NEW MOVEMENTS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 259, 30 September 1936, Page 8

NEW MOVEMENTS.

Since the twentieth century dawned the torches of a new revolution have been breaking into flame, but few have noted the significance of what is happening. There are now signs that the fine ardour of the human spirit—the desire to do, to make, to serve—is waking to new concepts of leisure. In England great strides are being made in furtherance of this concept. Wigan, Manchester, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Southampton, Newcastle, Beckham, Hastings, and a dozen other places have all sent up signs of this new and revolutionary human spirit. Wigan is building a new institute of Leisure, the first of its kind, which will provide under one roof junior instruction centres for boys and girls, with gymnasia and craft-rooms, day and evening classes, and talks for men and women, a library and a meeting place for all the forces making for better use of living; Peckham has its Health Centre, comprising not only the obvious clinics, but swimming baths, gymnasia, cafes, a library, bil-liard-room and other amenities; Fulham has its official play-mas-ter for the children’s recreation grounds; and Newcastle-under-Lyme, its new municipal games coach; while new playing centres and additional playing fields are being provided in many other cities. Manchester has its school journeys to the Dominions, to the Baltic countries, and to Central and Southern Europe for boys and girls; physical training centres for the unemployed; holiday camps and youth hostels, and a growing enthusiasm for amateur music and drama.

England is. giving, perhaps, a belated but growing recognition to the fact that men and women need not only work,- but time to play and to exercise whatsoever skill they* possess which their work does not call into use. These new movements in England compare favourably with what is happening in the rest of Europe. England is setting a praiseworthy example to the rest of the world and the British Dominions in particular. This is the new trend, and, therefore, the public will welcome the suggestion that Mr J. E. Lovelock, who will receive a great ovation when he returns to New Zealand on a visit shortly, should be appointed physical director in the Dominion. That he possesses the qualifications, and is eminently fitted for the position, no one will deny, but there is a serious defect in the proposal, which, however, lias nothing to do with Mr Lovelock, but is the concern of the authorities and the people of New Zealand, and that is the falling birthrate. If the rate is maintained for a decade there will be very few young people for the physical director to worry over. An increase in our population is one of the problems of the day.

The Labour Department’s placement scheme has been responsible for 255 men obtaining positions in Palmerston North up to the present. Of these 163 are in permanent positions, 18 casual, and 74 temporary. A position as happy as it must be unique is enjoyed by tho Palmerston North Literary and Debating Society, which has a wholly financial membership, which has increased by well over 100 per cent, in tho past season. Residents of Taihape awakened on Monday morning to find the ground covered with snow. The visitation was totally unexpected, especially after sunshine on the previous day. The fall was heavy in some of the country districts, over six inches being recorded at Erewhon and other rural areas. With villages and churches, trees and fields, roads, rivers and railway lines all complete, an area of England, five miles by three miles and a half, has been accurately reproduced on, a sand table measuring eight feet by four feet and a half for the use of' officers and moil of the First Battalion of the Wellington West Coast Regiment.

A haul of more than £4O was made by a burglar or burglars who entered the premises of garage proprietors at Masterton after 10.30 o’clock on Monday night, and opened a specially imported “burglar-proof” safe. It is understood this is the fourth time the premises have been unlawfully entered, the last occasion bein’g about a year ago.

A conference was held in Palmerston North, to-day, on the subject of district nursing. There were in attendance the district nurses of the Palmerston North Hospital Board, Dr. McLean (medical officer of health) and other members of the Health Department, while the Hospital Board was also represented. The proceedings were of a private nature. A new Augustus John portrait figures in the portrait section of tlie National Art Gallery, at Wellington, and will remnin there during October, ft is a portrait of the late Rt. Hon. William Ferguson Massey, formerly Prime Minister- of New Zealand, as seen by the famous American artist and purchased by the Bank of England, which has lent the canvas to the trustees.

No petitions in bankruptcy were filed with the Deputy Official Assignee ui Palmerston North in September. One was filed in tlie corresponding month of last year. For the three months ended to-day four petitions were filed, as- against five in the corresponding quarter of last year, and for the first nine months of the present calendar year there have been 14 petitions filed, compared with 13 in the same period a year ago.

Concern at the increasing number of motor accidents in the Dominion was expressed by Mr B. L. Donne, chairman of directors of an insurance companyj when speaking at the annual meeting in Auckland. Mr Donne quoted the following figures showing the ratio of claims pay-outs to net premium income in the years mentioned:—l929, 14.6 per cent; 1930, 39.4; 1931, 44.18; 1932, 55.14; 1933, 63.6; 1934, 4J.7; 1935, 58; 1936, 72.7. Fears that another insect jiest may have invaded the Dominion exist today in the minds of some New Zealand scientists. There is evidence in Otago of a certain condition in some of the wheat harvested last autumn which is analogous to that obtaining in the case of depredations by the wheat bug, an insect which has taken a heavy toll of European wheatfields (says an exchange). The situation is being closely watched, but it will be impossible to determine the question before next harvest.

Holding that the passage of the Industrial Efficiency Bill should be deferred until next session, the Auckland Chamber of Commerce has communicated with the Associated Chambers of Commerce asking it to take immediate action to secure such delay. The chamber considers the provisions of the Bill are so far-reaching and the definition of the term “industries” so wide, including all classes of business and not merely manufactures, that delay until next session is necessary to enable its provisions to be fully considered.

“1 should like to ask you this: Have you two different ways of speaking English?” asked Professor F. Sinclaire, when addressing members of the St. Mary’s College Verse-Speaking Choir in Christchurch. The occasion was a programme of choral verse presented by the scholars for Dr J. Hight, Professor J. Shelley and Professor Sinclaire. The voices of the girls, said Professor Sinclaire, were extremely pleasant. There was very great danger of the development in New Zealand of unpleasant speech, and the choir, by setting such an example as he had heard, could do much to improve the quality of spoken English. “You have my thanks and congratulations!” he concluded.

Representatives of various trades unions in Palmerston North met,, last evening, to discuss preliminary arrangements for the celebration of Labour Day, with particular reference to the introduction of the 40-hour week. The holding of a procession was mooted and application is to be made to the Palmerston North City Council for the necessary permission. The procession, it was suggested, could bo made attractive with the inclusion of suitable tableaux, and a further meeting is to be held to advance the arrangements. Invitations are to be extended to several speakers who are prominent in the Labour movement to address a gathering at the close of the procession.