PUBLIC OPINION

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1929, Page 5

PUBLIC OPINION

A MORE MOVING WORK. Do not. think, however, that Mr Sherriff’s play neglects the dark side of warfare. It does not neglect it; it merely brings it into its proper perspective. It shows that tragedy and com 5 edy, nobility and baseness,: exist in warfare side % side. Think of his treatment of the tragedy of the raiding party going to almost certain death as au offering to the "remorseless red-tape of officialdom. “ How awfully nice.” says Stanhope to the colonel, “if the. brigadier’s pleased.” The loss of countess gallant fellows, the sheltering of iJdeals, the pain and unutterable torture of the whole wild fiasco—aji:; these are brought home to us—but Welfare given to understand, • also,* that': “ there’s something rather,, Jiomanticl about it all,” and a great deal that *i s splendid. To me, as one f of the postwar generation, “Journey’s End ” will always lie a much more, moving work, than “All Quiet on the Western Front.” Horror piled on horrop is not as effective as a judicious mixtuYe of light and shade.

-• 4IMPERIAL MIGRATION

“The check which is noticeable in the emigration figures is .due partly to the restraining effects of the schemes of social . and_ .J insurance launched in- this country sitace the end of the War. A Departmental Com- 1 mittee appointed by Mr Aniery in 1925 to consider tlie effect’ bf sutjjji schemes on migration- has. reported"’ that these various schemes' of' sbcial-K-insurance have helped to lower the nil tubers who have been attracted by the?Rfe of independence offered to thfefn in the Dominions of our Empire.jjUThis. Committee has made several “suggestions the chief of which are)tha| schemes of social v insuran£al sjiqiald; Tie standardised throughout tlie Empire. Inview of the great importance of the subject and of the need for'the British Government to take/all possible measures for the promotion 'of Empire Trade, it is hoped that the. new Government will give early attention to this subject, ajid thatT't will be ready to put definite proposals ' before the next meeting of the Prime ministers of the Empire in 1930.”—Mr John B. C. Kershaw, in -thb “Fortnightly Review.” v