DUNEDIN COMPETITIONS

Evening Star, Issue 19052, 22 September 1925, Page 8

DUNEDIN COMPETITIONS

SEVENTH DAY—TUESDAY I The festival was continued to-day. Recalls and results:—• j ORIGINAL STORY., amateurs. jMr William Bradley (‘The Passing I of the iMotor Car ’) 1 Air Will iam George Brown (' Love or Honor’) ... 2 Miss .Duleio Rhodes (‘Justice According to the Gods ’) ... 3 'the judge (Air John Ash) wrote: I “ Three short stories were sent in. Each writer shows promise, but there was no difficulty in placing the stories in the, order of merit. ‘ The Passing of the Motor Car ’ is distinctly the best :of the throe. It possesses originality and humor, and the theme is well maintained and logically developed.” i In the piano solo, ‘Ballade’ | (Brahms) the recalls were Air Gordon ;N. Findlay, Miss Laura Himmel, and ; Air John R. Johansson. | The recalls in the piano duet ‘Sans i Souci ’ (Asher) are Al isscs Eva R. Gallon and 11. G. Al. Sellar, Misses Jessie Ellis and Violet Seotteu, and Alisses ; Helen Wilson and Peggy Lavender, i Twelve of the liftcon entered camo i forward for the mezzo-soprano solo |‘Pleading.’ The recalls wore Aliss i Florence Sumner, Aliss Doris AVhceler, land Miss Ava Marshall. Highly commended: Aliss Doris Biair and Mrs F. 'Pritchard. In the sacred soprano solo ‘ The Light of Heaven’s Own Day’ (ho judge recalled Aliss Olive Bennett, Aliss G. Knowles, and Aliss Bessie AVilliam. In the Irish reel (girls under fifteen) the recalls are:-—No. I team (Clara Dunn, Lihhio Hayden, Essie Johnston, Lulu ’Walsh). No. 2 team (Edna Agnow, Alice Brocket!, Agnes Kloski, Lucy Robinson), No. 4 team (Clara Dunn, Ethel' Sinclair, Lihhio Hayden, Fssio Johnston), and No. G team (Lorna Budge, Rhona Beale, D. O'Sullivan, Olivo Scott). Other competitors: No. 3 team (Rhona Beale, Silvia Marshall. Joyce Smith, Alaisio Scott), No. 5 team (Jean Fergus, At. APKcrrow, Silvia Alarshall, Ena Robson). TO-NIGHT'S PROGRAMME To-night’s programme should prove a most, interesting one. while, further excellent programmes will he presented at to-morrow’s day sessions. To-morrow night should prove the best night of the season, for thou the choir contest will he hold. At. the conclusion of the contest the massed choirs w ill sing ‘ The. Gloria,’ and as the choir will consist of over 200 voices this should make a very pleasing item. “ THE PASSING OF THE MOTOR CAR ” A SHORT STORY [By “ Pedestrian ” (Air AVilliam Bradley, who with it won the original short story contest in the Competitions.] AVe live in the present, and leave the past to the historian and the anthropologist. We know that the motor car Inis gone lor ever, but to iunst_ot us it is only a chapter in history: something inevitable in the march of progress. Some have a hazy notion that the Pedestrians’ Guild was largely responsible for the disappearance ot the man-killing monster, although lew understand the early history ot the guild. The name Froston—John Hector Erosion—must bo well known to those who have studied the evolution of the pedestrian from the timid creature who darted across the street wild-eyed like a hunted animal, to the modern man who walks abroad with the fearless step and quiet confidence horn of the fact that the highway is his. Froston was the loundcr of the Pedestrians’ Guild and the first international president. I know the facts. Lei- mo toll the story. If the motor car had not come round the corner on the wrong side just as Froston started to cross the road history would have told a different story, and I would have had no story to tell. The wheels had scarcely passed over him, the sickly smell of hot oil and burnt petrol yet lingered in his nostrils when the idea came to him like a Hash. At last lie had found his life’s work! He would devote his remaining years to the uplifting and protection of the pedestrian! Even before the usual crowd had gathered round his mind was made it]) and his plan of campaign mapped otil. Henceforth ho would wage ceaseless warfare against motor cars !

