TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9607, 5 September 1911, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

We believe in giving tho Government credit for progresScientifia sivc measures which Developments, are likely to be of

value to the country, In tho erection of wireless stations the Government have been responsible for a work which does them great credit, and they should continue their efforts until, with the assistance of other colonial Governments, all the British possessions in the Pacific are linked up by means of this system. It is pleasing to .note that all the large skips trading to this country are giadually being fitted with wireless instruments, and it is in the interests of passengers that the equipment should be made since many valuable lives have been saved in other part 6 of the world, through the installation. Had the Fifeshire been fitted with wireless, assistance would have been promptly secured when she was wrecked off the coast of Somalilnnd, and probably steamers would not now be searching for the women and children who aro in tho missing boat. The wireless records already established off the coast of New Zealand are very interesting. Lately the steamer Ruahine, on the passage between Lyttelton and Timam, established some long distance communications. The Ulimaroa was 'spoken" over a range of nearly one thousand miles. Her operator explained, that the atmospheric conditions, owing to electrical disturbances, were far from good. Among the other voices of the night that tho Ruahine's operator intercepted wero communications between H.M.S. Challenger and the Union Company's steamer Maitai, tar out on the Pacific, on her wav • from San Francisco to Wellington, the steamer was then between Rare- i tonga and New Zealand, and was beino-1 delayed by strong southerly winds and ! bead seas. Later, the Ruahine exchanged message with H.M.S. Challenger, the warship being on her way from Auckland to Wellington. Thus, it can be casly understood how, by in-ter-communication between one vessel and another, through the instrumentality of wireless, as one steamer after another instals tho appliances, those who go down to the sea in ships will be in touch with the daily events occurring in almost every part of the world. Vonly the present generation lives in an ago of marvellous scientific , (ieve opments and what may be in the ; womb of the future in the'same connection who can predict ? I

Ihbbb is a growing feeling of alarm among both the reImpure hgious and the secular Literature, sections of the community in nearlv every etty and town in Australia and Now Zealand with regard to the baneful influence of immoral and impure literature. Ihe question was discussed at t!m recent meeting of the Anglican bocial Questions Committee at AMJourne. Tho. British Society for the kupprcssion of Impure Literature had urnished a list, of no fewer than one luindred and fifty recent novels whose tendency from a moral standpoint was undoubtedly deleterious, and whose withdrawal from the shelves of lib- i ranes was deemed highly desirable. In this connection it may he mentioned that a letter was issued to the British press a tew months ago by a committee ot influential public men at Home headed by leading members of the House of Lords stating that during the -Last four wars a mreat many works of fiction had been largely circulated which are not only unfit'for perusal by any modest girl or clean-minded youth, but which are also likely to do untold harm to the moral character of all readers. It could not be said that these books were absolutely indecent in tho ordinary sense of the ivord, but their whole, tone and tenancy wore hold to be debasing and demoralising. The, letter further enitouised tljo evils likely to accrue if the publication and circulation of the lit—sratnre, to which such strong excep-

tion was taken, was not prevented or restricted in the future. The following resolution was finally adopted'— "That the Bishop of Melbourne 'be asked to consider what steps can bo taken to put a stop to the circulation ot all literature with a demoralising tendency." It was suggested that the active co-operation of other bodies re ligious and educational, be enlisted towards the furtherance of the objects in view. Such a movement will hi. endorsed by every right-thinkimr ,„.,•' SOU in the community, for it is unfortunately a- tacitly-admitted fact- tint much of the popular fiction of the d'iv has an undesirable element of sum™ tiveness that cannot be otherwise "tin,, harmful to youthful readers. In Bl a movement in the interest of tin moral welfare of the community tl, ™tire sympathy and concurrence of Christian denominations should be con centratedandtheunanimousco-opcr: tion of the principals of schools and colleges should be actively enlisted