BEHIND THE VEIL.

Evening Star, Issue 20119, 8 March 1929, Page 8

BEHIND THE VEIL.

Sib Olivkb Lodgk, when he writes on science, commands the world’s respect. When he writes deliberately on Spiritualism, with the object of presenting the evidence for it, he writes more in the spirit of a scientist, dispassionately weighing evidence, than possibly any other English believer in the cult. That may make his books on it much less interesting than those of Mr Dennis Bradley, for example, but it is the cause of any value they possess. . But when Sir Oliver Lodge writes casually, and under the stress of emotion, on Spiritualism—when he puts the scientist aside and gives free play to the sensibilities and simplicity of the man—it is surprising how even he can startle and puzzle us. Tho affliction sustained in the loss of his wife has moved Sir Oliver to a remarkable utterance on which it might ho sacrilege to comment hut for the fact that it is made public!y, with the object, to some extent at least, of impressing his faith upon the world. “ Wo are not presumptuous enough,’’ he writes, “to expect that an ineffable meeting with her Pilot has yet occurred—all in due time.” It is curious that a great scientist should apply the idea of time to a spiritual world. It is natural that he should believe himself to have had an “ evidential message ” from his late boloved wife, but curious again that he should refer to the need for “ rest and recuperation ” of ono who has passed beyond this bourne, as if the body were indistinguishable from the soul. “ Our faith in continued existence,” Sir Oliver Lodge writes, “is absolutely secured [or should the word have been secure?]; not a shadow of doubt troubles us.” Millions will hold that faith apart from any evidence which tho oldest and newest belief of Spiritualism can adduce. To some who have been inclined towards that faith the great scientist’s apparently naive message may bring the first doubts.

The test of Spiritualism, it has been said, is experience. We should not bo surprised if the best of all ernes for it were not to bo found in attendance at seances and the reading of Spiritualistic hooks. If Sir Conau Doyle has made some converts in his time, ho must have warned maiiy off the creed that obsesses him. Under the heading of ‘ Spiritualism on Trial,’ an English paper has been publishing opinions, literally by the dozen, for and' against this creed from the intellectuals and less intellectual. For its readers it has been a veritable orgy of occult discussion. We can believe that there are fewer Spiritualists as a result. Tho main impression wo get from wading through many reams of this sort of controversy is tho small amount of anything tangible, or having even the first appearance of being decisive, to ho found in it. Wc take a few lines from the main contenders for and against. Less for the subject’s sake than for Mr Hilaire Belloc’s, wo are interested in his conviction that “ tho claim of Spiritualists to have received communications concerning tho dead, and purporting to come from the dead, is probably established in many instances within a reasonable degree of certitude.” He does not believe, however, that these communications actually conic the dead. He concludes that they are either due to telepathy, or that in rare cases they may proceed from spiritual powers, which he believes to be “ not those of the dead, but evil or futile.” He notes, what must have struck most observers, that the information given at seances “ nearly always reflects the mentality of this world, and that of the same social class and habit of mind as the ‘ medium ’ suffers or enjoys.” Mr Blatchford, as a believer or a half-believer, does not really confute this when he pleads that any message from beyond the grave must bo wonderful and of tremendous importance. Sir Frank Benson does not confute it when lie refers to tho “ long list of information, artistic creation, and invention that owes origin to Spiritualistic and psychic force.” Lord Benverbrook quotes an instance, at a seance which he attended, of an alleged spirit communication made for his advantage, and recorded by Mr Dennis Bradley, the priest in charge, in one of his volumes, which did not convince him as being genuine at all. His only conviction was that the message was a hoax, though ho had no doubt of Mr Bradley’s bona tides. Mrs Ue Crespigny sees no danger to mind or body in Spiritualism. “If used intelligently and not abused it can bo a menace to no one. But it is not for everyone to ‘ dabble ’ in any more than an ignorant person should bo turned loose into a chemist’s laboratory. The very few who have become unbalanced through rashly rushing into practical experiment are mostly those who would equally have lost their balance over religion or anything else they have taken up.” But a Quaker educationist puts a view which is worth reflccti|i when he says: “ So far as my observation goes, the growth of Spiritualistic practices, again as distinct from psychical research proper, is undesirable, as it tends to stimulate the wrong kind of interest in the life to come, and to diminish the right the tasks of our own day and generation.” There have been vogues of Spiritualism at intervals during all the ages. It is natural to suppose from the inquest of the London paper that the latest one—not more extreme in its claims than that of the ’seventies—-may be now approaching its end.