'Always a man of action, Froston lost no time in interviewing every man and woman ho could find who had been injured by reckless motorists, or road hogs as they wore called in those days. It'must not ho supposed that all motorists were reckless. Far from it. There were many humane men who would drive round a pedestrian or slop their ears sooner than run over one. There oven are eases on record whore motorists have rendered first aid to their victims and driven them to the nearest hospital, regardless of the damage 1o fur nigs and silken cushions, A week wont- past, during which ho continued to interview the luckless pedestrians. Each victim was able to tell of ono or two more until Froston saw tho impossibility of interviewing all the victims in the town. Everywhere he, met with support, and a committee was quickly formed to arrange for tho public meetings that wore part of Erosion’s plan. Early in tho next week tho daily papers contained the following notice in big, black print:— PEDESTRIANS! PEDESTRIANS! PEDESTRIANS! A public meeting will he held in the Town Hall on Friday night, at 8 o’clock-, to form a Pedestrians' Guild. Those who have been injured by motor ears are especially invited. J. If. EROSION, Sec. Committee. After the introductory remarks Erosion was asked to address tho meeting. Ho had never addressed a mooting before, .and as he looked ;«t. the vastaudience before hint with their eager faces ho realised what stage fright was, and his knees knocked together beneath Die table; hut when lie thought of tho object of tho meeting and his wonderful plan for the emancipation of the pedestrian his courage returned and he rose to his foot. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “I forgot my own injuries when I look round the hall and see how many there are hero who have .suffered more than I have. AVlien 1 think of the number of accidents —many ot them fatal—-that could dmvo been avoided hv tho sensible regulation of tho motor traffic, then I feel sure that the time has arrived when the pedestrians of the, country should form a guild to protect themselves from the menace of the ever-increasing traffic. The.ro was a. time, years ago, when we smiled indulgently at the motor ear, but- now it, laughs at us as it whizzes round the corner, .splashing the mud over us from the pot holes it makes for that purpose. Every year the traffic is increasing. Tho speed also is increasing. and will continue to do so ns the number of ears increases and tho pedestrians decrease. Now this is the important point: The utility of the motor car is its speed —its ability to take its owner to his destination in the shortest possible time. This utility is tho pedestrian’s danger, and must be fought and overcome before wo can win the day. But wllat a task we have before us I Throughout the country we find motor associations and automobile clubs for the protection and guidance of their members, and weekly space in the newspapers for motor notes. But whore are the powerful clubs to chain-

pion tlio cause of the oldest and best moans of locomotion!' We arc tlio despised and down-trodden; but our day is coming;.” Froston forgot bis injuries as ho warmed to his subject. The audience forgot theirs as they listened to bis well-laid [dans for forming the guild there and then, and few there wore who left the ball that night wit limit joining the newly-formed guild. Although the membership of the guild steadily increased, very little progress was made that year in tightening the speed regulations of the .motor traffic. The motor manufacturers and automobile clubs fought hard against any reduction in the Sliced limit, heaping ridicule in every way possible on the ‘‘Shanks Brigade.” One clever cartoon appeared in a weekly paper showing- a number of giants walking through a street full of motor cars, crushing cars and occupants to a shapeless mass with their enormous feet.

