playground fenced in and closed to the public for all time.

If George Bernard Shaw had not been ao healthy. he would have been \ less cynical in his attacks upon the medical profession. This is the view taken by Dr. L. E. Barnett in his presidential address to the Medical Congress on the subject of unfair lay criticism. There is some reason in it;; "The Doctor's Dilemma;"' and particularly its stinging preface, could scarcely have .been written by a man who had had good reason to be grateful for the attention of some painstaking, and honest doctor. Yet there is something to be said on the other side. If the doctors themselves would deal more frankly with the public the misrepresentations which they sometimes suffer wqjild carry less weight. The "great trade union" view of the Medical Association has gained currency because its works have come into the limelight mor« upon some minor question of medical ethics—writing for the Press or collaborating with some member outside the association. Less has be«n heard of the really valuable.woTk done by the organisation —of the encouragement it has given to research, of its constant practice in making new discoveries available to all practitioners, and its maintenance of a high standard of moral .conduct. It would be to" the advantage of the profession if more were heard of this. It would be for the benefit of the patients also, for there can be no greater hindrance to health progress than the whole erroneous idea that the reputation of the doctor is placed before the welfare of the patient, and that practitioners are required to shield one another. • • ». .■ Bent-free altogether, and free of general Tate (but not special rate) for four years, the occupation-licensee of. jthe Crown's inferior lands, under Mr. M'Leod's new system, will be able to put all his money into improvements. Whether he will be in a position to borrow money, and on what terms, is another question. The Laud Act, as amended, does not -provide for any special State-advances under the "inferior lands" section, though it did provide for advances as originally passed in 1924. The occupation-licensee may obtain 1000 acres of first-class land (by special permission 1500 acres) or he may obtain 400 acres of second-class land (by special permission 500 acres). When he has grassed half the area, and put on permanent improvements valued at not less than 30s an acre, he can have the freehold free of coßt. But how will he finance the improvements on

land which, if third-class, is supposed to be worth not more than £4 per acre unimproved; or on land which, if second class, is valued at from £4 to £8? The Minister seems to have done his utmost to secure liberality in tenure. It is not his fault if economic facts forbid liberality in advances.

"Week-end parties and picnickers are making themselves unpopular in the

country districts. Property owners a fow years ago received the motoring party without disfavour, and in some instances with hospitality. It was no unusual experience for the picnicker who politely requested permission to light his camp fire to be met with offers of tea and anything else ha might require. Now the farmers, having had their hospitality abused, are posting warnings to trespassers. The farmers cannot.be blamed for this. A fow motorists, by. their carelessness of the property of others, have forfeited all claim to consideration. They have littered the country with bottles, tins, and papers; fchejr have lighted fires and

broken gates and fences. The warning to trespassers is all that they can expect. Unfortunately the penalty is placed upon others who have not offended. It is a pity that they should suffer. It is not to be expected, however, that farmers who have suffered loss will take risks in future unless they can' bo offered satisfactory guarantees of good conduct. Some assistance in this direction may be given by the Automobile Club, but the individual car-owner must always be mainly responsible. Doubtless if careful motorists make a practice of asking permission before entering private property and leave their names and addresses in proof of their good faith, the careless ones will quickly be sorted out.

Mr. Bruce's reference to a delegation of three or four of the best financial business brains in Britain to advise on migration, has naturally led to speculation. The "Morning Post" writes of a scheme to prepare Australia for a gigantic population and to inaugurate a new era. There may be a foundation for such predictions, but the experience of the past is that big ideas are less use in migration than small accomplishments. Empire settlement plans, dealing in millions, have proved hitherto singularly ineffective. Is it not pos-

sible that Australia's big migration promoters are looking .so eagerly for the miraculous that they miss the opportunities of every day? ITour men of financial geuius will no doubt afford some help to Australia, and they may

strengthen the co-operation with the Homeland which ia essential for a free flow of capital and labour. But it is highly probable that their main work will be to emphasise the facts already well known, as the Overseas Settlement Delegation did after its visit to this Dominion. ,