BY THE WAY.

Evening Star, Issue 19298, 10 July 1926, Page 2

BY THE WAY.

[By Q.V.]

•' The time has coroe,” the W«!ru» said, “ To talk ol many things.” Were you ever a. member of the uncmplovca? We hope not; but the experience has a certain value. As a teacher of practical psychology, it is laps ahead of a W.E.A. course. An unemployed person of cither sex learns in a remarkably short time that human nature comprises despicable meanness and unexpected, and sometimes startling generosity; that under present conditions the only thing in which absolute trust can be placed at such times is cash in the stocking or its equivaJcnt; that those who plead the cause of the unemployed most eloquently in public are not necessarily or invariably those who do most to find employment for them; also many curious and instructive things. _ Thor© is unemployment in the dominion just now, and Dunedin has its share of it. It is the duty of the citizens as a. corporation, and also in their private or business ca-pacitics> to do all they can to help. There is, however, no need to grow hysterical about it. Apparently only about .00(5 ol our population is affected so far, and surely wo can deal with that, proportion easily enough given goodwill. What may happen later, who can tell? So accurately aro things adjusted in this world that it is literally true that not a sparrow falls to the ground without affecting the balance. One certainly cannot expect an immenso_ and pnilonged cessation of work in Britain to be without effect in New Zealand.

The riuht to work, the right to work, WilYwc ere hear the ending o’t? What dangers for committees lurk In striving for the mending o’t! In everything, like Bryan King, We're in a measure critical, When G. S. Thomson tries to swing Ds to the mode political. We really hope to keep the scope Of action to tho practical, And all this high faintin’ dope Is just an error tactical. ’Ti> passing true all plans we view Are for out vantage, ultimate; Our Harbor Board with vigor new For street construction et-Jimate. The State we’ll sue for ventures new, To read or rail or irrigate. Give work to every man in view, Lest to the North they emigrate. ,i * * - In India, China,, and other places whose civilisations differ from ours, and arc therefore regarded as inferior, it is customary to invest savings in precious metals or precious stones —the latter for preference, as being mow portable and more easily hidden when tho tax collector calls round. Our method of handing them over to a harassed official in a. I’ost Office in exchange for his initials in a small hook has the advantage that they increase and multiply. Leave them untouched for _ sixteen years or so, and two pounds will bloom where before only one showed its modest head. From _ time to time people have had the idea of leaving money thus invested for a. century or two. One gentleman actually deposited a large sura to be later applied to tho payment of the National Debt, and the 'surplus devoted to public works.. Tho hem always overlooked in such calculations is that the Post Office man may not bo at his desk at payingout time, however assiduous may have been his attendance while it was a question of receipts. So it has happened in Russia, Germany, Austria, and other lands, and there seems to ho a suspicion that the custom may spread. At any rate, the Diamond Trust cannot keep paco with the_ demand for its wares, a, shocking position for any trust to bo placed in. Diamonds are regarded by many, mostly tho.se who do not possess any, as a somewhat vulgar form of jewellery ; hut there is always a market for them, especially in America.

Mr Arthur Rose, who is chairman of the Canterbury. Licensed Victuallers’ Association, complains bitterly that in this dominion no .publican can he a J.R. He points out that in a harassed and over-reguintod community the hotelkeeper is the most harassed and most regulated, and that be must bring evidence that he is of unblemished character before he can hotel keep at all. We have an idea, howm that, at any rate in the more re-

i regions, a broad view of what consi A tes unblemished character is taken. We may ho quite wrong, luit that has hitherto been our impression ; and, indeed, if wo all got onr deserts who would escape whip-ping? On the face of it, it does seem hard that Mr Rose and his fellows should Ik? shut out from the innocent pleasure of lining their fellow men at long intervals; but this also is vanity and a, vexation of spirit. If Mr Rose will only consider the matter calmly ho will agree that it is a pleasure which soon palls. As for the honor, the only time anyone takes a J.P. seriously us when one wants to ma.ke a declaration in a, hurry, which happens .seldom enough in most liven. Probably what re-ally annoys Mr Roso is not that ho can never attain the lofty heights of J. Pism (probably he would not climb up there if lie were permitted), hut that he and hi.s brethren aro warned off tho course, an it were. * si a- • Tho other day someone presented us with a. email hook purporting to contain instructions to the “ ownerdriver ” of a motor car. &» far as it goes, it scorns well written—crisp and clear in stylo, and breathing a faith in one’s power to absorb technical points which has nob boon borne out by reeiill-. but still is flattering, A few m a tiers, however, seem to have been overlooked, and some, on the eon trary, looked at too long. _ Several pages are devoted to ‘The Choice ol a Car,’ the gist of them being that the the Baklhcaded Eagle is really the only brand suitable. Now, everybody knows Hi at. thon; are really only two kinds (he. one you buy, and the others. An important matter not touched on is the situation and arrangement of the selling agent’s garage. This should have a slight slope inwards, and a very wide door. Those conditions greatly facilitate the novice's first movement-: inwards. Tho outward problem is best solved by a financial arrangement with one of the garage boys. Again it may happen that tho inexperienced driver's car leaps playfully on the pavement and through tho, windows of a draper’s simp. 3h such cases be should remain calm. Ry the* time the machine has reached the Manchester department, in nine cases out of ten the, speed will have boon sufficiently reduced to permit of hi.s climbing out through tho tonneau, the differential, or other convenient exit, and asking the nearest attendant for two yards of calico at ]« dißl. On no .account should ho enter into any discussion regarding tho occurrence. To all inquiries be should merely reply “The incident is dosed,” or “The, Australians are doing well at Home this season.»’ A dia.pi.cr on the use of the speedometer (a) in relation to traffic inspectors and (h) in confirmation of tho driver’s claims when conversing with his friends might also have been included with advantage, and there are other matters; but these will do for the present.

When an M.P. is essaying Passing of a Private Bill, All is hoping, fearing, praying That no risk whate’or delaying Its fair chance will rise until Members through the' lobbies filing, Send the numbers upward jailing— Record of the House’s will. Doubtless T.K. is elated By the rict’ry he has- won; Bo his task not underrated. Fourteen times he’s been checkmated, And the fight is just begun. Ju the Council now each farmer Dons his ancient, rusty armor ’ ’Gainst this rising with the sun. If wo get our Daylight Saving What from it will bo tho gain? Earlier rise to get through sharing, Rush for cars, all dangers braving, Risk the loss of early train: Strenuous play till twilight hazy; In the morning, just as lazy,_ Back to oux old ways again.