Hut, in spite of opposition, or perhaps because of it, progress went on. iVlost of the athletic associations wore now affiliated with the guild. The harrier and walking clubs were all linked up and bad their rooms in the guild’s new buildings. Although every effort was made to gain the sympathy of the women, few of the fair sex were being enrolled. This, of course, was disappointing, but was soon remedied in a most unexpected way. The medical profession had taken no active part in the warfare between the pedestrians and the motorists; but they were far from apathetic. True, they expected the guild to be short-lived, but were agreeably surprised to find branches springing up all over the country, until every town of importance in tlio Empire was represented in the great movement. The Medical Association now asked its members to report on the health of patients who had joined the guild, and kept its pledge to walk wherever possible. The published reports wore all in favor of the guild, and historians agree that they stamped the seal of success on the movement. Doctors who had grown tired of telling their patients that they needed not medicine, but more exercise, wore loud in their praise of the work of the guild. There was no doubt about it; the long walking excursions had improved the health and appearance of people. One thing they particularly noticed; stout legs were disappearing like last year's fashion; slim ankles and shapely call’s wore the new season’s goods. Women, rich and poor, now Hocked in hundreds to the guild. Many whose husbands owned motor cars insisted that the cars ho sold, so that they could fulfil the conditions of membership. 'l’lte latest fashion had come to stay, and the Pedestrians’ Guild was now a power in the land. The movement spread to other countries until it became a. world-wide affair. Froston, now general secretary, was still the master mind in the movement. Do lived for the guild. There was no problem too groat or detail too small for him. At last ho succeeded in getting the nations to join forces to fight the common enemy. But his greatest, triumph was the Esperanto revival to give to guilds in all countries a common language for better interchange of views. It must bo remembered that at that time .Esperanto was a language little heard of. It is the guild, limn, that should get the credit, for making it the universal language it is to-day—-spoken by all nations almost as well as the mother-tongue. Away back in tlio early days of the guild motor cars were expensive, isnd their possessors were envied by those less fortunate; but now they could bo bad almost for nothing. Seven miles an hour in the country districts, and a walking pace in town and suburbs, was the maximum speed allowed. Bobbed of their utility, they were fast disappearing from the streets. It was some months since a motor car bad been seen, and the streets were gay with flags in honor of the visit of the international delegates, who were bolding their first con fore nee in the town whore the guild was horn. As everyone expected, Froston was unanimously elected president. The proudest moment of bis life had arrived. But, when ho faced the delegates to return thanks his courage failed him; and words refused to come. The sickly smell of hot oil and burnt petrol once more came back to him; the faces of the delegates seemed to bo drifting away. .He tried again. Do had forgotten his Esperanto, his throat was dry and parched, his tongue felt swollen, and his voice, when speech came at last, was thick like a drunken man’s. , . . The screen was drawn round the bod in the corner of the ward nearest the door. The patient, with his head swathed in bandages, stirred uneasily, muttered unintelligibly, and opened his eyes. And the nurse, sitting near the bed, became, if possible, more alert. Presently the doctor arrived, and the noise of Ids ear as it passed beneath the open windows could lie plainly heard by those in the ward. The patient in the corner bod, slowly turned his head, until his startled, blond-shot eyes looked up at the nurse. ‘‘What’s that! Not a motor cur? Where am I? Tell me; are there any more motor cars left? ” “ No, there, are no more motor ears, they’ve all gone now,” the nurse said, “and you must not talk, but try In sleep.” ■‘ And the Pedestrians’ Guild did it,” continued the patient., a look of triumph for ope brief moment lighting up those blood-shot eyes. ‘‘Yes. we all know that,” replied the nurse, “ but yon really must stop talk ing, and go to sleep.” And seeing the pain in Ids face, she eased his pillow and made him more comfortable. Ho acknowledged the attention with a smile, closed his eyes, and slept. Do was still sleeping cpiielly when the doctor came to the ward. “ Has he made any statement about Iho accident?” lie inquired of the nurse, after he bad examined the patient. “ No, doctor, be was wandering when bo came out, and seemed to think there wore no more motor ears.” ‘‘Poor old chap!” And the doctor smiled sadly at the sleeping patient. “The anasfhotic plays some queer tricks with the unconscious mind.” Downstairs, the big police sergeant waited patiently for the patient to wako and add his evidence lo that of the wheel marks on the wrong side of Die road. But Die man in the corner lied, with the screen drawn round, slept on. 'There was no evidence to take-—none to give. 'The motor car had gone for ever.