Thoroughly pleased with his success in big game fishing in New Zealand waters, the well-known novelist Mr Zane Grey intends 'to make another exploration in these sens. In a letter to tho editor of the Auckland ‘ Weekly News,’ ho says: “ My intention is to come again to tho Antipodes and fish and explore round Australia and some of the New Zeajand coast islands, including Three Kings the Chathanis, and also tho South Island. This wth b© a big expedition, and of scientific as well as narrative interest.. The Australian Government has been instrumental in persuading me to undertake it.”

Complaints are being made by farmers in tho Waikato that the attractive wages offered for relief work aro drawing men away from occupations connected with the land (states tho ‘New Zealand Herald’). In one instance a flaxmiller had arranged for a gang of men to cut an acre of flax-, but when the new rates of pay for relief work became available the men left. The flax may have to be destroyed. One farmer took a man off relief work when the old rates were being paid. The man was given £S a week and received a free house and milk. Since the increase of relief wages he has returned to his former employment. In some cases considerable damage has been done to standing crops in the Nelson district by that unique native bird the pukeko. The Nelson ‘ Mail’s ’ Waimea correspondent saw a five-acre field of wheat in which great destruction had been wrought. When living in their native haunts these birds form look-out stations by bending over the tops of the raupo or rushes and weaving them into a platform, where one bird will remain on watch for hours at a time. In this wheat paddock the same thing had been done, and hundreds of these platforms had neen constructed, with results that can he well imagined, though the amount of grain actually eaten did not appear to be very great. It is understood that the coming shooting season will be an open one for pukeko, and farmers affected hope that their numbers will be considerably lessened.

“ It is quite untrue that the people of Canada and the United States desire economic or political unity,” said Mr W. M. Paterson, of Wellington, a former resident of Canada, in an address to the Rotary Club at Auckland on the subject of Canadian national sentiment. Mr Paterson criticised the Labour Party’s publication in England which had alleged that Canada wished for closer economic and political relations with the United States. United States business men had, it was true, established factories in Canada, but this was simply because they could see advantages in its being a part of the British Empire. For uieir country to annex it would defeat all their plans. The people of Canada were absolutely loyal to the Empire. They had no desire to be annexed by the United States; hut it must not be thought that they were not excellent friends with the Americans. Many Americans had fought with the Canadian divisions in the Great War, and ever since, and indeed for many years before, the two people had lived together in perfect harmony. Mr Paterson assured Jus audience that the Frencli-Canadians were as loyal as the Canadians themselves. It was a common belief among prominent Frencli-Canadians that the link with Great Britain was necessary to the continued survival of French Canada.. “The difference between a Canadian and an American is this,” concluded Mr Paterson, “ the Canadian is British through and through, and is proud of it; the American is not British through and through, and is also proud of it.”

A start was made, this morning with the removal of the coal in the alter hatch of the Eleanor Boling, ■which was hooded on the last trip. There exists some doubts as to whether coal and kerosene were the only contents of the hold, and the cargo is being removed to ascertain whether any valuable stores were in the hold. So tar no word has been received from Commander Byrd giving instruct ions for the winter movements of the vesselbut the first laud work of the crew will be the painting of the ship, which is showing signs of her rough passages.

The postal authorities advise that the R.M.S. Tahiti, duo at Wellington from San Francisco on Tuesday next, has seventy-live bags of mail and twenty-five parcel receptacles for Dunedin. The letters and papers should be to hand on Wednesday next and the parcels tho following_ day. The Matajoa, which arrived in .Auckland on Wednesday from Loudon, has 105 bags of mail and sixty-four parcel receptacles, and the Uimutaka, at Wellington. has six bags of mail and thirtythree parcel receptacles for Dunedin. The letter portions of both mails was expected hero this afternoon and the balance of the mails to-morrow.

Preparations are being made by Mr F. W. Knight (president), Mr W. Paterson (secretary), and other officers of tho Otago Early Settlers Association for the anniversary reunion on the -Mrcl and 25th inst. _ The Hon. James Craigic has promised to speak, nnd it Sir Thomas Mackenzie can possibly conic lie will also address the old folk. Once more a feature of the reunion wilt be the old folks’ meeting on tne Monday.

The community generally and the travelling public in particular are deeply indebted to the Gardening Circle of the Otago Women's Clu)i for instituting and continuing the annual railway station gardens competition, which is encouraging the efforts of station masters and their stalls to smarten up and beautify otherwise plain surroundings. The judges appointed for this year—Mrs E. F. Diitnie, Mrs G. Shiel, and Miss Martin—have just concluded their judging tour, and arc highly pleased with what they saw, the standard being well maintained, though all of the gardens suffered more or less from the recent heavy winds—a visitation so severe as to cause several withdrawals from the competition. The cup and first prize wore awarded to Pah-lie, with Balclutha only one point behind, and Mosgiel three points lower than Balclutha. The Balclutha garden scored well for lay-out, and the judges took special notes of the rustic work and the convenient seats for waiting passengers. Fairlie, however, was placed first for general merit. Tho flowers were just at perfection, evidently timed for the judging. Fairlie. it will bo remembered, won last year. Sawyers Bay won the first prize for the first year gardens, and it was a great surprise to the judges to see what had been accomplished there in about eight months.

