The Scheme of Things

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 76, 31 March 1934, Page 7

The Scheme of Things

By M.H.C.

It is .an interesting and amusing thing to follow up the many criticisms mado about any country by casual visitors. Probably: the -New Zealand people erria exactly the same way in making their comments about other places, and may bo no more correct in their con-i-liisionjs. A. fault found lately about New. 2«alanders collectively, however, seems - rather unnecessary. That is in regard to; the use, of the words "Home" or the "Old Country' 1 in reference' to England. Those whose parents were purely English folk,"who came out, after:a six months' voyage or'thereabouts, held a deep love for the country of. their ■■birth, and always re- ; ferred to it as "Home," although they had left-it and east in their lot in a new Mrid,: under widely different surroundings and conditions. Many suffered all their lives from a very real "home-sickness," and if circumstances had permitted would have returned at least: for a visit. But "Home" was home to them, and their families, naturally,- followed the same custom. .Few of those -who have had the great pleasure of visiting Great Britain would give.up the privilege of calling the Old Country "Home," for it is a wonderful thing to feel such a .close connection with a marvellous old land, full of wonders for those who have only lived in a. country with a history (so far as they: are concerned) of rather less than one hundred-years. The glorious old .buildings .of England, the "Stately Homes" famed in song and story, the exquisite peaceful landscapes, the culturo and the historical possessions, all form a fascination for overseas visitors, and there, are few who do hot feel when they get to Eng- ; land that.it is a very real home. The reception, the hospitality, the continual Kindness 'shown, all mark the fact that those who have been born in England regard the; colonials as part of themselves and they treat them accordingly. .No casual visitor to New Zealand could realise the feeling, but it is an admirable and, happy one, and should not'be made the target for criticism.

potence of the sub-conscious for faith in self-determination of-'tho will by reason guided. It grovels before negro art; it teaches its children that impulse is divine. Consequently it has -no standards, as it certainly has no security." Then he goes on to talk about new poets. They are, after all, he thinks, a mere excrescence on the general nuisance of temporary nonsense! They are representative "in their little way, and are quoted as angrily announcing that everything that is more than twenty years written is so much dead stuff, its language its winding sheet. So .they must have only new modes, new metres, new diction. But they cannot prove that the old poetry is dead, for the response of a multitude of readers still comes back to_it; indeed, nothing is dead that makos men feel alive. Again it is urged that contempt for the old is no recommendation for the new. Seemingly the only people whom the new poetry makes feel alive are the poets themselves, and even their responses are not always helpful. lie declares, however, that the poets are typical. : They "scream about disintegration, and vote everybody dead who lived a year before, themselves. There is no background .of principle, only* the childish belief that'the: way to be a poet is to be unlike all other poets, oven if that. unlikeness can only be achieved by (patting conversational prose into strips, and substituting unworthy talk for the 'lingo' ofbeauty." However, he hopes that some ''gem of purest ray serene" may yet be found in the mud, like yesterday's diamond.

"'"»■« visitors, ana were, are few •».- " who do hot feel when they get to Eng- The mention of German chaperons : land that.it is a very real home. The seems'to,have cause much amusement reception,'the hospitality, the continual ar an& wide. .-j An Australian writer Kindness 'shown, all mark the fact that declares that if such, a suggestion were those who have been born in England ma&° in . that country "the peal of regard the; colonials as part of them- laughter would be enough,to shake the selves and they treat them accordingly. Blue Mountains." If a ch&peron advo.No casual visitor to New Zealand could cate appeared on any platforms he or realise the feeling, but it is an she would been gulfed in a political swirl admirable and, happy one, and should and disappear, altogether! • The fact ia not'be made: the target for criticism, that the modern girl and;woman main- ... . . . tains a fine physical fitness as a very 'Arinfi.' '•*-'- •'"■ .' generalrule: she trains in games, f enethff II £ (l"te l am,usm g remai; k ™s ing, and the like, and is very weU able v! fh? Ne^ Zealan,d^ s haY e•*»* visit- to b' take care o f'herself. l t is BUg . S "S d beaUtle?f^T gested that if the German Ministry or^'S^ otli ers t . come thousands f vhich conc eived this idea of chaperoi tL??»l to do so. In the anverse ratio, age would come to tho newer countries ■,% JZ thT - S-! t, T Z l eSlander/ and study the young people, their report ft^i^ 0 VIS > nd- t0 fi. na> would h0 a -delightful document, that after they have spent all the time they would enable the pdople to better bear IZ™k S?£ tourlng ana .'■ •ißht" their share df the world, depression. flr^'n Iti tl c seen and done The writ er develops the idea that the Hv P f£ tw the" ave, rage Person who not i O n of. ehaperonage comes from a mis- ?', ■> \? mf r° Un, 7- 7h^ taken estimate of efEeminacy-this ?h? ISnS ? ny^i° h0^ 011; Tt- V teing an attribute of men as well as of «« +n fn r* S be thUlg *!? r V1S1" women. The, published 'reports of Zm^^W-T SOme°f *ie™? n" European events, games, etc., tell of h,,01^l -f AT m.ltl! at men-spectators rushing up and kissing hSIS f" 7' the^majority athletes-who shine in the playing fields, £Z-M n6? 7 »* T^' T, hey *hile others shed tears because of demean to : "some;time» whjch often feat. Eival parties in law suits are S.™"ti." neve^'" and y.et.^ei'e they said to embrace • each other in the have these places well within reach, courts because satisfactory conclusions S d _""*.?* the. end, of + I garner or have been arrived at in a. number of Infl Z^p y> Sb tlme cases- ltia h°Pea that this braaa-of money. ■ "effeminacy" does not exist under the ■•■.-.. "■'■■•. ' ' rays o£ the Southern Cross. It would A poiut of view worth considering is be difficult to imagine a Eugby or tenthat put forward by "John o' Lon- nis player calmly submitting to being don '.in one of his .interesting talks to kissed'by his men admirers, and. it his readers: ■ Taking' the question of would be equally impossible to picture "The.Fruits of. Education,'.' ho says: political leaders holding a reconciiia- ■'■ I- cheerfully incur the.■-risk;of being tioai ty mutual embraces: If they wcro called a 'highbrow, a 'kill-joy,?-. a portly, it would certainly be a joy to Victorian,',- when I agree with Mr. the onlookers. "Tears' of joy" might Ivor Brown." This writer, -in " the be the result certainly,. but no others "Feast of-Unreason," states thai his could be imagined.- Seemingly the "object is to relate the follies" of the great "equality" movement which is goday to their, comomu origin. . . . The ing forward will include the establishworld unceasingly, substitutes fisticuffs ment of less kissing/among women— for argument, •■,flags and symbols. for which would be all to the ■ good on a facts.and.realities, belief in the omni- great many occasions.