When Sir James Mills was recently in Dunedin he did not go about much, it being his wish to spend his visit quietly and simply renew old friendships. One of his great enjoyments was to inspect the Otago Early Settlers’ Museum, wherein he stayed for quite a long time, poring over old photos and documents that recalled his activities hero when a younger man, and the outcome of his spoken admiration of this museum is the presentation of a very fine enlarged photograph of himself as he now appears. The photograph is a particularly faithful likeness, and the attached inscription records the fact that he came here in 1849 by the schooner Twins from Wellington. His father came down here about that time as the Customs officer in charge.

! The proprietors of the * Evening Post,’ have offered the Wellington Aero Club tho price of a light aeroplane, and this has been gratefully accepted.—Press Association.

Tho Main Highways Board will shortlv call tenders for the paving of a further four miles of main highway south of Dunedin. At the present time a. i dug contract is in hand on a length of four miles from Green Island southwards, and the further contract will join up with this length.

A request to the Government to appoint Mr F. W. Furkert (chief engineer of public works), or, failing him. a competent officer recommended by him, to-report regarding the cause of the bursting of the Mount Eden reservoir is to be made by the Auckland Citv Council. A report presented to tho council last night outlined negotiations with the Fletcher Construction Company, contractors for the new reservoir, regarding repairing the damage to the new works, .the arrangement to be without prejudice to the question of liability. Tho Deputymayor (Mr Entrioan) said there was a legal question, the matter was sub judico, and he could not allow any discussion .—Press Association.

The establishment of a special degree in education is now being sought by tho New Zealand Educational Institute. The Academic Board of the New Zealand University has been approached, and an early decision by the University Council is hoped for. “As long ago as 1918 the matter was taken m hand,” said Mr H. A. Parkinson, secretary of the institute. “Since then there have been steps made which improved matters, but the subject itself is remaining in the background; a subsidiary subject instead of a fundamental subject, and we feel that this must be changed. There will, of course, be a considerable diversion of attention from the arts course if the degree is created, but we do not think that tho arts course will bo rendered unnecessary. Education is now becoming such a science, and is so far-reaching it touches life at so many points that we (eel that a special degree is wanted. There ought to be research into many fields, and the creation of tho_ degree is a preliminary step in that direction. In addition, there are at present all sorts of degrees—in architecture, in Forestry, and in dentistry—that are outgrowths of education, and yet the parent of them is unrecognised.”— \Vell ington correspondent.

“ I look forward with expectancy to the lime when the Presbyterian and Methodist authorities will join in tho training of their men,” said the Rev. D. G. Herron at a function at the new Methodist Trinity College last evening. He said it was a long way for Presbyterian students to go to Knox College, Dunedin, for training, and he suggested that there should be a Presbyterian professor at Trinity College and a Methodist professor at Knox College. Nothing, he believed, would quicken church union more.— Auckland correspondent.

Alterations are at present in progress in and around Port Chalmers. _ The Monkey Beach Swimming Club is engaged in improving the beach, and sheds are to be erected, it is understood, when tho necessary money is in hand. The new owners of the dock building are busily dismantling just now, and the work is proceeding at a rapid rate.

Throe of the four members who witii the Commissioner compose tho Otago Land Board are appointed by tho Government for a term of two years, not all from the same date. Mr J. Smith’s two years’ term has expired, and the Government has filled the vacancy by appointing Mr John R. M'Culloch, a North Otago, farmer, who has not previously held a seat on the board. The hoard therefore consists now of Mr R. S. Galbraith (Commissioner), Mr C. J. Jnder (of Ranfurly), Mr T. A. Munro (of Kurow), Mr J. R. M'Culloch (of Ngaparn), and Mr G. Livingstone (of Oamaru), who represents tho Crown tenants.

An Invercargill Association message states that the steamer Cowan Jett Bluff to-day to make a search for the fishing vessel Twilight, which lias been missing for nearly a week. The Twilight carried a crew of three—William Hanning, J. Stewart, and C. Traill. It is feared that tho vessel is lost or wrecked on an outlying island.

Artificial Eyes. -W. V. Stunner, C.A.0.C., D.5.0.T., specialises the fitting artificial eyes, also their comfortable adjustment.— [Advt.] Tho Wembley Club will bold he weekly dance in the Early Settlers’ and Pioneer Halls to-morrow night.